The party was boring. Sam had been trying not to think the thought for about an hour when it snuck up on her and thought itself. The party had actually been postponed for two days, due to the busy schedules of the upper echelons of Furling society.
"I doubt it," Jack had remarked, after Kihrana had stopped by to tell them this and then left.
Sam had nodded. "Everything here is too well planned out for that."
Jack smirked. "Something's up."
Sam wanted to talk about it some more, but she and Jack were both becoming increasingly uneasy about what they said aloud, and code could only get them so far. The distance growing between them was killing them both, after all these years they were finally allowed to be… closer… and now this.
Anyway, when the party finally happened it was boring. Sam and Jack had been formally introduced by the Leader to the assembled throng. Sam noticed that Kihrana glared at her father frequently throughout his speech, and did not join them at the top table for the meal.
This was the first public meal that Sam actually got to consume, as Ghatrak was not seated at the top table. Casting her eyes around the room, Sam had realised he wasn't there at all.
When the meal was finished the tables sank into the floor and the party got into its full – boring – swing, with everyone milling about and talking to everyone else.
A couple of times Sam looked around to find Jack deep in conversation. Firstly, it was with Kihrana. The young furling looked angry - as far as Sam could tell - and at one point Jack laid a placating hand on her arm.
The second time Sam sought him out with her eyes Kihrana was nowhere to be seen and Jack was talking to Kihrann, the Leader. Jack looked serious. He didn't speak very much, merely kept nodding. An underling approached the Leader and he looked away to deal with the request. Jack looked up and met Sam's eyes. He raised his eyebrows. Something was up.
Once the party was over Sam and Jack were permitted to retire to their quarters. Jack was silent for the entire walk there, which Sam had expected, since they were escorted by two of the Leader's aides.
Normally they would have been escorted by security of some kind, but there didn't appear to be any security in the city. Sam filed this new thought away as it occurred to her.
What Sam hadn't expected was for Jack's silence to continue when they were alone. He simply sat on one of the couches and looked as though he wasn't aware of her presence.
"Jack?" Sam asked.
He looked up at her, "Yeah?"
"You're very quiet," Sam said, unable to think of anything else.
"Just tired, I guess," Jack responded.
"Oh," Sam said.
Abruptly, Jack stood. "I'm gonna get some sleep." He looked down at her, then put his hand on her shoulder, his action in complete contrast with his behaviour. "Night, Sam."
Sam smiled up at him guardedly, her mind on the message he was sending through his fingers. 'Take care'
Sam's eyebrows drew together questioningly, but Jack turned and walked into his bedroom.
Sam sat up for a few minutes more, trying to work out what the hell was going on. Then, finding it unfathomable – for tonight, at least, - she went to bed.
The next morning brought Sam two surprises.
She walked into the common room to find it occupied – by Daniel and Teal'c.
"Daniel! Teal'c!" She greeted them warmly, happy to see her friends here.
Her teammates looked up from the breakfast they'd been rapidly consuming.
"Hi Sam!" Daniel said, smiling at her.
"ColonelCarter," Teal'c's greeting was more sedate, but no less warm.
"What are you guys doing here?" Sam asked.
"Thor brought us. To uh… help broker the alliance." Daniel said, his hesitation betraying his lie.
Sam nodded knowingly at him and Daniel relaxed, happy that he'd conveyed his meaning.
"Where is O'Neill?" Teal'c asked.
"Is he not up yet?" Sam asked.
"Jack's not in his room." Daniel said, back on his breakfast now, "we thought he might be with you." He paused in his movement, realising what he'd just said, and turned red. Sam could have sworn Teal'c smirked.
She smiled. "Its okay, Daniel," the archaeologist relaxed, "but he isn't in my room."
"Oh?" Daniel asked, probingly.
"No." Sam returned. "We decided to take it slow."
"Uh huh," Daniel said, clearly not happy with this turn of events. "You know, Sam, some people might consider nine years-"
"So where is he?" Sam asked, cutting her friend off.
