P6X-942
"SG-1 you have a go." General George Hammond said, and the front line team of the SGC stepped through the shimmering event horizon to P6X-942. If they were lucky, the four teammates would be home on Earth within 24 hours. Granted, we must remember this is SG-1. They don't have that kind of luck. Anyways, back to their story.
Coming out the other side, Colonel Jack O'Neill broke the silence. "Trees, of course there's trees. There are always trees." You just have to love his sarcasm. Major Sam Carter bit back a smile.
"Yes sir. Now let's go find the ruins."
"Indeed." Teal'c put in his two cents.
"Hey guys, have you ever noticed that the gate is almost always in the middle of a circle? It's either in the middle of a clearing in a forest, or a round room." Dr. Daniel Jackson asked as they started out, breaking the ice with some random question.
"I never really thought about it, but I guess you have a point. Then again, in Earth's history, most ceremonial or religious things happened in circles, so it makes sense. Villages in olden times were often built in either a square or circle shape. Churches have circular domes, and their towers are often rounded as well. As I said, I've never really thought about it." Sam replied to her friend. She then proceeded to jog a bit to catch up to her CO, leaving Daniel with Teal'c.
"Hey Teal'c, maybe it's just me, but I get this bad feeling that something, not bad, just, weird, is going to happen during this trip." Daniel commented to the Jaffa.
"Indeed Daniel Jackson. I too feel that something is coming." With that, both men fell silent for the walk.
"Hey sir, are you excited for these ruins?" Sam asked Jack. She had learned much about sarcasm from him.
"Very funny, Carter. Be on your guard. Something doesn't feel right. I think something is going to happen soon, so watch your six." Jack cautioned, echoing the others' thoughts. This sobered Sam.
"Yes sir, you too. Now that I think about it, something definitely does not feel right. Let's get this trip out of the way." Sam decided quickly she would try and stay near her CO. That way they could watch each other.
With in a half hour, the group had hiked the few miles to the site of the ruins. Automatically, Jack split the team in half, him and Teal'c each watching a scientist. Naturally Jack was with Sam, and Teal'c had charge of ever wonderful and disobedient Daniel. As soon as he had seen the ruins, Daniel had started translating and taking samples. With Teal'c keeping an eye on him, Jack knew he would be happy for a few days, so he took Sam to check the perimeter. Instead of splitting and each taking two sides like usual, O'Neill insisted that Sam stay with him. He couldn't get the sense of foreboding out of his head. Sam was more than happy with this, but instead of chatting, the two were extra careful, and so Sam was on full alert when Jack suddenly stopped and pulled her under the bushes lining the trail they had been on.
Jack grabbed his radio. "Teal'c, this is O'Neill. I hear someone coming, be on your guard. Carter and I will radio when we find more. Over." In a few seconds, they got their reply. "Copy, O'Neill. Daniel Jackson and I will wait for your reply. Over." Sam motioned to Jack. "Colonel, tell them to instate a code bravo if we don't radio in a few hours." Code Bravo was SG-1's set code that told them to go back to the gate and get home. They would gate home as soon as possible, but no later than within 24 hours. Jack nodded, and relayed her message. He set the time for 1900 hours, 6 hours from then. All four of the group knew this would be no smooth ride. There was now radio silence to be maintained.
Within moments, a group of what looked like highly evolved humans came into view, carrying large and formidable weapons. Jack looked at Sam. "Crap." He mouthed. Sam rolled her eyes, and O'Neill could tell that she would give him grief about his lack of a vocabulary later, but now was not the best time for things like that. The two solders crawled farter into the bushes just as the first ranks drew near. At first, Sam thought there were only a few, but soon saw that there were in fact hundreds of men, all with weapons. This was not going to end well. Finally, after what seemed like forever, but was really only about a half hour, the last row of men marched by. Once both the Colonel and Major were sure they were gone, they slithered out from beneath the bushes. Just as Sam was brushing herself off and Jack was about to radio their safety, a group of about a dozen of the armed men jumped out and surrounded them.
Now it was Sam's turn. "Crap." She said out loud.
Jack smiled briefly, and then agreed wholeheartedly. "Crap."
The two were quickly stripped of their P-90's, Zat's, knives, radios, basically everything except their BDU's, and even those were searched for any possible weapons. Then they were tied up and drug to back up the trail. On the bright side, as Jack saw it, at least it was Sam and not Daniel. Daniel would have talked them into worse trouble than they were already in, and it meant he could spend time with Sam.
The two were drug along for about half an hour, and then they reached a village where they were taken to a small pedestal in the "town square."
"Do you have any idea what language their speaking, sir?" Sam asked.
