Author's Note: Violence warning! Some minor scenes of torture and two bad words!

Chapter 5

Bright lights assaulted Brenna's senses. She realized that she was floating many feet above the floor. She struggled to get down, but she was held in place by an invisible force. Panic slowly crept up her chest and exploded in her brain. Let me go! She managed to turn her head to the side. She was in some kind of laboratory. There were many instrument panels scattered around the room, along with specimens in jars lining the walls.

A voice spoke from behind her. "Do not struggle. You will only increase your discomfort." The sound of the voice triggered her memory. She had been in here before. The memory of pain and fear washed over her. This was the same one who had spoken to her when she first arrived. He had said that she would not be harmed. Well, I knew he was lying then, this just confirms it.

She managed to turn her head to face the voice. He wasn't a Viking this time. Strangely, this new form of his made more sense to her. I can't believe I have been kidnapped by a Roswell gray!

She looked the alien over. "So who are you and why are you doing this to me and the others?"

He responded coldly, "I am Odin. I am sorry for your discomfort but it is necessary. Your race and mine will benefit greatly from my research."

Brenna did not like the sound of being a lab rat for some skinny little alien. She redoubled her efforts to escape from the unseen clutches.

"Be still."

Her face red from exertion she screamed, "GO TO HELL!"

Silvery objects descended from the ceiling and tracked towards her head and abdomen. They pierced her skin, fire erupting along nerves in their wake. Her screams echoed around the walls. Finally, after what seemed like hours, she surrendered to unconsciousness gratefully.

SG-1 entered the central building in the village. It appeared to be a cross between a meeting hall and Liam's home. Liam invited them to sit in front of the fire and offered the team food and drink, which they all declined.

Liam took a seat in front of the fire. "Where would you like me to start?"

Daniel leaned forward. "How did your people come to be here?"

Liam began to speak, his voice taking on the tone of a practiced storyteller. "Many centuries ago, Might Odin came down from the heavens to the first world. He took many different people away from the Goa'uld. He brought us to this place of safety, and he has protected us since. He has given us the gift of languages and writing. He asked nothing in return, that is until I was a young boy. He came among us and asked us to care for others from the first world. He said that they are the salvation and the future of our two races. We gladly and joyously care for our brethren. It is a small price to pay."

Liam sat back in his chair and sipped his drink. Jack asked what they all wanted to know. "So what is wrong with these people that they need constant care?"

"When Mighty Odin brought them to us, most were unable to speak. Many were unable to even walk or care for themselves. Some would speak, but they spoke in a strange language. As the years have passed, some have become better and are able to help in the care of the others. However, none of them remember their lives before coming here."

Jack didn't like where this was headed. If Liam was to be believed, this Odious guy had been abducting people from earth for around forty years! And what was wrong with them? Did he harm them in some way? Could this be happening to his sister at this very moment, not to mention hundreds of other people? Jack's eyes turned dark with anger, his fists clenching.

"How many people has Mighty Odin brought to you?" Teal'c asked.

"When I was a boy, he brought ten people. He usually brings ten more once every few years. We now have around fifty, spread among the villages. When I first saw you I assumed that Mighty Odin had sent you from the first world to take them home."

"Have you ever seen Mighty Odin?" Daniel asked.

"Yes. Many times. He always comes to speak with me when he brings our new charges."

Jack schooled his face into an expressionless mask. "May we speak with Mighty Odin, so that we might ask him if we can take your charges back to our world?"

"If they really are from Earth, we would like to care for them and reunite them with their families." Carter added, sounding quite persuasive.

Liam looked from one to the other. "I don't know. Mighty Odin must have had good reason to take them away from your world. Maybe they were not safe there?"

"Could we at least ask him?" Carter put on her puppy-dog eyes.

"Very well. But if his ship is not in orbit, I cannot reach him." SG-1 looked startled. Obviously Liam knew more than it appeared on the surface.

"How do you reach him?" Daniel asked curiously.

"I will get the communication device." Liam stood and went to the back room.

"What are we going to tell Odin, Jack?" Daniel asked once Liam was out of earshot.

Jack grit his teeth and replied, "I'm going to ask him very nicely to return my sister and all of the others that he took, Daniel!"

"Jack, if he is an Asguard, I doubt we will be able to stop him from doing whatever it is he has been doing."

"So what so you suggest we do, Daniel?" Jack's eyes hardened.

Sam answered. "Sir, I think we have to find a way to contact Thor. He obviously would be able to stop this. Maybe I can tweak this communication device, so that we can reach him."

"Tweak?" Jack smirked.

