"Come," Polytus chided, gesturing toward Carter's plate, "you must eat to keep up your strength."

Carter ceased picking at the generous meal she'd been provided and laid the fork-like utensil down next to her plate. "It's just that there's not much point in eating, when I'll only throw it up again after today's torture session."

Polytus had seemed to be trying very hard to make nice with her, attempting to veil the ugly ruthlessness of his actions with bribery, pretty words and a gentle manner. But Carter was refusing to play along.

The Basileus winced. "I regret what must be done. But remember, it could all be avoided if only you would agree to be my queen."

Carter remained silent, staring fixedly at her food. Behind her, the ever-present guards stood silently. No sounds at all filtered into the extravagant, over-done banquet room and Carter's thoughts were on her team.

Polytus tried again, "I promise, you would never lack for anything, here. My people would love and revere you, as would I. You would be free to pursue your own interests, and you would love our children, for they would be as much yours as mine." He looked at her earnestly until she met his gaze. "Surely the boon I ask is not so unreasonable. You could be very happy here…as happy as you could be anywhere. I, on the other hand, have no choice. I need you; it can't be anyone else."

The scientist in Carter perked up, despite the situation. "Your 'correct complement mate', right?"

Polytus looked surprised for a moment, but then nodded. "I see you are already familiar with my dilemma, then."

"Only a little," she said. "That for some reason your people can only procreate with certain genetic partners?"

"Not all of my people," Polytus corrected, "only my line. You see, there was something in the blood of my forefathers that set them apart from everyone else. Somehow, they were unlike the others. There are ancient tales in which the ancestors of our people came from a distant land, brought here by a small group who were different. Special. As the legend tells it, there were two leaders among this group, and they did not agree. One took half of the people as followers and sailed for Bretin."

Carter frowned, unfamiliar with the term. "Bretin?"

"Another of Nete's continents, far away from Nisia," Polytus explained. He continued, "one of the remaining group became the first ruler of Nisia, and the first of my line. But ever since that time, those of my lineage have only been able to produce heirs with others who complement them."

"Others with this 'something' in their blood," Carter clarified.

"Yes," Polytus answered, appearing pleased that she understood. "But the number of complements dwindled with each passing generation. There simply were not enough descendants of the original group to continue to propagate, even after they began taking kin as mates."

Carter fought the urge to grimace. Though she found such close marriages distasteful and abnormal, she'd learned enough from Daniel over the past four and a half years to know that such inbreeding had been both common and expected even up through the nineteenth century back on Earth, especially among royalty.

"And now, there are no others left to choose from?" Carter guessed.

"That is correct," Polytus replied grimly, then paused and looked at her again with a light in his eyes. "It has been nearly a decade since I began searching for a suitable complement mate; you are the first I have found. You understand now, of course, why I cannot allow you to leave?"

Carter had a hard time meeting the intensity of his gaze, but forced herself not to look away. "I can understand, but I don't agree with your methods. Look, I'm a scientist. One of my jobs is to try to find solutions to impossible problems like this. And there are people back on my planet who know way more than me about genetics. If you'd just let us return through the stargate, we might be able to find a way to help you."

The Basileus was shaking his head. "I cannot. I would have no guarantee of your return. I am sorry."

Carter blew an exasperated breath between her lips, then tried another suggestion. "What about Bretin? Have you gone to look there? It's entirely possible that more descendants of the original group survived there than in Nisia, or that they found a way around it."

The light in his eyes shifted, became something less pleasant, and Carter was left with the distinct impression that she'd said something wrong. "The Bretins are sworn enemies of Nisia," Polytus said tightly. "They are a scourge upon the planet…a wretched people. We have been at war for centuries. Fortunately, my spies tell me that the Basileus of Bretin is suffering from a similar problem. It has been well-known for some time that he has been unable to locate a suitable complement match. As he is considerably older than I, it is my hope that I will succeed where he fails.

"But," he continued, "even if there were a thousand complement women available there, I would not consider taking one as a mate. I would rather my line end here, uncontaminated by such filth."

"But you'd end my life, first," Carter said angrily.

Polytus stared back at her. "I do not wish it," he said simply, and Carter believed him. In his own, twisted way, she knew that he didn't really want to kill her. In his mind it was her own rigid refusal to submit that would result in her death.

Her voice was just as even, when she replied. Almost conversational. "And I refuse to be forced into marriage."

"Then we are at an impasse," he said regretfully, "and again there is only one recourse available to me."

With those ominous words, he gestured to one of his attendants, who left to retrieve the instrument of the Agonis.


It was worse this time.

That was O'Neill's first, horrified thought when the guards carried her in, only minutes after they themselves had been returned to their cell.

