Chapter 8
Sam woke up and stepped out of the sarcophagus. Some food had been left on the table for her, and she made her way over to it. Sitting down, she again realized how good she felt. Her thoughts were clearer than they had ever been, and new theories and ideas had begun springing to mind over the last few days. Problems back at the SGC now had answers, and she knew at some point she would need to go back and finish them, and get the credit she so well deserved.
Also wanting to help Shaylon here, she was caught in a battle between her desires and her responsibilities. Taking bites of food, her mind drifted to Jack. The attraction had been there from the moment they met, at times the tension could be felt in the air. SGC regulations prevented either of them from doing anything about it though. Sam knew things about him, things that would put any other woman off, but there was a strength about him that she admired. Of course, he was easy on the eyes too.
Then there was Shaylon, and this planet. Her feelings for him were growing, and she felt as though she were betraying Jack, even if there was no intimate relationship between them. Given their positions, would there ever be? Could Shaylon really giver her everything she wanted? Did he really want her? He was a gorgeous man, a powerful man, a man that could give her a kingdom.
Her luck with men never lasted very long, from the time she was a teen until now, relationships were not her strong point. Sam wondered how a man like that could want someone like her, someone he barely knew. She let out a small laugh, and rose from the table. Walking to the balcony, she gazed at the miners and the slaves. She could help these people. Samantha Carter always wanted to work among the stars, now she had a chance to live among them.
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Jack, Daniel and Teal'c had finally been allowed food, drink and rest away from the other slaves. Daniel started to nod off after they ate, while Teal'c kelnoreemed. The Colonel sat quietly, letting his team get the time off they needed. His thoughts drifted to Sam, and how she might be fairing.
He was angry. Angry at what or who, he wasn't quite sure. Part of him blamed Sam, most of him blamed Shaylon. He didn't know what kind of mental or physical condition she would be in when, or if, they saw her again. Jack thought back to when they met that day in the briefing room. A tall, beautiful blonde woman in full dress blues made him catch his breath, if only for a second. He remembered thinking how on earth she could possibly be a soldier in this man's airforce. She had proven herself rather quickly, and he had earned a great respect for her abilities as a soldier and a scientist. Maybe he should have told her more often.
Being a man, he noticed her smell, a mix of fruit and vanilla. Her smile made him melt inside on more that one occasion. But there were rules, and good reasons for them, and Jack knew that. He felt he had to protect her sometimes, not because she was incapable, but because under her soldier exterior, she was completely feminine and that made him feel like a man. He lost that somewhere along the way. Maybe it was what happened with Sara, he couldn't shield her from her anger and grief over their son's death. Before Sam, he was just a soldier, a machine who was told what to do and when to do it. His second in command brought the man out in him again, and he appreciated that. Right now, he felt like he'd failed her. He had to do something, to protect her from the effects of the sarcophagus, and he would not rest until she was safe with him again.