Broken 11 & 12
by Sharim
~11~
Jack stood to one side as Pernon and Jacob planted the explosives.
He eyed the entrances nearby, concerned by the small number of Jaffa guarding the rings. Shouldn't there be more? There had always been more when he'd worked here-
He shook his head.
*When* was the operative word. He didn't work here anymore. Besides, he reasoned, it was night time. All the guards were either sleeping themselves or guarding the prisoners. He shuddered, remembering his chains, and absently rubbing his hands around his scarred wrists.
"That should do it," Jacob whispered, crouching down next to Jack. "Think you can show us the way to the Goa'uld's throne room now?"
Jack nodded mutely. He didn't want to speak. He couldn't remember speaking within these walls. Speaking, arguing... fighting... they had all resulted in punishments. This place was punishment.
He shuddered as he stood up.
"Thanks, Jack." Jacob clapped him lightly on the shoulder, and shot a triumphant look at Pernon.
The Tok'ra said nothing, merely followed Jack and Jacob silently out of the room, his hand tightly clasped around the Zat'nik'tel.
* * *
She was a coward. A mute, terrorised coward.
She huddled tightly against the shadowed wall, refusing to stare at the area where the guards had been zatted.
Larya and Jochen were almost finished planting the explosives, their movements hurried and furtive.
The zat gun in her hands was heavy, the foreign object hanging heavily in her grip.
She wanted to go home. She wanted to leave this place forever. She wanted to leave. NOW.
She rose unsteadily to her feet.
"Major Carter!" Jochen's voice reached her.
She spun around, the zat pointed at him clumsily.
"What are you doing?" Larya hissed, her eyes wide in the firelight.
Sam's hand shook, her aim unsure as she stared. What was she doing?
Slowly she dropped her hand, and with the lowering of her hand her will to stand also left her and she sank slowly to the ground, her zat gun lying discarded next to her while she cradled herself.
"We do not have time for histrionics!" Larya snapped, stalking over.
"Quiet!" Jochen hissed, "Keep guard."
Larya muttered to herself, and walked off.
Sam didn't care. She didn't care that she was having 'histrionics'. She just wanted to go home. She never wanted to come on this damn mission on the first place. Not with the Tok'ra, not with her Dad and *definitely* not with O'Neill.
O'Neill.
'I told you this was a bad plan, Jack.'
'Like waiting would have been any better.'
'It would have, Sir. They weren't even *looking* for us...'
'What do you want me to say?'
'An apology would be nice. Just because you were in a bad mood-'
'I was *not* in a bad mood, Daniel.'
'Yes, you were Jack. And because you were in a bad mood you wouldn't listen to us.'
He was so stubborn, she almost smiled. Stubborn enough to be doing better than her, she realised.
'I'm sorry, okay?'
'It's a bit late now.'
'I'm still sorry.'
'It's okay, Jack. Just... find a way to get us out of here, okay?'
'Okay.'
"He didn't," she whispered.
"Who didn't?" Jochen frowned, staring at the woman.
"He didn't get us out."
* * *
Jacob stopped behind Jack, watching the sudden hesitancy with which the younger man walked.
"What? Is it up ahead?" He asked.
Jack nodded.
"Okay. You coming?" Jacob whispered.
Jack shook his head negative.
"Fine. You wait out here. Yalman and his group should get here soon as well. You get them and get out, okay? Pernon and I will follow you."
Jack hesitated.
"That's an order, Colonel." Jacob raised an eyebrow.
Jack sighed and slumped his shoulders, but Jacob saw the spark of relief in the brown eyes. He'd often, over the years he'd known Jack, wished the man would shut up sometimes. Now, Jack wouldn't talk at all, and Jacob was beginning to wish Jack would open his mouth with a lame joke or a sarcastic comment... This one way conversation was getting a bit tiresome.
Pernon nodded his head briefly at Jack, and Jacob nearly stopped in surprise.
I believe that Pernon has been convinced of O'Neill's strength in character. Selmak almost chuckled.
