The Mystic's Prayer

by Miki

On a routine mission, Carter is captured by a minor system lord

Title: The Mystic's Prayer

Author: Miki

Email: miki@nmia.com

Rating: R, just in case.

Warnings: None

Category: Adventure/Action/Angst/Romance

Spoilers: Children of the Gods, Hathor, The Nox, Line of Duty, Tok'Ra (I & II)

Season Set: Second

Disclaimers: All Stargate SG-1 characters are the property of Stargate SG-1 Productions (II) Inc., MGM Worldwide Television Productions Inc., Double Secret Productions, Gekko Film Corp and Showtime Networks Inc. No infringement of those rights is intended.

Author's Note: I'd like to thank both of my beta readers, Maria Guyan and Adrianna Laura, for all the brainstorming sessions and hours of pouring over the scenes as I wrote them. I couldn't have done it without you.

~~~~@

The Mystic's Prayer

~~~~@

Stars were falling deep in the darkness

As prayers rose softly, petals at dawn

And as I listened, your voice seemed so clear

So calmly you were calling your god

Full Circle – Loreena McKennitt

~~~~@

Candles burned in the darkness, softly illuminating the chamber. A young woman kneeled on the steps leading up to a Stargate, her arms raised to the heavens. On either side of her sat a large, black dog, staring mutely at the portal, as if expecting it to open up and swallow them.

As she offered up her prayers, a deep rumbling filled the room. The giant inner wheel of the Stargate began to rotate and the first chevron locked in place with a loud bang. A great draft blew around the temple, extinguishing some of the candles. The dogs stood and started barking, trying to rouse their mistress.

"Jamshid, Sanjar, boro!" she commanded, snapping instantly to consciousness. She quietly followed them to an adjoining chamber and made sure she could easily slip away should she be seen. She then took up a place near the doorway, making certain that she could see all that went on without being seen.

********

Samantha Carter liked to be the first to arrive on a new planet. She stepped out of the portal and shook her head, clearing the fuzziness. She walked several feet away from the gate and looked around.

Daniel Jackson walked out of the Stargate next. He approached Sam who was examining one of the chamber's walls. "This is weird," she said in a low voice.

"I'll say. Someone's been here recently. The candles don't look like they've been burning long."

Teal'c and Jack O'Neill walked down the steps. "The lights are on, but nobody's home," said Jack as he bent down to pick up a small pillow. "It's still warm. Hey Daniel, any ideas as to what this is and why it was on the stairs?"

"It looks like a prayer cushion. And I have no idea why it was on the stairs… unless the locals worship the Stargate. A lot of cultures think that Gods come through the..."

"I get the picture, Danny-boy."

Sam pulled out her flashlight and examined the pillow. "Daniel, this looks like some kind of writing."

"It looks vaguely Arabic. But there are some characters I don't recognise. I have no idea what it says."

"I have not seen writings like this before, Daniel Jackson," said Teal'c before turning away from them. He stiffened slightly and cast his eyes in the direction of one of the chamber's doors. "We are being observed."

"I've had that feeling myself," stated Jack, switching the safety off his gun. "Carter, you and Daniel stay here. Teal'c you're with me. Let's go have a look."

Jack led the way into the outer chamber, shining his flashlight into the corners. He jerked his head at one of two doorways and indicated that he would take the one on the right. The two men met just as they arrived outside. The sun shone brightly through the trees. Jack shielded his eyes with is hand and looked around.

Teal'c knelt down to examine the ground. "There are three separate tracks going in different directions, Colonel O'Neill."

"Any made by humans?" He unzipped his jacket in the hot sun.

"No. These tracks were made by animals. Two dogs, I believe you call them, and one equine. The spoor is fresh."

"Spoor?"

"Footprints."

"Ah, I see. Let's get back inside. I want to make sure that Daniel doesn't stumble across anything dangerous."

********

Jack looked on from his perch on the palace steps as Daniel and Sam excitedly scurried about collecting artefacts. If he had to listen to Daniel ramble on about the anthropological find of a lifetime one more time, he knew the results would be less than attractive.

Teal'c stood behind him watching dispassionately as the two scientists went about their business. "Colonel O'Neill, we have approximately two hours of daylight remaining. Perhaps it would be wise to establish camp."

"That is the best idea I've heard all afternoon, Teal'c. One more word about this place being an anthropologist's wet dream, and I think I'll open fire."

"What is a wet dream?"

"It's well... uhm..." Jack stuttered, feeling his cheeks flush crimson. "Well, it's a dream... a very uhm vivid dream... and you uhm... well... let's just say you end up wet, okay?" Jack turned away, hoping that the others were too far away to notice his discomfort.

Teal'c raised an eyebrow wondering why he never got any real answers when he posed questions. "I see," he stated blandly, though he most certainly did not. "There is a suitable clearing well out of firing range of..."

"It was a joke, Teal'c. Daniel's my friend. I'm not going to shoot him."

"I see."

********

Sam picked up a well-preserved vase depicting a battle. She carefully examined the pictures, trying to make sense of them. "Daniel, come look at this."

Daniel got up from where he had been sitting and dusted off his pants. He walked over to Sam and took the vase she held out to him. "Oh wow! Do you know what this is?"

"If I knew that, I wouldn't have called you over to tell me," she said amusement tingeing her voice.

"This scene depicts a battle between Ra and another Goa'uld. This symbol is familiar, but I can't quite put my finger on it. It shows how the other Goa'uld fought against Ra's cruel treatment of the slaves forced to mine Naquada and how he freed the people of this planet. This Goa'uld earned the people's loyalty and they mine the Naquada willingly to please him." Daniel looked up from the vase and frowned. "I wonder if this guy is Tok'Ra."

Sam pulled a face and thought for a moment. "I... I don't think so, Daniel. None of my memories from Jolinar make reference to this Goa'uld."

Oblivious to what she had said, Daniel continued, pointing to another part of the vase. "Here they're having a feast in honour of that Goa'uld. This empty seat is probably symbolic of his presence."

Jack strolled over to them, casually resting his hands on his firearm. "How are you two coming along?"

"Fine, sir."

"Have you found anything useful?" he asked, sarcastically.

"These artefacts are incredible, Jack. We've found references to a Goa'uld who fought Ra, but Sam doesn't think he or she is Tok'Ra. And the people here are so thankful to him or her that they willingly mine the Naquada he needs."

"I see. And this helps us how?"

"You can be so obtuse sometimes. If he openly rebelled against Ra, then doesn't it stand to reason that he's on our side?"

"Uhm. No. Just because he was Ra's rival doesn't mean that he isn't just as power hungry as the next Goa'uld, Daniel."

"I don't think so, Jack. I think this Goa'uld is different."

Jack, fearing another round of cultural babble, rolled his eyes to the heavens, and said, "I'm going to go help Teal'c finish setting up camp. If you kids need anything, holler." As he walked off, he turned back to face the two scientists. "Don't go too far. We still don't know what's out there."

"Sure Jack," mumbled Daniel as he turned back toward a large stone tablet.

"Yes sir," Sam grinned, snapping a mock salute. She walked over to Daniel and, with a smile, waved a candy bar in front of his face. "You look like you need something to tide you over."

"Thanks! I'm starving." Daniel took the chocolate and unwrapped it. "Want half?"

"Sure." Sam sat down beside him and accepted half of the chocolate bar.

"This hits the spot. Thanks, Sam."

"So, who do you think these people were?"

"As far as I can tell, they're descended from the ancient Persians. I think this symbol here represents Mithras," he said, pointing out one of the carvings. "He was pretty much an all purpose, handy kind of God." Daniel ran his fingers over the rough surface.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but this world is nothing like ancient Persia or modern Iran."

"No, it certainly isn't," agreed Daniel.

"Don't you think that's sort of odd? I mean the one consideration that the Goa'uld give their subjects consistently is that they put them in areas on the worlds they populate that more or less resembled where they were taken from. At least that's true of the people they've taken from Earth. Look at Abydos."

"Yeah. Now that you mention it, it's kind of weird. I don't have any idea why this case is so different. Maybe we'll find some answers here," he said, jerking his chin at the ruins around them before shoving the rest of the candy in his mouth.

Sam reached out and gently wiped a small streak of chocolate from Daniel's lip. She smiled at him. "You had chocolate on your face," she said softly.

********

Several hours later:

Daniel wandered into camp examining an artefact he had found... a stone etched with diagrams. He placed it in his pack for later examination and sat down in front of the fire. It was really quiet and he looked around at Jack and Teal'c lounging sleepily near the trees. Jack raised an eyebrow as he started peering toward the tents. "Hey, have you guys seen Sam?"

"I have not," replied Teal'c.

"She probably just went to check something out in the palace. I'm sure she's fine."

Daniel stood up and paced by the fire. "I think we should go look for her. It's getting dark and who knows what's out there. She could be hurt, Jack."

"Sam's a big girl, Daniel. And a damned fine soldier. She can take care of herself. Here," said Jack, handing Daniel an MRE. "Have a bite to eat. Sam will be along in a few minutes."

Daniel reluctantly took the ration pack and opened it. "Oh goody. Just what I always wanted… chicken flavoured barbecued beef."

Jack chuckled at Daniel's disgust.

"It is… interesting," said Teal'c as he finished the last of his meal.

"That's being really nice about it," snorted Daniel as he picked at the contents of the packet.

They sat in silence for several minutes watching the flames jump toward the heavens. The night sounds coming from the forest around them sent chills up Daniel's spine. He stood up and looked nervously toward the palace.

"I'm going to go find Sam. She's been gone way too long." Daniel put his MRE on one of the logs near the fire and picked up his sidearm. "It's just not like her to disappear like this."

"Cool your jets, Daniel." Jack called to him, an annoyed tone in his voice. "I'll go with you. Teal'c stay here in case she comes back. And if she does, don't let her out of your sight." At Teal'c's nod, Jack grabbed his firearm and followed Daniel back to the palace.

********

Sam snapped awake when cold water was thrown in her face. She jerked her head to the side, trying to get away from it, and regretted the movement immediately. Pain. Sharp, blinding pain shot through her skull. She tried to raise her head, but the discomfort intensified. Through the fog, Sam realised her hands were tied above her, effectively leaving her dangling. A soft moan escaped her lips.

Someone grabbed her roughly by the hair and jerked her head up. "Who are you?" a deep voice growled.

Sam opened her eyes slowly, blinking the dirty brown water out. She looked up, trying to focus on the face swimming in front of her. She gasped slightly, recognising the man as a Jaffa instantly.

He backhanded her. "Who are you?" he repeated, cracking his knuckles.

Sam gingerly licked her bloodied lip and closed her eyes. "Captain Samantha Carter. 448-53-7862."

"What is your purpose here?" he demanded. Sam met his harsh glare with a look of defiance, only to be rewarded with a brutal punch to the stomach.

She gasped for air, feeling very light-headed. "Captain Samantha Carter. 448-53-7862." To her relief, the Jaffa released his grip on her and walked away. She heard him bark out an order she did not understand.

Several Jaffa approached her. One released one of her arms from its binding, leaving her hanging by the other. Sam bit her lip, trying not to cry out.

The first Jaffa grabbed her hair again and jerked her head back again. "What is your purpose here?" he demanded. At Sam's silence, he released her and nodded to the others. Sam heard the sounds of a staff weapon powering up.

"You will answer, Captain Samantha Carter. What is your purpose here?"

Sam closed her eyes again and said, "Captain Samantha Carter. 448-53-7862."

"As you wish." The Jaffa jerked his head at one of the others and looked on dispassionately as the tip of the staff weapon briefly touched Sam's side. The smell of searing flesh filled the air.

The intensity of the pain tore a sharp cry from Sam's lips. Tears filled her eyes, blurring her vision. She clamped down on another yelp and took a ragged breath. "Captain Samantha Carter. 448-53-7862."

"Very well." He turned away and, just before walking into the jungle, he gave the other Jaffa a command in Goa'uld.

Sam whimpered as the staff weapon was pressed against the small of her back and again to her free arm. She tried to jerk away, but lost her balance. One of the Jaffa hit the back of her knees with his weapon, jerking her bound arm violently, resulting in a sickening snap. Sam felt several blows fall against her body before the world closed in and unconsciousness claimed her.

********

Jack and Daniel had searched for Sam for well over an hour before darkness forced them to retreat to camp. Despite Daniel's protests, Jack, with Teal'c's help, had managed to convince him that it was simply too dangerous to continue before daylight. Although they had kept him from staying out, they could not force him to sleep. He had spent the night tossing and turning in his tent having nightmares about what could have happened to Sam.

Daniel woke up with the sun and paced furiously as he waited for Jack and Teal'c to get ready to go. "Will you two hurry it up already?" he cried. He had skipped breakfast and even his morning coffee, wanting to leave early but the team did not seem in as much of a hurry as he was.

"Keep your pants on, Danny. I just need to pack a few more things in the emergency kit." Jack then lowered his voice for Daniel's sake. There was no need to upset him more by being overly pessimistic. "Teal'c, hand me the morphine out of that first-aid kit. And there's some IV equipment in there too. Might as well be prepared." He quickly stowed the items in his pack so Daniel would not see them and zipped it shut. He stood up and slung the cumbersome bag over his shoulders. "Come on, let's go find Carter."

They walked toward the palace where Daniel told them he had last seen Sam. Jack climbed the steps in front and looked out over the terrain.

"Okay. I don't see anything from up here, but that doesn't mean anything. Teal'c, you search the palace. We didn't see anything last night, but that doesn't mean a thing. We could have missed something. Daniel, you search around the area where you last saw her. See if you can turn up anything that might indicate where she went. I'm going to check the perimeter of the jungle. Maybe she wandered off and got lost."

