**********************

SG-1 was seated in the Briefing Room anxiously awaiting their Commanding Officer General George Hammond. The usual joking and bantering was absent and the room was uncomfortably quiet. It had been 10 days since SG-1’s leader had completed his undercover mission to catch the mole in the Stargate Program. Someone had been stealing alien technology from Earth’s allies.

Colonel Jack O’Neill had been picked by the Asgard to expose this rogue unit. He was a career military man and had been assigned to a Covert Operations Unit before coming to the SGC. This alone made him the perfect choice for the assignment. His team however had not been pleased with this mission. It was decided that for their safety as well as the Colonels they would have no knowledge of this particular mission. In trying to gain the trust of this rogue unit, the Colonel had said and done some very unpleasant things to his team members. Dr. Daniel Jackson, archaeologist and linguist of the team had been on the receiving end of one such conversation. Teal’c, the former First Prime of Apophis, had not been able to understand his CO’s actions. Major Samantha Carter had been concerned that her Commanding Officer was suffering from an unknown disease. In her mind there had been no other explanation. This was totally out of character for Colonel Jack O’Neill.

It was evident that there were several unresolved issues for the SGC’s premier team. General Hammond felt the sooner he assigned them a mission the quicker the team would rebuild trust and faith in their CO. But looking through his window at the grim faces of the four people who had become so important in the fight against the Goa’uld, he was a concerned man. The only noise coming from the area was the Colonel’s constant fidgeting and drumming on the table. The remaining members sat quietly reading the reports from P5X201. ‘God I hope this is the right thing to do, throw them back out there, I guess they will either sink or swim’ General Hammond thought while walking out of his office.

"At ease, people, as you can see from the reports of P5X201 there is a possibility of Naquada on this planet. No apparent life forms were detected within a 20 miles radius of the Stargate. There are several caves and that is where Major Carter suspects the Naquada is contained." General Hammond looked to the Major to pick up the conversation.

"Well, Sir, there is no evidence other than the vast caves the UAV detected, but I certainly believe we need to check them out. If we are to develop new technology to fight the Goa’uld, Naquada is certainly one of the elements we will need. The air is breathable, the temperature is moderate and there are trees, Colonel……" she looked at her CO for his reactions.

"Trees, you made my day, Carter!" Jack missed the joking and the easy camaraderie of his team. He’d had no idea that his undercover mission would be so devastating for his team. There had been no way he could have refused his orders, the traitors had to be found, or Earth’s allies would have terminated their ties.

"SG-1 you have four days to check out these caves and get your samples. Any questions, people?" General Hammond hoped this would be a stress free, bonding mission for SG-1. He was also aware that the Colonel would get bored if he allowed them any more time. The Colonel hated this type of scientific trips. "You leave at 0800 tomorrow. In the meantime, I suggest Colonel that you work on that mountain of paperwork on your desk."

O’Neill tried his best to look chastised. "Yes, Sir, paperwork, my top priority for today…." Jack’s grin even made it to his brown eyes, something everyone had sorely missed for the last few days.

The smiles and light laughter from Carter and Daniel was the expected reaction. Even Teal’c raised an eyebrow and nodded. Everyone was aware how difficult it was to get the Colonel to stay in his office long enough to get his paperwork completed.

"Dismissed." General Hammond knew this team would work out their differences.

**********************

SG-1 exited the gate on P5X201 weapons ready in case of danger. Though the UAV had detected no life forms their intel had been wrong before.

"Oh yes, trees, trees and more trees…What a beautiful universe we live in, huh? Carter, which direction and how far away are those caves?"

"The UAV showed the cave system is located to the west. It looks like we are in for a hike, Sir….."

"Carter, do you need to take soil samples or do we go for gold……? Jack was sporting a lop-sided grin.

"Well, Sir, I think we go for the GOLD……" Sam was enjoying this teasing and comfortable conversation. It felt good to relax and enjoy the Colonel’s bad jokes. Even Daniel had a slight grin on his face.

"Okay kids. Carter, take point, I’ll watch our six. Teal’c don’t let Daniel pick up any stray rocks……" Jack had missed being on a mission with his team. He knew they would have to talk about what happened sooner or later, but for now it just felt damn good to be surrounded by them.

Daniel shook his head at Jack. "You know, Jack, you can be such an ass sometimes….." ‘I just didn’t realize how much of one.’ Daniel didn’t say that last part out loud. He knew Jack had only been playing a role, but that didn’t make it any easier to forgive and forget. He would always remember those hurtful words Jack had said to him.

"Years of practice, Daniel…." With a smirk on his face and a pat on Daniel’s shoulder, Jack was definitely in full sarcastic mode. "Come on now, I know you wouldn’t have it any other way, Danny boy!"

"Oh, I don’t know Jack. I think it’s a toss up between the smart ass Colonel and the cold hearted bastard I ……." Daniel stopped in his tracks, "Oh God, Jack… I didn’t mean that the way it came out."

Before Jack could get his controlled mask of indifference in place, a wounded, sad look flashed in his eyes. "Daniel, it’s okay I deserved it." The Colonel picked up his pace and caught up with Carter. "Major, watch our six, I’ll take point." He needed to get some distance between himself and the rest of the team. Daniel’s remark had hurt much more than he was willing to let on.

"Yes, Sir." Carter dropped back to bring up the rear.

The team walked in silence for the next few miles, each lost with their thoughts and concerns, but still alert to any possible danger or hostiles that had not been detected.

**********************

The relaxed atmosphere during their hike had made Daniel forget about the recent events. Daniel knew that his last statement had hurt his friend. Before that undercover mission Jack would have laughed it off and would have countered with another remark. But Daniel knew his friend was feeling guilty and uncomfortable in their presence. He also realized that it was as much his fault as Jack’s. He had been very distant and withdrawn from his friend ever since the mission. In fact, he’d said several hurtful remarks to him, most of which he sorely regretted. Daniel still couldn’t believe he had told Makepeace that he had ‘never trusted Jack’s command’. God, what was he thinking. Though he didn’t know for certain, he was afraid that the Marine had informed O’Neill of that remark.

Daniel looked up to see Jack walking back toward them.

"Let’s take a break and then we can let Carter play in the caves."

The team sat around drinking water from their canteens and munching on nutrition bars. It had been a strenuous walk and they all had welcomed the break. Even with the abundance of trees it was a pleasant enough planet. The temperature was moderate and the sky was a bluish, purple color with an occasional yellow streak through it to keep it interesting.

"Colonel if there is Naquada in the caves, it will have to be mined. It could take several months to start receiving shipments, but the wait and work will definitely pay-off in the long run. If this planet is uninhabited this could be the ideal place for an outpost." Carter’s enthusiasm was clearly evident in her voice.

"Carter, don’t get too excited until we find that pot of gold….."

"Oh, come on Jack. Don’t be so negative, think positive!" Daniel was trying to lighten the mood. He knew the friendship between them had suffered in the last several weeks. "You know your hair wouldn’t be so grey if you would stop your worrying and be positive occasionally."

