I know I said that I was going to try and post a chapter a day, like I did with 12 Days of Christmas, but life sort of got in the way. I apologise for not posting sooner but this chapter was a while in the writing, mainly thanks to the space bar on my laptop being tempermental, thank goodness I've brought my self a new one.
I hope you like it.
2nd January
They woke the next morning feeling surprisingly warm having moved even closer together in their sleep.
"Morning," Jack said as he moved away from Sam before standing and stretching. "How's your back feeling this morning Carter?" he asked.
"Sore sir," Sam answered honestly, "But better than I felt this time yesterday."
"Good good," Jack replied, "Do you want me to put the rest of what Natasha left on your back?"
"Yes please sir," Sam answered.
The two then got busy doing that while Teal'c and Daniel started kicking at the hinges. Once Jack and Sam had finished and the mixture had taken effect the two of them joined in.
They kept it up until they heard the door slam, seeing the cracks get bigger with each kick they landed.
"Nearly there guys," Jack said as they got back into position against the bars while they waited to see who it was that was coming down the stairs.
Natasha came round the corner and into the torch light and then headed straight for the cell. She crouched and as she handed them their food and water, one each this time, she said, "I have talked with the other women and everyone has agreed that we're leaving. We thought the best time would be when I brought you down your lunch, that way it'll be easier to get out of the door at the top of the stairs as well."
Jack thought for a moment before he turned to Sam. "Think we'll have to bars down by then Carter?"
Sam moved to the hinges and looked at them closely for a moment. "I think so sir," she said, "I don't think the metal is going to be able to take much more."
"Good," Jack said, "Let's just hope it breaks in time shall we."
"Yes sir," Sam said with a smile as she moved to sit back with the guys.
"There is one other thing," Natasha said.
"What's wrong?" Daniel asked.
"No one's having second thoughts I hope," Jack said.
"No, no," Natasha answered, "It's just that some of us have children, and we don't want to leave them here, the girls especially. The boys may not like it at first but the men haven't gotten to them too much, they wait until they reach man hood before they really start to take an interest in them."
"I understand where you're coming from," Jack said, "A parents love for their child is unconditional, that I know for myself, but are we going to make it to the gate when there are going to be so many of us?"
"Yes," Natasha answered forcefully, "We will because we have to."
Jack looked to Teal'c, Daniel and Sam.
"We are not leaving children behind O'Neill," Teal'c stated.
"We're not going anywhere without their help Jack," Daniel said, "And this is no place for a child to grow up."
"Do you even have to ask sir?" Sam asked, "There's no way in hell I'm leaving here without the children."
Jack nodded. "Well so long as we're all in agreement." He turned to Natasha. "We'll take the children; just make sure that they are ready to go and that they do not give the game away to the men."
"Give the game away?" Natasha asked.
"He means make sure that they don't tell the men what we're going to do," Sam explained.
Natasha inclined her head in understanding. "They will not say anything," she assured them, "They have not yet come to think as the men do, and many do not understand why we are treated so."
"Ok then," Jack said.
Natasha looked over her shoulder to the torch before looking back into the cell. "I must go," she said, "I cannot spend much longer down here without it looking suspicious. I shall come down with food again in five hours; that is when I will tell the other women to have the distraction ready."
"Sounds like a plan," Jack answered, "I only have on question."
"I shall answer it if I can," Natasha answered.
"Do you know where Isaac put all the stuff we came with? We're going to need part of it to get back to our planet," he stated.
"I do," Natasha answered, "Isaac had placed it all in one of the rooms above us. From what I have heard when they have forgotten I am there, he intends to ask you what each item does and how it works. He hopes to learn something that will further his own desires."
"Ok," Jack said, "That's going to have to be our first stop when we get out of here then."
Natasha nodded and then stood and hurried towards the stairs, the empty dishes in her hands.
"Right then," Jack said once they heard the door slam once again, "Let's eat and then get these hinges beaten."
Natasha had only brought down two bowls of food, obviously in an attempt to keep Sam from eating.
"Isaac probably thinks you're not going to get any of this," Jack stated with a smile as he and Sam shared one bowl and Daniel and Teal'c ate out of the other.
"Well then the jokes on him isn't it," Daniel said, "Because he really doesn't get it does he. He doesn't get that we're a team and even if Sam is just a lowly women in his eyes we're going to kick his ass."
