Author's Note: Sorry about the delay. I got hung up on another story I was working on and kind of threw me off center a bit. I should be back on track, probably another chapter or two left and this will be complete! Thanks for the continued reviews!

Chapter Seven

Captured!


"Get back!" Jack hissed, and pressed himself flat against the building. Daniel and Carter copied Jack.

The clanging uniforms of a squad of Jaffa identified the arrival of the Goa'uld in more spectacular fashion than the hovering of the Mother ship. They marched past their hiding spot, and continued on towards the city center.

"Did you see which one?" Jack looked back at Daniel, meaning the emblem of which Goa'uld they belonged to. Daniel shook his head. Damn.

"Where are we going?" Daniel whispered.

Jack looked pointedly at the building ahead, about two blocks, and slightly to the right. "To find Cat guy. He's going to get us out of this, no matter what it takes."

Carter suppressed an involuntary shiver. The Colonel was all-military, and she wouldn't want to be in Ka'ta's shoes when they found him. She crouched low, and followed Daniel and the Colonel.

They entered the building, staying low, no other sign of the Jaffa. Jack waved them ahead, while he turned slightly to the left, listening for any sign of the U'Tak'ans. He must have heard something because he gestured for Daniel and Carter to come back. He led them into another room, where they were greeted with relieved looks from the council.

"It's you!" Ka'ta breathed, "We thought the Jaffa had found us.

Jack glared at the man, "Why are they here?"

Ka'ta shook his head, "I don't know." He was distressed, his face flushed and his entire demeanor reeking of fear, "They've not come in generations."

"I want the truth. Carter got the disk with our information. It was in Goa'uld." Jack motioned for Carter to keep an eye on the door, while Daniel came forward to help get answers from the council.

Ka'ta looked at his fellow members and then back at Jack and Daniel, "It was stolen." He said, his face falling with the revelation, appearing older than he was. "Please, sit. This will take a while."

They stayed standing. "What do you mean, stolen?" Jack said.

Ka'ta hesitated, but then realized the futility of insisting they sit, "Please...you must understand we were desperate. When the Stargate started disappearing, our people started dying. We had no other choice."

Daniel frowned, "When it started disappearing? You said it's been doing it for a while."

Ka'ta grimaced, "No...I didn't say. It started about four months ago."

"We contacted Aris Boch. We needed help." Kra'lla interrupted, "We knew he had ties with the Goa'uld. We didn't know where else to turn."

"You made a deal with the Goa'uld." Jack said flatly.

"No! No, we didn't." Far'at said, upset, "We wanted Boch to get information from the Goa'uld. We had heard rumors of a race that was fighting back. You see, we have traveled through the Stargate, from time to time. It was on one of those trips, looking for help, that we heard of the Tauri."

Li'tut was growing uneasy, "Maybe we shouldn't..."

"Yes, you should." Jack finished for him, "Keep going."

"That's it." Ka'ta said, "We hired Boch to get us the information Major Carter was given from our scientist. We used that to contact you."

"Why is there a Goa'uld ship above your city?" Daniel asked, clearly not believing everything they were being told.

"I don't know." Ka'ta said, imploring the men to believe him.

Jack was good at knowing when someone was lying, and he didn't sense any subterfuge from the U'Tak'ans story. He was thinking about what to do, when Carter caught his eye, straightening, "Colonel!" She hissed, waving him over.

He left Daniel watching the council and joined Carter at the door, "What?"

"Listen."

Jack held his head, pointing his ear towards the hall, and strained to hear whatever Carter was concerned about. In the distance he could faintly make out the metallic ring of uniforms. Crap!

They were trapped. He had walked into the worst location possible. Only one room out, one hallway to the door, and they were all ready in it. He looked around the room, searching for an idea. "Carter, can you fit through that window?"

"I think so."

Daniel followed Jack's train of thought, heading over to the window that overlooked the back alley behind the building. He peered down, "It's clear." He whispered.

Jack nodded, "Get it open." He turned back towards Carter, "Get back and let Teal'c know."

"Sir..." Carter's voice wavered.

"Go Major, that's an order."

"Yes Sir." Carter swallowed the painful lump forming in her throat, "Good luck." She took one last look at Daniel and the Colonel, hoping it wasn't the last time she'd see them, and pushed herself through the small opening of the window.

Jack watched Carter's form disappear down the alley. "Whatever happens Daniel, we are the only ones here. The rest of our team left before the Gate disappeared."

Daniel nodded, "Got it."
Carter snuck into the building, heading towards the location of her people, when a dark shadow stepped in front, blocking her progress.

"Major Carter?"

"Teal'c! You scared me." Carter's eyes adjusted to the inky blackness, able to make out the steady form of her friend, "The Colonel and Daniel have been captured."

