A/N: Yeah, yeah. I knew I'd catch you guys off-guard. (After all, I didn't kill anyone in Reap until a Chapter 21, right?) Glad to know I can still surprise my loyal audience on occasion. Even if it makes you want to throw things at me.

Obviously, I should have used the "Please do not panic. Remember to fix oxygen masks to your own face before assisting those around you. Also, continue to remain seated with your seatbelts fastened until the turbulence has passed." warning from Reap.

Keep the faith, folks. It's a prequel, remember? By the way, this is the (monstrously long) chapter that will suddenly make little lightbulbs blink on over your heads. Be prepared for the "Aha!" moments which follow.

Oh, and I loved this feedback by SG1-Fanfic: "death is OK... as long as it's not permanent!"

Okay, I'll get back to the story now.

Chapter 20

The stillness of the afternoon was broken only by the wretched, desolate sobs tearing out of Jack's tortured soul. Most of his mind had completely broken down, but the small part which still remained functioning was overwhelmed by a gut-churning sensation of dé·jà vu. The similarities between this moment and the immediate wake of Charlie's death were strikingly obvious. Two people who he couldn't imagine living without, taken from him in a senselessly stupid fashion while he watched helplessly from the sidelines. The grief welling up from the darkest part of him was amplified by the knowledge that he'd barely survived the first round of this torment. There was no way he'd make it through part two.

It was there, mired in the mindless, tortured agony of despair, that part of Jack's black-ops training kicked in automatically. Whether it was a noise, a flicker of movement, or just a feather-light tickle of his sixth-sense, he wasn't sure. But all at once, he found himself springing to his feet with his Beretta leveled neatly at a figure that had materialized just to his left.

"There is no need for your weapon. I will not harm you." With a voice that resonated in a strange, breezy harmony, the slight figure didn't even flinch at Jack's violent movements.

Nearly out-of-his mind with pain and shock, Jack barked a sarcastic laugh, tears still streaming down his rugged face. "Of course not," he ground out, "at the one moment when I'd actually like to meet an angry, ass-kicking bad guy, I get Tinkerbell instead." He flinched as another wave of agony ripped through his brain. "Hate to tell you this," he said to the lone figure, still not lowering his gun, "but I'm pretty much in a 'kill or be killed' kind of mood right now, so you're out of luck if you want to open trade negotiations or something."

Still not reacting to Jack's unbridled fury, the lithe creature before him merely inclined her head. Though definitely humanoid, she stood no more than five feet tall. Luminous, blue skin covered in odd tattoo-like markings was visible on her forearms and neck, while the rest of her was wrapped in gauzy, white robes. Odd, wispy hair stuck out from her head in all directions, giving the impression that she'd just stepped in from a windstorm. She had large, grey eyes that examined Jack carefully, but showed no sign of fear. "I understand your pain," she said softly, "but I can help you if you'll let me."

Jack threw back his head and choked on disbelieving sob. "Help me?" Still leveling his Beretta at her with one hand, he used the other to point to Sam's broken body on the ground below him. "She's the one who needed help!" He squeezed his eyes shut and fought against the tears which threatened to overcome him. "Where were you five minutes ago?" Rage bubbled up inside him like a fountain. "You're too damn late!" he yelled desperately, gesturing wildly with his pistol as he fell back to his knees.

The creature continued to gaze steadily at him. When she spoke, the gentle, tinkling resonance in her voice seemed to become amplified, almost as if she was trying to comfort him. "Indeed, Colonel O'Neill, I am not too late." At the sound of his name, Jack's dark eyes leapt sharply to her blue features. "Please listen to me. I can help your Samantha, but you must come with me."

Jack opened his mouth to demand an explanation for her seemingly-telepathic knowledge, but then snapped it shut. God help him, if this small creature could bring Sam back to life, he wasn't going to question it. Part of him knew that any such offer must come with strings, and he honestly didn't want to know the consequences. They didn't matter anyway. Jack knew, with perfect clarity, that he'd sacrifice anything at this moment to see Sam open her beautiful, blue eyes again. That knowledge shook him to the soles of his feet, because he had the power to sacrifice some very important things. So, with grim understanding of his motives, Jack clamped his jaw shut against the urge to probe deeper. If he was going to commit an act of betrayal or treason, he'd like to postpone it for as long as possible. Instead, he looked down at Sam's bloody, tattered figure and then back at the alien. Lowering his Beretta, he gathered Sam up in his arms and faced his odd, blue savior. "Where are we going?"

