"How long overdue is she?" General George Hammond asked getting right to business, as he laid his blue air force jacket over the back of his office chair. Hammond glanced at the stack of papers on his desk that were requiring his attention but he ignored them for the moment. He had only been gone for 10 hours and already his paper work urgently needed some attention. George sighed and returned his attention to his aide. Sgt. Walter Harriman held out a status report to his superior as he waited for the General to reach his position at the door of the office.
"About 4 hours sir," Harriman replied promptly," We tried several times to establish communication but we have got nothing. We even tried to establish contact with the government on Desol but we have had no response. It's been dead air sir," the Sergeant stated as he followed the General down the winding stairs to the command center of the SGC.
"It is odd for the government of Desol to not respond to our requests. When was the last attempt at contact made?" Hammond asked Harriman, as he stepped down off the last stair.
"About 40 minutes ago. We're making another attempt now sir," Harriman reported, hurrying to take his customary station as he heard the stargate churning, starting the dial up process. The General found Jack O'Neill, Daniel Jackson and Teal'c all standing around the viewing window looking out into the gate room, waiting for the wormhole to be formed. Jack turned around at the sound of footsteps and greeted General Hammond with a nod. Hammond came to a stop beside Jack, his attention attuned to the stargate and the blue puddle forming in its ring.
"Channel open for communication sir," Harriman announced a couple seconds later. Hammond acknowledged Walter with a curt nod before speaking into the mike on the desk.
"This is General George Hammond of the SGC, Major Carter please respond…" the General stated as he looked at the computer screen in front of him which would indicate if the Major's signal was picked up. Dead air followed, with no response to the General's hail. Hammond repeated his hail several more times with the same dead air reply.
"Sir, something is wrong. Carter would not miss a scheduled check in," Jack stated angrily.
"I agree Colonel. Something definitely isn't right," Hammond replied as he turned to Harriman, "Sgt, ready a MALP to send through the gate."
"One is ready and waiting for your word sir," Harriman replied quickly. Hammond smiled, of course he did. Everyone knew their job so well around here that they anticipated actions before they were needed. It was especially important in situations like this where time was a critical factor.
"Send it through the gate," Hammond ordered. It took only a few moments for the MALP to be brought into the gate room and the crew watched as the tracks of the MALP spun and it started its jerky movement up the ramp and into the wormhole. A minute later its camera showed a disturbing view.
"Telemetry up sir," Harriman stated as several view screens in the command center were lit up with pictures of several Jaffa looking curiously at them.
"Well that's not good," Daniel said slowly, echoing everyone's thoughts. The Jaffa approached the MALP cautiously, poking it gingerly with their staff weapons. Finally one of the soldiers aimed his weapon, a blast following causing the monitors to fill with static.
"Shut it down Sgt. We learned all we need to know for the moment," Hammond ordered, the wormhole shutting down a few seconds later.
"Well I think it's obvious what we need to do," Jack stated, turning to the General with a raised eyebrow.
"Colonel, I am not sending a team to that planet until someone can supply me a viable option to get past those Jaffa. Enemy forces could be crawling all over the gate not to mention the planet," Hammond replied sternly. He wasn't risking any teams until he knew more about the situation on the other side of the gate and at the moment it wasn't looking promising.
"Well I think the more important question at the moment is how did those Jaffa get there?" Daniel asked as he fixed his glasses on his nose, looking to the rest of the team.
"Indeed. The people of Desol could very well be working in conjunction with the Goa'uld in an effort to capture SG-1," Teal'c added, agreeing with Daniel. The four men could all think of numerous scenarios that could be occurring on the planet but the fact was they needed more information.
"Resprodea Imala doesn't seem like the type of woman who would take orders from a Goa'uld," Daniel pointed out with a thoughtful frown. They all agreed that from their perception, Imala would not willingly work as a subordinate for a Goa'uld. Of course that just again brought up the notion of deception, which the team couldn't rule out. It would not be the first time.
"Well, while we're here talking conspiracy theories Carter could be undercover on the planet in need of our help or worse, captured by those Jaffa. I think we should focus on that for the moment," Jack stated, his voice rising. He hated when one of his team members was in trouble and he couldn't do anything about it.
O'Neill hated even more that it was Carter.