"I'm the one who wanders off, Jack. Sam's too dependable. She always tells us where she's going. I'm the flaky one, as you're so fond of pointing out."

Jack jumped down from the steps and put his arm across Daniel's shoulders. "You're not flaky, Danny. You're just a bit scatterbrained from looking at all those rocks of yours."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that's much better, Jack. Thanks a lot. And they aren't rocks. They're artefacts."

"Whatever you say, Danny-boy." He started walking towards the jungle. "Daylight's burning. Let's move it out."

An hour of continuous searching had revealed nothing. There simply was no sign of Samantha Carter anywhere. Teal'c walked out of the palace looking far more grim than usual. He headed over to Jack's location and motioned that he would search in the opposite direction.

"You find anything, you holler for me. Okay?"

"I will do so," said the Jaffa seriously. He hacked through the dense underbrush with his staff weapon, trying to find any trace of their missing comrade.

********

Daniel looked over the area Sam had been working in. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary to him except that she had left her sample collections with the artefacts. He sighed miserably. Whatever had happened must have been sudden. She never would have left all of her things lying around. And yet there was no sign of anything to indicate a struggle or that something out of the ordinary had happened.

"Come on, Sam. Throw me a clue here. I know you're in trouble. And I know you need our help. Just give me a sign and I'll come find you," he muttered under his breath. Out of the corner of his eye Daniel saw something move. "Sam?" He whirled around.

A large black dog peered at him from several yards away, sizing him up. Daniel's shoulders slumped with disappointment. The dog did not appear threatening, but its stare was unnerving. He wondered if Sam had followed it and become lost. His eyes widened as the dog started to walk away and then turned back to look at him, seemingly beckoning him to follow it. Daniel shrugged and walked a discreet distance behind the dog, entering the jungle wondering what he would find.

After several minutes the dog stopped and started digging at the ground, growling and whining. Daniel rushed over and looked on in wide-eyed shock as the dog dug up Sam's hat. Without thinking, he pushed the dog away and picked up the hat. It had been trampled pretty badly and there were traces of blood on it.

"JACK! Get over here!" screamed Daniel hysterically at the top of his voice. "JACK!"

The dog, spooked by Daniel's behaviour, turned and ran silently into the jungle. Daniel looked forlornly at the battered, bloodied hat.

A moment later Jack and Teal'c burst into the small clearing breathing heavily. "What's wrong, Daniel? What is that?" asked Jack, grasping his sides. Daniel handed the hat over to Jack whose face fell when he realised what it was. "Oh shit."

********

Sam drifted back to consciousness, keenly aware of the pain radiating from every part of her body. She took several shallow breaths trying to keep the discomfort in her chest at bay, but it did not help. She gasped for air as the stabbing sensation tore through her. After several minutes of composing herself, Sam finally tried to push herself into a sitting position. The sharp, intense pain that shot from her fingers to her shoulder brought tears to her eyes. Much to her relief, she did not cry out. She stifled another painful gasp and opened her eyes.

A shadow fell over her, blocking everything from her vision. She looked up at the tall being adorned in a head-dress in the shape of a lion's head. "Well, if it isn't the mystery guest," she mumbled under her breath.

"Silence!" he bellowed in a deep, booming voice. "You will not speak unless addressed." He held his hand out, palm facing her. The ribbon device he wore glowed menacingly. "Who are you?"

"Captain Samantha Carter. 448-53-7862."

"Excellent. Samantha Carter, what is your purpose for being upon my peaceful world? Why do you bring weapons with you?"

Sam eyed him speculatively, but said nothing for fear he would go after the rest of the team if she betrayed their presence. She steeled herself knowing what was coming next.

"You will stand," he commanded darkly. When she did not move, he extended his gloved hand, the ribbon device glowing brightly.

Sam felt herself lifted off the ground before sailing through the air and connecting solidly with a tree. She groaned softly as her head flew back to hit it, blackening her vision and numbing her pain and thoughts for a moment. She fought the urge to succumb to the darkness and opened her eyes before sliding to the ground. And still she said nothing. She took a deep, gasping breath, trying to clear her head.

"What is your purpose here?" he demanded again. At her persistent silence, he levelled his hand at her again and sent her careening into a wall.

********

Jack, Teal'c and Daniel cautiously approached the mining settlement just in time to see Sam hurled through the air. Daniel lurched forward, dropping everything he was carrying desperately wanting to help her. His desire sent adrenaline surging through his body, but somehow Jack restrained him.

"Are you nuts?" he growled. "There are at lest 15 Jaffa out there. And I'm sure that we're not seeing the entire picture from here either. For all we know, there could be a dozen more just around that corner."

"We have to help her, Jack," Daniel whispered forcefully, pleading with his eyes. "We can't just sit here and watch that Goa'uld throw her around like a rag doll."

"It would be unwise to attract attention, Daniel Jackson. We would endanger ourselves as well as Captain Carter. We must wait for an opportunity."

"How can you be so calm?" Daniel asked, shocked. "That's our friend out there. She's hurt. And she's going to be hurt worse if we don't do something. Now!"

"Calm down, Daniel. We'll get her out of there. We just have to wait for the right timing."

Daniel tried to tear his eyes away from the horrific scene before him, but could not. He watched helplessly as Sam was repeatedly thrown across the compound. Her battered body falling to the ground over and over again.

********

The attack stopped just as suddenly as it began. Sam got to her knees, panting, trying to slow her racing heart. The pain in her arm was barely tolerable. And the charred skin on her leg, side and back had been skinned on the rough tree bark. Her head fell back, eyes shut tightly, as she struggled to control the pain. She heard someone nearing and looked up at the Goa'uld, barely focusing on him.

"You are very brave. But we fear your efforts are meaningless. You will tell us what we wish to know. We have heard that the legendary Tau'Ri have returned through the Chappa'ai. Are you one of the Tau'Ri, Samantha Carter?" He walked menacingly toward her and pulled her to her feet by the hair.

She sneered at him and spit in his covered face. "I have nothing to say to you," she said with conviction.

"How dare you defile us so? Mithras is not to be trifled with." He released her hair, letting her slump to the ground. "You will now tell us what we wish to know."

********

Daniel turned to look at Jack and Teal'c, relief sweeping his features when the attack had stopped. "I was right. The artefacts we found yesterday were honouring Mithras. That explains the Persian flavour to the architecture and the seemingly Arabic writings on that cushion we found."

"Mithras was the student of Ra," said Teal'c quietly, still eyeing the situation.

"Oh, that's just great," stated Jack sarcastically. "Is there anything else we should know about this guy?"

"Mithras and Ra disputed the treatment of the slaves. He felt that Ra was foolish to work them so ruthlessly. They had a fierce battle and Mithras, through some unknown means, defeated Ra."

"If he's supposed to be such a humanitarian, why is he brutalising Sam?" asked Daniel miserably.

Jack shook his head looked back into the compound. Something was off. There were fewer guards watching the events unfold than there had been just a moment earlier. Neither he nor Teal'c had seen them disappear. He nudged Teal'c with his elbow and jerked his head in the direction of the Jaffa. Teal'c raised his eyebrow and glanced around the compound, trying to locate the missing guards.

********

Mithras motioned for two Jaffa to grab Sam. She gasped sharply as one of them roughly grabbed her broken arm. "You will reveal all that we wish to know. You have no secrets from us."

Sam watched in unmasked horror as the jewelled hand approached her face. It began to glow softly, then with more intensity as the level of power increased. She tried to look away but found her eyes fixed to gaze upon it. As it drew level with her eyes, it seemed to shoot a bolt of electricity through her. Every nerve in her body was set on fire and her mind exploded in pain. As quickly as it had come, however, it was gone and only one desire remained, one thought filling her mind: the need to obey.

********

Rustling noises in the underbrush not far from where SG-1 startled Jack and Teal'c. Not all was as it appeared. They could barely make out the features of two large black creatures as they dragged an unconscious Jaffa into the dense jungle.

"That tears it! Whatever that was doesn't appear to be terribly friendly. We've got to get Carter out of there *now*. Teal'c, you go around that way. I'll take the front." After Teal'c cautiously made his way around the complex, Jack turned to face Daniel. He followed the younger man's gaze, which had locked onto Sam's face. "Daniel? Earth to Daniel. I need you to cover me. We're getting Sam out of there now. But before we can do that, Teal'c and I need to get in closer. Can you do this?" He nudged Daniel to make sure he had been heard.

"Yeah, Jack. I can do this." Determined, Daniel pulled his sidearm, chambered a round and released the safety.

"Good man." Jack patted him on the back before raising his gun and leaving. He cautiously left the cover of the underbrush when a loud rumble thundered from the jungle. He dove back into the brush and covered his head with his hands, praying that he had not been seen.

A young woman atop a huge black horse galloped into the compound from the main path. The massive animal bore her straight toward Mithras and Sam, stopping only when his mistress commanded it.

Daniel looked on in wide-eyed wonder, unable to move or say anything. He watched as the Jaffa opened fire on horse and rider, trying unsuccessfully to keep them at bay.

The young woman launched herself off her steed, landing steadily on her feet. She spun to face her attackers, agilely dodging the staff blasts. A bright glow emanated from her hands and a ball of pure energy shot out connecting solidly with one of the Jaffa.

Daniel sprang into action as another Jaffa aimed at the woman. He raised his sidearm and shot him, hitting him squarely between the eyes. Three more Jaffa entered the fray just as Teal'c burst into the compound. Before they had a chance to react, Teal'c shot two of them with his staff weapon.

The young woman rushed another Jaffa, blasting him at the last second with an energy bolt. She turned to face Jack, her hands glowing ominously ready to blast him. She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before lowering her hands.

Jack felt a sense of safety flow over him. He slowly let out a breath he had not realised he had been holding and lowered his weapon. He nodded at the woman. She suddenly broke away and started running toward Sam. Jack turned to follow her, changing his course suddenly as more Jaffa ran into the clearing. He and Teal'c stood 10 feet apart, mowing them down as they came forward.

Mithras studied the scene weighing his chances of escape. As more Jaffa swarmed into the compound, Mithras slipped quietly into the jungle.

A shrill whistle brought the horse galloping toward the young woman as she neared Sam. His feet kicked up clouds of dust as he ran. With unusual strength for someone of her small stature, the woman hoisted Sam onto the horse with her and galloped out of the compound.

As Jack shot the last visible Jaffa, he motioned for Daniel and Teal'c to fall back. Once safely in the jungle, they turned and ran in the direction the woman had taken Sam.

********

Daniel ran headlong into the jungle, not concerned with the branches that fiercely slapped at his face and arms. He could hear Jack and Teal'c not far behind him, but his concern right now was for Sam.

The dog he had followed earlier appeared in front of him. Daniel skidded to a halt and stood stunned, watching the dog watch him. Jack and Teal'c slowed down and stopped next to him, weary of the large beast. Jack raised his sidearm, ready to fire if the dog moved to attack.

"I don't think he's going to hurt us, Jack," said Daniel quietly, eyes never leaving the dog.

"In case you didn't notice, Daniel, that dog and its friend dragged grown Jaffa off into the jungle. How do you know it won't hurt us?"

"When we were looking for Sam he showed up. I followed him into the jungle and he uncovered Sam's hat." Daniel slowly turned toward Jack, nodding at him with confidence. Jack looked from Daniel to the dog, then lowered his weapon.

The dog took several steps away from them and stopped. Tail wagging, it barked and took several more steps before turning to bark again.

"Come on guys! He wants us to follow him. This way!" Daniel took off after the dog at a run.

"Daniel, wait! How do…?"

It was too late. Daniel had already disappeared into the jungle. Jack threw his hands up in frustration.

"Perhaps it would be wise to accompany Daniel Jackson," stated Teal'c.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea. Lord knows he has a knack for finding trouble."

********

Twenty minutes later they entered a clearing. A large pavilion style tent made of some sort of skins stood next to a trickling stream. Next to the tent stood the giant horse they had seen earlier, grazing peacefully in the cool shade. As Jack, Daniel and Teal'c approached, a second black dog walked up beside them, herding them to the tent's opening.

Daniel cautiously moved aside the flap and stepped inside. He blinked a few times to adjust his eyes to the dimness within. The sight that greeted him broke his heart. Sam, beaten and battered, was unconscious on one of the beds. The young woman, who had rescued her, stood next to her, gently cleaning some of the more severe injuries to Sam's body, spreading a thick paste over them.

Jack did not like the thought of leaving Sam to what in his eyes amounted to medieval medicine. Herbs and magic were no substitute for modern science. And what Sam was in desperate need of was a good healthy dose of modern science. Doc Frasier would know what to do, but Jack felt completely helpless.

Jack paced furiously from one side of the tent to the other, biting his nail as he stared at his motionless comrade. "Daniel, you have got to believe me when I tell you that Carter's going to die without surgery. You saw what the Jaffa did to her. She's got to have massive internal injuries."

"Sam's in no condition to travel. We're at least 20 kilometres from the gate. The trip alone would kill her." Daniel was getting extremely annoyed with Jack's unwillingness to even entertain the possibility that the young healer could help Sam. What Sam needed right now were their prayers, even though she could not hear them.

"I'm very well aware of that, Daniel. Teal'c and I are going to go get help. You stay here and…"

