Interesting – Chapter 6
PapayaK

oO0Oo

Previously…

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, "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.

oO0Oo

Suddenly, behind them, the cell door was thrust open. Sam scrambled to face it. It was too soon – too soon for the Jaffa to return!

But it was the slave aliens that entered. They immediately began to gather Alberts' dead body together for transport – disposal? Sam didn't have the energy to stop them from committing what she feared was a desecration.

She merely watched and hated herself for not taking action. She knew Alberts had a family. She should make sure his body was returned to them. 'Nobody gets left behind.' But in her current condition there was nothing she could do to stop them.

Then one of them stopped and looked at her pointedly. He raised a hand and looked as if he were about to approach, to touch her. Sam readied herself to fight him off if need be. But just then a team of Jaffa appeared to supervise the activity inside the cell. The alien immediately pulled his hand back and returned to his task. Soon they and their burden were gone. The Jaffa walked on as well.

Sam returned to Jack's side. His breathing was erratic, his pulse weak, but he managed to open his eyes when she called his name. He looked at her. She laid a hand on his arm. He whispered something. She leaned close to hear his words: "It'll be okay. I promise." He spoke so earnestly, she almost believed him. Then he closed his eyes and slept.

She did her best to follow his example.

oO0Oo

The next day found Jack back in the chair before he had even regained consciousness. He opened his eyes to see Sam strung up from the ceiling once more. He caught an almost desperate look in her eyes before she realized he was awake. As soon as she saw him watching, her expression snapped shut and a look of determination appeared.

Dagon wasn't laughing anymore.

He came in angry and ordered both Khek and the Jaffa to begin without even speaking to Jack. He just stood and stared at Jack, waiting expectantly.

After nearly an hour Jack took action, "You - might as well – kill her. I - won't - talk." He panted out the words so despairingly Sam gasped between jabs from the pain stick.

She was shocked. Not at his willingness to sacrifice her – she knew, no, expected he would do that if a greater good would be accomplished. Rather, she was shocked at the fear in his voice. Was he truly despairing? Hoping only for death to release them? It was so unlike him. She almost forgot the Jaffa and their pain stick for a moment as she looked to her commander for the answer to her questions.

The answer he sent her was completely unexpected: he waited until the Jaffa paused between jabs, and looked into her eyes.

His were full of hope and encouragement.

But just for an instant – then his mask was back and he turned to Dagon.

What was his plan? Carter wondered for a moment before pain overtook her and light once again shot from her eyes and mouth.

Dagon stared at Jack. He quivered with fury because his plan to manipulate his prisoner wasn't working.

Jack held his gaze, even as his body spasmed uncontrollably.

"Very well!" He gestured at the Jaffa. They stopped and let Sam slump against her restraints before releasing her and dragging her out of the room.

Jack closed his eyes and breathed. Finally – one point for team O'Neill. Dagon had given up on Sam. He cursed himself for allowing – for causingher suffering, but now Dagon would ignore her. He prayed she would be okay: The Jaffa had been at it for a long time.

As Jack reveled in his relief, Dagon was formulating yet another new approach: Time. The major could rot for all he cared. He wouldn't give her another thought until he finally used up the Colonel. He simply could not stand being resisted. He would, eventually, break this feeble Tau'ri. The Chair would ensure it.

Dagon had learned much of his subject's will to survive – in fact he was banking on it. He leaned into Jack. "You DO realize I can keep you alive almost indefinitely. We can do this every day for years…"

"And if I die you can just throw me in a sarcophagus and…"

"NO!" Dagon shouted, spitting, "I have no sarcophagus to relieve you of your pain. Expect no hope there."

"Wouldn't call it hope, Dagwood."

"You will suffer every day! And I will enjoy it!"

"You do that."

"Begin!"

oO0Oo

Many painful hours later, Jack was again thrust back into the cell, limp and barely conscious. He managed to register the absence of Alberts, "Th'Janitors - take him?"

"Janitors?"

"Slaves"

"Yes, Sir."

"Good."

"Sir?"

He paused and concentrated – he was determined to string his words together coherently – he had to make her understand. "I gotta go, Carter. I'll come for you. S'the only way."

She figured he must be delirious, and did her best to make him comfortable.

He lied back dissatisfied with her response. He closed his eyes, as if to sleep, but reached out towards her once again. He began to speak softly, but not to her. He spoke as if he were pleading with someone, "Please, Ak…"

Somewhere deep within the palace, Ak and several other Janitors, who had been monitoring the situation telepathically, bowed their heads, and extended their hands.

As soon as he touched her face, her mind was filled with images and suddenly she knew what his plan was. The aliens she saw in her mind barely registered. Her CO's plan shocked her. He was planning to die.

That was one thing Dagon hadn't counted on. His experience with his latest plaything had taught him that nothing could cause the man to stop fighting; fighting to live. And so he had brought him to the very brink; more than once, knowing Jack would survive to suffer another day. It was, finally, a simple thing for Jack to disappoint his captor.

"No." She whispered simply, "Please." She held onto his hand and watched as he took a deep breath and quit fighting.

Carter watched his chest rise and fall one last time. Still she clung to his hand, cradling him to her, feeling the thready pulse slowing, praying that the images she had seen were the truth.

His pulse throbbed once, and then not again. She brought his hand to her lips as her tears fell freely.

As if in answer to her prayer, the Janitors appeared almost immediately. They pulled him away from her and made ready to carry him away under the watchful eye of the Jaffa. She only stared. Still weakened from her mistreatment, it was almost enough to send her into shock.

The Janitor who had approached her before, turned to her and, with sympathy in his hooded eyes, echoed Jack's words. He spoke quietly so the Jaffa would not hear, "It'll be okay, I promise."

TBC