He couldn't deny that his feelings for her mostly drove his worry. And Jack couldn't neglect the fact that they had parted on not to happy terms. If he had only listened to his gut feeling in the first place.
"General I will have a rescue plan on your desk in 2 hours." Jack vowed to the General with a serious look. Hammond could see the determination etched on Jack's face as well as the worry. This was the hard part of the job he thought sadly, wondering if you're going to see someone again.
"Colonel, if the rescue strategy is sound then your team should be prepared to leave in 3 hours," Hammond replied, "Gentlemen, dismissed," the General then turned and returned up the stairs to his office leaving the rest of SG-1 in the command center. Jack left silently, wishing he had Carter's brain with him right now.
When Carter awoke the first thing she realized was that she wasn't on Desol anymore. The pungent earthy smell was gone replaced with a repulsive stale, rotting smell that was not pleasant. She couldn't hear much movement, signifying she was probably alone. All these were indications that she most likely was not going to like the new accommodations.
Sam slowly opened her eyes, waiting for light to assault her corneas but instead found dimness. Blinking a few times to clear grit from her eyes, bleary vision gave way to what looked to be a subterranean cell. The space was approximately 10 by 10; bland in its structure and similar to many other cells Sam had found herself in over the years.
Sam rubbed her head and found an angry bump on the left side from where she had fallen. It was sore to the touch along with most other parts of her body. Obviously she hadn't traveled VIP judging by her condition.
Sam assessed her environment, trying to find any distinguishing features that might indicate where she was. No movement quivered underneath her, which she would expect if on a ship. This made sense to Sam because she assumed Nistrim had been going to use the stargate to transport to his base. Carter could now distinguish that the room was constructed out of stone, with metal grating forming the fourth wall that led out into a hallway.
Sam examined the walls finding several medieval looking hand irons hanging from the wall, the shackles rusty from age. She just hoped she wouldn't be acquainting herself with them. There were no windows to the outside which followed with the indication she was underground. The lack of windows or other ventilation shafts accounted for the very stale air that filled the room and gave her little hope for finding another way out.
In reality, Sam really didn't have one sweet clue where she was and it scared the hell out of her. Then there was the fact that she was going to be paraded in front of one of Earth's greatest enemies. It all sent a chill down her spine. As Sam sat wordlessly on the cold stone floor, she realized just how alone she felt. Silently she hoped that her colleagues back at the SGC were already looking for her.
Jack had to admit that coming up with a viable plan that he knew General Hammond would okay had been harder than he had first thought. There had been several options considered immediately but he knew there was no way in hell he would approve them. All had involved some sort of heavy artillery of one kind or another. Now the Colonel sat before his superior awaiting Hammond's opinion on his tactical plan. A long sigh pervaded the silence in the General's office causing Jack to look up to his leader. O'Neill noted the tired look in his eyes and the worry on his face.
"Jack I have to say your plan is auspicious," George stated quietly, reviewing the print on the paper in front of him. His eyes followed the bullets down the page, recalling the main points of Jack's proposal. The general paused for a moment before continuing," but I'm not convinced…"
"General…" Jack announced quickly, trying to stop the conversation from going any further. O'Neill already had an idea of what he was going to say. "I know this mission might be classified as risqué," the Colonel stated, making quotation signs with his fingers," but everything we do around here falls under that category," Jack remarked, using his arms to accentuate his point while rising from his chair. He was getting too anxious to remain seated; he needed to pace, move from one place to another. His body was not meant to be idle.
"And I'm not leaving Carter behind on that damn planet with god knows who. I know my team can get this mission done," Jack stated forcefully. The Colonel recollected the several times when Carter had not given up hope that he would be found and had in fact been instrumental in helping locate his whereabouts. He intended to do the same for her. Anyone on his team would, that's just the relationship they had. Hell, any of the teams on base would do it.
The General looked at Jack carefully, "Jack, you know as well as I do that Major Carter would not want to risk any more lives to save her own," George paused for a moment and sighed. "That being said, if your team proceeds with the out most caution, your plan might work." The General held up his hand as he saw Jack about to extend his appreciation.
"Don't thank me yet. Your team will proceed through the gate but I am not sending re-enforcements through until the situation on the other end of the gate changes."
"So that means, once we're through the gate we're on our own," Jack added, finishing Hammond's thought. The General nodded, "That also means limited radio contact. If the gate starts activating frequently, it might make our Jaffa friends a little anxious which would cause them to increase security around the gate even more."
