Chapter 6: Next Steps

While Jack slept, Sam kept watch. She waited, watched and worried. There wasn't much else to do. As far as she could tell, there was nothing in the room they could use to finagle an escape.

The Jaffa came back two hours later. Sam assumed Ba'al had sent for one of them. She could only hope it wasn't Jack. Please let him at least have time to get some strength back, she thought.

To her surprise, the Jaffa hadn't come for either of them. Instead, they brought dinner.

Clean water, decent food. Fresh fruit, something that seemed to be perfectly good cheese and brown bread, it wasn't exactly standard fare for a Goa'uld prison. Sam was grateful. But she knew it wouldn't last. She hoped Jack would wake up and be strong enough to eat it.

Much worse was coming. There was no way she could help anyone attack earth, let alone Ba'al. For all her talk about "stalling" for time, she realized there'd likely be little chance of that. As a Goa'uld, Ba'al knew perfectly well how to make a naquadah bomb. He was toying with her. All he needed from her was a way to penetrate the iris. The best she could hope to do was make him believe there was a way through other that the instantly expiring IDCs. Of course, there wasn't, but hopefully, Ba'al didn't know that. If she could play him, she could buy time. She had no doubt Jack would pay for any lack of cooperation on her part.

OoOoOo

Back on Enkara, the people who'd idolized SG1 as their saviors continued to struggle with the guilt of their betrayal. After everything the Taur'i had done for them, they'd turned two of the bravest people they knew over to those who'd victimized the Enkarans in the first place. It was an irony not lost on a sad and regretful people.

Teal'c had gone back to Earth, convinced someone needed to brief the SGC and organize a rescue team. He'd been a logical choice. Despite his protestations to the contrary, he desperately needed medical care for his badly injured leg.

Jaylin had offered to return with him and share what little he knew about the hidden Goa'uld history of his planet. However, in light the recent events, Daniel had managed to convince the earnest young leader his place was with his people. In lieu of going himself, Jaylin and the council provided Daniel with every document that survived the occupation and might lend a clue to the ancient history of their world. With the help of the Enkarans, Daniel believed he had a chance to help his friends. He had no idea what he'd find, but he needed a place to start and hoped these translations would help.

OoOoOo

At the SGC, Teal'c proved a less than stellar patient. Immediately upon arrival, his leg still bleeding, he'd insisted on taking a team of marines back to Enkara to seek clues as to his friends' whereabouts. When Landry pulled rank of sorts and ordered him to the infirmary he reluctantly acquiesced. Fortunately, Vala and Cam were available to talk a bit of sense into their friend and comrade in arms.

"Do you really think they're still on the planet?" Cam asked.

"No, I do not," Teal'c admitted. "They were transported, as I said, Colonel Mitchell, by a set of rings."

"And you said the Enkarans searched every area they could think of," Vala reflected.

"They did, but they do not have our resources," Teal'c rightfully observed.

"That's true," Cam admitted. "That's why Landry is sending a team of marines right now."

"We should be with them," Teal'c insisted.

"We will be, big guy," Cam said. "Let them get the scent, let the doctors take care of your leg and we're off."

Teal'c was more than ready to protest. In fact, he'd pulled out his intravenous line preparing to make a run for it. He'd gone off on his own before, he could do it again.

"Woo, hold it," Cam said, grabbing on for all he was worth. And as Teal'c tried to push ahead anyway, he found Vala standing in his way. Her hand pushed up against his chest, she spoke her peace.

"You have no idea where this Lotan took them," she said. "What do you intend to do, Muscles?"

"Get back in bed," called Dr. Eames, the physician in charge. "That's what he's going to do right now, aren't we Mr. Teal'c?"

"I will wait for word from Daniel Jackson," Teal'c agreed, but then I will depart.

He didn't need to wait for long.

