THE SCENT OF VIOLETS

By Lady Grey

The gate disengaged with the expected noise, but as soon as it went silent another sound hummed all around the team. Light grew until no one could see, and when it finally faded, the foursome found themselves inside a great hall. Men in long robes surrounded them, except for the handful forming a ring around the landing pad. These were exceptionally large, burly men that rivaled Teal'c in physique, all naked from the waist up.

They didn't look friendly.

"Uh, I'm Daniel Jackson," the archaeologist said quickly, stepping forward and holding out his hand. "We're peaceful explorers from a planet called—"

"It is of no consequence," called a voice to his right.

The group turned to see another man in red robes, with a turban on his head fastened with a huge glittering jewel. Gold jewelry decorated his neck, ears, fingers and ankles. Obviously, this was a personage of high position.

"We come in peace," Jack assured him. "And we expect you folks to let us leave in one. Piece. Col. Jack O'Neill, here." He glanced over his shoulder at the Jaffa guarding his back. "This is Teal'c, and the blonde is—"

"Unimportant," the man cut in.

Sam instantly looked like she wanted to tell him a thing or two, but wisely kept her mouth shut.

"Well, who might you be, then?"

"I am Rajashah Kazir ben-Alit, ruler of this continent," the stranger announced. "You disturb our peace with your presence and your alien ways. I will ask you questions, and if your answers are satisfactory, I will send you back to the gate, where you will return whence you came."

"And if you're not satisfied?" Daniel inquired.

Kazir leveled him with a malicious gaze. "Then you die."

"Whoa, ho, hold on there, fella," Jack shot back, frowning. "We told you we're peaceful folk. Why do you wanna go pushin' us around right out of the gate?" He glanced at Daniel and lowered his voice. "No pun intended."

"It has been our experience that travelers through the portal, whatever their stated intentions, are not always honest. We have been attacked when holding out the hand of friendship. We are more careful now, and choose not to welcome those who would be our enemies. And we have no need of friends."

"Then why bother asking questions at all?" Daniel asked. "Why not just send us back now?"

Kazir smiled coldly. "If you wish to be our enemies and we send you back, you will only bring more of your people and destroy us. If you simply do not return, your people may not send others after you. If they do, they will not send many. And when they do not return…"

"We have technology and other goods to trade," Carter suggested hopefully. "Our medicine might be of great help to your people. Or vice versa."

The ruler slashed his hand through the air, and one of the guards advanced on her, his eyes flashing.

Jack shot at his feet and turned his P-90 on Kazir. "It'd be real smart for you people to let us go right now. We came as friends, but we won't let you do whatever you want with us. We can protect ourselves."

Kazir laughed softly. He lifted his right hand and aimed the palm at them. Weapons, clothes, everything added onto their bodies – including Daniel's glasses – was suddenly gone.

"Whoa!" Jack cried. "Never had that happen before." He looked down at himself, to his left at Daniel, who was covering his crotch with his hands, but did not turn around to locate Carter or Teal'c. Instead, he felt the major back quickly up against his backside. Instinctively, the other three men closed the space around her, hiding her from the aliens' view. Over his shoulder, Jack mumbled, "Daniel, any ideas how to get out of this one?"

"Answer their questions," he snapped. "And fast, before I die of shame."

"Speak for yourself," Jack mumbled, not taking his eyes off the man in charge.

This time Kazir's laugh was bright and jolly. "Now you understand," he observed. "I see your woman carries a weapon. What status do women hold on your world?"

"Equal to men," Carter barked over Jack's shoulder. "Since we are."

Kazir glowered at her. "She will be silent, or she will die," he told the colonel.

"Bite me," Sam snarled, getting madder by the minute.

A wordless cry of rage sprang from Kazir's lips. "Control her or you will die!" he roared, pointing at Jack.

"Carter," O'Neill growled. "Put a cork in it. For now."

"You travel with a Jaffa. What is your status with the Goa'uld?" Kazir demanded.

"We're doin' our best to wipe 'em off the face of the universe." Nodding at Teal'c, Jack added, "He's on our side, fighting the Goa'uld every chance he gets. Got a big personal score to settle with them, seein' as how they enslaved his people."

That seemed to please Kazir. He smiled and nodded. "This is well. They are also our enemies."

"Well, you're human," Daniel said. "It stands to reason—"

"I will speak only to your leader," Kazir told him firmly. "Only he will speak to me."

"Whatever," Jack mouthed. "Get on with it."

"What do you seek above all else?"

"Freedom from the threat of the Goa'uld." Jack didn't hesitate in his answer. "That's why we're out here, knockin' on strange doors. Not just to see what's on the other side, but to try to find a way to keep them from killin' us all. Technology's good for that." He looked down at himself. Except for an initial flinch when his clothing vanished, he didn't bother covering up. It would be a sign of weakness and he knew strength mattered here.

"So are friendships with the right people," Daniel added.

"Yeah," Jack agreed. "You folks got some pretty nifty gadgets, like that transporter and that instant nekkid device." He grinned and murmured to his team, "Boy, wouldn't I like to try that on a couple of false gods we've met."

"What do you value above all else?" Kazir demanded.

"Freedom," Jack answered succinctly. "It's what our country is based on."

"The only true freedom is anarchy," Kazir countered. "Here, I choose what is best for my people, and thus preserve order."

"We'll just skip my opinion on that. Next question." Jack put his hands on his lean hips and waited.

"Who matters most to you, and why?"

"That's two questions," the colonel returned boldly. "My team is my family. I'd do anything for them, because they'd die for me and vice versa."

Daniel shot his CO a surprised glance. "That's about the nicest thing I've ever heard you say about me."

"Shut up, Daniel." He turned back to the rajasha. "How many more questions? It's getting a mite chilly in here."

Kazir's eyes took on a devilish gleam. "To whom does this woman belong? Is she yours only, or does she belong equally to the other men of your team as well?"

"I belong to myself," Carter snapped.

The colonel elbowed her to make her shut up. "She's ours. Why?"

Kazir nodded. "This is good. Keeping her only for yourself can cause dissension among those who follow your orders. She is spirited, yes?"

"That's one way of putting it, yeah," Jack agreed. "But we like her just the way she is."

"She does not submit to you?"

"When I tell her to, she does." Jack elbowed her again to keep her from arguing.

Which she did anyway. "I follow orders," she corrected. "I don't submit."

Apparently, Kazir's patience was stretched thin. He glowered at her. "You will submit to your men, or you will submit to three of mine. Choose, woman. This time you may speak."