She seemed to sigh softly, as if relieved by his willingness to follow her directions. "It is not far and you do not have to travel by foot." Then with an eerie grace that Jack had never before witnessed, she glided toward the grisly, blood-soaked pair. Completely unafraid, she moved to a position beside him and smiled reassuringly. "I will place my hands on your arm and we will be transported to my city. Do not be afraid, Colonel O'Neill."

Jack looked at her mutely. Afraid? The only thing he was afraid of at this moment was that she was somehow mistaken in her claim to be able to help Sam. If this alien could live up to her word, Jack would follow her into hell and back. He nodded at her, and she seemed to understand his thoughts.

Without hesitation, she placed her hands on Jack's forearm and closed her eyes. Absently, Jack noted that her hands, while a cool blue in color, were actually very warm to the touch. Then, in a strangely surreal moment, the drab colors of the desolate clearing faded away, replaced by muted interior light. It was almost like watching the transition between scenes in a movie. He felt no sensation of movement, just saw his surroundings transform around him.

The creature removed her hands from his arm and looked up at him calmly. "We are in my city, Colonel O'Neill. I am Bett'sko'Gra'Bethsuana-Ri'patualna am Tro'beldun-Ethpran." Seeing his blank look, she smiled slightly. "You may call me Bett."

Jack took a deep breath. "All right, Bett. Not to skip the formalities and all, but you said you can help Carter?" Holding her mangled figure gently, he hardly had the will to look down at her bloodstained features. He didn't want to see her beautiful face devoid of all color and life. It was far too heartbreaking.

Bett sensed his desperation and nodded. "I can help her."

Jack gazed steadily at the alien's blue features. "Just so we're clear on this, when you say you can 'help' her, you do mean you can somehow bring her back to life?"

The slight, enigmatic smile returned to her face. "Yes, Colonel. I can make her live."

Jack felt his knees tremble with those words. He didn't yet know what price he'd pay for this, but couldn't honestly find it in himself to care. "Then tell me what to do."

She pointed to the floor in one corner of the large chamber where they stood. "Place her there, and then come sit beside me. We must speak before I take action."

Jack hadn't noticed much about his environment before this moment, mostly because he'd been more concerned with helping Sam. Now, however, he found himself looking around the room with more than a little awe. It appeared that they were in some sort of large hall. Perfectly square, windowless, and at least fifty feet wide, the room had a lofty, domed ceiling some twenty feet above. Most impressive, though, were the walls of the chamber. Every inch of the huge space was covered in a mosaic of earth-toned tiles, none more than half-an-inch wide. No discernable pattern could be seen in the tiles, leaving the impression of being surrounded by millions of grains of sand. It was both soothing and beautiful at the same time.

As Jack walked to the indicated corner of the room, he also noticed the unique flooring beneath his feet. Odd stone tiles were set smoothly into the ground, buffed to a mirror-like surface. These tiles, unlike the ones on the wall, were each about a foot wide. Their marble-like grains were set in alternating directions, giving the surface a vaguely checkered appearance. In several places, large, ornate area rugs had been placed on the floor. Upon these rugs rested a wide assortment of cushions and small tables. Tall stands holding oil lanterns were placed in a regular pattern throughout the room, giving the whole space a warm, serene glow. Most remarkably, though, was the unique and mysterious feature in the corner of the room where he was to lay Sam's body.

Set into the floor was a wide ring of obsidian stones surrounding a solid circle of pale granite-like cobbles. Completely unlike any of the other tiles in the room, these stones were uneven and rough by comparison, yet oddly graceful and suited to the rest of the chamber's décor. There was no doubt in Jack's mind where Sam was supposed to be placed. Wordlessly, he walked to the circle and gently laid her in the stone ring, reverently pushing a stray lock of hair from her face as he did so. Once she was situated, Jack took a deep breath and released it slowly. Rising, he turned back to Bett and walked purposefully to her.

