Colonel O'Neill usually chose to hide his true feelings behind sarcasm and wit. Or he would simply withdraw into himself as he did when Daniel Jackson ascended.

The Tauri, Teal'c had learned, thrived on physical contact, O'Neill especially. So squeezing O'Neill's shoulder Teal'c hoped to convey some of his own strength and support to the Colonel. He would need it, in light of what Teal'c was about to reveal.

"Daniel Jackson is alive and in dire need of your assistance."

He added grimly, "As does Major Carter."

Jack O'Neill felt the blood slowly drain from his face.

"Daniel! Daniel please," Sam pleaded. She didn't want to hurt him, but she could see where this was quickly heading. He couldn't be reasoned with.

He had been holding her arm in a painful grip for a while. Now he shifted to a stance behind her, a well-muscled arm tight against her neck. All the commotion had drawn the attention first of the Nawata healers and then Teal'c who had been standing vigil at the Colonel's bedside waiting for him to regain consciousness.

Daniel was displaying the same symptoms he had before only this time much more quickly. Daniel was addicted to the sarcophagus again.

"Don't come any closer, if you wish no harm to come to her!" Daniel barked. Even his voice was different, devoid of any of its usual warmth. Pulling Sam with him he backed further into the room and away from Teal'c and the Nawata.

"Daniel Jackson, I know you do not wish to harm her. Release her. Please."

Daniel stared at Teal'c with undisguised hatred and mistrust. His eyes wildly searched the room as if looking for a means to escape. Absently he squeezed Sam tighter to his chest.

They didn't understand. It was they who were hurting him. Couldn't they see that? He needed it so much. And they just took it away! Took him away from it!

The pain was agonizing. The yearning was almost unbearable. Yet somehow he remained standing gripping onto the woman for dear life. If he tried he could almost remember her and the large, dark man who was talking, but it was too hard to concentrate.

"Take me back to the sarcophagus!" he cried desperately, "Then I'll let her go."

"We cannot do that, my friend," Teal'c answered shaking his head. "The sarcophagus was destroyed by O'Neill while attempting to free you." Teal'c paused. "You have no other alternative. Let us help you. Please."

"No!" came the strangled cry.

Daniel had shut his eyes tightly at the news that the sarcophagus was destroyed. He seemed to remember vaguely something like that. So it was true. What was he going to do now? How could he survive without it?

Teal'c noticed that his friend's respiration had increased somewhat and that he swayed slightly behind Carter relaxing his grip a little. Making eye contact with Carter, Teal'c gave an imperceptible nod.

At her teammate's nod Carter was ready to act. Using a tactic taught in training which Teal'c helped her perfect last year, she turned suddenly against Daniel's grip.

Expertly delivering a sharp punch to the lower ribcage and then a forearm to the jaw, Sam expected Daniel to collapse into an unconscious heap. He didn't even blink.

Instead he lashed out angrily catching her with a glancing blow across the left cheek with his closed right fist. Stumbling backward, Sam slammed hard against the medical equipment next to Daniel's bed and slid to the floor.

Rolling out of the way just in time as Daniel's booted foot whizzed past her head, she came up into a crouched position. While he was still off-balance Sam ran headlong into Daniel planting her right shoulder into his mid-section.

Daniel tried to ward her off and with an angry howl he lashed out with both fists. The impact of Sam's attack sent them both flying over the bed and to the floor below in a tangle of arms and legs.

Suddenly, Sam found herself in an advanced choke hold. The Colonel had taught the maneuver to Daniel some years ago, but he had never really gotten the hang of it. The key reason being that Daniel never really wanted to hurt anyone. Nevertheless, he seemed to have gotten it right now since her vision was graying out and she couldn't breathe.

"No! Stop!" Dimly she was aware of Teal'c yelling from far away just as little sparkly stars danced across her vision and she passed out.

O'Neill struggled to shake off the last of the lingering effects of the energy feedback as he and Teal'c headed for Daniel and Carter. If he hadn't already been lying down he would have fallen flat on his face when Teal'c told him what happened.

