* * * * * * *

Prologue

Carter’s tired face filled the screen. “No sign of inhabitants, though we did find some ruins, sir. Daniel thinks they’re worth checking out.” A very light rain fell in the background. Jack could see the water dripping off the edge of her hat, sliding down into her collar.

“Of course, he does.” Jack said. Daniel wanted to study every ruin he’d ever seen. “How long, Colonel?”

“Three days, tops.”

“Any sign of recent activity? At the Gate or at the ruins?”

“The area around the gate is definitely overgrown. As for the ruins, it’s hard to say for sure, Sir. A pretty good storm is moving out of the area. Everything is kind of soggy. ”

Jack did not miss camping in the cold mud. “Set the MALP to do some more scans. If you need to stay, it’s alright with me. Just be careful. Next check-in is in twelve hours. Have fun, campers!”

“Yes, Sir. SG-1 out.”

* * * * * * *

The loud klaxons sounded followed by the obligatory announcement of “Unscheduled off-world activation.”

Jack was in his office, wrapping up the last of the day’s paperwork. He quickly headed down to the control room – several teams were out at the moment, but none were due back in until tomorrow afternoon.

Walter looked at O’Neill. “It’s SG-1, sir. Bringing audio up now.”

Carter’s voice came through. “…heavy fire. Repeat, we are under heavy fire.” Jack could hear staff blasts striking stone in the background.

Jack hit the com. “Understood, Colonel. ‘Gate room – look alive, boys. SG-1 is coming in hot.”

Everyone in the ‘gate room reacted immediately, taking cover and leveling weapons at the ring which dominated the room.

“Let ‘em through, Walter.” The iris opened up and immediately a stray staff blast came through, striking just above one of the airmen’s heads.

Jack slapped his hand down on the com, “Medical team, stand by!”

No one appeared at first - only intermittent staff blasts. Finally Teal’c came through, moving quickly, followed several moments later by Daniel, who fell backwards out of the ‘gate. He landed heavily on the ramp, clutching his abdomen with one hand and his weapon in the other. Several staff blasts passed right above him. A few more seconds went by and still no sign of Carter, only more weapons fire. Daniel had turned and was attempting to crawl down the ramp.

“Where’s Carter?” Jack demanded over the com. “Carter, respond!” There was no response on the radio. “Colonel Carter, what is your situation?” Nothing came through – not even static. Fear started to make his stomach churn. She should be here by now.

Crouching low, Teal’c quickly moved to help Daniel out of the line of fire as more and more staff blasts came through. The two men went off the edge of the ramp to the floor. Jack could barely hear Daniel’s panicked voice over the speakers. The SFs in the control room were under cover, waiting for their orders. C’mon, Carter. Anytime now… The staff blasts were coming through in a concentrated volley now. Jack knew it was only a matter of time before the enemy started to follow.

Teal’c stood up and sadly shook his head. The look on his friend’s face told him everything. Jack’s heart fell.

He took a deep breath and said “Carter, do you copy? We are closing the iris. Repeat we are closing the iris. Do not attempt to come through.”

Again, no response. Jack couldn’t believe he was about to do this.

Jack slammed his hand down on the iris control with a curse, sealing it shut. The noise in the ‘gate room intensified as staff blasts struck the shield.

“Shut it down, Sergeant.” Jack tried to block out the inner voice screaming at him that he had just deliberately left Carter in enemy hands.

“Yes, sir.” Walter’s reply barely registered.

Jack spun sharply on his heel and went downstairs. He managed to beat the med team through the doorway. Daniel was sitting with his back up against the side of the ramp with a tear rolling slowly down his cheek. There was a bad burn across his abdomen and a growing stain of blood across his right thigh.

“What the hell happened?” Jack’s could feel his pulse pounding in his ears. The soldiers had all pulled back along the walls and most had their heads slightly bowed.

Daniel spoke up. “After Teal’c went through another group of reinforcements showed up and flanked us.” He gasped in pain as Teal’c put pressure on his leg wound. The color was draining rapidly from his face.

Then Daniel looked up, his bright blue eyes finally meeting Jack’s. “I saw it happen, Jack. Sam was bringing up the rear. I heard her voice and I looked back. I saw her go down and then I was hit and got knocked back through the wormhole.” His voice cracked just a little. “She ffuh-fell right at the base of the stairs.”

“ColonelCarter was indeed the farthest from the Stargate when I stepped through.”

Jack turned and called out to the control room. “Walter, dial it back up. See if you can contact the MALP – I want video now.”

The medics were swarming Daniel, trying to get him up on the gurney. Jack got out of their way and raced back up to the stairs. The ‘gate was dialing. He came through the doorway to hear “Fourth chevron encoded.”