"Just a minute, I think it's, English?" Jack said after listening for a moment.
It was true. For once, the people were speaking crude English. The only reason they hadn't understood before was that they were more intent on first not getting captured, and then on not falling down while also keeping up. Let's listen in.
"These people will be severely punished. This woman was traveling alone with a man, and we believe there are at least two more men at their camp," the leader announced with disgust. The crowd shouted with mixed anger and disgust.
"Hey Carter, did you notice there's no women out here? I think this is one of those places that return visits will include all men teams, don't you think?" Jack whispered, so quietly Sam barely heard him.
"Yes, Sir, now with all due respect, shut up so I can hear our punishments." Sam hoped he would understand her nervousness and shut up. He did.
The leader was speaking again. "…and they will also be locked in the cells. Guards take them away." The crowed cheered as Sam's bounds were tightened, and she was drug out of the cage that they were being held in. Jack was right behind her.
"Great, so what's the rest of the punishment? This should be a very interesting captivity." Jack was being sarcastic. Little did he know that it would be one of the most interesting either solder had been in yet.
The "cells" were a small hut in the outskirts of town. After the guards had quickly undone their bindings, they tossed them inside. First thing Jack noticed was, there was only the one door, cement floors, and no windows. How they heck would they get out of this? Thankfully there was a cot with a blanket and pillow on it, as well as a small pot in the corner. Its use was obvious.
"Well, it could be worse. We could be on Ba'al's ship. That would probably be more painful than the punishment we're going to get. Then again, maybe not." Jack was always the optimist.
"Sure sir, if you say so. Now who wants the bed, and who gets the floor? We could put the blanket and pillow on the floor, and alternate each night between floor and cot." Ever practical Sam was in think mode. "It's about 1800. Winter, though thankfully a warm one, so we should have another two to three hours of light left. What should we do till bed? Cards? I still have my deck. Apparently these guys don't think cards can do much."
Jack held up a hand to stop her. "You take the bed. I'm fine on the floor. I have a watch, and you're scarily close to the actual time, only 5 minutes fast. What will we do if the temps drop? Cards sound fine to me. What were we going to do, paper cut them to death?" Jack smiled as he answered her questions and statements with his own in rapid succession. She looked startled.
"Well sir, if it does get cold, we are probably screwed. You could have told me you had a watch. I thought it had gotten taken away. I can probably come up with something to do with a watch, but I'll figure that out tomorrow. What game for cards? Personally I like War, or Slap Jack. You?" Carter had no idea what she had just said.
"Excuse me Carter, but you like Slap Jack? I'm offended. I'll take War over me getting slapped any day." He grinned evilly.
"Oh my gosh, sir, I didn't mean that. I meant the game. I'm so sorry." Sam blushed. Could that be taken as insubordination? She wondered. Oh well, maybe by the time they got home, he would forget. Maybe, but not likely.
"It's okay Carter. Slap Jack is a fun game, and it lasts longer, so let's go." Sam dealt, and the game began. They played for the next two hours. Finally it was too dark to see the cards, so they put them away and got to their respective beds. Amazingly, in the past two hours the temps seemed to have dropped from mid sixties to low forties. Sam was cold, but could never admit it to her CO. She would seem weak, and that was the last way she wanted to be seen by Jack O'Neill. Luckily, that same man knew her low tolerance with cold weather. After a few minutes, she felt the man slip onto the cot right behind her, curling around the curves of her body and wrapping his arm around her waist. He pulled her tighter as she snuggled into him.
"Thank you, Jack." Sam was half asleep, and therefore knew not what she was saying, but at least she was warm. Meanwhile Jack was finding it difficult to fall asleep this close to the woman he had dreamed about for years. Eventually he did fall asleep to the sound of her steady breathing and her wonderful earthy, floral scent. He would get back on the floor before she woke… He was out.
The next morning, Sam awoke nice and toasty, and, cuddled up to someone? She freaked out, and turned around gently, hoping she could surprise the man behind her and get him off. So she was shocked when she turned around and saw wonderful Jack, staring right from his warm chocolate eyes into her electrifying blue ones. He smiled at her.
"Morning sleepyhead. You were cold last night, so I was trying to keep you warm." He then realized where he was, and who he was with. "Oh gosh, I'm so sorry Sam, I mean Carter. Sorry about that. I wasn't really thinking last night." Jack was freaked out. That was so against regulations. Sam understood.
"It's okay, really. It was nice, I'm never that warm. Please come back over here. I won't tell if you don't. I'm just cold. What time is it?" She asked innocently.