Clearly the second application of the Agonis was – as Teal'c had promised – even more painful than the first. Carter convulsed uncontrollably in the arms of her escort; it took all four of them to restrain her. Unavoidably, the thought of using the guards' preoccupation as a distraction in order to escape flickered across O'Neill's mind, but the tactical situation was even worse than it had been that morning. Even if the standing members of SG-1 were able to overcome the guards, they'd never get out of there with Carter in the condition she was. And there was no way in hell he was leaving her here.

And so instead of attacking the guards, O'Neill, Teal'c and Daniel stood back and let them enter the cell bearing the fallen Major. There wasn't really enough room, but O'Neill still managed to squeeze in between two of the bruisers to reach his second in command, slipping his arms under her shoulders and back.

The guards gave her up willingly, and with far more care for her person than O'Neill would have expected. There was no time to spare a thought for the oddity, however; Teal'c had already taken her legs. They carried her into the back section of the cell again, and resumed their positions from the day before: O'Neill sitting on the pallet with Carter on her side facing away from him, more or less in his lap. Daniel and Teal'c were left with the task of keeping her lower half from flailing as much as possible.

Carter's suffering the day before had obviously been acute, but because she'd managed to repress most vocalizations of pain, O'Neill had forced himself to believe that it wasn't too bad. That it wasn't unbearable. He hadn't known if he could believe otherwise and stand it. Now there was no choice. This time she couldn't hide the agony she was going through. She choked and gagged and was barely able to keep from screaming. Instead of the occasional whimper forcing itself past her lips, she uttered pitiful, heart-rending cries that indicated nothing short of excruciating torment.

"Oh," she gasped once, her eyes clenched shut as she shuddered violently. "G…God, please. Make it…make it stop. Please!"

O'Neill gritted his teeth and blinked rapidly, fighting to keep the hot moisture collecting in his eyes from spilling over. He tried to soothe her, to talk her through it, but whatever reasoning, rational portion of her mind that had surfaced long enough to speak had already been overwhelmed again by mindless reactions to the pain. "When we get out of this," he bit out, trembling from helplessness and homicidal rage, "I'm going to kill that son of a bitch, I swear to God."

"You will be hard pressed to find him alive, O'Neill," Teal'c swore, "as I will seek him out to deliver punishment at the first opportunity." The Jaffa's solid muscles were rock hard and clenched beneath the short sleeves of his black tee shirt as he held Carter's legs immobile, and the deadly look on his face was frightening.

"You know," Daniel said, struggling to keep Carter's back flat on the pallet, "this is normally where I'd jump in and try to calm you both down, advocating a less violent course of action."

O'Neill glanced over at the archaeologist, noting that the younger man had made no attempt to check his own tears of impotent sympathy. "Yeah?" the Colonel challenged.

Daniel's face was hard. "Not this time."


When it was over, Carter lay limp and unresponsive. Her teammates tried for the better part of a half an hour to revive her, growing ever more worried, but the Agonis had obviously exhausted her. O'Neill eventually decided that perhaps it was best that she slept, anyway. He continued to cradle her in his arms as they spoke quietly around her, and no one suggested that she be moved.

"We've got to make sure they take us with her tomorrow morning," Daniel said. "I don't think she can take another day of this."

Teal'c had a decidedly unhappy look on his face. True, it didn't really look a whole lot different from his "everything's groovy" face, but O'Neill could tell the difference. "I agree," the Jaffa said.

A distinctly bad feeling had been growing in the Colonel's gut ever since Carter's return, like an alien parasite now poised to erupt through his chest, and suddenly he recalled the reason for it. "Teal'c, you said yesterday that if this thing is used too much it can kill?"

Teal'c nodded, and O'Neill went on. "Is that what's going to happen to Carter if Polly-wants-a-wife up there doesn't stop?"

The Jaffa paused, then nodded again slowly. "It will. Similar to shots from a zatnikitel, the effects of the Agonis accumulate in the biological systems of the victim. If enough time is not permitted to pass between sessions, the victim will die from the overload."

"Uh…exactly how do you know this?" Daniel wanted to know. "I thought you were released after they determined the female Jaffa on your team wasn't a match?"

"Indeed we were," Teal'c replied. "However, we were not the only captives of the Nisians at that time. We were held there for nearly a week as the females from each group were tested before us. We did not yield, and so were punished until that time. One of my number did not survive the experience."

"What I need to know is, how much more of this can she take?" O'Neill asked.

"The Jaffa killed by the Agonis did not die until the fourth shot," Teal'c said gravely, "But Major Carter is not Jaffa."

They all fell silent for a moment as they contemplated the implication in Teal'c's statement. If four shots killed a Jaffa, then in all likelihood Carter would not survive three.

