As Jack drove to the base the next morning, he still wasn't sure if he should say anything to Sam. He wanted desperately to kick Pete through the stargate to one of those freezing planets where the temperature was way below zero. He wanted Sam to admit that Pete had hurt her, but he wondered how she would react if he brought it up.

Just as he was about to head to the infirmary, there was an incoming wormhole. He went to the control room and watched as SG-9 came through the gate. Teal'c had gone with the team and he was the last one to come through as Jack went downstairs to meet them.

Jack looked at Colonel King, the leader of SG-9.

"Colonel, report."

"Total bust as far as anything of importance to us, sir, but the locals were friendly and invited us back to visit sometime" he said with a smile.

Jack grinned. "Friendly bunch?"

"Oh yes, quite friendly. The women were most fond of Teal'c."

Teal'c slowly turned his head to look at Colonel King and raised his eyebrow.

"Have a few admirers, did he?" Jack asked.

"Oh yes, quite a few" Colonel King said with a chuckle.

Jack smiled at Teal'c. "Well, well, this should make for an interesting debriefing."

Jack glanced at the members of the team. "Okay. We'll debrief in an hour."

Colonel King and his team hurried away.

Jack put his hand on Teal'c's shoulder. "Had fun with the women did ya, T?"

"The people were most pleasant but the planet had lots of sand and much wind. I will be glad to be rid of these clothes so I may take a hot shower, O'Neill."

Jack grinned, thinking how Teal'c had avoided the question.

"Is everything going well here?" Teal'c asked.

"Colonel Carter was slightly injured. She's in the infirmary but should be out soon."

"What transpired?"

"She can tell you herself after you get cleaned up."

Teal'c nodded his head and continued down the corridor.

Jack was going to visit Sam when Walter informed him that the President was on the phone so he went back to his office to take the call. After that, he met with SG-9 for the debriefing.

He entered the infirmary to see Sam sitting on the side of the bed in her BDU pants and black T-shirt, talking with Teal'c. They both looked up as he came to stand beside them.

He smiled at Sam. "Colonel."

"Hi, sir."

"Feeling better?"

"Yes, sir. Dr. Brightman has cleared me to go back to work."

"So soon?"

"Yes, sir."

"Okay then, can't have SG-1 sitting around getting bored now can we?"

Teal'c smiled. "I am most anxious to resume my duties with SG-1, O'Neill."

Jack looked at Sam. "You sure you're up to it, Colonel?"

"Yes, sir. I want to get back to work."

"I have a new planet for you to check out." He looked at his watch. "One of you go get Daniel and we'll meet in the briefing room in ten minutes."

"I will go" Teal'c volunteered.

Sam grabbed her jacket and she and Jack walked down the corridor.

"How's the hand?"

"A little sore, but it'll be okay."

"Glad to hear it." He wanted to tell her he was pretty certain that he knew how she had gotten the bruise, but now was not the time or the place.

They arrived in the briefing room and Jack went into his office to get a file. He found it, picked it up and glanced out his window. He watched as Sam sat at the table with a sad expression and gently rubbed her fingers over her wrist.

Jack took a deep breath and walked out of his office.

As soon as Sam saw him coming, she put her hands in her lap.

Daniel and Teal'c sat down and the briefing began.

Two hours later, Jack stood in the control room and looked at the gate room below. Sam looked up to let him know that they were ready to go.

The gate was dialed and Jack leaned over to talk into the microphone. "Have fun, kids."

He watched as they stepped through the event horizon.

The team arrived on the planet and looked around.

Sam checked her compass and nodded with her head. "Let's go in that direction."

Sam and Daniel walked side by side with Teal'c following. Daniel glanced at Sam and noticed that she was having trouble grasping her P-90 with her bandaged hand.

They kept walking when Daniel noticed some bright colored flowers and wandered off to get a closer look. Sam and Teal'c waited. Daniel walked even further into the flowers and stopped to pick one.

Sam clicked on the radio on her shoulder. "Daniel, come on. We need to keep going."

"I'll be right there" he answered back.

In a few minutes, he came walking back carrying a beautiful bright pink flower and handed it to Sam with a grin.

"A flower for the lady" he said with a bow.

Sam curtsied. "Oh, thank you, kind sir."

Teal'c raised his eyebrow as he watched his teammates.

They walked further and came upon a village. Several men and a few women stared at the three strangers who were dressed so differently from them.

The people wore clothes in what would be compared to Earth culture as the eighteenth century. The men wore waist coats, breeches, silk stockings and three-cornered hats. The women wore long dresses with many layers of petticoats, ruffled sleeves and caps with lace on their heads.