It was time to pay the piper and he knew it.

Bett had seated herself on one of the room's cushion-strewn rugs. Looking tranquil and comfortable, she watched Jack return with an air of calm composure. When he was close enough, she gestured to one of the cushions beside her. "Please, sit."

Jack looked at the luxurious fabric and then looked at his own dirty, blood-soaked clothing. "I think I might wreck the furniture if I sit there," he said wryly.

Bett merely shrugged. "That is of no consequence. I wish you to be at ease."

He gazed levelly at her. "I won't be 'at ease' until Carter is alive and well again."

The alien's grey eyes never wavered. "Then, sit, friend. The sooner we speak, the sooner your Samantha will be returned to you."

Jack sat.

Bett nodded, acknowledging his single-minded determination. "Good. Before I begin, are there any questions you'd like answered first?"

Looking haggard and exhausted, Jack shrugged carelessly. "Other than how you're going to bring Carter back, I'm not sure I need to ask you anything."

At that statement, Bett gazed knowingly at him. "You fear asking questions because you do not wish to know the price for her safe return." It was a statement, not a question.

Jack winced at the truth in her words. He shrugged again, looking away from her piercing grey eyes.

"Rest easy, Colonel O'Neill. I demand nothing in return for my assistance. Regardless of what transpires here, Samantha will be returned to you. I merely wish to make you comfortable before I begin."

With a snort of disbelief, Jack turned his intense gaze back to her odd, indigo features. "You're just going to help? No strings attached?" When she nodded slightly, she shook his head. "Sorry, sister. I don't believe you. There are always consequences to this kind of thing."

Bett sighed softly. "I did not say there would not be consequences, Colonel. I simply said that my part in helping you is without price."

Jack examined her wearily. "What, exactly, does that mean?"

Studying him in return for a moment, Bett seemed to be sizing him up. When she spoke again, there was a serious note to her voice. "Let me begin by explaining who I am and how I've come to know you." Seeing no objection, she continued solemnly. "My people have lived on this planet for many, many generations. We were once part of a much larger family, but our ancestors broke all their ties when they came to this world. Since then, my people have branched so widely apart from their origins, that we are truly a separate race." As impatience began to creep into Jack's expression, she raised a hand. "I know you are anxious for Samantha's return, but you must hear my story first. Please try to stay calm and all will be set to rights.

"As I said," she continued placidly, "My ancestors left their entire way of life when they came to this planet. It was not an accident that left them cloistered many hundreds of light years from their homes and families. It was something much more powerful and important." Shifting slightly on her cushion, Bett leveled her grey eyes to the corner of the large chamber where Sam lay in the midst of the odd stone circle. "As far as my ancestors could tell, that ring of rock and mortar contains more power than any single artifact anywhere in the universe, including the stargate which brought you and Samantha to this world." Seeing Jack's incredulous look, she smiled slightly. "I know, it doesn't look very impressive, but rest assured, I speak the truth. Those stones have the ability to open doorways through both space and time – in truth, across dimensional barriers that were previously thought uncrossable."

Jack tilted his head. "Not to sound unimpressed," he said dryly, "But we've used the stargate to travel through time, and we've seen a mirror that can bring people into other dimensions." He didn't mention that the time travel was purely accidental and that the mirror was, at best, mysterious in its operation.

Bett looked intrigued. "Indeed? Your people are, perhaps, more advanced than I'd originally estimated." She shrugged delicately. "No matter," she continued, "Even in light of your revelations, I can assure you that the stone ring does more than anything you've previously witnessed." She took a deep breath and stared intently at Jack, trying to impress upon him the gravity of her next words. "The Ring can transport matter across these barriers, but more importantly, it can transport consciousnesses."

Jack blinked mutely at her, not quite understanding her meaning. Seeing his confusion, she elaborated gently. "When you used the dimensional mirror, did you ever have a situation where two of the same person came to coexist in one reality?"

He nodded. No way could he forget having two Carters around at the same time. "It wasn't pretty," he said. "Some sort of really bad phase-shifting thing started happening. I think Sam called it enthralling… endoscopic..." He fished for the correct term.