Daniel wasn't dead. Relief virtually flooded through O'Neill's body making him almost giddy. God, how he hoped they would never have to go through that again. Only problem was, Danny wasn't out of danger. As impossible as it seemed, right now he was holding Sam hostage in exchange for the sarcophagus.

A machine which right now was a pile of charred debris waiting for the scrap heap. Teal'c had already told Daniel that. And, oh yeah, apparently Sam had angered Daniel by trying to subdue him and the result wasn't pretty. Teal'c assured the Colonel that Sam was still alive, but unconscious. Daniel wouldn't allow the healers in the room to minister to Sam. Which was why Teal'c had come to see if Jack could do any better at talking the archaeologist into letting Sam go.

Yeah, things were pretty bad. And they were probably going to get a lot uglier.

As they approached the room Huantar, the Nawata leader, stepped forward.

"Colonel O'Neill, it is good to see you doing better."

"Yeah," Jack nodded toward the room. "Anything?"

"We have not been able to convince Daniel Jackson to release his hostage. He refuses to communicate with us." Huantar hesitated for a moment before continuing.

"My men could target him with their weapons on a low setting. It would be just enough to daze him until we can subdue him. However the healers warn that the shock may kill him considering what he's been through recently."

"We owe Daniel Jackson a great debt. We will do our best to see that he comes to no harm." Huantar tried to assure them.

Jack nodded his understanding and after glancing at Teal'c stepped through the doorway.

The archaeologist was sitting in the far corner of the room. His head was on his knees and his back against the wall. Sam was lying prone on the ground close to him. As Jack approached Daniel's head whipped up.

"Don't come any closer," he warned, his voice cold as steel as he rose to his feet.

Jack stopped dead in his tracks. Danger signals buzzed up and down his spine. Teal'c warned him that Daniel was out of control with anger and desperation. Now he was acting the exact opposite.

He moved with a self-confidence Jack rarely saw in Daniel. But it was more than that. It was an air of superiority. The man in front of him wasn't the Daniel he knew. It was the Daniel from Shyla's planet. The one who left them in the naquadah mines for days, starving to death, while he feasted above with Shyla and her father. The one who was self-absorbed, arrogant, haughty. This was a side of his friend that Jack had hoped never to see again.

Noticing Jack's gaze on the unmoving woman, Jackson said, "Your friend should never have tried to resist me." Daniel's eyes narrowed as he studied O'Neill calmly.

Never taking his eyes off Jack, the archaeologist crossed his arms and moved so that his body was between Jack and Sam. Clearly he wasn't going to give her up easily.

"Yeah, well, you don't look so hot yourself." O'Neill sarcastically replied. The other man's face was marred by a large, ugly looking bruise along his jaw line. Apparently Carter had done some damage after all. But the man wasn't showing any sign of being in pain.

"Have you come to negotiate for your friend's life?"

The question startled O'Neill. "Excuse me?" he choked out. The thought of Daniel even implying such a thing was just too much.

"My freedom in exchange for your friend's life. It's as simple as that."

"We can't let you go, Daniel."

"Then she will suffer for your insolence." Jackson snarled taking a menacing step back toward Carter.

"Daniel, this is Carter we're talking about."

"She means nothing to me."

"She's your friend."

"Are you my friend?" Jackson asked almost mockingly, one eyebrow arching up.

"Yeah. Yeah, we are friends. Good friends. We've been through a lot together and we can help you get through this too."

Behind deep blue eyes Daniel's expression softened as he appeared to considered this. "If you were my friend, you would let me go." He supplied in a low plaintive voice.

"Not gonna happen, Danny…."

"I grow tired of you!" Jackson spat out so angrily and so unexpectedly that Jack jumped and the Nawata guards raised their weapons. "Let me speak to the leader of this facility, Huantar!"