“Call SG’s 3 and 5 – tell them they need to be ready to move out ASAP.” Jack said sharply.

People hopped to and the flurry of activity blew about him, but Jack just stood there, lost in thought.

Harriman’s voice finally broke through. “-ral O’Neill. Sir?”

Jack’s attention snapped back to the present. “Do you have something?” The control room was eerily quiet.

“We have video up, sir.” Jack took in a deep breath, and tried to prepare himself for the sight of Carter’s body.

The video feed showed trees. Some toppled columns. The top of a ruined stone building in the distance. Broken pillars around the ‘gate. Beautiful rolling countryside. The tail end of sunrise painted the sky with streaks of pink and orange. The camera swept all the way around and showed nothing out of the ordinary. There were scorch marks, but no sign of a Jaffa anywhere. There was no movement – absolutely no one.

“Nothing on infrared, sir. And I’m not getting anything on audio. The firefight must’ve damaged the MALP.”

Jack stared at the screen in disbelief. Where the hell did everybody go? It hadn’t even been five minutes!

“Check out the DHD – I want to see if our people can get back.”

The video wobbled as the camera jerkily swung around. There was a body lying sprawled behind the DHD.

“Who is that? Zoom in.”

The camera focused in – it was a dead Jaffa, facedown.

“It looks quiet. Is SG-3 or 5 ready yet?” Jack’s voice came out in a croak.

“No, sir – they estimate another five minutes, max,” Harriman replied.

Teal’c’s voice came from behind him. “I will go, O’Neill.”

Jack looked carefully at his friend. There was blood on his clothes, though most of it was probably Daniel’s. He noted the dark singed mark across Teal’c’s collarbone, the thin line of blood across his left shin, and the unmistakable gleam of anger in his eye. “You sure?” Teal’c nodded once.

“Be careful.” Teal’c spun on his heel and was away without a word. Jack sat down and waited.

Teal’c appeared in the video feed. He leaned down and rolled the body over. The camera slowly zoomed in on the Jaffa’s face. Jack did not recognize the symbol tattooed on the man’s forehead.

Jack activated the radio. “Teal’c – do you see her? According to Daniel, Carter fell right there.” Terror began to gnaw at the back of his brain.

“I do not.” Teal’c stopped, looking down at the dead man’s face. “This Jaffa bears the symbol of Morrigan.”

“Do you see anyone else there?”

“I do not.”

“Alright. Come on back.” Jack got to his feet, feeling like a man of a hundred. He turned to Harriman, “Shut it down. Tell Reynolds and Harper they’re on standby, pending further intel. Get a flyer prepped. I’ll be back in a minute.”

Jack walked out of the silent room, down the stairs and waited for Teal’c.

None of the SF’s spoke to him, giving him space. Jack didn’t even hear the ‘gate activate. Teal’c was simply suddenly in front of him. “O’Neill.”

He looked up. Teal’c was holding out a green hat. The back of it was badly charred. Jack took it gently and ran his fingers over Carter’s name, written on the inside edge.

“Where is she?”

“I believe Colonel Carter was taken for interrogation. Regardless of her wounds, she could be easily revived by a sarcophagus. It would explain why the Jaffa did not attempt to come through the Stargate.”

“We’ve got to tell Daniel.” Jack felt hollow.

Teal’c put his hand on Jack’s shoulder. “I will go with you, my friend.”

* * * *

Jack walked back into the control room.

“They’re putting the final touches on the U.A.V. now, General,” Walter informed him. “It should be ready anytime now.” Jack looked down at the ‘gate. He felt Walter staring at him, trying to gauge his mood. “How’s Dr. Jackson, sir?”

“He’ll be fine.” Jack hoped. Of course, the doctors still had to pull him out of shock, figure out what’s wrong inside his gut, and replace the blood that he left all over the gateroom floor…

Out in the gateroom, Siler stepped away from the U.A.V. and looked over at the control room window. “It’s ready to go.”

“Start dialing.”

Walter typed into the console and the Stargate began to spin. Jack headed for the door.

“Call me immediately if anything is moving on that planet or if the sensors pick up anything above it. Tell SG’s 3 and 5 they need to be in the briefing room in half an hour and hopefully ready to move out for full recon in one hour, if the U.A.V. doesn’t find anything.”

“Yes, sir.”

* * * *

Jack headed back to the infirmary to check on Daniel. Teal’c was still there, looking pensive.

“What’d the doctors say?”

“Daniel Jackson is now in surgery. There has been no word of his condition.”