"Sam, I'd watch what you say," Daniel advised. "I'm not getting a good feeling about this. Middle Eastern cultures are predisposed to—"

"Silence!" Kazir shouted, pointing a finger in Daniel's face. Turning his attention back to Sam, he reiterated more calmly, "Choose. Your men or mine."

"Of course I'd choose my guys over yours. What more do you want?"

"You will submit to them?" prompted the Rajashah.

"Yeah, whatever. Order away, Col. O'Neill."

Kazir turned and clapped his hands. From behind a folding screen in the back of the room came a bevy of women, clad head to foot in garments that concealed everything but their eyes. They handed robes to Sam and a loincloth to each of the men, and when they had dressed – though Jack needed a little help from Daniel in figuring out how to wear the thing – the women attached a small device to each of their foreheads. Last of all, one of them fastened a collar around Carter's neck.

Departing as they had entered, in silence save for the swishing of their clothes, the women left the great hall.

Kazir smiled. "You will find that you cannot speak while wearing the Silencer," he told Carter. "Any attempt to remove it will result in mortal injury, and we will make no attempt to save you."

Sam's fingers went to the device around her throat. Her mouth opened, but only the whoosh of breath came out. Her fingers closed over Jack's shoulder. She shook her head when he made eye contact.

Jack reached up to the tiny machine attached to his forehead. "Okay, what's this for, Cashmere?"

"It reads brainwaves," the rajashah replied evenly. "It will verify for us whether your woman has submitted, or if you have attempted deceit." He chuckled a little. "I will demonstrate shortly. Be aware that no harm will come to you if you remove the devices, but should you do so, you will be terminated by my guards immediately. They will come off by themselves when the submission is complete. Is this understood, cour-nell?"

"Uh-oh," said Daniel. "Uh… exactly what kind of submission are we talking about here, Rajashah?"

Kazir backhanded Daniel across the mouth and turned back to Jack.

Daniel touched his bruised cheek and glowered at the man, but kept silent.

"Yeah, what he said," O'Neill agreed. "What are we talking about here? You want me to make her parade around picking stuff up, or what?"

"We will offer you privacy, of course," Kazir assured him with a dark smile. "Some men have trouble functioning with an audience. But we will monitor the emissions from the devices, to determine if you have kept your word."

"Sir, I'm really not liking the sound of this," Sam murmured worriedly, leaning close to her CO.

"Maybe I'm being a little dense here," Jack interjected, "but I'm not real clear on what it is that you want from us."

"Come," Kazir called. "I will demonstrate." He pointed toward the door, and two of his guards raced out ahead of them.

They followed the man into the depths of a very impressive palace, lavishly decorated in both Roman and Egyptian splendor. Sweet floral scents mixed with spice were everywhere, and bright sunlight cut in beneath the arched walkways that connected various wings to the main building. It was a beautiful place, but everywhere they looked, all they saw of the population were males.

The women, it seemed, were shut away somewhere out of sight.

"These people could use a little feminist emancipation movement," Daniel observed quietly as they entered a small, windowless building with high walls. 

Carter nodded, her lips firmly pressed together.

Up a wide flight of marble stairs they went, and then into a clean, well-lit control room that sported a variety of glass tubes all arranged on a shelf. Kazir went to a control panel below the shelf and selected a symbol. One of the tubes filled with mist and a vague image began to take shape, growing clearer by the second as he spoke.

"We have a room arranged for the submission. You may go in one at a time or all at once, whichever you choose."

The scene was a three dimensional hologram in miniature, showing a man and woman on a bed. The woman had a collar on, just like the one Sam was wearing. Both man and woman also wore devices on their foreheads similar to those SG-1 had been given.

Sam's breath whooshed out in silent words, and she turned away.

The woman in the display was struggling, fighting to get the man off her. Silent screams were but a rasp of breath as she clawed and pounded him ineffectively. His noises plainly expressed his enjoyment of the rape, including soft laughter at her struggles. He slapped her face hard, and she quieted and let it happen.

"Here, you see?" Kazir directed their attention to a small flat panel on the control board. Two readouts showed clearly, one in red and one in blue, spiking and falling in a regular rhythm in concert with his thrusts into her body. "And here –" He indicated another tube, the image in it now forming into something recognizable. "The man has not penetrated the woman he has selected. You cannot deceive us. Do not try. Your woman will submit to you completely. When she has done so, you will be returned to the gate, and may leave in peace."

"Oh, God," Daniel breathed. "They want us to have sex with her." He turned to Jack, desperation in his eyes and voice. "Jack, we can't do this to her. I won't do it."

"Then I will have one of my men take your place," Kazir threatened quietly.

Sam clutched at his bare shoulder and shot a desperate look at her CO.

"And if we refuse? All of us?" Jack demanded.

"Then you die. All of you. Right now." He reached into his robe. When his hand returned to view, the fingertips were covered with a shiny iridescent sheath. The jewel in his turban began to glow like a warning beacon. He extended his fingers toward the closest of them, and Daniel clutched his throat, gagging, struggling to breathe. His face began to redden, and he dropped to his knees.

Sam pounded on Jack's bare back. He looked at her, desperation shining in her eyes. "You sure?" he asked her.

She nodded vigorously. Her eyes filled, and a tear rolled slowly down her cheek. She knelt beside Daniel, still struggling to breathe, and suddenly a great gulp of air rushed into him and he coughed. He stood on hands and knees for a moment, and when his respiration had returned to normal, he glanced at Sam and rose with her.

"We'll figure something out," he promised her gently, patting her hand as it clutched his arm.

"One at a time," Jack said slowly. "But I want you to know, Cashmere, you're earning a whole lot of hatred right now. You may be enemies of our enemies, but you're damn well not our friends, and never will be after this."

"Understood, cour-nell." He inclined his head slightly and smiled. "Come this way." He led them out of the control room, up another flight of stairs, and opened a door. "The woman will enter here. You may prepare yourselves in the room next to this one. You have the space of one night to finish. If you do not—"

"Yeah, we know," Jack growled. He watched until Carter was behind the door, then led the way to the next door down the hall. Glancing back over his shoulder at Kazir, he saw the man wave his hand over a small slit next to the door. "Locking us in?"

"Certainly. These doors are the only way in or out, and will open for no one but me." Kazir followed them, waiting for the door to close.

Teal'c led the way, with Jack bringing up the rear. "You got a lot to learn about women, pal," he said frostily. "There's nothing better than a warm, willing woman who loves you in your bed. But you'll never know that, will you?" He stepped inside. "But I do."