"Oh, here I was thinking you guys liked my new look… And besides it’s my job to worry and let you kids explore and discover new and exciting things. That’s what I get paid the big bucks to do." ‘Yeah, and to do the dirty covert missions for the military’ Jack thought to himself. ‘He thought he had left that way of life behind years ago.’

While his team members watched silently, Jack’s thoughts drifted back to a similar black ops mission some years ago. Back then, he had also been completely on his own without being able to involve his team, ordered to uncover a group of turncoats within the Air Force. He had been mostly successful at the time, that is apart from two ‘minor’ facts: he had permanently lost the trust of his Second in Command who had not forgiven him for following orders and leaving him in the dark. Plus the leader of the group had gotten away, and as far as Jack knew, had never been captured. What was his name again, something with B, Br…

Daniel’s hesitant voice interrupted his dark thoughts. "Jack, are you okay?"

Just like a switch had been turned off, his eyes and face relaxed. "Pack it up, let’s get Carter to her playground."

**********************

Jack was bored Carter and Daniel had been taking samples from the caves for hours. He had been standing watch with Teal’c and walking the perimeter around the area where they had established camp. "Teal’c, I‘m going to do some checking around. I‘ll keep in radio contact with you. Keep an eye on the cave people."

"I will keep both eyes on Major Carter and Daniel Jackson, O’Neill." The Jaffa was gaining a better understanding of O’Neill’s language. Sometimes his friend could still confuse and frustrate him. His CO seemed to have a language of his own at times. Teal’c raised his eyebrow and with a slight nod to the Colonel, he turned and walked away.

Jack grinned and shook his head. The big guy certainly was acquiring a sense of humor. Oh yeah it was subtle but it was there. Jack walked briskly away to do a little recon of his own. Carter had said there should be four more hours of daylight. Plenty of time to stretch his legs and work out some of his tension.

"Teal’c you there?" Jack had found nothing to report and no danger but regular radio contact was required.

"I am here, O’Neill."

"Have Carter and Daniel found anything of importance?"

"No traces of Naquada have been detected yet." Teal’c reported concise and clear.

"I ‘m heading back your way."

**********************

"Okay, kids. Time to call it a night." Jack was ready for the argument he knew would be forthcoming.

"Come on, Jack! Just a little longer. There is still plenty of time left today and there is so much work to do." Daniel would just as soon stay and take samples all night.

"Daniel, the Colonel is right. It would be best to start fresh in the morning. We need to check out some of the other caves." Carter was disappointed that they had not found any evidence of Naquada in these caves.

"Yes, thank you. I ‘m so glad someone listens to me……." The Colonel looked in Daniel’s direction with a triumphant gleam in his eyes.

"Sam, don’t encourage him. His ego is big enough already." Daniel added that last remark with a smirk.

"Thank you, Daniel. I will take that as a compliment….." Jack’s cocky quirk and slight grin relaxed his face and demeanor.

"Yeah, you would take it that way." Daniel loved baiting his friend and getting the expected reaction.

"No respect! I get no respect." Jack grumbled as he stalked away, grinning as he turned his back on his friends.

The team sat around the fire discussing the day’s events and planning tomorrow’s activities. The night was clear and the air was crisp and cool. Insect noises could be heard in the distance. They had not seen or heard any animals but that didn’t mean there were none.

"Daniel, since you have been so insubordinate, you get first watch. I’ll take the second. Carter, take third and Teal’c gets to make the coffee." Jack knew that Daniel preferred the first watch. Usually he would continue thinking long into the night about his day’s activities. This would give him a chance to wind down and hopefully get some rest.

O’Neill, Carter and Teal’c unrolled their sleeping bags. The team had decided to forgo tents this trip knowing that if the weather became inclement the caves could provide shelter.

O’Neill laid awake for awhile listening to the night sounds. The soft noises of his team sleeping was like music to his ears. Years of military training tuned into the background noise or in this case the lack of. His hand reached for the weapon that was always kept close. He rose smoothly and slowly and looked in Daniel’s direction. The archeologist was walking close to the edge of the camp. Apparently Daniel had not detected any danger; he seemed relaxed and focused. The Colonel had not really heard or seen anything to suggest danger. It was only a feeling and it had become so damn quiet. He knew his instincts had saved his life many times and he had learned to listen to his gut feelings.

The Colonel made his way over to Daniel and quietly asked "Daniel, is everything okay? Let’s move closer to the camp." With that he gently laid his hand on Daniel’s shoulder and nudged him in that direction. The fire had died down to ashes.

"Yeah, everything is real quiet Jack. What is going on?" Daniel had also learned to trust Jack’s instinct and he knew his friend suspected danger.

Jack slowly and precisely made his way over to Carter and Teal’c. He lightly touched Teal’c and the big man’s eyes opened. Teal’c immediately knew their CO had detected trouble. O’Neill touched Carter’s shoulder and she rolled over, Jack immediately placed his finger to his mouth to keep her quiet. She nodded her understanding. He motioned for his team to retreat into the woods. Jack brought up the rear to cover their retreating backs.

Daniel had chosen a tree to hide behind a little farther away than Jack was comfortable with. He preferred Teal’c and Carter to take the flanks but until he could get a handle on the situation they would hold their positions. Jack motioned for them to stay and he moved deeper into the woods.

**********************

Daniel and Carter exchanged a concerned look. Jack had been gone for at least 30 minutes. What had he heard? Had he found anything of danger? Daniel had not heard or seen anything. He thought the night was pleasant and he was enjoying the quiet solitude. He also knew Jack did not alarm easily. The man had obviously had a reason to interrupt their rest and rush them into hiding.

Jack came up beside Daniel and softly spoke into his ear "We have company heading this way." He motioned for Carter and Teal’c to retrieve their packs and supplies from the camp. "Daniel we need to move fast, get your gear together." Daniel and Jack had also made their way to the camp. "Let’s move it kids, we are in for some company and I really don’t feel like visitors tonight."

"Sir, how many are there?

"I really didn’t get close enough for introductions, but I would say at least 10 or 12 unknowns. We are going to retreat into the forest and regroup. Once we can get a closer look at them maybe Daniel will have a chance to meet and greet. But I don’t intend to do that tonight. You guys head for some cover and I‘ll watch your six."

"Jack, how will you find us?" concern was evident in Daniel’s voice.

"I’ll find you, Daniel. You can’t get rid of me that easily…." Jack needed to make sure his team was safely hidden away until a risk assessment could be made. He planned on doing a little recon to check out this group before making his way back to the team.

Jack made his way deeper into the forest towards the group. He only hoped they headed a different direction than the camp. The Colonel suspected it could be a hunting party of some sort. They were dressed in leathers and carried primitive weapons. As Jack made his way closer to the group he noticed several of the men had automatic weapons. ‘What the hell’ Jack had no idea how these primitives would get their hands on those weapons. He had a bad feeling about this scenario. As O’Neill turned to make his way back to his team a small furry animal ran across his path, rattling leaves and branches in his direction. Jack immediately dropped to the ground hoping the passing men had not heard the noise.

