BREAK YOUR BACK

The two of them sat quietly at a large table in the underground base. Light from an unseen source reflected off the crystalline walls. Vala wore her tan leather, and Daniel had changed into something to match. She absently drummed her fingers on the table. The noise was constant and, in Daniel's case, extremely annoying. He sighed in frustration but didn't bother to make her stop. He preferred this over her incessant yammering, as he called it. Before he knew it, though, she started to speak.

"You know, if we had done things my way, we'd already have a ship," she said petulantly.

"Quit complaining and be patient. You asked for my help, so we're doing this my way."

"But this is about my father!"

"Shhh, don't be so loud."

"Oh who's going to hear us? Do you see anyone? I don't!"

Their bickering continued for a few minutes until a woman stepped into the room. Both stood to face her. "I have explained your case to the council," she began in the tell-tale tone of a Tok'ra, "and unfortunately, we have no ships available to lend you."

"Of course you don't," Vala muttered under her breath. Daniel elbowed her. She glared in return.

"Is there nothing available? Nothing at all?" Daniel implored.

She nodded her head. "I am sorry, Dr. Jackson. The council wishes you luck on your mission." Daniel let out a breath and a small, disappointed thanks. "If there is nothing further, I will escort you back to the surface."

Moments later, the pair ringed out of the Tok'ra base. They trudged through the desert sand toward the Stargate. "We have no ships available," Vala mocked the Tok'ra. "Of course not! They live underground like worms. Who knows where they'd keep a bloody ship."

"Calm down. It's not like they're the only ones we can ask for help."

"If you recall, I already asked Earth for a ship."

"Then let me try requesting one. They've got to have an extra cargo ship somewhere."

"They don't. I already checked."

"What do you mean you already checked?" Daniel asked as he eyed her curiously.

Vala reached the DHD first. "As soon as Mitchell told me that he couldn't help, I hacked into the mainframe to find out where your government keeps its confiscated goods. Now while I learned some very interesting things, I was also annoyed to discover just how curious your little scientists are. They are taking apart the only cargo ship in Earth's possession as we speak." She began to dial.

Daniel shoved his hands into his pockets and dropped his head. When he looked back up, the event horizon kawooshed forward. "And just where are we off to now?" he said, unsurprised.

"To a quaint little place I know."

"Are we going to need weapons in this 'quaint little place'?"

Vala pulled a zat from beneath her jacket. She handed it to Daniel. He sighed again as he pocketed the device. "What about you?" She pulled the back of her jacket up to reveal another zat peeking out of her pants. "Oh, is that all?" he said sarcastically. She raised an eyebrow at him. He knew full well she had knives and lockpicks and other such tools hidden on her person.

She led him through the gate and onto a gloomy looking planet. Foliage and trees surrounded them now, but lacked the thriving glow of other forests they'd seen. A few grumpy individuals milled about, ignoring their sudden presence. Dirt smeared their tattered clothes as well as their faces and hands. None of them seemed very threatening. Daniel peered around suspiciously just the same. "Vala, where are we?"

"Shhhh. Here, my name is Grelan and you are Yar'fus."

"What?" he whispered incredulously. She led him purposefully through the musty forest. A haze reduced their ability to see far ahead. Daniel couldn't help but notice that she knew exactly where she was going.

"We have to maintain a low profile, Darling. There's still bounties on our heads – those just don't go away. This place is crawling with bounty hunters."

He grabbed her arm to stop her. "You didn't think it would be prudent to tell me that before we got here?" Frustration bled color into his face.

Amused by his reaction, Vala patted his face gently. "If I had done that, you wouldn't have followed me through the gate, would you?" Without waiting for a reply, she continued on her trail.

He hurried after her. "Vala," he paused as she glared in warning, "I mean, Grelan, I think we need to have a plan before we get ahead of ourselves."

"We don't need one."

Daniel groaned. "I don't even know what's going on!"

