Chapter------6

Samantha Carter had never felt so frustrated, but so far everything she tried had led to a brick wall. Prionne had disappeared shortly after Mitchell was placed in the sarcophagus, leaving her to search for him, but to no avail. She knew Cameron would soon be removed from the sarcophagus and she wanted to be there for him.

Carter hurried toward the structure she knew held Mitchell and stepped inside just as the Sarcophagus was opened. Mitchell looked pale and she knew he was being affected by the 'healing' abilities of the Goa'uld device. There were things they didn't know or understand about it, but she remembered the effects it had on Jack O'Neill when they'd finally rescued him.

Carter watched as Mitchell was lifted from the Sarcophagus, carried into his cell, and placed on the cot. A table had been placed nearby and there was a pitcher of some kind of juice and several pieces of an unknown fruit or vegetable on a plate. The Tarlean guards left and she sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out to touch Mitchell's forehead as his eyes slowly opened to reveal a deep sadness she had only seen once before.

"Sam?"

"I'm right here, Cam," Carter answered, pressing him back on the single pillow when he tried to sit up. "Just rest…"

"I feel like I'm a 100 years old," Mitchell told her.

"It's the Sarcophagus. It heals your body, but it can also leave you feeling drained. Are you hungry?"

"A little," Mitchell told her and groaned as she helped him sit up. "Damn…"

"I know," Carter said sympathetically as he leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes. She reached out to him and held him as his body trembled convulsively and wished there was something she could do to ease his suffering.

"Isn't that wonderful?"

"Isn't what wonderful?"

"They keep bring the condemned man his last meal…only seven more to go," Mitchell said and stared at the food on the table. "I'd give anything for a well done steak and…"

"Macaroons," Carter finished for him and got the smile she was looking for. "When we get home I'll make…I'm sorry…"

"Don't be, Sam," Mitchell said, knowing she understood that he probably wasn't going to see Earth again.

"Cam, we're going to get you out of this mess," Carter vowed. "Daniel and Teal'c are doing everything they can to find Dr. Randolph."

"Something tells me they won't find him," Mitchell said, accepting a piece of fruit and biting into the sweet fleshy part. "We need to concentrate on Prionne, Sam, he's not Tarlean."

"I know, but Shinara won't listen to anything I have to say. We need to do something to tip his hand," the woman said.

"Sam, don't do anything dangerous…"

"Cam, I visit worlds through a Stargate and have been a host to an alien creature. What could possibly top that?"

"You'd be surprised," Mitchell told her, sagging against the pillows as fatigue seeped into every inch of his body. "So damn tired."

"I know…go ahead and sleep. I'll be back," Carter vowed.

"Sam, promise me you won't do anything stupid."

"Me?"

"Carter!" Mitchell said and tried to summon the strength needed to sit up. "Sam…"

"Sleep, Cam," Carter said as a Tarlean guard opened the door for her. She turned and found herself drawn to him, but there was nothing she could do if she stayed here. She had to find out everything she could about Prionne and hope she could convince Shinara of his duplicity.

Mitchell knew he should eat, but the truth was his stomach was doing flip flops and would not cooperate. He thought about Samantha Carter and their relationship and wondered if things would go beyond friendship. If so…was that something he really wanted?

Sighing tiredly, Mitchell closed his eyes and thought about his team and what they meant to him. Teal'c, Carter, and Jackson were like family to him and he'd do anything for them. What surprised him was that they would do the same for him and had proven it many times since he'd convinced them to come back to SG1.

Mitchell drifted toward sleep, but could not help feeling as if Carter was in danger and prayed she wouldn't do anything to jeopardize her own life.

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Daniel and Teal'c knew there was nothing much they could do until they had 'Randolph' back at Cheyenne Mountain. The picture proved beyond a doubt that he was not the real Dr. Jonathon Randolph, but it wasn't enough to sway the Tarleans. The people of Tarlia would simply view it as subterfuge and continue to punish Cameron Mitchell.

"We need to find a way to get Randolph back here," Landry said angrily.