The Colonel rolled over behind a fallen tree trunk and peered over the top to determine if the group had stopped. ‘Damn’ Jack couldn’t believe his bad luck. Several of the men were heading in his direction. ‘Okay, let’s play a little…..’O’Neill reasoned that if they had heard the commotion he might as well lead them on a hunt away from his team. ‘Sounds good in theory’ Jack thought to himself. He figured he could backtrack and cover his trail after he had eluded the natives. Then he could make his way back to his team and they could decide what course of action to take at that time.

**********************

The three team- mates were beginning to get a little more than concerned; their CO had been gone for several hours. Without knowing the situation Colonel O’Neill was in, radio contact had not been established.

"Major Carter, perhaps I should go and seek out O’Neill……" Even the big Jaffa had concern in his voice.

Daniel and Sam were also considering that option. Major Carter knew however that the Colonel’s last orders were to stay put and wait for him. "No, the Colonel ordered us to stay undercover." Sam’s voice carried no emotion and looking to her friends she added. "Look, if he doesn’t show up in a few hours, Teal’c, you can go and check out the area."

Major Carter had not detected any signs of movement at all. What had their CO heard or seen? What could possibly be taking this long? Obviously she knew her CO was more than capable of taking care of himself, but still he had not made radio contact with them. That was not like the Colonel, he always-kept in constant contact with them. Had he been captured by these possible hostiles?

**********************

Jack moved swiftly in the opposite direction of his team. The natives had taken the bait and were following his tracks. He knew the locals had the advantage of knowing the terrain. The experienced military man knew it would take some finesse to outwit this group. After all this was their territory. Jack was only an intruder and he didn’t even want to think what would happen if they captured him. Though Jack considered maybe they were not hostiles. His gut was telling him different. He decided to assume the worst and hope for the best. O’Neill was making good time and avoiding the men that had come to check on the disturbance. He had left just enough of a trail to get them to notice and follow him. They had motioned for the remaining group to join in the hunt. If they were any kind of trackers they would know that a human had made the tracks and not simply an animal. Since this would be the case Jack was taking advantage of the situation to lead them away from his team.

The Colonel had noticed that the group had merged together at one point but it appeared they were splitting up once again. Though Jack thought to himself ‘something just doesn’t feel right’. Although he couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right, he wondered where the rest of them went. Jack cautiously crept deeper into cover knowing he had lost track of a couple of the hunters. He would have to locate the missing members or take the risk of being outflanked by them. His only advantage up to now had been staying one step ahead of the enemies. O’Neill was also aware he was losing the cover of darkness. He had hoped to be back with the team before daylight. Knowing he was losing what little advantage he had, the Colonel started making his way back toward his team. Most of the natives had taken the bait and were heading in the opposite direction from where he was going. He secretly prayed that the few missing hunters had not doubled back on him.

**********************

"Major Carter, it will be light soon." Teal’c was a patient man, but this hiding out was getting old even to him. "Should we not locate O’Neill and offer our assistance if it is needed?"

"The Colonel said to wait here. But I have a feeling he may be in trouble." Sam had been ready to move for several hours now, but had delayed for fear of making matters worse.

"So, Sam. What’s the plan? I mean do you even know which direction Jack went? If Jack needs our help I want to assist him, but he may be fine and we could be walking into a trap of our own…….." Daniel was as anxious and frustrated as his friends were but they had no idea what was waiting for them.

"Yeah, I know Daniel, I was thinking the same thing……" Sam’s stopped in mid sentence when she heard a voice from her comm.

"Major, you guys okay?" Jack finally felt it was save to risk using his radio. The Colonel had to make sure his team was safe. He had decided throughout the night to maintain radio silence.

"Yes, Sir. We are fine. We have seen no sign of the locals." The stress and tension felt throughout the night was beginning to abate. "Colonel, we were starting to get concerned…..Are you all right, Sir?"

"I’m fine, Carter. I’ll be at your position in 15 minutes. Stay undercover, I’ve lost track of a couple of them. They could be in this area, though ……" Jack’s voice trailed off and they heard. "Oh damn, Carter get Daniel and Teal’c out of here……"

The Colonel’s radio cut off and the gunfire in the distance was the only noise in the early morning. The team shared a concerned look and Carter motioned for them to take cover.

**********************

"Teal’c how far away do you estimate those shots came from?" Carter was going over the different options in her head. Once again the Colonel had ordered her to keep the team safe.

"Was that Jack’s weapon? What’s going on here? Sam we can’t leave Jack, we have to do something…..!" Daniel knew that just awhile ago he had argued against looking for his friend, but now Jack was in real danger and they knew it. They might make matters worse by getting involved, but he wouldn’t leave his friend behind.

"Daniel, calm down. We are doing something." The Major understood why Daniel was upset, but running off without knowing what the situation was would not help anyone.

"Major Carter, those shots were close. Allow me to check out the area and report back." Teal’c was ready and willing to assist his CO. His symbiote had been restless for the last several hours.

"Okay, Teal’c, Daniel and I will hold our positions. Maintain radio silence until you are certain there is no danger of being heard." Sam knew that Teal’c was the best choice to do the recon and report back.

"Whoa, Sam, why don’t we all go look for Jack!?" Daniel couldn’t believe he was being told to remain here.

"Daniel, until we know the situation, there is nothing we can do to help the Colonel…." Sam knew she sounded harsh, but Daniel wasn’t military, he couldn’t understand there was a certain protocol to be followed. Intel was the best chance they had to get out of this mess.

Daniel and Sam watched as Teal’c swiftly and quietly made his way toward the gunfire. Daniel wasn’t even sure how many shots he had heard.

**********************

‘Damn, damn, damn how did they locate me so fast.’ Jack knew there was a chance he would have to deal with the few he had lost track of, but he hadn’t planned on the whole fu…..group showing up. He took off running away from the area where his team was in hiding. He zigged zagged his way quickly through the trees jumping down logs knowing the odds were against him. He felt something fly by and hit the tree beside him. The Colonel continued to run knowing the group was closing in on him. A couple of shots rang out and Jack felt something punch him in the side and he felt himself go down. Despite the burning and the pain Jack struggled to get back up. He managed to get his feet under him and pushed himself into a standing position.

The Colonel knew that his chance of an escape was all but gone, but his stubbornness would not let him give up. He pushed the pain away and started a slow run into the cover of the trees. His breathing was raspy, taking in gulps of air. His lungs were burning from the running and he couldn’t seem to get enough air into them. Sweat was pouring into his eyes stinging them making it difficult to see. His side was bleeding profusely and the pain was difficult to ignore. Jack knew he was probably leaving a blood trail and he could only hope the thick forest cover would conceal the evidence.

Jack rounded a tree and his face met with a rifle butt. That was the last thing O’Neill saw before he collapsed to the ground.

**********************

Teal’c was making his way toward the area where he hoped the gunfire had originated. He had spotted several groups of men searching and it took all his skills to elude them. This just reinforced his admiration for his CO; the man had been in the forest for hours evading capture. It appeared to him the group was converging to the same area. He stealthily followed them hoping to find O’Neill. The big Jaffa was fairly certain from the actions of the men that they had captured his friend.