"Um, okay. It's, let me check, 0600." Jack was back at her side, wrapping his arms around her. She leaned into him.
"Hmmm. Do you think they'll start the punishment today? I wonder what it will be." Sam mumbled into his chest.
"I think we're about to find out," Jack said, while sitting up and separating himself from his 2IC. The door was slowly being unlocked, then opened. In stepped a "village elder" and two guards.
"The woman will come with us. Man, you will stay here, and do not attempt to escape, for this maid will be immediately killed. Do you understand?" the elder addressed Jack.
One of the guards grabbed Sam's arm, and when she resisted being drug out of the hut, he twisted hard. Jack, who had locked his eyes on hers the moment the old man had said she was leaving, saw the pain in her eyes, but saw no physical evidence of it. Hope those guys aren't going to torture her, she'll die before they break her. Jack watched his comrade until the door was closed. After that, he laid down on the cot to play cards and await her return.
Sam meanwhile was taken to another hut, where she got thoroughly scrubbed clean by a group of women that refused to meet her eyes or talk to her. Once that was done, she was presented with a stack of folded cloth, that once she unfolded appeared to be a long dress and apron, much like old fashioned German dresses, only without the lace. Oh, crap, I guess when the man said 'maid' he really meant maid. This is an interesting punishment. She was then escorted to a much larger hut in the middle of town. Inside, a young man read off a slip of paper.
"You will clean the governor's home everyday until you learn how to be a good housewife. You are at his beck and call at all times. If he asks you to fetch him food or drink, you comply happily. Do you understand?" the man asked, and though it was clearly a rhetorical question, Sam felt the need to answer.
"Yes I understand, but why am I being asked to do this again? Usually when I get captured I'm tortured, not asked to clean house. Granted, between the two, I think I'll take cleaning. It's usually less painful than torture. Hmm, I wonder if this idea will catch on. I could do much more cleaning than I can when I'm falling over due to pain and exhaustion. This should be interesting." Sam babbled, knowing she was confusing the man.
"You will be silent!" the man shouted at her. "I will escort you to get your cleaning supplies, and then you will be taken to the office. You will start there, and make your way to the front rooms. Understood? And you will do this silently," the man quickly clarified. "Women are to be neither seen nor heard."
Sam stared at him blankly. Seen and not heard? How ridiculous was that? Oh well, it still beat torture. She would keep reminding herself of that. She nodded once. The man was obviously a very important person in the house, so she would treat him like a commanding officer until she was free.
Sam spent the rest of the day cleaning, quickly finishing room after room. There was a stop at midday for a small meal, of which she took the bread and an apple from to save for Jack. She recalled the elder saying that the two of them would receive no food, but obviously the staff had not received the memo. She ate her fill, knowing this could be the last she ate for days.
At the end of the day, which was nearly 1900, she was led back to hers and Jack's little hut. After one quick glance at her housemaid appearance, she stepped in the door.
Luckily for her, Jack had just looked away as she walked in. By the time he looked up to see her, she was inside and the door was locked.
"Whoa, Carter, what happened to you?" he asked, sincerely surprised.
"Um, yeah, the punishment appears to be for me only, yours is semi-solitary confinement. I have been," she paused and looked down to hide a blush, "set to clean the governor's house." She blushed deep red.
"On the plus side, it's not physical torture. It could always be worse," Jack told her nicely, trying not to look at the fact that she was in a long skirted, short sleeve, light blue, dress, and an off-white apron with two big pockets on the front to match. He smiled. "Did they give you shoes too?" He just had to know.
She lifted the hem of her dress a few inches to show off the little brown slippers.
"Yes, sir, I don't think I need to tell you how much I would rather be in my BDU's right now, do I?" she smirked at him.
"Oh, relax Carter. You look nice, and it could always be that dress you wore on Mayborne's planet. Though you did look very nice then too," Jack told her, trying to be nice. At this point, she produced a small bundle of white cloth.
"Yes sir, but could you turn around for a moment? They provided a nightgown for me so I could keep my dress as clean as possible. If you don't mind…" she trailed off.
"Oh, yeah sorry, sure." Jack quickly turned around, and closed his eyes for good measure.
"By the way, I think I found out why I'm being punished. On this planet, women are to be neither seen nor heard. No one would talk to me today, and I was told to stay out of rooms that were occupied while cleaning. Figures, we finally found a planet where woman aren't welcome, and I get set to freaking clean. Okay, you can turn around now." While she was talking, she had quickly changed into the gown. As Jack turned around, he opened his mouth to say something, but he lost it when he saw the young woman standing in front of him.
"Sir, are you okay? Sir?" she waved her hands in front of his face, and he snapped to attention.
