A non-threatening looking man and woman stepped into the room. Farren greeted them. "Stellan, Avani, it is good to see you."
"We've brought fresh water," the woman said and she hefted a bucket up to waist level as if to show it off.
"That is very kind," Farren said.
"These must be the new residents," the man said and Jack thought he detected a hint of apology in the man's voice.
"Jack," Farren said indicating him, "and his woman, Carter."
Sam gave a sickly half smile that Jack thought probably had more to do with meeting new people than being attached to him so publicly. He hoped, at least.
"Are you the overseers?" Jack asked, getting straight to the point.
"Oh, no," the woman said with a smile. "They will be coming. We are just residents. I care for the bearers when the mining is done. I am Avani. It is nice to meet you."
"Yeah," Jack said, perturbed that still the overseers hadn't arrived. "Pleasure."
"Stellan and Avani are paired," Farren said. "Perhaps you have questions for them."
"Oh, plenty," Jack said.
"I don't know where to start," Sam agreed.
"It is good you have arrived paired," Stellan said.
"So we've heard," Jack said and shot a glance at Farren hoping she'd not contradict the man. She didn't.
"It is nice to see new faces, we seldom get them."
"I am not sure they find it as nice, my love," Stellan said.
Avani's smile faltered. "My apologies," she said to Sam and Jack, "I'm sure you are confused."
"Oh, that's the least of it," Jack said.
"Avani," Stellan said sharply, and she looked at him then cast her eyes downward. He turned to Jack. "She knows of no other life, forgive her."
Jack waved dismissively. "So you're a transplant, too?" he surmised.
"I was taken from the city, yes. Nearly ten years ago now."
"This facility we're in," Jack questioned Stellan, "are there guards?"
"Many, but they do not usually venture so far inside."
"So you don't exactly up and walk out of here, do you?"
"You do not."
"Great," Jack said to Sam, "we woke up in the Hotel California." He turned back to Stellan. "These overseers... good guys?"
"They are not the ones you need to worry about. They will merely hold you here."
"And force us into slave labor."
"The dangers will not be to you, Jack," Stellan said.
"Stellan," Avani said in a rushed, hushed tone. "They do not need you to scare them."
"He needs to understand. And so does she." He looked back at Jack. "You should stay with her at all times, especially in the nights," Stellan warned ominously.
"I get the impression this isn't an idle warning, Carter."
Sam visibly swallowed. "Same here, sir."
That was the second time they'd been warned about what could happen to Carter if she was left alone. There was always an added threat to her when they were in captivity, but this time it seemed to be a foregone conclusion.
Jack looked from Carter to Avani. He could see why Stellan would be careful. Aside from being very pretty she was small and delicate looking. Jack doubted she could defend herself if need be. But Sam, he'd watched Sam kick some serious ass and there wasn't a doubt in his mind she'd kick more if she had to. That didn't mean, however, that he wasn't going to heed the advice of Stellan and Farren; he'd stay with Sam as much as possible.
"If you are vigilant, she will be fine," Stellan offered and it seemed to Jack like the man was attempting to smooth over the roughest parts of the things he'd just said.
"I wonder," Jack said to no one in particular, "if the men outnumber the women so greatly, why isn't it just as dangerous for the men as it is for the women?"
"It can be," Stellan said, "but we are stronger. When there are women to prey on, the beasts take the easy route.
"Okay, so good. We'll both be watching our backs." Jack said while rolling his eyes. This place just kept getting better and better.
"From which city do you come?" Avani asked quickly as Jack and Stellan wound down. It was clear she was anxious for a change in topic.
Sam looked at him and he gave her a small nod. "We're not from your planet. We came through the stargate from Earth," she said.
"Oh," Avani said, "the ring."
"You know of it?"
"Of course," Avani said, "we all do. People come through the ring from many planets to make deals for the naquadah we mine."
"What sort of oppressed people know about such a spectacular means of escape but don't take it?" Sam asked him quietly.
Stellan, however, overheard her. "The guards are many."
Jack crossed his arms over his chest. "So we've got mining, we've got guards, we've got the threat of rape, and a whole bunch of people, except Stellan here, who are happy to be here. What the hell is going on in this place?"
"There are others like me, who long to go back to their lives outside the camp."
"Good," Jack said. "That's good." More dissatisfied residents might prove to be their only upper hand. "You've seen these guards, right?" Jack said, suddenly worried that perhaps the whole thing was a sham and that the people were held under the threat of something that didn't even exist.