Teal’c came to a halt and kept his distance. The group had finally come to a stop; they appeared to be waiting for someone. Teal’c was mildly shocked to hear the men speaking English, though on a lot of planets that was the case. Several of the individuals carried automatic weapons. An observation that truly was shocking even to the Jaffa.

A noise in the distance alerted Teal’c to an arrival. He watched as his friend was dragged into the center of the group and dropped to the ground. O’Neill appeared to be unconscious and blood was evident on his face and shirt.

"Well. I’ll be damned…" A cold voice noticed the face of the prize they had captured. The speaker pushed O’Neill onto his back with his foot so he could get a better look at the bloody face. "Hey guys! I want you to meet the SOB that shut down our operation! The great Colonel Jack O’Neill……"

"What! How do you know it’s him, Briggs?"

"Colonel Maybourne told me about him before we left for this damn planet. He even had a picture of him, not that I didn’t already know what he looked like. I had a run in with him several years ago before the SGC… Oh yeah, I know him." A slight, evil smile appeared on Briggs’ face. Yes, revenge would be his. This man was not only responsible for ruining their chances at retrieving alien weapons, but also because of him he and his men were now stranded on this lame-ass planet. Maybourne had contacted them with the communication device to inform them of the breach by O’Neill. Not to mention that lucrative operation that O’Neill foiled several years ago.

**********************

Teal’c was concerned about his CO’s condition but what was of greater worry was the conversation he was hearing. As O’Neill would say ‘they were having a bad day.’ This group had had several days to feed on their anger and resentment and the big Jaffa knew this would not bode well for the Colonel. Teal’c was weighing his options, trying to find a way to rescue his friend. He knew they were outnumbered at least 4 to 1, and though most of the natives had primitive weapons, this was their environment, so SG-1 was definitely going to be on the defensive. Knowing that for now he could do nothing to help his CO, he decided to report back to Major Carter and Daniel Jackson. Teal’c realized that time was a factor and a plan of action would have to be implemented soon.

**********************

For Jack rising back to the land of the conscious was a painful, slow process. He could hear voices but could not understand what they were saying. As a matter of fact he didn’t even recognize the voices. ‘’Where was his team? Why was he not with them?’ Jack was trying to gather his thoughts and piece together this puzzle. ‘Oh, shit,’ he thought ‘they caught me.’ His head ached horribly and his side was on fire. The Colonel tried to contain the moan that threatened to escape from his lips. He was trying to shake the sluggish and foggy feeling that had enveloped his body. Jack needed to be able to think clearly and ascertain his current situation. One of the voices sounded somewhat familiar, but the Colonel was unable to put a face with it. He decided to make his captives aware of his consciousness, knowing he would need to see their faces and the surroundings to start working on a plan of escape. ’Maybe he would be able to talk his way out of this. ‘Oh yeah, sure Jack. You’re not Daniel Jackson!’

"Well now, look who has decided to join the party……" Briggs looked down to see the Colonel opening his eyes. The brown eyes still had a blurry, confused look to them and a satisfied grin spread across the traitor’s face.

Jack opened his eyes to a face he recognized from his past. He attempted to rise up into a sitting position. "Oh, now, look what the dog dragged in…" The Colonel knew he was playing with fire, but he couldn’t resist the sarcastic remark. All the effort and work it had taken to achieve a sitting position was quickly lost as a swift kick to the ribs sent him back to the ground.

"Not going to play nice, I see……" Jack was gasping, trying to fill his lungs with air. Jack sent a defiant look toward the man.

"O’Neill, you don’t know what a pleasure it is to see you again…." Satisfaction was evident in the man’s voice. Oh yeah, he was certainly going to enjoy obtaining the desired information from this man.

"Likewise I’m sure.." Jack couldn’t believe his bad luck. What the hell was Briggs doing here? The Colonel knew he was not part of the SGC, he and Hammond approved all new personnel. Besides, this man was a criminal! He had used his status in the Air Force to front an illegal drug operation. It had been determined drugs had even been transported using Air Force planes. There had been so much political fallout from that one; it had made Jack glad he had been assigned a new mission within days of their capture. Unfortunately, Briggs had escaped. So yeah, Jack was certain, if this man was involved. ‘Jack would not be a happy camper’ with this situation.

"You know, Jack. You could never resist wearing the white hat. You and your damn morals, always sticking your nose into business that doesn’t concern you. It took me years to find an organization that would appreciate my skills and you come in and screw it up for all of us. We were obtaining technology that would help in the fight against the Goa’uld…." Briggs was almost yelling by this time. "The SGC teams hadn’t recovered any weapons that could make a significant difference in this fight. Mr. Golden Boy of the SGC, bowing down and kissing the feet of all the alien races. God, O’Neill, those aliens don’t give a damn what happens to Earth."

"Oh, come off of it, Briggs! Your cronies may buy into all that crap, but you forget, I know what you are. Briggs, you are a capitalizing SOB, you don’t care about anyone or anything but yourself. How much slime did Maybourne have to dig through to find you?"Jack received a fist to his jaw for that remark. He pushed himself back up to a sitting position and spit blood in the direction of Briggs’ boots.

"Shut up, O’Neill, just shut your mouth…." Briggs turned and shouted an order. "Alston, Brown, bring him. We’re heading back to base camp. If he gives you any trouble, shoot him, just don’t make it a fatal shot. I have plans for him." He turned and searched the area until he spotted the native. "Sorcan, this man will have other people with him. We need to cover our tracks. I don’t want them to locate our camp. Do you understand?"

Sorcan nodded his head and proceeded to call out orders to what appeared to be his men.

Jack was listening closely to this exchange. Somehow Briggs and his team had convinced the natives to combine forces with him. The Colonel had to wonder what these people had been tricked into doing. One good thing was that it sounded as if Briggs was not the least bit interested in capturing his team. Although Jack knew they would be searching for him. He also realized that without reinforcements it would be suicide. Briggs had sent one of his men with a couple of the locals toward the Stargate.

Alston and Brown dragged Jack to his feet and forced him to walk ahead of them. The Colonel was having a difficult time staying on his feet, he was dizzy from what he suspected to be a concussion and the blood loss from the wound left him feeling extremely weak and disoriented. He stumbled and the larger of the two men grabbed him roughly, stopping his fall. A moan escaped Jack’s lips.

"Brown, just carry him. It’s going to take all night at the pace he is moving…"

Briggs yelled over his shoulder getting agitated at the constant stumbling from the Colonel.

Brown lifted Jack into a fireman’s carry and picked up the pace. Jack for his part was happy for the lift. He didn’t know how much longer he would have been able to stay on his feet. O’Neill was trying to stay alert; he needed to know which direction they were going and how long it would take to reach their destination.

**********************

Teal’c briefed Major Carter and Daniel Jackson of the Colonel’s situation.

He watched the shocked and concerned looks that covered his friends’ faces as they realized the severity of this development. The team decided to request reinforcements from the SGC, knowing they would have a better chance of rescuing their CO with a larger and better equipped rescue party. This mission had been of a scientific nature and the planet deemed uninhabited. They had no extra weapons or explosives with them. Of course Major Carter and Colonel O’Neill both had their sidearm and MP90’s, and their CO never left home without at least a few extra rounds, but they were definitely lacking in the weapons area.