"Entropic cascade failure?" Bett supplied helpfully.

Jack snapped his fingers. "That's it!"

She nodded. "Indeed, entropic cascade failure is a horrific byproduct of most inter-dimensional travel. That is the amazing feature of the Ring. It does not take a person from one dimension to another, but rather, it transports their consciousness into their extra-dimensional self."

Jack's eyes widened. "So, instead of having two of the same person in one dimension…"

"There would only be one person with the memories of both." Bett completed Jack's thought, watching him carefully.

"Wow." Jack settled back on his cushion in shocked disbelief. "So you could send me back to a time before Sam was attacked?"

Bett nodded, pleased with his understanding. "In actuality, I would join your current consciousness with a version of yourself that existed in the moments before Samantha's death, thus enabling you to ready your weapon in time to save her."

He absorbed that for a moment and then looked carefully at her. "So what happens to the 'me' in the present, if my consciousness is going back in time?"

She smiled gently. "Your body is destroyed. It cannot exist without your consciousness, so the ring… eliminates it."

Jack stifled a shudder. "What if something goes wrong, though? What if my consciousness doesn't make it to my old self?"

Bett leaned forward and patted his bloodstained hand gently. "My people have been using the Ring for millennia, Colonel. We are experts in its use. We have not had a malfunction of that nature in several thousand years."

He blew out a deep breath. "Okay," he said quietly, still not sounding very convinced, "so what do I need to do?" Then, eyes narrowing, he examined her closely. "And how do you know my name?"

Bett chuckled, a musical sound that rang sweetly in the large chamber. "I was wondering how long it would take for you to ask that question." Seeing the suspicion in his eyes, she once again patted his hand. "My people have not remained unnoticed on this world for so many years without learning to guard our presence fiercely." She smiled her mysterious Mona Lisa smile again as she continued speaking. "We have been monitoring you and Samantha since your arrival on this planet. We have many technologies that allow us to observe our world without being seen."

Jack's mouth dropped open. "Wait. You mean you were watching us?" As the implications of that sank in, his features took on a scandalized expression. "Were you always watching us?"

Smiling kindly, Bett shook her head. "No, Colonel. We understand and respect the privacy of those who visit our planet. We only monitored your conversations long enough to learn your language. After that, we merely kept track of your movements and activities. Especially once we determined the, ah, personal nature of your relationship."

Unable to stifle the embarrassment that welled up in him, Jack winced slightly. "I'd like to say that makes me feel better about–" He broke off mid-sentence. "Wait a minute. Did you say you listened to us long enough to learn our language?"

She nodded. "We'd mastered most of it before the rest of your team went back through the stargate. After that, it was primarily a matter of learning intonation and colloquialisms. We were most confused by your use of names and honorifics." She almost looked bashful for a moment. "I hope I am correct in calling you 'Colonel O'Neill.' I do not wish to show disrespect by using the wrong title."

Jack blinked. "Uh, 'Colonel O'Neill' is just fine."

Bett tilted her head. "Is that a title or label of some sort? I thought that 'Jack' was your informal name, but was unsure whether 'Colonel,' 'O'Neill,' or "Colonel O'Neill' was the correct formal title for you. Your party members seemed to use all three interchangeably."

At that statement, Jack had to smile. "Yeah, they don't stand much on ceremony." Seeing her curious look, he continued. "Colonel is my rank – it's a military thing. My full name is Jack O'Neill… Well, Jonathan O'Neill actually, but everyone calls me Jack for short."

Bett absorbed this quietly. "And Samantha… She has the rank of Major?"

Suddenly bombarded with mental images of his beautiful second-in-command, Jack had to swallow a lump of emotion before speaking. "Yeah," he muttered roughly. "Major Samantha Carter, or Sam for short."

Aware of his intense feelings of grief, Bett patted his hand gently. She continued speaking, pulling his focus away from his painful thoughts. "Your species limits itself to two names?"

Grateful for the chance to collect himself, Jack nodded. "Pretty much. Most of us have a middle name, too, but nobody really uses them unless they're trying to sound official or are really ticked off. Our last names are sort-of inherited from our families. In my culture, men tend to keep their last names their whole lives, while women generally take the names of their husbands when they get married."

