CHAPTER 2

General Hammond watched in relief as two members of SG1 came through the gate unharmed followed by Sam but her shout," Close the gate now!" disturbed him greatly. Where was his 2IC? Daniel and Teal'c seemed equally confused so he announced," SG1 report to my office now!" They all nodded and Sam hurried faster than both Daniel and Teal'c as she knew Daniel would have a hundred questions and Teal'c would stare at her until she said something.

MEANWHILE BACK ON THE PLANET....

Jack groaned as he opened his eyes, man his head hurt but it was nothing compared to the pain in his thigh. He looked down and smiled weakly as the wound had cauterised by itself. He looked around him and found he was in a small dirty cell with several rats as his cell companions. He struggled to his feet and called," Hey can't a guy get some room service around here?"

As expected a man came over to him and snarled," Be quiet you who dared to kill our Mistress!"

Jack raised one eyebrow and replied," Oh yeah you mean Hathor, well I never did like snake heads and what can I say she deserved it!"

The man raised his weapon and Jack prepared for a blow which never came as the man was scurrying away and the robed man came forward and Jack said," Oh look if it isn't Obi-Wan-Kenobi!"

The man smiled much to Jack's surprise before he replied," My Mistress has told me of you Tau'ri and your sense of humour, my name is Hatark but you will have the sense to hold the tongue once my Mistress is through you!"

The door was opened and his wrists and feet were shackled before two men dragged him along by his chains

BACK AT THE SGC....

Sam stood in front of the General and he asked," Care to explain what happened on that planet?"

Sam waited till both and Daniel were present and she explained," We found some villagers and they were welcoming until the Colonel suggested we left, they pulled Zat guns and staff weapons on us! We managed to escape but as we were running for the stargate the Colonel stopped to give us cover fire!" Hammond nodded, knowing it was the sort of thing that Jack would do. He always put his team's safety above his. Sam continued," He then began to run towards the gate when a staff blast grazed his thigh and about the same time he ordered me through the stargate!"

The General nodded and asked," Alright you're on downtime until I work out what I am going to do!"

Sam nodded and the three of them filed out before Daniel caught up with Sam and demanded," You left him there, how could you?"

Sam looked him squarely in the face and snapped," Jack gave me an order Daniel and I followed it! He wanted me through the stargate Daniel!"

Teal'c stood back and watched as his friends argued before he interjected," Daniel Jackson I believe Samantha Carter was right in following O'Neill's order! This gives us a better chance of rescuing him!" Daniel merely scowled and walked off leaving both Sam and Teal'c behind.

MEANWHILE....

Jack was forced to his knees before a familiar head of red hair came towards him accompanying an even more familiar face much to Jack's disgust. He was sure he had killed her the last time he had come across her but here she was smirking so hard he thought she might break her face.

" Ah O'Neill I can tell by your silence you are not happy to see us!"

Jack hated the way the snake head always referred to themselves as us, he rolled his eyes and muttered," Can we get this over with already? I mean I don't want you to think that I don't adore your company it's just that I prefer torture so much more!"

A hard smack across his face cut his lip and he slowly spit out the blood forming in his mouth, he looked up into those sickening glowing eyes and snarled," Give me all you got!"

BACK AT THE SGC....

Sam, Teal'c and Daniel had gathered in the gateroom fully armed and the General explained," I have not assigned any SG teams to this rescue mission as I believe a smaller force would be able to get in quicker and rescue the Colonel easier!" Sam nodded and warily the remaining members of SG1 went through the gate. Sam was surprised to find no-one waited for them at the gate but she signalled for the other two to be quiet and slowly they made their way towards the village.

Sam crouched down and noticed the villagers seemed to be going about their business and as Teal'c scanned the current villagers he spotted the robed man from before. He nudged Daniel who in turn nudged Sam and she nodded. Teal'c moved off very quietly and a few minutes later he returned with the man.

Sam rammed the nozzle of her gun into his back and demanded," Where is the Colonel?"

The man smirked and Daniel guessed he had been spending time with Jack but he winced as Teal'c hit the man with the end of his staff weapon and asked again," Where is the Colonel?"

The man relented," He is with my Mistress at her palace due east of the village!" Sam nodded, Teal'c grabbed the man and the four of them went towards the east.

IN THE PALACE....

Jack could taste the blood in his mouth from various injuries to his jaw and his wrists were sore and red from where the shackles cut into them. He also assessed he had at least three broken ribs thanks to Hathor's willing men and the pounding in his head confirmed he had a slight concussion. He still meant Hathor's gaze but he flinched slightly as she raised her hand and a familiar glowing orb greeted him. Hathor smiled cruelly as she brought it down onto his head, Jack refused her the pleasure of his screams so he held them in but god it felt like his head was being torn in two.

Suddenly a firing of a staff weapon stopped the torture, Jack dropped to the ground and he swore he could see Teal'c and Sam running towards him but soon the world went black. Daniel watched the palace doors in case her followers decided to appear but he desperately wanted to know how Jack was. Sam dropped down beside Jack and gasped at how badly bruised and bloody he was, Teal'c slung Jack over his shoulder and said," I will take O'Neill!"

Daniel ran back over familiar ground with Sam running shortly after him and then came Teal'c with an unconscious Jack. Daniel cried out as a staff blast barely missed his head but he clung to the DHD desperately and started to punch in the co-ordinates. He twitched as he watched the ring move from one chevron to the next vaguely aware that Sam was opening fire.

Teal'c lay Jack down and started to aid Sam, Jack opened his eyes slowly and groaned but then as he spotted Teal'c he was fully aware. He staggered to his feet and said hoarsely," Give me your gun Daniel!"

Daniel smiled, happy Jack was awake but he handed him his rifle and watched the gate as Jack joined in firing. Daniel shouted," Let's go!" He dove through the gate followed by Teal'c but Sam helped Jack through.

General Hammond watched anxiously as Daniel came barrelling down the ramp followed by Teal'c and much to his relief a slightly bruised but very much alive Colonel came through with the help of Sam. Jack looked to the General and shouted," You miss me Sir?"

THE END