"Oh, sorry Carter. That night gown looks great on you, if you don't mind me saying so. Not something I imagine you would normally wear, but nice all the same." The gown was truly a piece of art. It was long like the day dress, but lighter and only a tank top. It was the same blue as her dress, but with the off white color lace around the hem and throat. The material had a soft silk feel, and slid over Sam like the wind.
"Um, thanks sir. I'm wondering if they'll let me keep it if they eventually let us leave. The only problem being that, well they might not let us leave." Sam also wanted to say that she was worried about how thin the dress was, especially with how cold it seemed to get at night, but she wouldn't because she was so used to acting the part of the perfect solder, unfazed by anything. Much to her chagrin, she shivered, and her since CO never missed something, especially when it came to her, so he saw it. He quickly acted.
"Carter, nice as that gown might be, you're going to freeze. I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I think we need to sleep with the arrangements we had last night, but with you wearing my jacket. I'm fine, so don't be worried, but you might not make it out of here because of your stubbornness. Ah, don't fight with me, you'll get sick because you were stubborn and refused to listen to me. Don't make me explain what happened to Janet. I would hate to do that," Jack told her.
"Is that an order, Sir?" Sam tested.
"If I need to make it one, yes it is. Now get in bed." Jack said in his most commanding voice.
Sam complied, really quite liking the arrangement. She laid down facing the wall, and Jack, quite unexpectedly, ever so gently, laid his jacket over her upper body. Then he grabbed the blanket, and after laying down himself, spread it out on top of them both.
"Thank you sir, thank you very much." Sam mumbled.
"I've got your six Sam, always," he mumbled into her ear as he slid his arm around her waist to pull her tighter. "Always."
The next few days followed in much the same way. Sam taken to work, her stealing some food for Jack, and them slowly slipping into saying 'Jack' and 'Sam' rather than 'Sir' and 'Carter'. Jack spent his day's playing solitaire and teaching himself how to make card houses. The only major change was that one day Sam brought Jack a few rocks. At first he wondered why she felt the need to bring a few small rocks, one round and flat, and the other one long and pointed, to him, until she explained that they had bits of naquada in them. One of the reasons for the visit to this planet was to look for signs of naquada in the soil. With the rocks, every day following, instead of playing cards or building the card houses, (several of which he had shown Sam, and she had quite liked) while Sam was at work, Jack scraped and scratched at the flat rock, creating something out of his boredom. One day before Sam was taken off for work, Jack asked her a strange question.
"Hey Sam, would you mind trying to find a piece of strong cord, maybe a foot long, for me please?"
"Not at all Jack, but do you mind me asking why?"
"You'll find out sooner or later. If you can't find one that's okay, but if you happen to see something…"
She nodded and was taken away. When she got back to the hut that afternoon, she brought not only the normal food, but also a good length of cord. It looked rather nice; it even had some strands that looked silver in it. In fact it looked strangely like a necklace chain. (Sam credited this fact to this length of cord being the longest one she could find.) It had the clasp and all, but Jack just smiled and thanked her. Several days later, Jack presented his 2IC a present unlike any she had received. It was the flat stone she had given him almost three weeks ago, on the cord she had found just a few days ago. On the front was the Stargate's Earth symbol. While she was looking at it she felt something on the back and turned it over.
"Jack, what does this say? I can't read it," she asked him.
"Oh, nothing, it's just a to you and from me kind of thing in Latin. Nothing much, you can ignore it really." He looked down at the stone. "Do you like it?"
"Of course, it's wonderful! Thank you Jack, for everything." She knew that wasn't all that the pendant said, but she wouldn't push him. Oh well, I can just get Daniel to translate it when we get back…
"Sam, are you okay? What's wrong?" Jack asked, concerned by her sudden frown.
"Oh, sorry Jack, I was thinking about Daniel. We may never see him or Teal'c again, will we? Sir?" Sam's eyes were shining with tears she was trying to hold back. Jack wrapped his arms around her.
"Hey, hey, no tears, Sam, they'll come for us. Teal'c and Daniel wouldn't stop until we we're home or dead, and even then they may not stop. Come on, let's go to bed." Jack lay down, and once Sam was changed and had lain down next to him, he wrapped his arms around her. Sam thought of one more thing she wanted to say before going to sleep, and since Jack was kissing her hair so gently she couldn't feel it, when she turned around… Well, you can guess what happened. For a moment, both of them stayed perfectly still in shock, then pressed together.
