Chapter Six

"Where is she, Jack?"

"Daniel, I...I did everything I cou..."

"It that were true she'd still still be alive."

"I tried to sa..."

"Or at the very least you'd be dead." Daniel interrupted icily. "Why did you leave her behind?"

"No, never. Daniel, please..."

"Then where is she?"

"I don't know." Jack admitted miserably.

"Do you even know she's dead?"

"She has has to be."

"Is that what you know to be true or what you wish to be true?"

"Why would I want her dead?!"

"You tell me." Daniel hissed. "You're the one who tried to murder her."

Jack jerked in his sleep as the reoccurring nightmare assaulted him. No matter how many times the scene replayed he continually fought to change the outcome. Nothing ever changed though and the nightmare simply started to repeat itself once again. Back in the torturous cage Sam cried out as one of the aliens forced her to the stone floor. She fought her attacker with the strength that she'd had before starvation and infection had stolen it away.

Baring his sharp teeth in a fierce hiss a gray scaled dragon straddled her, sitting down on her stomach to pin her down. Jack didn't know why he couldn't get to her, why he couldn't help. He was fighting and screaming but it didn't get him any closer to helping her. Jack watched helplessly as the alien clamped his hand down over Sam mouth just as he had done.

Arching her back Sam clawed and kicked at the murderous reptile. It seemed to take hours before her struggling began to die down. Tears streaked from the corners of her eyes as she started to claw at the stone floor. Sam jerked spasmodically as her oxygen starved heart finally failed her. When she relaxed completely the alien released her. Sam's head fell to the side and Jack was staring into vacant sightless aqua eyes.

"Carter!"

Before Daniel could interrogate him in his mind again Jack woke with a violent gasp. It was dark, an unnatural night that was lit by only a soft blue glow that seemed to have no source. Sitting up Jack pressed his back into the corner and ran his hands through his rapidly graying hair. He kept his eyes on the floor, not wanting to look at the bars. He could hear the feathered creature pacing, it was a nocturnal animal and it grew restless at night.

Reaching into his shirt Jack pulled out the new set of dog tags that he wore, a set adorned with a single white tooth. The pink dragon had handed it to him through the bars two days ago. She hadn't bothered explaining, she just offered him the gift. He had stared at the metal tags for hours, trying to figure out what they meant.

Was Sam here, alive, and this was how the alien was trying to tell him that? If that was true why not just let him see her? Had the alien noticed how much his own tags meant to him and returned to Sam's body to retrieve them for him as a memento?

If Sam was here he wanted to see her, even if just to look at her corpse. It would answer the one question that was driving him to insanity. Death was hard enough to accept without the gnawing of uncertainly. Clearly the side of his mind that had been influenced by his years of friendship with Daniel didn't think she was gone. Jack's rational military side told him that she had been too close to death to be saved.

"By human medicine." Jack muttered to remind himself that stranger things had happened in the past.

Still tired from not truly getting any sleep Jack laid down on his side with his back up against the wall. After his first night in the small cell the pink dragon had brought him a large pillow. Instead of resting his head on it he held it close to his chest. The feeling of having something in his arms offered a small amount of psychological comfort.

Morning came sooner than he would have thought as the blue light was slowly intensified to a white daylight. Sighing heavily he sat up and leaned against the wall. It had been five days and although still weak Jack could tell that his body was starting to work on repairing itself. They would be here soon to tempt him with food again. Like clockwork a smallish alien slid a round metal plate through a gap in the bars.

Jack looked at the plate that held a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables along with bread like grains. There was nothing that he could name, but everything looked some what familiar to foods found on Earth. It wasn't long before another plate was placed beside the first. This one had several different colours of meat, both cooked and raw.

"I have to admit that you guys are trying hard."

He never touched any of the foods they offered him three times a day. Today was no different. He just played idly with Sam's dog tags. He knew that in about an hour they would be there to force feed him, his throat was getting raw from the invasive tube. However he knew eventually they would give up on him.

