Chapter 11: The State of Things

Author's Babbling// It's been a while, hasn't it? **sigh** Here's the excuses for why it's been almost 3 months. I was at camp for 2 months over the summer (no internet there) and then I came back in time for school… that and a major case of writer's block, rounded off with a healthy dose of procrastination. :)

Hope you like.

***

"Sam's alive?" Jacob Carter's voice cracked with emotion. The retired General felt himself go numb with shock. His daughter was alive…

His head bent slightly. Jacob barely realized that he wasn't in control of his body anymore. Selmak was allowing him to gain some composure.

Daniel Jackson, Teal'c, Lateef, Jacob Carter and General Hammond were sitting in the briefing room, discussing what seemed to be a mission gone to hell.

Jack O'Neill was missing, and instead of feeling anxious and worried, like such a situation would usually warrant, the mood was that of sad resignation. They all had seen it coming from a mile away, it seemed.

It was, that is, until Daniel announced why Jack had stayed behind.

Selmak spoke, "Lateef, you saw Samantha?" His eyes flashed. Although Selmak seemed cool and collected, he too was feeling overcome with emotion.

"Yes, Selmak," replied the young Tok'ra, "When I confronted her, she was confused and didn't seem to know who she was. I believe that I may have frightened her." Lateef paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "She was responsible for my capture, Selmak."

"We think that she's been brainwashed," interrupted Daniel, eager to explain the situation in a more positive light. The doctor continued, "She thinks that she's married to a High Minister named Runihura. There was a man named Runihura on P3X 972. He was quite," Daniel stuttered, "Enamored with her. His servant was the woman who went missing with Sam. He also disappeared shortly afterwards."

The General didn't seem unconvinced; Daniel pressed his case. "Look, General, Lateef saw her," he pointed towards the Tok'ra dramatically, "Jack said that he'd found her before he was captured. We have to send a team in there and get them out!"

Daniel didn't understand why the General was taking so long to act. The longer they spent in the briefing room talking, the longer Sam and Jack were stuck on a Goa'uld prison. His friends were being tortured right now, or worse.

"Son, you know that there is nothing that I wouldn't do for the Colonel." There was a "but" coming, there always was. "But, I don't believe you are looking at this rationally." He probably wasn't. Honestly, could any of them? The General continued, "How can we be sure that this isn't an elaborate Goa'uld plot? Lateef admitted that it was the Major's appearance that caused him to reveal his cover. Jack apparently found the Major and that's why he didn't make it back."

"He didn't make it back because the Jaffa were right around the corner! He was captured!" Daniel protested.

"It's very likely that Major Carter, if it is Major Carter, has been compromised."

"Isn't that even a better reason to get them out of there?"

The General sighed; this wasn't easy for him to say. "Daniel, I don't want to send a team in for one man, only to have twenty slaughtered in the process."

Damn, that was a good point.

"I will return for O'Neill and Major Carter," Teal'c announced, "I will not allow them to believe that their friends have given up on them."

"It would be suicide, Teal'c," the General told him, "As soon as you stepped out of the Gate, you'd be shot down."

The General's words were sound and his frown said, "I don't like it, but this is the way it has to be."

Jacob had reigned in his emotions (joy, confusion, sadness, worry…) almost all ten thousand of them. Selmak tilted his head and allowed Jacob to speak.

"We'll find another way." His voice was full of conviction. "Now, we've only heard part of the story. I want to know everything that happened on this mission. Every single insignificant detail. Then, Lateef, I want you to tell me everything you know about Nephthys and his compound. We're going to figure out a plan and then were going to rescue them."

I dare you to fight me on this, George. Jacob looked at his old friend and General Hammond nodded. The General had already stated his concerns; he would listen, for now.

***

The guard pushed the two airforce officers hard; they fell on their knees before the false God. Nephthys eyed them distastefully. They were pathetic, beneath his concern. He could dispose of them without a single thought. Nephthys wasn't stupid though; the Tauri could prove to have valuable information. They also must suffer. Suffering was definitely in order.

"I will enjoy listening to your screams," Nephthys told the humans that were collapsed in front of him.

The male Tauri rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you will," he replied.

"Silence!" demanded the Goa'uld. With one glare from Nephthys the prisoner received a kick in the back for his trouble.

Runihura's wife let out a small cry of protest. Interesting. The Goa'uld studied the young woman. She was young and somewhat pretty, if you disregarded the boyish haircut. There was something else though… something he had overlooked previously.

He narrowed his eyes towards the woman. "You once were the host of a Goa'uld," he told her. "Who sent you! The Tok'ra?" The woman looked at Nephthys helplessly. "Answer me!" he demanded.

A beam of light shot out from Nephthys' hand. The ribbon device struck the female relentlessly, searching her mind desperately for information.

"NO!" shouted her companion. The man dove towards Nephthys, only to be hit by a force field. "Damn," muttered the Tauri. But it was enough; Nephthys was distracted and he discontinued his attack.

"Take the male back to the cell. I am not finished with her yet," Nephthys instructed the guards.

