CHAPTER 43

Cameron Mitchell's stood in the ring room alone. He watched as they activated and the form of Samantha Carter materialized in front of him. Wasting no time his fellow Colonel approached, confusion written all over her face.

"When did Daniel ring down to the planet?"

"Almost immediately after we ringed aboard the ship."

"Have you tried to contact him?"

Mitchell nodded,"His com is turned off and before you even ask, I've tried to ring down after him, but we can't establish a connection to the planet. I think Daniel jammed the signal. McKay is trying to find a way around that."

Carter's faced became etched with worry. "We tried to ring his back onboard the ship but we were unable to locate his signal. Telemetry shows the planet is a virtual frozen tundra. It's causing intereference with the ships sensors."

A heavy silence stood betwen them before a frustrated Carter broke the tension.

"Go ahead, say it."

"Say what Carter? That I was right. You were wrong. That Daniel should have stayed at the base until we found out more about what the hell was going on with him. Is that what you want me to say?"

"Well, isn't it?"

"No, Sam, it isn't. Because right now, this isn't about you. Or me. Or Jack. Or Teal'c. Or how any of us is feeling at the moment. Its about Daniel. So, I'm sorry, I'm not going to stand here and place the blame on you so that you can feel guilty and sorry for yourself."

"You've got some nerve!" Carter snapped back, unable to hide her resentment at his statement.

"You've got the nerve. You've got the nerve guilt tripping me with how much I don't know about Daniel. But you know what? I know who Daniel is, not who he was. Which is more that I can say for you."

"Meaning what?"

"Meaning he's a different person, Sam," Mitchell stated with a glint of tenderness in his voice. "You need to deal with that. You have to be able to see Daniel for who he is, not who you want him to be. We all do."

Carter's expression softened, "What do you need me to do?"

Mitchell smiled softly in response, "Why don't you help out McKay, see if there is anyway you can help him unjam the rings."

"What will you do?"

"I'm going to take Reynolds and few of the grunts and explore the ship. After all, its why we are here."

Don't you think thats dangerous. I mean we have no idea why Daniel was so adamant about coming here. It could be a trap."

"Exactly. Which means there may be information here that can help. I don't like this anymore than you do, but Daniel is in trouble and we have to figure out what's going on before something really bad happens."

ooooooo

Kebechet stood in the transport area near the stasis chamber that held her for nearly a decade. Her ice coffin. The symbol of her imprisonment and personal hell.

"I do not know what exactly happen to you Father," she whispered as she glided her hand along its icy surface. "Whether you are dead or alive. I know that part of you is with me. It has always been. I could hear you speak to me. Talking to me as I am to you now, uncertain if your words could reach me. You have no idea how much that sustained me. Kept me from losing my mind during my convalescence."

Kebechet squeezed her eyes shut, as if the very action would quell the emotions threatening to unleash themselves.

"I've done it Father. Soon your last wish will be fulfilled."

"And what wish would that be?" echoed a voice from behind.

Kebechet frozen in place at the recognition. Terror gripping every fiber of her being, her heart lurching as she slowly turned around to face it.

"Netan?" she asked nervously. "What are you doing here?"

"I became worried when you did not return," he replied, his voice somber and hollow, "So I ringed down to see what had happened. I saw you come out from the chamber and was about to greet you, when Dr. Jackson arrived."

"Why have you not returned? It is vital that you stayed on that ship."

"I tried but it seems Dr. Jackson jammed the signal, I cannot return. So I hid from sight."

"Why did you not show yourself to me sooner?"

"I was finding the conversations to be rather enlightening." he replied, a touch of malice in his voice.

Kebechet felt a knot in the pit of her stomach as she watched his face turn cold and emotionless before her eyes.

"What did you hear?"

"Enough," he stated as he walked closer to her coming to a stop about a two feet before her. "Enough to know that you lied to me. . . And enough to know that you are not my wife."

Kebechet took a step towards Netan but found herself with a weapon pointed to her face.