She felt free. For the first time since she had come face to face with Ba'al Sam didn't feel any pain. She was enveloped in darkness and she was willing to bet she was dead but, she didn't hurt anymore. That was until the feeling of her body returned to her. Realization hit that she wasn't some disembodied being but, was weighted down by her own injured body.
She couldn't help but moan at the soreness she felt, even if it was better than her previous pain. She felt something flutter across her cheek and then heard a soft sound, too soft to make out. "Sam?" She was surprised to hear what sounded like Janet's voice. She tried to speak but couldn't. Sam tried to open her eyes and she succeeded in fluttering them open only a bit but, enough to see Janet. She was smiling brightly as she gently touched Sam's face.
"Thank god," Janet offered. "Sam, I need you to listen to me alright? We're on Ba'al's ship."
Sam closed her eyes against the tears that threatened as she tried to pull away. Funny, she didn't think she had any energy left to cry. "Sam?" Janet held her face firmly in her hands and waited for Sam's eyes to open. "I know that's not what you wanted to hear but, I promise it's good news. You killed Ba'al, he's not here anymore. We had to bring you back so that we could remove those damn implants."
Sam slowly opened her eyes though she could not keep a stray tear from falling. "He's gone," she asked with a dry voice. It had come out in less than a whisper but, Janet still heard her.
"Yes," Janet smiled. "Yes, he's gone." Sam reached out her hand, trying to grab hold of Janet's. She was relieved when Janet placed one of her hands in hers and squeezed back. "It's alright. I promise, you're safe." Janet gently brushed away Sam's tears and smiled. "How are you feeling?"
"Soar," Sam croaked out.
"Do you think you're alright to sit up?" Sam agreed and Janet helped move her to a sitting position, fluffing up pillows behind her. Once Sam seemed comfortable Janet grabbed the glass of water sitting close by and encouraged Sam to drink small sips. "Better," she asked as Sam handed the glass back.
"Yes," Sam offered after clearing her throat. "What happened? How … how did you get here?"
"What's the last thing you remember," Janet asked gently.
"Pain."
Janet nodded her head and took Sam's hand back in her own. "Do you remember killing Ba'al?"
Sam closed her eyes tightly with a shake of her head. "I … I remember fighting him but, I don't …"
"It's alright Sam … You were gone for eleven weeks," Janet started slowly, carefully watching Sam's reaction. "We didn't know who had taken you, where you were … nothing. You escaped and made it to the SGC. When you arrived you were in really bad shape. We had to perform surgery on you. You were having convulsions, they kept you in pain." Sam licked her lips before nodding, she remembered the convulsions.
"I couldn't stop the pain; I didn't know how to take out the implants without causing more damage. You … you asked me to kill you, to stop the pain." Janet carefully studied their joined hands as Sam gave hers a squeeze. She looked up and saw the sorrow in her eyes, like she was apologizing for asking such a thing.
"I thought … I thought that was all in my head."
"No, it was real. You told us that Ba'al had captured you and you told the Colonel that it was too dangerous to go back. Your Dad came, and so did Oma." Sam tensed as her eyes widened at that. "She explained the implants to us. Ba'al placed ones in your brain that recorded everything. You probably thought the SGC was all in your head because you ended up reliving all the torture he'd previously put you through. Sam … We needed to know what happened so Selmak attached the memory recall device … we … you relived those eleven weeks nearly four times."
"And you saw it," Sam asked as her voice wavered. She had never wanted them to know what had happened. It wasn't right … "Every time?"
"I'm sorry," Janet offered with soft eyes. Sam turned her head away, it hurt too much. When it became clear that she wasn't going to say more Janet continued. "General Hammond sent a MALP to Ba'al's world and they found all of his Jaffa waiting by the Gate. His First Prime, Mal'tec, said they pledged their allegiance to us. He's the one that told us of Ba'al's death. Hammond arranged to have SG-3 meet Mal'tec on a neutral planet and then brought him to the SGC. He said he could remove the implants."
"We were never ordered to bring you back. Technically we were ordered not to, in case it was a trap, there are nearly 700 Jaffa on this planet and we had no proof that Ba'al was really dead. The Colonel, Daniel, Teal'c, Selmak and I were going to take the chances. When we were ready to leave 12 other SG teams were already waiting in the Gate room. When we came through the Jaffa bowed to us and Mal'tec led us to the machine.
"It took some time but, he managed to remove all of the implants. You were still in a lot of pain and you really needed to heal. Apparently, when we made contact with them he ordered his Jaffa to retrieve a sarcophagus. We used it several times … there was just too much damage for it to heal in one use. This is the first time you woke up since the implants were removed."
"How long have I been out," Sam asked, still not looking at Janet.
"Two weeks. Between the addiction to the sarcophagus and your time unconscious you're goanna be sore for a while."
A silence fell over the two and Sam began to recognize exactly where on Ba'al's ship she was, his quarters and his bed. "I need to get out of here."
"Sam –"
"Janet please," she began as she finally looked back to her friend. "Don't ask me to stay in this room."
"Alright." Janet gently pulled the covers away from Sam and gently helped her out of the bed. Sam had to lean on Janet for support, she wasn't strong enough to stand on her own but, she did feel stronger than previously. Slowly Janet helped her to the door before stopping. "Listen, the Jaffa have pledged themselves to us in your name."
"What?"
