Chapter 14

SG teams 1, 8, and 11 gathered at the bottom of the ramp, geared up for battle. Daniel hoped he would be able to talk to the leader first and work something out for Raphaella's return without bloodshed, but he knew realistically that it would probably come to battle. Hammond gave the signal and O'Neill led the large group through the event horizon.

Arriving on the other side, each had to quickly move off the ramp to avoid being run over by the soldiers pouring through the gate. Colonel O'Neill scanned the area and saw two guards about a hundred meters off, at the mouth of the ravine. Daniel stepped forward to begin a request for their team member, but one guard began firing arrows, while the other fled down the ravine, obviously for reinforcements.

Teal'c fired his staff weapon, taking down the guard who had been left behind.

"OK, kids. It's obviously a fight. SG 8, go over the hill to the left, 11 take right, we'll go through the ravine. Now!"

Each SG team set off to do what they did best – get home alive with their objective accomplished. SG1 was almost through the ravine before they saw more warriors coming toward them armed with bows and arrows, swords, and a few pikes. SG1 slowed to allow the flanking teams to catch up as they were going over rougher terrain. The oncoming Samurai came straight toward the center and were quickly mowed down by the superior Tau'ri weapons.

SG teams 8 and 11 stayed to defend the entrance to the gate, while SG1 made a beeline for the hut where Daniel had found Raphaella's headscarf. They met a little resistance, but that was quickly overcome with their weapons. Arriving at the hut, Teal'c and O'Neill stood guard outside, while Daniel and Sam entered to bring Raphaella out. It took a few seconds for their eyes to adjust to the darkness in the small room, but they finally made out a shape in the shadows.

"Raphaella." Sam called out as she approached the reclining woman. She reached her friend and was horrified to find her unconscious, bleeding, and half naked.

"Daniel. She's hurt."

Daniel rushed over to Sam and knelt beside Raphaella. The two did a quick inventory and decided that other than having been beaten raw, she seemed to have no broken bones. Sam helped Daniel pick her up and then noticed the other woman deeper in the corner.

Raphaella stirred in Daniel's arms. "Get…beaten…wife…help." Raphaella managed to get out her plea of help for the other woman before blacking out again.

Sam called Teal'c in to carry the other woman and the four left for the gate, Sam and O'Neill protecting their burdened comrades and the injured women.

They had almost reached the entrance to the ravine when Daimyo came rushing at them, sword swinging, his face contorted in a grimace, screaming obscenities. Jack waved his P90 at the man in warning, but he continued to charge. Jack fired a short burst and the leader dropped lifelessly to the ground.

The three SG teams headed back to the gate where Sam dialed them home.

XXXXXXXXXX

Dr. Frasier and her team were waiting in the gate room as the SG teams flooded through the gate with their wounded. Lt. Hermann of SG11 had taken a sword slash to his right thigh and was bleeding heavily. Janet's team got the three wounded people on gurneys and off to the infirmary before the entire off-world group had reached the bottom of the ramp.

General Hammond ordered the teams to the showers and then to the briefing room in one hour. Their medical exams would wait until Janet's team had a chance to deal with the wounded.

The briefing room was crowed with all the members of the three teams, but the meeting went quickly since they were eager to see how the injured people in the infirmary were doing.

Janet stopped all eleven people from invading her infirmary. "There are just too many of you. Let's step into the hall and I'll give you a quick report. Then just two people at a time per patient."

After stepping out Janet reported, "The lieutenant took 30 stitches and required pint of blood, but did not receive any serious muscle damage. He should be out tomorrow afternoon. Our guest is a different story." Janet glanced quickly at the injured woman. "She received over 100 stitches on her back. Apparently what ever she was beaten with had something sharp, like glass or metal imbedded in it. She has received a pint of blood and will probably need another tomorrow. She has several broken ribs and a broken arm. In addition, she has sustained some internal damage to her kidneys. She was about twelve weeks pregnant, but lost the baby due to the trauma she received. She is in critical condition and at this point, I'm not certain she will survive." Janet let a sigh of frustration escape. "Finally, Raphaella was beaten in the same manner, although not as seriously as the other woman, and apparently then dragged over dirt on her back. She has received about 70 stitches on her back and a broken rib. As quickly as she heals, she should be well enough to leave in a few days. OK, two people at a time and only for two minutes each group."

A couple of members from each team entered to see their injured friends. Jack and Sam were the first in to see Raphaella. She was lying on her left side, conscious, but pretty out of it on painkillers. Jack patted her on the arm and assured her he was watching her back. Sam let her know that Janet and Cassie were taking good care of Baram. They checked up on the SG11 member before leaving so Teal'c and Daniel could enter.

The two men stopped by to see Lt. Hermann first, assuring him that he'd done a fine job and would soon be back home with his family. Then they came by Raphaella's bed. By this time she was asleep, knocked out from the painkillers. Teal'c gave her a reassuring pat on the arm anyway and the two men left.