Today they waited a little longer than usual and when two of the aliens came to his door the pink one came chased them away. She sat down on the far side of the bars and attempted her tight lipped smile. She still talked to Jack even though she had figured out by now that he didn't understand her. It reminded him of the way he used to talk to his dog, only he got the feeling his dog used to understand him a bit better.

The dragon reached through the bars and retrieved a purple slice of fruit. She ate the morsel with exaggerated excitement. Picking up another piece she offered it to him hopefully. Feeling guilty Jack reached out and took the gift. The instant he bit down on the super sweet fruit his taste buds jolted to life and he almost started drooling as his long inactive salivary glands got a little too enthusiastic about the chance to work.

Having tasted food again his entire system craved more. Ignoring his body's cries he leaned back against the wall. The pink lizard seemed satisfied that he'd at least tried and made her unusual purring sound again. Jack didn't know why, but the sound sent a chill down his spine.

"I'll eat that entire plate if you never make that sound near me again."

Jack shook his head sadly, he knew he shouldn't be talking to her. It just encouraged her to try harder to rehabilitate him. However if he was going to spend the rest of his life alone in this box he really didn't want to be helped. As if reading his thoughts the pink alien called over two helpers. She opened the door, which consisted of the bars simply sliding down into the floor.

Knowing the routine by now Jack got on his knees and held his hands behind his back. They clipped the bracelets at his wrists together and took a step back. He expected them to tilt his head back to force his stomach full, however instead the pink alien snapped a short length of chain to his collar and had the others help him to his feet.

"Oh joy...I'm being taken for a walk." Jack grumbled. "I know you think I'm dangerous, but this really is humiliating."

The pink dragon purred again, causing Jack to roll his eyes. He had been lead down to the medical lab a few times and bathed again in his time here so he assumed they were going to one of those two places. However she lead him down a different hall, her assistants kept close to him. He wasn't sure if they were there to catch him if he fell or for her protection.

They came to another set of bars and Jack walked peacefully through them. The clip between his wrists was remove and the leash was also taken off. The three aliens stayed on the near side of the bars when they slid into place. Jack was standing in a narrow hallway that had a ninety degree angle turn about ten feet down the way. He turned to the pink dragon and she made a motion like she wanted him to walk away.

"Fine."

Finally stable on his own feet Jack made his way down the hallway. Around the corner he blinked at the harsh light that greeted him. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust and he found himself looking out a doorway into a lush garden. He walked out into the middle of the small green space, the warm sunlight striking his face, and sat down in the blue-green grass.

"Thrilling." Jack said unimpressed.

He looked around at the low shrubs and the few trees that grew in the planted glade. It was nice enough, but the twenty foot stone wall that surrounded it just make it a different kind of prison. He looked up at the top of the wall and noticed that it had a golden railing around it. Judging the distance between the largest tree and the rail he started plotting.

Looking around to make sure he wasn't being watched Jack pulled off his shirt and tore it open from the v in the neck down. He sought out a medium sized rock and tied it into one end of the shirt. With his new tool made he tied it around his neck. At the base of the tree he made a few last calculations. Crawling up into the highest branches he took the torn shirt off his neck and threw the weighted end towards the rail that was about two feet out of reach.

The rock helped the shirt swing over the rail and he took a hold of both ends. Taking a deep breath he gripped the shirt as hard as he could and jumped out of the tree. He wasn't as strong as he used to be, but at the same time he wasn't nearly as heavy either. Hand over hand he crawled up the shirt until he got a hold of the rail.

Hauling himself over the edge Jack landed on the other side of the wall that was only about four feet high. He looked down into the pit of Eden that they'd tried to keep him in and smiled. It wasn't long however before he heard a high pitched scream. He looked over and saw that this area had been roped off, but there was a large crowd of aliens on the other side. It didn't take more than a quick glance around to confirm that he was in the middle of a large zoo.

To the aliens Jack was an escaped beast to be feared. They were already running away and shouting out in alarm. When he saw that men dressed in the same black uniform he was used to seeing were coming his way he decided to capitalize on the chaos. He ran towards the crowd rather than away from them, hopping that they were headed towards the exit.

