Sam holds her weapon at the ready as she moves silently down the dark passage with Teal'c just behind her. After a few feet in the darkness Sam sees a faint light ahead and she begins to move toward it and find it is and opening to a small room. She does a quick sweep to ensure the room is empty before entering. Sam looks at Teal'c.

"There are two doors, I feel like we are running out of time."

"Perhaps we should part ways," Teal'c says.

Sam nods and walks toward the closest door. She looks over her shoulder just in time to see Teal'c disappearing thru the other doorway.

"Come on Carter, you've gotten this far," she thinks to herself as she turns and starts walking. The only sound she can hear is the crunching of leaves that litter the empty hallway. Every door that she comes to is another disappointing dead end. Then just as she is ready to turn around to find Teal'c she sees a small ray of light. She moves closer and finds that there is a door sitting partially open. Slowly she pushes to open it, but it doesn't budge. She takes a deep breath and puts all of her weight against the door. Suddenly it gives way and she nearly looses her balance. As she rights herself she hears a small sound form the next room that makes her think of a cat. She freezes as she hears it again, this time much louder. Moving quickly she enters the room with her P-90 ready to meet whatever is on the other side. But what she sees takes her by surprise. Standing in the middle of the room holding a tiny bundle is a girl who looks to be about sixteen. Sam trains her weapon on the girl.

"Who are you?" she asks, struggling to keep her voice level.

"This is Iset, my eldest daughter by your O'Neill."

Sam turns at the sound of Ash'ka's voice only to have her gun knocked from her hands by another girl.

"And this is my daughter Morrigan," Ash'ka says as she moves toward a large bed in the room and lies across it on her side.

Sam looks at Morrigan. She has dark skin and brown eyes; Sam feels as though she has met Morrigan before. She turns to Ash'ka,

"Is she Teal'c's..?"

Ash'ka smiles and looks at Iset and the baby in her arms, "And this is my youngest daughter, Saxa."

Sam closes her eyes as she realizes what has happened.

"This is wrong; you shouldn't use people like that," Sam says as she looks back at Ash'ka, her eyes full of anger.

"Oh Mah'la, I wish you were not so attached to these people."

"These people are my friends, my family."

"Whether you like it or not I am your family, we come from the same blood. Our kind were born here, in this castle."

"In this castle?"

Ash'ka sits up, "Yes, this is the room where everything started so long ago. I thought it would be fitting if this were the place where the Anocha were born again. This is where I will rule, where I will sit as I watch my people destroy those who tried to wipe us out. And I want you to sit with me, to rule with me."

Sam shakes her head, "You know that will never happen."

"Then I will just have to settle for ruling with your daughter."

"Well you are out of luck, I don't have one."

"That can be remedied." Ash'ka turns and looks at her daughters, "Iset, you will take Saxa and care for her. Morrigan, bring O'Neill to us, and then you will join your sisters."

Both of the girls bow slightly, "Hail Ash'ka."

As they leave Sam turns to Ash'ka, "So this whole time you have been telling me that Mah'la could only have daughters, and that I am her descendant. There is just one problem that I see with that little story of yours, I have an older brother."

"What I have told you is the truth. And just as I can only block the thoughts of those whom I control unless I am in your presence, without my presence Mah'la would be able to bare sons. But only a daughter of Mah'la would carry the Anochan blood."

She stops talking as Morrigan enters the room followed by Jack.

"I have brought the one you asked for my queen, do you wish for anything else?"

"No, you may join your sisters now and begin the preparations that we discussed."

Morrigan bows and leaves the room.

Sam waits until she is gone, "You know I am curious; it's only been a few days since you took advantage of the Colonel, how did Iset grow so quickly? And Morrigan?"

"That is the gift I give to my daughters, after their birth I am able to share with them a few of my many years. It is a gift I only recently discovered. And one that I will share with your daughter when she is born," Ash'ka says standing and moving across the room toward Sam.

She reaches out her hand and holds it in front of Sam for a moment before turning to Jack, "She will soon be ready, bind her to the bed."

Sam looks at Jack as he starts towards her.

"Colonel, I know you won't do this. You can't do this," she says as she tries to back away.

But Jack rushes at her pinning her against the wall. Sam panics and begins to struggle but Jack holds her firmly. Slowly he begins moving her toward the bed, all the while Sam continues to fight against him. A tear begins to slide down her cheek as he finally pulls her free from the wall and drags her toward the bed.

"Jack, don't…" Sam pleads, her voice weak as she says his name.

But he doesn't stop. After several minutes of struggling he looks at Ash'ka.

"I know that you don't want her to be hurt but if she keeps fighting against me there is nothing I can do to keep that from happening," he says.

Sam closes her eyes at the sound of his voice. It sounds like Jack and not like him at the same time. She hears movement near her so she opens her eyes again to see Ash'ka bending down to her.

"Samantha, you are Mah'la, this is what you were born for. Don't fight it, I promise once you give me your first born daughter you will be allowed to go where ever you wish."

Sam looks deep into her eyes, "I will never give you what you want willingly."

Ash'ka stands and shakes her head. Sam notices that she almost looks sad at the words she has just heard. After a moment Ash'ka looks back to Jack.

"You know what must happen, see that it is taken care of. When you are finished come to me."

"Yes my queen," Jack answers.

Ash'ka starts to leave when Sam sees Jack's sidearm. Her mind works quickly to ensure that she completes the task before her without harming the man that means so much to her. She relaxes her body and allows Jack to drag her to the bed. As he lifts her up to the edge she lets her arm fall, grazing his side. He doesn't seem to notice, so she takes a breath as her hand finds the handle of the 9 mil. The world around her seems to move in slow motion as she removes the weapon from Jack, bringing it up above his head and then down as hard as she can manage on the side of his head. He collapses to the floor dropping her on the bed. She rolls quickly and aims the gun in her hand at the figure standing in the doorway. Her eyes meet Ash'ka's as she pulls the trigger, three quick times. As the sound of the shots ring around the room Ash'ka's body crumples to the floor. Sam watches her body for several seconds before getting up and moving across the floor to make sure it's done. She kneels next to Ash'ka and sees that her mouth is moving. Sam leans down to try and hear what she is saying.

"This…is far…from …over…Mah'la…"

Sam sits back and watches as Ash'ka's eyes close. Sam stands and makes her way back over to Jack.

"Colonel," she says softly as she sits beside him.

A groan escapes his lips. Sam smiles briefly, but as she opens her mouth to say something his hand shoots up and grabs her throat. His eyes open as he sits up.

"What have you done?" he asks, his voice icy.

"I…" Sam tries, but he tightens his grip on her neck. Her last thought is the fact that the man that she cares for, maybe even loves, is going to strangle her to death and there is nothing that she can do to stop him. She wishes that she had just one chance to tell him everything and then her world goes black.