Daniel angrily cut him off with a wave of his hand. "You're the one with the advanced first-aid training. Why the Hell am I staying?"

"Number one, you're the one who thinks this… druid can help her. I…" Jack jerked his head distastefully at a bowl of herbs nearby. "Mystical mumbo-jumbo… that's what this is. This is what's going to kill our friend. Number two, if, on our way to the gate, we have a little run in with the Jaffa and this Mithras character, I'm less likely to get my ass kicked…"

Teal'c stepped imposingly between the two men, casting a disapproving glance at them. "This behaviour is most inappropriate. We must act promptly to insure the survival of Captain Carter. Arguing serves only to prolong her discomfort."

The two men stared angrily at each other for a long moment before Jack looked away. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're right, Teal'c. Listen, Daniel, I'm sorry. We need to do what's best for Sam. I want you to stay here because I don't want her to wake up alone. Will you do that?"

"Yeah…uhm… yeah. Of course I will. I'm sorry Jack. I'm just worried about her." Daniel sighed heavily, glancing at Sam. He walked outside with Jack and Teal'c. "Bring back the cavalry, Jack."

Jack smiled and grasped Daniel's shoulder firmly, giving it a reassuring squeeze before shouldering his rifle. "You take good care of her. We'll be back with help before you know it."

********

Daniel returned to the crowded tent. He watched nervously as their newly found friend gently cleaned the burns and lacerations that covered so much of Sam's body. He was not sure what to make of her yet, but her movements were very efficient and brought a strange sense of comfort to Daniel. He cautiously approached the bedside.

"Bashinid!"

He froze in mid-step halfway across the room. "I'm sorry, I don't understand. I just want to help my friend. I want to help."

"Bashinid!" She repeated hastily. She stood up and stormed over to where he was standing. She pointed over to a chair. "Bashinid!"

"You want me to sit down. Okay. I can do that," he said, his voice as soothing as he could make it. He moved toward the chair, talking as he backed away. Pointing at his chest he said, "My name is Daniel. Daniel."

The young woman studied him intently, frowning slightly as she cocked her head to the side. A look of sudden realisation crossed her face and she pointed to herself. "Tahmineh."

"Tahmineh," he echoed, smiling. "That's good." He held his hands out, palms up, trying to be as non-threatening as he could be. Despite her small size, Daniel did not want to risk a confrontation with her. Not with Sam injured.

Sam moaned softly on the other side of the room, drawing their attention. Tahmineh started over to her, then turned back to Daniel holding up one finger and warning, "Bashinid!" as if addressing a naughty child.

Daniel, resigned to his fate, settled for leaning forward as much as he could in the chair as he watched her work. She soon had all of the burns and lacerations cleaned and dressed. Then, she placed her hands lightly on Sam's body just below her shoulders. The light from the fire flickered off of Tahmineh's olive skin, giving off an eerie glow as she began to hum. It reminded Daniel a little of the Nox's healing ritual. He offered up a silent prayer that she knew what she was doing.

Daniel watched as her hands began to glow. At first, he thought it might be a trick of the lighting, but then Sam's injuries began to glow as well, the light starting to shine through the loose dressings covering the wounds. They grew brighter and the warm light cast shadows against the walls. Daniel held his breath for what seemed like hours until he heard the humming slow, then stop completely.

The woman lifted her hands from Sam's body and began to stagger backwards. Daniel surged out of his seat to grab her before she collapsed to the ground. Her head fell back in exhaustion, eyes closed. He wrapped a hand around her waist and helped her over to the chair. Kneeling in front of her, he took her hands in his. "Are you alright?"

Tahmineh opened her eyes slowly. The man, who called himself Daniel, had placed her in the chair. She should have known better than to have taken the healing this fast with the extent of the woman's injuries, but she feared that the woman would have died had she not. The man had taken her hands in his and his emotions transmitted freely through the contact. She almost pulled away as the intense feelings hit her, but stopped herself. She could feel all of his guilt and pain over what had happened to the woman. He was frightened as well, but not for himself, for her. She finally broke contact after the awkward silence, exhausted.

"Bebakhshid. Kheili eihsase khastegi mikonam." She apologised. She could take no more. She had to rest lest she share in the other woman's fate.

She rose from the chair with great effort leaning heavily on the man for support. He offered it immediately and she indicated the bed in the far corner of the room. He helped her walk over to it and gently lowered her into it with one arm as he pulled back the furs with the other.

She sighed as she felt the soft down pillow under her head. The warm furs enveloped her as he covered her much like he would were she a child. She smiled at him. He was indeed a good man.

He started to turn away towards his friend, but she reached out and grasped his hand. Summoning the last of her strength and closing her eyes, she transmitted her feelings to him. She made him feel her great thanks and good intentions towards his friend. She felt him grasp her hand tighter as the feelings began to filter through the link.

Instead of easing off, she pushed the feelings through faster, his eyes opening widely as they covered his mind. Finally unable to maintain the contact any longer, she slumped down into sleep, assured that he would fear for his friend no longer.

Daniel gasped, the contact suddenly broken. He had never felt anything quite like that in his life. He looked down at his hands not believing what he had just experienced. It was as if her feelings and his feelings had merged for a brief instant and there was only one. There was no longer any doubt about this woman's intentions. She would help them, she would. He turned to look at Sam, lying there so helplessly and innocently. She would be okay.

********

Tahmineh awoke several hours later. She was still weak, but refreshed. She opened her eyes to survey the area. The man, Daniel, had brought the chair to sit next to the woman, holding her hand in his and whispering comforting words to her.

Daniel heard the rustle of furs being moved behind him and turned. Tahmineh was just sitting up, looking much better than she had only a few short hours before. Aside from a few stiff muscles she felt better then usual. He had used the time to check on Sam and go over the words the woman had used in his mind. He was amazed at her healing abilities. Sam was still not out of the woods yet, but infinitely better than she would have been without this woman's help or even if Dr. Frasier had been there. He was forever in her debt.

"Salam. Mo'teh'shaker'am." Tahmineh started when he greeted her in her native tongue and thanked her for her help.

"Chetowr mitavanid farsi sohbat konid?" She asked him how this was possible. He had been unable to speak a word of her language before. Granted his accent was unusual, but she could very definitely understand him.

"Man daneshju az zabanha o mardom hastam." Daniel smiled, telling her that he studied languages. Once he had the chance to think over her words, the translations had come easily.

Tahmineh was relieved. This would make things much easier. She could see that he still needed some time alone with the woman and busied herself mixing the ointments she would need to aid the healing process. Once or twice she looked over at him, cradling the woman's small hand in his as if she were as delicate as a flower. He felt her face hot and sweaty beneath his fingers. She was suffering from the invisible invaders. Tahmineh put aside the ointments to go retrieve some water.

"You can't die on me, Sam. You have to be okay. You hear me? You have to be okay." He smoothed the hair from her face as he blinked the tears back.

Tahmineh gently touched his shoulder and handed him a soft cloth drenched in water. "Baraye tab," she said, pointing to Sam's forehead, which radiated the heat from her intense fever.

"Kheili mamnun," Daniel thanked her, whispering hoarsely after being on the verge of tears throughout this ordeal. He gently smoothed the cloth across Sam's feverish forehead. "It's going to be alright, Sam. I'm going to take care of you."

Tahmineh sat down beside Daniel and watched in silence as he tended to Sam, murmuring in a language she did not begin to understand. She put her hand on his arm and told him to close his eyes. She smiled brightly as his feelings for Sam flowed over her like the sun on a warm summer day. "Ura dust midari," she stated knowingly. Even for one without her gifts, it was obvious that he loved this woman deeply.

"Az sami-me ghalb," he whispered with conviction opening his eyes. He repeated it in English hoping more than anything that Sam would hear him and fight to survive. "With all my heart." He picked up Sam's limp hand and brought it to his lips.

Tahmineh stood up and turned to leave the tent. Daniel looked up at her, wondering where she was going so suddenly. "Koja miri?"

"Khodet o narahat nakon. Bezudi bar khaham gast." She assured him that she would return soon and smiled before walking out the door.

********

In the jungle it was difficult to say how long the sunlight would hold out. The shadows had been growing longer and darker for over an hour. Jack and Teal'c quickly made their way through the undergrowth, following the trail back to the palace.

With very little warning, they broke through the dense foliage onto a large trail. In the distance they could see the palace rise majestically toward the sky.

"Well, it's about damn time!" said Jack, wiping sweat from his brow. "I thought we'd never get here."

Before he could continue, Jack felt Teal'c grab him from behind covering his mouth. He started to struggle as he was launched into the underbrush. Teal'c released him and motioned for Jack to stay down and quiet. Just as Jack was getting ready to stand up, a troop of Jaffa walked past their hiding place. Jack froze.

"Thanks Teal'c," whispered Jack once the Jaffa were far enough away. "Damn that was close. What the hell do we do now? I don't think we can just waltz in there and borrow the gate."

"It would be foolish to attempt to reach the Stargate before nightfall. There will be two, perhaps three Jaffa standing guard. The remaining guards will go back to the mine. With the element of surprise, we could easily overcome them."

Jack nodded agreement. "I'll go along with that. How much daylight you figure we've got?"

"Perhaps another hour. It is difficult to say."

********

A soft breeze blew through the jungle gently rustling leaves and branches. The sunlight cascaded through the canopy casting different levels of light and shadow over the sweet smelling grasses. At the edge of the clearing, Daniel and Sam sat side by side on a plaid blanket enjoying the peaceful afternoon together.

"Would you like a cup of coffee? I brought a thermos," Daniel asked, sitting up from his lounging position.

"No thanks." Sam covertly studied him as he poured himself a cup and put the thermos back in the basket.

Daniel took a healthy swallow of his coffee before turning back to look at her. "Hey, Sam? Uhm… you know, uhm… well… I've been wanting to… uhm…" He nervously set his coffee down, looking around them at the scenery.

"What's wrong, Daniel?" asked Sam, concerned that something troubled him.

"Nothing's wrong. I just… We've been through a lot together, haven't we?" he asked, wringing his hands together.

"Yes, we have." Sam looked at him curiously. "Please, Daniel, tell me what's got you so upset."

"Well… Sam... I've never really been good at this emotion thing. I mean, I've got plenty of emotions. I just don't know how much to show or how to show them. God, I'm babbling." He looked up to the sky hoping to find some guidance. No such luck. After a deep breath and a silent prayer Daniel covered one of Sam's hands and smiled shyly at her. "I've wanted to tell you. But... I just didn't know how to approach you. A guy like me doesn't stand a chance." He paused and took a deep breath to calm down. "I mean, I'm such a geek and you're so… so incredible."

"Stand a chance at what, Daniel?" she asked in a soft voice. She could feel his hand trembling over hers. Its cold clamminess very much out of place in the summer heat.

Daniel lowered his eyes following the moving patterns cast by the shadows. "Finding someone like you."

A small smile tugged at Sam's lips. She looked at him, trying to catch his gaze. "You really don't have a clue, do you?"

"Clue about what?" Daniel found the courage to look up into her sparkling blue eyes.

"Women, Daniel. There are women falling at your feet, literally throwing themselves at you, on just about every planet we visit. You're so convinced that women don't see you unless they want to pick your brain that you can't believe anyone could want you."

"They do?" asked Daniel uncertainly. After a pause he shook his head in disbelief. "Oh they do not!"

"Yes, they do," she assured him.

"Sam?" At his sudden query she looked up at him. He smiled and shyly whispered, "May… maybe I don't, well, notice them because I'm too busy… looking at you."

"Me?" she asked softly, surprised by his admission.

"You." He smiled again. Before his courage escaped him, Daniel took a deep breath and said, "You're the most beautiful, compassionate, intelligent woman I know. And… and… I love you."

Daniel did not know who made the first move, but suddenly they were locked in a sweet embrace. Their lips came together in a tender kiss. She smelled heavenly. The closeness alone was making him dizzy with excitement. He moved closer and gently cupped her chin, tentatively deepening the kiss. When she suddenly disappeared, he snapped out of his daze frantically looking around him for what he had lost.

Daniel opened his mouth in silent protest, a look of confused disbelief on his face. As he glanced around, he noticed a shimmering on the other side of the clearing. His breath caught as Sam and three Jaffa appeared.

Sam looked like she had been pretty badly beaten. Her clothes were torn and he could see charred edges from where she had been burned. Two of the Jaffa grabbed her roughly by the arms, forcing her to her knees.

Daniel screamed for them to stop and stood up. He started running towards them, but they ignored him, concentrating their full attention on Sam. He watched in horror as the third Jaffa powered up his staff weapon and touched it to her side. She let out a blood-curdling scream that pierced through him, rage building up in his chest. It spurred him on, making him run faster. But no matter how far he ran, he could not reach them.

Something shimmered in front of him bringing him to a sliding stop. A Jaffa stepped out of nothingness and smashed the butt of his staff weapon against his chest.

********

Daniel's eyes snapped open when he felt that same something smash into his chest again. Instantly awake, he jumped off the bed, where he had fallen asleep next to Sam. His eyes widened in fear as he looked down at her body, which arched with convulsions, her arms flung uselessly at her sides, fingers grasping at empty air.

"Tahmineh! Get in here! Tahmineh!" Daniel cried helplessly, not knowing what to do to help Sam.

