This part is beta-read by Sandra. Thanks girl.

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Sam's head snapped up as the holding cell door opened.

It was Green at the end of the parting. She awarded him with a smile, knowing that she could count on him.

"Took you long enough." Five long strides later, she was at his side. "Halle, come on."

Green handed her two Zats that he had hidden.

"Well, you know the Goa'uld. They have a wacky sense in fashion."

He twirled in a comical manner, showing off his new attire: a robe similar to the kind the Jaffa wore and a staff weapon.

"She took almost thirty minutes just to pick this one for me."

Sam cleared her throat, definitely amused with the way he treated the situation. "Well, if you like it so much, you can keep it."

"Um, Ma'am?" Halle approached them. "What happened?"

She turned around and handed her the other Zat. "Green was one of the men under Hathor's control when she dropped by our base a few years ago." She smirked as the Captain's face turned a shade of red. "He couldn't be controlled with the same substance anymore."

"Oh, I didn't know that."

"Well, now you do. Let's go."

She checked the corridor, finding it empty.

"Major, what about him?" Green asked, gesturing to the man.

Oh crap, she completely forgot about him. She turned around and considered her options.

The man was meditating on the floor, his legs crossed in front of him and his hands clasped together, like he was praying. It was dangerous to include a stranger in their escape. It could backfire. She didn't trust him, but she offered anyway.

"Do you want to come with us?"

He opened his eyes slowly but did not move. "No."

That was good enough for her.

She gestured for the other two to leave the holding cell. As soon as they were out, she used the control panel to close the door, not wanting to alarm the ship's owner of their absence.

"Green, do you know how we got inside the mothership? Do they use the ring transporters or another ship?"

"They use the rings, Ma'am. The cargo ship on the planet could not fly. Something about the control crystal. There's just a few Jaffa aboard, I don't know why."

She nodded as she familiarized herself with their position. She had studied Goa'uld mothership blueprints before and knew that there was a room containing a ring transporter on this level just around the corner.

She allowed Green to walk slightly ahead of them, so if they encountered any resistance, he could alert them. Slowly but surely, they approached the room. There was no sign of anyone. When they reached the room, she swiftly advanced towards the control column. She didn't want to waste more precious time.

"Now, you two. Get in there." She pointed to the rings, and as soon as she was certain they were inside the circle, she punched the coordinates.

"Green, give me the staff weapon."

He dutifully obliged.

"You're not coming with us, Ma'am?" he asked warily as he realized that Sam wasn't any indication she was joining them.

"I have something to do first. If I didn't come down in ten minutes, go back to the Stargate and get home, understood?"

"Ma'am," Halle started to protest.

"That's an order."

She had no time to explain, watching as the rings engulfed them. There was nothing more than she would like to be doing than joining them, but she had a plan.

***

SG-1, SG-3 and SG-6 had arrived on P89 768 a few hours earlier. SG-3 was guarding the gate, while the other two teams searched for the rest of SG-Alpha. Reed was with them, leading them to the cargo ship. They searched the Tel'tac straight away, but the missing team was not there. Jack was just about to extend their search outside the ship when the rings were activated.

He didn't know how to react when he saw the Captain Green dressed in robes and Lieutenant Halle right beside him. Neither were injured, but there was no sign of *his* Major.

"Where's Carter?" he asked straight to the point.

"Major Carter said she had something to do, Sir. She sent us down here first, and said she would soon follow," Green answered nervously. He knew how protective Colonel O'Neill was towards his team.

"Did she say what it was that she wanted to do?" Jack inquired anxiously.

"No, Sir. She didn't even give us the chance to help her," Halle added.

He gritted his teeth and dismissed them with his hand. Carter could be so pig-headed sometimes.

"It's good to see you guys again," Reed welcomed his teammates. He was relieved to find out they were all right.

Green and Halle told the search party the compact version of what had happened, including details about the man, the queen Goa'uld, and the Jaffa. They also recited how they had eluded their captor.

Jack only listened to their story half-heartedly, still worried sick about Carter. What the hell was she thinking? He glanced towards the ring transporter as his restlessness escalated.

"Durga ... Now, this is interesting." Daniel scratched the edge of his eyebrow.