Teal'c stepped to the side, letting Carter lead the way, "We will get them back." He said, not mincing words, and Carter felt better, knowing there was no if in Teal'c's statement. They would get them back.

"Where's Daniel and Colonel O'Neill?" Janet asked, seeing Sam and Teal'c coming back together.

"Captured." Sam said.

Janet's face became even more worried than before. She looked at Teal'c nervously, "They're overdue."

Sam looked from Janet to Teal'c, "Overdue...?"

"Major Carter, they need the vitamin cocktail."

Sam groaned, things couldn't get much they?
Jack heard someone nearby moan. It sounded familiar. Daniel! He forced his eyes open, finding himself staring at the golden ceiling of a Goa'uld prison. He fought to remember what had happened; Jaffa...a lot of Jaffa and a Zat gun, and a lot of pain. Yep. He remembered. He rolled to his side and saw Daniel staring at the ceiling. "You okay?"

"Not really."

"Oh."

"You?"

"Not really."

Jack sighed. He was still feeling the after-effects of the Zat blast. He looked around, surprised they were alone, "Where's the Tic-Tac's?"

Daniel pushed himself upright, "Good question."

"I guess we'll know who the lucky Goa'uld is soon." Jack got to his feet, shaking his legs, trying to get the blood flowing, "Want to bet which one it is this time?"

"No." Daniel sat on his bench, watching Jack start pacing around the cell.

The telltale clang of armor let Jack know it would be sooner rather than later. He bolstered himself for the ordeal ahead. Being a prisoner of the Goa'uld was never a fun experience.

"Here we go." He muttered.

"Get back Tauri!" The lead Jaffa sneered, deactivating the shield to their cell.

"Oh that's original." Jack jeered back. "Like we're going to make this easy for you."

The Jaffa raised a Zat.

"Okay...okay." Jack backed away from the door. "Lighten up."

The Jaffa stayed silent, and pointed his weapon, indicating he was to take the lead, while another Jaffa entered and grabbed Daniel, shoving him up with Jack.

"Business as usual, I see." Daniel said.

"Oh Yes." Jack said, a sardonic twist to his mouth.
Jack and Daniel were led into the throne room, pushed roughly into the middle of the room. The Goa'uld entered the room, sweeping in like Queen of the Nile.

"Nertti." Jack swore.

"Colonel O'Neill. I'm pleased to see you again." She said, her sweet clipped voice full of venom.

"Sorry, can't say the same." Jack said.

"Got bored with your virus?" Daniel jabbed.

Nertti maintained a calm exterior, but Jack could tell she wasn't pleased. "Yes, Doctor Jackson, I did. Which is why I'm moved to different...tests."

Jack wasn't stupid, "You're behind this."

She smiled, slow, and with relish, "Of course. The phase technology will allow me to conquer the other System Lords."

"Why test it on a planet?" Daniel snarled, the thought of more needless deaths on this Goa'uld's climb to power.

Nertti seemed disappointed, "What would happen to a System Lord, that couldn't find his own source of food...and Jaffa?"

Jack kept quiet, a stony visage, but inwardly he realized how dangerous Nertti would become if they couldn't stop her. Daniel followed Jack's lead and didn't take the bait.

She circled the men, a vulture waiting to pounce, "Tell me, when did you become so...reserved?" She lifted her head haughtily, "You used to be so entertaining."

Jack glared, "And yet you remain an evil snakehead. How comforting."

"What do you want with us?" Daniel finally asked, "And where are the U'Tak'ans?"

Nertti sighed, and headed towards her chair, resolute. "You are suffering from the phase effect. I need to find a way to subject the human body to the effect without the cellular damage. After all, what good is it to capture worlds, and then have the people die. I want to control the system, not lose my resources in the process."

"I'm not going to be anyone's guinea pig." Jack stated stubbornly.

"Oh but you are." Nertti smiled again, pleasantly.

Jack was alarmed to feel the pain flash through his head. He stifled the moan, and remained upright, hoping he hadn't flinched outwardly. By the look on Daniel's face he had.

"I know you are suffering. And will continue to do so. I have a treatment. Either agree, or die." She fixed him with a hard look, and he knew she wouldn't care what he did either way. His life was irrelevant.

"Jack...no." Daniel was watching him.

Jack had been pushed against many walls before. He felt another surge of hot pain run through his body. If he didn't agree, he'd be incapacitated, unable to help Daniel...or anyone. His friends were on the planet, with no way home, and a condition that as of now, was irreversible. He was faced with two equally bad choices, and though if it were only going to affect him, he'd chose to die...he had to consider those depending on him.

"Fine. But I want Daniel returned to the city." He said.

Nertti seemed surprised at his acquiescence, but shook her head, "No Colonel O'Neill. You misunderstand; both of you will be needed."