OoOoOo

Daniel, with the help of the ruling council, was able to translate significant amounts of ancient Enkaran writings with relative ease. He was amazed by the detailed coverage of the short fifty years the Enkaran homeworld had been enslaved by the Goa'uld. From all accounts it had been a brutal regime, one which ended in a fit of pique from the System Lord who laid claim to the planet. Thanks to the long hidden records, Daniel now knew who that Goa'uld was.

"Dr. Jackson," General Landry greeted as soon as Daniel started down the ramp from the Gate. "Do you have anything for us?"

"Yes I think I do," he answered.

"Briefing room, now!" Landry ordered.

Within minutes, the chairs around the briefing room table were filled with the free members of SG1 and a second team of potential rescuers. All eyes were on Daniel, hoping he had the answers they needed.

"I think I know who has them," Daniel began.

"I believed the Enkarans were unaware of the Goa'uld's identity," Teal'c protested.

"I believe they still don't know who infested Lotan. But from the records, I know who the original Goa'uld Lord of Enkara was," Daniel said.

Everyone looked at the archeologist expectantly.

"Enkara belonged to Ba'al," Daniel finally revealed. "I think it's more than a coincidence we were lured to this particular planet. Ba'al would see Jack and Sam as valuable and be likely to see one of his old stomping grounds as a base of operations.

"From what I read, Enkara was one of Ba'al's favorite domains. He was furious when he learned the Enkarans could only survive on their home planet. That made them useless as warriors or as hosts."

"Fine, Ba'al controlled Enkara back in the day," Landry said, "and as the miserable, heartless bastard we've always known him to be. How does that help us figure out where he took our people?"

"We look at the other planets he controlled back then," Daniel said. "And we get some help from our friends."

OoOoOo

She'd fallen asleep sitting in the chair next to Jack. She'd been holding his hand, thinking about all those times they'd sat by each other's bedside in the infirmary, unable to show affection of any sort. At least they didn't have to hide from each other anymore.

"Mmm," Jack moaned quietly, starting to shift in the bed.

"Hey, sleepyhead," she said. "Nice of you to join me. I was starting to get lonely."

Jack stretched gingerly and started to push himself up. He felt better than he expected. Sure he ached all over, but the belly pain was better. His chest hurt, but bracing his ribs with a pillow helped. Without much difficulty he managed to sit up and swing his legs over the side of the bed.

"Feeling better?" Sam asked tentatively.

"Surprisingly, yes," Jack said. "Must be that first class nursing care," he grinned, doing his best to bring a smile to her face. "What do you say you give me a tour of our digs?"

Sam smiled wanly. Maybe the abdominal injury wasn't as bad as she'd feared; maybe Jack was only badly bruised.

"Since the tour is relatively brief and boring," she said, "maybe you'd be interested in some of our gourmet cuisine instead."

Jack looked at her quizzically. Food in Goa'uld detention cells was notoriously unappetizing. He'd assumed this would be more of the same.

"It's not bad," she said. "And you really need to eat. There's no telling how long we'll be here before they find us."

He'd trained her well, Jack thought. They had no idea where they were and odds were their friends didn't either. It was unlikely rescue was coming any time soon. Still pessimism never helped. They needed to stay alive until they found a way out. There was always Plan B. With that in mind, he followed Sam to the small table and ate the unexpected bounty provided for them.

"This is different," Jack said. He was biting into something that looked like a pear and tasted pleasing enough. "Sure he's not trying to poison us?"

"I ate when you were sleeping," she responded. "I'm still here, so I think we're safe for now."

"Right," he said. Jack knew this was the calm before the storm. He knew Ba'al in his infinite maliciousness, had chosen to torture him. If he was right, he was the only one who'd be whipped, burned, beaten and whatever else Ba'al was working up to this time out. He hoped he was right. He didn't want Sam to suffer that way.

But he didn't want her to go through what he feared was ahead either.

"Sam," he began. She'd turned away from him and was working on fashioning a weapon from the basket holding the fruit.