"How so Doctor Jackson?" Halle asked. "I have some vague idea about who she is, but not much."

"Durga has several names. Parvati, Kali, and Lalitha were some of them. She was a multi-dimensional goddess. It was said that Durga was one of her fiercest and most powerful forms. She was the goddess beyond reach with eight arms and rode a lion," Daniel explained.

"What about Shiva?" Green asked.

"Shiva was a very powerful god. In fact, the combination of Shiva, Parvati or Durga and their son Ganesha was often compared to Osiris, Isis and Horus."

"So, there was no chance that the man we encountered was Shiva?" Green questioned.

"Very unlikely."

Before anyone else could ask any more questions, the rings were activated again. Everyone inside the ship raised their weapons instinctively, breathing a sigh of relief when Carter appeared.

"Nice reception," she exclaimed in response of the all the weapons pointed at her.

"Nice to see you too, Carter," Jack said sarcastically. His apprehension soon turned into annoyance. Didn't she know he worried he'd been? And what about her little 'I have something to do' stunt? He could have sworn his life span had been reduced by at least ten years.

Daniel exclaimed, "Sam, I'm glad that you okay!"

"Indeed." Teal'c expressed his agreement with the archaeologist.

And then she grinned. "Sorry, Sir. Just a little bit cranky. I *was* locked up by a Goa'uld just a little while ago."

Damn that smile. It almost made him forget about the last few hours.

Almost.

"Okay people, now that everyone is back, let's head back to the gate," he ordered.

Carter was here, and they could go home. That was all that mattered now.

"We can't leave, Sir." She stood still. "At least not yet."

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Glaring, he asked, "Care to explain why?"

She smiled dubiously, frightening him. She was planning something, something big. Something that he wouldn't normally agree to, but she would make him do it anyway. He knew that dangerous and sneaky smile.

"We have a mothership to raid."

He really hated it when his suspicions turned out to be right. But he always double-checked everything, so -- "Huh?"

"I've cut their power and sabotaged their weaponry. It should take them at least forty-eight hours to fix it. Durga doesn't have a great number of Jaffa with her, and she's vulnerable. If we attack now, I'm sure we would succeed. Besides, her Jaffa don't have the..."

He lifted his hand to stop her from talking. She had almost convinced him.

Almost.

"What makes you think that I'll say 'yes' to this crazy little plan of yours?"

She raised her eyebrows and smirked. "Apart from the fact we'd have a brand new mothership, Sir? I must admit, it's a bit old, but I'm sure it has some big honking space guns attached to it. And don't forget about the sarcophagus. Janet will be thrilled. No more big needles for your examinations and..."

She had him from the moment she said 'having a brand new mothership'. That and no more needles from the Doc. She knew which buttons to push and wasn't afraid to push them hard.

"Okay, okay, I get your point, but we still need to ask the General first." It was the only way to dampen her enthusiasm.

"Now, let's get out from this ship. I really don't want to have any more visitors through that ring."

This time, he received no objection and they left the vessel, heading towards the forest near the lake. He contacted SG-3 and asked them to relay the message to General Hammond. The General said he would let them know his decision in three hours. They found a cave to camp in for the night, not far from the cargo ship's location.

Daniel informed the SG-Alpha team about the drawings on the temple and they quickly put two and two together.

"So, let's say that the celestial maiden is Durga and villager who stole her cloth is the man you found inside the sarcophagus. Then, whatever the stolen good represents, it must be really important. Or else, why would a queen Goa'uld like Durga pursue it?" Daniel theorized. "Teal'c, is Durga a well-known Goa'uld?"

"There were only rumors of her among the Jaffa. She was said to be the perfect Queen, who could produce extraordinary offspring. Many Goa'uld desired the queen as a companion, including Ra and Apophis. There is a System Lord named Kali, one of the names that Daniel Jackson mentioned earlier. She was said to be one of Durga's young," answered the Jaffa.

"What a woman." Jack couldn't resist commenting on that.

Daniel nodded. "No wonder. Even in Indian mythology, she was said to be the picture of a perfect wife."

"Well, she's not a rumor now," Reed muttered.

