The Heart's Refusal to Believe – Ch. 7

Thanks NG for Beta reading this chapter!!

Spoilers: Sorry I forgot to mention any spoilers for the earlier chapters. "Fallen" "2001" "Lost City 1 & 2" and "Endgame"

Thanks to everyone that is still reading and reviewing!!

Sam had been sitting at the desk in her concrete cell engrossed in the device when she heard the door rattle. It wasn't the trapped door at the bottom. It was the actual door knob rattling indicating someone was coming in. She had not had any human contact for what … days or had she been gone a week by now, she didn't know. Completely forgetting the device she stood up to better protect herself for what was coming. As she stood facing the door a bright light engulfed the room. As she turned around, a man materialized behind her with a zat.

She knew what was coming as soon as she saw what he had in his hand. She tried to knock the weapon away from him, but as she made her move, he fired and she fell to the ground. Just before she was shot, she could have sworn she heard her dad's and General O'Neill's muffled voices coming from the other side of the door.

A short time later, Sam awoke still feeling the effects of the electrical charge she received earlier. She sat up and groaned as she realized where she was. She was on an Al'kesh, a mid size Goa'uld ship. Judging by the man that had shot her, it was the same ship she was on a few months ago.

'Well I guess that confirms who has me, but what do they really want?' Sam was thinking to herself as she leaned up against the cargo bay walls looking around the room. 'They have gone through a lot of trouble to get me here. Surely the Gate addresses are not their primary goal. They could have stolen that from the SGC, like they have everything else. What do they really want with me?'

She saw the device and papers sitting on a box not far from where she sat. The room was larger then the one she had originally been in. There were several boxes labeled as food, but nothing else. There was no mattress or desk, only a sleeping bag and a few boxes.

She moved over to where the device and papers were lying. She picked up the letters, hoping to find the pictures of her friends and family, but nothing was there. She sadly realized that they had been left on Earth. Although, they were difficult pictures to look at, because her family and friends were mourning, that was her only connection to the outside world. Sam suddenly realized she had kept one. As she pulled out the picture from her shirt pocket she gave a sad smile. Of all the pictures of her funeral she decided she treasured the photo of Jack and Cassie the most. It showed a different side of the General. It showed the man behind the uniform. A man that was caring and loving, who was comforting Cassie as he would his own child. In this photo he was simply, Jack, no military, no responsibility, and no regulations. Cassie was like a daughter to her, and her inspiration to getting out of this mess. Cassie had already lost two mother figures and she wasn't going to be the third. It wasn't fair to Cassie or Jack.

As she continued to study the man in the photo, the door was activated and a man Sam knew as Hoskins, one of the Trust operatives walked into the room.

"Colonel Carter, It's good to see you again."

"What no ropes this time?" She replied and then thought with a wry smile she really had been working with the General to long.

"How can you work with your hands tied behind your back? Besides you can't get very far. When we discovered you were going to be our guest for a while, we safeguarded all of our computers so you couldn't gain access to them. Although, I think you are going to be too busy with your own computer to worry about ours. How is the progress going?"

"Why would I help you?"

"It's simple really, if you want to live you will give us the information we want."

"We both know as soon as I get this device running you're going to kill me. You will never allow me to go back to Earth. No … if you were going to let me live you wouldn't have faked my death."

"People have come back from the dead before, Colonel. Look at Doctor Jackson, he died and a year later SG-1 found him on a planet with no memories. We could do the same for you. You would never remember what happened to you. If you give us what we want, we'll let you go."

"Why don't I believe you?"

"You have less than seven days now to complete your task. I would suggest you get busy."

"Why don't you download the address you already have, or take what you need from the SGC like you always do? Why start from the beginning, and why do you need me?"

"O'Neill's little undercover ops destroyed a large portion of our technology and data base. Thankfully, when we borrowed your Stargate we also downloaded all the planets marked as hostile worlds. We didn't think we need the rest of the addresses at the time. When this new opportunity presented itself we couldn't pass it up. The cartouche that Doctor Jackson found on Abydos was the easiest to gain access to on such short notice. As far as why we chose you? We didn't, they did."

"Who are they?" Sam asked annoyed.

"You will find out soon enough. We should arrive there in 6 days." Hoskins said as he turned and left the room.

"Arrive where?" Sam yelled.

Hoskins left the cargo bay without another word and the door closed behind him.

In 6 days they could be anywhere. She decided the device would hold the key to where they were taking her. Although, she didn't recognize the language, it didn't mean she hadn't seen it before. If they asked for her by name then she must have seen it at some point.

As she slowly went through the programs and translated each page, she began to pick-up the language or at least the common words. There was one word she didn't have a translation for and thought it was odd. She opened the program and noticed it appeared to be a journal of some kind. There was a date of the last entry 36th lunar cycle. Not knowing the planets rotation, she assumed it was roughly the same as Earth's. That would mean this was the third year. Third year for what … she didn't know. As she was trying to translate the page, the door opened once again.

Sam looked up from the device when she heard the tapping of hard sole shoes as a man walked into the room behind her, and then a voice, she had hoped never to hear again.

