SGC

January 24th, 2005

2:00am

"UNSCHEDULED OFF-WORLD ACTIVATION"

Alexia was jarred out of her sleep by the alarm. Throwing on some clothes, she raced to the control room, hoping that it was SG-1. They were 12 hours overdue to return from P7-653, and everyone was beginning to get worried about them.

"I'm receiving the Tok'ra's IDC," Alexia heard someone say as she entered the room. When SG-1 became eight hours overdue, General Hammond had contacted the Tok'ra for help. They had said that they would send Jacob as soon as they could, and sure enough, Alexia watched as General Carter walked through the Stargate with five other men.

Twenty minutes later, Jacob, General Hammond, SG teams 2-4, and Alexia were in the briefing room, "Ok, people, we do know, from Tok'ra intelligence, that they are being held captive by Apophis' Jaffa. However, this is all we know," General Hammond said, "Frankly, before we even attempt a rescue, we need to know more information."

"What if we use a decoy," Alexia said, an idea forming in her mind.

General Hammond turned to her, "What do you mean?"

"Well, what if we sent someone in to gather the information you need," Alexia explained.

"How would they gather the information," Jacob asked.

Alexia shrugged, "by being captured themselves."

"And just how would that help us rescue SG-1 if another person is captured." General Hammond said.

"A wire," Alexia said simply.

"What exactly are you suggesting, Dr. Miller," Jacob asked.

"I'm suggesting that you send one person in wearing a wire. We know that the Goa'uld know how to use radios now, so that's out. Let the person get captured, and then they can use the wire to transmit information back to other people waiting. We know that most of the cultures we come across speak some English, but that's the only language that we have on Earth that they speak. We have no evidence that the Goa'uld or anyone else can speak another language," she said, and General Hammond knew where this was going. Alexia turned to Jacob, "General Carter, can you speak any other language besides English fluently?"

Jacob was confused, "Yes, Spanish and French," he said, wondering what Alexia's point was.

"Dr. Miller," General Hammond said, "a word please. Excuse us."

Alexia followed General Hammond into his office, "Dr. Miller," General Hammond began, "I know what you're thinking, and it might have actually worked, but I have to say no."

Alexia was shocked, "With all due respect, Sir, may I ask why?"

"It's simple, Doctor, with the planet's Xenon levels, we can't send you. That's why you didn't go in the first place," General Hammond said.

"Yes, sir, I know that, but the Xenon levels on Ittan were much higher. This planet's Xenon levels are .5. We really don't know how long it will take to make me sick, or even if it will at all," Alexia said.

"Be that as it may, Doctor, it's a risk that I cannot allow you to take. I'm sorry," General Hammond said.

"Sir, it's a risk that I am prepared to take. Let me at least try. Even if the Xenon makes me sick, I should still have plenty of time to relay the information that is needed to attempt a rescue. Let me try it," Alexia pleaded.

"Are you sure, Doctor," General Hammond asked.

"Yes, sir, I'm sure," Alexia replied.

"Ok, then, I will allow you to try it. However, you will bring with you extra oxygen. I will not allow one team member to be lost while trying to save the rest"

Alexia smiled, "Yes, Sir."

Thirty minutes later, Alexia found herself alone on a strange planet. The Tok'ra and SG teams 2-4 had found a place on the planet's surface that would allow them to keep an eye out for Jaffa. General Carter had pointed her in the direction of the place where SG-1 was being held, and Alexia had walked in that direction. Her spare oxygen was tucked in her sock and, hopefully, covered by her baggy pants. She knew that the Jaffa would take her pack and gun when she was captured, but she was hoping that they wouldn't think to look in her sock. She followed the path carefully, and had just spotted the building when a voice rang out behind her, "Drop your weapon."

Alexia turned toward the voice to find several Jaffa behind her, and she dropped the gun. The Jaffa advanced on her, "Where are the others," one asked.

Alexia looked him in the eye, "There are no others. I came alone, without orders," she said.

"We'll see about that," the Jaffa said, and then turned to two others, "Put her with the rest of them."

The two Jaffa led Alexia into the building. They took her down three flights of stairs and down a long hallway that ended in a cell. She spotted Daniel, Sam, and Teal'c resting, but Jack was alert, and as he saw her appear, she watched his face fall. The Jaffa took her pack and threw her into the cell with them. Alexia kept her footing and smiled, it had actually worked.