It wasn't as easy to blend in with the swift footed lizards as Jack thought it was going to be. It wasn't long before they had all out paced him. The officials surrounded him, all armed with various weapons that Jack couldn't even guess to the nature of. Knowing he was caught he put his hands up, but they didn't understand the gesture.

"Ni'rick!" A familiar voice cried. "Ni'rick!"

Panting for breath the pink dragon raced up to the circle of men that had Jack under guard. The one with the most colours on his breast pocket started arguing with her and raised his weapon. She snarled and snapped at him aggressively. He growled right back at her, but he lowered the weapon slightly.

When she stepped forward and held out her hand Jack took a moment to decide if he was going to take it. She had such a frightened and desperate look in her eyes that once again made Jack feel guilty. Sighing heavily he stepped forward to take her hand. The staff with weapons all tensed and kept their eyes locked on his every motion.

"For crying out loud, I'm not going to hurt her."

The pink alien seemed to be the only who truly believed this. She snapped the leash back on, but he got the feeling that she did it to make the others feel more comfortably rather than for her own safety. She lead him back towards a large building and back into the underground of the expansive facility with three of the guards following.

Back in his cell Jack wandered over to the corner and sat down. He hadn't really thought he could actually escape, but something in him wouldn't let him just stand there and not try. The pink alien sat down on the far side of the bars and stared at him. She hung her head and make a clicking sound. When she looked back up slowly made a circular motion with her head.

"K'eck, na k'eck ta hu?" She sighed.

"I know that tone. That's the 'what am I going to do with you?' voice."

The alien stared at him for a few more minutes before suddenly launching into a full soliloquy, complete with hand gestured and sound effects. She talked for a full ten minutes before coming to an end. Jack just shook his head.

"I'm sure whatever that was it was some sort of grand confession, and I hope it makes you feel better to get it off your chest. But the simple fact remains: you can keep me alive in this prison, but you can't force me to live."

After looking at Jack with unblinking eyes she bowed her head to rest on the bars. She looked so defeated. Jack got up and came closer. She jumped slightly when he reached through the bars to touch her. Taking off Sam's dog tags he placed them in her hand and closed her long fingers over them.

"I want to see her. Please. I have to know she's dead." Jack said desperately. "Not knowing is more than I can take."

Looking at the metal tags in her hand the dragon made a noise of what sounded like frustration. She gave the tags back to Jack and jumped to her feet. Without another word she disappeared down the hall. Jack put the necklace back on and went back to the corner.

It was several hours before he saw anyone again and even then it was just the men coming to make sure he ate. He fought against them for the first time, hopping to make them angry enough to give up on him. However they were very professional and patient about what they were doing and got their job done.

When the pink alien didn't visit him for the rest of the day Jack started to fear that he'd lost his only ally. He didn't regret the escape attempt, but he did wish he could make her understand. Artificial night fell, but Jack wasn't tired. He sat and stared at the feathered creature as it woke and began its nightly pacing.

It was getting close to what Jack considered midnight when he heard footsteps. There had never been any night time visitors before and it made Jack slightly curious. One of the aliens came to stand in front of his cage. In the blue light of 'night' he couldn't see the alien's scale colour well, but he knew from her facial features that in natural light they would be pink. Jack got to his feet and walked up to the bars.

"What's going on?"

The pink dragon reached out and gently put her hand over his mouth. Understanding that she wanted him to be quiet Jack asked no more questions. After looking around she slid the bars down so he could step out of the cell. She held the leash in her hand, but hesitated to put it on. To show that he trusted her he took the chain and snapped it on himself.

Jack felt he knew the reason for the midnight visit and although it caused his blood to run cold he still wanted to follow her. She looked around again and took a few hesitate steps down the hall. Jack walked by her side as they made their through the darkened maze of the facility. It wasn't until they came to a metal door that she stopped and turned to him.

"Hes narka ela me haris tonak?"

"I'm sure." Jack replied feeling he knew the questions.

The dragon stared at him for a minute before opening the door. Jack stepped into the dark room and looked around at various flashing indicator lights along the walls. It wasn't until the alien closed the door and turned the lights up slightly that Jack caught sight of the dominate feature in the room.

"Carter..."