Bett nodded, clearly interested in the conversation. "In my culture, we keep the names of approximately seven generations of relatives, as well as the original member of our ancestry from our founding community. That is why my name is so very long." Suddenly, a thought seemed to occur to her. Somewhat gingerly, she asked him a question. "Major Carter does not share your family name. Does that mean you are not married?"

Jack took a sharp, reflexive breath. "No," he said quietly. "Even if we wanted to, we couldn't right now."

Bett looked startled at that pronouncement. "May I ask why not?"

Oddly, Jack looked a bit relieved by her question. "You really weren't listening in on us very closely if you missed that whole series of conversations."

She shrugged. "We truly do value your privacy."

Sighing, Jack recalled the many hours he and Carter had spent discussing their current situation. "Well, remember how I told you that 'Colonel' is my military rank?" She nodded. "See, Carter is only a Major. That's a few steps down the ladder. Since we're not equals in a setting that sometimes requires immediate obedience, our military doesn't allow personal relationships between people in the same line of command. They call it fraternization."

Bett appeared confused. "But, clearly you and Major Carter do have a personal relationship."

Jack exhaled slowly. "Yeah. Which means when we go home, we're either going to have to pretend we don't, or we're going to get into a lot of trouble."

Her eyes widened. "How much trouble?"

He shrugged. "Worst case scenario? We could go to jail – you know, get locked in a cell for a long time."

She looked truly appalled by that statement. "You could be punished so severely for falling in love?"

He smiled wryly. "It's not being in love that's the problem. It's that we acted on it. Technically, as soon as we realized we had feelings for each other, we were supposed to report it to our superiors and be reassigned to other duties. That way, we'd no longer be in the same line of command, and we wouldn't jeopardize any of our military assignments."

Bett looked at him steadily. "But you did not do that. Were you unwilling to leave your military position, or" she asked perceptively, "were you unwilling to leave Major Carter?"

Jack looked into the distance. "Both, I suppose." Suddenly, he blinked and pulled his attention back to her features. "Ya know, I don't usually talk about this kind of stuff to anyone."

She tilted her head. "But these are not ordinary circumstances, are they Colonel?"

He snorted. "You can say that again."

Bett seemed to understand his comment, and smiled gently. "Colonel O'Neill," she said quietly, "There is just one more thing you must know before we start the procedure."

Ah. Jack took a deep breath. He'd known there had to be a catch somewhere. "Go ahead," he said resignedly.

She looked almost apologetic. "My people grew rather fond of you and your Samantha in the weeks you have been on our planet. We know from the destruction of the stargate that you are likely stranded here."

Jack winced. Well, that answered his questions about the gate.

"Still, your misfortune is our blessing. The stargate has brought many travelers here over the years. Every time it activates, we fear discovery. Our people cannot allow the Ring to fall into any hands but our own. The technology is too powerful, and its misuse could be disastrous for all life in the universe."

Looking a bit confused, Jack ran a hand through his hair. "So why didn't you just bury the gate?"

She smiled. "We could not risk it. Other beings have come to our world by starship. If they saw that someone had buried the gate, they might wish to discover why. However, now that the volcano has done that for us in a completely natural process, we are truly thankful. Without the stargate, we believe our world will settle into oblivion. There are no valuable natural resources here, and the volatile geological activity of our planet makes it mostly unsuitable for settlement. Now that the gate is gone, there is nothing remarkable to see on our world. We feel we might now be left in peace."

Jack nodded slowly. "I suppose that makes sense."

She smiled, glad to have his understanding. "As I said, my people are not without compassion for your situation. We are willing to bring you into our civilization and live with you as equals, should you desire it. I'm afraid that life alone on the surface is treacherous – as you've unfortunately discovered all too clearly."

Swallowing another wave of pain, Jack nodded. Then, he seemed struck by something. "On the surface? We're underground?"

Bett nodded. "My city is a truly wondrous site to behold. There are approximately four million of my people living in countless chambers deep below our world's surface. We harness the geo-seismic energy of the planet to maintain our survival. Our technology is quite advanced," she said proudly.