"I have, and you will too, on your way to the mines."
"Yeah, and when will that be?"
"Once the overseers come."
"And we should not be here when they do," Avani said. "It is nearly time for last meal and time for us to go. Do you need anything else?" she asked the women. After a chorus of nos she turned back to Sam and Jack. "It was nice to meet you both."
"Same here," Jack said. "Thanks for the information."
"I will find you in the living stations tomorrow," Stellan said. "And then you will know where we are should you need anything further."
And with that, they were gone.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
By the time last meal came the colonel was in a snit. They'd been locked in the room for nearly an entire day, even if they had slept their way through a good portion of it. But he was not a man who dealt well with no distraction and the items in his pocket had long since lost his attention.
Sam picked at a plate of fruit but with all the inactivity, she found she wasn't really hungry.
"You should eat, Major," the colonel said with no small amount of command in his voice.
"I'm not hungry, sir."
"We don't know what the eating situation is going to be like when we get out of here. Farren said the bearers are provided for well, that indicates that maybe the other residents aren't."
Sam sighed. He was probably right. She added a serving of meat and a piece of bread to her plate. He gave her a nod and went back to his own dinner.
They were sat together shoulder to shoulder so they could talk quietly. "When we get out of here, standard recon, Carter. We can't chance making a break for it until we know what we're up against."
"We're talking about making a break for it?"
"What, you were planning to stay?"
"No, sir," she said with a smile.
"Did you get a weird vibe from Avani?"
"Just that she doesn't seem to have any qualms about living here."
"I can't get a read on this place. All the women so far have seemed..."
"Content?"
"Well, yeah. And then there's Stellan. I get the feeling he's looking for a way out, too."
"What are you thinking, sir?"
"Nothing. Yet."
"You're always thinking something."
"Okay, well, not much. Yet."
Sam didn't buy it for a moment. He was probably thinking the same thing she was thinking. If there were more like Stellan there was potential for getting out. But others were as much liability as help. If there were as many guards as Stellan indicated, a large group might be needed to overtake them, but there was a fine line between necessary stealth and brute force.
"Whatever we do will depend on the guards," Sam said.
"And the other residents."
"I don't know what to expect."
"Me either. And you know how much I love surprises." He fidgeted nervously. "Listen, Carter... about all the things Stellan was saying... I want you to watch your back. And I want you to stay close to me whenever possible-"
"Sir-"
He held up a forestalling hand. "I know you can take care of yourself. This isn't about that. This is about us walking into a known bad situation with no other information. I'd want the guys sticking close, too."
"I wasn't going to argue, sir."
"Oh."
She went back to pushing her food around her plate.
"Eat, Major." He took a big bite of bread to make his point and it took him a while to swallow. "What do you make of the pregnant ladies?"
"I don't know. None of them seem upset about their situation. If anything, I'd think being pregnant here would be a plus. No mining. It appears no work at all. Pregnancy must be seen as a way of increasing their numbers."
"Yeah."
"Maybe the women want to be pregnant."
"To raise their kids in slavery?"
"They don't seem to see it that way. And you heard Stellan. For many of them, this is probably the only life they know."
"There are things about this place that are already making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up."
"Mine too, sir."
"Just... stick close, okay?"
"Yes, sir."
They finished their meal in relative silence. Sam contemplated their predicament. How strange that they'd spent the entire day with the pregnant women. And also strange, the couple they'd met. So dichotomous and yet apparently paired. Avani had seemed happy. Stellan... cautious, possibly rebellious. And still they sat waiting to find out their fate.
Then, heavy footsteps could be heard coming down the hall. The colonel pushed himself up off bench he was seated on and discarded his empty plate. There was tension through his shoulders even as she saw him adopt a cavalier sort of posture meant to unsettle whomever was about to walk through the door.
The footsteps continued growing louder. She counted three, possibly more. Then, the footsteps stopped. The door pushed open and three men in full combat gear, clearly a security force stepped into the room.
Sam stood up, abandoning her plate on the bench where she'd been sat.
"The new residents," one man addressed the group, "will come with us."
"Are you the overseers?" the colonel asked in a strong, willful voice.
"They are not," Farren said. "But the overseers will see you now."
One of the men made a step towards Sam and the colonel stepped forward and between her and the imposing man. "Take us to your leaders."
It felt ominous, but she had to hide a grin.