Kazir had a blank look on his face that told Jack volumes. As he stepped into the room, he heard the door seal shut, and a moment afterward, the faint whisper of moving air reached his ears. The stale smell that had been present when he entered faded quickly away in favor of the scent of flowers… violets, he thought. Against one wall was a bed draped in lush fabrics. On a small table sat a pitcher of water and three glasses, beside a bowl of strange-looking fruits, a loaf of bread and a block of cheese.

"We can't do this, Jack," Daniel murmured, running a hand through his hair.

"We cannot," Teal'c agreed quietly. The other two men turned to look at him. "But we must. It will be better for Maj. Carter if we are the ones, rather than Kazir's men. She would fight them. And she would die before letting them take her."

"You've been awfully quiet, till now," Jack stated, looking up at the Jaffa. "Help us find an alternative."

"There are always alternatives," Teal'c mused. "Penetration is required to effect submission. But some methods are… more personal than others."

Daniel nodded. "Yes. Yes. Good thinking, Teal'c. We'll try that."

"Try what?" asked Jack.

"Fellatio. Cunnilingus. Anything but… you know… that."

"Cunning linguist?" Jack repeated obliquely.

Daniel glared. "Now is hardly the time for levity, Jack."

"Or big words I'd have to look up in the dictionary. If I had one," Jack shot back irritably.

"A blow job," Daniel rephrased impatiently.

"Oh." Jack frowned and looked at the floor. "Whatever. As long as this little monster falls off. Do as little as possible." He swallowed hard and ran a shaky hand over his head, leaving his hair standing on end. "I'll go last."

Teal'c went to the basin to wash his privates and refastened his loincloth. Aware that the other men were watching him, he kept his back to them. Then he headed for the door between the rooms, opened it, and walked inside.

Sam sat on the side of the bed, still fully dressed, turning the problem over in her mind, looking for options. There were none that she could see, so she imagined going through with the Rajasha's demand. Refusing to think about the colonel, she concentrated on Teal'c and Daniel.

They were like her brothers, dependable and strong whenever she needed them. They would be strong now… and they would hate this as much as she did. But there was something else between them. There was love. That would make it far easier – and far more damaging – than taking on Kazir's men. All they had to do was cooperate, and they would go free.

She ran over the scenarios several times in her mind, steeling herself to get the job done. She tried to separate her sense of self from the process, to watch like an outside observer. The thought made her stomach quake, but once she had everything worked out, she had a good idea what would happen.

She heard the door open and glanced up, her heart beating faster, knowing preparation time had run out. Recognizing her visitor, she felt her insides clench as Teal'c stood just inside the door, waiting for her to give him a signal that she was ready. But as much as she had tried to prepare, she wasn't. She couldn't be, not ever. Not for this.

The pain in his eyes was all too apparent as he watched her, making no move to close the distance between them.

"Maj. Carter," he began, his voice huskier than normal, grating with an edge of uncommon emotion. "You are a great warrior and a brilliant scholar. I have long admired you for these qualities, and feel privileged to fight by your side." He paused. He looked at the floor. "I am also aware that you are a beautiful, caring woman. If there were any other choice, I would gladly take it, even if it meant sacrificing my own life to save you from this torment."

Sam felt his pain deeply. She came toward him and slipped her arms around his ribs, pressing her cheek against his bare chest. Hesitantly, his arms came up around her, one hand around her waist, the other cradling the back of her head. He rested his cheek against her hair and sighed.

She closed her eyes and inhaled. This was Teal'c, her friend and brother in arms. She knew his smell, the feel of him from years of fighting at his side. It would be all right. She was sure of that, because she was sure of him. There was a sacred trust between her and the men she served with, and not even this couldn't break that faith.

He kissed her hair and started to pull away.

Looking up at him, she saw the uncertainty in his eyes, the guilt preceding the act. It's okay, she mouthed at him. Sam stepped back and, gesturing with the hand signals they used for silent running, she told him to let her take point.

He nodded, and followed her to the bed.

She invited him to sit.

He looked at the mattress. Then he looked at her. He opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. He tried a second time, then a third before he could make the words come out. "Danieljackson and I believe an oral method might be less traumatic for accomplishing the… submission." His voice cracked on the last word, and there were tears in his eyes. "However, we are not certain it will be enough to buy our freedom."

Sam nodded in agreement. That was exactly what she had been considering. She was good at those. Her ex-fiance had been particularly fond of blow jobs.

"I am sorry, Maj. Carter," Teal'c rumbled softly. "Please believe that this will not be easy for any of us."

She nodded, swallowing hard.

Teal'c sat on the edge of the mattress. Carter knelt at his feet and pushed his knees apart to make room for her body to fit between his legs. She snuggled against him for a moment, her face nestled against his neck, her left palm against his chest, her right gently stroking his back. He was rigid with tension, and she wanted him to relax or nothing was going to happen.

She stroked and petted him, until he was more comfortable with her in such an intimate posture.

"The Jaffa have a special meditation for when we are away from our women for long periods of time," he confessed. "I will initiate this meditation, that your ordeal might be over more quickly. If you will wait until I call you, you need not touch me but briefly."

Sam kissed his neck, just the barest brush of her lips against his dark skin.

He gasped, but did not move.

She bent her knees slightly, lowering herself just a fraction, and kissed his broad pectorals. She let her hands drift gently over his skin, tasting him, caressing him with her lips and tongue. From his breathing, she knew he was growing aroused. Gently, slowly, she let her hand slide down to the cloth wrapped around his waist. With infinite patience she drew the loincloth away, all the while sinking lower and lower until her lips touched his hard belly.

He was trembling again. He cried out softly as she touched his erection with her fingertips, dragging them along the column of silken flesh. Sam knew Teal'c was a big man, big all over, with giant's hands and feet, towering over everyone he met, and this tool was worthy of a man of his size.

This is Teal'c, she reminded herself. I love him. I don't want him to die because I failed him.

She pressed her lips against the side of his shaft, and he gasped again. His hand touched her shoulder briefly, as if he needed some kind of support from her, and she wrapped her hand around his erection and squeezed. With all gentleness she stroked him with both hands, squeezing and massaging as she slid her grip up and down. She listened for the right sounds, felt his body give in and relax, and then begin to build tension once more, tension of a different kind.

He was close. She could feel it. To drive him over the edge, she kissed the tip of his cock and slowly, tenderly eased it into her mouth. She felt her eyes fill, and ignored them. She would not cry, not now. That was for later, when she was alone. Summoning her strength, she drew him deeper and heard Teal'c's moans of approval, mixed in with whimpers of despair. He laid his hand on her shoulder, just at the base of her neck, his fingers stroking her short hair. And then he grunted through clenched teeth just as his ejaculation began.