She sighed. "We're going to a local tavern. It's overflowing with individuals who possess 'disposable goods.' I'll go in and do my thing, and you…" She thought for a moment. "Well, you can watch and enjoy some locally-brewed specialty. Although I warn you to never accept Hatux from a stranger. It'll knock you out faster than…"

"Alright, alright. Just, be quick about it okay?" Daniel wondered how he had gotten here. Just one day ago, he was happily digging away on a peaceful planet. Now he was being dragged around by a space pirate with naughty plans. Come to think of it, that was probably the reason he came – to make sure she didn't fall into worse trouble while searching for her father. Before the Stargate program, he never would have dreamed of a life like this.

Upon arrival to the tavern, Daniel noted the makeshift village formed around it. A nearby building that resembled an inn stood crookedly. Next to that, a circle of stones formed around what had to be a water well. Some shanty structures were spread about, full of curious wares from seedy-looking merchants. He let Vala enter the tavern first, smart enough to allow some time between their arrivals to allay suspicion.

Hoots and whistles sounded as soon as she was inside, no doubt directed at her. Daniel shook his head. She was probably smiling brightly at all the attention. He waited a few more moments before stepping in himself. The reception he received was less than welcoming. Of those who paid him any attention, he got menacing stares and grunts. He ignored this and went straight to the bar, locating Vala out of the corner of his eye.

She was already hard at work wooing some stranger at the corner table. The fellow grinned at her, oblivious to the hand that crept into his jacket and pulled out some sort of leather wallet. Daniel shook his head imperceptibly. Some habits just died too hard. An earthen cup of amber liquid was slammed down in front of him, no doubt the local specialty. He nodded casually to the bartender and threw a few pieces of currency onto the bar.

Daniel pretended to sip at his drink as he surveyed the scene before him. The tavern was inhabited by a surly bunch, mostly men. The few women present wore leather and displayed their weapons plainly to ensure no one got the wrong idea. Vala had once told him that only the prostitutes hid their knives in the bars. The lack of obvious protection was more of an advertisement of their "services."

He noted the back door situated behind the far-side of the bar. Along the far wall, the windows were just the right size to squeeze through in an emergency. He calculated the best exit strategy should the need arise. Jack would have been proud. He heard an indignant cry from Vala's corner. When he looked, she slapped her new friend and stood up. A few patrons chuckled as she abandoned the fellow. He merely grumbled and nursed his drink, not daring to challenge the zat he spied as she turned her back on him.

She made her way to the bar, a few seats down from Daniel. Vala ignored him, careful not to even look in his direction. He got the message. She still had everything under control. The barman, a large gentleman with a scraggly beard, leaned on the bar to address her. "What'll ya have, missy?"

"Your finest ale," she said plainly. The bartender obliged her and moved off to serve someone else. Soon another patron had slunk up next to her, partially blocking Daniel's view. He could smell him from a few seats down. The man reeked of blood and urine and other undesirable scents. The perfect sort of character for Vala to swindle. Now eager to breathe through his mouth, Daniel silently observed the exchange.

"You look like a female who can hold her liquor," he drawled out with a scratchy voice.

Oh boy.

"So what if I am?" she responded casually. She took a sip from her mug.

"I'll bet you can drink some of these unfortunate fellows here under the table," he challenged. The man stroked his rough beard.

"Betting should only be done by professionals."

"You, m'love, look like a professional to me." Vala finally turned to face him. Her eyes twinkled with the prospect of a challenge. "Come join us. We're about to start a game. O'course it requires a small fee to participate."

She pulled out her newly acquired wallet and showed some currency. "Will this suffice?"

The man grabbed it out of her hands and stood abruptly. "It'll do." He smiled, baring yellow teeth among cavernous gaps. They walked further back into the bar. He forcibly removed someone from their seat and allowed Vala to sit down. Soon others gathered at the large table. Another woman, but this one in black leather, and three men of various sizes joined her.