Jack walked over to her, "Please tell me I'm hallucinating," he said, "What the hell are you doing here?"

Alexia smiled at him, "I've come to rescue you," she said.

"Yah, that worked out real well," Jack said, sarcastically, "you know he's going to hurt you."

Alexia sighed, following his gaze to where Daniel was sleeping, "Yeah, I know, but I'm hoping that we won't be here that long."

"Wait, General Hammond actually sent you? What about the Xenon," Jack asked.

"Believe me, he didn't want to, and he sent me with extra oxygen," Alexia said, and smiled.

"What?" Jack asked, noticing her smile.

Alexia leaned to his ear, aware of the guards twenty feet away, "and a wire."

Jack looked at her, "ok?"

Alexia whispered in his ear again, "General Carter, three SGC teams, and five Tok'ra are waiting for my intelligence," she said.

"Oh, ok," Jack answered, as they heard footsteps coming down the hall. Both turned to see the Jaffa that had captured Alex coming back, "We haven't found your friends yet, but rest assured, we will. It will do you good to simply tell us where they are," he said.

"I told you that I came alone, without orders. They wouldn't authorize a rescue mission, so I acted alone," Alexia said.

"You did WHAT!" Alexia heard from behind her. Without turning, she knew that Daniel was awake.

"You don't really expect me to believe you, do you," the Jaffa asked, ignoring Daniel.

Alexia shrugged, "No, I don't."

"We will see who is right," the Jaffa said, and quickly turned and walked away.

Alexia waited until he was down the hallway before turning around, noticing that everyone was awake now. Jack leaned down to her ear, "you calm him down, and I'll tell Carter and Teal'c what you told me, ok," he said.

"Ok," she answered, as Daniel walked over to them. Jack walked over to Carter and Teal'c. Daniel stopped in front of her, "What are you doing here?" he asked, quietly.

Alexia sighed, "I'm part of your rescue team. I didn't really act alone, but let's just say that even if they do find everyone else, it's them who will lose, not us."

"Fine, ok," Daniel said, "how is you getting captured going to help rescue us?" he asked.

"I'm wearing a wire," she explained, "I'm the bait, and they fell for it."

"Why you?" he asked, the concern showing in his eyes.

"Because we didn't know how closely you would be guarded, so we're conducting the exchange in a different language. Spanish and French. General Carter speaks both, and so do I," she said, hoping he had forgotten the reason that she didn't go in the first place.

But he hadn't, "What about the Xenon," he asked, fear now in his eyes, "General Hammond knew about that and he still sent you?"

Alexia looked at the ground, "I told him that I wanted to come, and he agreed to let me try it. He sent me with extra oxygen, just in case."

"But what if it doesn't work, Alex. I mean, I know that it's a good plan, but what if it doesn't work? How long can spare oxygen keep you well," he asked.

Alexia looked into his eyes, "That was a risk I was willing to take," she said.

"But why?" he asked, "Alex, why would you do something like that?"

"I wasn't going to just leave you guys here. You know me better than that. Did you really expect me to just sit there? I am not going to lose the only people who have really cared about me in years," she said, looking down, "Daniel, you're the most important person in my life, did you really think that I wasn't going to do everything I could to get you back safely. You'd have done the same thing and you know it."

"Ok, you're right, I'm sorry, I just worry about you. Now what's the plan," he asked.

Alexia smiled, "I'm glad you asked," she said, as they walked over to Jack, Sam, and Teal'c. Alexia explained the plan to them and then contacted General Carter. They decided that the best time to act out their plan would be at night, so they decided to wait until the following night.

The first part of the day passed without incident. At about 4:00, the Jaffa that had captured Alexia returned, with about six Jaffa, "Take her," he said, and while the remaining Jaffa held back a struggling Jack, Daniel, Sam, and Teal'c, two others grabbed Alexia and led her away.

"Where are you taking me," she asked, afraid. She had known that this was probably going to happen, but that didn't make her any less afraid. They led her into a room, and the first Jaffa signaled to the others to leave them alone.

"Now, girl, are you going to tell me where your little friends are?" he said, "or am I going to have to force it out of you?" He held up a poker looking device, which Alexia immediately recognized.

Alexia held her ground, "I told you that I acted alone. Now, you're right, by now, since I, too, have disappeared, another team has probably been sent through, but if they have, I wouldn't know who they are, much less where they are," she said, preparing herself for pain.