Teal’c as always carried his staff weapon and led the way toward the Stargate. Major Carter assumed Daniel had his sidearm in his backpack, she noticed that it was not strapped onto his leg. She knew the Colonel would have insisted on Daniel carrying a sidearm.

Teal’c cocked his head and looked around to survey the sky as he heard thunder in the distance. The big man silently wondered if the situation could get any worse. He knew it would be difficult to track this group on their home soil and if it rained that would only add to the difficulty of finding their CO.

"So, I thought all the traitors had been arrested. I guess at least one of the units was off world when the sting operation went down." Daniel had been walking silently and wondering how they could have been so unlucky to pick a planet where this group was stranded. "Only something like this could happen to Jack. I can’t believe Maybourne informed them of his part in the operation. You know they will want the codes so they can return to Earth."

"Daniel Jackson, O’Neill will give them no information." Teal’c stated with confidence.

"Teal’c I know that…It’s ….well I was trying to figure out what they’re gaining from this, besides…..revenge on Jack. I mean even if they had the codes, as soon as they arrived at the SGC they would be arrested. They have got to know that." Daniel shook his head, as the dire situation became more complicated.

"Daniel, I guess they are desperate to return home no matter what the consequences might be…Let’s just focus on getting to the Stargate and requesting back-up. We don’t know how serious the Colonel is injured." Sam didn’t even want to think about what her CO was suffering at the hands of those vengeful men. "If revenge is what they’re after, we need to rescue him as quickly as possible."

Understanding passed between Teal’c and Daniel, knowing that their friend was probably in for more abuse from his captors. These men had been stranded and left out in the cold because of O’Neill’s involvement in the operation. Anger and resentment toward the Colonel would certainly be expected. In their eyes he was to blame for their situation.

**********************

Jack was finding it difficult to stay alert, the constant moving was sending waves of pain throughout his abused body. His head ached mercilessly and he was so thirsty. He was shivering slightly despite the moderate temperature and sweat was evident on his face. Despite his best efforts to stay focussed on the surroundings, he had lost track of time and direction. He suspected that it was mid-afternoon, meaning they had been traveling for several hours. The Colonel could only pray that his captors would stop and rest soon. Hopefully, they would feel generous enough to share some water with him.

O’Neill woke to water pouring into his face. Somewhere along the way, he had obviously passed out. He slowly opened his eyes and with a groan rolled onto his back.

"Glad you decided to join us, O’Neill. Welcome to my world….." spreading his arms and indicating the cave. "Here you play by my rules….’ Briggs’ voice was laced with loathing. "You answer my question and I might give you some water and food."

"Go to Hell, Briggs. I’m not telling you squat……." Jack was trying to maintain a strong demeanor. He knew that showing any weakness would give the man more pleasure. Jack had struggled to a sitting position.

"Briggs give him some water, he can’t tell us anything if he is dead….." Jack turned to the voice of the large man that had carried him all day. "I didn’t lug him through the forest for you to let him die from lack of water."

Jack took in his surroundings while Briggs was shooting angry looks toward his cohort. Carter would love this place, the cave was huge. Obviously the unit had been here for awhile. There were obvious signs of a fire pit and provisions were strewn around. Jack had to wonder how much food and water they had brought to this place with them. Of course the natives could also be providing them with supplies. He could hear rain and the wind was howling outside the cave. At least this cave provided a dry, warm place for him to try to regain some of his strength. His team was out there in the elements, though he knew they would find adequate shelter.

"Okay, Brown, give the hero some water." Briggs wanted this man alert enough to realize what lay ahead for him. "Oh, and O’Neill. You probably think your team will request reinforcements… Sorry, ain’t going to happen." he sneered at the Colonel. "Shackley disabled the Stargate….though of course once you give me the codes, he can repair it." He drew a small object from his pocket and held it out for O’Neill to see. Smiling smugly he added, "not even your genius Major can make it work without this."

Jack had accepted the canteen from Brown and was slowly drinking from it. Being careful not to drink too much, knowing that could make him ill. He was all too aware that dehydration would contribute to his downfall in his current state. The Colonel decided that for once he would keep the smart remarks to himself. He sat and listened while Briggs gloated and tried to bait him. Jack realized that with the exception of one native, the only ones in the cave were Briggs and his men. He suspected that this was possibly the home of the natives. He guessed the rest were in other caves or possibly dwellings. Maybe with the nightfall Jack would be able to escape his captors.

**********************

Due to the heavy rain and wind it had taken the team hours to reach the Stargate. If the Colonel’s situation had not been so desperate, the Major would have tried to find shelter for them to ride out the storm in. It was a wet and tired team that finally reached their destination.

"Daniel, dial it up…." Relief and urgency was evident in Sam’s order. She was ready to enter the GDO codes that would let the SGC know who was arriving through the Stargate. In turn, the iris that protected Earth’s Stargate would be opened and this would allow them to safely return to Stargate Command.

"Daniel?" This was taking too long, what was going on?

"Sam the DHD is not working….." Panic could clearly be detected with the archaeologist.

"Damn, what’s going on?" The Major had moved over to join Daniel at the DHD. She decided to try and redial the address. She looked at Daniel as she was dialing to see a frustrated look on his face. Still nothing, the DHD appeared to have no power. Carter dropped to her knees, and opened the panel to check out the circuits. She was checking for anything that appeared to be broken, but instead she found a missing part. "One of the circuits that is needed for powering the DHD is missing. It is not going to work without the missing part."

"What!" Daniel was livid, what else could go wrong. "Can’t you fix it or something!" Jack was in trouble and needed their help. Daniel knew that no matter how difficult the task their friend would find a way to rescue them, if the situation were reversed, but the archaeologist was losing hope of ever seeing his friend alive again.

"No Daniel, I can’t…." Sam snapped back at him. She took in the defeated slouch in his posture and understood that he was directing his fear and grief for their CO at her. She realized that this bickering was a waste of their energy. Energy, they would need later if the opportunity presented itself to rescue the Colonel. "Look Daniel, we will rescue the Colonel, we just need another plan. It had to be the rogue team that disabled the DHD. They knew we would go back and get reinforcements. But you have to remember, they also want to get home so the missing part will be in their possession."

"Major Carter, their numbers are still greater than ours. That detail has not changed." Teal’c pointed out the obvious.

"Teal’c, I am aware of that, but what choice do we have?" Sam couldn’t decide if the big man was questioning the wisdom of taking on this group of men.

"Major, I was not suggesting that we forget about the Colonel. I can track the group but the rain has made it more difficult. I suggest we seek shelter and devise a plan."

"Teal’c, do you remember seeing any caves in closer proximity than the ones we already know about?" Carter knew Teal’c had superior eyesight and hearing as compared to humans. He was always aware of his surroundings and his keen senses helped him to discover things that otherwise would have been overlooked. The Major noticed how Teal’c seemed to be deep in concentration.

"I believe in that direction," he pointed to what she thought was the South, "there are more caves."

