Peering slowly from beneath half closed lids, the dim darkness greeted her along with her cellmate. The young woman sat across from her, thoroughly engrossed in eating a large bun. A small bowl sat between her spindly legs, bits of bread eagerly being dipped into the bowls contents.
Sam realized now why the sudden hunger, her body reacting to the sudden smell of fuel, even if it looked like slop. I think MRE's would be more appealing she thought dismally.
The woman looked up from her meagre meal, sensing Sam's gaze. She immediately turned her body, protecting her food, giving the Major had challenging stare. A quick indication of her head caused Sam to follow her gaze to another bowl of soup and bun sitting near the door.
Sam smiled to the woman thankfully. Moving slowly towards the other bowl Sam noted her movement being followed in between mouthfuls. Sam didn't want her cellmate to feel threatened or feel that she was going to lose her obviously precious meal. Once content her own food was safe, she returned to ignoring Sam's presence.
Picking up the bowl and returning to her spot against the wall, Sam began to pick at the slop. It looked to be some kind of stew, mostly just mush and the bread was hard but appeared edible. Following the young woman's lead, she dipped the bread in the bowl and found it didn't taste as awful as imagined.
And right now, edible was all that mattered.
Sam studied her cellmate, who had now finished her own meal and returning her gaze suspiciously. Although the woman was dirty and face gaunt, she appeared athletic. Her arms were muscled and a dark tan covered her body, indicating time spent outdoors. Her hands appeared calloused and Sam got the distinct impression had become accustomed to taking care of herself, despite the fact she looked no older than eight-teen.
Sam finished her bun, half a bowl of soup remaining. She eyed her friend cautiously watching her bowl, recognizing her obvious hunger. Sam's stomach growled in protest but decided if she was stuck in this underground prison, she needed an ally, so sat the bowl between them. She leaned as far she could muster, wincing as her shirt pulled at her lashings, pushing it towards the other woman.
Her cellmate watched her put the bowl down, Sam then retreating to the other side of the cell. She looked between the bowl and Sam several times before quickly lunging at the bowl. Its contents were downed in a matter of minutes and a look of cautious respect overcame the features of the rugged woman.
Cries of protest disrupted their staring contest, both turned to the corridor outside the cell. Jaffa voices could be heard urging the person to continue and to be quiet. The voice was not appreciative and surprisingly did not sound scared of the Jaffa.
Sam was surprised to see a familiar face, the butt of a Jaffa weapon prodding her forward.
"Major Carter! I see you find yourself at the mercy of our gracious host. I have to say, I take some comfort in the fact you were not killed after exiting the stargate."
Resprodea Imala prattled on, the intimidation of the staff weapon apparently not effective. Although sporting a black eye and a couple facial lacerations, she appeared no worse for wear. Her robes were ruffled and dirty, but she managed to maintain her dignity. "And please, do not think for a second that I had anything to do with these…barbarians." Frustrated with her lack of respect, one of the Jaffa pushed her forward roughly.
"Cree."
"Get your hands off me you mongrel," Imala responded coldly, the threesome quickly moving out of view. Carter listened as they appeared to put the Desol leader in the cell next to them. From the guard's annoyed glower at her as they passed by, Sam suspected Imala had been working her charm.
Jack hadn't been wrong when he said Imala could be over the top.
"Imala?" Sam spoke quietly, moving as close as she dared to the energy field next to the bars.
"Yes Major, I am glad to see you have fared Nistrim's hospitality as well. I for one am not a fan of his accommodations. The fact that these Jaffa are man-handling me is nauseating."
"I assume you were taken by surprise?" Sam asked, a strangled laugh reaching her ears.
"Surprise is not the word my dear. Siege is more appropriate. Before our military was deployed, these Jaffa were already surrounding the capitol. I was made to march through the city in disgrace, my people being sorted like cattle for auction. We treat out menfolk much more humanely then the courtesy those animals were affording my people." Her last sentence was said through choked emotion, the leader distressed by the recent turn of events.
"I suspect Nistrim has been following your movements for months, waiting to make his move to take over the Naquadea mine," Sam explained, suddenly becoming aware of the presence of her cellmate. The woman stood next to her, watching intently.
"Take heart in the fact that I did not disclose our treaty to that thick headed fool. I'm afraid poor timing is more to blame then anything."