The pain came, and despite herself, Alexia screamed. It seemed unending, but Alexia refused to break down. Too many people were dependent on her, "You might as well kill me," she said, when he stopped, "because I'm not going to tell you anything."

This seemed to aggravate the Jaffa even more, and the pain came again, both through the device and physically. He stopped once more, "Tell me, it will do you good. I will stop the pain."

Alexia glared up at him, "Never," she said.

He tortured her until she blacked out, and then ordered the Jaffa to take her back to the others.

The rest of SG-1 had been waiting anxiously, and when they heard footsteps, they all looked up apprehensively. Jack turned to Daniel, "listen, no matter what they have done to her, do not agitate them. The last thing we need is someone else being tortured. You're the one she's going to want to see, not us, so just behave yourself, ok."

Daniel looked at him, and knew that he was right, "ok, I will," he said, and then wished he could take it back when he saw what they had done to her. He bit his tongue to keep from saying anything, and watched as the Jaffa laid her on the ground of the cell. Daniel and Sam immediately rushed to her side. Daniel put her head in his lap, and quickly felt for a pulse. He sighed with relief when he found one, and looked at Sam, "She's alive," he said, as Sam looked her over.

"That's good," she said, "where's her extra oxygen. She could probably use it now." She didn't like the sound of Alexia's labored breathing.

"Try to wake her up, Daniel," Jack said, as he helped Carter hunt for Alexia's oxygen. Teal'c kept an eye on the Jaffa.

Daniel stroked Alexia's hair, and whispered, "Alex, wake up," he said, gently shaking her. He was rewarded with a groan, and then Alexia sat up, "Good God, that hurt," she said, her breathing still labored, her eyes closed.

Sam looked at her; she was very pale, "Alex, where's your spare oxygen?"

Alexia opened her eyes and looked at her, "Oh shit," she said, noticing that she was blurry, "it's in my sock," she said, feeling the blackness try to claim her.

Daniel heard her, "What, what is it Alex," he said, as Sam got out Alexia's spare oxygen.

Alexia turned to face him, "you're blurry. You're all blurry," she said, "We were hoping that since the Xenon levels were lower that it would take longer for it to make me sick. It has taken longer, but not long enough," she said, as Sam handed her the oxygen.

Alexia looked at her, and saw by the defeated look in Sam's eyes that Sam had figured out what she too had figured out. "Take it, Alex," she said.

Alexia shook her head, "I doesn't matter, Sam, even if I took it now, it would run out far before the rescue tonight."

"What? What are you talking about?" Daniel asked, "Of course it will help you."

Alexia turned to him, noticing the blackness around her vision, "It would only be postponing the inevitable," she said, taking his hand. The blackness was closer. She turned to Jack, "Tell General Hammond that I have no regrets," she said, "and that I wouldn't change a thing. Also, tell him that it was in no way his fault. I was coming whether he wanted me to or not."

Jack nodded, "I'd rather not, so why don't you lay back down and try to rest," he said. Alexia did as she was told, and laid her head back down in Daniel's lap. The sound of footsteps fell on the hallway outside, and hiding Alexia's oxygen in his jacket, Jack and Sam walked to the door of the cell.

Only one Jaffa was walking toward them, and he quickly glanced behind him, "I am Krenak, of the Tok'ra, and General Carter says that he has moved up the rescue in light of the danger to Dr. Miller. I will be leaving with you. Be ready in one hour," he whispered quickly, then spoke loudly, "We have come to find out if the girl is ready to talk, yet."

Jack looked around at Alexia, "She's dying, you bastard. She won't tell you anything, and she couldn't even if she was willing."

Alexia heard the yelling at the door, and looked into the eyes of her best friend, "I'm not going to be conscious much longer, Daniel," she said, closing her eyes at the fear, concern, and love she saw in his. A few tears trickled out before she could stop them. She reopened them a few minutes later and looked at him, "I love you," she whispered, then fell unconscious.

"She's unconscious, Jack," Daniel said, defeated, and Jack came over to them. He relayed the message from Krenak, and handed Daniel Alexia's oxygen, "Hold this over her mouth. Make her breathe this in. It should help her until we can get her back home."

Daniel nodded, and held the device over Alexia's mouth, "I sure hope so."

An hour later, they heard a commotion upstairs, and then Jacob appeared. He blew the lock on the cell, and they followed him, Daniel carrying Alexia, "Is she going to be ok?" Jacob asked.

"We hope so," Sam said, as they made their way back to the gate.