Jacob smiled and followed Pernon through the doorway.
The room was empty, the large golden throne void of its occupant.
Slowly, Jacob lowered his zat gun. "Will we wait?"
Yes. Pernon nodded, approaching the throne. There are two entrances. We will each take one. When the Goa'uld approaches we will kill him and leave through the second entrance.
Jacob nodded, wisely refraining from commenting about the 'brilliant' plan.
"Well... I do believe they're going to be here. Soon," Jacob added as the unmistakable sounds of approaching Jaffa was heard in the distance.
Silently the Tok'ra took their places in the shadows, their symbiotes keeping their weapon bearing arms steady.
The steps grew louder, clanking grew audible and Jacob's heart rate increased a couple of notches.
Then there was silence.
They heard a Goa'uld speaking, and Jacob's insides suddenly plummeted through the floor. Oh, crap.
A second later the door hissed open and the first of the Jaffa marched through. Followed by Sam, Jochen, Larya and Jack.
He lowered the zat gun, hoping desperately that Pernon would do the same.
And then the Goa'uld entered, only the glowing eyes discernible in the flickering torch light. As the form stepped into the pool of light Jacob nearly had a heart attack.
"Daniel. Good to see you." O'Neill's voice rang out clearly in the silent room.
~12~
"Silence." Daniel - the Goa'uld - held out a hand bearing a ribbon device.
He froze on the spot, eyes widening as he gazed at what used to be one of his best friends.
"You have returned, Jack. For what purpose?" The Goa'uld sneered.
"None of your business," he muttered, waiting for the blow. It came, a second after he'd expected it, knocking his legs out from underneath and sending his knees jarring into the ground. He didn't make a sound.
"And you brought the woman with you. A gift for your god Nel'maka'at, perhaps?" The eyes glowed golden.
He glanced over at Carter, fear filling him. No. No, that was the last thing he'd wanted to do!
"She was a pleasant, if somewhat spirited, experience last time. Do you remember, Jack?"
Flickering.
Flesh.
Shadows on pale, bruised skin.
Her eyes.
She was crying.
Daniel- NO!
He remained silent, not breaking his watch of the Goa'uld.
"And you have brought me another gift also." Nel'maka'at reached out a pale, soft hand and gripped the underside of Larya's chin, lifting her face to the light so that he could see her. "She is also fine. You have always had 'a thing' for blond woman with blue eyes, have you not?"
Jack swallowed.
Sara.
Sam.
"They are beautiful." The Goa'uld let go, turning to study Jochen. "This... a Tok'ra?"
You will die.
Jack nearly winced as Yalman's words sent spittle flying into the Goa'ulds face.
It was, he sighed internally, the hardest thing: Looking at Daniel, hearing Daniel's voice... but knowing that it wasn't Daniel anymore. Because of him.
Nel'maka'at laughed, his head lolling backwards and long, silky smooth brown blond hair spilling over the covered shoulders. "This one... he believes he will escape."
Eyes flashed gold.
"No one escapes Nel'maka'at."
"Uh... wrong there. We already have once," Jack blurted out.
The Goa'uld whirled around, glaring at him. "That was not Nel'maka'at, insolent fool. It was with your escape and the destruction wrought by the Tok'ra that I rose to power within the Facility. Now, I am a powerful system lord. I owe you a debt of gratitude."
Jack's heart stopped beating in his chest as the Goa'uld ambled over to where Carter was huddling on the ground.
"Perhaps... perhaps Sam will enjoy payment."
"Leave her alone!" Jack was up and running towards the Nel'maka'at before anyone registered what he was doing. "I won't have you hurt her again!"
Nel'maka'at spun around, eyes flashing furiously and ribbon device glowing as he raised his hand. "You dare speak to your god like that!"
"You're not my god!" Jack screamed, launching himself towards the Goa'uld.
He didn't stand a chance as the energy wave struck him, picking him up and throwing him limply against the wall like a rag doll. His chest was on fire, flames burning in his throat as his head tried to get past the throbbing.