Jack and Sam both laughed. "Well said Danny-boy," Jack congratulated him, "Now how about we finish up eating and get to the kicking."
Everyone finished eating and then had some of their water before they got back to kicking at the hinges.
After an hour they were rewarded with their first cracking sound as Teal'c kicked the hinge he had been working on one last time.
The four of them stopped at the cracking sound and all moved so that they could see the damage.
"Well done T," Jack congratulated.
In the dim light they could just see the crack that went from one end of the hinge to the other, effectively splitting it into two.
"Right T, you help Daniel with his," Jack ordered, "We're nearly there."
It didn't take long after that to get the next two hinges to break in quick succession, first the one that Teal'c had gone to help Daniel with and then Jack's, leaving Sam's the only thing holding the door up.
"Let's take a break for a minute," Jack suggested, "And figure out how we're going to keep the bars from hitting the floor with a thud."
They moved to sit in a small circle, each sipping at their water. "So there's only one hinge left and I really don't think it'll last much longer, which means we're going to have to come up with something to stop it from hitting the ground when the hinge does break."
"Well sir," Sam said, "When it does break it won't fall straight down, it will pivot about where the hinges in the wall were. Since they were set into the wall they overlap with it, we need to stop it from pivoting either away or towards us."
"You said you had a bit of string Sam," Daniel remembered.
"Yes," Sam replied, "Why, what are you thinking?"
"Well on the side where we've already broken both of the hinges there's still a few bars before it reaches the wall. Why not use the string to tie the door to the remaining bars, that way it shouldn't pivot."
"Good suggestion Daniel," Jack agreed, "And then if Teal'c and I can counter the movement of the bars we should be able to keep them upright."
"Yes sir," Sam agreed, "But the question is do we do it now and find some way to make it look like the bars are still in place, just in case, or wait until Natasha gets here and just let them fall down quietly."
"Now that is a very good question Carter," Jack responded, "What do you all think? Can we somehow prop them back up to make it look like they're still structurally sound or are we going to have to wait for Natasha to arrive before we break the final hinge."
"I do not see any way to prop it up O'Neill," Teal'c stated, "We do not have anything with us that we can use."
"Fair point," Jack agreed, "So it looks like we're leaving it until Natasha gets here."
He then looked to Sam. "Do you think we should kick it some more now Carter or is it already pretty close to breaking?"
Sam moved and looked at the final hinge more closely. "I'd say leave it sir," she answered, "It looks like it's only going to take a few more good kicks anyway."
Jack nodded. "Well in that case how about we tie the string around it, so that it's ready, and then get some rest before this all happens."
They nodded and Sam passed the string to Jack, who stood and looped it around two of the bars about half way up. Once that was secure he sat back down and the four of them huddled close under their blankets.
They sat in silence, no one knowing what to say, just waiting to hear the familiar slam of the door at the top of the stairs.
When it came though they all jumped slightly at the sudden noise that shattered their silent day dreams.
The four all held their breath, waiting to see who it was that was coming down the stairs. Hopefully it would be Natasha and they'd get out of here, but if it was Isaac, or any man really, then it meant that their escape plan had probably been detected.
"Natasha," Sam greeted once they saw who it was.
"Are you ready to leave?" Natasha asked as she came to their cell, "Our distraction will be occurring soon."
"Nearly," Sam answered, "We just need to kick the last hinge a few more times and then we're done."
Natasha nodded and stepped back.
"T," Jack said, "You and me should hold the door while Sam and Daniel kick at it, then we'll hopefully keep it from hitting the deck."
Teal'c nodded and then he and Jack moved to hold onto the bars while Daniel and Sam got into a position they could kick from.
"Ready?" Sam asked from where she was lying on the floor.
Once both Teal'c and Jack had nodded Sam and Daniel started kicking the door.
It only took them two kicks each before they all heard the metal snap and the bars fell against Jack and Teal'c. Sam and Daniel quickly sprang to their feet and helped the other two positions the bars so that they would fall against the wall once they let them down, which they did so gently so there wasn't a huge bang to draw attention to their escape.
Once that was sorted the four of them stood and headed out to Natasha. She shied away slightly as the men approached but Sam was quick to put her back at ease. "It's alright Natasha," she said softly, "Now what's next?"