Jack tried to absorb all she was telling him. Four million of them? That was beyond impressive. "Wow," he muttered. Then, shaking his head slightly, he refocused. "Look, Bett, it's not that I don't appreciate the offer, but I think we'd like to go home someday." Heaven only knew he'd hashed that one out with Sam often enough on this trip.

Bett, however, looked a bit startled. "But the gate is destroyed."

Jack nodded. "I know. But my friends aren't without technology of their own." He smiled a bit as he continued. "I'd be willing to bet that they have some sort of rescue planned, even as we speak."

She seemed to consider his words carefully. "A ship?" she asked simply.

He nodded. "My own people don't have much in the way of starships, but we've got some friends who do."

"Indeed?" Bett looked impressed by that statement.

Jack smiled. "The Asgard are actually pretty fond of me. I wouldn't be surprised if good old Thor came through this time."

Bett looked completely shocked. "The Asgard?" She exhaled slowly. "You do, indeed, have powerful allies, Colonel O'Neill."

Jack's head shot up. "Hey, they're not the folks who share your distant relatives, are they?"

She smiled and shook her head. "No, they are not, though I would not be ashamed if they were. The Asgard are well and truly noble people. They are the only other race, outside of those who share my ancestry, who know of our existence on this world. If the Asgard are your allies, Colonel, then I suspect you are correct in assuming you will be rescued." She considered him carefully. "This does change things a bit, though not materially." Taking a deep breath, she pierced him with a no-nonsense look.

"Here are your options, Colonel O'Neill. You may, as offered, consent to live your life here with us in our underground colony. Major Carter is free to be rescued and returned to her world, provided she does not learn of our existence." Seeing Jack's dark look, Bett continued quickly. "Alternately, you may choose to share your knowledge of us with Samantha, and you are both welcome to stay here, as originally proposed." Jack's countenance didn't improve much upon hearing that statement, so she pushed ahead one more time. "There is one final option," she said quietly. "As I mentioned, our technology is great, especially concerning the manipulation of consciousness. We have not wasted our many years with the Ring, and we have learned much from it." She paused, gauging his reaction. Apparently satisfied with his interest, she spoke with quiet authority. "If you choose to be rescued and returned to your home, you would need to consent to having your memories of my people completely eliminated from your minds. You would not remember Samantha's original demise at the claws of the Gak'Laannor would you remember ever having met me or learning of my people. Please understand," she said softly, "This is not something we would do without your full consent. Manipulating memories can only be accomplished effectively with the full cooperation of the participant." She sighed. "We would not wish you to remain here for your lifetime against your will, but neither can we allow you to take knowledge of our society away from this place. Far too much would be risked."

Jack sat back against his cushion, trying to wrap his mind around her words. All things considered, none of the options were as terrible as he might have assumed. Slowly, he looked at Bett and spoke softly. "Thank you."

At that pronouncement, Bett looked surprised. "For what do you thank me? I'm afraid I'm leaving you with less than ideal choices."

He shook his head. "You could have chosen to leave us there on that cliff. Instead, you risked some very important things to help someone you'd never even met." Jack met her clear gaze somberly as he spoke. "I'll take any of your choices over the alternative."

Bett's grey eyes softened immediately. "As I said, Colonel, we've grown fond of our visitors. We don't often have company on the surface, and we've never seen such affection in another species before. Those of us charged with monitoring the planet were all very touched by your love for each other." She saw him close his eyes and swallow suddenly, clearly wrestling with pain that still bubbled just below the surface of his thoughts. "Which brings me back to my previous question. What would you like to do once Samantha is revived?"

Jack paused momentarily before answering, clearly collecting his thoughts. "I suppose," he said slowly, "we'll probably go with your third option – having our memories of you erased." He shrugged. "I'm certainly not staying here without Carter, so there's not much point in keeping this all from her. And, unless something has drastically changed in her mind when I next see her, I don't think she'd be able to give up her life back home if there was an alternative."

Bett smiled. "Then shall we get underway?"

Without hesitation, Jack stood and looked painfully to the corner of the room where Sam's lifeless body lay in the center of the Ring. He could only nod and reply simply, "Please."

A/N: Shew That was exhausting. Now I expect retractions for all the evil, "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY FAVORITE STORY?" feedbacks!