They all entered the gate. And Jack was right. General Hammond had indeed opened the iris when Walter told him someone was dialling from PX4-270. There was a lot of armed airmen in defence positions at the gate room when SG-1 arrived. But they all looked pleased to see that the flag team was back. Alive.
General Hammond was fast arriving to the gate as soon as he saw them stepping through the Stargate.
"Welcome back, SG-1. We were starting to get worried", he said looking at all of them. His eyes stopped in O'Neill who still had his hand around Carter's waist, supporting her.
"Are you hurt, Captain?", he asked her directly.
"A little dizzy, Sir", she admitted.
"She's probably severely dehydrated, Sir. She needs to see Janet ASAP", Jack told him.
Hammond stepped aside.
"Very well. Go all to the infirmary. We'll debrief latter. Go", he said.
They did what he said. In the corridor on the way to the infirmary, Jack slowed down the pace and stood a little behind Teal'c and Daniel. He wanted to talk to his 2IC in private before arriving the infirmary.
"Look Carter…", he started. "What happened to you in the planet…". He kept his voice low so the conversation could be heard by only the two of them.
"Yes Sir?", she asked.
"If you want to keep it off the record, I don't have a problem with that. I just wanted to tell you that, Captain", he said.
She gave him a quick glance.
"Off the record, Sir?", she asked in almost a whisper.
"Nobody knows what happened, except you and me. I won't say a word if you want to keep it to yourself. Just let me know if that is what you want", he said trying to give her a way out.
Sam swallowed. She didn't want anyone to know what had happened to her. It was bad enough he knew. And what they had done afterwards was even more potentially dangerous. Court martial dangerous.
"I prefer to keep it all out of the official records, Sir", she finally said as they finally got to the elevator where Daniel and Teal'c where already waiting.
"Roger that", Jack said.
"Thank you, Sir", she said in a very low voice that Jack almost didn't heard.
The four of them entered the elevator. Janet was already waiting for them.
"Okay, you know the procedure, gentleman. Sam you can go to that bed over there". She pointed to a bed on a corner in the infirmary. Apparently Janet wanted to give her some kind of privacy.
Jack took his hand from her waist very slowly.
"Are you okay?", he asked looking at her.
"Yeah, I'll manage", she said starting to move towards the bed.
Janet was looking at the two of them while her nurses had already started with Daniel and Teal'c. Jack sat on one of the empty beds. His eyes not moving from where Sam was now seated.
"So Colonel any complains?", she asked with her chart in hand.
"Why don't you start with Carter, doc? She was the one feeling dizzy. I can wait", he said.
Slowly Janet looked at Sam.
"All right. My nurse can take your blood while I talk with Sam", she said moving to the corner of the infirmary.
Sam was quietly seated at the bed trying to figure out what she was going to tell Janet.
"So Sam, Colonel O'Neill told me you were feeling dizzy. What else?" she asked taking her pulse.
"I just didn't eat, Janet. They didn't give us food", Sam said.
"And water?", Janet asked starting to take her blood pressure.
Sam shook her head.
"Okay so I'll start an IV as soon as I take some blood from you. Anything else I need to know?", she asked looking at the young captain and also her friend.
"No", Sam said starting with the first lie.
"Okay just wait a second while I grab a kit to take your blood", she said going for her cabinet.
She looked at her boots, trying to think of something when the questions and the exams turned more intimate. Janet would found out soon enough that she had sexual relations in the planet and unless she told Janet she had been raped she had to provide another explanation.
"Okay, so ready to take some blood?", Janet asked returning with her kit.
"Sure", Sam said extending her arm.
Janet was watching her closely.
"Are you sure that you don't want to tell me anything? You don't look well, Sam…", Janet asked as she started to take her blood.
Sam continued to look down and avoid her friend's eyes.
"We're prisoners, Janet. They didn't give us food and the only water I had was what they guys had with them. Not the best treatment I had", she said slowly.
Janet put the blood samples away.
"You know that I'll have to do a rape kit on you, honey? Were you assaulted there?", Janet asked very gently.
Sam cleared her throat.
"Sort of", she said. This time she looked at Janet.
"What do you mean 'sort of'?", Janet asked with a raised eyebrow.
Sam passed a hand through her hair.
"They did a virginity test on me. Twice. I guess it can be considered rape", Sam said slowly in a shaky voice.
Janet grabbed one of her hand.
"Oh Sam, I'm so sorry", she said. That was one of the greatest fear of women serving in front lines but Sam knew the risks.
"Yeah…me too", she said.
"But I have to report it nonetheless. I'm sorry", Janet said with a pained voice.
Sam just shrugged her shoulders.
"Do whatever you've to do, Janet. In my case, it's already done", she simply said.
On the other side of the room, Jack was closely watching the two women. By the movements of Janet and her desolated look, he suspected that Sam had told her something. But he wasn't sure what. Then the doctor moved one curtain around Sam's bed and he no longer was able to see them. He sighed heavily.
After all the medical exams were done and SG-1 members were cleared, Jack, Daniel and Teal'c were in the locker room. Sam was nowhere to be seen.
"So anyone has seen Carter?", he asked casually. Putting his leather jacket.
Daniel was putting his shoes on.
"I think she already left", he said.
Slowly Jack grabbed his wallet and put it in his back pocket.
"Left? I didn't see her here…", he said confused.
"I believe Captain Carter changed her clothes in the infirmary, O'Neill", Teal'c said.
Jack was now a little worried.
"You saw her?", he asked. Closing his locker door.
"No, I heard her talking with doctor Frasier", Teal'c said.
"Right, right…", Jack said. He needed to get to her house fast.
Daniel was already standing.
"Well, I'm glad General Hammond moved the briefing for tomorrow. I really need to rest", he said.
"We all need to rest", Jack said moving to the door. "See you tomorrow, guys", he said. Leaving.
He quickly moved to the elevator and went to the top of the mountain. Carter's car wasn't there anymore so he got inside his truck and left the parking lot. Towards her house.