Teal'c was already sitting up, beginning to recover from the effects of the zat when Kopris shoved Sam roughly into the cell. Daniel jumped up to keep her from stumbling. "Sam, are you all right? Why the hell did he keep you?"

"Relax Daniel, I'm fine." She glanced down at Teal'c, "What about you?"

Teal'c let his head dip slightly, "I am well, Colonel Carter. But I, too, am concerned as to why Ariston kept you behind."

"Mostly to threaten you guys," Sam moved to the cell bars, "You know, torture, murder, listening to his minions go on about how wonderful he is." She gripped the bars, tugging at them experimentally. "The usual."

Daniel held a hand down to Teal'c who used it to rise easily from the floor. "How original."

Teal'c moved to inspect the rear of the cell, "Villains rarely are, Daniel Jackson."

"Got anything back there, Teal'c?"

"I am afraid not, Colonel Carter."

Sam nodded, slipping her arm through the cell bar, stretching for something on the outside wall. "The control panel's out of reach. Daniel?"

The archeologist had climbed onto the cell's lone bench, running his hands over the panels of hieroglyphs that made up the walls. He turned back to Sam, shaking his head. "Nothing. These panels don't come off."

"Great," Sam wriggled her arm back into the cell, "Our luck that Hephaestus would be one of the Goa'ulds that actually had secure cells. Okay then. We wait."

"For?" Daniel dropped back to the floor, glanced around the cell for a moment before shrugging and taking a seat on the bench.

"For Ariston to send for you to be tortured, of course, Daniel."

Daniel lifted his eyes to the ceiling of their small cell, "Of course. Why didn't I think of that?"

Teal'c moved to his side, hands clasped behind his back and bowed in the other man's direction. "I do not believe that Colonel Carter intends to allow you to be tortured Daniel Jackson. Even if Thais does seem very eager to share more of Ariston's glory."

Sam grinned at Teal'c, "No. I don't. But when he sends his guards to take you to be interrogated it's going to be our chance to escape."

Daniel sighed, "What about Regarus?"

Sam shook her head, "Ariston told me Regarus is dead and that he thinks Regarus was a Goa'uld. And since we told Ariston Regarus was our friend, he must think we're in league with the Goa'uld." She sighed, "At this point, Ariston's belief that we know how to work those devices is the only thing keeping us alive."

Daniel nodded, "Okay then."

Sam nodded, "All right. I have my knife…" At Daniel's look of surprise she just grinned, "They didn't search us." She reached down to pull it from a boot sheath. "Be ready. We won't get a second chance."

When Ariston's men arrived hours later, the team was ready. Sam sat slumped near the cell door, Daniel crouched at her side. Teal'c stood opposite them, on the other side of the cell.

"She's hurt," Daniel looked up and spat at the men. "What the hell did Kopris do to her when he brought her back here?"

The two guards glanced at one another, one turning to eye Sam warily. "Ariston did not order her to be injured."

"Yeah, well Kopris obviously didn't listen. She's hurt. She could be dying here." Daniel scowled, "Don't just stand there; help me! She's the only one who can answer your boss' questions!"

With that, one of them bent to get a better look at Sam. Teal'c sprang on the other man then, clubbing him with both fists on the back of his head. As he did Sam reached swiftly up, revealing her hidden knife, and plunged it into the first man's leg. As he fell, she pulled his zat gun from his hand. She grimaced as she took the hilt of the knife and pulled it from his flesh. "Sorry about that. Teal'c?"

The Jaffa was standing, the other man's zat already in his hand. "He is unconscious."

Sam slipped the first guard's zat into her thigh holster, "Good. Our objective is that hand device Regarus came here for. We'll start looking in the throne room, and that side room next to it. Teal'c, take point. I'll watch your six." She glanced down the corridor again, "Ready Daniel?" At his nod she stepped into the corridor, "All right. Move out."

The trio traveled steadily through the corridors of the pyramid; communicating easily with mere glances and gestures. Between Sam and Teal'c they avoided discovery all but once. Those men they subdued quickly, and hid their stunned bodies in an unused room. After procuring one of their weapons for Daniel, Sam zatted the lock from the outside ensuring they wouldn't get out for a while. As they neared the throne room Teal'c stopped, holding up his fist. After a moment he turned to the others, voice low. "Do you hear that?"

Sam nodded. "Staff weapons. If Ariston had staff weapons…he would have threatened us with them already."

"Indeed."

Sam glanced in the direction of the blasts, "Someone else has come to join the party."

Daniel nodded, his voice strained, "Anubis."

"Great. Just when I thought we'd have a Jaffa free mission." Sam glanced at the tall man standing beside her, "No offense Teal'c."

"None taken, Colonel Carter."

She nodded toward the corridor leading to the throne room, "They're not expecting us, we have that on our side. We can't let Anubis' forces get that weapon."