Dimly, in the background, he heard shouting and the sounds of zat'nik'tels being discharged... but all he could focus on was the pain as the white hot ribbon seared into his forehead.
'I'm sorry, Carter. Speak to me, damn it. I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry, Sam.'
'Get your hands off me, Sir.'
'Carter...'
'Forget it.'
'Sam...'
'Don't 'Sam' me, Colonel. It's your fault. All of it. And now...'
* * *
He was going to die.
'I'm sorry, Sam'
It hadn't been his fault. But... She swallowed.
She couldn't watch him die. Even if she hated him. Even if it was his fault that they were captured.
"SAM!" Her father's voice cut through the air, desperate.
She looked over at him, his Zat gun working over time as the Jaffa around him fell to the ground. "Get Jack!"
She looked back at the Colonel. His face was pale...
She remembered the pain of the ribbon device. He'd saved her from one, once, long ago when Hathor had still been-
She picked up a staff weapon, swallowing it as she pointed it at Daniel's back.
Only, it wasn't Daniel. Daniel would never have hurt Jack. Daniel would never have murdered Teal'c. Daniel would never have hurt her. Daniel would never have raped her, or forced Jack to watch.
"Do it!" Jochen yelled out.
She squeezed.
Daniel's body stiffened, his arm hanging in position for a second as the glow died.
And then he crumpled the ground like a sand castle kicked apart by spiteful children.
The staff weapon clattered to the ground in the deathly silent hall.
She realised she was sobbing as she broke out of her dreamlike state and ran to Daniel's side. He was alive, his face oddly pale and his lips colourless as he fought for breath.
"Daniel... I'm sorry, Daniel." She whispered, her tears dripping onto his ashen face.
His eyes flickered open slowly, glowed briefly and then dimmed. She let go of him. It wasn't Daniel. Even in his last minutes, it wasn't Daniel.
"NO!" She screamed angrily, backing away.
"Sam."
She froze.
"Sam... I'm sorry. I hurt you… I… God… Teal'c…"
Sam threw herself forwards, hands clutching desperately at his clammy face. "It's okay. It's okay... it wasn't you. Oh… shit… I shot you!" She babbled hysterically.
"I'm dying, Sam," he whispered, his eyes slipping shut.
"NO. No, Daniel, don't you dare die, not now!" She begged, shaking his head to keep him awake.
"Thank you," he whispered, a trickle of blood running from the corner of his mouth.
"NO!" She howled, rocking on her knees.
"Anything is better than what I was." Daniel coughed weakly. "Thank you."
He coughed again, and she could see the life starting to seep out of his body.
"Where's Jack?"
She stiffened, looking down at his closed eyes in disbelief.
"You want *him*?"
"Yes." Daniel tried to nod, but his head barely shifted in her loose hold. "Not... fault."
"Yes," she hissed, anger shooting through her. "It was his fault."
"Mistake. Happen..."
"It was my fault," a voice rasped next to her ear. She jerked away, letting Daniel's head fall to the ground with a sickening crack. "I'm sorry."
"S'okay." Daniel coughed. "I sorry... too."
"Daniel..." She looked at O'Neill. And she saw anguish in his eyes.
"Sha're..." A smile flitted across Daniel's face, his eyelids flickered once and then he was gone.
* * *
"NO! Daniel..."
Jacob put his arms carefully around his daughter, squeezing her shoulders gently as she rocked over the still body.
"Sam..."
"NO! I killed him, Daddy. I killed my best friend..."
Her body was shaking, jerking violently beneath his hands.
"Sam... we have to go now," he crooned, pulling her close to him.
Her fingers clutched at the rough cloth he wore, tightening her hold on him. "No," she whispered, "No." But she was a beaten woman, and when he picked her up and held her close in his arms, carrying her out of the room, she offered no protest except her ragged breathing and the continued whispering of the word 'no'.
O'Neill wasn't much better.
Jacob was sure his ribs were broken, a burnt, raw mark on his forehead telling of the force with which the ribbon device had bore down on him. But he refused to accept help. Instead, he tenderly carried the limp body of his dead friend, cradling Daniel in his arms as he might have done with his own son.