"That's what I was thinking, Sir," Jackson agreed. "The Tarleans are smart and they won't believe anything we have to say without positive proof. Does the IOA know that the real Dr. Randolph is dead?"

"They were told, but refused to cooperate with us," the general answered. He had very little respect for the IOA, and wished there was some way to keep them out of the investigation, but he had his orders too.

"Has there been any word from Sam?" Jackson asked.

"Colonel Carter is trying to prove Prionne is not who he says he is," Landry said. "I believe she'll have a better chance of doing that if we get Randolph back here."

"Is it possible they are working together?" Teal'c asked.

"It's more than possible. There has to be a connection if Sam is right about Prionne," Jackson stated.

"It is possible that Randolph is not from Earth," Teal'c offered.

"I was thinking the same thing. Randolph started visiting Tarlia shortly before they began making technological advances. Perhaps he and Prionne are working together," Landry explained.

"It's quite possible," Jackson observed. "The more I think about it the more convinced I am that this was what they wanted all along."

"What are you talking about?" Landry asked.

"Why would someone want to give the Tarleans advanced technology?" Jackson asked, but did not wait for an answer. "Teal'c, do you remember the Jarganians?"

"I do…they believe in causing mass destruction by forcing two worlds into war," Teal'c offered.

"I don't remember the Jarganians," Landry told them.

"They were one of the first races we came across when we stepped through the Stargate. It's in the early SG1 mission reports," Jackson told him. "The Jarganians were giving technology to two planets whose sun was dying, but they were not doing this to help the people. They were doing it to provoke a war that eventually destroyed both worlds and several neighboring planets. The Jarganians fed off the tremendous energy that resulted from the explosions."

"What about the people who lived on those worlds?" Landry asked.

"They were annihilated, while the Jarganians simply disappeared," Jackson answered.

"Could they be behind this?" the general asked.

"Maybe, but that was the last time we saw or heard from them. They disappeared around the same time the planets were destroyed and we figured they got what they wanted," Jackson explained.

"The Jarganians believed themselves to be a warrior race, but they thrived on the senseless death and disgrace of others," Teal'c added distastefully. "There was no honor in the way they destroyed those worlds."

"How do we go about finding out if Randolph is a Jarganian?" Landry asked.

"If I remember correctly we have a record of their DNA on file," Jackson offered.

"So all we have to do is find Randolph," the general said.

"If Sam is correct about Prionne it might be easier to bring him here or we could get a sample of his DNA," Jackson said.

"How long would it take to find out if he is Jarganian?" Landry asked.

"Shouldn't take too long if we get the sample," Jackson said.

"How soon can you leave?" Landry asked.

"Now," Teal'c answered simply.

"You have a go…just be careful," the general warned.

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Cam knew he'd dozed off and shifted on the cot until he could ease his legs over the edge and sit up. The tray of food was still on the table, but his stomach churned at the thought of eating anything. He had no idea how much time had passed since Carter left, but his throat was dry.

Mitchell reached for the pitcher of juice and poured a small amount into the single glass. He drank a small amount, amazed that it was still cold and had a pleasant tangy fruit taste. He rubbed his eyes and wished he had some way of shooting the drummer reeking havoc with his skull. He poured more of the liquid and drank it, but stopped when he heard a sound outside.

Two guards entered his cell and he sighed tiredly when he noted the manacles each man held. A third man stood just behind them and he recognized Prionne who smiled smugly before speaking.

"It is time, Colonel Mitchell."

Cam stood up and turned his back on the guards without acknowledging Prionne's presence. He felt the metal encircling both wrists and winced when they were tightened to the point of cutting off his circulation. He stood his ground as the second guard placed a set of manacles around his ankles before turning him toward Prionne.

"Give me the gag!" Prionne ordered and smiled as Mitchell turned glacial eyes in his direction.

Cam knew there was no point in fighting it as the guard handed Prionne that metal clamp that would be placed over his mouth. He flinched as it melded to his face and made it impossible for him to speak and forced him to breathe through his nostrils. Cam felt a hand on his arm as Prionne pushed him toward the door and silently vowed to make the SOB sorry for what he was doing.