"I will go to the door and knock, to tell them that I need to come out," Natasha explained, "Then it is up to you to do something with the guards."
"Carter," Jack said, "You still got that knife?"
Sam nodded and pulled it out of her pocket. She handed it over and Jack pulled out the one that was in his pocket.
Natasha looked shocked and moved back. "Don't worry," Jack said, "We're not actually going to use them, it's more for the threat."
Natasha frowned but didn't ask anymore.
"T," Jack said, "Take this," Jack handed him the knife, "Carter you up for this?" Sam nodded. "Good, then follow Teal'c, you know what to do." Sam nodded again and then she and Teal'c started to head towards the door.
Jack gestured for Natasha to go in front of them and then he and Daniel started to walk behind them. "Why put Sam in front?" Daniel asked Jack as they walked, "Are you sure she's in any state to be doing this?"
"Because she needs it," Jack answered, "She's had it the worst here. Trust me when I say her being up front is going to make her feel better."
"I'll take your word for it," Daniel answered.
Jack smiled at him and then they carried on walking.
They reached the torch and then turned to head up the stairs. They stopped just short of the top of the stairs and let Natasha continue up the last few steps on her own. She knocked and the door opened outwards. Natasha walked through and then Teal'c and Sam rushed out after her, Jack and Daniel following behind at a slightly slower pace.
Natasha was hugging a wall while Teal'c and Sam were taking care of the guards. Teal'c had shocked the two of them by coming through the door and threatening them with a knife and Sam had taken advantage of it. She had kicked one of the guys right where it hurt, and was currently bringing her knee up to hit him in the face, holding his head in place so that he couldn't move. Teal'c had taken a different route, and was holding the other guys shirt in one hand while using the other one to punch him in the head.
It didn't take long for the two of them to be out of it and knocked out on the floor.
"But them on the other side of the door," Jack ordered, "And then lock them in."
Daniel and Teal'c grabbed one of the guys, Teal'c taking the head and Daniel the legs, and dragged him into the room so that he was lying on the stairs, while Sam and Jack did the same with the other one.
They came back out and shut the door just in time to feel the floor shake.
"That's our distraction," Natasha said, "They set the generator into overdrive. The men are going to be distracted by trying to sort it out, and they're not going to be paying attention to the women when they do."
"Why not?" Sam asked, "You use the machines so won't they get you to shut it down."
"No," Natasha answered, "They never taught us how to shut it down or turn it on, they always do that."
"Great," Jack said, "Now let's get going shall we."
"I'll take you to your things," Natasha said as she led the way down the corridor.
SG1 followed after her and they soon found their gear. "Thank god for that," Jack muttered as they all pulled on their vests and outer jackets. Jack checked his pockets and pulled out his GDO. "Looks like we're in business. Grab your guns and we'll find our way out of here."
Natasha nodded and they headed back out of the room, all of them grabbing their bags as they went and helping each other clip them on as they ran.
"The other women are going to meet us by the transports," Natasha explained as they jogged along, "Along with the children."
Jack nodded and then he saw people heading towards them.
"Everyone down," he bellowed. Everyone threw themselves to the floor, Sam pulling Natasha down with her, just in time as the wall above them exploded.
Jack and Sam returned fire, Daniel moving forward and covering as much of Natasha as he could to protect her. Teal'c also returned fire, using his staff weapon to make to ceiling above the attackers to fall in.
That caused chaos and Jack and Sam continued shooting as they moved forward. In the confusion they took down the remaining members of the group, Teal'c joining them and putting most of them on the floor with a sweep of his staff.
"Daniel," Jack called once they were all down, "You alright back there?"
"Fine Jack," Daniel said as he got to his feet and offered his hand to Natasha to help her up.
The two moved up the join them and Natasha avoiding looking down at the bodies on the floor, some dead some just unconscious.
"Lead on," Jack said gently, "But stay close in case there's another group waiting for us."
Natasha nodded and they kept walking.
"Why were they down here armed?" Daniel asked, "Or is it usual for them to walk around armed."
"They were coming for you," Natasha said, "Isaac had plans for you this afternoon and he wanted to make sure that you were all there."
"I don't think I want to know what he had planned," Sam muttered.
Natasha nodded in agreement with Sam's words.
"How far to the transports?" Jack asked.
"Not very," came a voice from behind them.