Sam looked toward that direction noticing the terrain was less wooded and small hills were evident.

"Okay, Teal’c, lead the way." Sam and Daniel followed him toward what they hoped would be shelter. They kept their weapons ready in case of trouble.

**********************

Jack decided it was time for him to participate in the conversation. He needed to get a few questions answered. The water had replenished his body and his head had finally begun to clear. The pain emanating from his head and gunshot wound was still making it difficult for the Colonel to think. Jack knew he could push it aside for a little longer. He had to obtain as much information as possible about the situation here. If the chance should arise for escape he would have to be ready and informed enough to grab it. Until that time he would gain as much information as he could.

"So, Briggs… how did you get the locals to join in on your party?" Jack showed no emotion with the question.

"Oh, well, they didn’t know how to make the Stargate work and we did. It made quite an impression on them. Though a few of them weren’t being very hospitable so we had to take drastic measures. Once they realized what damage our weapons could do to a body, they were more than willing to bow down to us. Sorcan, well he likes the control and power that we gave him so it is easy to keep him happy. He keeps his people under control for us. POWER AND GREED, you gotta love it!!!"

O’Neill felt sick to his stomach. Briggs and his men had terrorized these people and forced them to serve them, killing the ones that chose to fight. He had seen and been around this type of behavior far too many times. There were hundreds of Briggs out there just waiting to abuse and take advantage of those that could not defend themselves. Jack knew that showing anger was exactly what Briggs wanted so he kept it in check. He would deal with it later; right now he had other things to consider. The Colonel looked over to Sorcan to see what his reaction was to the words spoken. The man had a blank and disinterested look on his face. Jack did notice his knuckles were white from the tight grip he had on his weapon. The Colonel assumed Briggs had presented him with a handgun for his loyalties.

The Colonel thought back to another time and place. A member of the SGC had convinced another race that he was a God and they had served him willingly. Jack was still amazed that Hanson had made it through all the psyche screenings to be accepted into the SGC. Like Jack the man had served with a Special Operations Unit, that training had probably enabled him to breeze through the screenings. O’Neill knew that he had also been guilty of not being totally honest with head shrinks and Doctors. Yeah, he could also dodge questions and answer them in all the correct ways. The training he received not only enabled him to resist brainwashing techniques but also taught him how to ignore physical pain. He could also lie and double talk with the best of them. Although he wasn’t proud of it, he also was aware those skills had saved his life and others on several ill-fated missions. Jack realized Briggs had stopped talking and was looking at him for a reaction.

"Real proud of yourself, uh Briggs……."Jack was trying to remain calm. "So how long do you think these people will follow you? I mean you haven’t exactly led them to paradise or anything! And of course if you manage to get back to Earth, you will be arrested as soon as you set foot on the ramp." Jack added that last part emphasizing the word arrested.

"Oh, don’t concern yourself with my men. If I were you I would be worried about your own situation. Or have you forgotten, it is your fault they are stranded here….."

"What about other planets, don’t you know more addresses?" Jack wanted to see if they were capable of traveling to other places. This would certainly put other races in danger.

"Well unfortunately, Maybourne didn’t believe we needed that information." The man obviously didn’t agree with his CO." Shackley does know the addresses from our previous missions." A twisted grin appeared on the man’s face." Though I doubt those places would be as generous as these folks have been." Briggs finished his sentence with an evil laugh.

"How did you know it was Maybourne that was in charge of the operation? I thought he was behind the scenes pulling strings and stuff…"

"At first none of us knew who the head honcho was and didn’t really care, but Newman was bragging one day about talking with the main man and I finally dragged it out of him." He was obviously very proud of this accomplishment." "He made contact and advised us of the situation. I guess he is now living on some tropical island sipping Margaritas …."

Jack grinned with a satisfied look; "Sorry to disappoint you, but the closest he gets to a Margarita is listening to Jimmy Buffet on a radio during privilege time."

"He’s in prison…! But….I thought he would be able to help……"Briggs was shocked. He never thought Maybourne would go to jail. After all there were higher powers giving the orders. He was certain they would protect Maybourne and get him off the hook. In turn he had hoped to enlist the Colonel’s help on gaining his freedom. After all he had some very damaging information on the man.

Jack allowed a laugh to escape his lips. He couldn’t help himself the irony of it was too much. "You thought slime ball would come to your rescue once you made it back to Earth? Don’t you know there is no HONOR among thieves, that he doesn’t care what happens to you?" This whole situation was priceless; Jack couldn’t help but laugh.

Briggs was furious and looking to his men he realized his plan was going up in smoke. He motioned for his men to grab the Colonel’s arms and they roughly dragged him to his feet.

"O’Neill, you are going to wish you had never heard of the Asgard and Tollans……" He swung his automatic and hit O’Neill in the ribcage with a solid blow. The Colonel sagged but was held upright. The angry man grabbed Jack by the hair and looked into his face. "I guess you know there is no reason to keep you alive now. You and your honor are going to pay!" Briggs motioned to his men to let him fall and the Colonel collapsed into a heap gasping for air. Jack rolled into a fetal position trying to protect his body. Briggs waited for the man to relax slightly and gave him a hard kick in the ribs again.

Jack could barely hear the laughter of triumph over his own ragged breathing. His ribs and side were sending waves of pain throughout his body. Sweat was pouring down his face and his blood-covered hands were shaking. His head was swimming and black spots were clouding his vision. His last thought before passing out was of his team hoping they had found a hiding place that provided them with safety.

**********************

Major Carter, Daniel Jackson and Teal’c had taken refuge from the steady rain and wind in a cave. Carter was aware they would need to be well rested and alert if their CO’s rescue was to be a success. Not sure if the enemy was in close proximity of their hideout, they had decided against a fire. They were sharing a meal of MRE’s and water. Since this was the first meal since last night’s dinner, there were no complaints. The team sat in companionable silence dealing with their fears and worries concerning their friend.

"So Teal’c, do you really think you will be able to find Jack?" Daniel was trying to stay positive, but even he knew the rain had probably washed away the trail.

"I can, Daniel Jackson. It will however take longer to find the trail because of the rain and wind." Confidence clearly showed in the big man’s voice. "We will have to concentrate on the subtle changes in the forest to find their tracks."

"Do you think they are also searching for us?" Daniel was aware this could make the rescue effort more difficult. Having to elude the enemy and trying to find Jack at the same time.

"I believe that is a possibility." Teal’c always believed the truth should be spoken. He was fully aware of what Daniel Jackson and Major Carter were capable of handling. "If they are searching for us, this could prove to be of benefit in our quest. We can use them to lead us back to O'Neill."

"I see where you are going with this. You are hoping they are looking for us. We will need to be very careful and not get captured ourselves. The Colonel is depending on us to free him from these crazies." Sam knew that these men had lived on this planet for several days and were much more familiar with the terrain. And from what Teal’c had reported, the locals had allied themselves with the rogue unit. With these allies Briggs and his men had gained access to the natives knowledge and skills. The Major knew it would take all of their military training and a lot of luck to rescue Colonel O’Neill.