"Don't worry Imala, we will fix this. We will get out of this prison and free Desol. My team will already be looking for me and I trust them with my life."
"My dear Major, I have never trusted my life in the hands of any man…I don't intend to start now. If we escape this prison, it will be from our combined efforts. And believe me; I can't wait to show Nistrim some Desol hospitality. With his short stature, he would not even be useful in the fields…"
Several mumbled words followed. Sam unsure if Nistrim would be up to the task of breaking Imala, she was a very resourceful and confident woman. Sam suspected the more he pushed, the more she would fight. Of course, everyone had their breaking point. Sam hoped to be out of here before that ever happened.
"Well I trust them; they have saved my life too many times not to have earned my eternal trust. Until we formulate a plan, we must be vigilante and stay strong. Nistrim will no doubt be treating us to more of his hospitality."
Suddenly sounding tired, Imala gave her a tired laugh. "A sound plan Major. On that note, I will retire to recuperate."
Sam wondered just how much of Imala's confidence was talk and if she truly would be able to handle herself under Nistrim's torture. They would find out soon enough.
"You're not of this world," a quiet voice stated from beside her, startling Sam.
It was more of a statement then a question, her cellmate choosing to watch her cautiously from a few feet away. Sam had been beginning to think the woman had no voice, some form of punishment or something. Now though, Sam could see it had been intelligence gathering to determine if Sam was a threat.
"Ah, no, I'm not. I came thru the stargate…the Chap'aie." Sam watched as she scrutinized her, trying to determine if she was trustworthy.
"I see. Nistrim brings new blood thru the Chap'aie to play with. I am all that remains of his last group of prisoners."
Sam looked to her, extending her hand slowly, causing the other woman to scoot back quickly. "My name is Sam. On my world, it is customary to greet each other by shaking hands," Sam demonstrated, indicating for the other woman to grasp her hand.
Extending her hand slowly, Sam noted the strong grip and the callused hands. The woman shook vigorously, before responding.
"We have a similar tradition when greeting people," she indicated. "My name is Quinn."
Sam nodded her head, smiling genuinely, happy that the ice between them had apparently been broken. "How long have you been here Quinn?"
She took a few moments to contemplate the question, her forehead furrowing. "I'm unsure of the exact time, but I believe it has been two seasons. Many months…"
"Wow. How have you…" Sam's voice abruptly stopped, unsure how to finish that sentence.
"How have I survived?" Quinn asked, maintaining eye contact for a moment before turning and searching their shared cell. "I didn't think I would for the longest time. He took me to his healing chamber; I believe he was low on play things, now he calls for me less and less. He is preoccupied."
Her voice dropped several octaves, her back to Sam, Quinn's shoulders arched in defiance. "He has grown tired of injuring me, little flesh remains that it is not damaged to some degree. My main duty now is to provide his enjoyment, the task of most women for men."
Sam swallowed hard, fully understanding the younger woman's meaning.
"I intend to get us out of here."
A chortled laugh greeted her, Sam watching as Quinn clenched and unclenched her fists.
"You Sam are not the first to proclaim such things. Talk such as that only makes you a target for him. He takes great pleasure in stripping your dignity and rebuilding you at his will."
"I promise you, my friends are looking for me. They will help us escape."
"Do not make promises you cannot keep," Quinn returned promptly, turning and facing Sam with eyes ablaze. "There is no way for them to help you here. You are wise to listen to your friend."
"Giving up is not an option for me."
"It is wise to accept your fate. Gods willing, it will be tolerable and they will take pity on you—giving you a swift death."
"I am not ready to accept that yet. I am a fighter, a soldier on my world. This is not the first time I have been imprisoned."
"Then you condemn yourself to suffer at his mercy, until you realize it is easier to do as he says."
Jaffa voices alerted them to the coming guards, both women quieting. They shared a silent stare, Sam trying to impress upon Quinn that she was serious. Carter could see the spark that had been visible only moments before dissipate from Quinn's face, replaced with subdued acceptance. She was aware of what was to come.
The two Jaffa stopped before them, urging them to the back of the cell with their weapons. They obeyed as the energy field dissipated and one Jaffa indicated to Quinn.
Turning to Sam, Quinn offered her a tired smile. "I will return. When they come for you, think of my words."