The man resisted valiantly, struggling desperately while screaming for the woman. The girl could barely raise her head in response. It was all very interesting. This relationship between his High Minister's wife and the Tauri male could be exploited for Nephthys' benefit. The possibilities were endless.

***

The doors closed leaving Sam alone with the monster.

"Why are you here?" demanded the gold-eyed demon. The light from his hand-device made it feel like her head was on fire. "Why?" every nerve in her body screamed.

I don't know… I don't know…

"Who sent you?"

I don't know…

"I will kill your family, your friends, if you don't tell me who you are and what your mission is."

No… I don't know anything… Nephthys wasn't so easily convinced. Sam found herself a victim as he leafed through her scattered memories.

"I will kill your companion. Colonel Jack O'Neill."

NO! DON'T! Please!

"Who sent you?"

I don't know… I don't know… Runihura, he took me here… SGC… Tok'ra… I don't know… I can't remember… Leave me… Please… I don't know…

Nephthys frowned and watched the woman drop to the floor lifelessly. The strength of her will was amazing. It would take time to break her down. Such a pity; she really was a pretty thing… the brain damage from such interrogations probably would not make her suitable as a host for a second time.

The god watched half-interested as his guards took the woman, Major Samantha Carter, back to her cell.

***

"Sam! Sam…"

Carter could barely hear her CO's voice. It sounded distant and unimportant. He was worried, maybe for her? Carter wanted to sit up and reassure the Colonel that she was fine, but she couldn't seem to move, let alone open her eyes. Those ribbon devices always packed a punch, didn't they?

Then she felt a slight pressure on her face. It was the Colonel's hands. First, checking her pulse, then gently touching her forehead, and then her cheek…

It was wrong. It felt wonderful, but it was wrong.

He was still calling her name. He was starting to sound frantic, probably not a good thing.

"Sam!" He shook her slightly.

But he never calls me that, does he? We're always "Major" and "Colonel", or "Sir" and "Carter".

"Sam, you gotta wake up… we have to make our great escape," Jack was saying, "That is, when I figure out how."

The major's eyes still refused to budge. Her head felt like she'd been pounded with several large mallets.

"Colonel?" she managed to groan.

The relief was evident in his voice. "Carter, never do that again to me, understand? If you were to die on me, I'd never forgive you. Ever."

"Okay, sir." I love this man.

Then Carter let herself slip into the darkness again.

***

Jack O'Neill was calm in the direst of situations. A Goa'uld taking over the planet? Just give him a gun, some C-4 and overwhelming odds… no problem! It was when one of his teammates, the people he cared about, got hurt that he started to feel, well, less-than-calm.

'She's not going to die. Not when I just got her back.'

His major was huddled in the corner, unconscious, but breathing. It didn't seem like she had any physical injuries, but in their line of work that meant nothing. She'd woken up briefly, said his name, then collapsed again. Good news or bad news? He wasn't sure yet.

If only they could get out of this cell. Too bad that he didn't have that cool explosive stick of gum from Mission Impossible. Hey, good idea. He'd have to talk to Hammond about that.

But until then, they were still tapped in a locked cell, on a hostile planet, with no plan, and no…

"Colonel O'Neill?"

…explosive gum.

A figure peered through the small square window of the cell.

"Who's asking?" He stood up; his body was immediately on edge. A stranger, probably a woman, was visiting their jail cell.

Well, this was unexpected.

The cloaked figure didn't respond but seconds later the door of the cell opened. Options suddenly presented themselves.

He could one, run like hell. That didn't sound quite plausible with Carter unconscious and the probability of Jaffa just outside the door. On the other had, he could knock out the woman, then slip out of the cell all sneaky like. Once again that fact the Carter was unconscious made that plan out of the question.

Not to mention that the woman was pointing a zat-gun at him. So basically, there were no options.

Wonderful.

The woman, perhaps a servant of some kind, carefully laid two silver covered platters on the floor. She then backed out of the cell slowly, her eyes never leaving his.

The door snapped shut again. 'Way to take initiative, Colonel,' he scolded himself.

At least they weren't planning on starving them to death. Or maybe that was their actual plan, death by Goa'uld cuisine?

"Carter! Time to wake up!" Jack bellowed, "Soup's on!" Jack picked up the tray. "And tonight's meal is," he lifted up the cover with a flourish, "A zat-gun?"

There where Jack expected some sort of Goa'uld equivalent to gruel, was what looked like an honest to goodness zat-gun. Along with the treasure was another piece of technology. He had no idea what it was, but Sam probably would. Or at least figure it out, given enough time.

Jack felt like a kid on Christmas morning. He rushed to look to see what was hidden under the second tray. Oh, a note. And the G.D.O! Sweet!

An escape plan that fell right into their laps. You could even say that it was handed to them on a silver platter. Heh!

"Carter!" He jogged the two metres to where she lay. "You'll never guess how awesome the room service is here," he quipped. Unfortunately his 2IC didn't open her eyes and smile. He shook her slightly. Then harder. There wasn't any response.

"CARTER!"

The Major still refused to move. Franticly, he put his ear over her mouth. "Look, listen and feel," he muttered repeatedly.

She wasn't breathing.

Oh God, she wasn't breathing!

TBC

***

Ooooo! The suspense! lol