"Major Carter, I will take first watch. We will need to be rested for tomorrow’s activities." It was difficult for the Jaffa to remain in this place knowing his CO was in danger, but he was aware he would not be able to track in the darkness. It would take all his skills and experiences to follow the trail and evade capture from the enemy in daylight.

**********************

"O’Neill wake up! You don’t want to miss all the fun I have planned for you today, now do you?" Briggs face clearly displayed the anticipation he was feeling.

"Oh God," Jack moaned and rolled onto his back the move causing extreme pain to his midsection. "Damn…… I was so hoping you had crawled back under that rock!" O’Neill gave the man a cold stare.

"Now, Colonel O’Neill. Is that any way to speak to a fellow Officer?"

"Show me an Officer, and I will speak to him……" Jack knew he was playing with fire insulting this man but he really didn’t care. "You are a low life skuzzball, go crawl back into that hole you sleazed out of." The Colonel was slowing rising to his feet, he wanted to be able to look directly into the man’s eyes.

"O’Neill, I am going to enjoy hurting you……" Briggs glared at the Air Force Officer. "Don’t worry Jack, your team will be joining you shortly. I decided that it would be fun to invite them to this party!" The angry man was enjoying this game with his adversary. He had sent Sorcan and several of his men to capture the remaining members of SG-1.

Jack concealed the shock and concern he was feeling. He had hoped that Briggs would leave his team alone. "You underestimate my team, you will never capture them." The Colonel’s voice showed more confidence than he actually felt. His team was on an alien planet being pursued by the locals.

He knew the odds were stacked against his friends.

**********************

The three teammates were finding it difficult to pick up the trail. Teal’c had found some evidence of recent movement and had followed the tracks but they had suddenly disappeared. The Jaffa was certain they were on the right trail, although there were several options as to the direction the group could have taken. Teal’c cocked his head and listened to the forest sounds. He raised his finger to stop the questions he knew would be coming from his teammates.

"Teal’c do you….." Daniel trailed off seeing the signal for quiet from the Jaffa. He dropped to his knees following Teal’c and Carter’s example.

"Major Carter." Teal’c quietly said, "I believe there is a group of individuals in that direction." He pointed to the North. "I believe we should seek better cover and observe their actions." Teal’c led them deeper into the forest but close enough to observe the movements of the men.

**********************

Sorcan had returned to the camp, without prisoners. His men had searched for hours and not found any signs of the remaining team. These humans were very skilled and well trained; he was secretly impressed by their ability to evade captured.

Briggs was walking out of the cave in his direction. "Sorcan, what are you doing back here! I told you to find the rest of O’Neill’s team." Briggs stalked toward the native anger clearly in his voice.

"The humans are very skilled. We detected no signs of their movements. I thought you might be in need of my service." Sorcan knew how to play this man’s game. His men had been tired and hungry. They could continue the search another day.

Briggs gave him a disgusted look and turned to go back inside the cave mumbling to himself.

"Come on O’Neill, we’re going outside to play…….."Briggs roughly pushed Jack through the cave opening. The Colonel stumbled but was able to remain on his feet. The military man was quickly taking in the surroundings. There were several caves and Jack could hear water rushing. It appeared to be early morning and there were several groups of people milling around. Much to the Colonel’s dismay there were also women and children in this camp.

Briggs noticed the slight reaction on O’Neill’s face, just what he had expected. He knew seeing these women and children would add to the man’s distress. He watched closely as the Colonel assessed the area, his dark eyes scanning, looking for a way out.

‘Damn, kids, well Jack, this definitely ‘ups the ante’. God, how much worse can it get.’ Jack was barely able to stand, arms wrapped protectively around his ribs, his head was pounding and his hands and arms were covered in blood from the bullet wound. Dried blood was covering his face. It was a shocking and frightening site. He noticed several of the children pointing in his direction, mothers were grabbing them and pushing them back inside the caves.

Briggs was enjoying the moment; he had this man just where he wanted him. "So O’Neill, what do you think of our little neighborhood?"

"It’s just peachy. Where is your dog? You know dogs are my favorite people…" The Colonel was trying to keep the conversation going. He needed more time to look around and consider his options. ‘Options’ what options Jack?’ This latest development had seriously compromised any escape plan he was considering. He realized that the man before him could and would use these kids to satisfy his need for revenge.

"Dogs? These people are my dogs." Loathing was clearly in his voice. "It’s pathetic, they are so weak. They obey without question. Just like an old dog!"

Jack was furious; he couldn’t believe the warriors on this planet would allow this to continue. He spotted Sorcan standing with several other men. How could he stand by and let this happen to his home? This man had the ability to lead his people against this rogue unit. After all, there were only four men and there were many more villagers. Sorcan must be a power hungry SOB to stand by and do nothing.

Jack knew in his condition there was no way he could beat Briggs even if the odds were in his favor. But the Colonel could take no more, he lunged at Briggs taking him by surprise and knocking him to the ground. He threw several punches into Briggs’ face and mid-section before two goons pulled him off still kicking. The adrenaline was wearing off and Jack was losing energy fast. He sagged to his knees but the two men would not allow him to fall. Jack looked up and saw the sadistic face stalking his way. The Colonel knew he would pay for that act of anger but it was worth it, just to see the surprised look on the other man’s face.

Briggs began his assault on his face and stomach. Punch after punch landed, strong arms holding him in place keeping him on his feet. His breathing was ragged and shallow, sweat mixing with blood pouring down his face and arms. Jack had quit struggling and gave in to blessed unconsciousness.

**********************

The team had followed the villagers back to where they hoped their CO was being held. They carefully made their way over a small embankment overlooking a swift stream. The grass was tall and provided adequate cover. There were several caves with groups of individuals milling around. Daniel and Sam exchanged a concerned glance seeing several women and children in the camp. There appeared to be only one way in, the small hills contained many caves forming a horseshoe shape with a stream following the hill face.

"Teal’c, do you think we could climb down here after dark?" The Major was considering their options.

"Major Carter, I do not believe that O’Neill will be able to climb out of here." Teal’c stated the obvious. He knew from seeing the condition of his CO after yesterday’s abuse they would need to find another escape route.

Daniel had remained quiet during this conversation. He was watching the village closely. Most of the natives were staying together. There were two men that had caught Daniel’s eye; they seemed to be arguing. Observing their actions noticing the anger clearly evident, one of the men was different, he realized this must be Briggs. He watched as Briggs walked away and disappeared into a cave. The other man shook his head and had a disdainful look on his face. An idea began to form in Daniel’s head. Maybe these people were not willing participants? Could they enlist their help in freeing Jack? Daniel knew they were out numbered and would need something to turn this situation around.

Sam heard an intake of breath and looked in Daniel’s direction. She and Teal’c had been deep in concentration and keeping a weary eye behind them. Sam looked back down and saw the Colonel being pushed out of a cave. He looked horrible. Blood covered his fatigues, he was stumbling, but she watched as he surveyed his surroundings. A slight smile appeared on her face. No matter what condition her CO was in, his military training never stopped working.

The Colonel was standing holding an arm protectively around his chest. He appeared to be listening to the other man. "Teal’c is that Briggs?"