Jack sat down beside his friend. “Okay, Teal’c, what happened? When you checked in this morning, it was a cakewalk.”

“I believe that Morrigan had been on the planet previously. The recent rainfall could have washed away the tracks of the Jaffa, and the MALP would not have detected her Ha’tak in orbit.”

“She saw you coming in and so she just pulled back and waited,” Jack guessed.

Teal’c nodded. “That is the best explanation for her activity. Morrigan’s Ha’tak must not contain a Stargate; otherwise we would have had no means of escape. Any opportunity to capture a group of Tau’ri would have been exploited to the fullest extent. Morrigan has most likely retreated from P6J-722. She will know exactly who she has captured.” Oh, great.

Dread clawed at his cool façade. “You know, there was a time when I thought it was kind of cool to have an intergalactic bounty on my head.” Jack smirked. “Now, not so much.”

“Daniel Jackson did say there was much information to be found in the ruins. Perhaps they will tell us what she was looking for, or her next destination.” Jack knew Teal’c was trying to sound reassuring.

“Well, frankly, I don’t know where the hell else to start. Do you know where Daniel’s notes are?” Hopefully they were on-planet long enough to have gathered some information.

“They may still be at our campsite. I do not believe there was time to gather anything before we began our retreat,” Teal’c said solemnly.

“I’ll tell the Marines that’s one of their stops. If they can’t find anything, SG-13 can head on in. Maybe Balinsky can finish things up quickly.” Jack looked down at his watch. “It’s almost time for the briefing. C’mon – I need your help on this.”

* * * * * * *

Sam opened her eyes to blackness. Shifting, she realized her hands were shackled together. “Not dead. Well, it’s a start.”

* * * * * * *

Jack was standing at the briefing room window, his arms crossed, staring down at the ‘gate through the control room window. His second cup of coffee was cooling on the table behind him. He’d tossed and turned all night, unable to relax enough to fall asleep for long.

He could see Carter standing there on that ramp, about to take her first trip through the ‘gate - green as hell and smarter than anyone had a right to be. Her delighted gaze fixated on the shimmering portal, delicate fingers dancing down its surface. She’d been through a lot over the years. Those events had changed her, tempered her, and made her into one of the toughest people he knew. She’d make it through this, too. He had to keep telling himself that.

The chevrons lit up and the gate started to turn, breaking into his reverie. Jack checked his watch - just after 0600. Then that would be SG-3 dialing home for the scheduled check-in. He headed downstairs into the control room. Walter spoke as he came through the door. “It’s SG-3, sir. Audio contact established.”

“Colonel Reynolds, what have you found?”

“Not much, sir. We located SG-1’s camp site with no problem and recovered Dr. Jackson and Colonel Carter’s field notes. The ruins are not far off, and there is a fair bit of carving on the walls. The surrounding area seems somewhat disturbed, but as far as we can tell they are long gone. The U.A.V. has been all over the place and hasn’t seen any life signs. We’ve found nothing in orbit over the planet. There are no other ruins or settlements as far as we can tell.”

Damn it! Jack kept his voice steady. “Okay. Send the notes and cameras on back. Keep an eye on the ruins. If they’re going to ring down, they’ll more than likely be landing there. Because of the time difference, you will be spending the night and SG-13 will be joining you in about ten hours. Dr. Balinsky should be able to see what is missing from Daniel’s notes and hopefully you all will be home soon.”

“Yes, sir. We’ll be waiting.”

“SGC out.”

The control room phone chirped. Someone behind him answered it and said “General O’Neill, its General Hammond for you.”

“Wondered when he would be calling.” Jack smirked. Almost 1700 miles away and George Hammond was still on top of every detail. “I’ll take it in my office, Airman. Walter, check on SG-13’s status for me, make sure they’re on schedule.”

“Yes, sir.”

* * * * * * *

There was a slight grating noise and the light began to pour in. Sam blinked quickly, realizing she was in a sarcophagus. She knew she was in deep, deep trouble.

Sam heard a voice say, “This prisoner is conscious, my liege.”

A Goa’uld voice replied, “Excellent, bring her.” Here we go. Don’t panic. You can handle this.

Strong hands reached down and pulled her out.

* * * * * * *

After lunch, Jack deliberately immersed himself in paperwork. It was preferable to pacing up and down the halls, waiting for dawn on a distant world.

Hammond had done his best to make him feel better this morning. Jack could sympathize with his former C.O. – the innumerable times he’d had to sit here and simply wait for news to come in. Had Hammond also felt the itch to go? Help in the search for the men and women under his command, lost on worlds he would never see? How in the hell had he kept his sanity all these years?