Jacob sighed, watching as Larya and Jochen clutched at each other, both wide eyed with shock and the numbing hold of battle. Pernon shuffled along, his shoulders slumped, an undefeated sorrow in his eyes.
It had been hard. It would still be hard.
Should we not be concerned about Jaffa? Pernon realised, lifting his head. But his movements lacked enthusiasm or genuine concern, and Jacob shook his head irritably.
"Yes." He felt like kicking himself. "Jochen, you and Larya watch our front. Pernon, take our six."
Pernon raised an eyebrow and waited until Jacob had passed him, silently falling into step at the back.
"The explosives should detonate soon," Larya said softly, her hand shaking as she gripped the zat'nik'tel tightly.
"We're almost out." Jacob squeezed Sam lightly, but she didn't move. He glanced down and by the flickering torch light he realised she was asleep.
The Teltak was waiting where they left it, a silent shadow lying deathly still behind the dunes. Jacob paused for a second, smiling to himself. The ship had always, for some bizarre reason, reminded him of a tortoise. He shook his head, glancing over at Jack. Seemed like Jack's habit of putting humour in a bad situation was catching.
Selmak!
Jacob and Selmak looked up, startled.
A second later the earth shook and his shadow was thrown across the dunes, his back hit with a blast of heat. He staggered in the sand, the grains spraying around like burning chips of fire as the hot air rushed past him, drying out his skin.
Only once his feet thudded dully on the metal floor of the Teltak did he pause and turn around to look. The Facility was in flames. Everywhere he looked he could see walls crumbling and flames leaping excitedly into the air.
Streams of people, guards and prisoners alike, flooded from it, dragging the injured and screaming.
He felt a momentary pang of guilt; hadn't Sam and Jack been prisoners there? He could easily have been blowing them up now if he hadn't found them before. And what about Teal'c?
He turned to the woman in his arms again, and turned his back towards the destruction.
"Pernon, get us out of here."
* * *
by Sharim
~11~
Jack stood to one side as Pernon and Jacob planted the explosives.
He eyed the entrances nearby, concerned by the small number of Jaffa guarding the rings. Shouldn't there be more? There had always been more when he'd worked here-
He shook his head.
*When* was the operative word. He didn't work here anymore. Besides, he reasoned, it was night time. All the guards were either sleeping themselves or guarding the prisoners. He shuddered, remembering his chains, and absently rubbing his hands around his scarred wrists.
"That should do it," Jacob whispered, crouching down next to Jack. "Think you can show us the way to the Goa'uld's throne room now?"
Jack nodded mutely. He didn't want to speak. He couldn't remember speaking within these walls. Speaking, arguing... fighting... they had all resulted in punishments. This place was punishment.
He shuddered as he stood up.
"Thanks, Jack." Jacob clapped him lightly on the shoulder, and shot a triumphant look at Pernon.
The Tok'ra said nothing, merely followed Jack and Jacob silently out of the room, his hand tightly clasped around the Zat'nik'tel.
* * *
She was a coward. A mute, terrorised coward.
She huddled tightly against the shadowed wall, refusing to stare at the area where the guards had been zatted.
Larya and Jochen were almost finished planting the explosives, their movements hurried and furtive.
The zat gun in her hands was heavy, the foreign object hanging heavily in her grip.
She wanted to go home. She wanted to leave this place forever. She wanted to leave. NOW.
She rose unsteadily to her feet.
"Major Carter!" Jochen's voice reached her.
She spun around, the zat pointed at him clumsily.
"What are you doing?" Larya hissed, her eyes wide in the firelight.
Sam's hand shook, her aim unsure as she stared. What was she doing?
Slowly she dropped her hand, and with the lowering of her hand her will to stand also left her and she sank slowly to the ground, her zat gun lying discarded next to her while she cradled herself.
"We do not have time for histrionics!" Larya snapped, stalking over.
"Quiet!" Jochen hissed, "Keep guard."