The team noticed that all the men carried rifles.

"Hello" Daniel said with a smile.

No one said anything but just continued to stare.

"Do you speak English?" Daniel asked.

One of the men took a step toward them. "What do you want?"

"We're explorers" Daniel continued. "We came through the stargate. We would like to get to know your people and your customs."

"We do not welcome strangers into our midst" the man said with a stern expression. He took another step and all the men raised their rifles at once, aiming them at the team.

Sam raised her hands. "Please, we wish you no harm. We will leave peacefully."

The men surrounded the team and the man that had spoken, slowly walked around Daniel, then Sam, then Teal'c, as if sizing them up.

"Take their weapons" the man ordered.

Trying not to get anyone injured or killed, Sam nodded to Daniel and Teal'c to hand them over.

A young boy stepped up beside the man. "I saw them talking to each other through those things on their shoulders."

The team looked at each other as they realized that the young boy had been hiding and watching them when Daniel had stopped to look at the flowers.

"Take those off" the man ordered and the team complied.

"Follow me" the man said.

They were taken to a large building and locked inside. The team looked around to see that the building looked very sturdy. It contained a great amount of hay on one side and straw on the other. On the opposite wall of the building were large wooden double doors. Sam went over to them and could see through the cracks that the doors were secured by large planks of wood from the outside.

Daniel sat down on a pile of hay. "Well, isn't this fun."

Sam sat down beside him. "Wonder how long they'll keep us here."

Teal'c walked around, staring at the tall ceiling and the walls. After several minutes he sat down on the other side of Sam. "I see no way of escape."

About a half hour later, Teal'c was looking out the window of the door when he signaled to Sam and Daniel that someone was coming.

They could hear someone putting a key in the door and as it opened, a man holding a rifle told them to stay back. They watched as a petite woman, dressed in drab gray clothing, came through the door and set down a tray of food and glanced at Sam. Sam smiled at the woman.

The woman stared at her for a few moments, then turned and left as the man closed the door and locked it.

Teal'c watched through the window as they went into a nearby building.

Daniel picked up the tray of food. There were slices of bread and something resembling plums and apples. There was also a pitcher of water and 3 tin cups.

Sam hesitantly chose a slice of bread, sniffed it, then took a small bite. Daniel and Teal'c watched as she chewed. She took a bigger bite. "Tastes like bread we have on Earth."

Daniel and Teal'c both chose a slice and started to eat. They decided to ration the food and water since they didn't know when they would get food again or how long they would be there.

A few hours passed and they were now growing more tired and bored by the minute.

Teal'c stood looking out the small window again as Daniel and Sam sat in the hay.

Daniel glanced sideways at Sam. "So, how's the wedding planning?"

Sam looked down and played with the bandage on her hand. "Okay, I guess."

"You don't seem too enthusiastic about it."

Sam shrugged. "Just a lot to do and not enough time to do it all."

Daniel hesitated, then decided to say what he was thinking. "You know, Sam, if you're having doubts about this wedding, don't you think you should call it off . . . or postpone it . . . or something?"

Sam quickly turned her head to look at him. "Why would I want to call it off or postpone it?"

"You just don't seem very happy and every time I mention it, you don't want to discuss it."

"You don't think I should marry Pete?"

Daniel wanted to be honest with his friend. "No, I don't, Sam. I know this is your decision but I just don't think Pete is right for you."

Sam didn't say anything, but stared at the ground.

Daniel sighed as he leaned his head against the wall.

Sam stood up and walked over to Teal'c. "Anything happening out there?"

Teal'c stepped aside so she could see for herself. A few people were coming and going.

Sam looked at her watch. They had been locked up for almost four hours.

Sam rubbed her forehead. "General O'Neill is going to be wondering where we are. I was supposed to check in an hour ago."

Daniel looked up at her. "Maybe he'll send someone after us since he won't be able to raise us on our radios."

Sam nodded her head. "Let's hope."

Two hours later, the man and woman came once again to leave more food.

"At least they're feeding us" Daniel said as Teal'c picked up the tray. It was the same kind of food they had brought them the first time.

Soon darkness came.

They heard movement outside the door and Teal'c quickly stood and looked out the window.

"It's the woman who brought the food" he whispered.

The door was unlocked, the woman quickly stepped inside and handed Teal'c a pitcher of water.

Sam stepped toward the woman. "Why are they holding us here?"

"I overheard some of the men talking. You will be sold as slaves."