Midway through his second pile of reports, there was a brief tap on his door. It was Teal’c, looking solemn.

“DanielJackson is awake, O’Neill.”

Jack nodded. “How is he?”

“Uncharacteristically quiet,” Teal’c said with a frown.

“Quiet, you say? Well, that’s not good.” Jack wondered what was going on – Daniel was never quiet. Not even when he was asleep.

* * * *

Jack parted the wall of white and stepped through, Teal’c a comforting presence at his back. Daniel lay flat on his back staring at the wall. “Hey.”

“Hi, guys.” Daniel’s voice was soft and gravelly; he turned slowly to face his friends.

“How ya’ feeling?” Jack asked.

“Numb. The pain meds are doing their job at the moment.”

Jack gave a wide smile. “Good. Being gut shot is no fun, as I recall. Numb is preferable.” Teal’c nodded once in agreement.

Daniel shifted restlessly. “So, what’s the plan? What do we know so far?”

“Plan? Ah – no plan, as of yet. We don’t have any leads. SG’s 3, 5, are back on ‘722 looking for intel. SG-13 will be going out soon to finish up your survey of the ruins.”

“Let me g-”

“No. You are wounded, Daniel. Seriously wounded. You took a staff hit to the gut. Not to mention the shrapnel that tore up your leg. You spent almost four hours last night in surgery. The docs say you’re lucky to be alive.”

“But maybe I can find some information. Something to…”

Jack cut him off sharply. “No. There is no way I am going to let you go through that ‘gate right now. Concentrate on getting well and let me worry about this. Balinksy will do a good job.”

Daniel dropped into sullen silence. Jack could see the frustration building behind those eyes.

“I will let you know what I find out. Deal?”

“Fine.” Jack watched him pull inward, closing himself off.

Shutting down wouldn’t bring Carter back. This wasn’t his fault. Bad things happen in the field. Daniel knew that.

Jack wanted to shake him until his teeth rattled. Don’t do this to me, Daniel, not now. He had to have Daniel’s help with this. “Look – you just rest. I will need you at the top of your game when we have the information from P6J-722. The faster we can get it all translated, the better.”

A tall, thin, blond man came through the door. He was one of the new doctors on base – Richard Varen. He looked at the two men hovering near Daniel’s bedside and said, “Dr. Jackson needs to get some rest, gentlemen.”

Sad blue eyes bored into him. “We’ll find her, Daniel,” Jack promised.

* * * * * * *

Sam was held between two strong Jaffa, her arms trapped in a bruising grip. She knew there were at least three more somewhere behind her with weapons trained on her back. “Tau’ri,” the Goa’uld commanded, “tell me your reasons for visiting the planet. What did you hope to find there?”

Sam took a moment to study the Goa’uld in earnest. The host was a striking woman, tall, broad shouldered, with fiery red hair. She was dressed mostly in black leather. A beautiful golden torc sat around her throat. Elaborate metal bracers carved with knot work encased both forearms. A flowing cloak seemingly made of black feathers cascaded down her back. She must be a Celtic goddess. Sam didn’t remember their names at all. Daniel would have known. How she hoped he wasn’t there to tell her.

With a sigh, Sam repeated her litany. “My name is Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter of Stargate Command.”

“Yes. You have already told me that,” the red-headed Goa’uld huffed. “Very well. Place her in a cell.”

* * * *

Sam was pitched into a small cell and the metal door slammed shut before she could even regain her balance. Taking stock of her surroundings, she was not encouraged. Though the hallway was lit, the cell was not, causing deep shadows in the corners of the small room. Three of the walls and the floor were made of stone. The front wall and the door were roughly worked metal bars – it looked like something akin to iron, at least in this light. A small cot took up one wall and there was some sort of latrine unit in the other corner.

Carter sat down on the bed and started going through her pockets. They were mostly empty. She did find a couple of packets of water purification tablets. No weapons. No equipment. She still had her dog tags. Nothing in the pockets on her legs. A burn hole on the back of her left thigh.

Sam pulled off her BDU jacket and looked at it. There was a burn mark clearly evident across the upper back with a jagged, scorched hole across the collar. She reached her hand up and felt missing fabric at the neck of her shirt and then up into her hair. There was a patch at the base of her skull that was much shorter than everything around it. There was no question – it had certainly been a fatal shot. Sam closed her eyes and tried to remember exactly what happened…

Swallowing nervously, Carter felt a chill run through her. She’d been dead, she was certain of it. Daniel might be used to this sort of thing, but she was definitely not.

Daniel… Oh, crap. If she had been captured, Daniel might have been as well. He’d been trying to reach her. He could be in a cell nearby.