Larya muttered to herself, and walked off.
Sam didn't care. She didn't care that she was having 'histrionics'. She just wanted to go home. She never wanted to come on this damn mission on the first place. Not with the Tok'ra, not with her Dad and *definitely* not with O'Neill.
O'Neill.
'I told you this was a bad plan, Jack.'
'Like waiting would have been any better.'
'It would have, Sir. They weren't even *looking* for us...'
'What do you want me to say?'
'An apology would be nice. Just because you were in a bad mood-'
'I was *not* in a bad mood, Daniel.'
'Yes, you were Jack. And because you were in a bad mood you wouldn't listen to us.'
He was so stubborn, she almost smiled. Stubborn enough to be doing better than her, she realised.
'I'm sorry, okay?'
'It's a bit late now.'
'I'm still sorry.'
'It's okay, Jack. Just... find a way to get us out of here, okay?'
'Okay.'
"He didn't," she whispered.
"Who didn't?" Jochen frowned, staring at the woman.
"He didn't get us out."
* * *
Jacob stopped behind Jack, watching the sudden hesitancy with which the younger man walked.
"What? Is it up ahead?" He asked.
Jack nodded.
"Okay. You coming?" Jacob whispered.
Jack shook his head negative.
"Fine. You wait out here. Yalman and his group should get here soon as well. You get them and get out, okay? Pernon and I will follow you."
Jack hesitated.
"That's an order, Colonel." Jacob raised an eyebrow.
Jack sighed and slumped his shoulders, but Jacob saw the spark of relief in the brown eyes. He'd often, over the years he'd known Jack, wished the man would shut up sometimes. Now, Jack wouldn't talk at all, and Jacob was beginning to wish Jack would open his mouth with a lame joke or a sarcastic comment... This one way conversation was getting a bit tiresome.
Pernon nodded his head briefly at Jack, and Jacob nearly stopped in surprise.
I believe that Pernon has been convinced of O'Neill's strength in character. Selmak almost chuckled.
Jacob smiled and followed Pernon through the doorway.
The room was empty, the large golden throne void of its occupant.
Slowly, Jacob lowered his zat gun. "Will we wait?"
Yes. Pernon nodded, approaching the throne. There are two entrances. We will each take one. When the Goa'uld approaches we will kill him and leave through the second entrance.
Jacob nodded, wisely refraining from commenting about the 'brilliant' plan.
"Well... I do believe they're going to be here. Soon," Jacob added as the unmistakable sounds of approaching Jaffa was heard in the distance.
Silently the Tok'ra took their places in the shadows, their symbiotes keeping their weapon bearing arms steady.
The steps grew louder, clanking grew audible and Jacob's heart rate increased a couple of notches.
Then there was silence.
They heard a Goa'uld speaking, and Jacob's insides suddenly plummeted through the floor. Oh, crap.
A second later the door hissed open and the first of the Jaffa marched through. Followed by Sam, Jochen, Larya and Jack.
He lowered the zat gun, hoping desperately that Pernon would do the same.
And then the Goa'uld entered, only the glowing eyes discernible in the flickering torch light. As the form stepped into the pool of light Jacob nearly had a heart attack.
"Daniel. Good to see you." O'Neill's voice rang out clearly in the silent room.
~12~
"Silence." Daniel - the Goa'uld - held out a hand bearing a ribbon device.
He froze on the spot, eyes widening as he gazed at what used to be one of his best friends.
"You have returned, Jack. For what purpose?" The Goa'uld sneered.
"None of your business," he muttered, waiting for the blow. It came, a second after he'd expected it, knocking his legs out from underneath and sending his knees jarring into the ground. He didn't make a sound.
"And you brought the woman with you. A gift for your god Nel'maka'at, perhaps?" The eyes glowed golden.
He glanced over at Carter, fear filling him. No. No, that was the last thing he'd wanted to do!
"She was a pleasant, if somewhat spirited, experience last time. Do you remember, Jack?"
Flickering.
Flesh.
Shadows on pale, bruised skin.
Her eyes.