Involuntarily, he pushed her down, demanding that she swallow more of him. Just as suddenly, his hand flew off her and he cried out, clutching the sheets with both hands. "Forgive me!" he blurted. The last of his orgasm faded away and he whispered the words again.

Sam sat back on her heels, his cock still gently held in her hands. She stroked his belly, his chest, his thighs, gathering herself to look into his face. His eyes were closed. Tears streamed down his cheeks, and his chin was quivering. She looked up at the device on his forehead, noting that it was still attached.

Resignation set in. They were going to have to do it again, the traditional way. She wondered how long it would take him to get it up again.

Carter moved to the bed, sitting beside him. She draped the loincloth back over his lap to cover him, and rubbed his back as she leaned her head on his shoulder. Teal'c opened his eyes and looked down at her, his fingers lightly caressing her cheek.

The monitoring device fell off, landing in the folds of the loincloth. The Jaffa picked it up with a shaky hand, and gave it to her. She looked up at him with the ghost of a smile at the corners of her mouth, pleased.

"You are far more courageous than I will ever be, Maj. Carter," he growled softly. Leaning closer, he kissed the top of her head.

She patted his shoulder, and he rose, clutching the cloth and re-wrapping himself in it as he strolled slowly toward the door, head down. When he was gone and the door was closed, she went over to the basin and rinsed out her mouth. Then she started pacing, trying to prepare herself for whoever came through the door next.

One down, two to go, she told herself. But one of them will be Col. O'Neill… Jack. And this night would haunt her for the rest of her life, just as it would the rest of SG-1.

She barely had time to compose herself before the door opened and closed again. Leaping off the bed, she looked into Daniel's eyes and saw the torment there. He paced the floor near the door, mumbling to himself and avoiding her eyes. This would hurt him even deeper than she felt it herself, Sam knew, because he'd been raped by Hathor. He knew what it felt like to be powerless, forced into sexual congress against his will. And he felt every hurt much deeper than most people. It was what made him the wonderful man he was.

Still, he was like a brother to her. Intimacy with Daniel was wrong on way many more levels than anyone else on the team. She hoped he'd be quick.

"Okay. Okay. Oh-ohkaaaay." His fingers flicked in the air, punctuating his thoughts as he paced.

"Teal'c said to let you take point. Is that what you want? To be in charge? I'll do anything you want, Sam. Just… tell me what to do." He stood still now and looked at her, hopeless and suffering.

Her heart hurt so much for him she could hardly breathe. What had worked with Teal'c wouldn't work with Daniel. He had to be handled far differently. She would have to submit to him, to make him think that she wanted him to touch her. That was the only way it would work with him, if he thought she really was willing.

She shook her head and pointed at him. You take point.

That deer-in-the-headlights look told her exactly what he was feeling, but he had been thinking about this for the last hour or so, however long Teal'c had been in the room with her.  He had a game plan. He just didn't want to put it in motion.

"Sha're and I had this thing we did as a method of birth control. I – I think it'll work to accomplish our goal—"

Sam stamped her foot and glared at him. Just get it over with, she tried to say with her eyes. It's okay, she mouthed at him, and crossed the room to take him into her arms. He felt good, familiar and different all at the same time. There was comfort in that embrace and she soaked it in, hoping she was giving him as good as she got.

She didn't know how long they stood there. Only when her legs began to ache did she realize it had been quite some time. Night was passing, and they needed to…

She stepped back and smiled at him, squeezing his hands. Nodding toward the bed, she led him over to it and sat down. Moving back to give him room, she watched him lie down on his side, facing her. He reached out and laid his hand on her ribcage.

She flinched. Instantly she knew that was the wrong thing to do. He drew his hand away, then resolutely put it back.

And then he rolled over onto his back and heaved a weary sigh. "I can't do this, Sam. I just can't. We're going to die." He closed his eyes and rubbed his face with his palms.

This was going to be entirely up to her. She pulled his hands down, forcing him to make eye contact. He licked his lips. Then she leaned over to kiss him.

He turned his face away.

"Don't," he rasped, his voice filled with guilt. "I can't, Sam. I can't. I… I know what it feels like, and I won't make you suffer with that for the rest of your life. Every time you look at me, you'll think about this night. It'll kill the team. We might as well die for real in the morning."

That defeatist attitude pissed her off. She slapped his belly with her palm to get his attention. He scissored up off the bed.

"Hey! What was that for?" he demanded.

For giving up, she whispered, hoping he could understand the words she tried so desperately to form with teeth, tongue and lips. Sam sat up, untied the sash of her robe and pulled it off over her head. She tossed it on the floor and reached for his loincloth. Daniel didn't resist, but his eyes were wide as he stared at her.

She straddled him, sitting on his lower belly. His penis was still flaccid, his emotions getting in the way of arousal. Sam intended to distract him from that.

His gaze was fixed on her breasts. She took one of his hands and placed it on her chest, right between them. Daniel sat up, his abdominal muscles rippling as he raised his trunk upright. He took her face in his hands, cradling her as he made eye contact.

His voice was gentle as he spoke. "I know what you're trying to do." He gave her a weary little smile. "Underneath all my morals and posturing, I'm still a guy. You may get a reaction, eventually. But Sam… I don't want to do this. Not to you. Not for me. I'd rather die than violate the trust you've placed in me."

Sam knew he was going to need a very big push to get him to cooperate. Mind racing, she sorted through a myriad ideas, and finally the light bulb glowed above her head. She took his hands from her face, lowered them to the collar around her neck, and lifted her chin to tuck his fingers between the springy band and her throat.

Something stung, and she gasped. Something wet ran out from under it, coursing down her chest. She looked at it and saw that it was a tiny dribble of blood.

Daniel jerked his fingers out of the collar. "No. I won't do that either. It'll kill you."

She just looked at him.

"Oh." He grabbed a corner of the sheet and dabbed at the blood on her skin. "And not doing this will kill you, too. And Teal'c and Jack. Not just me. I get it."

He sighed and hung his head. She embraced him again, holding him close, kissing his hair, stroking him. His shoulders sagged, and he adjusted his position, tucking his face into the curve of her neck. "I'm sorry, Sam. Sorry for all of us. These people are cruel. Whatever cool stuff they may have, we sure as hell don't need it."

She kissed his neck, just below his ear.

Daniel gasped and shivered. "Ooooh!" He laughed a little. "That's my… uh… Sam…?"

