Emma came to with a gasp, feeling a large hand gently tapping her face. Her own hand shot up and she grabbed the arm of her would-be rescuer and twisted it.
"Dammit, Professor!" Sanchez grated out, causing Emma to sit bolt upright and blink owlishly around.
"Patrick?" She whispered, craning her head back to look around. The four team members were in a cell of sorts. It was closed on three sides with distinctive metallic walls. One side was completely open.
Emma pointed a finger at the opening. Joe held up blistered fingertips. "Shielded."
"Ah." Emma said softly.
"So, what do you think, Emma?" Sanchez asked.
The scientist looked around. "It's Goa'uld. I can't see any signs of which one though." She stood and traced her fingers along the wall. "Nothing. Did you guys see anything?"
They all shook their heads. Joe opened his mouth to speak, only to snap it shut at the sound of heavy boots on the hard floor. As one, the team crawled to their feet, leaning heavily on the walls. Their muscles were still jittery, protesting the harsh treatment of the zat guns.
"On your knees for our lord, Osiris!" The First Prime bellowed. Dimitri looked sideways as Emma turned chalk white.
"Em… What is it?" Yes, they were being threatened with a Goa'uld, but this was out of character for Emma, even in such extreme circumstances.
"Osiris." The woman whispered back harshly. "His… host had some history with Daniel." Emma swallowed heavily. "And she hates me."
Sanchez shot a look at her. "Alright, men. Form up. On your knees." He dropped to the floor, pulling Emma down. Dimitri and Moresby obeyed him instantly. "Keep your head down, Emma and stay behind me. Got it?"
The more delicate click of soft shoes on the floor heralded the arrival of Osiris in the body of Sarah Gardner. He smiled at them… the same look a cat might give a caged canary. "Tau'ri. You are my prisoners. Tell me what I wish to know, and I will free you." He nodded to his Jaffa. The masked warrior touched a button on the wall, and the force shield dropped. Osiris walked up to Sanchez and put his hand under the soldier's chin, forcing his face up. He made the smallest grunt as the Goa'uld's fingers dug into his throat. Emma stirred, as if she would rise. Sanchez kept one hand behind his back, on Emma's arm. He tightened his grip, keeping her still. Her hand brushed his arm, and then squeezed it. He could feel her anxiety telegraph up his fingers, but she kept still.
Osiris continued. "Defy me, and you will suffer torments of my most wicked devising." He leaned forward, almost touching her face to Patrick's.
"Back off, witch." He grated, letting his anger bubble to the surface. If the monster was going to start with anyone, it might as well be him.
He braced himself for a blow, but instead, Osiris smiled and released him. "Such spirit. I see you are volunteering to go first." He turned. "Jaffa, kree." The warriors stepped forward and dragged the man to his feet. Osiris waved them away, and then looked over at Emma, hunched over on the ground. Patrick saw a faint frown crease the creature's forehead and he wondered if Sarah was trying to figure out why the huddled civilian seemed familiar.
He couldn't let it happen. He gave a yell and lashed out his booted foot, striking a Jaffa in the knee. Osiris's head snapped around, instantly tracking him. The Goa'uld's powerful fist struck him, making him slump in the Jaffa's arms. He looked back briefly as he was led from the prison. Joe was up on his knees, facing Emma, holding her by the arms. He could see only one golden eye over the Captain's broad shoulder, but she was angry. He hung his head. At least she was safe for this round.
- - - - -
Jack paced restlessly around the table in the briefing room. He occasionally shot a look to where Teal'c and Carter were going through the transmissions sent from the MALP. Nothing, nothing and more nothing.
Carter finally threw up her hands. "The gear sled is still there, nothing touched. It looks like only a couple of the packs were opened. What ever hit them, hit them fast. They didn't have time to organize anything." She pointed at the screen. "It's all grass there… no footprints. UAV hasn't found any life signs, no buildings, nothing. The only thing out of place is a book on the ground next to the sled."
"Well then what took them?" O'Neill asked acerbically.
Carter shrugged. "So far, sir, it looks like they disappeared into thin air."
O'Neill threw himself into a chair. "We were there for four days, Carter. What the hell could they have done in fifteen minutes that annoyed people enough to…" He waved his hands. "Disappear them?"
"Maybe it is not what they did." Teal'c said sombrely.
O'Neill dropped his head to the palm of his hand as he spun his chair around with his feet. "Whadd'ya mean?"
Carter's head came up and her eyes opened wide. "Maybe it's something we did!"
The Colonel shook his head. "We were the model of diplomacy. Besides, Carter, there was nothing there."
"Nothing we saw, sir. What if they were something like the Nox?"
Teal'c turned his head a fraction of a degree. "Indeed. What if they had the power to become invisible? The Ree'tu would not have taken SG6, they would have killed them. Perhaps it was Nirti?"
O'Neill slammed his fist on the arm of the chair and got up. Without a word, he walked out of the room and down the stairs. He really, really didn't like this.
- - - - -
The three resident members of SG6 got to their feet as the distinctive sound of Jaffa boots on metal echoed down the hallway.
Moresby cursed under his breath as two Jaffa came forward half-supporting, half-dragging their CO between them. A third Jaffa hit the force field button, opening it up and allowing them to throw the barely conscious Major into the cell. Emma and Dimitri caught him before he could hit the ground. Joe turned on his knees to give the Jaffa a few choice words.
