"Augh! Do you have to throw me in here?" I exclaim, as I hit the wall.

"Quiet, Tau'ri slave!" the Jaffa shouts, slamming the door to the cell shut behind me.

I hear it lock, and then the rhythmic thumping of the Jaffa as they march down the corridor, then leaves the area. All becomes quiet.

I grimace as I move around, trying to find a position that does not hurt. I do not know if my ribs or my left leg hurts the most. There is an ugly, bleeding gash across my leg, but at least there is no open fracture. I guess I should be grateful for that.

When I had just woken up, I had been blind, but the effect was temporary. I already knew that, since she I had realized it was a shock grenade. While I have not been exposed to them before, I have heard about them from the various SG teams.

Kawalsky and I were transported here in some sort of vessel, but we were separated before either of us had gotten our vision back, so I do not know what has happened to him.

I look at the walls; they are golden, and fit exactly the descriptions I have gotten of holding cells in Goa'uld motherships - and palaces. Since Cronus is unlikely to have built a palace in his own style here yet, this means at least one of his two motherships is intact, or mostly so.

I feel certain the one I fired the alien weapon at would have had to have been at least severely damaged. I assume the ship I am - probably - on now is the other one, and that the sabotage mission failed. I wonder what happened to SG-5, SG-6, SG-7, SG-8, and SG-9? Were they all killed? Did some or all of them get away? Were they captured? Though, if the latter was the case, they would probably be in here with me.

It had been several hours since I last saw anyone, and in that time I have just been lying on the floor of the cell.

No one has come to tend to my wounds, or even to bring me food or water. I am starting to wonder if they do not care, or if they are doing it on purpose, hoping it will weaken me, and perhaps make me more likely to talk when they start interrogating me.

Every so often, something in the wall makes an annoying, buzzing sound, and that kept me awake for a long time before I eventually succumbed to pain and exhaustion and dozed off.

I am half-asleep, when someone suddenly opens the door, waking me. I look up at the man standing at the door.

"Kawalsky!" I gape at him. "You're okay!" I suddenly noticed the Jaffa behind him - and the strange clothes he is wearing. A colorful tunic, with an armour on over it, and wrist guards?! And a short cape?! "What is going on...?"

He smirks, an arrogant expression spreading across his face. "Stupid Tau'ri! She thinks I am her friend!" He laughs. "I am not 'Major Kawalsky'. I am Lord Deimos! Cronus graciously gave me this host - and I have acquired a lot of information from his mind."

"You're... a Goa'uld," I realize, horrified. I feel sick thinking of what has happened to Kawalsky. Is he even in there anymore?

Suddenly, I am struck by fear of what will happen to me. Will I be made a host as well? Go through life, imprisoned in my own body, while someone else walks around as me, no doubt committing atrocities...

"Yes, dim one." His smile widens, but does not become any less disturbing. "As I said, there was much interesting knowledge in my new host's mind - including the plans for some of your foolish, traitorous 'SG teams' to sabotage this ha'tak! They have been caught, and they will die. Eventually!" His eyes suddenly flash, as he becomes angrier. "You are the cause of the cowardly attack on Cronus's flagship! Because of you, thousands of your kind will die, as punishment! Further thousands will die in the mines, and during the construction of new ships for the glory of your master! You, yourself, will receive your punishment. In due time."

He turns on his heel and leave, not giving me a chance to reply. Stunned, I just stare after him. To hear such hateful words come from one you considered a friend, is shocking. Horrifying.

I awake from a confused dream, when the door is again slammed open. I think it is many hours later, but I cannot be sure. When I wake, I am bathed in sweat, and shivering - feverish. Like from an infection to one of my injuries, coupled with the shock and exhaustion.

"You are getting a cellmate, human!" The Jaffa laughs loudly. He pushes a young woman forward, hard, and she stumbles into the cell, falling just beside me.

The Jaffa leave behind a bucket of water, and what looks to be part of a loaf of bread, then leave.

I pull myself up a little, wincing at the pain. I really want to see who my new cellmate is, but more than anything, I want to get some water to drink.

I make it to the water bucket, and drink greedily, then turn to look at the other woman.

The newest arrival does not move, but just moans softly.

"Hey... how are you?" I ask, worried.

The other woman groans, but manages to turn over on her side, then roll further on to her back. I gasp as I see how badly injured she is. Her shirt is torn, and now fall aside, so I can see she has gashes and livid marks over much of her upper body. She has a bloody lip, and her left eye is so swollen it is almost completely shut.

I look past the injuries, and see it is a beautiful, young woman, perhaps a few years younger than me, with blond hair. The one eye that is not swollen shut, is blue, like my own. I am stricken by the fact that she actually resembles me... quite a lot.

Why would anyone... torture someone like her? Who is she? I wonder if she is from Stargate Command, but I do not recognize her. Is it just some poor soul who was at the wrong place at the wrong time and got captured? Punished for her bad luck? Or is she an agent, working against the Goa'uld?

Is she even from Earth?

"Ro... Rosha. My name is... Rosha." She takes a deep, wheezing breath, which cause her to cough. That does not sound good.

"I'm Samantha Carter, but people usually call me Sam," I tell her.

Rosha nods weakly. "Greetings." She closes her eyes again, and tries to find a more comfortable position.

That choice of words and her name make me suspect she is not from this planet, though I guess she could just be from another country. Why did I think Cronus only attacked the US? I wonder if one of the other countries has sent her, in an attempt to get some information.

"I'll get you some water."

I drag the bucket a little closer, then use the ladle that is in the bucket to scoop up water to Rosha, who drinks some of it.

"Thank you, Sa... Samantha."

"Just call me Sam, it's easier." I make a movement I should not have, and gasp as a stab of pain emanates from the area along my injured ribs.

