Interesting – Chapter 4
PapayaK
oO0Oo
Previously…
"Bring Major Carter!"
"No." Jack moaned, and then whispered, "No. No. No..."
He knew he had to make himself shut up, that he was playing right into Dagon's hands, so he bit his lip and resigned himself to the fact that his torture had just gotten a whole lot worse.
oO0Oo
Carter was pushed roughly into the room.
Their eyes met and held.
Hers told him she knew she had been brought here as leverage against him.
His were pained, but more from regret, she realized, than the machine.
She knew she had to stay strong to help him resist, no matter what.
Dagon saw their unspoken communication and stepped between them. "Major Carter, welcome to my palace. I'm sorry, we didn't speak longer last time, but I believed you were useless to me. Now it seems you may have some small value after all. You see, Colonel O'Neill cares for you," He chuckled, "Yes, he does, very much. Did you know?"
Dagon stepped aside and let their gazes lock once more.
An understanding far beyond Dagon passed between them.
Sam squared her shoulders, and turned to smile at Dagon. "Your point?"
"How much, I wonder, is he willing to let you suffer? You see, he has a secret he won't tell, I just wonder if it's worth your life." He paused, "Just how much are you worth to him?"
Sam looked, and saw in Jack's eyes the answer to that question.
It strengthened her more than anything else could. The depth of emotion he had allowed her to see in that instant was the most beautiful thing in the world.
"Begin."
The Jaffa tied her wrists to hooks in the ceiling, and brought out a pain stick.
She saw it and knew what was coming. She brought everything she had ever learned about resisting to the front of her mind, and braced herself.
The Jaffa jabbed her hard in the back. Her eyes and mouth opened wide in the silent scream that only a pain stick can bring. Again and again they hit her with it, but in her mind's eye she saw the look in Jack's eyes. Knowing how much her pain would hurt him, she focused her mind on defeating them.
She was determined to show them and Jack, that she could not be defeated by mere physical pain.
Carter was even tougher than Jack expected. Every time they stopped she had some smart remark or comment ready for Dagon. And while he raged at Dagon from the machine, inwardly he felt pride at her strength. He knew from experience what a pain stick could do.
Finally Dagon ordered the Jaffa to stop and turned to Jack, "Well, Colonel, would you like them to continue?" He gestured to Khek who turned on the machine.
Gasping for breath, Sam looked up and was horrified to see it in action. She had thought she was imagining the worst when she had seen Jack's condition in the cell. The reality was much more terrible. How could anyone suffer that and survive? But Jack continued to resist.
Dagon gestured again and the machine paused for a moment. "Very well, Colonel, you give me no choice." He turned to the Jaffa, "You may continue."
The Jaffa took up his pain stick again, and at the same time, Khek turned on the machine.
Dagon leaned in beside Jack and whispered in his ear, "All you have to do is stop fighting, let me see what you hide, and she will be safe. You'd like that, wouldn't you? Major Carter could be safe, but you won't allow it. You're making her suffer, Colonel. Why? What could possibly be this important?"
Jack closed his eyes and welcomed the machine's effects because that pain was nothing compared to the pain of watching Sam suffer.
Finally she collapsed unconscious and they could no longer torture her. Dagon gestured with disgust and they dragged her away.
"Take him too, I tire of this."
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When Sam regained consciousness she was on the floor of the cell, nose to nose with Alberts. His dead eyes seemed to stare right through her and she jerked away as quickly as she could; straight back into Jack.
"Unh" he groaned.
"I'm sorry, Sir!" She turned, careful to block his view of Alberts, and gently rolled him over.
He was so very weak, his voice, a whisper, "No. Carter, - I'm - sorry. My fault… you suffered… S - So… sorry."
She smiled sadly, fighting back tears, and held his face between her hands, "No. Sir, - listen to me.
You did what was necessary...
I know that…
Even if I didn't…
I'd take what they did…
and more…
for you."
He held her gaze as long as he could before consciousness deserted him and fled.
TBC