Before he could utter a word, Joe was slapped to the floor by the butt end of a staff weapon. Emma cried out "No!" as the Jaffa prepared to hit the dazed captain again. Her cry was silenced as the powered up end of the staff weapon impacted her shoulder dumping her backwards, breathless and singed. The Jaffa raised the weapon over her again, only to have it slapped away by Dimitri. The slim geologist received a blow from the blunt end of the staff weapon to his face for his troubles.
The largest Jaffa grabbed Joe by the back of the neck and dragged him away as Emma and Dimitri struggled upright and attempted to tend to Sanchez. After checking Dimitri's face, and finding it badly bruised but whole, Emma and the geologist turned Sanchez over, and examined him. Emma held him up, his back to her chest, keeping him still while Dimitri unbuttoned his shirt. They exchanged worried glances. Sanchez had been badly beaten. His chest was patterned with purple and red bruises … fists, staves… some burns and some huge contusions that looked like they had been caused by Sanchez hitting a hard wall… repeatedly.
"Dammit." Emma felt her eyes fill with tears, and angrily scrubbed them away before they could start. She looked around. "We have nothing to help him." It was true. There was nothing there… not even water. Sanchez coughed and started to sit up. Emma shushed him and put her arms under his shoulders, holding him down.
"He asked for the GDO codes… for…" He stopped coughing. Emma got one hand up, smoothing his sweat-soaked hair back. He reached up and held her hand. "Em. He asked about Daniel Jackson."
Emma froze. "Daniel's dead." She whispered.
"I told him that." Sanchez grated. "That's when he started bouncing me off the walls. He doesn't seem to like that answer." He tried to chuckle, but it turned into a blood-flecked cough instead. Emma made calming noises again, and rocked him a little bit. Dimitri started looking around, and with Emma's help, he found two panels. One seemed to function as a toilet, the other was a sink. At least they had some water. Dimitri carried a cloth handkerchief. He wet it, and tried his best to clean up his CO.
"Rest, Patrick. Rest. It's okay." Her head went up. "God… Joe. He'll do the same to him." She took off her glasses and tucked them into Sanchez's front pocket. Bullies always went for the glasses first. Perhaps in Patrick's possession, they would stay whole. Plus, it was easier to stay brave when you couldn't see your tormentor. Another rule learned during schoolyard brawls. Gently moving away, she helped Dimitri prop up Sanchez and then got to her feet.
"What are you doing, Em?" Dimitri asked as she walked toward the energy barricade. The young scientist reminded her of a youthful Daniel Jackson. Thin, pale, big blue eyes blinking waif-like at a cruel, cruel world. He was a soldier, and a damn good one, but he maintained some ethereal innocence. Emma couldn't fathom how he did it, but she wanted to protect him… and Joe and poor, battered Patrick.
"Hey! Jaffa, kree!" She yelled, waving her hands.
"Emma!" Dimitri hissed, starting to stand.
Patrick struggled to get to one elbow. "Dammit, Professor, what are you doing?" He whispered harshly.
Emma turned back as once again, Jaffa boots rang out. Two of the masked guards rounded the corner. "Silence!" One snapped, lowering his staff weapon threateningly.
"I know what your lord wants to know. I know the location of Daniel Jackson. Your lord knows me… he will want to question me."
"No!" Sanchez roared from behind, pushing himself up. "Emma! Sit down. That's an order!"
"Stop it!" She spun around and hissed at him. "God, Patrick, they're going to get to me anyway." She sniffed once and then smiled at him. "I'm a civilian anyway. You can't order me."
"You don't volunteer for torture, Emma." Patrick looked angry now, an anger born out of helplessness.
Tears were now welling up in Emma's eyes. "I do if it saves you three. Sarah will know me. She'll leave you alone."
"Em, we'll protect you." Dimitri whispered.
Emma's reply was lost as the force field gave a high pitched whine and collapsed. A strong hand grabbed her by the bicep and spun her around, pushing her roughly into the hallway. Dimitri tried to stop them, but he was punched and kicked several times until he fell back, gasping.
Emma stumbled, going down on one knee, but was up again before the Jaffa could strike her. Patrick's throat tightened at the sight of her slim hands trying to ward off the blow, and her full-body flinch. She was terrified, but she did it anyway… to protect the team.
"We'll come for you, Emma." He promised as the Jaffa led her away. "God… someone help us."
- - - - -
"UAV… nothing. MALP… nothing. SG1… ready and waiting, General." Jack tapped his foot impatiently. It had been almost two and a half hours since SG6 had dropped off the map. Jack was beside himself with worry and impatient to do… something. Anything.
"UAV One returned no signs of life. UAV Two has just been launched. Colonel, it's getting dark on P8T-119. Any rescue attempt will have to wait until daylight. We're keeping the gate open twenty minutes out of every forty in the hope that we get something, anything back from SG6, but so far…"
"Nothing. Yeah, I know." Jack paced like a tiger in a cage. "General… what if we just cross over and establish a base camp next to the gate. We can…"
"Colonel." Hammond was gentle, but the emphasis was expressive. "I will not risk any other SG units without more information. That is final. If we have not heard anything by morning, dependant on further probe transmissions, I may… that is, may allow a team to investigate P8T-119. Until that time, Colonel, I suggest you all get some sleep, get some food and think about your first trip to this planet and try to determine what it is that we are missing here."
"Aside from SG6, you mean." Jack muttered sotto voce. Catching General Hammond's look, the mutter turned into a half-hearted smile. "Leaving, sir. Leaving."
- - - - -
TBC