A moment passed before the flap to the tent flung open. Tahmineh, without a moment's hesitation, made her way to the bed. She gently put her hand on Sam's forehead and frowned.

"Harekat ura nakon!" she commanded indicating that he should hold Sam down. Chastising herself mentally, Tahmineh rushed over to the table where she combined several herbs in a small bowl and vigorously smashed them. She threw a brief glance over her shoulder thinking that she really should have expected this. The woman's injuries were severe enough that dehydration was a definite possibility. She poured some water over the herbs and stirred the concoction together until it was the consistency of paste.

Tahmineh pushed Daniel aside, gesturing for him to hold Sam across the waist. Without concern for modesty, she opened the top of Sam's shirt and poured the mixture over her chest. Tossing the bowl aside, she put her hands over the herbs. After taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, her hands started glowing.

Daniel looked on in wonder as Sam's skin gradually absorbed the herbs. Slowly but surely he was able to ease his hold on Sam as she relaxed. Her breathing started to even out. And, after several minutes, the convulsions completely ceased, leaving Sam pale and sweaty on the bed. Her condition was still very serious, but for the moment she had stabilised.

Tahmineh staggered to her knees, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. Daniel, knowing that Sam, for the time being, had stabilised, turned to Tahmineh and gently lifted her to her feet. "Ejaze bede komakat konam," he said, helping her over to the other bed. "Khastegijat ra dar kon."

With a grateful smile, Tahmineh sank into bed. She caught his hand as he turned to leave. "Daniel…"

He knelt down beside the bed and gently held her hand. "Chi-e?"

"Mo'teh'shaker'am. Kheili mohabbat darid," she whispered, thanking him for his kindness just before succumbing to sleep.

********

The moon shone brightly above, illuminating the path and the palace grounds. Jack and Teal'c had taken position as close to the palace as possible without leaving the relative safety of the jungle.

They looked on as a half dozen Jaffa left the palace and walked down the path into the jungle. They were talking amongst themselves, making no effort to speak in hushed voices as no one else was supposed to be in the area.

After the footfalls had receded, Jack turned to Teal'c. "What were they saying?" whispered Jack.

"They were discussing Mithras' plans for Captain Carter and the other Tau'Ri who rescued her."

"And those would be?"

Teal'c paused a moment before answering. "They would be most unpleasant."

Jack briefly let his thoughts stray to Daniel and Sam, waiting at the witch woman's hut with no protection against the Jaffa. He turned to Teal'c and said, "We'd better get a move on then." He then motioned for Teal'c to head out. Teal'c nodded solemnly before breaking cover, cautiously dashing after Jack to the palace entrance.

As Teal'c had predicted, they met no resistance until they reached the gate chamber. Two Jaffa stood on either side of the Stargate, guarding it. Jack motioned for Teal'c to take out the Jaffa on the left. The two men burst into the chamber and engaged the guards in hand-to-hand combat, rendering them useless before they could alert more guards.

"Secure these two. I'm going to dial home," whispered Jack harshly as he approached the DHD. He keyed in the characters deftly and pressed the red globe, transmitting the sequence to the gate. Once the wormhole was activated, he sent the signal to SGC to open the iris. "Come on, Teal'c let's go get the cavalry."

Jack stepped through after taking in Teal'c's perplexed expression. The big man just raised an eyebrow. "Cavalry?" he asked curiously before walking through the portal.

********

Daniel sat at Sam's bedside taking careful inventory of the emergency pack Jack had left for him. He carefully set aside the vials of morphine, knowing he would need them when Sam finally came around. His next discovery made him grateful that Jack was such a pessimist. He pulled out two IV administration sets and one bag of half-normal saline solution.

Thinking back on all those horrid first aid courses the teams had been forced to sit through, he managed to work out that Sam was suffering from hypovolemic shock. Daniel hoped that this single unit would be enough to make up for the missing blood volume.

"God, I hope I remember how to do this." Daniel carefully opened one of the administration kits and set himself to the task of inspecting the equipment. "Okay… let's see… the seals are all intact… flow control clamp is closed… remove the sterile seal from the fluid container and insert the tubing. So far so good. Now, hold the fluid container higher than drip chamber… squeeze and release when it's half full… open flow control… flush air out of the tubing. Great… the chamber's still half full."

He put the partially assembled kit on top of the emergency kit. Daniel rummaged around some more until he found a roll of tape, disinfectant swabs, alcohol swabs, a constricting band and the catheter kit. He set them on the chair immediately behind him. Before continuing, Daniel paused beside Sam and tenderly brushed her hair off her forehead.

"Please forgive me, Sam, I've only done this once. I never thought I'd actually have to do it for real." He carefully leaned over her and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead. "I'm sorry, Sam."

He pulled himself away from her and set himself to the task at hand. "Okay… where was I? Oh yeah. Tie the constricting band tightly around the forearm… palpate the vein… great. Thoroughly clean the back of the hand." Daniel discarded both swabs and took the catheter out of the kit.

"I hate this part. Apply light traction to the vein… hold needle at 30 degree angle with bevel up… quickly perforate the vein… enter the vein… oh yuck!" he said when he felt the pop as the needle punctured the vein and blood flashed back into the needle hub.

Daniel pulled a face as he continued. "Insert needle 2 mm… slide the catheter off the needle and into the vein… slowly pull out the needle. Now… remove the sterile seal from the end of the tubing and attach it to the catheter hub. Take off the constricting band… open the flow control clamp… hold the fluid container lower than the catheter. Oh good… it's going into the vein."

Daniel talked himself through it as if Janet were helping him practice on a dummy. He simply could not bring himself to think that he was working on Sam. He carefully taped the catheter and tubing in place before hanging the fluid container from one of the tent poles.

********

Once he was certain that the IV was working properly, Daniel collapsed into the chair. His heartbeat slowed a little and the tension in his neck eased as he forced himself to relax. Daniel hated to see Sam like this. Her face paled to a ghostly white, beaded with sweat. Her hands were limp and lifeless at her sides. He leaned his elbows on the bed and hid his face in his hands finally allowing the emotions he had bottled up for several days to surface.

How could he not notice that Sam had been captured? Just when he realised that he could fall in love again, he had to go and screw it up. *Way to go, Daniel. Next time, why don't you just hand her over to the Jaffa and throw the first punch yourself,* he thought miserably, digging his fingers into his scalp. A single tear slipped down his cheek.

Daniel looked into Sam's face wishing desperately that he could change places with her… that he had been the one captured and tortured by the Jaffa. He reached out and tenderly caressed her cheek.

"Oh Sam. I hate that this happened to you. You're the kindest, sweetest person I know," he said, his voice pitched just above a whisper and shaking. "There are so many things that I should have told you… things that I always thought I'd get a chance to say, but was always too chicken to bring up. I guess I'm chickening out again. Telling you when you're unconscious… I guess that's pretty cheap." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, angry with himself for taking her for granted.

"I know you may not feel the same way about me, but I love you. I finally work up the courage to say those words out loud to you and you can't even hear me. My day isn't complete until I've seen you. Your smile warms my soul, brightens my day. And you always know just what to say to make me feel better. You don't even have to say anything. Just being with you is enough." Daniel reached across Sam's abdomen and grasped her free hand.

"I was the last to come see you in the brig when Jolinar had taken you over. I couldn't admit it to you at the time, but I couldn't bear to see you like that. I couldn't bear the thought of losing you. And I can't bear losing you now. You've always been there for me. I promise you, I'll get you through this no matter what it takes."

Daniel closed his eyes to blink back the tears. As the fluid container emptied into the drip chamber, he reached up and closed the flow control clamp before it emptied. He sat in silence for a long time just looking at Sam, watching her breathe and praying for a miracle.

********

General Hammond paced the width of the control room. There had been no word from SG-1 since they left for P2G547 two days ago. He stopped pacing and looked out at the gate.

"Something's not right. They should have checked in yesterday," Hammond said.

"I'm sure everything is alright, sir," said a young airman looking up from his console.

"Thank you, Renick. I'm sure you're right." Hammond turned and walked to the door. "You call me if anything comes through. I'll be in my office."

"Yes sir!"

As the General stepped into the hallway, the alarm sounded indicating an incoming traveller. "Off-world activation. Unauthorised gate access."

Hammond jogged back into the control room and looked out at the gate. The inner ring started spinning and the chevrons locked in one at a time. The floor in the control room rumbled as the wormhole engaged.

"Sir, we're receiving a signal. It's SG-1," The airman excitedly announced, smiling at his superior.

"Well it's about time," Hammond muttered under his breath as he headed to the Embarkation Room.

After several moments Jack and Teal'c stepped through the liquid onto the ramp, the wormhole disengaged and the room once again became silent. Hammond approached them, anger and worry showing on his face. "What the Hell happened? Where are Captain Carter and Dr. Jackson?"

"Sir, maybe we should move this to the briefing room," Jack suggested nodding in the direction of the room. He was mildly surprised by the General's open display of irritation. At Hammond's nod he headed out the door.

********

Ten minutes later they were all seated around the conference table. A palpable tension filled the room.

"What happened out there?" asked Hammond, finally breaking the silence.

"Well..." Jack looked over at Teal'c and shook his head. "When we arrived on P2G547 everything seemed normal. We saw no evidence of the inhabitants of the world except for some rocks Daniel got really interested in. Daniel and Carter started examining them while Teal'c and I set up base camp. Just after dusk we realised that Carter had gone missing. We searched the area and the palace, but found no trace of her." He ran his hands nervously through his hair, giving the General an opportunity to interrupt him.

"Do you usually let your team strike out on their own, Colonel?" the General asked critically.

"No sir!" He frowned at the General, meeting his gaze in defiance. "She and Daniel had been working together not far from where we set up camp. Daniel found her gear the next morning in the area where they had been working."

"And Dr. Jackson didn't see or hear anything indicating that Captain Carter was in trouble?"

"He did not," Teal'c interjected calmly, sensing that the Colonel's temper was on the rise. "Dr. Jackson found it extremely disturbing that Captain Carter left her equipment unattended."

"The next morning we searched the area again and Daniel found evidence that Carter had been taken by what we thought were natives," Jack added hastily. He narrowed his eyes slightly at Hammond, annoyed that he would question his leadership. "Teal'c was able to follow the tracks to a mining complex approximately 18 kilometres due south of our camp. We approached with caution and discovered Carter being interrogated by the local Goa'uld." Jack paused, quickly standing to gaze out the observation window overlooking the Stargate.

"A Naquada mine?" Hammond asked, ignoring his silence.

"You think? I mean, what else would they want?" he spat over his shoulder, his emotions getting the better of him.

The General pursed his lips slightly. He chose to ignore his subordinate's rudeness. "What was the Captain's condition when you last saw her?" he asked, concerned.

Jack paced nervously in front of the window. "Bad. I'd be guessing, but I'd have to say those bastards gave her a pretty thorough beating the night before we found her. She was in really bad shape. This strange native woman helped us rescue her and took us to her home… hut… tent… whatever… where she began to treat Carter… real old fashioned mystic medicine and all that crap. I can't say that we could have done anything better for her at the time though. I didn't feel that her condition was good enough to risk bringing her back to the gate."

"And Dr. Jackson?"

Jack bit his lip. "Stayed with Carter. Leaving her on a strange world, injured simply was not an option, sir. On our trip back to the gate we barely avoided a confrontation with a troop of Jaffa. There's a potential risk of being ambushed when we go back for them."

Hammond sighed. Anytime anything ever went wrong it usually involved SG-1. He should have grown accustomed to this sort of thing by now, but he knew he never would. "I want both of you to go to the infirmary to get checked out by Dr. Frasier. Get four hours rest… both of you. You will then assemble a strike team, gear up and be ready to leave at 0530."

"Sir, we need to leave now." Jack looked over at him, desperation in his eyes. "Sam needs a doctor NOW! Not tomorrow morning!"

"Do I stutter or did your ears flap?" muttered Hammond through clenched teeth. He looked up at Jack sternly. "This is not up for debate, Colonel. You are of absolutely no use to me if you cannot function. You will go to the infirmary to see Dr. Frasier and then, after she releases you, you will get no less than four hours rest. That is an order."

Teal'c rose and turned to leave the room with Jack storming out just behind him. Hammond watched as they started toward the door and added, "I'm worried about them, too. You will bring them back safely."

"Yes sir," said Jack before slamming the door behind him.

********

Tahmineh slowly sat up after several hours' sleep. She felt very refreshed despite the strain to her system. She looked over at the other bed and took in Daniel. His posture exuded misery and exhaustion. She gingerly stood up and walked over to him, gently putting her hand on his shoulder. He stirred and looked up at Tahmineh, his eyes full of worry.

"Hale dustat chetowr ast?" asked Tahmineh nodding at Sam.

Daniel shrugged slightly. There had been no significant changes in her condition, but she was still not out of the woods. "Bohrani vakhim," he said quietly, his eyes growing distant.

"Be che fekr mikoni?" she asked, wondering what he was thinking. She brushed the bangs out of his eyes and looked expectantly at him.