She kissed him there again, this time with full-blown effect. He melted, his head falling back to give her access to more of his neck. Slowly, he lay back against the bed, bringing her with him. Fully reclining now, Sam stretched out on top of him, her hands busy with his arms, shoulders and face.

He sighed and moaned softly as she hit particularly sensitive spots. His hands came up around her, stroking her back, infinitely gentle, his work-roughened fingers massaging in slow circles that felt absolutely wonderful. She closed her eyes, moving strictly by feel, easing off him so she could reach more with her hands and mouth.

Daniel reciprocated. One hand discovered her breast, massaging the soft flesh, kneading her nipple to hardness. A groan of pleasure escaped her, and she heard him chuckle.

"Was that genuine, or for my benefit?" he asked in a lazy whisper.

To answer him, she reached for his penis, brushing it lightly with her fingertips.

"Oh!" he cried, body tensing instantly at the intimate contact. "We'll… discuss it later," he promised her.

Sam concentrated on seducing him, but delicious sensations kept drawing her back to his hand and the way he was touching her. He rolled toward her, smoothly turning her onto her back where he could reach more of her, and started kissing her neck. Sam wriggled a little on the bed, unable to find a position where she could just be still. A gasp slipped out as a shaft of heat seared her from her nipple -- masterfully aroused by those rough fingers -- to straight between her legs.

Daniel Jackson was no slouch in bed, she realized. Not only could he scorch her skin with his lips, but his hands were magic. She decided to relax and enjoy it.

"Do you like that?" he murmured. "Tell me if you want me to stop. Just pat my arm, okay?"

She touched her fingers to his lips to quiet him.

"You don't want me to talk?" he asked around her fingers.

She shook her head. She didn't want any reminders of who was doing this to her body. If she kept her eyes closed, she could imagine it was…

No. She couldn't go there. Sam drew a deep breath and held back on the fantasy.

But what he was doing with his hand was making her mind stop working. His fingers smoothed down her belly. They were rough as sandpaper from the hard work he was accustomed to doing, years of working on digs. Her skin tingled in their wake, but when one finger slipped into her woman's cleft, she whispered a moan of approval.

He stroked her gently, his lips descending on her breast. With tongue and teeth he teased her nipple, shooting sparks in her belly that his fingers fanned into flame. Sam gasped and arched on the mattress, clutching at his short hair, the sheets, anything she could grab and hold onto as she fell.

She tried to think, but couldn't. Sensation ruled her, made her dance. He played her expertly, drawing her to orgasm over and over. Her legs were restless, flexing and quivering against the sheets. And when he moved to lie between them, she did not resist.

His hands smoothed up her thighs, strong hands caressing her mons and belly, strumming her clitoris to bring her another wild, intense climax. And then his mouth closed over her there, lips nibbling at her aroused flesh, rough tongue stroking her pleasure-center.

She moaned, but there was no sound other than the rush of breath leaving her mouth. Her hands reached down to his hair, grasping him and holding him closer. She felt his tongue slide into her, thrusting slowly in an out, in and out until it drove her mad. Sam tried to scream, but couldn't. She heard his breathing quicken, and then suddenly he was pulling her off the bed and onto her feet.

Her head was reeling and her knees felt like water. He half walked, half carried her to the nearest wall and slipped his arm around her waist. With his free hand he reached down between them and grasped his erection. Carefully, he pushed himself straight back between her legs, where only the outer lips of her labia enveloped his heated flesh.

Sam opened her eyes and looked at him then. He was staring back at her, but when she met his gaze he turned away. A tear fell onto his cheek as he began to pull himself out, then slip slowly back into place.

She wanted to tell him that he wasn't inside her, but then she remembered what he had said earlier. He didn't intend to enter her. This was just to get the job done, to get them free and back home. Sam watched his profile, saw him bite his lower lip, his face pulled into a grimace of pain.

And then he threw his head back and roared.

She felt him throbbing, clenched his shaft between her legs, rubbing it against her moistened flesh but not invading it. How grateful she was in that moment for all the care he'd lavished on her, all the pleasure he had intentionally given her, to make it easier to bear. Sam reached out to him and pulled him close, hugging him and drawing his face against her cheek.

For a moment she just held him.

The device fell off his forehead and into the valley between their bodies.

Daniel fished the thing out and stepped away, pressing the device into her hand. She closed her eyes instinctively, not wanting to see him naked. When the door closed, she went to wash and slipped between the sheets without bothering to dress. And then she waited for her commanding officer to appear and do his duty to save his team.

Hours passed. Sam grew drowsy waiting, and eventually drifted off to sleep. But when the door opened and Jack stumbled in backward on the receiving end of a push, she was instantly awake.

"Teal'c, dammit! I said I wasn't ready!" he yelled into the open doorway.

The Jaffa's long arm reached past the edge of the door, grasped the loincloth and jerked it free. Then the door closed, leaving Jack standing in the middle of the room, stark naked. He looked down at himself. Then he walked back to the door and opened it.

Someone on the other side jerked it shut, and then held it closed while the colonel pulled and strained against the handle.

Finally, he gave up, leaning his forehead and palms against the wall with a sigh. He closed his eyes. "I can't do this, Carter. Not to you. Because of… reasons. I won't."

Sam was sitting up in the bed, instantly awakened when the door opened. She closed her eyes for a moment, summoning up all the warm feelings she had for this man. Over the years her interest in him flamed and cooled, scorched and froze. She concentrated on the heat, and opened her eyes.

He was tall and lean, well muscled for a man his age. She could pick out many of the scars that decorated his skin and remember where and how he'd acquired most of them. He was a damned attractive man in spite of all the dings, but the one part of him she had never seen before captured her attention.

Bigger was supposed to be better, she'd heard, and he came well equipped for satisfaction. But she didn't want to have to coax him into her bed. She wanted him to join her because he wanted it, only there was no way she could tell him that now.

She pulled back the sheets, exposing the open spot on the mattress beside her, but kept the sheet in front of her body like a shield, hiding her nakedness from his view. Patting the vacant spot, she invited him to bed.

"Don't, Carter," Jack growled, his eyes burning. "We can't. I can't. You know why."

She drew a finger across her throat, reminding him of the consequences.

"We'll never get over this," he whispered. "Will we?"

Looking right into those beautiful brown eyes, she shook her head. But we'll be alive to regret it, she told herself.

He turned away and began to pace the room, his stride slow and measured, head down in thought. After a few moments, he glanced up, his gaze roving over the walls, the furnishings, looking everywhere in the room but at her. Then he spoke, his voice deep and gentle, without a trace of his normal raspy impatience.