The following morning, Sam cleaned herself off quickly, and then got dressed, expecting her guards to come at 0700 like they usually did, but today seemed different. 0700 came and went, then 0800, and while the two of them played cards, time passed as if they were in a different world. Around noon, Jack heard something outside and went to the door to look out the crack.
"Sam, quick, come here!" Jack called out to her. Sam was there in seconds, and Jack told her to look out.
"Sir?" she questioned. Jack glared the order at her, and she complied. At once, she saw men and women running around with guns, and wearing military, SGC uniforms.
"They're here Jack, they've found us!" Sam was grinning one of her million dollar smiles. She then quickly started pounding on the door.
"Here, we're in here! My name is Major Samantha Carter of the SGC, and Colonel Jack O'Neill is here with me. Get us out, please!" She was quickly joined by Jack.
"Get us out, we can help!" They kept yelling until they heard someone on the other side of the door. They stepped back, and Sam turned around from inspiration of a last minute thought. She quickly grabbed and folded the nightgown and several extra dresses that the head overseer had given her in the governor's house. They were comfortable, so why not take them? When the door opened, in came not only one, but three of the SGC's personnel. Daniel, Teal'c, and Janet stepped through the door way. Janet was carrying her usual P-90 and first aid kit, Daniel had his P-90 and one extra, and Teal'c had his P-90, an extra, and thankfully for Sam, a backpack.
Sam hugged her friends, and then went to Teal'c. "Hey Teal'c, would you mind if I put this stuff in your bag before we kick some sexist pigs butts?"
"Indeed, you may Major Carter. And I believe you may require this to 'kick butt'." He handed her the extra weapon once she had deposited the cloths, ignoring her state of dress. Janet however, could do no such thing.
"Gosh Sam, what are you wearing? No offence, it looks great on you, but usually when we do these rescue missions, one or both of you are practically dead, and wearing your BDU's. What's up with this place?" Sam loved Janet and all, but now was not the time to be gushing over past rescues.
"We'll have a girl's night when we get home and I'll tell you everything. Now can we go? I have to find the governor real quick and tell him good bye," she said sarcastically.
"Sure, just tell me you guys are okay, and you can go. This is weird not having to do first aid and get you home through the gate as soon as possible. Go, go." Janet smiled and waved the SGC's flag team through the door, and followed after them to find anyone wounded.
Jack followed Sam to the governor's hut quickly, where he then knocked quite politely on the door before breaking it down. At least no one could say he was being rude as he usually was. Maybe this trip has done some good for him, Sam thought randomly. The two of them dropped by the study, where the man happened to be cowering in fear.
"See, this is why you don't try and capture visitors to your planet. I hope you've learned your lesson, but my lovely lady friend here would like to do one more thing," Jack told the cowardly man.
"Yeah, just wanted to say bye, you sexist pig." Sam smiled a menacing smile, and threw out a great punch to knock him unconscious for a few hours, but could do no long term harm at least. "Bye," they said together, then left. Outside things had calmed down. Most of the planets men were being hoarded into the cages in the center square, while the women of the village were laughing at them all. Sam and Jack quickly located the others in their group, and them and Janet decided to start the walk back to the Stargate. The two captives spent the time explaining what had happened in general over the past few weeks, and the other half of the group described the SGC's efforts to get them back. At one point Sam said, "You know, of all of the times we've been captured, I think I could do this one again. It's easier, and much less painful. Do you guys think the idea will catch on?" Her friends laughed. When the group was almost to the gate, Daniel pulled Sam back a bit.
He had noticed a certain piece of jewelry hanging next to her dog tags. "Sam, I don't mean to pry, but where did that necklace come from?" Daniel had such an inquisitive nature, he just had to know.
"Oh, I found a couple of rocks that I knew had traces of naquada in them, so I brought them back to the hut where Jack, I mean, Colonel O'Neill, and I were staying, and while I was at work everyday he carved something into it. Oh that reminds me, will you translate the back for me? The colonel said it was just a; for you from me kind of thing in Latin, but I don't believe him. I was just thinking last night that you would be able to tell me what it really says. Do you mind?" Sam asked her friend.
He nodded, so she took off the necklace and handed it to him. He turned it to the front, then back to the back. "Hmm, well, first of all, it's not Latin. It's Ancient. It rhymes in ancient, but anyway… I would need to check my translation, but it's something along the lines of 'Following the path', or maybe road, 'through the stars, I found my heart. Love always, Jack' or something along those lines. Does that help?" Daniel asked.
"Yes, thanks Daniel. I missed you." She hugged him once more, put her necklace back on, and jogged to catch up with the others.
"Hmm, I wonder what those two aren't telling us." Daniel mused as he quickened his pace to catch up with his friends. "I wonder…"
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