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Hours they walked across the scorching sand without rest or water until they came to another rock formation jutting out of the desert. Jack and Roslyn were led into a mammoth cave system inside. Being out of the blazing sun was a relief. They were unceremoniously dumped into a small antechamber with the giant that had been at Roslyn's side guarding the door.

Jack asked through parched lips, "Roslyn, you okay?"

"Just peachy." She replied, her voice hoarse and dry.

"That's my line." He chuckled wryly.

Jack noticed that the giant guard kept looking peculiarly at Roslyn and he didn't like it. He also noticed that the giant was looking around rather sneakily like he was up to something. Jack was trying to put together a plan of attack should the giant attempt anything inappropriate towards Roslyn.

He didn't have long to plan though when the giant suddenly entered the room and went directly to Roslyn. Before Jack would act the giant whispered something to Roslyn in Fratarian and dropped a waterskin in her lap. Putting his finger to his lip indicating they should be quiet, he then went back to his post at the door.

Roslyn was confused, and it showed on her face. Jack whispered, "What did he say?"

"Part of it I got, he said to drink and that he would watch over me. But that first part, bwen han, I don't understand." Jack saw her mouth the unknown words over and over, and for just a moment he could have been sitting next to Daniel.

Finally with a little grin she puzzled it out, "Little Mother. He called me Little Mother." And with that she opened the waterskin and took a moderate sip not wanting to make herself sick. The giant at the door saw her actions and nodded in approval.

She handed Jack the waterskin and explained, "Women in this culture are treasured, Jack. Little Mother is an honorific, similar to My Lady. It seems he's got more manners than the rest."

Jack took a drink, "Think we can use that to get the hell out of here? Preferably before Apophis gets here?"

"I don't know, Jack. He may be the only one that holds to their traditions."

Between them they drained the waterskin and Roslyn walked over to the giant and handed him the empty skin and said thank you in his language. He took the empty waterskin and looked at the rope binding her wrists. The ropes had dug in and her wrists were raw and chafed. He quickly untied them and although he did retie them, he left them very loose. He said something quickly and brushed a gentle thumb across Roslyn's cheek. Oddly she wasn't creeped out by his action, but Jack certainly was.

"What did you do that for? Are you trying to give me a heart attack? What did he say?"

"Sorry, I'll warn you next time. If we were found with the waterskin they would know that he helped us, giving it back to him just hides the evidence. He said that I look like his wife whom he loves more than breath." She frowned briefly, "At least I think that's what he said."

Jack shook his head, she really was Daniel all over again. "Let's just hope it wasn't a marriage proposal. I think we should probably try and get some rest, it doesn't look like we are going anywhere anytime soon."

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It was just a couple hours later that they were dragged in front of the glowing-eyed leader of their captors. Sitting on a crude throne hacked out of the stone he exuded the familiar haughtiness of every other Gou'ald they had ever encountered.

Forced to kneel in front of him, Roslyn and Jack's hands were still bound. Jack did a quick assessment of the situation and decided it wasn't looking good. He also noted with interest that their friendly giant was conspicuously absent.

"I am Ustalus. You will tell me why the Tau'ri are so interested in this planet."

Jack heard Roslyn sigh, channeling Daniel, when he spewed out, "We like sand?"

Jack just couldn't help himself. Gou'ald baiting was an acquired hobby, and he excelled at it. He knew the blow was coming and steeled himself for the kidney punch that came swiftly.

"You will tell me, O'Neill."

"Oh, yeah. Because I tell you snakeheads stuff all the time. Not gonna happen Ust, my man."

Roslyn knew Jack was baiting the Gou'ald to protect her, she also knew it wouldn't work for very long. And sure enough he stood and walked over to stand in front of Roslyn. He gripped her chin painfully and forced her eyes to meet his. "Perhaps you will be more forthcoming."

Jack struggled against the two men holding him down, "Leave her alone, you slimy parasite."

"Gag him." Ustalus ordered never releasing Roslyn's chin or gaze.

