The tires of the vehicles were thick metal drums, studded for traction. As such, each bump jostled the occupants. Coupled with the lack of padding on the bench-like protrusion that served as a seat, Sam felt her butt quickly going numb. Their captors said nothing during the ride, and even Jack was silent during the trip. Unable to see outside the vehicle, they had no idea where they were being taken within the city.

When the vehicle stopped and they were ushered out they were already inside of a building. The drab walls within were reminiscent of the SGC, but with more spacious measurements. Footsteps echoed as they were taken further in. Sam tried to commit to memory every turn and staircase to their destination. A destination that happened to be a 10'x10' cell in the center of a larger room. SG-1 was locked inside, and four guards remained with them inside the room.

"Well this is a fine pile of it we've stepped in," Jack said under his breath. They huddled up so they wouldn't be overheard.

"It certainly isn't what we anticipated," Daniel said.

"Oh, I don't know," Jack began as he made a show of appraising his surroundings, "I think I'm starting to get used to this by now."

"That's not what I meant..."

Sam could see them getting off track. "I think the real question is what are we going to do now."

"An opportunity will not likely arrive while we are being so closely guarded," Teal'c said.

Even if they could find a weakness in their prison, it would be virtually impossible to do anything with the guards constantly watching their every move. At least for the time being they'd have to watch and bide their time.

They weren't left to wait long until the man from before entered the room. His expression was much calmer, but there was still nothing positive in his appearance. He paced in front of the cell a few steps, eyeing his captives, before he stopped and spoke.

"I am Talquin, commander of this sector," the man said, finally introduced himself. "The Believers are becoming much more imaginative. This is unsettling."

It was obvious the Believers were those who believed in the gods, the Goa'uld.

Daniel took a step forward. "We've already told you that we have nothing to do with these 'Believers'."

A cold stare and a curt motion of his hand made Daniel promptly shut his mouth. Sam's fists automatically clenched.

"Holding to your story even when you are thwarted, I suppose such devotion is honorable. However, I do not have the patience for this game. You will name all those who are part of this ruse."

"This isn't a ruse," Sam said. They had to get through to him somehow. There was no way to give names when there were none to be given.

"So you refuse to comply?" Talquin asked.

Teal'c spoke up this time. "We cannot comply for we are telling the truth."

Talquin shook his head. "I see."

"We don't want to interfere with whatever issues you got here. The offer still stands, if you let us go we'll leave and you can go on doing whatever it is that you do." Jack tried again.

Talquin's expression did not change, clearly as unimpressed with the offer as he had been the first time.

"Do not take me for a fool. If you insist upon denying the chance I offer you, then clearly other methods must be employed."

Wherever you went, "other methods" always described the same type of thing. Torture, of some form or another. They all held their ground, Jack positioning himself in front of the others.

"You don't need to do this," Jack said. His tone belied his powerlessness in the situation. Sam could tell that he was preparing to place himself in the brunt of trouble, to try and cast as much focus on him as torture became more and more certain.

Daniel was as desperate as she was to nip this whole situation in the bud. "Just give us a chance, won't you? Take us to the... Matellan, and let us show you how it works. THAT it works."

"Be silent!" Talquin demanded. "I have had enough of this!"

And it became perfectly clear that he wasn't letting them anywhere near the Stargate. Because even if they did honor their word and leave, it would still give the "Believers" the proof they needed for their claims. Talquin couldn't chance them being exactly who they claimed to be.

There would be no easy way out of this one.

"Take her." Talquin idly gestured to Sam. Instinctively, she took a step back.

Before the guards could move to comply Jack was against the bars. "No. I'm the leader. Take me."

"Fear not. Your turn will come soon enough."

Weapons trained on them as one guard came forward to unlock the door. Even with the guns Sam could see that Jack was just barely restraining himself. They all looked an instant away from coming to her aid, as useless as the gesture would be. It was no less than she would expect, or do herself.

When the guard gestured for her to step out, Sam tried to give her team the most confident look she could manage.

They walked her down even more hallways. Eventually they came to a room. Inside were several devices, some analogous enough to their Earth counterparts for her to recognize as monitoring equipment. Others were less obvious. In the center of the array was a gurney. Sam's focus caught on the heavy restraints hanging off the side.

"Something the scientists have been working on," Talquin said, enjoying her obvious discomfort.

Sam sucked in a breath to steady herself. "You won't get anything from this."

"Humor me. You needn't worry. I am assured the process is quite painless."

She wasn't comforted by his words. Whatever the specific purpose of all these devices were, she was sure it would be a less than pleasant experience. At the very least they were designed to elicit information, and she didn't have what they were interested in.

Two of the guards grabbed Sam by the shoulders before she could react. Her immediate reaction was to try to shrug them off, but their grip was secure. As she stilled she heard footsteps approaching down the hall and soon another man entered the room. He wasn't dressed in the same type of uniform as Talquin or the guards, and in his hand was a syringe.

"Don't do this," Sam said softly. She shrank back as he injected her shoulder through her shirt. The sedative worked fast, coating her brain in a thick fog and cutting it off from the rest of her body. Unable to carry her own weight, she slumped in the grip of the guards. Her vision blurred severely and sounds became so distant as to almost be unintelligible.

"Hurry up and get her prepared for the process."

The words echoed in her head as she finally succumbed completely.