Author's Note: I planned to post this on Wed but things got away from me.

The next time I wake I'm no longer in my cell. I lift my head to look around, but all I see is darkness.

My arms and legs are tied to a chair. I try to move them to restart the circulation but my bonds are two tight. Where am I now? My last memory was being outside looking for the Stargate. Is there really a Stargate out in open in Colorado? I shake my head, my thought are confused and fuzzy.

A voice speaks from the darkness around me; it's right next to my ear whispering. "Colonel Carter you have proven to be most difficult. You could have gone the easy way, but-" He slaps me hard across the face and the ring on his finger cuts my cheek and I taste blood. "-you chose to be difficult. The time for trickery and ruse is over. Tell me where the GDO is. If you want to survive this you must tell me where you hid it. Only then will I stop the starvation stop and give you this."

A hand comes into my line of vision and I see a green chunky substance. Kassa, I've had these crystals or as a liquid in needles. I know the smell and the sickeningly sweet taste; it starts me salivating. It will end the pain and make me feel whole again. I need it. I try to look at the man to see who he is but my head is bound as tightly as my arms.

"I don't know what you are talking about. I don't know what you are looking for!" I tell him, hating the hopelessness in my voice.

"Come now, Samantha." His fingers brush my cheek, "You know where you hid the GDO. I need it if I'm to attack Earth. You will give me the code and tell me where the device is."

The realization of what is happening makes me sick. I'm a prisoner of the Lucien Alliance. As my tormentor enters my line of vision I see Netan, their leader. "I'm not telling you anything." I remember now Vala gave me her device when we split up and I hid the devices. But she betrayed me, she's on their side. Why would she do that? My mind is spinning with possibilities and none make sense.

I can feel myself slowly sliding back into that dream world as the walls turn blood red and the specters have returned to the room. I bite my lip to stifle a scream but it slips out and Netan strikes me again, but he too turns into an pink elephant and I can't understand his words.

He's striking me harder, he's out of control. I know I must push him over the edge because there is a chance he will kill me. Not having any other recourse I spit in his face. "You're no better than the Goa'uld."

I see the anger build and then explode over his features as he loses control. The first blow strikes my face, the next one hits my ribs, as the force sends the chair crashing to the floor. I bite my lips to stop any sound from escaping as my head strikes the ground and blackness covers me.

0o0o0

I come awake as Vala enters my cell once more. "Sam, I'm sorry this has happened but we need to go now. The-"

"Stop the lies Vala. I know what you want and I won't give it to you. I won't let you betray us any further. You came to the SGC as a Lucien Alliance spy, you've been spying them this whole time. Leave me here to die. I won't play your games. I remember what happened."

"Samantha, it's not like that. I had to. I needed to keep you and me alive. Please understand I want us to get home. You have to trust me."

My door opens suddenly and Whistler stands in the doorway. He's shorter than me and looks as though he's never bathed in his life. The smell wafting off him reminds me of things long dead and rotting.

Seeing Vala at my side, he grins, showing us his missing teeth.

"We've been looking for you, Vala Mal Doran. The master knows he was a fool to trust you and he's not very please with you. Like your father every word that drops from your mouth is lies-"

Once I'm on my feet, Vala directs me to the bed. She hides behind the door pulling out a small knife. With a shrill cry Vala smashes Whistler into the door.

I watch them grapple, shocked at the turn of events. A smile that crosses my lips as she slams his head into the door. Whatever her motives I can't help but admire Vala's fighting style as she kicks Whistler in the gut.

He counters, getting a hold of Vala's hair and pulling as he gets to his feet. She screams and kicks him in the groin but he doesn't let go.

Vala sweeps his feet out from under him and knocks him to the floor. He falls with a chunk of her hair still clutched in his hands. With a scream of rage her foot connects with his stomach while he's down. Pinning him to the floor she smashes his head down on the floor until he's unconscious. I know I should feel some remorse or sympathy for the man but he has tormented and abused me since my imprisonment began and I can't say I'm sad to see him brought down.