Teal'c cocked his head to one side. "It was said that Durga suddenly disappeared. No one knew whether she lived or perished."

"Well, Teal'c, my man, now we know," Jack said dryly.

"What about Shiva?" Green asked.

"No one has ever seen him. He was a phantom," Teal'c provided the answer.

"Could a man stop aging for thousands of years without becoming a host?" Halle was intrigued by the physical appearance of the mysterious man.

"He had the sarcophagus, so it is possible," Carter speculated. "There is no telling how old he is, depending on how many times he's been inside."

"I wonder how he did it," the young Lieutenant mused.

"Did what?" Major Madden, the leader of SG-6 asked.

"Not breaking down after all the Goa'uld did to him. She tortured him, right? Over and over again. I mean, didn't he just wish she would kill him for good?"

Jack calmly stated, "He must've had a good reason."

He knew that there were a few things in life that were more important than life itself.

"But why would he refuse to come with us?" Halle was not satisfied with the answer she was given.

"Don't ask me. Only he knows why." Jack shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't trust him." Carter wrapped her arms around herself as if she felt a shiver coming. "There was something in his eyes that was ... wrong."

Jack noted her admission. He knew if Carter said there was something wrong with the man, there was something wrong with him. He had learned to trust her judgment a long time ago and would take extra caution when dealing with the man in the future.

"Daniel, do you know what this symbol means?" Carter drew something on the ground with a piece of stick. "It's the mark on the man's forehead. Halle said that it was written in Sanskrit."

Daniel leaned down to take a better look and frowned. "Ravi." He took of his glasses and rubbed them against his T-shirt. "Meaning the Sun."

"Why would he have Sun written on his forehead?" Madden asked somewhat incredulously.

One more puzzled was added to the already complex situation. They talked about it, but some questions were still left unanswered.

General Hammond contacted them again at the pre-appointed time, pleased to inform them their plan had been approved. Jack was given full command and any support he would need. Immediately, he requested every available SG team who's male members were immune to the queen Goa'uld pheromone-like substance and any female members, as well as any experienced airmen. The General promised him he would have them in twenty-four hours, equipped with heavy armory and a large amount of ammunition. He also arranged for the return of the SG-3 and SG-6 officers who were vulnerable to the substance.

Jack gathered all of his team members and plotted the attack. By dinner, the plan was completed. They just had to wait for the cavalry to arrive. The tension and exhilaration was thick in the air, the importance of the mission enormous. They were preparing for one hell of a ride.

Jack was sitting on a big rock while conducting his watch at the mouth of the cave when he heard someone approach from behind. He turned around to see that it was Carter.

"Hi." She seated herself next to him.

The twin full moons provided the light they needed. The campfire had been put out earlier so that it would not give their position away to the Goa'uld. The temperature was cold, but it was still bearable.

"Having trouble sleeping?" He scooted a little to give her more space on the rock. He had spared her and her team from the night-watch duty. They had a rough day and deserved the rest. A big job was waiting for them tomorrow.

"I'm just too exited, I guess." She pulled her jacket closer as a mild wind blew.

"You? Too exited?" he teased.

She drew her knees closer to her chest and rested her chin on them. "Well, yeah. It's not everyday I give my CO a mothership as his retirement present."

His heart skipped a beat. He turned around to watch her. Her short blond hair was sticking out everywhere, her soft skin smeared with dirt and sweat. But all he saw was her. No matter how dirty she was or how pretty the dress she wore. It was always her that he saw.

Always her.

"Are you sure?"

She had always been the unsure about his retirement. He knew that she was more than ready to receive the responsibility as SG-1's leader, but she had not shown any indication that she acknowledged her potential. And he couldn't just slap it to her face. It was something she had to realize by herself.

She turned her head slightly and replaced her chin position with her cheek, locking her eyes with. "I'm sure."

His chest tightened with a blend of joy and pride. He had waited for this moment for a long time. "What made you so sure about this?"

"I don't know. I guess... I guess it just came to me during these two days with the Alpha team. I never thought about what you would have done when I was faced with a decision. I made my own choice... My own. Back in the ship, Halle and Green always had their eyes on me, asking me what to do, taking comfort in my presence..."