"Ah, whatever." Sam waved her hands around.

"Then we must take this device from Liam." Teal'c pointed out.

Brenna awoke once again; face down on a metal floor. Talk about your monotonous situations! "Ah, crap." It felt like she had a rhino running around in her skull. As she carefully sat up, nausea washed over her. So why am I alone now? She was surprised that she had not been returned to the others. She slowly stood up, waiting for the worst of the pain to pass.

"You have more potential than the others." The cold voice echoed around the room, running a shiver of dread down Brenna's spine.

"Well, isn't that just peachy." She faced her captor; Odin had once again discarded his false image and stood before her as himself. She wanted to attack him but knew that he was just presenting his hologram to her.

"You will remain, along with a select few. I will give the others to my caretakers."

Brenna slid back down the wall and gave Odin her best sneer. "And why are you informing me of your grand plans? I thought I was just an experiment."

"You have been the most violent. It would be easier for you if you would not struggle."

"Don't you mean, easier for you? I don't know what kind of freak show you are running around here, and I don't care. I will never cooperate with you!" Venom filled her voice and face.

Odin did not appear affected by her opinion or accusation. "Very well, I will keep you separated from the others. Perhaps you will change your mind later."

"Don't hold your breath." She told his disappearing image.

SG-1 was caught completely off-guard when hundreds of people were beamed down directly into the village and into the communal house. They all appeared to be unconscious.

Jack's startled exclamation echoed all of their thoughts. "What the hell!"

"Where is Liam?" Daniel asked.

SG-1 moved carefully through the scattered people, towards the back room where they had last seen their host.

Jack's radio crackled to life. "SG-1, this is Hammond. Come in."

"Sir."

"I was able to contact Thor. I advised him of the situation and which planet you were at and he said that he would get there as soon as possible."

"That's good news sir, we have quite a situation developing. Were going to need the medical team and some other teams for support."

Hammond never one to mince words, set about his task. "Very well, Colonel. I will send them through within half an hour. Hammond out."

Jack took control. "Carter you and Teal'c, go find Liam. Daniel, help me look for my sister."

"Yes, sir." Carter and Teal'c cautiously walked through the rest of the people and into the back room.

Jack and Daniel searched inside the building first. There was no sign of Brenna; however they did manage to find several SGC personnel. They moved their search to the people lying on the ground outside. Carter walked up, "Sir, Liam is nowhere inside. Teal'c is checking the other buildings."

She looked at Jack, her gaze penetrating. "Sir, are you alright?"

"Sure. Just help me find my baby sister and everything will be peachy, ok?"

"Yes, sir."

Meanwhile, in orbit above the planet, Thor's battle cruiser arrived. Thor saw in orbit another Asguard ship of positively antique design. He recognized the ship as the Vengyr. He had been searching for the renegade Odin for many centuries. Odin's crimes had been so hideous that the Asguard had collectively agreed to banish him from their home and place him in stasis. He escaped from their custody not long after his sentencing. After he escaped the Asguard he had continued in his vile practices. Thor and many other Asguard had been searching for him, to bring him to trial before the High Counsel for crimes against sentience but the war with the replicators had interfered for many years.

SG-1 had searched thoroughly but there was no sign of the colonel's sister or of Liam. Several people had woken up, but they were of no help. The ones that weren't catatonic were very traumatized and could not remember who they were or what had happened.

"When I find that bald little rat, I am going to beat the location of my sister from him!" The colonel growled.

Daniel, ever the voice of reason, pointed out. "Jack, he might not know."

"Oh he knows, all right. You can bet that Odin beamed him up, and when he gets back I'm gonna persuade him to tell me." Jack's eyes hardened.

A bright light surrounded Jack and the rest of SG-1. They were transported aboard Thor's ship. "Thor! It's great to see you, old buddy!"

Thor stood behind the ship's control panel manipulating the stones. "O'Neill," Thor inclined his head. "The other ship is trying to escape. I am attempting to beam aboard the prisoners."

Thor's ship fired a warning shot across the bow of the other ship. A smaller ship, sleeker in design, left the bay of the Vengyr and immediately jumped to hyperspace.

"He's getting away!" Jack cried.

"The prisoners are still aboard the larger ship, O'Neill."

Thor moved another stone. "I have them." He stated calmly. Brenna and several others appeared on the deck. Jack ran to his sister's side and slumped down in relief. He knelt over her and checked her pulse, tears running unchecked down his face.

The Vengyr was consumed in a giant explosion. Everyone that was watching the viewport stared in shock at the fireball.

Her eyes closed Brenna whispered, "What took you so long?"