Anxiously O'Neill motioned to the guards to lower their weapons. "Okay, okay just take it easy, Danny." They were in deep trouble here. Daniel's symptoms were becoming worse. He was composed, almost serene one moment, highly aggressive the next. If he could just keep the guards from shooting his friend, they all might be able to get out of this thing alive.

As Huantar entered the room Daniel swung toward him a slight smirk on his face.

"I know who the saboteur is."

"I know who is sabotaging the compound, and I will reveal him to you in exchange for my freedom."

"My friend, we cannot let you go. We discussed this before. You know too much about us. If you were to be captured by our enemy you would be putting the lives of every Nawata man, woman and child at risk. I cannot allow this."

"By allowing the saboteur to go free you are putting their lives at risk right now."

"I saw him, Huantar, when he planted the bomb."

"Think back to just after we spoke to each other just outside your chambers. Do you remember picking up that beautiful little box and wondering who left it there for you to find? I can tell you who it was." He paused as if for effect.

"The irony is, if you had arrived just a minute or two earlier you would have seen him. He's one of your own men." Jackson sneered contemptuously.

"Someone close to you. He no doubt passed you in the corridor and laughed as he saw you heading toward your death." The corners of Daniel's lips turned up into a devilish smile as he watched Huantar's reaction to his words, enjoying their effect.

Huantar was astonished by Daniel's revelation. He had not even considered the fact that Daniel Jackson may have seen the traitor. He and Roktan had been too busy trying to save the young man's life in those first moments after the explosion. Roktan. His cousin had been with him in the moments leading up to the attack. Daniel Jackson said that the saboteur was there only a moment or two before he arrived.

If that was true - ! He suddenly and clearly recognized the implications of Daniel's statement. Roktan wasn't the traitor! Then who was?

Without warning a flicker of pain flashed across Daniel's features. Placing a shaky hand to his temple he blinked rapidly to clear his suddenly hazy vision.

"Daniel? You okay?" Ignoring O'Neill and turning his attention to Huantar once again, he said in a low somewhat unsteady voice, "I saved your life, Huantar – you owe me."

A low groan from behind Daniel indicated that Sam might start to awaken. Thank God, Jack thought automatically taking another step forward.

"I said, stay back!" Jackson bellowed.

"I just want to see how Sam is? Will you let me do that?"

Daniel's eyes clouded over at the mention of Sam's name and he put his hand out to the wall to steady himself.

"S-Sam?" Daniel whispered almost to himself.

"Yes, she needs my help." Jack worriedly glanced from Sam to Daniel and back again.

The younger man was suddenly drenched in sweat and he had paled considerably. Dropping to his knees beside Sam, Daniel cried out in pain as he clutched both hands to his head.

"Oh, God! Sam!" Daniel was near hysterical as he knelt behind Sam and quickly pulled her to him.

"Jack?" he questioned with wide eyes as if just now noticing that Jack was in the room. "Jack, I killed her, I killed Sam!

"No, you didn't. It's alright. She's gonna be okay. Just let us have a look at her, Danny." It tore him to pieces to see his best friend like this. Daring to come closer he reached out for her.

"No!" Daniel cried and awkwardly scooted himself and Sam back against the far corner.

"I- I remember. She tried to get away and I was choking her. Oh, God!" The young archaeologist was starting to hyperventilate.

"Daniel, listen to me, will ya!" The Colonel cried, scrubbing a hand through his gray hair. "Sam is gonna be fine. You just have to trust me. Now let the healers have a look at her so we can help her!" Jack could see that Sam was starting to regain consciousness.

Daniel's eyes widened slightly as he blinked and he slowly processed Jack's words. He's still so spaced out, Jack thought, I don't know if he understands a word I'm saying.

Just as Daniel appeared to be ready to release Carter he shuddered visibly. Clutching both hands to his head again he folded over in pain. "Oh God, make it stop!"

Rushing to the side of his teammates O'Neill knelt gingerly beside his friends. Carter was groggy, but coming out of it on her own and sitting up. Good girl! he thought absently as he checked her over and she nodded that she was okay. Now Daniel.