"Taghsi-re man bud." His voice cracked on the last word. His face betrayed the guilt he felt. Daniel lowered his gaze and stared at Sam's arm.

Tahmineh's eyes widened. How could he blame himself? The Jaffa had done this to his friend. They were responsible… not Daniel. She knelt down in front of him and caught his sad gaze. "Mozakhraf! Daniel, nah. Taghsi-re to nabud." She assured him he was not to blame for Sam's condition. "Nabud," she whispered again with conviction.

For several long minutes they sat in silence together, each contemplating the other. Tahmineh broke away first. With a reassuring smile she turned to examine Sam. She gasped sharply as her eyes fell upon the IV.

"In chist?" she demanded, jerking her head almost angrily at the IV. "Daniel, tabi'i nist," she whispered in horror.

"Daru az donya'am." Daniel struggled to explain that it was medicine to help Sam, but found his vocabulary lacking. He shrugged slightly.

The answer took her aback. Her brow creased with concern and uncertainty. She simply did not see how this contraption could be helping Sam, when clearly it had caused her injury her in the process. "Daru? Amma… bazuesh… zakhmi kardi."

"Bayad daru masraf kone, Tahmineh. Komakesh mikonad." He tried again to emphasise that the IV was necessary and that it really would help her.

Tahmineh tentatively reached out and touched the tubing. She looked at Daniel for assurance before touching the catheter hub on the back of Sam's hand. He nodded permission and watched in silent amusement as Tahmineh quickly snatched back her hand before it came in contact with the unpleasant looking device.

"Age daru-e, besijar… khub-e," she said, trying to convince herself, that if it truly was medicine, it had to okay. Tahmineh gently pressed the back of her hand against Sam's forehead before walking away.

********

Tahmineh returned from her walk in the jungle with a basket full of herbs and fruits. Taking care not to disturb her guests, she entered the tent quietly. She cast an appraising glance over at the bed and frowned slightly. She put the herbs and fruits on the table and crossed over to the other side of the tent.

"Hastegijat ra dar kon," she said softly as she walked up beside him. He needed to sleep. In the two days Daniel and Sam had been there, he had maybe slept for an hour if even that. "Ba dustat khaham mand," she said, offering to stay with his friend.

"Sam," said Daniel as he looked up at Tahmineh.

"Bebakh'shid?" Tahmineh frowned slightly, not understanding the word.

Daniel pointed at himself. "Esmam-e Daniel." He then reached out and gently took Sam's hand. "Esmesh-e Sam."

The shock of the touch from his hand seemed to have an instant effect on Sam. Her body convulsed violently. Daniel snatched his hand back immediately. "Oh God! Sam!" he cried. Daniel did not hesitate a moment. He held her down as he had before, trying to still her struggles, waiting for Tahmineh to mix more herbs.

Tahmineh returned moments later and poured a foul smelling mixture over Sam's chest and covered it with her hands. Once again, the soft glow spread over her hands and Sam's chest. As Sam's body absorbed the mixture her convulsions slowly passed. Daniel heaved a sigh of relief and turned to Tahmineh, concerned that she would collapse. She gently stayed him with her hand.

"Khubam," she said softly, indicating she was okay.

"Motma'ennid?" asked Daniel, concerned.

Tahmineh smiled and nodded weakly. "Baleh. Khubam." She slowly made her way over to the other bed.

Daniel watched her to make certain she made it safely. He then turned back to Sam. "What would Janet do? What would Janet do? Come on Daniel, think!" he muttered to himself. Daniel stood up and paced furiously beside Sam's bed, trying to stay calm.

Sam was not doing well and needed more IV fluids, but there was nothing he could give her. The kit Jack had left him only had one pack of solution.

He sat down and rummaged in the emergency pack, trying to find anything that could possibly help. An idea started forming in Daniel's mind and he suddenly checked something on Sam's dog tags. "Yes!" he cried out victoriously.

Daniel pulled the second IV administration kit out of the pack. "This better work," he mumbled.

********

An hour later he sat cross-legged in the chair trying to start the IV on himself swearing softly under his breath. Tahmineh did not understand his words, but the tone was very familiar. She cautiously approached him.

"Mowzu chist?" she asked, concerned something was wrong. As she looked over his shoulder, she could see blood flowing from the multiple punctures he had inflicted on himself, trying to get the catheter into his arm. Tahmineh gasped sharply. "Che mikoni?"

"Sam mimire. Bayad komakesh konam," he replied flatly. He knew Sam would die without his help. He had no choice. Daniel took a deep breath and tried again, wincing as the needle failed to hit the target for the fifth time.

Tahmineh could sense his sincerity. Realising she could not argue with him, she walked around to sit before him. "Ejaze bede komakat konam," she offered.

Daniel looked into her eyes and saw both fear and determination. He smiled weakly. "Kheili mamnun."

"Khoshamadid." Tahmineh put her hand over the bend in his arm and closed her eyes. A gentle glow spread from her hand to his arm. When she pulled away, he looked down at his arm in wide-eyed wonder. The punctures had completely closed… soft pink skin in their place. She opened her eyes and smiled up at him.

"Janet has got to learn how to do that," said Daniel, his voice full of awe as he gingerly touched the newly healed skin. He rested his hand on her shoulder. "Mo'teh'shaker'am."

"Che bayad bekonam?" she inquired, nodding at the administration kit.

Daniel retied the constriction band and swabbed the bend in his arm with betadine. "Angoshtet inja begozar o hol bedeh," he said, taking her hand and holding her finger over his protruding vein, stabilising it.

As Daniel held the needle over the vein, he spared a glance at Tahmineh. She had her eyes clenched tightly shut, her mouth in a grimace. He shook his head to clear it. *This had better work!* he thought to himself. With grim determination, Daniel pushed the needle into his arm and, with some effort, slipped the catheter into the vein.

"Thank God," he sighed. "Kheili mamnun."

"Kho… khoshamadid," she whispered softly. Tahmineh quickly got up and retreated to the other side of the tent as Daniel continued to work on his arm.

"Now… if I connect the tubing like this… and put the container down here… bingo!" he said triumphantly as his blood slowly began to fill the fluid container.

Twenty minutes later Daniel closed the flow control clamp on the IV and took the catheter out of his arm, taping a gauze pad over the puncture. He quickly attached the fluid container to Sam's IV and watched the dark red fluid start to flow into her.

He swayed unsteadily on his feet, clutching at the tent pole for support. A strong arm wrapped around his waist. Daniel looked at Tahmineh and smiled weakly.

"Bekhab," said Tahmineh, pointing to the other bed.

"Nah. Ba Sam khaham mand," he said, refusing to leave Sam's side.

"Bekhab," she repeated, pointing to the free space on Sam's bed.

Daniel finally nodded. He was too tired and dizzy to argue. With Tahmineh's help, he carefully climbed onto the far side of the bed. Daniel gently put his arm across Sam's abdomen and closed his eyes. Before the darkness claimed him, Daniel whispered, "Please don't die. I couldn't stand to lose you. I love you, Samantha."

********

Tahmineh rode out to the palace just before sunrise. Daniel's friends had been gone a long time and that concerned her. She was concerned about Sam and knew that her life may depend on their return.

When she arrived at the palace, the grounds were crawling with serpent guards. She silently watched the hustle and bustle from the hillside. She knew she would have to take action or Daniel's friends would die when they returned. She looked down at her dogs.

"Sanjar, Jamshid, khane boro. Daniel o Sam hemayat bekon," she commanded, pointing in the direction of her home. The dogs barked loudly before turning and running back the way they had come.

Tahmineh turned and rode down the path toward the mining village, hoping against hope that she did not encounter any patrolling Jaffa. She left the path, heading toward the river. A small cluster of tents appeared on the horizon.

A young boy ran up as she rode into the encampment. "Tahmineh! Tahmineh!" As she dismounted he flung himself at her legs and hugged them.

"Danush!" She picked up the boy and hugged him tightly. "Koja-st Azadeh?"

"Dar khane." Danush squirmed out of Tahmineh's arms and ran into the nearest tent yelling, "Madar! Madar! Inja Tahmineh-e!"

A tall woman was lead out of the tent by a very excited Danush. She beamed happily at the welcome sight of Tahmineh. The women embraced tightly, clapping each other on the back. "Az didanat khosh'halam." Emotion cracked Tahmineh's voice. She was so happy to see her friend after all this time in hiding.

"Che khabar?" she asked, wide-eyed and eager to hear if the rumours of the strangers were true.

"Zud bash. Digah bogir." Tahmineh wanted to answer these questions once and once only, and before the entire village rather than one person at a time. She handed Khamsin's reins to Danush and she and Azadeh walked toward the centre of the village.

********

Twenty minutes later Tahmineh stood on a raised platform looking out at several hundred of her people. She ignored the angry whispers from the crowd, and held her hands up, trying to silence them.

In her native tongue she addressed them. "Three days ago I prayed to the Portal Gods to send us help, to send us a sign that it is time for us to be free again. Three days ago the Portal opened and four strangers came through. One of the strangers was captured by the Lion Guards and interrogated. She did not reveal anything to them."

"Why should we care?" an angry man interrupted as he stepped up on the platform. He walked up to Tahmineh and looked down at her, trying to intimidate her.

She did not back down. Instead, she straightened her shoulders and looked him squarely in the face. "These strangers can help us. They have weapons unlike any I have ever seen."

"How do you know that these strangers will help us?" he asked venomously.

"I do not know with any certainty. But I have seen their compassion… their bravery. The strangers require our help. The Lion Guards await their return through the portal."

"I thought you said the strangers were here already. How can they be here and not here?" he sneered, hoping he had spotted a hole in her story.

"If you allow me to speak, I will tell you." Tahmineh glared at the man until he finally backed away and returned to the crowd. "I helped them rescue the woman. She was badly injured. I helped her as much as my abilities allowed, but she is still in very serious condition. Two of her companions returned through the Portal to get help. They will be back for her. Otherwise they would not have left Daniel to stay with her." Tahmineh turned to face the angry man. "We must help the strangers. The Lion Guards await their return. We cannot allow them to be harmed."

"Why not? The Lion Guards…"

"There are many of us who possess Hedyeye Makhsus," said Tahmineh, holding up her hand which started to glow brightly. "We have the gift of Ahura Mazda and we must use it to fight for our freedom. With the aid of the strangers we can overcome Mithras."

"She is touched in the head. If we resist Mithras, we will be doomed to the same fate as her family," the angry man pleaded, pointing to Tahmineh. "We are no match for the powers the Lion Guards possess. They will wipe out entire family lines, leaving one sole survivor to stand as an example of what happens to those who disobey."

"We must help the strangers… if for no other reason than to free ourselves from the oppressive tyranny of these Gods… these false Gods. They are no more extraordinary than you or I. Their powers do not come from within. They are unnaturally enhanced."

Azadeh stepped onto the platform and grasped Tahmineh's hand. She raised her free hand, which began to glow. "I will stand with you," she said. Tahmineh turned to face her and smiled.

Slowly people stepped forward, raising their hands, some glowing, some not, but all showing their support for the attack against Mithras. "Get the horses! We must hurry!" Courageously she jumped off the platform and made her way through the crowd.

********

Jack supervised the outfitting of the strike team anxiously from the ramp. Now he knew how Daniel felt while waiting for him and Teal'c to get ready to look for Sam. He offered up a silent apology to Daniel as he watched the team work.

Footsteps sounded on the ramp as Janet Frasier approached Jack. "Colonel O'Neill, I'm going with you."

"The hell you are," he muttered under his breath. Then loudly enough for her to hear he sarcastically said, "Dr. Frasier, right on cue. Dr. Cordova has already been assigned to the team. I'm afraid you're staying here. You're way too important to this base to put at risk."

Janet walked up to Jack and stared him down. "And Captain Carter is far too valuable to leave in the hands of peasant medicine. I'm an officer in the Air Force, Colonel. I've been trained to fight as well as heal."

Jack's expression softened slightly. "I know that. You more than proved yourself during the Hathor thing. And I think I speak for everyone when I say that I'm damned glad you're on our side." He cleared his throat as though he was uncomfortable after paying the compliment. "We can't risk losing you."

"I'm afraid that the General doesn't share your opinion, sir. He's already assigned me as the team's doctor."

"Welcome aboard, Doc." Jack turned to face the soldiers who had gathered in the room. "Listen up people. This mission is damn important. Our objective is to get in there, extract Daniel and Carter and get back out. If we kick some Goa'uld and Jaffa butt while we're there, that's all the better. Are there any questions?"

"No sir!" came the resounding chorus from the gathered group.

"Once you're on the other side, dive for cover. We could well be ambushed. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir!"
All right, saddle up, folks. We're going for a ride."

********

Daniel slept peacefully beside Sam, a small smile on his face and his arm draped across her protectively. A single ray of sunlight broke through the tent flap as it opened, casting a warm, comforting glow over the room.

Sanjar and Jamshid quietly padded inside and made their way to the bed. Sanjar licked Daniel's forehead and whined, trying to get his attention. He opened his eyes, blinking sleepily, and looked at Sam who, thankfully, had not stirred at his movement. Her breathing was regular and her colour seemed better.

Daniel looked around the tent, his eyes falling on the dogs as they watched him intently. Jamshid stood up and walked to the door, casting a worried glance back at him.

"You want me to go with you again?" The dogs cocked their heads slightly, staring at Daniel. "Ba shomara mikhi beram do bare?" he repeated. Both dogs wagged their tails and whined softly. Daniel brushed the hair off of Sam's forehead gently, then carefully got off the bed, trying not to jar her in the process.

He made his way to the tent flap and cautiously peeked outside. Three Jaffa had just entered the compounded, headed toward the tent.