They all span, bringing up their guns and saw Isaac standing there. "I'm disappointed in you Natasha," Isaac sneered as he stepped closer.
"Isn't that a pity," Jack said, "Now stay where you are or I will shoot you."
Isaac stopped moving but continued to sneer at them.
"Ah sod it," Jack said, bringing up his gun and shooting Isaac through the knee, "I'm not standing here and arguing with you, we're in a hurry."
Isaac went down with a cry of pain and then the group continued to head towards the transports, this time running a whole lot faster than they had before. "I hope all the people who are coming with us are there," Jack said as they ran, "Because if Isaac gets up then we're going to be rushed for time."
They all began to move slightly faster at his words, breaking out into an almost dead sprint. They came to the door that lead outside and burst through it, making sure that Natasha stayed behind them while they checked the area.
"Let's keep going," Jack suggested, "Are we nearly there?"
Natasha nodded. "They're just round the corner."
"Good," Jack said.
They carried on running after that, Natasha running in the centre of the group while the others kept looking around for any sign of trouble. They reached the transports and Jack stopped. "Well now these are cool," he said.
The others nodded. They did look pretty cool. They looked like normal trucks that you'd find on earth, but there was a slight difference, these ones didn't have any wheels.
They were also full of women and children, all four of them.
"Right get people in the driver's seats," Jack ordered, "Because I can hear trouble coming."
And there was, there was shouting coming from the direction they had just come.
"Get in the trucks," Jack ordered as he ducked behind one of the boxes that had obviously just come off of the trucks.
Natasha nodded and then she jumped into one of the drivers seats, telling three other women to do the same. Daniel also jumped into the back of one of the trucks, Teal'c jumping up beside him. Sam however hunkered down beside Jack.
"That was an order Carter," Jack said, "Not a suggestion."
"I'm not going without you sir," Sam replied as she checked the clip in her gun.
Jack shook his head before shouting. "Get driving people. Head for the gate and we'll meet you there."
Three of the trucks began to drive away, but the forth, the one that Natasha was driving and that Teal'c and Daniel were in the back of, didn't move.
"Get in the back of the truck," Daniel shouted, "We can cover everything from there, no need for any heroics."
Jack rolled his eyes but he and Sam both stood and headed for the truck, keeping low so that they didn't make themselves easy targets. Instead of getting into the truck though the two went onto the roof. It wasn't easy, it was only canvas, but Jack gave Sam a boost up and then Sam pulled him up after her and they lay down across the ribs that held up the canvas.
"Get going," Jack ordered, "Because I can see them coming. But take it easy will you, it's not entirely secure up here."
The truck started to move as the group of armed men that Jack had seen came round the corner, guns at the ready. "Daniel," Jack called, "Make sure everyone in the truck stays down. T, how about you me and Carter give them all something to think about. Don't kill them though; just keep them from following us."
Teal'c opened fire, aiming for their feet, leaving great holes in the ground where the staff blasts hit, while Sam and Jack fired at the people themselves, aiming for none lethal shots to the limbs. The group of men returned fire and the people in the truck below them, and in the ones in front started to scream.
Sam moved from where she was lying on the roof looking back at the group of gun men to look at the other trucks. "Get down and stay as small as you can," she shouted, "And pass it on to the other trucks."
The women in the truck in front nodded and then Sam went back to join Jack, shooting at the men.
Once they reached the trees Sam and Jack stopped shooting and slowly made their way forward to sit on the roof of the cab that Natasha was sitting in. Carefully, Sam going first, they got into the cab through the window.
"How long will it take to get to the stargate?" Jack asked Natasha.
"At this speed a few hours," Natasha answered, "It is a lot quicker to drive than it is to walk because we don't have to fight through the snow; all the trucks are fitted with ploughs."
"Good," Jack answered, "Because I think getting there before dark would be a good idea."
"Are there any more trucks that they can use to follow us?" Sam then asked.
"No," Natasha answered, "We took all four so that they wouldn't; we could have got everyone into two of them."
"Good thinking," Jack congratulated her, "Hopefully that means we won't be seeing them again."
Everyone then fell silent as they carried on driving. When they reached what Natasha said was the half-way point between the village and the gate they heard movement in the back and then there was a knock on the sliding partition that was in the back of the cab. Sam reached over her shoulder and opened it up to find Daniel with some food and water. He passed it over and then asked, "Are you going straight back to earth?" Daniel asked, "Or a planet in between."