Jack fought and earned a blow to the head which stunned him and the men gagged him and brought him back to an upright kneeling position.

"Now, Roslyn Sanfield, you will tell me why the Tau'ri are interested in this planet.

She tried not to show fear although it was washing off of her in waves. She took a deep breath and said through gritted teeth, "My name is Roslyn Sanfield. I am a peaceful explorer here to learn about the people and culture of this planet."

"LIES." Ustalus bellowed. "What is your function among the Tau'ri?"

"I am an anthropologist. I study cultures and civilizations."

"You lie well, Roslyn Sanfield. Pain will loosen the truth from your lips." He turned to Jack, "I will enjoy torturing her O'Neill. And you will watch."

Jack went ballistic, or as ballistic as he could being bound and held down. He would rather be the one receiving the torture than watch one of his teammates bear it, especially one of his civilian teammates. And most especially one of his female civilian teammates.

They moved Roslyn to kneel facing Jack and one of the tribesmen made a show out of taking a large knife and slitting her BDU shirt and t-shirt up the back, exposing her skin. Jack locked his eyes with Roslyn's trying to offer her strength in the only way he could. She gave Jack a little nod of acknowledgement and closed her eyes as she felt the man step behind her again. Her world exploded in pain in the next moment as the Gou'ald pain stick was pressed to her skin.

She tried not to scream, knowing it would just hurt Jack, but the pain got to be too much and she screamed. Once she did the pain stopped and the chilling resonant voice behind her asked, "Why are you here Roslyn Sanfield?"

She was gasping for air but managed to say, "I am a peaceful explorer here to learn about the people and culture of this planet."

She wasn't surprised when the white haze of pain washed over her again.

Again and again they repeated the cycle until Roslyn's body gave up and she lost consciousness.

---------------

When she opened her eyes it took her a moment to orient herself. She was lying on her side on the ground back in the small ante chamber. Every inch of her body hurt. She realized that there was something soft under her head and it took her a second to realize it was Jack's thigh. She felt him stroking her hair and she whispered through parched lips, "Jack?"

"Hey. You back with me?"

She groaned as she pushed herself into an upright position. "I think so. How long was I out?"

Jack had draped his BDU shirt over her and it slid off as she sat up. He reached over and pulled it back up over her shoulders, "A couple of hours I think. They left us water. You should drink."

He handed her the waterskin and she drank small sips. He tried to assess her condition, he had seen trained soldiers break under less torture than she had withstood. She had screamed but never waivered from her "peaceful explorer" line. He was inordinately proud of her but scared for her physical and mental state at the moment.

As she drank Jack filled her in, "After they dumped us back here I checked out your back, the pain thingy caused some minor burns but they look okay. They shouldn't scar…" he let the last word trail off. He had seen the other scars on her back. A few more there wouldn't necessarily be noticed.

She met his eyes and said, "Ask."

"What happened?"

"About ten years ago I was in Afghanistan and I made the mistake of trying to intervene in the punishment of two young girls, they were going be beaten for supposedly breaking their modesty. The local authorities decided I was an American spy and I was tortured for three days before being dumped on the doorstep of the American embassy when they realized I really didn't know anything."

"My god, Roslyn. I didn't know."

"I think only General Hammond and Janet know about it at the mountain. It's not something I like to talk about."

Jack realized she had left a very important person off the list of those that knew, "Daniel?"

She looked down at her hands, "No. He doesn't need to know, Jack. And he doesn't need to know about today either."

Jack knew what the information that Roslyn had been tortured not once, but twice would do to Daniel and he didn't hesitate to agree to keep her secret if at all possible.

Roslyn couldn't keep her eyes open and they both new that sleep would help her body recover. She lay back down, facing away from Jack needing her privacy and tried to sleep.

He heard her say in a small voice, "Jack?"

"Yeah, Ros?"

"They're going to do it again aren't they?"

He took a deep breath, "Probably."

"Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"It's not your fault."

He didn't answer her and she drifted off to sleep, leaving Jack to try and figure a way out the mess they had gotten themselves into.

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