"Outside this room, the colonel and the major have roles to play. They have an important mission to fulfill, and there are lines between them that can never be crossed."

She nodded in agreement. They had both come to the same decision long ago, and done their best to turn their hearts elsewhere. But underneath it all, the feelings they shared never quite went away. Sam wasn't sure they ever would, but he seemed far more adept at handling it than she ever could. And now that they were in this terrible predicament, each of them were fighting a war within themselves, trying desperately not to lose this vital battle.

"Whatever happens in this room," he went on, "does not exist in the world outside. Do you understand, major?" He stopped, faced the bed and looked in her eyes.

Clutching the sheet with her left hand, she saluted with her right in answer. She nodded just to make sure he knew she would be compliant. Trying very hard to be brave, she felt a lump forming in her throat. He was going to order her to give up her life with the team to keep their relationship professional… after she'd already sacrificed that with Teal'c and Daniel. Jack was not going to touch her.

She felt herself shaking and blinked away the tears. Lowering her hand, she reached for her robe and put it on. Then she rose, pulled the sheet off the bed and brought it to him so he could cover himself.

He just stared into her eyes. When he spoke again, his voice was huskier, warmer, and rippled over her skin, leaving gooseflesh in its wake. "Here in this room, we are man and woman. We have no names, no identities other than that." Gently, he pushed away her hands, still holding the sheet out to him. Then he stepped closer and grasped the sash on her robe.

Sam stared at his hands as he untied it. She searched his eyes as he pulled the garment open and made no protest as he pushed it off her shoulders and let it drop to the floor. His palms cradled her face, and he leaned down to kiss her, his eyes closing as their lips touched.

Wild joy and relief surged up in her, and she returned his kiss with hunger and need. Tears filled her eyes and seeped out from beneath closed lids, trickling down her cheeks and into their mouths. Heat flared in her belly as his hands left her face and circled around her back, pulling her gently against him.

Breathless and trembling, he pulled away and looked down into her eyes.

"Do you want me?" he whispered.

Yes, she hissed and nodded so he would be sure. There was so much she wanted to say, but couldn't. Sam decided it didn't matter. She would tell him with her body, and he would understand. It would be something they could take with them out of that little room, hidden in the shadows of their souls.

Jack picked her up in his arms and carried her to the bed. With great care, he laid her out on the sheets and stretched out beside her. He raised himself up on one elbow and studied her body. "You're beautiful," he murmured, stroking his fingertips along the curve of her cheek, down the crest of her throat, across her chest and belly. Lazily, he skimmed across her ribs, back to her left breast, drawing slow spirals around the base, moving ever upward until he reached the peak. Taking her nipple between thumb and forefinger, he rolled it gently, massaging it to a rigid swell.

Sam sighed and closed her eyes, the sensation hypnotic. His mouth descended on hers once more, his kisses deeper, hotter as his hand gripped her whole breast. Her arms came up around his neck, holding him closer, demanding more. She felt him hardening against her thigh and suddenly all she wanted was to have him inside her. She reached for him, and he groaned into her mouth as her fingers closed around the springy flesh.

She threw her upper leg over his waist and tried to pull him to her. Gentle intent quickly became dynamic passion. She had given him permission, but this was more than that. She wanted him. Wanted this, with him. More than anything.

Jack caught her hand and gave it a little squeeze. "Patience, woman," he panted as he broke away from her starved kiss. "It isn't time for that yet. We gotta do this right." His eyes were warm and caring, and he smiled a little.

Sam tried to whimper, but it issued out of her as a sigh.

He kissed her again, his lips and tongue delighting her, setting her on fire. He teased her breasts with his hand until she screamed with silent ecstasy. His hand made its way down her belly, smoothing across her thighs before stroking the nest of golden curls that hid her most private place. And then he slipped a finger into the moist folds, probing for the source of her pleasure.

Her already-sensitive clitoris reacted. He made her arch and cry out in a hiss of breath. He made her dance, clutching at his hair and shoulders as his mouth drifted down to capture her left nipple driving her on and on he commanded her, merciless in his quest for her bliss. Her body sang with silent joy, exploding with one shattering orgasm after another until she was exhausted, limp, completely drained. She grasped his hand and withdrew it from between her legs, melting into the bed as she struggled to catch her breath.

"You want me to stop?" he panted, lifting his mouth from her breast, his eyes shining with desire, heavy-lidded with passion.

She shook her head and reached for his erection again, now swelled to its full size, thick and stiff with intent.

He needed no further coaxing. Eagerly he settled on top of her, reaching between them to position himself for consummation, his eyes always on her face. "God, you're so beautiful," he whispered.

He felt blunt and huge, pressing against her there. She wanted to tell him, but there was no way to get the truth out. Sam gathered herself and tried to stay relaxed as she felt him push his way slowly inside her. She closed her eyes, trying to savour the moment, to memorize every sensation.

"You're so small," he whispered above her. "Am I hurting you?"

She shook her head. He wasn't, not really. But that was about to change.

Jack withdrew a little and pulled her hands down off his shoulders. Threading his fingers between hers, he held them against the pillow and eased deeper. With short, slow strokes he probed her, giving her time to adjust to his size, waiting for her tissues to stretch to accommodate him.

Little streaks of heat accompanied his thrusts. She couldn't help wincing a little.

"I'm hurting you," he guessed, watching her face. "I'll stop."

No! she cried in silence, and embraced his waist with her legs to keep him there. She wanted this with him. The chance would never come again and she wanted this memory to keep forever. Shaking off his grip of her hands, she reached for his face and kissed him with all the passion and need vibrating within her being.

He got the message and began to move, thrusting harder into her until she broke free from his mouth, eyes closed, her head pressed deep into the pillow. Tears filled her eyes, squeezed tightly shut against the pain, and trickled out across her temples.

And then he understood. His head came up. He looked down at her face, at the tears she was crying in silence, her hands clutching at his shoulders, her whole body vibrating with pain, shaking with silent sobs. "Oh, baby," he moaned. "Oh, God. You're a virgin."

She nodded in confirmation and clutched at his hips, silently asking for more.

He gave a soft cry of anguish and put his head down on the pillow. With a roar he plunged into her, driving himself deep, ripping through the barrier of her innocence and sliding deeply, fully inside her.

Samantha screamed, but there was no sound. She arched off the bed, white-hot agony filling her lower body. She lay still, paralyzed with pain, acutely aware of his weight on top of her, his hands just touching her face, his breath in her ear, heating up the pillow.