"Dammit," he whispered under his breath. Daniel scrambled toward his gear and pulled out his sidearm. Just as he chambered a round, the tent flaps opened simultaneously and the Jaffa stepped inside. One entered through the entrance closest to Sam, distracting Daniel from those approaching him from behind.

Before he could do or say anything, one of the Jaffa grabbed him from behind, forcing him to drop his sidearm. He tightened his grip, squeezing the air from Daniel's lungs. Daniel tried to suck in a breath, but his chest was constricted too much. The other Jaffa came around in front of him, but Daniel did not notice. He was too preoccupied with the Jaffa approaching the still unconscious Sam.

"Sam!" gasped Daniel, barely managing a whisper. He struggled violently, his feet barely touching the floor. He could feel the darkness closing in from lack of oxygen.

Daniel snapped back to reality when a fist slammed into his face, making him very thankful that he had not put his glasses on yet. His head swam, but he forced himself to open his eyes. He watched as one of the dogs tackled the Jaffa closest to Sam. The Jaffa let out a strangled cry followed by one from the Jaffa who had punched Daniel. They both collapsed to the ground, blood flowing freely from their torn necks.

Sam stirred slightly at their screams and grimaced in pain. She could not identify what woke her up until her eyes fell upon the Jaffa squeezing Daniel. The dogs glanced at her, then, seeing that she was all right, turned their attention back to the Jaffa still holding Daniel. They bared their blood-tinged teeth and growled menacingly, slowly advancing.

The Jaffa warily eyed the dogs for a moment, weighing his odds. He flung Daniel to the ground toward the dogs and made a run for the exit. As his hand hit the tent flap, he jerked violently a moment after a loud gunshot rang out and collapsed to the ground.

The dogs cautiously sniffed and licked at Daniel's wounds, bringing him back before he passed out. From where he sat on the floor gasping he looked over at the bed just in time to see the gun fall from Sam's hand as she collapsed back onto the bed.

"Sam!" he rasped out as he crawled over to her. He carefully took her pulse, sighing in relief when he found it strong and steady beneath his fingers. He managed to pull himself back onto the bed, cradling the again unconscious Sam in his arms. He thanked God once again for Sam's amazing constitution before passing out.

********

Teal'c erupted from the gate, diving behind the DHD with Jack hot on his heals. They surveyed the scene for a moment, relieved that no Jaffa awaited them in the gate chamber. Soldiers slowly started coming through the gate, taking cover as they emerged. Dr. Frasier, still not used to 'gate travel, staggered over to Jack and Teal'c.

"One of these days I'll get used to that. What? No welcoming committee?" she asked sarcastically, glancing nervously around them.

"Not in here. That doesn't mean we aren't going to have company though." Jack motioned to the outside of the building. He looked over to where half of the squad had taken cover. "Rael, I want you to take Yanez, Clark, Hodges, and Rickman. I want this chamber and the adjoining rooms cleared and secured."

"Yes sir!" said Rael enthusiastically. She snapped a salute and led her team cautiously down the stairs.

"Teal'c, once our position is secured, I want you and Maestas to scout outside. Once you get the low down on our situation, I want you to report back to me. Graham, you stick with the Doc. Can't afford to have either of you medical types injured, so until we know where we stand, you're stuck in here with me. Understood?"

"Yes sir," said Graham. He looked around the room for a moment. "Sir, permission to examine the immediate area?"

"Granted. Just don't leave this chamber."

"I won't, sir."

Janet waited for the soldier to walk all the way down the stairs before turning to Jack. She scowled at him. "You know, for someone in such a rush to get to Captain Carter, you certainly are taking your time," muttered Janet under her breath.

"Are you questioning my tactics?" asked Jack harshly, pinning Janet with a venomous glare.

"Yes, I am. For all we know Sam is dead. You said that the peasant woman's camp is about 20 kilometres from here. Daylight is burning."

"It doesn't do us much good to mount a rescue mission only to get caught or killed by the Jaffa. You and that kid down there are Sam's best hope of getting out of here alive. I'm not going to risk having either of you hurt or worse because we're in a hurry. Am I perfectly crystal clear?"

"Perfectly." Janet had the good grace to look sheepish. She reached out and touched his arm. "I'm sorry. I'm just worried about Sam. I didn't get a good feeling about her condition when the General told me what happened."

Jack sighed. "Just don't lose your cool. Things could heat up and I need you to be ready for whatever happens."

Lt. Rael rushed into the room, standing at attention before them. She saluted smartly. "The building is secured, sir. No hostiles present."

"Good work, soldier. Let's go." Jack stood up and lead the rest of the team to the other room where they awaited Teal'c. As Jack was about to sit down on one of the fallen pillars, the sound of staff weapon fire filtered into the palace.

"Doc, take cover in here. I don't want you in the line of fire unless absolutely necessary. Graham, I want you to stay with her and keep out of sight. Everyone else is with me. Weapons are free. Fire at will."

********

Nothing could have prepared Jack for the scene before him. There were no less than 30 Jaffa scattered around the palace grounds. Maestas had fallen down on the steps, a nasty burn covering his upper body, looking quite dead. A quick survey of the area revealed Teal'c pinned down behind a fallen column.

"Take cover," commanded Jack as energy blasts erupted all around them. He crouched down and threw a small rock at Teal'c, trying to get his attention. When Teal'c turned to look at him, Jack gestured that they were going to try to find a way around back.

"Rickman, Hodges, Rael, you're with me. Everyone else, I want you to stay here and lay down a suppressing fire. Hold them off as long as you possibly can." Jack and his team ran back into the palace, searching frantically for another way out.

Janet followed them. "What's going on?"

"I think it'd be in your best interest to go back to the other room," said Jack, storming into the gate chamber.

"Colonel, I'm not an ornament. If you'll get past the fact that I'm a doctor and accept the fact that, first and foremost, I'm a soldier, we won't have a problem." Janet met his harsh gaze and stared him down.

"Okay, you're in. Get your butt back there and tell Graham to help cover the front. Then get back in here and help us find another way out." As Janet ran from the room, Jack muttered, "Goddamn pigheaded doctors. They're all alike."

After five minutes of frantic searching Rael turned up a hidden door. "Sir! I've found it!" she called from behind the gate. The team rushed to join her and let out a collective sigh when, upon opening, no Jaffa could be seen.

"Let's go. We need to hit 'em from behind… get their minds off our buddies out there. No one makes so much as a peep until…" Jack stopped talking in mid-sentence as he spotted a small group of natives creeping out of the jungle. "Great. Just what we needed… a bunch of civilians getting in the line of fire."

Jack motioned for his team to surround the approaching natives. He hoped he could somehow convince them to turn back.

Saeid saw the movement in the bushes, bringing up his weapon and shouting to the other four natives. Jack's team showed themselves and raised their weapons. Saeid could see that they stood no chance against these weapons with only their picks and axes. He brought up his hands, glowing brightly.

Jack cursed when he saw the young man's hands. He knew first hand just what those could do! "Get down!" he shouted.

His team rushed to comply, ducking behind the bushes. A few feet away from Jack, however, Janet slowly walked out from behind the bush she had dived into and was actually approaching the group of natives.

She raised her hands in a non-threatening gesture. "Solh," she said to the leader. Encouraged by his questioning look, she gestured towards the rest of her group. "Dust." She held her breath as she heard Jack cursing up a storm behind another group of bushes. Those were the only words she knew… peace and friends. She hoped they were enough.

Finally, Saeid lowered his hands and eyed her suspiciously. "Dust? Dustan?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Janet nodded. "Dustan," she repeated indicating they were friends.

He began to converse rapidly with his small group. They seemed suspicious, but at least they were not threatening anymore. Jack crawled over to Janet and pulled her down behind the bush again. "What the hell did you think you were doing? You could have been killed!"

"Colonel, on every planet, the natives have hated the Goa'uld for how they've been treated. I figured this planet would be no different. Besides, I recognised their clothing as Persian from some books Daniel's been showing me."

Jack let out an exasperated sigh. "Fine, but what did you say to them?"

"I just told them peace and that we were friends."

"Since when do you speak Persian?"

"Farsi," she corrected. "And I don't. Daniel got me interested in their culture a couple of weeks ago. Those are the only words I know. Well, I know one other, but I wouldn't want to repeat it."

"Well, that's just great!" Jack said sarcastically. It looked like they were in for another game of charades with the natives. He moved to get up and saw one of the natives peering over the bush at him.

Jack brushed himself off as best he could and tried to do his best Daniel impression. "Hi. I'm Jack." He pointed to himself hoping they would catch on quickly.

Fortunately the leader of the group understood and, pointing to himself, said, "Saeid."

"Ok, that's good. Nice to meet you, Saeid." Jack extended his hand. Saeid looked at it for a moment before he grabbed Jack's arm, saying something in his language. Jack silently hoped it was a greeting, not "oh, by the way, I am going to rip your arm off, right here."

Jack did his best to smile and turned slightly to Janet. "Well, that went well."

Having released him, Saeid began to speak to Janet. She was desperately trying to get them to understand that she did not know anymore. Jack stepped in, pointing to Saeid's group and making a shooing gesture back into the forest. Saeid shook his head, gesturing wildly and speaking again.

Finally, Jack stopped him. He held up his gun and pointed to the sound of gunfire coming from in the front of the building. Then he pretended to shoot in that direction, hoping they would get the point and go hide.

Instead, Saeid nodded and pointed to his group. Speaking to them, they held up their weapons pretending to throw them in the direction of the gunfire. Saeid's hands started to glow again and he moved as if taking out invisible enemies. Jack closed his eyes and sighed. They wanted to join the fight.

He decided it was better to have them join him than go out on their own only to be slaughtered. He motioned to his group to move out. Then he motioned for Saeid to join them. Saeid smiled and told his group. As they began to circle the building, Jack thought to himself sarcastically, *oh, yeah, this was a good idea, Jack.*

Jack and his team quietly made their way to the front of the palace, followed closely by the young natives. They took up position behind the ruins just as a thunderous pounding came from all sides of the jungle.

********

The Jaffa stopped firing at the palace, startled by the cries of the natives as they swarmed into the palace grounds on horseback. No sooner than the natives engaged the Jaffa than the rescue team broke cover and opened fire.

The battle was fast and furious. The Jaffa, severely outnumbered, soon succumbed to their attackers. Those that did not retreat lay dead on the ground. The First Prime ducked behind a tree as he heard his communication's device activate.

"Sol'ac, report at once," came the voice of Mithras.

He picked it up and spoke into it, "The situation is hopeless, My Lord. The natives have banded with the Tau'Ri and are rebelling. We are at a severe disadvantage. Many of the Jaffa are already dead. I have ordered the rest to retreat, but we are still being attacked! I doubt we will be able to fend them off much longer."

Mithras eyes glowed with anger. "Do not allow them to triumph!" he growled, as the scene unfolded in front of him on the giant viewer. He watched as several villagers circled around his First Prime and the Jaffa. Over the communications device he heard the sound of rapid gunfire, screaming and then silence.

Infuriated with the defeat Mithras slammed the device against the console. He activated several controls, preparing his ship for departure.

********

The first thought Sam had as she slowly drifted back to consciousness was that her mouth was dry. The second was that she was not alone. Sam lethargically opened her eyes, trying to focus them. She let them fall shut for a moment, licking her parched lips before opening them again.

A huge black dog stared back at her. Sam, unable to fight back a wave of panic, tried to scramble away, succeeding in jarring Daniel awake.

"Wha'?" he asked groggily lifting his head. "Oh God. Not again." Assuming the worst, Daniel pinned Sam against the bed, trying to still her, thinking she was having another seizure. The dog, startled by the sudden movement, whimpered as he ran from the tent.

Daniel cursed himself for not paying more attention to the herbs Tahmineh had used to still Sam's convulsions. Tahmineh had left several hours ago to try to help her people. Without her healing abilities, Daniel feared Sam would not pull through.

"For Heaven's Sake, get off of me, Daniel," she rasped painfully, her frightened blue eyes trying to focus on him.

"You're awake! Ohmygodohmygod! You're awake! " Daniel hugged her before getting off the bed. He sat down in the bedside chair, beaming from ear to ear. "How do you feel?"

"Like I had an argument with a Mack truck and lost." Sam coughed painfully. She closed her eyes tightly to ward off the discomfort.

"That's pretty much it." Daniel got up quickly, retrieving his canteen. He gently held her up as he brought it to her lips. "You had me so scared, Sam. I thought you were going to die."

"It takes more than a couple of cranky Jaffa to get rid of me," she joked weakly.

Daniel gently smoothed back her hair. "I'm sorry you're hurting so much. Do you want something for the pain?"

Sam nodded slightly, closing her eyes quickly.

"Hold on for a second. I'm going to give you a shot of morphine, okay?" He reached into the emergency kit and produced a vial of morphine and a syringe. He quickly filled the syringe and, as gently as he could, gave her the shot. "You'll feel better in a few minutes, Sam. I promise."

"Where are we?" she asked.

"We're safe. One of the natives helped rescue you. She saved your life." Daniel took her hand in his and started removing the tape holding the IV in place. He took a gauze pad out of the emergency pack and held it over the entry point and, as gently as possible, he pulled the catheter out. "Jack will be back soon with help. You just hold on, okay?"

Sam nodded weakly. "Okay." The slight frown that creased her forehead slowly disappeared as the morphine kicked in. She sighed softly.

"Is the morphine helping?"

"Yes. God, Daniel, what happened to me?" she asked, her voice anguished.