The smelly man called over a bottle of hard liquor and shot glasses, or what could be deemed their equivalents here. He poured dark amber liquid into the glasses, and announced, "Gents… and ladies… the game is Break Your Back." This got some of the other patrons' attention. "Everyone starts with one drink to begin the game."

What – no rules? Daniel wondered silently. A few patrons began to hover behind the players. Vala and her competitors took shots of the unknown liquid. She showed no signs of disgust, though others around her did. They each slammed their glasses down in turn, signaling their readiness to continue.

"Players, state your assets."

The woman in black dug into her pocket and fished out a bag of currency. She placed it in the center. The man to her left did the same. The second man offered a strange looking weapon, which he happily demonstrated on an unsuspecting observer. It stunned him instantly. The third man placed a small device on the table. "The key to my cargo ship," he explained confidently. Daniel's ears perked up. Vala didn't miss a beat. She placed the currency she had left on the table, comparable in value to the others.

The smelly man addressed the crowd that had formed. Daniel casually made his way closer and leaned back on the bar. "You all place your bets on our competitors as you please. Just know that inability to pay will result in consequences." Money exchanged hands as the patrons began to murmur. He sneered at the players. "Ladies first," he said with as little courtesy as he could muster.

Vala didn't hesitate to take the first swig. She dropped her head back and swallowed the shot whole. The others followed in order, without hesitation. This continued on with little fanfare a few more rounds when Daniel began to notice someone moving among the patrons. A smaller figure, perhaps a young boy, was busy at work. He must have snuck in from the back. Daniel reached into his pocket to check that his currency was still there. He watched as the boy moved around, ignored by patrons, and subsequently picked all of their pockets.

After the tenth round of shots, the smelly gamemaster announced that it was time for the first test. He called on all the players to stand. Each was handed a loaded gun to shoot at a moving target on the back wall. The crowd cleared the way, revealing a gray circle of metal moving horizontally across a mechanical slider. The young pickpocket disappeared, likely to avoid anyone who discovered their misfortune too soon. The confident man who owned the cargo ship volunteered to go first. He aimed for the mark and shot it perfectly. The three other people followed with varying degrees of success. Vala, however, nearly missed. The crowd grumbled and more money exchanged hands. A few patrons began to realize their currency was missing. Daniel tensed as he watched Vala stumble her way back to her seat.

The players continued on with their drinks as the crowd observed, clearly enamored with the whole thing. By the fifteenth round, Daniel began to worry. It was clear that the alcohol was beginning to take effect, on Vala especially. She teetered and tottered on her chair unsteadily. As the next turn came to her, her hand shook as she brought the burning liquid to her throat. She hesitated, but the crowd egged her on. In one fell swoop, she downed the amber concoction and slammed the glass back down unsteadily.

Others at her table smirked. When the other woman got her chance, she took the shot with overconfident pleasure. The men did the same. Daniel began to finger the zat hidden within his jacket. After the twentieth round, it was time for another test. Again, the players were handed guns and told to shoot at the target. The owner of the cargo ship, the possessor of the strange stun gun, and the other woman made their marks. Vala just barely grazed the target with her shot. One of the men missed and he was quickly booted out of the game.

Ten more rounds ensued. The gamemaster declared this to be a close match, but only one could win. He announced this as the last test. Whoever could make an accurate shot this time would be triumphant. Apparently, the first two tests were practice. Daniel surmised that the chances of hitting a moving target after 30 rounds of hard liquor was miniscule. The woman and one other man both missed, causing the crowd to grumble in irritation. The owner of the cargo ship swayed slightly. Once he steadied himself, he made the shot and managed to hit the target on the side. Then, it was Vala's turn.

Daniel gritted his teeth while the crowd booed her. She was instantly irritated and swung her gun at the crowd. "Shut up!" she slurred as they ducked to avoid her aim. Daniel winced. She turned back to face the target and studied it as carefully as she could in her drunken state. It moved left and right at a constant rate. Her once shaky arm suddenly went still and her finger pulled the trigger. The shot exploded, hitting the target dead on. Silence befell the tavern.

