Disclaimer: You know the deal. Malek, Jacob...not mine.

The bed was warm and he was comfortable, but he didn't want to open his eyes for fear of what he might see, or rather what he might not see. Cautiously, he opened one eye to squint at his new surroundings. The walls were grey, the people were dressed in white, and there were guards wearing the familiar green of Jacob's people. So this was the Taur'i base. He should have known Jacob would bring them here. Well, at least here they were safe. Their enemies could not penetrate the barrier that the Taur'i had placed within their stargate. He finally opened both of his eyes to look at the small woman that approached his bed. Doctor Frasier, wasn't that her name?

"Hello Malek. How are you doing today?"

"I'm doing much better Dr. Frasier."

"Good. Well everything checks out so you can go. I believe that the Tok'ra's temporary quarters have been set up a few floors above this one. Your guard will escort you there."

"Thank you."

Ten minuets later Malek was to be found in his room's small bathroom; furiously trying to make the humans technology work. After what seemed like and eternity, the hot water in the shower turned on. Malek let the scalding hot water wash the past days memories from his mind and body. The images of his fallen comrades became fainter as the hot water began to slowly numb his body. The pain caused by the heat only served to prove to him that he was alive and that the past was real. His body hurt and his soul ached for those lost. He touched his side where a staff blast had hit him. It was healed but the flesh was still tender to the touch. He turned off the water and stepped out of the shower into the icy air. A shiver ran down his spine as he wrapped the towel around his waist and went into the small sleeping space to search for clean clothes. Pulling a black t-shirt over his head he heard a knock at the door. It was Jacob.

"Come in."

"Hi Malek, sorry to bother you. I just wanted to see how you were doing. We thought we had lost you for awhile there."

"I'm ok. How many did we lose?"

Jacob sighed. "It's easier to count how many we didn't lose. Thirty came through the gate with us, two died. We assume all those left behind at the base are dead. That's over two hundred people."

The news hit Malek like a ton of bricks. He reached back in search of the table to steady himself. He found it and sat down heavily. Finally in a weak voice he asked, "What about our operatives on board the motherships?"

"We have no way of knowing if they were discovered or…" he stopped talking abruptly as a woman's voice echoed throughout the base.

"Unauthorized incoming traveler."

Jacob and Malek looked at one another.

"You don't think… they couldn't know where we are!"