"Right," George replied slowly. He watched as Jack thought over the task before him, "So make sure you have all the supplies you need before you leave. If you need any additional supplies, fax a list to the mission outfitter ASAP," Jack nodded.
"Already done sir," O'Neill answered back quickly with a sly smile. Hammond raised an eyebrow; he had to admit he was slightly surprised. Jack wasn't usually that organized. After a few seconds of scrutiny, Jack spoke, "Daniel was helping me," the Colonel explained with a shrug. Hammond nodded, yes that sounded like something Dr. Jackson would do.
"Jack, I don't need to warn you to watch your back. If you get in trouble, my hands are tied," the General made clear, making sure the Colonel understood the predicament he was getting himself into and exactly the help he wasn't going to be getting. It did little to absolve his own worry that was resting just beneath his thoughts.
"I understand General. We can do this," Jack said, trying to be reassuring. Both for his superior and for his own benefit as well. "Thank you sir," Jack added hastily. Hammond nodded.
"Dismissed," O'Neill came to attention and promptly left the General's office with renewed energy. General Hammond hoped lady luck was on Jack's side today.
Sam didn't know how long she had been asleep but she did not feel anymore rested than when she had dosed off. The actual amount of time that had passed, Sam was uncertain; it felt like she had been captive for days but Sam was sure it had not been that long. Her estimation was that it had been around 24 hours since she had left the SGC, give or take a few hours.
As the Major rubbed her weary eyes she knew it felt like she had been awake for days. It didn't help that for all her time here, she had yet to see another living being. Not even any parasites or insects lurking about. It gave the area an eerie feel that made Carter uncomfortable. After initially waking up and making sure she had been unhurt save for a mild concussion, she had meticulously went over every nook and cranny of her cell, hoping to find some weakness to use to her advantage. Her thorough inspection had not revealed any flaws, not that she had realistically expected to find anything of use.
Muffled voices to Carter's left caught her attention immediately. Sam got up from her place in the corner and walked to the metal grating that faced the hall. The voices got louder, two different male voices identifiable. Sam got as close as she dared to the grating, an invisible force shield layered her side of the grating which had been discovered painfully upon exploration of the cell. Thankfully, only mild burns to her hands had been the price.
Two Jaffa then came into view, carrying a limp form between them. Sam got a quick glimpse of the body, apparently human, female and in very poor condition. The Jaffa ignored Sam as they walked past her cell and stopped at what she assumed was a neighbouring cell. A soft thud followed as they uncaringly tossed the other prisoner to the floor.
"Hey," Carter called as the soldiers turned, hoping to catch they're attention. A flash followed as Sam realized the force shield infront of her had dissipated. Both Jaffa then stopped before her cell, one soldier kept his zat trained on her while the other man opened the door.
"Come," the soldier ordered firmly. Sam noted the cold look in his eyes and knew she wouldn't have to do much to get on the wrong side of his good graces. Obediently, Sam stepped through the doorway and followed the Jaffa down the hall ominously aware of the soldier behind her. She wasn't in a hurry to get another concussion.
Sam was led down the hall by the Jaffa away from her cell, the passage sparsely lit with torches. She had never understood the Goa'uld's penchant for lighting with torches with all the technology at their disposal. The corridor itself was carved into stone, which gave further evidence that they were indeed underground. The air was cool, damp and it had a stale smell to it that gave the indication the structure had been around for a while and continued to be used with out any concern of installing air filtration technology- at least down here anyway.
There were several corridors that branched off the main passage they were walking down which made Sam draw the conclusion that there was a significant tunnel network present. Obviously there was something topside that kept them underground the Major decided; maybe the weather was unbearable or treacherous. Up ahead the passage narrowed into a dead end which contained a winding staircase that traveled up through the layer of rock.
As they ascended the stairs there was a dramatic temperature difference, an arid wave of heat greeting her body. Sam then realized why there was such an extensive tunnel network if the topside temperature was so warm. They reached the top of the stairs, approximately two flights, entering into a bland rock hallway. The pale rock accentuated the glaring light assaulting Sam's unaccustomed eyes coming from the end of the hallway. Even through squinting eyes the Major still gasped as they exited the hall into a grand chamber surrounded by windows which gave view to an endless sandy desert and the beautiful decorative display etched on the wall which incorporated in it an impressive throne chair, upon which Nistrim himself was resting.