"A planet in between," Jack responded, "Just to make sure that if it takes time to get through to earth and make them believe that it's us, that we have the time."
"Good plan," Daniel answered before he shut the door.
They carried on driving, eating and drinking the food that Daniel had passed forward to them. They reached the gate without incident and everyone got out, giving SG1 a chance to see everyone that had come with them.
There were twenty, maybe thirty, women and about fifteen children aged between a baby held in its mothers arm to a boy who looked about ten to a pair of teenage girls, all of whom were sticking close to their mothers.
"Let's get this show on the road," Jack said his voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "T, Daniel, I've changed my mind, it looks like we're alone so dial earth and send the code."
Daniel nodded and the two of them moved to the DHD and began dialling the coordinates for earth. Just as the gate engaged though, causing the women to flinch, they heard a clapping sound behind them.
Everyone turned and saw a slightly blood stained Isaac standing in front of a group of men, all of whom looked angry. "I'm impressed," Isaac sneered, "You've managed to get all of our women to follow you."
"We are not your women," Natasha stated, stepping forward.
Isaac stepped forward, limping heavily, closer to Natasha, and then slapped her across the face. Natasha staggered back as Jack and Sam raised their guns and Teal'c raised his staff weapon. Sam walked forward, putting herself between Natasha and Isaac and glared at him.
"Back off Isaac," she warned, pointing her gun straight at his head.
"Carter," Jack warned, "Don't let this turn into Turgan."
"Now who is Turgan?" Isaac asked.
"Someone else who thought women were weak," Sam snapped, "And someone who learnt at the point of a knife that we are not."
"At the point of a knife you say," Isaac said, "Care to try again?"
Sam looked back to Jack, who was shaking his head. She however nodded and moved back to him, taking Natasha with her. "We can use it as a distraction," Sam muttered, "So you can get everyone through the gate and out of here."
Jack didn't look happy but he nodded. He gestured to Daniel and Teal'c, telling them without words what the plan was, and as Sam put her gun down and took off her jacket, he and Teal'c began to guide people through the gate, slowly and keeping them low so that they weren't as obvious. Daniel went through with the first group while Teal'c remained behind.
"Come on then Isaac," Sam said as she drew her knife, "This was your idea."
Isaac smiled at her and drew his own blade, which was considerably longer than Sam's, and the two faced each other. Sam was more concerned with creating a distraction than actually winning the fight so she made sure that her movements were fairly obvious, so that Isaac would be able to block them, but flamboyant enough that it would hold the attention of his men.
They exchanged blows, Isaac being quick even with his bad leg, Jack had obviously only left him with a flesh wound. Sam drawing the first blood with a cut that went straight though Isaac's coat and into his skin. Isaac cut her cheek soon after that and then the two of them danced around each other until Jack shouted, "Carter, all clear, it's time to go."
Isaac hadn't been expecting the shout so he started slightly at the noise, but Sam had been waiting for it so she took the opportunity that had been given to her and quickly stepped to one side and grabbed Isaac's knife hand. She twisted it up his back before pushing him into his men; Jack then opened fire as Sam made a mad dash for the gate.
She reached it and grabbed Jack and the two went through together. They hit the ramp with a clatter and then Jack shouted. "Shut it down now."
There was a flurry of activity and then the gate was shut down. Jack and Sam lay on the ramp for a minute before slowly getting to their feet as General Hammond approached.
"It is really good to see you safe and sound," he said, "And while I want to hear everything that has happened, and an explanation about why my gate room now looks like a mothers meeting, Doctor Jackson has given me the bare bones so I know you need your sleep, and to get checked over by Doctor Fraiser and her team." He smiled at the two of them before saying. "I'll see you in the morning."
He then offered them both and hand and pulled them to their feet. The women in the gateroom all looked confused but Natasha seemed to be handling it well enough as she walked over to Sam and Jack as the two of them joined Daniel and Teal'c. "Thank you," she said, "For showing us that there is another way to live."
"Don't worry about it," Jack replied, "Although I'm not sure you'll thank me later. We've got to all go and get checked over by the doctors to make sure that none of us are ill."
With that said the four of them lead the way out of the gateroom and down the corridors to the infirmary.