"Slaves?" Daniel asked as his eyes grew wide.

She looked at Daniel. "You would probably be put to work to care for the crops."

She stared at Sam. "You would be trained as a house maid or to help in the kitchen."

She turned to Teal'c. "You would probably be put to work in the mines."

The woman glanced at all of them. "I was forced to help care for the crops for a long time. It is very hard work. I was given few clothes and was fed very little. I became sick and could work no more in the fields, so they made me work in the kitchen."

The woman began to wring her hands.

"You came here not knowing our ways. I do not wish for you to become slaves, we are not treated well."

She glanced at the door.

"It is now time for sleep. No one else should come tonight so I will leave the door unlocked. Please wait until some time has passed before you make your escape, so I will not be suspected and punished."

Sam nodded her head. "Okay, we will." Sam gently touched the woman's hand as she smiled at her. "Thank you."

The woman squeezed Sam's hand as she looked up at Teal'c. "Is anyone coming?"

Teal'c quickly looked through the window. "No one" he answered.

The woman gave them a gentle smile, then quietly opened the door and quickly closed it behind her.

Daniel looked at Sam. "How long should we wait?"

Sam looked at her watch. "Let's wait about an hour. Maybe everyone will be asleep by then."

The team sat down and soon there was moonlight coming through the window of the door.

Sam was getting a headache so she grabbed her backpack to get her flashlight. As she searched for some medicine, she found something else. She pulled her hand out to see a match. She found the medicine, took a sip of water to wash it down, then sat back down beside Teal'c and Daniel.

Sam held up the match for Teal'c and Daniel to see.

"I have an idea. We'll set this building on fire when we leave. I don't really like burning down a building, but I don't want anyone to suspect that the woman helped us. This way, maybe no one will ever know how we escaped exactly."

"I concur" Teal'c agreed.

Daniel nodded his head in agreement.

§§§

Jack stood staring at the stargate. SG-1 was long overdue for their check-in. He had tried to raise them on their radios but could not get an answer. He had sent a MALP but found it was now dark on the planet and there were no signs of life around the stargate. The only thing he could do was wait. He would send another MALP when it was daylight and try to reach them again by radio. If he could not make contact this time, he would send a rescue team.

He climbed the stairs to his office and rubbed his tired eyes as he sat down at his desk.

An airman came to the door and knocked and Jack looked up to see who it was.

"Sir, there's a call for Colonel Carter."

"Who is it?"

"Pete Shanahan. He sounds upset, sir."

Jack took a deep breath. The last person he wanted to talk to was Pete.

"Put him through."

"Yes, sir."

The airman hurried away and in a few moments his phone rang. He stared at the phone and let it ring several times before answering.

"O'Neill."

"O'Neill, it's Pete Shanahan."

"Yes?" he answered sharply.

"Where's Sam?" he said in an angry voice. "We were supposed to meet with the caterer and I can't reach her."

"The team is off-world."

"When will she be back?"

"I don't know. You should already know that they can't always predict how long they'll be gone."

"You tell her to call me the moment she gets back."

"Got it." Jack hung up before Pete could say anything else and stared at the phone. "Idiot. I just don't understand what you see in this man, Sam" he mumbled to himself.

§§§

Teal'c looked out the window of the door and saw that there were no people around. "I think now would be an appropriate time to depart."

Sam looked at her teammates. "Let's be as quiet as possible and once we're outside, stay in the shadows so we won't be seen."

Daniel attached his GDO to his arm so he would have it ready when they reached the gate. He and Teal'c got out their flashlights and they all put on their backpacks.

Sam opened the door and looked around outside, then motioned for Teal'c and Daniel to go as she struck the match. It ignited and she set it on a big pile of hay, then closed the door.

Daniel and Teal'c were waiting for her around the side of the building and the moonlight gave them some light to see by. They started running toward the stargate and waited until they were a few hundred feet down the path before turning on their flashlights.

Teal'c quickly glanced back and could see through the planks of the building that the fire was growing in intensity.

They could hear shouting as the people realized that the building was on fire.

"We must hurry" Teal'c said.

Suddenly, there were men chasing them.

They were almost to the gate when a shot rang out and then another. Daniel stopped at the DHD to quickly dial home and the stargate engaged. He punched in the iris code, ran up the steps and went through. Teal'c and Sam ran side by side up the steps. One last shot was fired, hitting Sam and knocking her down. As she fell, the back of her head hit the edge of a step. Teal'c quickly picked her up and stepped through the gate.

TBC