Daniel changed tack admirably. "No idea. Like I said, we thought he was with you," there was the slightest of pauses before Daniel went on, "but since he's not, we're all out of ideas."
The intercom chimed for attention. Sam reached over and hit the button. "Hello?"
"Colonel Carter, this is Kihrana."
"Good morning, Kihrana."
"I trust you have found your friends are present?" Kihrana asked politely.
"Yes, Daniel and Teal'c are eating breakfast," Sam said, puzzled at Kihrana's stiff, cold tone.
"That is good. When you have all broken your fast would you please join me in the garden of the Fountain of Jharaak?"
"Kihrana, General O'Neill isn't here," Sam said.
"I know. I will explain his absence when I see you." Kihrana said.
"Okay," Sam said, her tone barely betraying her uncertainty. " We can be there in fifteen minutes."
"Thank you," Kihrana said, sounding truly thankful.
The garden was completely empty. Sam remembered it being empty before, when she and Jack had met with Ghatrak and wondered about it.
Kihrana arrived shortly after SG-1, looking harassed.
"Kihrana," Sam greeted.
"Colonel Carter," Kihrana returned, she looked at Daniel and Teal'c. "You must be Dr Daniel Jackson and Teal'c."
Daniel nodded and Teal'c inclined his head once. "Where is O'Neill?" The Jaffa asked.
Kihrana smiled. "I admire your directness, Teal'c." She paused. "My father has sent General O'Neill to see another facility." At the mention of her father, Kihrana's voice took on a bitter tone.
Sam stared at her. Clearly Kihrana was unhappy about something and clearly she wanted to talk, but she wasn't."
"I will call for you in approximately two hours in order to give you a guided tour of our power facility, Colonel Carter." She looked up at Daniel and Teal'c, "You are welcome to accompany us, of course."
"Thank you," Daniel said.
"Indeed."
Kihrana nodded. "In two hours, then." She turned and began to walk away.
"Kihrana," Sam called, "wait!"
The young Furling stopped and turned. Sam walked over to her so that she was standing close. "What is it you're not telling us?"
"Colonel?" Kihrana asked, all innocence.
"What's really going on here?" Sam pressed, "What is the resistance?"
Panic flashed in Kihrana's eyes for a moment and Sam wondered just how old the Leader's daughter was.
"I…" Sam expected Kihrana to say 'I don't know' but what she actually said was, "I can't tell you," in a hushed voice and then turned and hurried away, leaving Sam looking after her.
"Sam?" Daniel appeared at Sam's side, flanked by Teal'c.
"Yes, Daniel?"
"We need to talk."
"I know. Let's get back to our quarters."
"I think we should speak here, ColonelCarter," Teal'c said, "have you not been brought here on two occasions to be told things that you were perhaps not supposed to know?"
"Once, with Ghatrak." Sam corrected.
"Teal'c's right, Sam. It's twice. If the Leader had wanted us to know about where Jack was we would have been told before he left. I think Kihrana might be getting herself into a bit of trouble." Daniel said.
Sam nodded. "You're right. Is that what you wanted to talk about?"
Daniel shook his head. "We're here because we knew something was going on."
"How?"
"We got two messages saying you and Jack were staying longer. One that was definitely from Jack." He paused. "That was the second message. We got that a day after we got the first."
"The Furlings sent a message a day before they spoke to us about staying." Sam stated.
"It would appear so," Teal'c responded.
Sam smiled ruefully. "And now Jack's disappeared."
"Thor is in orbit, Sam." Daniel said.
"There's nothing he can do from up there. If the Furlings want to hide him away for whatever reason they can do it well, the level of technology here is amazing. Everything is holographic."
"I thought so," Daniel said, "it doesn't… feel real."
Sam shook her head.
"What now?" Daniel asked.
"We wait and see. If we hear nothing by the end of the day, we'll have to make a plan. We'll have to find Jack ourselves."