"You were captured by the Jaffa. They beat you pretty badly… and you've got some burns from where they used their staff weapons on you. Mithras was none too gentle either." Daniel wiped the tears from her face. "It's over now, Sam. I'm not going to let them hurt you again."

After several silent minutes Sam whispered, "It hurts so much."

Daniel gently caressed her cheek. "I know, Sam. It'll pass soon. Everything's going to be okay. Try to get some rest, okay?"

"Will you stay with me?" she asked her voice soft and child-like.

"I'm not going anywhere, Sam. I'll be right here when you wake up, okay?" Daniel held her hand in his, gently tracing patterns against her skin. "You're going to be just fine."

********

The natives chattered excitedly about their victory over Mithras as they accompanied the rescue team back to Tahmineh's camp. Jack and his team rode in silence, an air of anxiety and concern falling over them as they got closer to their destination.

Janet kicked her horse to a trot and brought him even with Jack's. "How much longer?" she asked impatiently.

"I'm not sure. We should almost be there." Jack looked over at her. "I'm anxious too, Doc. Hang in there." A moment later they turned a bend and the path to Tahmineh's tent came into view. Jack frowned. He sensed that something was off, but was unable to pinpoint the problem immediately.

"Dear God!" gasped Janet as her eyes fell upon the bodies of three Jaffa. They had been dragged out of the tent and left near the fire pit. Tahmineh kicked Khamsin to a gallop and launched off his back as they skidded to a stop in front of the tent. She calmed instantly when her dogs came out to greet her.

Jack was on the ground and running before his horse had stopped completely. "Daniel! Sam!" he called as he pushed his way past Tahmineh and burst into the tent.

Daniel woke with a start and looked up at Jack from where he had fallen asleep in the chair. "Jack! Are you ever a sight for sore eyes!" exclaimed Daniel. He gently put Sam's hand across her abdomen and stood up.

Jack wheezed in exhaustion. He looked his bruised friend up and down, frowning first at him, then the three dead Jaffa. "What's with the shiner, Daniel? Did Sam pop you for trying to get fresh with her?"

"Jack!" cried Daniel. He could feel his face flush with embarrassment.

"What the hell happened here?" asked Jack, ignoring Daniel's obvious discomfort.

Daniel followed his eyes and offered an excited explanation. "The Jaffa came looking for us and the dogs warned me but I didn't have time to get the gun and they came in and one grabbed me while another one started going after Sam but I couldn't do anything about it and then the third Jaffa hit me and the dogs started attacking the Jaffa and the Jaffa that was holding me threw me at the dogs and tried to get away but Sam woke up and got my gun and shot him before he could go get more help and…"

"Whoa! Danny! Breathe between sentences," Jack interrupted with an amused smile. He was glad to know Danny was still okay.

"Sorry," said Daniel sheepishly. "I… uhm… Dr. Frasier, is Sam okay?"

Janet looked up at them from examining Sam. "To be honest, no. She's far from okay. From what Colonel O'Neill told me though, it's nothing short of a miracle that she's alive." She looked at one of the burns and frowned slightly. "This looks to be about a week old. How…?"

"I think you should see this yourself, Doctor." Daniel walked to the table where Tahmineh prepared some fruits. "Tahmineh?"

She looked up and smiled brightly. "Daniel, che shode?"

"Mitavani neshan bede uhm… darman?" he asked gesturing at Sam, struggling for the right words.

"Hadyeye Makhsus," she said, holding up her hand which glowed softly.

"Baleh." Daniel nodded.

Tahmineh walked over to the bed. "Bebakhshid."

"Dr. Frasier, she'd like for you to move please," said Daniel.

Janet got off the bed, watching curiously as the native woman sat beside Sam. Tahmineh took a deep breath and looked up at Daniel, who nodded encouragingly at her. She gently put her hands over the burn on Sam's side and closed her eyes. As she released her breath, her hands glowed softly. The glow spread over the wound and grew in intensity.

Jack and Janet watched in wide-eyed wonder as the burn shrank slightly leaving soft pink skin in place of the ugly charred flesh. "Holy shit!" said Jack, letting out a low whistle.

When Tahmineh pitched forward in exhaustion, Jack gently grabbed her shoulders. Daniel stepped forward. "It takes a lot out of her. That's why she hasn't been able to do more for Sam. Could you take her to the other bed?"

Jack carefully lifted Tahmineh into his arms and carried her to the other bed. He gently put her down and tucked her under the covers before returning to the other bed.

Janet knelt down next to the bed and gently took Sam's pulse. The touch, though light, woke up Sam. "Daniel?"

"No, Sam. It's Janet. How are you feeling?" asked Janet, gently smoothing back Sam's hair.

"Lethargic."

"Well, it's not much of a wonder. You've been through a lot." Janet checked some of Sam's more severe injuries, probing them with her fingertips, trying not to hurt. "Do you remember what happened?"

"No, not really. Daniel said that they used their staff weapons to burn me," whispered Sam. Tears slipped from her eyes, wetting her cheeks.

"Hey, it's okay. You're safe now," said Daniel, sitting down on the bed beside her. He grasped her hands in his and squeezed them reassuringly. "Jack brought the cavalry and they kicked some Goa'uld tail."

"We're going to take you home soon. I don't want to move you until I'm sure that you've stabilised. I hear you've had a rough time of it. Are you in a lot of pain?"

Sam closed her eyes and nodded. "Yes."

"Have you given her anything?" Janet asked Daniel.

"Uhm… yeah… a shot of morphine when she woke up earlier." Daniel fell silent for a moment before adding, "she's had a pack of half-normal saline too. And I, uhm, gave her a transfusion."

Janet looked at him in shock. "A transfusion? You don't have the equipment…"

"I made do with what I could find. It worked." Daniel shrugged. "I couldn't have done it without that crash course in emergency field medicine."

"It's nice to know someone was paying attention," said Janet, pointedly staring at Jack. Janet reached into her pack and pulled out a syringe and vial. She filled the syringe and swabbed Sam's arm. She gently administered the shot. "You get some rest now. We'll be outside, so yell if you need anything."

Daniel reluctantly let go of Sam's hand and, after casting one last glance back at the bed, followed Janet and Jack outside. "Is she really going to be okay?" asked Daniel once they stopped walking.

Janet guided Daniel to sit on a felled tree and scrutinised the bruises and scrapes on his face. "It'll take time, but I think she'll make a full recovery. She's still very weak. When she wakes up again I'm going to examine her a bit more thoroughly. But I'd like to wait until tomorrow morning to move her." She gently cleaned the scrapes and put a small butterfly bandage over the cut above his eye. "You're…"
Jack cleared his throat. "I hate to rush you, but I think there are some anxious natives wanting to have a chat." Daniel and Janet looked past Jack at the young natives gathering behind him.

"Oh… oh… yeah. Uhm… wow."

"I'll be finished with Dr. Jackson in just a moment, Colonel. I just want to make sure that none of these cuts require stitches."

"Take your time, Doc. I just thought I'd give you the heads up."

Janet rolled her eyes before turning back to Daniel. She held up one finger in front of him. "I want you to focus on my finger and follow it with your eyes." She slowly moved her finger from one side to the other and watched his eyes as he did as she told him. "Great. You don't need any stitches. But you're going to have one hell of a shiner and a nasty couple of bruises."

"I'm used to it," said Daniel sheepishly. "I guess I'd better find out what's going on."

"By all means. I'm going to be in the tent keeping an eye on Carter if you need me."

"Thanks." Daniel got up and walked toward the gathering crowd. He bowed his head and said, "Salam."

Saeid stepped toward him and grasped his arms warmly. "Salam. Esmam-e Saeid."

Daniel pointed to himself. "Daniel."

"Lotf darid," said Saeid. "Mo'teh'shaker'am, Daniel. Mo'the'shaker'am."

"What's he saying, Daniel?" asked Jack, nudging him in the side.

"He says thank you. I'd have to guess this has to do with the liberation everyone is talking about."

"Yeah… well… it seems that Mithras bugged out when the natives turned. Guess our golden boy wasn't prepared for a fight. How do you say you're welcome?"

"Khosh'amadid," said Daniel.

"Gesundheit," said Jack, rolling his eyes. "Just tell him 'you're welcome', okay?"

Daniel turned to Saeid and smiled. "Khosh'amadid."

Saeid bowed gracefully, smiling warmly. "Jashn da'vat mikonam."

"Now what did he say?" inquired Jack.

"He's invited us to a celebration this evening."

"Well, tell him we'll be there. Something tells me it'll be one hell of a party." With that, Jack turned on his heal and headed toward the tent.

********

Tahmineh stood on the far side of the tent brushing her horse. She loved to groom him. It helped her think. At the moment she wanted to think about her new friends. They were quite strange. Their customs and medicines seemed so foreign to her. Her people were free from Mithras. His reign of terror finally at an end, after many generations of conflict. These people were powerful and had the potential to drastically change the hierarchy of things.

Daniel's friend Sam was slowly recovering from her injuries. A sense of relief swept over her at this thought. Neither she nor their doctor friend felt comfortable moving her back to their world just yet. Tahmineh looked over to the bed where Sam slept peacefully. She looked very different now that the colour had started returning to her cheeks, very unusual in fact, with her fair skin and hair. She was unlike anyone on this planet.

Tahmineh turned back to Khamsin and vigorously brushed his back, working the dust off his coat until it was black and shiny again. She started to softly hum her favourite song. Tahmineh was so lost in thought that she did not hear Sam get out of bed and walk over.

"Excuse me?" asked Sam in a soft voice.

Startled, Tahmineh dropped the brush and whirled around. She took a deep breath and smiled sheepishly at Sam.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." Sam smiled warmly then closed her eyes and bit her lip as a wave of dizziness swept through her. Tahmineh gently grasped Sam's arm and guided her to sit on the bed.

"Khastegijat ra dar kon," said Tahmineh pointing to the bed. She sat down in the chair next to the bed and watched Sam thankfully lie back down. "Daniel shomara dust dare."

Sam looked inquisitively at her when she said Daniel's name. "I'm sorry. I don't understand." She shook her head.

Tahmineh reached out and gently brushed a strand of Sam's hair out of her eyes. She then gently took Sam's hands in her own and closed her eyes, recounting Daniel's feelings for Sam.

As Tahmineh exhaled and relaxed, Sam felt a warmth flow over her like a protective, loving blanket. A series of images filled her mind. Images of Daniel as he cared for her. Images of Daniel's face full of love and concern for her. Sam was stunned. She opened her mouth, but words eluded her.

"Daniel shomara dust dare," said Tahmineh again, releasing Sam's hands with a final squeeze.

Everything seemed much clearer now. Sam smiled at her new friend. "I love him back."

********

Daniel stood away from the celebration, watching as Jack, Teal'c and the rescue team mingled with the natives. Sam's condition was still serious and that left him feeling uneasy. He certainly did not feel like joining in the festivities.

As he paced restlessly outside of Tahmineh's tent, wanting to go inside. But he did now want to risk crowding Sam. Tahmineh walked up to him and smiled warmly. "Sam shomara dust dare, Daniel. Dakhele boro," she told him. She held open the tent flap and gestured him inside.

Daniel returned her smile weakly as he walked in. He crossed over to the bed and sat down next to Sam. She looked up at him and smiled sleepily.

"Hello, Daniel."

"Hi there." He picked up her hand and held it between both of his. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. Still tired."

"Do you want me to sit with you until you fall asleep?" he asked. Daniel gently pulled the blanket up over her and tucked her in.

"Please. I don't really want to be alone," she whispered softly. "Not right now."

"I'm not going to leave you alone. I promise." He gave her hand a comforting squeeze. "I'll be right here when you wake up, okay?"

"You're exhausted. You should get some sleep too." Sam gingerly moved over. She smiled slightly at him. "Lie down, Daniel. Please. That chair can't be very comfortable. Get some sleep. I won't bite."

Daniel nodded. "Okay, but you have to promise not to hog all the covers," he told her teasingly. Daniel carefully got on the bed and covered them both. He gently put his arm across her abdomen. "Get some sleep now," he whispered. "We'll be on our way home before you know it."

Sam possessively clutched a handful of Daniel's shirt in her hand and sighed softly. "Thank you for staying," she whispered as she fell back into the welcoming arms of slumber.

********

The sun shone brightly above as a caravan entered the palace grounds. Tahmineh eased Khamsin to a halt in front of the palace steps. She turned to watch the wagon slow to a stop behind her.

Daniel got out of the wagon and helped the rescue team lift Sam's stretcher out. He stood next to her, holding her hand in his. "How are you feeling, soldier?" he asked affectionately.

"I'm holding up." She looked up into his concerned face and smiled. "I'll be fine, Daniel."

"Well, I'll still feel better when we get you back through the gate."

Tahmineh walked up to them and put on each of their shoulders. She closed her eyes and let Daniel's feelings flow through her, bringing Sam a warm feeling of contentment.

"Thank you," said Sam softly.

"Khosh'amadid," replied Tahmineh. She then turned to Daniel with a smile and hugged him. "Daniel, kheili mamnun."

Daniel returned her smile. "Jack tashakkor bekon," he told her, indicating Jack with a nod of the head.

Tahmineh looked at the man standing behind Daniel. She extended both her hands to Jack and, when he took them in his, she closed her eyes. Jack gasped as he felt the warmth and gratitude flow over him. "Whoa," he said in an awe-filled voice.

Tahmineh then approached Janet. "Bozorg pezeshki este'dadha midari."

Janet looked to Daniel for a translation. "She says that you have great medical talents."

"How do I say thank you?"

"Kheili mamnun," replied Daniel.

Janet turned her attention back to Tahmineh and bowed her head slightly. "Kheili mamnun."

Tahmineh put a hand on Janet's shoulder and closed her eyes, a warm glow spreading from Tahmineh's hand to Janet. "Safar bekheir, Jened."

Before Janet could ask, Daniel offered, "It means pleasant journey."

Janet smiled one last time at Tahmineh before turning back toward Sam. "Let's get this show on the road," she said.

"By all means," agreed Jack, indicating that the soldiers carry Sam into the palace.

"Khodafez, Tahmineh," said Daniel.

"Dobare hamdigar ra khahim did," she replied.

"I'm sure we will," he said to himself.

"Sure we will what?" asked Jack as the team walked into the palace.

"See her again. It would be a shame not to come back," replied Daniel. With that, he took off at a jog to catch up with Sam.