As he reached out to comfort his ailing archaeologist, Jack was distracted by a loud uproar just outside the doorway. Huantar heard it too and now that Daniel was subdued, he rushed out of the room to see what was happening. Jack felt that something was familiar about one of the voices, he just couldn't put his finger on it.

"How dare you try to arrest me? I am the head of the security contingent here, Taloc!" came Roktan's angry cry.

"In the name of the Nawata Council you will be arrested and restrained for high crimes against the Nawata people and our Lord Huantar." Taloc sneered as he took a step forward and came into Jack's line of vision. "Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

"Hey!" Jack cried out coming to his feet again. "I know you! You were on the Goa'uld ship!"

Surprised, Roktan stared at O'Neill blankly.

Taloc whirled on O'Neill, first a look of shock and then utter rage playing across his tanned features.

"You're the traitor!" Huantar cried incredulously pointing an accusing finger at Taloc.

Eyes glowing, Taloc spun toward Huantar. "Now that I have been exposed," he said in the echoing voice of the Goa'uld, "There is no longer any use in hiding behind the pathetic guise of being your trusted friend. Surrender now to the Serpent Sun God and your lives will be spared."

"We will never become slaves of the Goa'uld!" Without thinking Huantar acted and catapulted himself at Taloc carrying them well into the main medical chamber.

Recovering from his initial surprise Taloc managed to throw off Huantar and move stagger back a few steps. The light glinted off something metal.

"Look out! There is something in his hand!" O'Neill cried out.

Out of nowhere Teal'c rose up from behind Taloc and wrapped his large arms around the man, wrestling him to the ground. The Nawata guards as well as Jack joined in and quickly disarmed and subdued a very enraged Taloc. Screaming threats and murder all the while, Roktan's men half carried half dragged Taloc from the medical area to the holding cells.

"May I ask what you thought you were doing, My Lord!" Roktan gasped as he tried to regain his breath. "You could have been killed! We can't afford to lose you, cousin." This last was spoken more softly as he clapped a hand to Huantar's shoulder.

As Huantar met the worried gaze of his cousin and head of security he realized that he had been misled into thinking that Roktan was the traitor. For some time now Taloc had been carefully sowing seeds of doubt in him about Roktan. He had been trying to drive a wedge of distrust between them and had nearly succeeded.

Smiling and clasping arms with Roktan, Huantar simply said, "Go. I know you are anxious to question your prisoner." Smiling back Roktan nodded and departed.

"That was …..intense," Jack huffed as he and Teal'c gave each other a once over.

"My Lord!" Twin cries called out. Vonpa and Roncari, the healers whom they met before came hurrying toward them. "Daniel Jackson and the woman are gone!" They exclaimed in unison.

"What! For cryin' out loud! Come on Teal'c let's search the base."

"We will not find him here, O'Neill." Teal'c stated matter-of-factly.

"What, why!"

"Isn't it obvious, O'Neill? He is heading for the second sarcophagus."

O'Neill stared at him blankly.

"When Daniel Jackson took Major Carter hostage, I briefly questioned one of the Nawata healers as to what transpired before he began to act erratically. He reported that while they were examining Daniel Jackson, Major Carter helped calm him by relating to him our capture by their enemy and how we escaped. Undoubtedly, she also reported to him your experience with the sarcophagus on the Goa'uld ship. Therefore, - "

"He's going to try to make her show him how to get to the ship."

On board the Goa'uld vessel Baal's first prime approached his master cautiously. Depending on what mood he was in his master could be receptive to interruptions or murderously annoyed.

"My Lord!" He finally announced himself, bowing his head respectfully.

"These two were found trying to sneak their way on board past our sentries." Moving aside he revealed two prisoners held by his Jaffa, a man and a woman.

Annoyed at the interruption Ba'al swung around fiercely, but almost immediately his expression changed to mild surprise.

"Excellent." he intoned. "Excellent."

TBC