Jack's heart stumbled in its rhythm and he nearly lost his balance. The pink dragon put her arm around his waist to keep him stable. She was whispering something to him that sounded like a combination of an apology and soothing words. He didn't notice, he couldn't take his eyes off what they had done to the woman he loved.

Up on a stone pedestal Sam was a completely enclosed glass aquarium seven feet long and four feet high and wide. Suspended in the transparent blue water Sam twitched against the various restraints and tubes that held her. It was hard to tell if she was wearing some sort of skin tight black suit or if they had painted whatever it was directly to her skin. The covering ended at her wrists, ankles and throat, but did nothing to hide how painfully thin she was.

Her injured leg was encircled by metal rings that held a few dozen needles in place that had thin tubes attached to them that disappeared into the base of the tank. Silver restraints attached to struts from the bottom of the tank ensnared her ankles and wrists and held her a foot off the floor with the help of softer looking straps that held her shoulders and hips.

There was no mask on her face or tubes down her throat to help her breath. The liquid that surrounded her curled in barely visible eddies as she inhaled it directly. Her left wrist was punctured with more needles that fed various coloured fluids directly into her blood. Sam's short blond hair floated peacefully like seaweed caught in a gentle tide. Jack was still in deep shock as he stepped closer to the case. He reached out to touch the glass but the pink alien gently stopped him. Jack stared at the terrifyingly stereotypical science fiction scene, still not quite comprehending it.

"Is...is she alive or just...preserved?"

As if responding to his whispered question Sam snapped her eyes open. Her eyes remained unfocused in the thick liquid, but they held that same look of horror that Jack remembered her having when they'd last seen one another. Clenching her hands into fists she violently fought against the restraints. Unable to free herself Sam threw her head back and screamed. There was no sound, just a sickening pantomime of terror as she became more and more conscious of her situation.

"Carter!" Jack cried.

Jack tore away from the pink dragon and put his palms against the thick glass. Sam continued to tug at her restraints and thrashed to the best of her ability. She seemed to stop simply screaming and looked more like she was calling out for help. The stress sent her into a seizure that caused her whole body to shake. Sam clawed her fingers as her eyes rolled back to white and she passed out again.

After staring at Sam in her new motionless state for a minute Jack pitched forward and threw up on the floor. The pink alien rubbed between his shoulder blades sympathetically. She guided him back to his feet. She took his wrist and pressed his palm against the glass before taking it away and pressing against her own chest.

"U'ri nu greala mick haus. Wen ri. Wen ri."

Jack didn't have the strength or mindset to try and translate the dragon's meaning. As he stared at Sam as she started to struggle again. Jack had been waking from nightmares for five days, but she had been waking into one. This time when she came to she ground her teeth together and started shaking with tears that simply mixed with the liquid around her. The muscles of her throat strained as she started crying out repeatedly with no effect.

"Stop...stop this...you aren't helping her." Jack whimpered. "This is going too far..."

The pink dragon put her arm over his shoulder and tried to lead him away. Jack planted his feet, he wasn't going anywhere. She pleaded with him, but nothing she could do was going to take him from his spot by Sam's side. The alien sighed and to Jack's surprise she walked off. He put his hands on the glass and tried to break it, however it was far too solid.

The female alien returned with two larger males. The asked her some questions in a dangerous voice, but she just responded calmly. They stepped up behind Jack and jabbed him with something sharp that nearly brought him to the point of blacking out.

Sedated Jack was easily taken back down the hall to his own cage. They placed him carefully on the floor and the pink alien knelt down next to him and stroked his hair for a few minutes. She brought over the blanket and pillow. Jack fought to stay awake as she placed the heavy blanket over him. She placed the the pillow in his arms and got to her feet to leave.

Jack replayed everything he had seen so that in the morning he wouldn't think that it had just been another nightmare. If he could recall all the details he knew that he would know that it wasn't a dream, his imagination wasn't that powerful or cruel. Automatically holding the pillow tighter to his chest Jack closed his eyes as the drugs brought him closer to sleep.

"You should have killed her while you had the chance, Jack." He moaned to himself. "Even if she lives...she will never be the same..."