He didn't move for a long time. Eventually the searing heat faded to a dull throb and Sam began to stroke his back and hair with her hands, telling him with her touch that she was better. He started to move, slow and gentle, and lifted his head to regard her once more.

Jack O'Neill had tears in his eyes. One of them fell, landing on her lips and the others were blinked away. "You should have told me," he whispered brokenly.

She just shrugged and offered a helpless, trembling smile. With one hand, she tried to reach past his shoulder and wipe the tears from her face.

"Let me do that," he murmured, and leaned down to kiss the wetness from her face and eyes. "I guess you couldn't tell me, though, huh?"

Sam shook her head. She wanted this, regardless of what came next. Especially since what came next would be Jack O'Neill. They would deal with everything else later. She began to relax beneath him, and slowly, gently, he started to move again. He let everything build until she was clutching at his hips, thrusting back at him, demanding more. She curled her hips under, drawing him instinctively deeper. Lifting her legs, she clasped them around his waist, determined not to let him go. It didn't hurt so much anymore, just an insistent throb making its presence known.

Jack's eyes slid closed and his thrusts deepened. With a groan he lay down fully on her, his face tucked into the pillow. Faster and harder he drove himself, exciting her all over again. She could feel the energy in him rising, his heartbeat pounding in his chest in perfect rhythm with her own.

Sam was close, so close, but she couldn't let go. His name was silence upon her lips, a shadow-cry that would never be heard. Her body cried out for release, her mind concentrating on that place where their bodies were joined. And in that moment of oneness, she let her lips form the words that she would never be able to say to him…

…And heard them issue from Jack's mouth into her ear. His body seized, slamming into her as he pulsed with ecstasy as he came inside her, his voice a ragged groan that nearly deafened her. Sam's body throbbed with ecstasy, echoing the pulses of his body inside hers. Something warm and wet splashed onto her face. She looked up at him, lost in wonder, floating in a haze of happiness that had no bounds.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "We should have done something else. Anything but this."

She shook her head. Don't be sorry, she wanted to tell him.

He sighed, and let his fingers play over her cheeks. "Welcome to womanhood," he murmured, risking a soft smile. His eyes were dancing now. "I should probably tell you… You're my first virgin. I guess that's why it took me so long to figure out. Are you okay?"

She gave him a thumbs-up and grinned. Then she pointed to his forehead.

"What?" he asked. Then he saw on the pillow beside her head that the monitoring device had come off, and as she turned her head to look for it, the one she was wearing dropped off as well. "I guess it's over now, huh?"

There was a note of disappointment in his voice. Gently, he got off her and stretched out at her side. Idly, he touched the collar around her neck and then moved his fingers to her breast. He drew another gasp of delight from her before covering the soft mound with his palm.

He sighed. "I need for you to talk to me about this, but I know you can't right now." He met her eyes. "If they let us go, we do our own private debriefing before we write our reports or talk to anyone. The whole team will be in on that. But later, when you're ready, you pick a time and place, and we'll discuss. Okay?"

Sam smiled and nodded, relief flooding through her.

"I didn't think this was possible, considering the circumstances." His mouth softened at the corners a little. "But then again, you do have a penchant for pulling brilliant ideas out of your—"

Her fingers instantly pressed against his lips.

"I was gonna say head," he swore gently. "Scout's honor." He held up three fingers in the Boy Scout salute.

She giggled without the music.

He grinned, full-blown and genuine, and it was beautiful. "I guess this is the one way we could get away with doing this." Jack's smile faded, and sobriety and regret kicked in. "But it can't happen again. You know?"

Knowing he was right didn't make it any easier. Sadness began to filter in through the haze of joy, eventually filling her up and pushing all the pleasantness away. She closed her eyes, holding onto the moment.

Jack looked down at himself. Then his eyes shot back to her face, panic in his eyes and an edge of it in his voice. "You're bleeding, Sam. A lot." He got up and went to fetch a basin of clean water and some towels.

Her eyes popped open. She sat up and looked, certain it was nothing. But a little shiver of fear ran up her spine as she saw the sheets. She needed to get back to the infirmary, and fast. She washed the blood off her thighs and buttocks, cleaned up as much as possible and returned to the bed to find a sheet or something to catch the flow. Putting her robe back on, she waited for Jack to finish washing himself off. He was not ashamed or guilt-ridden. If he was, he certainly didn't look it.

Sam was glad of that.

They had barely finished when a knock sounded at the outer door.

He came to her, taking her face in his hands. With worry in his eyes, he told her, "I'll get you home, Samantha. I promise." He kissed her then, pouring all his feelings into that final gesture of affection. When the door opened he did not jerk away, but waited until he was finished before releasing her lips. He straightened, looking into her eyes.

Something in his posture changed. The warmth in his eyes clicked off, and suddenly he was the colonel again. He looked up at the man in the doorway.

"What do you want, Cashmere?" he demanded harshly.

The Rajashah hurried into the room, followed by two women bearing baskets that held their clothes, gear and weapons. Kazir was beaming, obviously excited. He gave a slight bow. "Something I did not tell you about the monitoring devices," he blurted, touching his forehead to remind them what he meant. "It also measures the chemistry in the brain that indicate pleasure." He bowed again, clutching his hands together nervously. "Each of your men measured off the scale! Never have I seen such readings, cour-nell. I must know how you achieved this ecstasy."

Sam and Jack looked at each other in disbelief. She grinned and shook her head. He frowned and turned his attention back to their captor. "You gonna let us go now, or go back on your word?"

"Of course! Of course, you may go. But tell me, cour-nell. I beg you!"

Jack reached for Sam, taking her arm and pulling her close, holding her against him. "Take this thing off her," he demanded, touching the collar. "Then you take us back to the stargate. Maybe then I'll tell you how to achieve the ultimate pleasure with a woman."

With a sharp gesture to the women, Kazir directed them to obey.

Jack watched as one of them held up a small device next to the collar, switched it off, and easily removed the Silencer. The women departed the room and Sam let out a sigh of relief, one hand going to her throat. She glanced at Jack and Kazir, then turned away to go through the basket and get her gear ready to wear.

"Go away," Jack snapped to the other man. "We're gonna get dressed now." He turned his back and heard the door close a moment later. He dropped the sheet, totally unself-conscious, and started rummaging through his own basket, dressing in a hurry.

Sam ignored him, concentrating on her own wardrobe. She pulled a sanitary napkin from one of the pockets in the gear vest and attached it to her panties. Once she had shirt and pants on, Jack took the rest of his gear and went next door to finish dressing with the men.

The transporter hummed and an instant later, the team stood not far from the stargate. A short distance away, Kazir and his entourage stood, patiently awaiting their words of wisdom. The Rajasha beamed, certain his life was about to drastically improve.

Jack kept the aliens in view, his back to his team. "Daniel," he called without turning around, "dial us outta here. Teal'c, IDC. Carter, drive the MALP."

"Your secret," Kazir prompted.

"You don't deserve it," Jack shot back. He listened as the DHD keys were depressed and the gate started to spin up. Just a few seconds to stall were all he needed. And he wanted to know just how hungry Kazir was for what he had to tell him. That would make it truly sweet when the asshole got nothing.

"We will give you our technology," the man returned, a note of desperation in his voice. "We will trade with you, as you wanted."

"That offer was made before you put us in that room," Jack told him. "It's not good anymore. We no longer want anything you could possibly offer, because of what you did to us."

He glanced at Daniel's sullen face as the archaeologist frowned at the DHD. The stiff set of Teal'c's shoulders as he stood facing the gate spoke volumes, and Jack knew how they were suffering. He turned back to Kazir. "Some of your people may have seen the address we dialed to get home, but don't try to follow us there. We have a device on our gate that keeps enemies out, and only lets our friends in. And like I said before, you're not on our list of friends."

"But cour-nell," Kazir insisted, hurrying closer. "We wish to make up for any ill feelings we may have caused. We did not know that you possessed such a priceless gift."

"I think you should tell 'em, sir," Carter called from a few paces back. She held the MALP controls in her hand, guiding the vehicle up the ramp toward the rippling event horizon.

Jack eyed her, his head cocked in question. "Tell 'em what, Carter?"

She watched the vehicle disappear through the stargate, and then came to stand beside the colonel when it was gone. "The secret to getting the ride of your life, every single time."

O'Neill heard a startled cough behind him, and knew Daniel had popped a cork. He ignored the man. "Why don't you tell 'em, major?"

She levelled Kazir with a calm gaze. "It's simple, really. You sent us into that room to tell us we weren't welcome here. We already got that from our initial reception. Those questions you asked were to determine how much our leader valued us. The rest… that was to break us. Just to show us who was stronger." She smiled then. "Only you didn't do that. I think we trust each other more now than we did before we got here."

Kazir made an impatient gesture with his hands and stamped his foot. "The secret," he demanded. He turned to Jack with an impatient sigh. "This is why we have silenced our women for a thousand years."

Jack just stared at him. "Make your point, Carter. We need to get you home." He heard the other two men move up behind them.

"The point is, Kazir," Sam went on, "you sent me into that room to teach me what you think is my proper role, because I didn't fit your idea of what a woman should be. That's why you wanted me to submit to my men. To punish me. But you know what?" Her gaze was cool, superior. "I didn't submit to them. They submitted to me."

Kazir eyed her, not believing a word.

"It's true," Jack agreed. "I did exactly what she wanted."

"As did I," admitted Teal'c.

"Same here," said Daniel.

"And like she said," Jack added, "it was the ride of my life. That's the secret, Cashmere. Please your woman and you please yourself." He clapped Carter on the shoulder. "Let's go home, kids."

Kazir's face registered the shock of that idea. Jack watched the others disappear through the gate, and hesitated on the ramp. He turned back to Kazir, his entourage now strolling thoughtfully toward the transporter pad.

"One more thing," Jack called to the man.

Kazir looked up at him hopefully.

Jack didn't smile. He couldn't. These were words he couldn't say in front of his team. "Love your woman more than you love your own life. Give her the power in your bedroom because you want to make her happy. Do that, and your life will be worth living. Take away a woman's power, and your happiness disappears with it." He offered a little salute in parting, and stepped through the gate.

Stomping out on the other side, he barked, "Carter, infirmary, now. Teal'c, Daniel, my office, now." Glancing up into the control room, he ordered, "Shut down the gate and lock out that address, Gen. Hammond. We don't wanna go back there. Ever."

Hammond picked up on Jack's leashed rage and gave a firm nod. "Debriefing in one hour," he called through the microphone.

Jack swept into his office and slammed the door shut behind himself. "There will be no official report on this mission," he snarled, pacing behind the desk, his hands clenching closed and flexing open.

"But, Jack, we have to tell them something," Daniel argued gently. "Gen. Hammond will need defensible reasons for locking out a gate address."

"I know that," O'Neill spat. "But we're damn sure not gonna tell 'em the truth. You and I would end up in prison for rape. Teal'c would be shipped off to Master Bra'tac and Carter--" He sighed and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands.

"Sam will never get over what we did to her," Daniel whispered huskily. "And neither will I. I deserve to go to prison for that."

Silence fell.

Teal'c spoke up, his voice gentle and soft. "Did neither of you hear what Maj. Carter said to Kazir?"

"That was for his benefit," Jack shot back. "She didn't want him to know how much damage he did."

Daniel sighed. "So what do we tell Hammond?"

"That we were subdued, imprisoned and tortured. That'll be enough. Skip the specifics."

"He will want details," Teal'c advised.

"I may tell him, in person, off the record. But it won't ever go into official records. This mission did not happen. That address is going to get lost."

"What if Sam's already told Dr. Fraiser what happened?" Daniel hadn't taken his eyes off the floor or lifted his head since he left that room in the palace.

Jack was starting to get worried about him. "Then it's covered by doctor-patient privilege and Janet can't tell anybody, either." He rubbed his face again. "I'm gonna… go check on Carter and hit the gym after. I need to beat on the punching bag for a while."

"I'll be in my office," Daniel said, and slipped quietly out the door.

Jack sighed. He eyed the Jaffa. "I know Daniel's a heart-on-his-sleeve kinda guy, but I think he may be taking this a little too… I mean, we're all guilty, but he's practically donned sackcloth and ashes, for cryin' out loud."

Teal'c arched an eyebrow. "Have you forgotten Hathor, O'Neill? Danieljackson knows intimately how it feels to be raped."

Wincing, Jack said, "Yeah. I kinda had forgotten about that. Guess this is a lot worse for him, huh?"

"Indeed."

Jack shook his head and left his office with Teal'c in tow. They stopped off at the armory and logged in their weapons, dropped off their field gear in the locker room and headed for the infirmary.

Janet Fraiser's brown eyes were on fire as she left the isolation room. Her demeanor was calm and professional as always, but there was an edge of anger to her voice that Jack cued in on immediately. From that, he understood that the doc