~~~~@

Make this heart well,

Which has broken to pieces

And scattered around,

So it can find the things today

Which it lost yesterday.

Jalal Al-din Rumi – Rubai 10, Divan-i Kebir, Meter 1

~~~~@

Daniel strolled into the infirmary with a bouquet of flowers. He made his way to Sam's bed and gently put them down on the bedside table. He looked down into Sam's pale face. Dr. Frasier had been astonished that she had survived the first night let alone two days. Daniel could not help but smile at the strong woman before him. He grasped her hand in his and sat down next to her.

Sam slowly opened her eyes as she became aware of his presence. A slight smile played at her lips. "Hi," she whispered hoarsely.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up," he said, brining her hand to his lips. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay. Janet gave me some Endocet to knock out the pain." She sat up carefully, allowing Daniel to prop a pillow behind her.

"What's the prognosis?" he asked, tilting his head to stare into her eyes.

"She'll make a full recovery provided she gets enough rest," said Janet as she walked over to Sam's bed. She smiled inwardly at the sight they posed. Daniel's head snapped up and he leaned back in his chair, putting a little more distance between his face and Sam's. Janet suppressed a grin. "What I can't figure out is how Tahmineh's abilities work. She doesn't have any anomalous physiology that I can detect. Well, not that I can detect without running some scans. And I definitely can't figure out how that arm healed without so much as a splint to keep the bone ends aligned. Tahmineh has some interesting abilities."

"She does indeed," said Sam quietly. "I probably would have died if it wasn't for her… and Daniel"

Daniel brought Sam's hand back to his lips. "Jack and I would have found a way to get you back here. We wouldn't have let you die. I wouldn't have let you die."

"I'm going to go to my office," said Janet, sensing that the two needed to be alone. "You let me know if you need anything." She brushed a strand of hair out of Sam's eyes before turning to fix Daniel with a serious look. "Don't keep her up too long. She needs plenty of rest."

"I won't. I promise." He crossed his fingers playfully in front of himself. Janet rolled her eyes as she walked away.

"Daniel, I… Thank you," said Sam in a soft voice after a brief silence.

"What for?"

Sam turned her hand in his and grasped it loosely. "Being there for me. Janet told me that you did some pretty quick thinking that probably saved my life. And Jack said you got in his face to come look for me."

"Well, you know how Jack is." Daniel shrugged. He sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. When he spoke again his voice was heavy with emotion. "I couldn't leave you like that. Seeing you so badly hurt was really difficult."

Sam looked at their hands. She twined her fingers with his, trying to reassure him. "I had a very interesting chat with Tahmineh."

"Chat?" he asked as a blush crept up his neck. "How? I thought you didn't…"

"I don't. It was amazing really. She sat down next to me, took my hands in hers and somehow showed me your emotions." At Daniel's furious blush she added, "She showed me how caring and protective you were. It means a lot to me that you care so much."

Daniel took Sam's other hand and tenderly looked down at her. "It was more than just protectiveness, Sam. Granted your condition did bring that out, but there's so much more to it. There's so much I was afraid I'd never get to tell you."

"Daniel?" she asked in a soft, inquisitive voice.

"I need you to know how I feel about you. Even if you don't feel the same way." Daniel cast his eyes down at his feet. "Samantha, I love you."

A smile brightened Sam's face. "You do?"

Daniel nodded sadly, still afraid to look at her… afraid that she would be upset. He blinked back tears, hoping she would not notice.

"You really don't have a clue, do you? There are women falling at your feet, literally throwing themselves at you, on just about every planet we visit. You're so convinced that women don't see you unless they want to pick your brain that you can't believe anyone could want you."

Daniel felt a strange sense of déjà vu. He frowned slightly before looking at her, his eyes full of uncertainty. Sam reached out to him, her hand gently brushing his cheek before grasping a handful of his shirt. She pulled him closer and whispered, "I love you with all my heart, Daniel."

At first he resisted the gentle tug on his shirt, stunned by her words… but only for a brief moment. Daniel let Sam pull him closer and closed his eyes as his lips brushed tenderly across hers.

The End