"Yes, Major Carter, it is." The anger and agitation the big man was experiencing was causing his symbiote discomfort. Teal’c gently laid his arm on his stomach and fought to regain control over his inner turmoil. He knew this rescue mission would need his full attention, he would deal with the anger later. The former Jaffa knew he would need to partake in Kel’no’reem for a lengthy period once they returned to the SGC. These last few days had been very difficult for all of them.

Daniel watched as Jack attacked Briggs tackling the larger man and hitting him relentlessly. He couldn’t believe Jack would attack this man considering his weakened condition. Not to mention being surrounded by the enemies. Daniel knew however that bad odds never bothered Colonel Jack O’Neill.

Teal’c, Sam and Daniel watched as two men pulled the Colonel off Briggs and restrained him as he continued to kick and struggle. They saw the crazed look as the man approached their friend.

The shared a concerned look knowing what was going to happen. Briggs began his assault on their friend. They watched as Jack was held upright as the beating continued. New blood mixed with old blood on his face and midsection.

The Colonel’s head dropped to his chest and Briggs grabbed his chin and held it, he released his hold and motioned for the two men to do the same. Jack dropped to the ground in a heap. One of the men kicked the Colonel in the ribs and Jack rolled into a fetal position.

**********************

"Brown, watch him. Let me know when he wakes up." Walking away Briggs added "There are more games to come….." Brown shared a laugh with the man as Briggs disappeared into the cave. Brown didn’t believe that O’Neill was going to escape, there was no way the man could walk after that abuse.

"Brown, how is Briggs going to get us off this damn planet? You heard O’Neill, Maybourne is in prison, he can’t help us." Alston and Shackley had been discussing their situation. They knew O’Neill was responsible for shutting down their operation but Briggs’ need for revenge seemed to be clouding his thinking. They had had their fun with the Colonel, now they wanted to return to Earth.

"Alston, you let Briggs worry about that. He is still your Commanding Officer, you don’t question his orders." Brown was aware of how dangerous his CO could be if pushed. Right now he had the Colonel to direct his anger towards and Brown was more than happy that O’Neill had shown up here. They had watched as their CO had gotten more and more edgy as the days passed. The man had so much anger and resentment toward O’Neill and after hearing the conversation between him and O’Neill he understood why. Those two had butted heads before and Briggs had come out on the losing end of that sting operation as well.

**********************

Carter, Daniel and Teal’c were shocked. They had watched as their friend had been beaten horribly. They were so close to him but could offer him no assistance. At least Briggs had left for the moment. They watched as what they suspected were the remaining members of the unit gather around the Colonel.

Major Carter wondered what the men were discussing. She was grateful the Colonel had passed out and the abuse had stopped. She was thinking back to the reason for this mission. It was supposed to be a milk run, something easy with no danger involved. Since the Colonel had returned from his undercover mission, the relationship of the team had been tense. Once again the Colonel’s life was at risk.

"God, what are we going to do……" It had been so difficult to lay here and watch as his friend had been beaten until he passed out. Daniel couldn’t believe his friend was once again in danger. Jack was always teasing Daniel that it was his fault that his hair was turning grey, but Daniel was sure that if their CO didn’t stop putting himself in dangerous situations, his team would all end up with ulcers.

"Daniel Jackson, there is nothing we can do to assist O’Neill at this time." It had taken all of the big man’s restraint to keep him from going to his friend’s assistance. "We will need to wait until it is dark."

"Daniel, Teal’c is right. If we are captured they will use us against the Colonel." Sam was trying to find a way to rescue their CO.

"I know, you’re right.’ Daniel was still considering his earlier plan. "Guys, I was thinking, what if these people are not helping Briggs because they want to. Maybe he is forcing them to do this." The archaeologist stopped clearly thinking, "If I could talk to one of them, maybe they would help us."

"Daniel, I don’t see any close enough to talk with." Sam hated to halt his idea, but the villagers were down there and well, Daniel was up here and yelling down to them was not an option.

"Major Carter, perhaps we could sneak down tonight. If we can get to the stream, one of the natives will eventually come seeking water." He knew that if they could persuade the villagers to fight against Briggs he would be defeated.

Major Carter chewed on her lower lip considering this plan. "Okay, we go in, let’s give it a few hours." She looked down checking out the vegetation on the hill. There would be some cover going down the hillside. There were jagged rocks and overhangs and also small bushes. It would be a difficult climb but they could do it.

**********************

"Brown." Briggs came out looking for his unit. "Brown, let’s get O’Neill inside. Where are Alston and Shackley? We’ve got some plans to make."

"They probably went to find some food and water." Brown had no idea where his cohorts had gone. He just didn’t feel like listening to Briggs yelling. Briggs had left him out here for hours with O’Neill. The man had stirred once but had thankfully not awakened. Brown didn’t think the man could take another beating this soon. He didn’t really want Briggs to beat the man to death, he was still holding out hope that somehow O’Neill would be their ticket off this planet.

Briggs and Brown roughly grabbed the Colonel and dragged him into the cave. They never noticed Jack’s eyes were slightly opened, he had awakened but had remained silent hoping for an opportunity to escape. Much to the Colonel’s dismay Brown stayed on guard and he knew there was no way of escaping from the big man. It had taken all of Jack’s stubbornness to keep from moaning; his already abused ribs were on fire. He was certain that a couple of them were broken and combined with a gunshot wound the pain from his chest and side was difficult to manage. His vision was blurred from the pounding headache. Sweat was running down his face leaving streaks in the dirt covering his face and neck. The Colonel realized that the wound was becoming infected.

Jack was dropped in a corner of the cave. His mouth was so dry, he considered what would happen if Briggs was made aware of his conscious state. He figured since they had moved him inside they would not bother with using him for a punching bag again today. Jack decided to take a chance. He moaned and pushed himself into a sitting position leaning against the cave wall.

**********************

Sam, Daniel and Teal’c had climbed down and were lying in the tall grass on the banks of the stream. They had remained still hoping for an opportunity to talk with one of the villagers. Due to the heavy rain the stream was rushing over the rocks and would cover up any noises. They were concerned that once a person showed up, they had to be careful and not scare him away. Somehow they needed to get these people to help them.

Teal’c tapped the Major on the shoulder. There was a woman coming toward the stream with a leather pouch. Sam motioned to Daniel; he would be the one talking. The archaeologist could usually gain a person’s trust and get him to talk. That skill along with many others that he possessed, was what made him a valuable member of SG1. They had been able to avoid potentially dangerous situations many times because of the linguist’s skills.

The woman knelt down and began filling her container. Daniel silently moved over beside her ready to cover her mouth with his hand if the need arose. "Hello, my name is Daniel Jackson. What is your name?" He remained close; a scream could bring the whole camp to their position.

The woman stared in surprise and moved to back away. "No please, I won’t hurt you. We are here to help you and your people." Daniel had a feeling these people were being used by Briggs and his men. He knew if he could gain her trust that they would be able to help each other.

The woman stopped and listened to his words. "I know you are scared, I promise I mean you no harm. