"Guys you don't need to be here." Jack said when Daniel and Teal'c entered the briefing room.

"Janet said she didn't know how long the surgery would take. Besides I want to know what happened. The worst part after we got Sam back from Conrad was not knowing what had happened."

"Daniel, I'm not sure. . ."

"Colonel, he ahs every right to see this." Hammond said. "Go on, start the tape."

Jack sighed and hit the play button, the screen came to life revealing Sam on a standard hospital gurney, she was extremely pale and there was a tube down her throat although it was no longer attached to anything.

'Subject Major Samantha Carter was resuscitated twice during transport and once after her arrival. Subject is now stable. We are taking blood samples as well as several tissue samples focusing mainly on the two entry sights.'

Jack closed his eyes briefly then watched as the team turned Sam on her side to gain access to the back of her neck. He could see the exact moment they realized who she really was.

"I'm just gonna," Jack hit the fast forward button, "there's a lot to go over, I just want the basics now. I'll read the rest after this has been transcribed."

The remainder of the days disk showed various medical procedures being done as well as the removal of the cast, before they literally tossed her in a cell, all of this was watched in fast forward. The recordings for the next day showed Sam in the cell, the one time she moved, from the floor to the small cot, she appeared to be in great pain. No one entered the cell, there was no food nor water given to her nor any type of medicine. The next disk showed Sam begin to move around, soon after she began pacing and looking for a way out of the cell. By the end of the third day she has still not been given food, water, or medicine.

The beginning of day four Sam was forcibly taken from her cell to another room where she was strapped into a chair, head held firmly in place, bite bar in her mouth, and eyes forced open as a lazer was shone directly into her eye.

'How were you able to escape?'

'Got out with the bath water.' Sam replied, her voice was shaky but obviously pissed.

'How did you survive, were you treated overseas?'

'Sure, that and a lot of candy.'

'Turn it back on. I'll be back in an hour.'

Jack again sent the images speeding across the screen but he didn't stop when the laser was again shut off.

"Colonel?"

"She wouldn't break yet. See," Jack pointed as the restarted their machine, "started again."

The time stamp at the bottom of the screen showed two hours had passed when they stopped the machine again.

"Now. How did you escape?" The man asked. Frowning when he received no response he moved directly in front of her slamming his hands down on her restrained arms, purposefully jarring her broken arm. He brought himself to eye level with Sam and repeated the question only to have her spit in his face. "Bitch! Turn it up. Maximum power, and call me in-I don't know-three hours."

"Sir. Lydecker gave explicit instructions not to cause any permanent damage."

"I don't care!"

"Sir we've already pushed to hard. We'll be lucky if this last session didn't do any damage."

"Fine!" The man started to storm out then stopped and turned back. "But you tell Lydecker he'll get nothing from this one without more intense methods!"

The rest of the CD was full of more medical procedures. More blood work, X-Rays, CT scans, spinal fluid was taken, and to the horror of the men an hole was drilled in the back of Sam's skull-although they had no idea why. Sam was then taken back to her cell and left along until noon the next day when she was finally brought some food.

After she ate the endurance tests began. She was hooked up to several wires and put on a treadmill. They had her running at 60mph for a little over an hour, once her breathing became labored they forced her to go faster until her arms and legs were a blur. Next came weight machines, Sam was lifting weights so heavy they doubted Teal'c could handle them. After she lifted, pushed, and pulled in every possible way they moved to another room where they forcibly removed Sam's clothes then locked her in.

"God, what did they do that for?" Daniel said averting his gaze from the screen, fearing the worst.

"Hot and cold." Jack muttered.

"What?"

"I believe they are attempting to discover MajorCarter's ability to deal with extreme weather conditions." Teal'c spoke calmly. There were a few minutes of silence before he spoke again. "You may look DanielJackson. MajorCarter is once again properly concealed."

"She looks horrible."

"Those bastards are lucky they didn't give her a heart attack."

"774, we have intercepted a shipment headed for your Area 51." Lydecker motioned for the two men to bring in the box. Another young man stood off to the side, his gun carefully trained on Sam as Lydecker opened the box. "Unfortunately the owners manual seems to be missing. What are these and how do they work?"

The young man now cocked his gun, ready for anything. Sam knew he wouldn't hesitate to shot her if she didn't do as she was told. Moving to the box she carefully hid her excitement. Nestled among various artifacts and gadgets was a healing device as well as a ribbon device.

"This," Sam slowly pulled out the healing device and slipped it on her hand, "is a healing device." Aiming the device at her still broken arm she activated it, grateful as the pain quickly went away.

"Stop." Lydecker slapped her hand away. "What all can it do?"

"It can heal most injuries but has no effect on infections." Slipping it off Sam next picked up the ribbon device and fitted it on her hand. "This is a ribbon device." Sam smiled as their lack of response when the crystal lit up.

"It's function?"

"This," Sam aimed the weapon at Lydecker then the armed guard, "is a weapon."