"God!" Daniel finally burst out, unable to restrain his frustrated anger any longer. "I wish Polytus would just…I don't know, use that thing on one of us instead, or something, and give her a break."

"Shut up!" Carter croaked, startling them. O'Neill looked down at her, only then noticing that he'd been stroking her hair with one hand while she slept. Now the hand twitched away as if scalded, and he settled it more appropriately on her shoulder.

He was surprised at the uncharacteristic tone she'd taken with the archaeologist. She and Daniel had to have one of the most easy-going relationships the Colonel had ever seen. They were simpatico to the extreme. If Carter weren't under O'Neill's command (consequently having to agree with him), he was pretty sure SG-1 would frequently be split up into two distinct halves: O'Neill and Teal'c on one side and Carter and Daniel on the other. He couldn't even be completely sure that they'd ever argued; he'd certainly never heard her tell Daniel to shut up before. "Carter?"

Her voice was weak and her throat obviously dry, but there was no mistaking the vehemence behind her words. Her eyes burned feverishly at Daniel. "Don't say that again! God, I've been hoping that possibility doesn't occur to him."

Teal'c cocked his head. "Major Carter, it would provide you with much-needed relief from the Agonis. Additionally, such a measure may serve to purchase a longer interval in which we might effect an escape."

"I think what Teal'c means is that it might buy us some time, Carter."

O'Neill felt her shaking her head against his thigh. Her voice, when she spoke, was much quieter, as if she were worried about being overheard. "You don't understand, sir. As long as it's just me, I'm the only one who gets hurt when I refuse. If he threatens one of you, I…I'd have to give him what he wants."

Now that she'd outlined her reasoning, it made perfect sense to O'Neill. Putting her own life in jeopardy was one thing, but he knew that she'd never risk the lives of her team if she could ensure their safety. In her position, he'd do the same thing.

Of course, that didn't mean he wouldn't be perfectly willing to undermine every single one of her principles if it meant getting her off this backwater planet alive, and he held the idea as a last-resort backup plan in his mind.

Daniel had left and returned with water that they'd saved for her, and he tipped it gently into her mouth after O'Neill helped her to sit up, leaning her back against his chest and shoulder.

As Carter took an experimental sip, Daniel glanced at O'Neill and Teal'c, as if seeking approval to go on. O'Neill nodded at him, and Daniel cleared his throat in preparation. "Actually, Sam…we were talking about that today. About maybe going with Jack's plan of agreeing until we can get out of here."

Carter was already shaking her head in obstinate denial, and Daniel held up a hand to ward off the retort springing to her lips. "Wait…wait just a second…just hear me out. We've been talking, and we don't think you can take another shot from that thing. Teal'c said a friend of his, another Jaffa, died after the fourth. And honestly, Sam, after watching its effects on you over the past two days, I don't think you'll make it through three."

"Why, because I'm a woman?" Carter asked angrily.

"No," Teal'c replied. "Because you are human, and do not possess the healing powers of the Goa'uld symbiote that Jaffa carry."

The clarification calmed her; O'Neill could feel her tense muscles relax beneath his hands. She took a deep breath that brought more of her back in contact with his chest, and then exhaled. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get so upset. It's just…I know you mean well. I know you're trying to keep me alive, and I appreciate that. But I'm not willing to capitulate to the demands of a terrorist, no matter what he does to me."

"But you would if it were one of us about to die," Daniel reiterated. His tone suggested reproach for her double standard. "You'd be willing to do anything if it meant keeping us safe…can't you understand that we feel the same way?"

Carter dropped her gaze, apparently unable to meet his eyes. "Of course I understand. But as long as I'm the only one in danger, here, the choice should be mine. And I refuse to give in to someone who thinks that torture and hostage-taking is going to get him what he wants. Polytus is so used to having all the power that he can't even conceive of a woman rejecting him. Well, I won't submit, and he will get that through his head."

"Even if it means your death?" Daniel asked.

Carter's gaze didn't waver this time. "If that's what it takes."

O'Neill recognized a stalemate when he saw one, and decided to step in. "Look, Carter…I'm not saying I don't agree with you on principle. I do. And I'm not trying to step on your cute little feminist toes, here, but let's not forget that I'm your commanding officer. I've got a responsibility to keep my team alive, and if that means that you might have to eat a little pride before this is over, then so be it."

He felt her breathing against him, slow and steady now, and it reassured him that she was okay, for the moment. "If that's what it comes to, sir," she repeated, her use of the honorific making it clear that she would only do so if ordered.

Teal'c had been silent over the course of this exchange, apparently thinking. "Could we not tell Polytus that Major Carter is already bonded?"