Sam and Jack were waiting in the hall for the others.

"Let's set up a rotation. We leave no one behind and we let no one wake up alone in the infirmary." Jack took the first three hours, then Teal'c, Sam, and finally Daniel. Jack figured Daniel would have the best chance of being with her when she woke up.

XXXXXXXXXX

Jack was right-on with his predictions. Raphaella slept through everyone's watch and woke about forty-five minutes into Daniel's. She opened her eyes to see Daniel leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed. When he heard her moving, he sat up straight and opened his eyes.

"Morning. How're you doing?"

"Terrible, but I'll live. How's everyone else? "

"Only you, Lt. Harmann, and that woman from the planet were injured. The lieutenant will be fine, but Janet isn't sure that other woman will survive. She was badly beaten."

Janet heard the two of them talking and came over to check on her patient. She scanned the readings of the equipment hooked up to Raphaella and did a few quick exam procedures.

"Well, your vital signs look normal. Flip over so I can check your back. Daniel?"

Daniel stepped away from Raphaella's bed so Janet could examine her. He jammed his fists into his pockets and paced around the infirmary. He was stuck here until either someone else came in or Raphaella told him he could leave.

Janet completed her quick check, removed all Raphaella's wires and tubes, opened the privacy curtain, and motioned to Daniel that he could return.

"Raphaella, your back is almost completely healed. I should be able to remove the stitches tomorrow instead of after a week. I won't know about your rib until we can take an x-ray, but I suspect that's healing just as quickly. I want you to stay here until late this afternoon and we'll see then about letting you go." Janet picked up the clipboard with Raphaella's chart, patted her patient on the arm, nodded to Daniel, and left to check her other patients. Siler had been brought in earlier after banging his head on an open cabinet door and required several stitches.

Daniel sat down next to Raphaella again to wait until his watch was over, hoping she'd tell him to leave.

Raphaella sat up slowly, still very sore and stiff from the beating. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, clearly intending to get up.

"Are you sure you're OK to get up?" Daniel looked at her over the top of his glasses.

"Well, it is either that or you bring me a bed pan. I have been hooked up to an IV for twelve hours and all that went in needs to come out."

"Yeah, been there, done that – a lot! Let me help get you steady."

Daniel took one of her hands in his and slipped his other arm around her waist, forgetting her tattered back. Raphaella jerked away from him with a quick intake of breath. Tears sprang to her eyes and she clenched her teeth in an effort to gain control.

"Oh, god, Raphaella. I forgot! I'm so sorry! Can I get Janet to give you some painkillers?" The pain he had caused someone else shook Daniel.

Raphaella gained control again and reached her hand back out to Daniel. "Just help me to the bathroom, please."

He helped her to the bathroom, waited for her, and offered to help her back to bed, but she was much steadier on her feet by now and walked back on her own, with Daniel hovering nearby. He helped her back into bed where she sat dangling her feet over the edge.

"Sure you don't want to lie down?"

"No, I feel well enough to be up and doing something. Maybe I can go see the woman you brought back. I might be able to help her."

"Janet will need to OK that. I'll go get her for you."

Fifteen minutes later, Raphaella sat by the sick woman. Daniel stood behind Raphaella's chair at Janet's insistence. Raphaella placed her hands on the woman's head and closed her eyes. As she reached down, she first concern was for the pain. So much pain! Even the drugs do not stop it all. Next she worked on repairing the damage to her internal organ, the area of Janet's biggest concern. Raphaella was able to partially heal most of the damage, but there was so much and Raphaella was still not at full strength. She let go of the patient and slumped in her chair.

Janet moved in quickly to check Raphaella and was reassured that her vital signs were still normal, she was simply drained of energy. Frasier then turned to the woman in the bed and checked the equipment readings.

"Her blood pressure is almost up to normal and her heart rate is steady for the first time since she came in. I'll need to do some more tests, but she seems much better. Thank you, Raphaella. We could use a few people like you around here."

Daniel helped her return to her bed and get settled in. She closed her eyes again and went back to sleep.

Jack, Sam, and Teal'c entered the infirmary to find Daniel sitting quietly and Raphaella asleep.

"Hasn't she awakened yet?" Sam was sure her friend should be awake by now.

Daniel filled them in on what had happened and then escaped to his lab, leaving the others with Raphaella.

"Who lit a fire under him? He couldn't get out of here fast enough." Jack was disappointed that Daniel hadn't seemed to get over his aversion of Raphaella yet.

A/N: Many, many thanks to my beta, Verb, who has prevented flying fish, lost eyeballs, and Daniel waking up with jerks. Also given me much laughter at my own awkward sentence structure. Grammar counts! Thanks. (PS A pike is an ancient weapon, not a fish in this case - think long, pointy pole!)