Sam watched with dread as the young woman was led away, watching as she cast her a reassuring glance before moving out of sight. Suddenly feeling very tired once again, Sam moved to the wall and sat down slowly. Pushing away her words and the feelings of helplessness, Sam did what came easiest.
She planned, she thought, she pondered. Her brain was working at light speed trying to work out an escape plan.
Sam was not a quitter. As exhaustion suddenly overtook her, Sam promised Quinn she would not give up. Sam Carter did not quit.
"Anytime guys," Sam whispered, hoping her thoughts made it to her teammates. She knew they were probably feverishly searching right now. As her eyes suddenly became very heavy, Sam's thoughts drifted to her friend's. No doubt in the thick of things.
"Be careful," Sam whispered, blackness claiming her once again.
Jack was hard pressed to remember a time when he had found himself surrounded by more Jaffa.
There was that time on the mother ship, or was that times? Jack couldn't recall exactly, memories tended to get fuzzy after meeting the pain stick.
Okay, maybe the most Jaffa on one planet at a time, Jack amended. There were easily several battalions of Jaffa within the city. Whichever Goa'uld was organizing this, obviously had some resources at their disposal.
It was a miracle that their presence had not been detected yet. Or maybe skill, Jack thought amused. Teal'c would definitely see it that way. Looking to the large Jaffa hunched beside him, Jack suddenly was envious because the centenarian was looking more spry than his distinctly younger body. Stifling a groan, Jack switched weight between his feet in an attempt to restore feeling.
"O'Neill, I believe we can obtain entrance into the palace via those doors." Jack followed the Jaffa's finger, two large wooden doors that were being guarded by only one Jaffa. If Jack remembered correctly, those doors granted access to the basement level of the palace. It stood out because he remembered all the men entering at that point. Carter in fact, had to argue in their favour so they didn't have to do the same.
Feminists, Jack thought bitterly. He was all for gender equality as long as he didn't have to worry about it and Imala was a hard pill to swallow.
"Jack?" Daniel's voice carried to him quietly, causing him to look at the archeologist and wonder when he had become well versed in combat. Daniel was kneeling beside him, looking out into the moonlit night for trouble. His carried his p-90 easily, his finger resting lightly on the trigger. To Jack's irritation, Daniel was now very proficient at handling a weapon.
In fact, at his last shooting qualifications Reynolds's had informed him Daniel had out shot a number of other SGC airmen. Jack had been proud, Daniel had grumbled about not getting enough time to look at rocks anymore.
Daniel was right, it was out of necessity more than anything, but as they searched for Sam, Jack knew he would be nowhere else. Or have anyone else protecting his six.
"Door, right. Let's go," Jack ordered, rising swiftly with weapon ready. He ignored the raised eyebrow received from Daniel, choosing that moment to move forward. Daniel followed wordlessly with Teal'c coming up the rear.
They had been huddling in the dark behind a large shed, which from the smell of it housed some sort of animal. They had been using the less traveled foot paths between the dwelling blocks to make their way to Desolos center. So far, it had allowed them to avoid most of the patrols. The Jaffa were busy organizing people into work parties and ensuring no one attempted to escape. It was fortunate for them that the Jaffa had their hands full.
Using the shadows to their advantage, Jack followed the edge of the building before quickly darting across the footpath to the guard. Using the distraction, Teal'c came from behind and rendered the guard unconscious. In a matter of minutes, the guard was secured and gagged, allowing them to enter into the building.
The hallway was dimly lit as they entered, Jack clearing the immediate vicinity before signalling for Teal'c and Daniel to follow. The walkway had been tunneled directly into the bedrock, dampness overtaking them. Jack ignored the chill as he pressed forward; the hallway appeared to go on for several hundred feet before them. It was quiet, which would allow them to hear someone coming—in theory.
Coming to a junction, Jack cleared left and then right. Looking to Daniel, Jack hoped he had been paying more attention than him as to the direction of the palace. Part of their tour had involved a detailed guide of the tunnels and surrounding buildings, most of which Jack had nodded appropriately but otherwise had been thinking about anything else.
Raising a bushy eyebrow, Daniel caught the hint quickly and indicated left without any complaint. Good boy Danny, Jack praised.