Her voice trailed off for a moment. "It's part of the job, isn't it? To be the strong one?" Her blue eyes searched for reassurance.

His hand was reached for her head and ruffled her hair gently. "It is."

She closed her eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry."

He withdrew his hand and scanned their surroundings, just in case Durga had decided to retrieve her captives. "What for?"

"For taking so long to realize that I could do this."

He sighed. Why couldn't she see it was not an easy thing to do? No matter how many PhDs she had or how many times she worked a miracle, she was still a human being with flaws. But he knew that was just the way she was. And he had no intention to change her.

"It's easier said than done. Don't apologize for this."

She opened her eyes and was just about to argue when he placed a finger to her lips. It was his way of saying 'this discussion is over'. She gazed at him openly, silently expressing her gratitude for everything he had done for her. Her lips quirked, the moonlight softly illuminating her.

God, how he adored her.

"You had me worried back there," he started another topic of conversation.

She arched her eyebrow. "Worried?"

Looking back, he felt stupid for his overreaction. She was big girl who knew how to blow up a sun and perform many other impossible things.

"Yes. But then I realized my worry was wasted. Sometimes I forget you're not made of the damsel-in-distress material."

She snorted. "It's wasn't wasted. There were times when I was scared."

Carter? Scared?

"Really?"

She ran her fingers through her hair. "Yes. In our line of work, I realize that death is always hot on our tails. I never fear it. But..." There was a flicker of uncertainty on her face.

"But?"

She tore her eyes away from him, looking at the forest instead. "I don't know. Being with SG-1 somehow made it easier. Made it less...daunting."

He knew the feeling. Everything was less lonely and terrifying when he had his friends with him when death called upon him. It took the fear away.

"You're never alone."

She chuckled and fished something out from her pocket. "I know that now. Thanks to this." She dangled the keepsake bag in front of him.

He could hardly suppress a smile. "Ah... That." However, he had a reputation to take care of. "It was all Daniel's idea."

She held it in her hand and brought it closer to her face. "Thought so."

"But I volunteered to do my share willingly and didn't make any comment about the suggestion."

She put the small bag back inside her pocket. "Oh yeah. That was a really, *really* hard thing to do."

He nudged her shoulder slightly. "Are you making fun of me?"

She gave him a mock-glare. "Oh, very mature, Sir."

"Look who's talking."

She pursed her lips, biting back a laugh while refusing to continue their banter at the same time. She moved closer toward him, and leaned heavily against him. Her head soon rested on his shoulder.

It took him by surprise. They were off-world with at least half of dozen other people sleeping behind them. But he didn't want to push her away. A few minutes of silence passed, but she still hadn't made the move to end their close proximity.

"Um, Carter?"

Her response was to snuggle closer to him, trying to find more comfortable position.

"Teal'c will let us know if someone's coming out."

He looked at her and smiled fondly. Always the scientist, her attention to detail was remarkable. Teal'c was Kel'no'reem-ing just a few feet behind them, the rest of the group slept further inside the cave.

"Well, if you insist."

He knew that she was smiling even though he couldn't see it.

"I do."

Who was he to deny her wish?

He angled his head so that his cheek was touching the soft blond hair while maintaining his awareness towards their surrounding. It was nice having her close like this, a physical contact that acknowledged this was not an illusion.

This was real.

The way her head fit perfectly in the crook of his neck. The way her body radiated warmth and comfort. The way she had her way with him. The way she accepted him just as he was.

They were all real. And so was his feeling for her.

She made him feel excited about tomorrow.

It had been so long since anyone could do that to him.

He had been so lost when Charlie was gone, a big part of him snatched away so cruelly. The Stargate program and his newly found friendship with Daniel had shown him the way home, letting him know that his life still had meaning.

And then she came along and gave him a new direction in life, showing him that there was more than just living each day as it came and went.

She made him dare to dream about the future again.

"Sir?"

"Yeah?"

"Who volunteered to invade *my* privacy, broke into *my* locker and snuck the keepsake bag into *my* pocket?"

*To be Continue*

AN: I'm having my exam in two weeks time, therefore I could not write anymore chapter until at least the 4th of June. Hopefully I didn't leave you all in too much suspense with this chapter. :)