"What," Daniel asked, "you mean lie?

The Jaffa shot Daniel an inscrutable look. Actually, most of Teal'c's looks were inscrutable, but O'Neill was pretty sure that this particular expression was one he adopted to keep from saying "You're a dumbass." As the one usually on the receiving end of this look, O'Neill felt uniquely qualified to identify it when he saw it. "Our falsehood would appear to be the lesser of two evils," Teal'c pointed out.

Though still reclining against O'Neill's chest, Carter tried to metaphorically get back up on her soapbox again. "I shouldn't have to tell him I'm already married! What he's doing is…"

"Aah!" O'Neill interrupted her, squeezing the shoulder his hand rested on. "What did I just say? Besides, you're preaching to the choir, here."

She fell silent again, and O'Neill went on. "I've actually been thinking about that myself, though. It might..."

"It wouldn't work," Daniel interrupted, shaking his head.

O'Neill stared at him. "That's it? It wouldn't work? You don't think it might be worth at least trying, first?"

"Jack, look around you! Look at this place. Polytus has got slaves in the mines. He's torturing Sam to death. If he's willing to kill her to get what he wants when she says no, do you really think he'd care about marriage licenses or wedding rings, if we even had those things here?"

O'Neill had no argument and looked away. A moment later he heard Daniel sigh. "I'm sorry," the archaeologist said. "I'm just a little…this whole thing's just…" He waved a hand to encompass the cell, indicating their entire situation.

"It's all right, Daniel," Carter said, and her voice was much softer now in the wake of his obvious frustrated concern.

"Yeah," O'Neill added, "I know better than to take it personally when you yell at me…even when it's personal."

Daniel managed a half-hearted smile in response, and O'Neill forced himself to be satisfied with that. Keeping morale at optimum levels in this sort of situation was going to be impossible; he'd have to be happy with whatever he could manage. Luckily, Teal'c was nearly always even-keeled and required minimal maintenance (unless their mission had to do with A) his family, B) Bray'tac, or C) a Jaffa revenge thing, in which case all bets were off). His 2IC, however, was another matter.

"Now," O'Neill said to Carter, "I know you didn't eat your mush this morning, so we saved you some of the food you sent down. The other workers were very appreciative, by the way."

The corners of her lips twitched for a moment, as if she'd meant to smile but didn't have the energy. "That's good, sir. But I'm not hungry."

Teal'c had retrieved several pieces of fruit for Carter's selection, but she shook her head and turned her face away.

"Don't make me make it an order, Major," O'Neill said. He aimed for a light tone, but didn't attempt to disguise the undercurrent of command in it.

"I can't, sir. If I eat, I'll be sick."

Well. He couldn't really argue with that one either, now, could he? "All right…maybe later." He nodded to Teal'c, who placed the platter of food out of the way. "You should get some rest, then."

Carter yawned, and O'Neill knew he should lay her down. But she had thus far appeared surprisingly unmotivated to move out of his half-embrace, and if she wasn't going to bring attention to the fact that he shouldn't be holding her this way, then who was he to?

"Oh…I got Polytus to talk to me a little this morning about the history of this planet. Apparently they were brought here by these Goa'uld who separated into two houses…"

"Both alike in melodrama," O'Neill interrupted. "Yeah, we got the lowdown from the other workers. And this something that makes their descendants so special has got to be naquada."

"Which explains why he's so fixated on Sam," Daniel agreed. "There are a couple of things I'm not clear on, though, like why they never left again? Or at the very least, why didn't they bring a sarcophagus with them? I just can't imagine why any Goa'uld would deliberately isolate himself…or themselves, in this case…from the rest of the universe, and not even bring enough technology along to keep them alive."

"Perhaps they did not intend to remain on this planet?" Teal'c suggested.

"It's possible," Daniel conceded. "Or maybe there was some sort of accident, and the sarcophagus was destroyed, too?"

"Yeah, well…the whys and wherefores don't really matter so much right now," O'Neill said, indicating Carter with a slight jerk of his chin. Daniel got the hint and made to leave so that she could rest.

"One more thing," Carter said sleepily into O'Neill's shoulder. "Daniel, I think you might be right about the tunnels."

Daniel had been heading for the front section of the cell, but he swung back at her words. "Did you see the entrance?"

"Maybe," Carter said, "but I can't be sure. You remember all of that gauzy stuff around Polytus' throne?"

When Daniel nodded, she went on, "There's a break in the material directly behind it. I couldn't see back there, but it's in a good place, if he were to need to escape the fortress in a hurry."

"That's good, Sam, that's promising."

"We must endeavor to be taken along with Major Carter when the guards return in the morning," Teal'c said. "Our plan of escape will only work if we are all present."