She stepped forward, zat ahead of her as she turned the corridor already firing, taking out two Jaffa. Daniel and Teal'c followed, each firing their own zat guns. As they strode ahead Teal'c reached down and took one of the Jaffa's staff weapons, holstering his own zatnikitel.

Sam crouched by the door to the throne room, Daniel behind her, Teal'c across from them. Two Jaffa had taken up flanking positions several feet inside the door behind which SG1 was hiding. Two more had Ariston on his knees before a figure now occupying the throne. When the Goa'uld turned his head Sam narrowed her eyes. Zipacna. They'd seen little of the Goa'uld since Skaraa's trial on Tollana, though Tok'ra intelligence had named him as the one responsible for the attack on Revana, costing both Lantash and young Elliot their lives. It seemed the rumors of his service to Anubis were true. Well then, Sam thought, he'd picked the wrong Goa'uld to back.

The Goa'uld held the device SG1 was searching for.

Fortunately, Sam guessed, he didn't seem to know what the object did, or he wouldn't be bothering with questioning Ariston.

She tapped Daniel's leg and caught Teal'c's eye, gesturing toward the two Jaffa nearest the door. She grabbed her zat more tightly in her hand, wishing they'd been able to find their own weapons as they escaped the cells. She'd prefer to face a Goa'uld with her P90. She held up her free hand, counting down from three fingers.

At one she rolled into the chamber, leaving room for Daniel and Teal'c to storm in, each taking out one of the sentries by the door. Sam ignored the others, aiming for Zipacna. A zat wouldn't kill him; she doubted it would even stun him more than momentarily. However, it might confuse the other Jaffa long enough for Teal'c and Daniel to take them out, and paralyze Zipacna enough so he couldn't beam out with Hephaestus' weapon. The energy discharged from her weapon, hitting Zipacna square in the chest just as he was turning toward the sound of Daniel and Teal'c's guns. He fell backward, the weapon dropping from his fingers.

The Jaffa holding Ariston dropped the man and fired their staff weapons at SG1 even as Daniel and Teal'c fired back on them from behind Sam's position. Ducking beneath the fire Sam was halfway across the room when Ariston jumped up, snatching the Goa'uld weapon from the floor. She barely registered the Jaffa falling before the man was pointing the weapon at her. "Give it to me, Ariston!"

"No!" He growled at her as he moved back toward the wall, "This kills those things," he nodded toward Zipacna who was already climbing to his feet. "Stay back."

She ignored him, counting on the weapon being useless to a human and moved forward, firing her zat at him as she advanced. Zipacna lunged for the fallen Jaffa, and she could hear the discharge of a staff weapon behind her as she dove on the unconscious human and ripped the Goa'uld killing device from his hands.

She turned to see Daniel crumpled on the floor, Zipacna raising his staff again in Teal'c's direction. Instinctively she lifted Hephaestus' weapon, pointing it at the Goa'uld and depressing the small button on its top.

Zipacna seemed to be surrounded by a bright light for a moment, before falling to the ground motionless. Teal'c moved to kick the staff weapon away from him, as Sam raced to check Daniel.

"He is dead." Teal'c looked up to where Sam knelt next to their teammate, her hands pressing against a wound in his stomach. Her eyes were stricken as she met his.

"He took a direct hit, Teal'c. I…" She stopped, took a shuddering breath, and then straightened her back. "He's bleeding badly. We have to stop the hemorrhaging. And we're going to need to make sure there aren't any more Jaffa around." She pulled her jacket from her shoulders, folding it into a pad and pressing it against Daniel's abdomen. "Hang on Daniel. Hang on."

Teal'c rose, his face grave as he assessed Daniel's condition. Wordlessly he collected the staff weapons, laying one near Sam's feet. "I will find our packs, and retrieve the medical supplies Colonel Carter. And I will make certain no more Jaffa have accompanied Zipacna."

"The Jaffa in here?"

"I am afraid they are all dead as well, Colonel Carter." Sam knew Teal'c would have preferred to give them the chance to join the rebellion. "I will take that one with me," he strode to Ariston, lifting the unconscious man to his shoulder, "And find a place of safety in which to keep him from troubling us further."

Sam nodded, pressing harder on the still bleeding wound. "Dammit Daniel! Don't you dare die on me again. Do you hear me? You hold on till we contact the SGC, do you hear me?"

Later she would never be able to remember exactly how long she knelt there with Daniel's blood soaking her jacket before Teal'c returned, packs in hand, and pushing a reluctant Thais ahead of him.

"Colonel Carter. Thais informs me that there are no more Jaffa in the complex. Few of Ariston's men remain; the others have run to the village. Kopris is dead. Zipacna arrived by Al'kesh. I am unaware if there is a mothership in orbit." He dropped one of the packs next to Sam, reaching in to pull out a medical kit.

Sam nodded, pushing her hair back with one bloodied hand, leaving a crimson streak behind. "We don't have much time. His vitals…" she looked up to meet Teal'c's eyes, "They're weakening." He wouldn't survive the trek to the gate, that much was clear. And Sam was afraid Daniel wouldn't last the time it would take for Teal'c to return with help. "Are our radios there?"