Then looking up at me she calls out, "Samantha, tear up the sheet and help me bind him."

Now that the fight is over I stare at Vala. "Why did you do that?" Backing away I shake my head.

Vala holds out her hand to me. "My words to you were not lies. What I told you before is the truth. Sam, please follow me. I will get us out of here. Trust me."

I don't want to trust her but she's my only choice. All I need to do is bide my time for a chance to escape.

Nodding I do as Vala asks. Passing her the strips, I search his clothes for anything of use. I find a small knife and pocket it before Vala sees me.

Working together, we heft the short man onto one of the beds and cover him with the blanket, hoping this will buy us a bit of time. We're hoping they won't know I'm gone until they actually come into the cell.

I stumble, falling to the ground. Vala helps me to my feet and wraps her arm around my waist. She orders me to move and hopfully fortune will smile upon us today.

"Help me up and then we'll get out of here once and for all. I must say if I never see this place again it'll be too soon." I say holding out my hand. I still not sure if I totally trust Vala but I need to get out of here.

Vala grips my hand, hauling me to my feet before stepping back to see if I can stand. I swayed slightly but remain upright.

Drawing a deep breath, I tell her, "I'm ready to go."

It's late and I know I should be tackling the mountain of paperwork I have sitting on my temporary desk, but I can't pull myself away from the window overlooking the 'gate. I stare at it ready to spring into action if called, but the 'gate stands there still and silent. I have never been good at waiting for anything but I find myself learning to because I can't give upon my people, my team.

There is nothing else I can do, so I stand in the briefing room willing the Stargate to dial. Sam and Vala have been missing for six weeks and the SGC still has no idea where they are. The IOA has assumed the worst and called off the search, but the rest of SG-1 and I refuse to give up hope.

Daniel's injured ankle has sidelined him and he just sits down in his office poring over all the data trying to find some lead that will tell us where they've been taken. Cam and Teal'c are chasing down any whisper of the two women, but I'm stuck here behind a desk pushing paper. I feel so useless and there's nothing I can do. My knees prevent me from going out and looking for my lost team members, and it hurts.

What use is being a general, if I can't do anything to help them?

Over the years we've all gone missing and the remaining team have never given up. I can do nothing less for Carter and Vala. She and Vala, deserve the same amount of time before I began to think about giving up and I'll make sure she get it, even if all I have to fight with is a mountain of paper. As a team we defied the odds many times and I have to believe that it'll happen again, I just have to wait.

Footsteps come up behind me. I know who it is without looking. I wonder what's brought him out of his self-induced exile. Before he can speak I say, "Have you slept, Daniel? Dr. Lam ordered you to bed earlier today."

"A bit and you?" Daniel answers.

Rubbing the back of my neck, I answer, "Not too much. Anymore leads?"

Daniel shakes his head. "Nope. We're hoping the Tok'ra would have something but they just brushed us off. I think they know something, but they're not sharing with us. We'll find Sam and Vala; we have to."

I look over at Daniel and I can see the toll this has taken on him. Sam is important to him, as is Vala. "I know we will. Why don't we turn in and get a fresh look at all this tomorrow. Maybe we'll catch a break."

"I will if you will, Jack, but I know that you'res taying right here so I'll just wait with you."

We share a smile, but it vanishes quickly as the 'gate begins to spin and the chevrons begin to lock into place. We take off running even before Walter's voice comes over the PA shouting, "Unscheduled off-world activation!"

I have two more chapters of this story posted on my personal website. To find it just Google my penname. You can also follow me on facebook (you want my page not my profile(I created that and have no idea how to get rid of it, I never use it) to get updates other than here. (When I post a new story I post it there two-three weeks before I post here.) There used to be a link on my profile but it seems to have disappeared. This site won't let you post outside links in the story that's why the address isn't here.

Thank you for reading and I hope you come back again. :0)

Also I have now published my second work of original fiction on kindle. It's a novella called Red Colony: Odyssey. If you search for my real name, Kelli Bullock on amazon you'll find it and my first novella.