"Sam," he said again, a proud smile tugging at his lips. Always thinking, his wife. "Sam, listen to me." Jack reached out and grabbed her right arm, stilling her hands. She turned toward him. Her eyes held his.

"Remember all those things that kept us apart so long ago?"

"There were a few."

"I mean the military regulations, our ranks.. ." Jack said. "They're there for a reason. Part of it's to make situations like this a little easier. It's hard enough to watch your teammate suffer torture. But the person you love …"

Tears came to her eyes, just a little but enough to remind her of what was in store.

"It's harder," she said. "I know. We decided we'd risk it, remember?"

"Yeah, we did," Jack said. "But it doesn't change anything. Whatever happens, we can't give him what he wants."

Sam nodded, her eyes closing against the reality of his words. She looked at him silently. She knew, she'd always known, just as he had. Much as they'd each do anything to save the other, some things they could not do.

"Whatever happens, I wanted to say this out loud," Jack said.

"And one more thing …"

"Hmm?"

"I love you, more than anything."

Sam smiled. Jack reached out and drew her to him. Before either of them knew it they were in each other's arms.

OoOoOo

Less than an hour later, their captor returned.

"Good morning," Ba'al said pleasantly enough. "I hope you both had a good rest."

"As well as could be expected," Jack answered, restraining his impulse to be more annoying.

"Good," Ba'al replied. "Now I will require Colonel Carter's help."

"The naquadah bomb," Sam volunteered.

"You'll be relieved to know, I've figured that much out on my own," Ba'al said. "I am Goa'uld after all. We were experimenting with naquadah while the Tau'ri were inventing the wheel."

"Then you don't need me," Sam quipped.

Ba'al smiled. "Ah, but you know exactly what I need you for," he said.

"I don't think so," Sam replied flatly.

"It's a simple choice as I mentioned earlier," Ba'al countered. "You give me the codes and I give you your husband alive and well."

Sam had considered her options before Ba'al showed up. She could have given him codes she knew expired. It would have bought time. It would also have guaranteed an even angrier Goa'uld to torture Jack. Her choices weren't good.

"Those codes have expired," Sam said. "I can't help you."

Ba'al approached her calmly. Sam wished his bodyguards weren't with him. Landing a well placed round house blow right now would give her some much needed satisfaction. It would be counterproductive, but she'd enjoy it. What's more, if not deterred by the fully armed staff weapons aimed at them by the oversized Jaffa, she'd literally have to beat Jack to the punch.

"You can help me," Ba'al said softly, standing almost nose to nose with Sam. "But will you? I have your communications devices; you can get the new codes."

"We're in enemy hands," Jack said. "No one is going to give us Gate codes."

Lotan/Ba'al walked calmly over to Jack and shook his head. "Don't patronize me, O'Neill. You know there's a way, she simply has to talk them into it."

Then returning his attention to Sam, "What will it be, my dear?"

"Go to hell," she said flatly.

Ba'al burst into peals of laughter. It was an odd, otherworldly sound, coming as it did from Lotan's placid, heretofore harmless form. The creature that stood before her now was anything but harmless. Sam looked at Jack across the room. They both knew what was coming next.

"The two of you have been together a long time," Ba'al observed, beginning to slowly pace the room. "Is it true you've only recently become lovers?

Both Jack and Sam held their tongues. Neither was about to dignify the question with any sort of answer.

"No answer? No difference," the Goa'uld suggested. "Twelve years is a long time to be together in whatever form that might have been. It will be difficult for you to witness what is to come, Colonel. How much your husband suffers depends entirely on the extent of your stubbornness. It is completely up to you."

Then turning to his Jaffa, he barked the order she knew was coming.

"Take him."

TBC

A/N: There you have it, a fairly long chapter for the story's very faithful readers. Thanks so much for your attention.

I'd love to hear what you think of this chapter's developments.

Please review.