“Daniel?” Sam said softly. She cleared her throat and said more strongly, “Daniel!”

No one answered her call.

She sighed - hopefully Teal’c and Daniel were safe in the Mountain. Sam set her jacket down beside her and leaned against the cool stone wall. It felt solid enough. There was no way to tell if she was on a ship or in a planetary fortress. There must have been a mothership in orbit. Presumably that was where she was now, given the scale of her surroundings.

Great. Captured again – good job, Carter!

* * * * * * *

Ba’al’s image coalesced. “What progress have you made, Morrigan?”

“I have visited several of Anubis’s planets. Most have been uninhabited. However, on Telkis, I found a group of Tau’ri exploring the temple.”

“The Tau’ri? Were you able to capture them?”

“One of them. A female named Carter. I believe she is a member of –“

Ba’al smiled widely. “SG-1. Well done. She is extremely knowledgeable and quite important to them.” Ba’al looked aside, and then nodded.

“I am sending you something which may help. I have a recording of some of her superior’s time in my hands. It may give you some insight into the prisoner.” Looking directly back at her, Ba’al said, “Get as much information as you can out of the Tau’ri. I am especially interested in the Ancient weapon they possess which wiped out Anubis’s fleet. Contact me once you have broken her. Do not allow her to escape.”

Morrigan nodded. “Understood.”

The transmission faded. “A valuable prize, indeed.” Morrigan smiled widely. “Perhaps I will not be in your service for much longer, Ba’al.”

She turned and walked out of the room. Two of her Jaffa were flanking the doorway. Morrigan paused and ordered, “Retrieve the Tau’ri from her cell. Place her in the interrogation chamber on the center table. She will tell me what she knows.”

* * * *

As soon as the Jaffa guards opened the door to her cell, Sam started swinging. She knocked one of them out and was working on another when they zatted her from the hallway.

Carter awoke on a cold metal table, her ribs and head aching. She was lying on her back, held in place by a shackle on each wrist and what felt like matching cuffs around her ankles. There was enough light to see the three Jaffa and the Goa’uld in the room with her. She could see a few other things in the room with her that she could not immediately identify. Other “stations” perhaps?

The table tilted as the Goa’uld stepped closer. Sam wrists ached as they started to bear more of her weight.

“Carter. Your planet was recently attacked by Anubis. Your people managed to defeat his fleet using some sort of weapon. I do not believe it was of your making. The Tau’ri are not capable of anything near that level of technology.” The derision in her voice was plain.

Sam’s eyes widened ever so slightly in response. “What - do you think you are the only one who can discover information about their enemy?” A wicked smile crossed the Goa’uld’s face.

“It is a weapon left behind by the Ancients, yes? How did you activate it? How does it work?”

Sam looked carefully at the Goa’uld in front of her, wracking her brain for information. There was Celtic style knotwork on her bracers as well as the golden torc at her throat. Hadn’t Daniel encountered one of the Celtic gods when he infiltrated the summit meeting? Her eyes darted to the Jaffa at the door with a Raven helmet in place. A name clicked into place.

“So, let me guess. You must be Morrigan?”

“Yes – I see I have not been entirely forgotten by your people.” She smiled again. “Good.” Sam’s eyes darted around the room, looking at the guards.

“Tell me about the Ancient weapon on your planet,” the Goa’uld said, reclaiming Sam’s attention. “How did you control it? How did you command it to target the individual ships?”

“I had nothing to do with that.” True enough.

“What other information was in the Ancient repository?”

Carter answered simply, “I don’t know.”

The Goa’uld’s arm came up and suddenly Sam’s world went a little red around the edges. Pain flooded through her. She recognized this sensation – a ribbon device. After a few moments, it stopped. Sam shook her head against the fading pain.

“How is the weapon accessed?”

“No.”

“What is the controlling mechanism?” Morrigan waited. Sam did not speak.

“I can promise you that you will regret your defiance, Tau’ri. Tell me of the weapon!”

“Not going to happen.”

The Goa’uld cocked her head to one side. “Fine.” Her hand came back up and Sam’s world was haloed in red again. It lasted longer this time. Sam could feel the sounds building in the back of her throat. Finally, it stopped.

Sam could feel her heartbeat pounding in her ears. The Goa’uld had turned slightly away. Between ragged breaths Sam heard herself say, “I’ve had better.”

As the Goa’uld focused on her again, rage transforming her cold features into a snarl, Sam thought briefly that she had perhaps spent too many years serving with Jack O’Neill. The ribbon device came back into view and the world dissolved into blinding white.

* * * * * * *