Neither O'Neill could tell how much time had passed when they were awoken by a loud clattering noise.

With one hand Ranorku lifted the thick iron bars of the cell door until there was enough clearance to slide two covered trays through. With a grunt he released the bars and the door clanged back in place.

Jack remained still until the large man had disappeared down the hall. With a grunt he pushed himself up and shifted until he was able to reach the trays with his feet. He pulled one closer to himself and a swift kick sent the second over to Michael who had not moved but remained staring at the door.

"Mike - Eat." Jack ordered.

Michael blinked at the rarely used nickname and then looked to Jack and then the tray as if he was just now realizing its presence. Ignoring it he looked back to his brother, "Jack - we can get out of here."

"Oh?" Jack's eyebrows rose.

Michael gestured at the door, "Did you see that? The way he lifted the door? The hinges are weak. We could lift it just slightly higher and with the right angle take it completely off."

Jack turned his attention to the door, tilting his head as he analyzed what Michael was proposing.

"Huh." With a satisfied nod he turned back to investigating the mush and meat stew on his tray.

"What do you mean 'Huh'?!" Michael shouted impatiently, "I'm telling you we have a way out!"

Jack nodded "And I get that..." He grimaced as he scooped up a finger of the orange porridge looking food, "But what do you expect us to do right now? Are you feeling up to lifting a heavy iron door and then sprinting for however many miles we'd need to go in order to get out of here? Or for that matter even where here is and what we'd have to do to get home?"

He sighed and gave the younger man an understanding look, "Eat and rest. Let's gather what strength we can and try to see if there is anything we can learn in the meantime. I promise we will bust out of here before that women comes to stab us again." With a final grimace he took a bite of the strange looking porridge. "Huh, not half bad."

Michael had to admit that Jack had a valid point. He sighed and turned his attention to his own meal.

As he munched on what was an uncomfortably crunchy kind of meat he observed aloud, "This is the oddest food I have ever eaten."

Jack slurped his soup, "I wish I could say the same."

Michael watched the other man with interest, "So, you were a field operative I take it?"

Jack nodded without looking up, "For a long time."

"Howard had said he thought you had joined the Air Force but thought you never recommitted after Vietnam."

Using a bone from the stew as a spoon Jack kept his focus on the food in front of him as he explained, "I took some time off to help a friend and get an education. Came back as an officer after a few years and never left. They assigned me to a desk just over 2 years ago. Been in DC just under a year."

Michael squinted, "Didn't you say you were a Major General? Were you in the field as a general?"

"Nope." Jack shook his head, "Benched me when I got my first star." Jack replied.

"Wait," Michael's eyebrows raising, "You got your first and then second star within two years?"

Jack shrugged nonchalantly, "You know how it is, once you're part of the club they toss out the extra stars like party favors; keep the mess stocked, limit the paper cuts and next thing you know you've got to change your business cards all over again."

Michael scratched the side of his head. He knew enough that Jack's cavalier attitude was meant as a distraction but he could not fathom what someone admittedly 'flying a desk' could do to earn such speedy promotion and why he would be so humble about it. "Well you must have done some good work because these people really don't seem to like you." He gestured to the door with his bowl.

Jack smirked, "Yes, well, I have been known to foil some plans in my time."

"So you've had operations against them before?"

Finishing his food Jack leaned back against the wall, "Them, people associated with them. Like I said; this isn't all that new."

"I don't get it," Michael shook his head, "These people are literally crazy. Why don't the police or FBI take care of this? Why have they been the Air Force's problem?"

Jack looked at Michael intently, breathing slowly. Unconsciously Michael straightened, feeling as if he were being judged.

With a final deep breath Jack seemed to come to a decision, "I'm going to tell you something now that sounds a little crazy but I want you to just try to give me the benefit of the doubt."

Michael nodded and turned so he was fully facing Jack, trying to signal he was listening intently.

Jack cleared his throat, "In 1928 archaeologists found a large artifact in Giza. A few decades of research showed it was a transportation device. After many decades and failures a team of scientists, Carter among them, figured out how to make it work and a young archaeologist, Daniel, figured out how to control it. By this time the device was property of the Air Force so they called upon a Colonel with not much sense to take a team and actually use it."

"You...?" Michael suggested.

Jack nodded and continued, "We, and this is where you need to trust me, ended up on a different planet."

"Wait, what?"

Jack grimaced, "The device, is one of thousands that a civilization of aliens distributed on different plants millennia ago." He paused to read the skepticism on Michael's face. He continued, "Once we went through we ended up dealing with a group of real scum sucking snake head aliens who just want to destroy or enslave everyone and everything in the galaxy. The Air Force created my old command, the "SGC", and teams of USAF and Marine personnel continued exploring in hopes of finding methods to protect the planet." He paused, "Daniel would likely prefer that I add that we also devoted time and excursions purely for the sake of discovery. We found some really cool things and made some allies and just last year, after just about a decade of all this we pretty much wiped out the major threats. Of course that kind of defeat creates a void so some of the more petty nuisances have begun causing more trouble and thus here we are."