"Well, well, well. Colonel Carter. Looks like you're alone now that SG-1 and General O'Neill think you dead. Oh how I would have loved to seen O'Neill's face when he found out. That would have been priceless."

Sam turned around to glare at the man she hated almost as much as the General did. "I guess you're not hiding the fact that you work for the Trust any longer; especially, now that you have been fired. Now that was truly a great day at the SGC."

"Oh. Don't get your hopes up to much Colonel. I plan to come back, and with your help I plan to run Washington and put the SGC where it belongs, under my command."

"I think the SGC is doing just fine under General O'Neill's command. I would have loved to seen your face when you found out he was leading the program."

"How he continues to pull to wool over everyone's eyes I will never know. That's going to change though. When I get back I'll make sure he's not in command of anything. He's a menace to society. How many times has he put our planet at risk?"

"He has saved our planet on countless occasions." Sam countered

"Always defending him aren't you. I know there is something going on between you two, and as soon as I have enough proof I'll have you two court-martialed so fast you want know what hit you. It will knock you both down a pedestal or two. Then maybe we want have to listen to how great heroes you two and the rest of SG-1 are."

"It sounds like you're jealous, or are you just out for revenge?"

The man laughed. "Jealous? Oh no, Colonel. The only reason you're here is because, you are billed as the top gate expert. Let's see if you can live up to your famous reputation. After all they did ask for you by name."

"I don't care which planet asked for these address or why they asked for me. I'm not going to risk Earth by allowing you to take over the SGC or the Presidential seat."

"You don't want to force my hand Colonel. No one is looking for you. It doesn't matter what we do to you, because according to a certificate, you're dead. Now I suggest you be a good little soldier and get to work."

"I would rather die, than help you Kinsey."

"That can be arranged, Colonel." Robert Kinsey, former vice president, took a step toward Sam, who didn't back down.

Hoskins appeared through the door. "Sir, there is a transmission for you."

Kinsey glared at Sam. "You were saved this time, Colonel."

"I'm not afraid of you. I've dealt with Goa'uld's who were a bigger threat than you."

Kinsey made his way out of the room and as the door closed she finally let out the angry breath she didn't know she was holding. 'Of all the egotistical and manipulative' … Sam paced around the room cussing Kinsey and trying to get her temper under control.

After pacing for about twenty minutes she had finally calmed down enough to take a look at the journal she had found on the device before her annoying visitor interrupted her earlier.

She was translating the text of the journal, so far there wasn't any real information given. The writer just listed his duties. There was no indication as to who he was or where he was from. However, a couple of tedious hours into the journal, she finally found the evidence she was looking for. Her eyes were getting so heavy, after reading so many boring journal entries she almost decided to rest for a while. However, thankfully she thought she should try a couple of more.

The next entry caught her off guard, and sleep was quickly forgotten. Not only was it in English but it was addressed to her! It was in the same format as the other journal entries. It could easily be missed if someone else was just scanning through the entries.

Sam I am not sure if you are alive, and even with the program any longer. I can only hope that after three years, you are. I can not fathom why they have agreed to a treaty after the events that had left me here among my rivals. I would gladly sacrifice my life if it meant that you and the others would remain safe. However, I knew they would eventually try to return to my home. I had hoped to make contact with you or your organization. At first I thought I had made contact, but now with negotiations of a treaty, I am uncertain. They said they were representatives from my home. If it is true, then I have requested without my combatants knowledge that you were to accompany them as a representative. My rivals will not be deluded again. I have been able to replace the computer of sorts with my own. I can only hope that you and your comrades will be able to see beyond the truths which they tell, to find the true authenticity as you once did joe faxon.

Sam was shocked and a little confused until she reread his name. He never mentioned the Stargate, SG-1, or Earth all of which were words that they would have easily recognized if anyone were scanning the page. He even hid his name in the last sentence. Joe Faxon had requested that she return to the Aschen homeworld! 'Oh Boy. This just keeps getting better.' Sam couldn't hold back the sarcastic thought.

She had an ally, or at least she hoped he was an ally, waiting for her once she got there. Joe Faxon was Earth's ambassador during negotiations with the Aschen three years ago. However, during a meeting that he and then Major Sam Carter were attending they discovered the Aschen were really planning to wipe out the entire human race on Earth. The Aschen dialed Earth to send a Biological weapon through the Stargate. Sam and Joe were going to go through the Stargate and warn the SGC before the Aschen could drop the weapon. However, a member of the Aschen fought with Joe preventing him from following Sam. Joe yelled for Sam to go without him and she did so reluctantly, because time was running out. Just as Sam made it through the gate alone, the biological weapon struck the closed iris. Sam always questioned her decision to leave him behind.

xxxx Three Years Ago xxxx

Sam was recovering from a dislocated shoulder and bruised ribs from her trip through the Stargate. She had just completed a conference call with the President and Joint Chiefs. General Hammond and Colonel O'Neill were sitting with her as she petitioned for a rescue attempt for Ambassador Faxon. However, the President and joint chiefs denied her request. Their argument was that the Aschen were a huge threat to Earth. "They don't know we have an iris in place to protect Earth from the biological weapons. The Aschen think we're dead, and until we can provide some type of protection against their ships, we have no choice but to let them think that." Sam didn't like the idea of playing dead, but she couldn't argue with her superiors.