The Major looked out the window, a brutal wind blowing sand unmercifully around them. The heat from the sun was incredible, creating an almost stifling environment within the walls. She now understood the need for the underground structures. Even the Goa'uld would need reprieve from this heat.
"Inspiring isn't it?" Nistrim stated as he rose from his throne, which was surrounded by elaborately decorated urns and statuettes; most likely depicting him. Sam watched closely as he traveled the last few meters to meet her escorts. The Jaffa to her right bowed his head slightly and introduced his arrival with the prisoner. Nistrim causally waved his hand, dismissing his underlings. Both retreated to their respective posts at the entrance to his chamber, their quick dismissal no bother. As Sam refocused her attention back to Nistrim, his gaze was fixed on her causing a shiver to travel down her spine. His attention remained focused, obviously still waiting for a response to his statement.
"Beautiful," Sam replied flatly, for she couldn't deny the mural was a magnificent work of art. She just hated to think under what conditions the piece had been brought to life.
"A wonderful testament to the beauty and power I inspire in my conquered worlds don't you agree?" Nistrim continued, his gaze still not leaving Sam's, a fact that was disturbing her greatly.
"At what cost to the people?" Sam asked, deciding to test how far Nistrim's patience would allow her to go.
"At none, the artisans that created this masterpiece did so to honor their God. Is there no better motivation than that?" the Goa'uld replied promptly, as if he had been anticipating her query.
Sam had to admit that he was a smooth talker, very refined and did not appear to fluster easily. The Major decided to let the topic drop because she could tell she wasn't going to be able to goad him into a tizzy.
"Major as much as you might think you understand me, you must come to realize I am not like other Goa'uld. That is the reason that I was recruited by Apophis- he recognized my potential," Nistrim stated matter-of-factly, stepping down the one step till he was level with her. He continued to speak as he circled around her. "I, on the other hand know much more about you. Your exploits around the universe are known by many, a fact which gives me the upper hand," the Goa'uld affirmed, stopping in front of the Major.
Sam realized now how short Nistrim was, he was a mere half head taller than her. So his eye line was almost on par with hers which allowed him to maintain a steady gaze, "For example," Nistrim stated as he turned away from his prisoner and tread up the step and turned back to Sam, "I know that your father is now host to the Tok'ra Selmac- that must be hard to be away from your father for such long periods?" he continued with a smile. Sam tried to hide her worry at her father's mentioning but she could tell that Nistrim could detect her fear.
"If you have done anything to him…" Sam threatened.
"Major, Major," Nistrim replied, waving his hand casually to indicate her to stop. "I have done no such thing, as you well know the Tok'ra are superb at disappearing and we have no notion of where they are presently located since their last move," he responded nonchalantly. "I am simply stating the depth of the knowledge base I am working with," Nistrim casually steeped his fingers together as he looked at her thoughtfully.
"Well then, I guess I won't be much help to you then since you seem to know everything already," Sam replied quickly. Nistrim held up one of his hands and gave her a dark smile back.
"Now that is an assumption on your part Major that I must say is inadequate. There are still certain pieces of information you hold that I consider important in value; such as the code you transmit through to open the iris upon your return and say the present location of the Tok'ra?" Sam was about to protest her utter defiance at the idea of giving him any sort of information when the Goa'uld interrupted her.
"Don't worry Major; I would never expect a good soldier such as you to merely hand over the information. It will be a long, drawn out painful process that will result with you either giving up the information or me retrieving it despite your cries of protest. So, being the good sport I am, I will give you one chance to save yourself from the obligatory grief."
The Goa'uld waited a moment, noting that to the credit of the Major her expression merely hardened with grit. He had to admit, so far the Earth woman had not been disappointing. "Just as I suspected. I would anticipate no less from someone such as you. Now, let's go someplace more appropriate."
Sam watched as Nistrim recalled his soldiers and indicated for them to follow him with the prisoner.
Sam knew what was coming.
Unfortunately for her, it was not the first time she had been in this predicament.
As she was herded after Nistrim, Sam felt sick but fell back on her military training and thought of all those relying on her back home on Earth, she wasn't going to betray their trust in her now.