"They are."

"Good. Take one with you. I want you to go to the Gate and bring back help." Sam glanced up at the Jaffa, pulling gauze from the packet of medical supplies, "Make sure it's on. We've missed at least two check-ins with the SGC. If they call to check on us before you get back to the Gate they can get a rescue team here that much quicker." She pulled her jacket away from Daniel's stomach, frowning at the size of the wound. Her voice shook as she added, "Hopefully soon."

Teal'c rose with a nod, "Very well Colonel Carter."

Sam knew it was futile. Daniel wouldn't last until Teal'c made it out of the pyramid complex, let alone through town and to the Stargate. She blinked her eyes furiously as she looked up at the Jaffa. She didn't need to tell him to hurry; she knew Teal'c would do no less than run the entire distance.

"Excuse me." Both turned toward Thais who had moved quietly to one side of the room. He approached them now, hands clasped around the healing device. "I know you said you didn't know how…but…" He held the device to Sam who took it slowly, staring at it with huge eyes.

After a moment she lifted them to meet Teal'c's gaze. "I haven't touched one of these things since Daniel…" Her voice broke off as she looked down to slip the device hesitantly over her palm.

Teal'c crouched across from her, "I have confidence in you, Colonel Carter."

She nodded and held the device over Daniel's stomach, squeezing her eyes tight in concentration. After a moment she opened them, the healing device was still inert. She took another breath and held it for a moment. It shook as she blew it out. "The last time…the last time I made it worse."

Teal'c gave a slow nod, "But you will not this time. Even Selmak was unsure if a healing device could cure such wounds as Daniel Jackson sustained on Kelowna. It was not your fault, Colonel Carter."

"It was," Sam whispered, but she lifted the healing device again nonetheless. To not try surely would kill him. This time when she closed her eyes a weak light glowed from the device, but the wound on Daniel's stomach remained gaping, and his breath continued in shallow gasps. "Dammit!"

Her eyes landed on the fallen Goa'uld, "I could use the damn weapon! Why was it so easy for me to kill, and so damned hard to save Daniel's life?"

Teal'c's hand came out to rest on Sam's shoulder. "Colonel Carter." He waited until she turned back, her eyes once again locked with his. "It is always an easier matter to kill than to heal. Killing merely requires a great burst of power. It does not require control. I am confident that you have both."

Sam nodded and took a deep breath. This time when she let it out it was steady. She gave Teal'c a small smile of gratitude before holding the healing device once more over Daniel's still form. As she did the device glowed a deep red, and Daniel's wound closed before their eyes. His breathing evened out after a few moments, and his pallor seemed to subside.

Sam dropped her hand wearily, letting the device fall to the floor. She pressed her fingers against Daniel's neck; relief flooded her as his pulse beat steadily beneath her skin. "He's better." She nodded at the Lemnan man who stood off to the side, "Thank you."

Teal'c rose then, "I will go to the Stargate for assistance, I will return as quickly as I can."

"I know you will." Sam sank into a sitting position, Daniel's wrist cradled in her palm, "And Teal'c? Thanks."

Epilogue

The wormhole snapped closed behind them as Daniel was wheeled away to the infirmary, protesting all the way that he was fine and didn't need a gurney. Sam stood with Teal'c and Jack at the bottom of the ramp, watching as Dr. Brightman pushed him out of the room and down the corridor.

"I believe Daniel Jackson is going to make a full recovery."

Jack grinned, "Sure sounds like it."

Teal'c bowed to Sam, then Jack. "I will accompany Daniel Jackson to the infirmary. The doctor may need details about the nature of his injury."

"Thanks, T." Jack turned and glanced at Sam, pointing to her scalp. "You sure you're all right Carter?"

Her brow furrowed in confusion for a moment as she lifted her hand to her head, fingers combing through crusty dried blood. "Oh. I'm fine sir. It's not mine." She brushed her hand against her BDU pants. "Sir. One of Ariston's men did end up assisting us. So did a little girl we met. Anubis knows about Lemnos now and…"

"Relax Carter. SG3 is staying behind to help relocate the planet's inhabitants. I'm sending SGs 11 and 13 to help."

"Thank you, sir."

"Belda is waiting in my office. I'll tell her about Regarus." Jack glanced up at the third floor observation window. "Go get yourself poked and prodded Carter. Briefing is at 1500."

"Yes sir." Sam nodded and turned toward the door, slipping her hands in her pockets as she did. Her fingers closed around a small metal oval. "Oh! Sir?" She turned back to Jack, "I almost forgot your souvenir." She tossed the device to him, "Regarus' device. It's similar to the device the Ashrak used to kill Jolinar, except it works instantly and quietly."

"Sweet." Jack closed his fingers around the object, looking up to meet Sam's eyes. "Excellent work, Carter."