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Carter knew Prionne had to be somewhere in the Tarlean city, but so far she'd been unable to find him. She heard the quicksilver sound of bells and knew it was almost time for the next Skar'bri'osh and hurried toward the Skar'Tark. She reached the structure at the same time Shinara and Binares, and was surprised to find Teal'c and Daniel amongst the gathered Tarleans.

"Sam, are you okay?" Jackson asked, noting the pale features that spoke of fear.

"I'm fine, Daniel, but Cam's not and you know how the Sarcophagus affects our minds and bodies," Carter said. "Please tell me you've found something to get him out of this?"

"Randolph is still missing, but we thought maybe the Jarganians were involved in this," Jackson explained.

"The Jarganians? I thought they were destroyed," Carter said softly.

"Something tells me we were wrong, Sam," Jackson said. "Do you still think Prionne isn't a Tarlean?"

"I know he's not, but how do we prove it?"

"If we can get a sample of his DNA we could compare it to the Tarleans and the Jarganian sample we have at the SGC," Jackson explained.

"I can get close enough to get a hair sample," Carter said.

"That should be enough, but you have to be careful," Jackson warned, his eyes growing wide as he spotted Mitchell being led into the clearing. "My God," he whispered of the shock of seeing how pale his friend was.

Teal'c felt the anger flaring as he watched Prionne and the guards leading Cameron Mitchell into the clearing. The Man's face was pale and bathed in a sheen of perspiration that spoke of fever. His eyes were sunken and encircled by dark rims that spoke of fatigue. Teal'c wanted to tear Prionne apart, but he knew it would do no good and he fought the urge to do so as Carter placed a restraining hand on his arm.

"It would just make things harder on him, Teal'c," Sam warned.

"Colonel, Mitchell, you have been sentenced to the ten deaths of the Skar'bri'osh," Shinara said and looked pointedly toward Carter. "The third death was handed down by the council against a man who wronged his family. It is known as the Spe'Liak named after the woman who first demanded it 100 cycles ago. You will stand at the center of the clearing and surrounded by twelve Tarlean females who have been wronged by their consorts. The 'Liak' are ceremonial stones that weigh between five and ten pounds and have been used since the beginning to mete out the judgment of my people."

"Shinara, why are you doing this?" Carter asked when ten females dressed in shimmering crimson gowns stepped forward and reached for one of the stones piled under an arc of blood red flowers.

"Colonel Carter, you were asked to be silent during the Skar'bri'osh. If you persist in interrupting you and your friends will be removed from the proceedings," Prionne said, smiling inwardly at how easy it was to read the woman's feelings.

"Sam…"

"I know, Daniel," Carter said and felt as if her legs would give out as Cameron Mitchell stood his ground and looked in her direction. She could tell he was being strong for them and cried out as the first of the 'Liak' was hurled toward him.

Cam's cry of pain was muffled by the gag as the Liak struck him on the right shoulder. He barely had time to adjust as a second caught him on the left knee and he fought to stay on his feet. A third caught him mid chest and knocked the wind out of him as the fourth struck his right cheek. The pain was nearly unbearable as the fifth 'Liak' was hurled in his direction, opening a gash above his left eye. Blood spilled from the wound and he blinked several times before his vision cleared. The sixth struck him in the forehead and drove him backward. He landed hard on his back and stared up at a woman whose eyes were dark and cold as she brought the 'Liak' above her head and cried out as she drove it against his chest.

Mitchell felt ribs break under the force of the blow, but did not have time to think about it as another woman took her place. The eighth took her place and the smile she wore sent chills down his spine as she slammed it full force into his groin. Bright lights flickered in front of his eyes, but he did not lose consciousness as another tormentor took her place. Breathing became an unbearable chore as his ribs were crushed and driven into his lungs. He managed to turn his head toward Carter and heard her angry cry as something crashed into his face, breaking his cheekbone and sending him spiraling into hell.

TBC