She was crying.
Daniel- NO!
He remained silent, not breaking his watch of the Goa'uld.
"And you have brought me another gift also." Nel'maka'at reached out a pale, soft hand and gripped the underside of Larya's chin, lifting her face to the light so that he could see her. "She is also fine. You have always had 'a thing' for blond woman with blue eyes, have you not?"
Jack swallowed.
Sara.
Sam.
"They are beautiful." The Goa'uld let go, turning to study Jochen. "This... a Tok'ra?"
You will die.
Jack nearly winced as Yalman's words sent spittle flying into the Goa'ulds face.
It was, he sighed internally, the hardest thing: Looking at Daniel, hearing Daniel's voice... but knowing that it wasn't Daniel anymore. Because of him.
Nel'maka'at laughed, his head lolling backwards and long, silky smooth brown blond hair spilling over the covered shoulders. "This one... he believes he will escape."
Eyes flashed gold.
"No one escapes Nel'maka'at."
"Uh... wrong there. We already have once," Jack blurted out.
The Goa'uld whirled around, glaring at him. "That was not Nel'maka'at, insolent fool. It was with your escape and the destruction wrought by the Tok'ra that I rose to power within the Facility. Now, I am a powerful system lord. I owe you a debt of gratitude."
Jack's heart stopped beating in his chest as the Goa'uld ambled over to where Carter was huddling on the ground.
"Perhaps... perhaps Sam will enjoy payment."
"Leave her alone!" Jack was up and running towards the Nel'maka'at before anyone registered what he was doing. "I won't have you hurt her again!"
Nel'maka'at spun around, eyes flashing furiously and ribbon device glowing as he raised his hand. "You dare speak to your god like that!"
"You're not my god!" Jack screamed, launching himself towards the Goa'uld.
He didn't stand a chance as the energy wave struck him, picking him up and throwing him limply against the wall like a rag doll. His chest was on fire, flames burning in his throat as his head tried to get past the throbbing.
Dimly, in the background, he heard shouting and the sounds of zat'nik'tels being discharged... but all he could focus on was the pain as the white hot ribbon seared into his forehead.
'I'm sorry, Carter. Speak to me, damn it. I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry, Sam.'
'Get your hands off me, Sir.'
'Carter...'
'Forget it.'
'Sam...'
'Don't 'Sam' me, Colonel. It's your fault. All of it. And now...'
* * *
He was going to die.
'I'm sorry, Sam'
It hadn't been his fault. But... She swallowed.
She couldn't watch him die. Even if she hated him. Even if it was his fault that they were captured.
"SAM!" Her father's voice cut through the air, desperate.
She looked over at him, his Zat gun working over time as the Jaffa around him fell to the ground. "Get Jack!"
She looked back at the Colonel. His face was pale...
She remembered the pain of the ribbon device. He'd saved her from one, once, long ago when Hathor had still been-
She picked up a staff weapon, swallowing it as she pointed it at Daniel's back.
Only, it wasn't Daniel. Daniel would never have hurt Jack. Daniel would never have murdered Teal'c. Daniel would never have hurt her. Daniel would never have raped her, or forced Jack to watch.
"Do it!" Jochen yelled out.
She squeezed.
Daniel's body stiffened, his arm hanging in position for a second as the glow died.
And then he crumpled the ground like a sand castle kicked apart by spiteful children.
The staff weapon clattered to the ground in the deathly silent hall.
She realised she was sobbing as she broke out of her dreamlike state and ran to Daniel's side. He was alive, his face oddly pale and his lips colourless as he fought for breath.
"Daniel... I'm sorry, Daniel." She whispered, her tears dripping onto his ashen face.
His eyes flickered open slowly, glowed briefly and then dimmed. She let go of him. It wasn't Daniel. Even in his last minutes, it wasn't Daniel.
"NO!" She screamed angrily, backing away.
"Sam."
She froze.
"Sam... I'm sorry. I hurt you… I… God… Teal'c…"
Sam threw herself forwards, hands clutching desperately at his clammy face. "It's okay. It's okay... it wasn't you. Oh… shit… I shot you!" She babbled hysterically.