"Okay..." Michael sat back, gently biting the inside of his cheek. "So we've been captured by aliens who want to use our blood for some experiment with technology and they know you because you've been fighting an intergalactic, secret war for the better part of a decade?"

"More or less." Jack replied, absently rubbing at the bandage on his neck.

Michael slouched back, staring at Jack, as if he were willing the other man to say something that made more sense.

Jack shrugged, "Look, believe me or not. All I need you to understand right now is that when we break out of here it's not like we just need to run until we hit a town or find a pay phone."

"Wait. Are you telling me that you think we are on another planet right now?"

Jack nodded, "That vehicle we were in? With the weird door and gold walls? That's called a Tel'Tek. It's a small scout ship. Unmodified they go twice the speed of light but they all have such widgets and upgrades to them that who knows how fast that one was traveling."

Michael shook his head, "Now I'm going to stop you and whatever game you're playing. You can't go faster than the speed of light. It's physically impossible."

"According to Einstein." Jack replied.

"YES! According to Einstein!" Exclaimed Michael, "And quantum physics! That's not something you can just dismiss."

Jack shrugged, "Look, I'm not saying I understand it but if you talk to Carter when we get back she'll tell you all about it. All I can say is that I have stood on the bridge of a ship as it traveled at hyperspeed, many many times."

"That is cute, 'When you get back'..." Came an unexpected derisive voice.

The O'Neills turned to see Ventirii sneering at them from the door, "Keeping the hope alive for your dear, frightened brother I assume?"

Jack and Michael both opened their mouths but Ventirii raised a hand to shush them. "No need for your insolent lies, Mirdrina has completed her analysis and we know conclusively that you are brethren."

Michael sighed and glanced to Jack whose attention was still on Ventirii' hand, or rather what was on it.

"Oh ViniViniVici..." He caught the attention of their tormentor, "Not that I don't just loooove the bracelet but isn't a ribbon device annoying to carry around if you can't enjoy its benefits?"

"You mean like this?" Ventirii extended his hand and in a flash a pulse of energy had blasted Jack's food tray off the ground and into the wall.

Michael froze in shock as Jack stared at Ventirii with narrowed eyes.

Ventirii laughed, "I know what you are thinking, but have no fear General, I am no Goa'uld."

"How..." Jack managed to get out, before Ventirii answered for him, "Do I harness the power of the gods? You may have noticed our associates..."

Jack glanced at Ranorku and the other Jaffa, "Yeah...I picked up on that."

"When you and your friends defeated Anubis and the Jaffa settled on Da'kara my friends here realized a free jaffa society would mean they would no longer enjoy the benefits of their stature and rank as they had under the Goa'uld. The sought our help ensuring their access to riches and power."

Jack raised his eyebrows, "Hey Rockhead, how's that working out for you? Feeling powerful being ordered around by this schmuck?"

With 2 large paces Ranorku entered the room and wrapped his hand around Jack's neck. Jack made a few feeble attempts to free himself before managing to squeak out, "Uncle..."

"I am not your uncle..." The beast of a man sneered, "But I have more power than you which pleases me greatly."

"Ranorku, do let him go. Mirdrina would not like it if we kill her specimens." Ventirii dryly requested.

With a final sneer Ranorku flung Jack back to the ground where he shook his head but made no effort to move other than to return his glare to Ventirii who stood over him, grinning, "I am impressed with your resiliency to learn. I had heard that Jack O'Neill was a great warrior to be feared but all I've seen so far is a fool with no sense of self preservation."

"They say tomata, you say tomato..." Jack muttered.

Ventirii pouted, "Your words are nonsense. Shame, perhaps Ranorku has damaged you more than I thought." He squatted so he could see Jack more closely, "Hrm, maybe so. It should be no worry. Thanks to the symbiotes Ranorku and his people carry we were able to simulate the blood condition required to activate Goa'uld devices. Much like your Colonel Carter. If Mirdrina needs you in better health for her experiments I shall just use the healing device."

Jack remained still, blinking slowly, "I take it you intend to do the same with our blood?"

Ventirii smiled, "Good, your brain is not completely damaged! And yes, to be able to use the technology of the Gods and unlock the power of the Ancient ones would be quite beneficial; wouldn't you agree?"

Jack did not respond, just continued to track Ventirii with his eyes as the other man stood and exited the cell. "I just came by to tell you we have confirmed your relation and to check your condition. It is well you are awake as the Asgard tampering in your genes will require us to take more samples soon."

The door had hardly clanged shut behind him before Jack had rolled over and pushed himself up, crouching in front of Michael, "How are you feeling?"

Michael blinked in disbelief, still trying to process and follow all he just heard. Finally he met Jack's eyes, "Me? What about you?"

"There's something to be said for adrenaline. But I need to know about you, how are you feeling?"

Again something in Jack's demeanor awoke the old and unpracticed military habits hammered in to Michael years ago. He nodded curtly, "Still slightly light headed but otherwise fine."

Jack nodded and glanced back at the door before turning his attention back to Michael, "Good because we have got to go; Now!"