As she and Colonel O'Neill were leaving General Hammond's office, Colonel O'Neill noticed the set of Carter's shoulders indicating her disappointment and guilt.

"There is nothing else you could have done to help him, Major." Colonel O'Neill spoke breaking the silence as they walked toward the elevator. Neither of them looked at one another.

"The Iris would have protected Earth. I didn't have to leave him." Major Carter said as they entered the elevators.

"You didn't have a choice! They would have killed you, or put you in prison. You have no idea what they were going to do to you. They may have killed you on the spot. What do you think they would have done, once they learned one of the better addressed we gave them was to a Black Hole?" O'Neill turned to look at Carter, hoping to break through her reserve.

"If I hadn't made it back, what would you have done?" Carter knew she was stepping on the line of insubordination. She wasn't mad at the Colonel. She was mad at herself for leaving Joe behind.

Jack just stared at her. Not wanting to lie to her, he remained silent.

"That's what I thought. What makes my life any different then his? Why would you come after me and not him?" Carter was still angry.

"You know why, Carter." He said quietly.

"Because you don't leave people behind."

"No. That's not it." Hoping she would understand his hidden meaning, but she was too focused on getting Ambassador Joe back home.

"Then why?" Carter asked confused.

"In this case you have to look at the big picture. If we go back, then Earth has formed another enemy. How long do you think it would take them to figure out how to get here by ship? We can't protect our self against biological weapons that will wipe out the entire planet."

This time it was Sam that was silent. What the Colonel was saying made sense, but she still couldn't stop the feeling that she had left a man to die on a hostile planet.

"Carter, you cannot save one man and risk an entire planet in the process. Are you willing to accept responsibility for the lives that will be lost if the Aschen came here after we attempted a rescue for a man that may or may not already be dead?"

"No, Sir." Sam said quietly.

"Besides didn't you say that Joe was fighting with someone and yelled for you to go, instead of following you down the rope? He made the decision for you Carter. Accept his choice, and honor him by not taking the responsibility for his death. He chose to stay, so you could warn Earth. He knew he wouldn't make it back."

With a heavy heart she finally relented, but she knew she would never forget him or the sacrifice he made for her and the rest of Earth.

xxxx Present Day xxxx

Now here she was three years later, the man she had left behind was asking for her to return. Joe was clever enough to know that the group representing Earth may not be on the up and up. He even hid his warning among the boring entries that most people would have stopped reading a long time ago. She was hoping he had a plan to explain her presence to Molum, the Aschen ambassadors Sam and the rest of SG-1 had met and escaped from three years earlier. If not, she and Joe against Kinsey, Molum, and the rest of the Aschen homeworld didn't seem like a fun time. At least she knew what they were planning to do with the Addresses. Although, after the black hole incident, they would probably use her or Joe to check out any new addresses she gave to them. Her best chance was to give them addresses where there were no inhabitants. At least she hoped it wouldn't back fire. She started working on the hand held computer to make it usable as a DHD. It would take a several days to write the programs, but she was hoping that when she arrived to the Aschen homeworld she would have the device working and three planets within the same solar system downloaded. She was hoping to keep them contained in one solar system with minimal life on the planets.

Kinsey walked to the bridge where a transmission was waiting for him.

"We have Colonel Carter. Have you taken care of everything there?"

"We have a problem. SG-1 arrived at the warehouse. They know she was transported to a ship."

"How did they find out where she was? They're too early!" Kinsey was angry.

"I don't know. I didn't stick around to find out. I had to eliminate a problem." The mystery man seemed disappointed.

"What type of problem?"

"It seems Jameson was going to squeal."

"What did he tell them?"

"That Robert was the mastermind behind the kidnapping, but he didn't give you're last name. He told them about Shanahan's involvement, like we hoped. However, he was also going to name my involvement, so unfortunately, I had to take him out. That was one of the toughest things I have ever had to do."

"What about Shanahan? Have you taken care of him as well?" Kinsey didn't care about the other man's problems.

"Pete should have left for a meeting with an informant of mine. He should be out of the picture by now. It'll look like a suicide and everyone will think he and Jameson acted alone, the SGC will never know about our involvement."

"Good because we can't let O'Neill get to him. Shanahan knows too much. O'Neill will be able to figure everything out if he gets to Shanahan first."

"There is nothing to worry about. This is the last job that I do, Kinsey. I'm officially retired from the NID. I have my own career to think about now."

"Fine. Fine. Just make sure this job is finished first. Contact me again when you know for sure Shanahan is taken care of."

"Will do." The mystery man disconnected his transmission and set out to find Pete Shanahan.

TBC

Well there you have the biggest twist ... Joe Faxon is alive and Sam is heading towards a dangerous situation with the Aschen. I always wondered what happened to Joe and the Aschen and what would cause SG-1 to go back for Joe after three long years.