"I'm dying, Sam," he whispered, his eyes slipping shut.
"NO. No, Daniel, don't you dare die, not now!" She begged, shaking his head to keep him awake.
"Thank you," he whispered, a trickle of blood running from the corner of his mouth.
"NO!" She howled, rocking on her knees.
"Anything is better than what I was." Daniel coughed weakly. "Thank you."
He coughed again, and she could see the life starting to seep out of his body.
"Where's Jack?"
She stiffened, looking down at his closed eyes in disbelief.
"You want *him*?"
"Yes." Daniel tried to nod, but his head barely shifted in her loose hold. "Not... fault."
"Yes," she hissed, anger shooting through her. "It was his fault."
"Mistake. Happen..."
"It was my fault," a voice rasped next to her ear. She jerked away, letting Daniel's head fall to the ground with a sickening crack. "I'm sorry."
"S'okay." Daniel coughed. "I sorry... too."
"Daniel..." She looked at O'Neill. And she saw anguish in his eyes.
"Sha're..." A smile flitted across Daniel's face, his eyelids flickered once and then he was gone.
* * *
"NO! Daniel..."
Jacob put his arms carefully around his daughter, squeezing her shoulders gently as she rocked over the still body.
"Sam..."
"NO! I killed him, Daddy. I killed my best friend..."
Her body was shaking, jerking violently beneath his hands.
"Sam... we have to go now," he crooned, pulling her close to him.
Her fingers clutched at the rough cloth he wore, tightening her hold on him. "No," she whispered, "No." But she was a beaten woman, and when he picked her up and held her close in his arms, carrying her out of the room, she offered no protest except her ragged breathing and the continued whispering of the word 'no'.
O'Neill wasn't much better.
Jacob was sure his ribs were broken, a burnt, raw mark on his forehead telling of the force with which the ribbon device had bore down on him. But he refused to accept help. Instead, he tenderly carried the limp body of his dead friend, cradling Daniel in his arms as he might have done with his own son.
Jacob sighed, watching as Larya and Jochen clutched at each other, both wide eyed with shock and the numbing hold of battle. Pernon shuffled along, his shoulders slumped, an undefeated sorrow in his eyes.
It had been hard. It would still be hard.
Should we not be concerned about Jaffa? Pernon realised, lifting his head. But his movements lacked enthusiasm or genuine concern, and Jacob shook his head irritably.
"Yes." He felt like kicking himself. "Jochen, you and Larya watch our front. Pernon, take our six."
Pernon raised an eyebrow and waited until Jacob had passed him, silently falling into step at the back.
"The explosives should detonate soon," Larya said softly, her hand shaking as she gripped the zat'nik'tel tightly.
"We're almost out." Jacob squeezed Sam lightly, but she didn't move. He glanced down and by the flickering torch light he realised she was asleep.
The Teltak was waiting where they left it, a silent shadow lying deathly still behind the dunes. Jacob paused for a second, smiling to himself. The ship had always, for some bizarre reason, reminded him of a tortoise. He shook his head, glancing over at Jack. Seemed like Jack's habit of putting humour in a bad situation was catching.
Selmak!
Jacob and Selmak looked up, startled.
A second later the earth shook and his shadow was thrown across the dunes, his back hit with a blast of heat. He staggered in the sand, the grains spraying around like burning chips of fire as the hot air rushed past him, drying out his skin.
Only once his feet thudded dully on the metal floor of the Teltak did he pause and turn around to look. The Facility was in flames. Everywhere he looked he could see walls crumbling and flames leaping excitedly into the air.
Streams of people, guards and prisoners alike, flooded from it, dragging the injured and screaming.
He felt a momentary pang of guilt; hadn't Sam and Jack been prisoners there? He could easily have been blowing them up now if he hadn't found them before. And what about Teal'c?
He turned to the woman in his arms again, and turned his back towards the destruction.
"Pernon, get us out of here."
* * *