"Yeah, I know. They've taken to protecting you pretty fiercely. The wont let anyone in this room if I'm not with them and they won't let any of the SG teams near me except SG-1. I have to order them to stand aside for anyone else to get near me."
"Why," Sam asked confused.
"I think they understand that I'm taking care of you so they protect me to ensure you're alright. I think they feel guilty about what happened. When we walk out this door they're going to flank around us. I need you to stay calm, alright?"
Sam took a deep breath as she nodded and Janet pulled the door open. Jaffa lined both sides of the hallway and as Sam stepped out of the room they all bowed their heads. Six Jaffa closest to her stepped around her and Janet while another Jaffa left the hallway. Sam instinctively tightened her hold on Janet's hand as the Jaffa led them through the hallways. It was slow going with how sore Sam was but, no one objected and the Jaffa seemed almost cautious to move her too quickly.
They entered an open room that Sam didn't recognize but, it was still the horrible gold colour like the rest of the ship. "Sam!" She looked around the Jaffa to find Daniel smiling as he and Jack stepped closer. While the Jaffa weren't caring any staff weapons they flanked around Sam and Janet tighter and Sam took a deep breath as she tightened her hold on Janet's hand again.
"It's alright," Janet offered to the Jaffa closest to her. "Please, let us through."
The Jaffa did not respond like they had in the past and both women looked to Jack and Daniel. "Sam," Daniel offered. "I don't think they'll take orders from anyone but you now that you're awake."
She eyed them cautiously and opened her mouth but no words came. She was startled and her throat was still dry so she swallowed a few times. "Please, move aside." Instantly the Jaffa moved as one and stepped away from her. They stationed themselves at either entrance while Daniel and Jack moved closer. "Hey," she offered softly as she fumbled a bit in Janet's arms. In an instant Jack and Daniel were on either side of her and they led her to the long table that they had been sitting at. She sat down heavily and smiled softly at them, "Thanks."
"No problem Carter," Jack said as he sat close to her. "How are you feeling?"
"A little unsettled Sir. The Jaffa –"
"Yeah," he offered. "Don't worry. We came through, got those damn implants removed and then the SGC was ordered to take command. Bra'tac is around with a LOT of the free Jaffa. They're helping us keep control but so far there haven't been any issues. They handed over all of their weapons without argument. The only issue we've had with them has been the 'protection' they provide for you and the Doc. Daniel thinks you'll have some control over that."
"Me? Why would I have any control over that?"
"Because you killed Ba'al," Daniel spoke up. "When a Goa'uld is killed the Jaffa are taken as servents to the Goa'uld that killed their master."
"But I am not a Goa'uld."
"No but, you freed them from Ba'al. Normally a First Prime would seek retribution for the death of their Master but, Mal'tec is like Teal'c. He believes in the freedom of the Jaffa." There was a pause and Sam waited for what was to follow, she didn't have a good feeling about the matter. "Mal'tec told us when you escaped … you pissed of Ba'al."
"Good," she offered though she still didn't remember it just yet.
"Well, apparently Ba'al has security cameras."
"Security cameras," Sam asked skeptically.
"Yeah," Daniel offered as he scratched his head. "It's like combining the cameras from the SGC with the Tok'ra memory recall device."
"What are you saying Daniel?"
"When you escaped he pulled up the cameras to find where you were. It was displayed all over so that all of the Jaffa would know where you were too. Those that didn't join Ba'al still saw what happened." When Sam's brow furrowed and she shook her head Daniel continued. "Ba'al reached you before the Jaffa. You two fought; he was using the hand device against you but you still managed to grab a knife off of him. You stabbed him through the heart and then you shoved it into the back of his neck, right through the symbiote.
"Mal'tec and several Jaffa had been around, they saw it firsthand. The Jaffa came together. He says they realized that you had spoken the truth; Ba'al couldn't come back without a sarcophagus. It helped convince them that he wasn't a god after all. And since you were the one who killed him they decided that they would serve the Tau'ri, more importantly they would serve the Tau'ri if it meant serving you, instead of allowing themselves to be taken by another false god."
"Why not join the Jaffa on Dakara," Sam asked confused.
"Mal'tec believes it would be dishonorable." The group looked up to see Teal'c standing in the doorway. When Sam smiled at him he stepped closer.
"Hey, why don't the Jaffa stop you," Jack cried. "That's not fair."
"They do not stop me because Mal'tec has ordered them not to." As Teal'c came closer Jack huffed like a child.
"It's good to see you Teal'c," Sam offered as he leaned down to hug her.
"Indeed. It is also good to see you. I am glad you are well." Teal'c took a seat and Sam asked him to explain what he meant. "Most of the Jaffa believe that they have brought dishonor upon themselves by allowing themselves to believe in a false god. They believe that serving you is the only way to redeem their honor."
"What do you mean most?"
"There are some that believe they should join the free Jaffa."
"Then let them," Sam offered. "I don't want Jaffa 'serving' me."
"Wait a minute Carter," Jack spoke up as he reclined in his seat. "Think about the perks. Voluntary servants bringing you drinks with the little umbrellas? Sounds good to me!"
Sam raised her brow at him, it was painfully obvious he was trying to make her laugh. "There's nothing voluntary about it if I let them falsely believe that I can somehow restore their honor Sir."
"Damn," Jack offered. "It was worth a shot," he smiled at her.