"You are injured as well."

"No kidding, but not as badly as you. What happened? Why were you taken here?"

Rosha is quiet for so long, that I wonder if she has fallen asleep, or if she does not want to answer. "You are one of... the Tau'ri... who were behind... the attack. On Cronus."

Tau'ri? She is definitely not from Earth, then!

"Yes. I helped get the weapon we used to work."

Rosha smiles. "Cronus was furious. It was a joy... to see."

"You were near him when we shot down his ship?"

"Yes. Unfortunately, he... he was not on it. He was overseeing... a building being... converted to... a temporary palace for him. I would gladly... would gladly have died, if it... had only rid the Galaxy of him!"

I can hear the passion in Rosha's voice, and I do not for a moment doubt that she means it. One thing is certain; whomever she is, she is less afraid than I am. I wonder... is she an agent from some world that fights the Goa'uld? We have not met any, but that does not mean they do not exist. The others... in the other reality... they had met more advanced human cultures, and they had met the Tok'ra. Is this a Tok'ra? If so, why does she talk like a human?

"Well, I'm glad to hear we annoyed him! Too bad those sent to sabotage the other ship - this one, I guess - were captured before they could damage it."

"They were captured... but not... not until they set off one of their... bombs. The damage was minor, and will soon be fixed... but that buzzing you hear... from the light fixtures... it was caused by the explosion."

"Then that buzzing doesn't annoy me as much as it did before!" I grin. Thinking of the people on those SG teams, I grow serious again, and ask, nervously, "What happened to them?"

"Several of them... died in the explosion... but three... three were captured. In the confusion... just after your second attack... the one on this ship... Cronus's First Prime executed them. He was torturing them, but grew... angry, probably... desperate. Cronus... Cronus was furious... but he did not deem them... worthy of re...regeneration."

"I see." I shudder, horrified by what happened to those people. People I had met, who had been Jack's friends... I push the thought away, try to forget their destiny. At least they were not revived so they could be tortured again.

"He killed his First Prime. As punishment."

That pleases me somewhat. At least the one causing them to suffer had been killed.

We are both silent for a long time, the only sound the buzzing from the light fixtures, and the laboured breath of Rosha - and myself, unfortunately. I cannot take a deep breath without extreme pain, and coughing increases it exponentially. I know I have some blood or other fluid collecting in the bruised lung... and I know I need to cough it up, or I risk pneumonia.

My mind goes in circles. I think of Kawalsky, of the other SG teams and their fate, and of my own dark future. With an effort, I push those depressing thoughts aside. Suddenly, I remember something that had made me wonder before. "By the way, why were you with him? Cronus, I mean."

Rosha hesitates for a moment. Does she not want me to know? Then, apparently she decides there is nothing to be gained from hiding the truth. "I was pretending..." She suddenly coughs, and it is almost a minute before she can continue speaking. "Pretending to be a loyal... underling for Cronus... in order to gather..." She coughs again.

"Here, have some more water." I scoop up some, and help her to drink.

She drinks gratefully. "Thank you. As I... was saying. To gather... information."

"Really? For Cronus?"

"I was not gathering the... information... for him."

"Sorry. Of course..." I cough as well. "Of course not. I thought the Goa'uld only employed other Goa'uld as their... underlings!"

Another hesitation. "They do." She clear her voice. "I... we are..."

"Tok'ra!" I realize. I stare at her with wide eyes.

"Yes," Rosha admits. "I had not thought you had heard of us. We... had been undercover... for years. Me and Jolinar. Suddenly... today... we were discovered. I do not... know why."

"Jolinar! I've heard that name..."

"Where?"

"I'm not sure..." I think about it. It would be easier without all the pain. "Oh, god!" I exclaim, remembering where I know it from, and realizing what must have happened. "Was it Kawalsky... I mean, Lord Deimos who knew you were a Tok'ra?"

"Yes, he reported his suspicions to Cronus, shortly after taking his new Tau'ri host. I... or rather Jolinar, as she was the one in control... was immediately taken to Cronus. He had apparently suspected a Tok'ra sympathizer at his court, and now he was certain it was me. We were tortured... for hours."

"I'm afraid that's probably our fault - I mean, we knew there was a Tok'ra at Cronus's court, well, in the other reality - and in the past, but anyway... and when Deimos took over Kawalsky, he must have found that information and realized it was probably true here too. Suspected it, at least."

I feel horrible. The terrible torture she has been subjected to is our fault!

"How could you know of us? What other reality?"

I sigh, and take a drink of water before rolling over onto my back. The pain diminishes somewhat. I start to explain.

My head is pounding, and the fever is growing worse. I am alternately shivering and sweating. My leg and my ribs ache no matter what position I am lying in.

I had not talked to Jolinar, only to Rosha, but hours later, when the Jaffa came to take her - well, them I guess - back to be interrogated again, Jolinar took control.

I will admit I became shocked to hear the symbiote voice coming from Rosha's mouth, even though I knew what Jolinar was. I was even more shocked because I have only ever heard someone talk like that a couple times before - namely when Apophis attacked us. That brings back memories. Very bad memories.

Jolinar had clearly focused all her strength while they had been in the cell with me, and she had managed to heal some of the damage to Rosha. True, they were far from completely well, but they were a lot better. It is impressive, actually.

I am worried for them, worried for what Cronus would do to them.

I am also worried for what Cronus will do to me. Rosha has explained to me that the Goa'uld would sometimes torture you to death, and then heal and revive you in a sarcophagus, only to start over again.

Sometimes, instead, they would torture you, but not so badly that you died. They would let you recover some, naturally, but not completely. Then they would interrogate you again, torture you again - hoping you were weak enough you would talk. They almost never did that to anyone but Tok'ra or Goa'uld, though.