The three move quickly through the tunnel, reaching a familiar set of stairs. Jack surveys the scene, listening intently. It appears to be quiet above, causing the threesome to ascend the metal steps which deposit them in an elaborately decorated hallway.
Jack recognized the mural of the farm fields surrounding the city; the painter obviously had a keen eye as the details had been meticulously looked after. Even Jack could appreciate the talent needed to undertake such a task. Elaborately carved wooden trim detailed the walls; bright tropical colours filled the rooms. It was not as pristine as their previous visits; dirty boot prints littered the stone floor and a layer of dust covered the walls and decorations. The Jaffa didn't care about the palace; Jack was certain the residents of Desol would be appalled at the state of their palace at present.
Reaching a large set of ornate wooden doors, Jack stopped. He felt a large Jaffa hand rest upon his shoulder. "O'Neill, my symbiote is disturbed. There is a Goa'uld close by." Teal'c whispered, his words were all Jack needed to alter his course of action.
Jack simply nodded his head, knowing that for the moment, that is not where they wanted to go. Turning swiftly, Jack retraced their steps and tested another door. A nod from Teal'c and he knew it was safe. Turning the knob, Jack lifted his weapon and entered slowly. A 360 survey determined it was clear, Jack turning to wave his comrades in, finding himself alone.
Quickly returning to the hallway, he was nearly knocked down by Teal'c and Daniel.
"Jaffa," Daniel whispered quickly, as they pushed him back and began to close the door. They listened as booted feet marched past in unison, waiting until quiet greeted them for several seconds before breaking the silence.
"What was that?" Jack questioned, looking to Daniel accusingly.
The archeologist held up what looked to be a watch, examining it closely Jack realized it looked to be SGC issue.
Sam. It had to be Carter's.
"I saw the metal glint in the light; it was lying beside a vase in the hallway. It has to be Sam's," Daniel talked excitedly, hanging onto the hope that his friend was going to be okay.
"Indeed. It looks to be Major Carter's."
"At least we know she is around, right Jack?" Daniel asked, looking to Jack expecting to see some sort of relief on his face. Instead it had appeared to harden more; Jack took the watch and stuffed it into his vest pocket.
"Daniel, it means nothing. It just means Carter was here."
Daniel frowned, unsure of why Jack wasn't expressing more happiness at even that news. It meant Sam had made it past the 'Gate and the Jaffa had taken her prisoner but not killed her. Daniel was feeling the tight clench in his stomach loosen slightly.
"Jack, she obviously took it off as a way of indicating she was here."
"Yeah Daniel… was here. If Carter was leaving something behind, what do you think that means?"
Silence filled the room, Daniel's mind churning at light speed before it finally joined Jack's thinking. It could only mean one thing. "She's not on the Desol," Daniel forced out, his voice a mere whisper.
Daniel looked to Jack and Teal'c, both men wearing pained expressions. If Sam wasn't on Desol, how were they supposed to find her? She could be anywhere; they could have taken her through the stargate. Daniel felt his chest tighten, his worrying increasing tenfold.
Sensing his friend's apprehension, Jack turned to Daniel, taking a breath to calm his own nerves before trying to reassure the scientist. "Daniel, if Carter was taken off the planet. It is no doubt because the snakehead learned about the bounty on our heads by the System Lords."
Daniel frowned, about to wonder how in the hell that was any better when Teal'c calmed the situation. "Daniel Jackson, if that is the case then the Goa'uld would need to keep Major Carter alive to collect the bounty."
"Yeah, the ole snake heads would want to do the deed themselves after all the trouble we've caused," Jack piped up, watching as realization dawned on Daniel's face.
"Better than nothing I guess…," Daniel stated meekly.
"Indeed," Teal'c replied.
"Now what?" Daniel asked, watching Jack school his features carefully. He knew Jack was trying very hard to keep his feelings professional but this was their friend, their comrade, their family. For the moment, they took comfort in the fact that Goa'uld greed would keep Sam alive for now.
Jack swallowed, pushing his emotions deep down into the pit of his stomach. Right now he needed his mind clear; he needed clarity to do his job. His job was to find Sam.
Pure and simple.
Daniel's words finally reached his brain causing Jack to school his features into a scowl. Lifting his weapon up and checking it, he sighed.
"Now, we find out who this snaky bastard is."