The Devil You Know
Captain Samantha Carter was speaking with one of the technicians in the control room when she heard a familiar drawl that sent her mind spiraling into an abyss of surprise and sickening terror.
"Samantha, Samantha, Samantha."
Her hands started to shake but she balled them quickly and replaced her stunned look with one of stubborn defiance. "Captain Hansen," she said coolly.
"What, you won't even look at me anymore, sweetie pie?"
Damned right I won't. I spent months getting your face out of my nightmares.
The technician she was speaking to frowned, concerned. "Ma'am?" he asked cautiously.
"Yes? Oh, right. Now, when you try to dial it up agai –"
"Damn it, don't you ignore me!" Hansen roared, grabbing her arm and twisting her around.
Memories flashed through her mind so fast she hardly remembered they were the past, not present. "C'mon, baby, lemme play a little?" "I'm gonna f--- you so hard you shout for mercy, whore!" "You stupid bitch! You've been cheating on me, haven't you!" All the while, rough, hard, battle-worn hands – the hands of a killer – beating at her, scratching her, and the pain that would shoot through her groin when he invaded her before she was ready.
Out of reflex from her previous two years of self retraining, she grabbed his arm and twisted it around. He growled and countered her move with one of his own, and raised his fist to strike her.
When she saw that fist, she wasn't Captain Carter, Ph.D., level three advanced hand-to-hand, who swore she wouldn't take another raping from any man ever again for any reason. She was newly-graduated Lieutenant Carter, although you wouldn't know it; she was half-naked and scared, watching as his fist fell for another blow with all the strength he'd gained from his shady work in the military. Captain Carter squeezed her eyes shut and lifted her arm, hoping to block this one. It was all she could think in those days, "Just another block, please let that be a face strike so I can block that. Oh! – stomach strike? Ooof! Ohhh….groin strike. Another! – face! Ahhhg…stomach. Please, let me block another blow…"
Pain rippled through her side as Hansen's fist collided with her, a faint cracking feeling in her ribs. Doc'll give me hell for that.
The logical, tactful soldier in her was giving instructions that were bluntly ignored by her panicky, fleeting fear – the first one, of course, DON'T PANIC. The second being, of course, OPEN YOUR EYES. She'd never block anything if she couldn't see him, right? The third being, FIGHT BACK DAMN IT!
She counted them. Four, five – ugh – six –
The beating ended suddenly, there never being a seventh blow. She opened her eyes. She was shaking, withering pathetically on the floor while two of the SFs restrained Hansen. It took her a moment to realize that she was indeed on the cold floor of the control room, and that she wasn't going to be raped by that man anytime now – and hopefully never again.
Captain Carter pulled herself shakily to her feet, the technician catching her when she stumbled on her weary legs. "Thanks," she said, stumbling over the words like her legs stumbled over themselves.
The technician offered her a smile. "Anytime," he said. "You should go to the infirmary, ma'am."
Like hell! "I'm fine. They were weak punches," she added, the lie tasting dull and unconvincing even to her.
The technician raised an eyebrow in quite a Teal'c-like fashion. "All right, ma'am," he said slowly.
Captain Carter gave him a curt nod and left hastily, seeking the refuge of her lab.
A few hours later, her new CO, Colonel O'Neill, came storming into her lab, and she knew he'd been told of the display in the control room. Her hopes that it might simply slip their minds were short lived, and stupid. If wishes were horses…
"Captain, want to explain yourself?" he asked, waltzing up to her and folding his arms over his chest, eyes piercing hers in a blaring glare.
"Sir?"
"Control room, a captain, whole place going to hell in a hand basket, ring any bells?" he said sneeringly.
Captain Carter took a deep breath and turned to face him. "Sir, maybe it would help if I knew exactly what you've been told?" she asked. She hoped they hadn't made it out to be like she pounced on the man like a hungry wildcat, for no reason.
"Quit the crap and spill. Everything. Now."
Boy, Colonel O'Neill wasted no time and no time at all when he wanted something. With him, they'd defeat the Gou'ald in only a few short years. There was absolutely no "beating around the bush" with him – and apparently no science talk either. Which didn't leave her with much to chat about with him.
"Captain Hansen grabbed my shoulder and yanked me around," Captain Carter replied coolly. "I reacted. There's really nothing much to tell."
"He yanked you and that promoted an all out fight!" he exclaimed incredulously.
Captain Carter said flatly, "Sir, when a man grabs someone like that, you know he's not just fooling around."
Colonel O'Neill leaned in, his eyes growing darker, blacker. "He touched you…inappropriately?"
Captain Carter blushed, feeling flustered and very much cornered. "Erm, no sir, not this time," she said quickly, mentally kicking herself when she realized her slip.
Colonel O'Neill didn't miss that slip. "This time?" he repeated. "He's done it before?"
"It's a long story, sir."
He straightened. "I've got time," he said, voice calm and collected.
Captain Carter's gaze dropped to the ground. "Sir, I don't feel very comfortable…"
"Carter!" he barked, and she jumped, looking at him, alarmed. "I want answers! I don't like what I was told and I want to know what sent my 2IC cowering like a five year old when faced with an opponent she could've easily taken!"
Captain Carter went white.
"Oh yes, thought I'd forget that? Carter –" He sighed, rubbing his forehead and running his fingers through his hair. He leaned on the worktable slightly. He spoke again, his voice softer. "Carter, I know you could've taken that man. I've seen him around. He's no worse than that…Turghan guy you took on last week."
Captain Carter stared at him for a moment. "Sir, can I speak freely?" she finally asked.
He looked somewhat surprised, but nodded. "Sure."
"With all due respect, there's nothing you can do to me to get me to talk about this. I would rather get court marshaled, demoted, and discharged than talk about this, much less think about it, so if you'll excuse me…" she walked past him and exited her lab, hoping very much that he wouldn't call her bluff. And though it was true she wouldn't do anything to lose this job, what she said actually hadn't been that far from the truth.