Notes: The next four chapters sort of just wrote themselves. It was originally a huge block of the story, but I decided to split it into chapters to make reading a bit easier. I hope you enjoy!

As Teegan and Bettany led them deeper into the forest, Jack tried to ignore the bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. It wasn't so much he thought they were part of Zabar's group, but rather that they weren't. Zabar and his breed were obvious in their dislike of women; it would be easy to anticipate their actions. Teegan, Bettany, and the rest of this bunch were completely unknown. Experience had taught Jack to distrust the unknown.

"Sir," Sam asked him as they walked hand-in-hand, "what do you make of them."

"You ask me that, now?" He couldn't help the censure in his tone. If she hadn't charged right up to the women, perhaps he could have gotten a better idea of what they were dealing with.

"I saw an opportunity and I took it. Sir." Her tone was clipped.

Instantly regretting his misplaced hostility he sighed. "Carter, you made the right call."

She looked surprised, but but didn't say anything.

"You've been around me long enough to know I get grumpy when I'm not in control of a situation," he offered as an apology. "Anyway, if there's any chance they can get that damn cuff off of you, we gotta take it."

Before she could respond, Teegan shouted a command, drawing their attention. Four guards appeared from various hiding places around them.

"Whoa!" Jack shouted stumbling back as two more guards propelled down from the trees, landing right next to him. With his fingers still entertained with Sam's, he inadvertently jerked her towards him. Unable to disentangle himself from her quickly enough, he fell, Sam slamming into him from above. With a loud oomph, they fell into a mess on the forest floor; Sam letting out a yelp.

"Carter!" Jack quickly rolled her off of him to kneel over her. "What happened?"

"My hand, sir," she said cradling it to her chest now that both hands were free.

"Let me see," he said gently. Taking her injured hand, he turned it over to reveal a deep cut in the palm. Her sharp hiss as he prodded the cut told him she hurt more than she wanted to let on. "It's not too deep," he told her.

"Thank you, sir," she said softly. Taking the hand he offered, she pulled herself back up.

Turning back to the group that had initiated the uncoordinated fall, Jack glared at them. "A little warning would be appreciated next time," he said in his alpha commander tone.

"You do not behave as a slaver, but you also do not behave as a member of the resistance," Teegan approached them slowly. "You show your woman tenderness as if she matters to you, but yet make her call you Sir."

"She does matter to me," Jack told him with a little too much emphasis. "And I'm definitely not a slaver. I take it from this little display," he gestured at the newcomers, "you've got going on here that you're part of the resistance?"

"We are," Teegan answered cautiously. "I am the commander of this resistance unit. And you are?"

"I'm Colonel Jack O'Neil, planet Earth," He held out his hand, drawing it back when Teegan just stared at it. "This is Major Samantha Carter, my second-in-command. Unfortunately, everyone else on this planet also considers her my slave. We're hoping you can help with that."

"You have appointed a woman as your second?" Teegan asked with awe.

"You betcha," Jack said. "Wouldn't want anyone else." He sent a quick wink to Sam.

"What type of world would allow a woman to be in such danger?" A man next to Teegan asked.

"One where men and women are equal," Sam said, taking a step forward so she was even with Jack. When Jack just shrugged at them, the other men looked at one another nervously. While they appeared to treat their women with some respect, clearly the idea of equality was foreign to them.

"She's also a lot smarter than me," Jack smirked at them.

Teegan shook his head in disbelief at Jack's admission as Bettany stepped forward to stand in front of Sam.

"My husband fights to free women from bondage, but he doesn't believe that in all things they can be equal," Bettany said. "What other things can women do on your world?"

"Well, I'm a warrior, but I'm also a scientist. Other women are doctors, teachers, leaders, and hold thousands of other jobs," Sam told her. "There really is no limit on what a woman can achieve."

"Your words will make my wife dream of things that can never be on this world,"Teegan told them. Bettany looked like she really wanted to argue, but just bowed her head slightly and walked back over to Teegan's side.

Sam however stepped forward, her anger obvious. "Why not?" She challenged. "You're a leader in the resistance. What are you fighting for if not equality?"

"Easy, Sam," Jack warned. He understood her feelings, but this really wasn't the time or place for this discussion.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I've had it up to here with this male chauvinistic attitude," she bit out at him.

Turning suddenly, he pulled her several steps away before placing his hands on her shoulders. Forcing his own temper down, he spoke carefully, "I understand why you're upset; heck I'm upset, but I don't think pissing off the only people who might be able to help us is a great idea."

"With all due respect, sir, you can't possibly understand how I feel. You've never been treated like a second class citizen," she glared at him. He watched as she attempted to get her temper back under control.

"True, But once we get home—"

"Sometimes I'm treated like a second class citizen at home too, sir," she let out a heavy sigh. "It's subtle, but it's there. A man pinching my butt in a crowded bar. Another one calling me sweetie or honey, instead of doctor, Major, or ma'am. The subtle sexual harassment I've confronted throughout my entire life."

Jack stared at her as she spoke; her words ripping through him. He'd never really considered what is was like as a woman. He liked women, heck he loved women, but he'd never crossed the lines she was describing. Except maybe pinching a girl's backside in high school, or occasionally calling the waitresses at his favorite diner 'sweetie.' Okay, But at least he'd never sexually harassed anyone, right? Unless of course you counted him kissing Carter last night.

Raking his hands through his hair he stared at Sam with a newfound understanding. What was happening to her on this planet was just highlighting all the other inequalities she dealt with every day. Inequalities that he'd never noticed. He should have noticed.

"I don't blame you, sir," she told him. "It's not like I blame all men for what a few assholes have done. This entire situation has just put me on edge. I'll pull it together. I promise, no more inciting the locals," she gave him a sad smirk.

"Carter," Jack wanted her to know he was on her side. Would always be on her side, "when we get back home, and we will get back home. I'm going to personally beat the crap out of anyone who has ever pinched your backside."