The gamemaster approached the ruined target and scratched his beard. Suddenly, he turned. "We have a winner!" The crowd roared back to life, booing and cheering as before. Patrons turned to each other to collect their winnings, only to find that those winnings were gone. Several men realized they had been pickpocketed and looked around suspiciously. Punches began to fly. The gamemaster laughed and held his belly as he rumbled.

Vala stepped over to the table to collect her winnings. She gathered everything up with ease, displaying no signs of intoxication. With her competitors too groggy to stop her and the patrons too engrossed in the escalating bar fight, Vala made her move toward the back exit. She ducked and twisted and then she was gone.

Daniel stepped to the side to avoid a fist fight and took the chaos as his cue to leave. He didn't bother to leave a few more coins as the bartender had joined in on the fight, too. Finally outside, the haze had made way for a fog that obscured most of the nighttime stars. He really had no idea what time it was here, but he guessed he'd have a few more hours of dark cover to find Vala.

It didn't take long as he roamed the village, keeping his guard up and his body close to buildings. "Psst. Yar'fus." He turned in the direction of the sound. Entering the cramped alley, he could see Vala's shining grin. "Were you followed?" she whispered.

"I don't think so."

"Good. I think I found the cargo ship. Come on, let's go." They trekked back into the forest until they came upon an unusual clearing. Foliage had been squashed flat here. She held up the small remote and pressed the button. The cargo ship materialized before them.

Vala smiled at Daniel. They checked the perimeter to ensure there were no external surprises first. She pressed another button and a hatch slid open, allowing them access to the inside. As the door closed, Daniel pulled his zat and began to sweep the small confines of the ship. "Clear."

Vala was practically bouncing to the pilot's chair. She had already dumped her winnings in the cargo hold. As she began the pre-flight procedures, Daniel took the seat next to her. "How did you survive 30 rounds and hit that target so well?" It was an obvious question that he needed answered.

She grinned and chuckled, but didn't answer. Instead she concentrated on the panel before her. The ship's engines began humming to life.

"Vala, if we're going to be partners you need to share some of your secrets with me."

She paused and turned. "Partners?"

Daniel quickly regretted his words. "Uhh, or teammates. You know, we're working together to find your father?"

A faint smile graced her lips. "Partner sounds nice." She tapped more buttons on the instrument panel. The ship began to lift off the ground. "To answer your question, I was once a host."

"And that explains everything because…" he prompted.

"When one has been a host as long as I have, alcohol begins to lose its magical effects."

"You were never drunk?"

"Nope."

"Interesting." He scratched the stubble on his chin. He was due for a shave. "So you faked it." It was more of a statement than a question.

"Mmm hmm," she replied, nodding affirmatively. By now their ship was clearing the planet's atmosphere. "Initiating cloak." The display indicated that the ship had done as it was told.

"Why was it called 'Break your Back'?"

"Because the losers usually have to break their backs in the naquedah mines to earn their losses back. That and the bar fight that always occurs afterward," she explained nonchalantly.

"I hope this ship is worth all that."

"Well, from what I can tell, it's pretty good, actually." She entered the gate address into the ship's navigation system and it spit back a set of spatial coordinates. The star chart indicated that the location was a moon two days away. Vala frowned.

"What?"

"I don't recognize this place."

"If it's two days away and we don't know what to expect, we're going to need supplies."

Vala nodded. She pulled up a different star chart and gestured to a planet. "My dear friend Caius has been hanging around this little planet lately. It's not too far off course."

"Caius. The smuggler with the customized Tel'tak?"

"One and the same."

Daniel thought back to that eventful mission when he, Vala, and Mitchell were sent on a wild goose chase - all in the name of getting unstuck from her. And here he was, willingly in her presence as they traipsed around the galaxy. "Ooh yay, old friends," he muttered sarcastically.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Please feel free to review.