Sam threw the guard across the room with the device then turned on Lydecker as he shouted for help. Soldiers poured into the room quickly over powering Sam with their sheer numbers. Sam fought them when she had to and got off shots when she could but once they got a hold of the ribbon device she was quickly taken down. The CD ended there and Jack stood to put in the next one.

"I am pleased to see MajorCarter fighting back." Teal'c said.

"You know I'm amazed that with all the information they managed to get about the stargate that they didn't know what that was." Daniel pondered allowed.

The next CD started with Lydecker speaking to a technician in the room with the lazer chair.

"Sir, 774's DNA has been altered from it's original design."

"With the symbote we knew. . ."

"No sir. There was a strange protein and traces of an unknown metal but this is different. It looks like someone went in and rearranged several specific pairs. See," The technician opened a folder and handed it to Lydecker, "here and here. We've been working on these sequences on the PsyOps group. I wouldn't be surprised if she had some latent mind reading abilities and/or precognoscence. Although it would most likely be interpreted as good intuition."

"If we didn't do it and you're saying the symbote didn't do it, then who did?"

"I don't know sir, but this and the protein and foreign metal in her system, I think it's why she was able to resist us before. I believe she could tolerate much more extreme levels. She can defiantly surpass the critical level of the X4's."

"Fine, do it." Lydecker spat.

"Sir, if I'm wrong we would destroy her mind."

"774 belongs to us. I've just received confirmation, we're not giving her back." Lydecker said as Sam was brought in and strapped into the chair.

Jack fast forwarded until they turned it back off, it had only been thirty-five minutes.

"How did you activate the alien devices?"

"Works off thoughts."

"Then why can no one else activate it?"

"Have to have naquada."

"Naquada?" Lydecker asked. "How do I get that?"

"Left over from the symbote."

"That must be the unknown metal."

"Your DNA has been altered on the cellular level. How did this happen?"

"Nirti."

"How did you escape Manticore?"

"Bath. . ." Sam started shaking, sweat rolling down her face, "bath water."

"Are there more advanced races then the Gould?"

"Yea."

"Have they given you any of their technologies?"

"N. . .no." Sam forced out.

"Do you not have new fighter planes, new medications, power supplies?"

Sam tried to answer but she seemed to be in pain, finally blurting out a weak "no."

"Who is Nirti?"

"Gou'ald."

"How did she change your DNA?"

"Machine left by the ancients."

"How did you escape Manticore?"

Sam didn't even attempt to answer.

"How did you escape Manticore!" Lydecker yelled. When she still didn't answer he ran his hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. Turning to the technician, "Have her prepared for the tank as soon as she's thinking straight."

"Why did Sam answer the questions?" Daniel asked.

"Whatever they used on her, it looked like it worked." Jack answered.

"Major carter only reveled information Manticore could do nothing with, as it was all related to things on the other side of the gate. Any questions regarding what we have here she managed not to answer." General Hammond said. "We won't know what was going on in her head until she debriefs. Oh my god."

Everyone's eyes snapped back to the screen as Sam was lead into the giant fish tank looking thing. Minutes ticked by as they watched their friend sit calmly at the bottom. Only Teal'c didn't jump when Janet walked in, talking as soon as she entered.

"Major Carter's doing fine, we've removed the bullet and are replacing the blood as quickly as we can." Janet paused when she noticed the television. "What's this?"

"We found these at Manticore, video documentation of what happened to Carter."

"What is she. . ." Janet trailed off as she realized Sam was completely submerged. "Why is she just sitting there?"

"She's chained to the bottom." Daniel explained.

"What! How long?"

"Ten minutes and counting."

"That's. That's not possible." Janet moved closer to the screen.

"MajorCarter and I have often mediated together. I believe she has placed herself into a meditative state."

"Even if that is true, the brain can't survive without oxygen. Brain damage starts around four minutes. She shouldn't be alive right now let alone conscious."

"Fifteen minutes." Jack said.

"This isn't possible." Janet said. She was seriously worried yet there was a small part of her that was amazed by what she was seeing. Janet shoved that thought away, sickened at herself for thinking it. Then she panicked briefly when she saw her friends eyes roll back as she finally passed out.

No one spoke as the tank was drained and they revived Sam. Janet was amazed that Sam was able to walk out under her own power and seriously impressed when she tried to get to Lydecker. After Sam was knocked out Janet reached out and hit the stop button on the player.

"Doctor?"

"Sir I came to report that Sam's doing surprisingly well. We had enough of her blood to replace what was lost. The surgery to remove the bullet went smoothly and I expect her to wake up within the hour." Janet sighted. "However, after viewing this I'm worried. They could have done anything. She heals so quickly that there would be no evidence."

"I have written the basics of what we're seeing here. I'll bring you a copy when we're finished. I'll also see you have a copy of the transcript once it's completed."

"Thank you General." With that Janet turned and left the guys to continue viewing the tapes.

sgcsgcsgcsgcsgcsgcsgcsgcsgc

this chapter was difficult for me to write. It didn't seem to flow and I apologize if it sucks. I have more written, but finding the time to actually type it up is difficult. Let me know if I should keep going, if you like it or not...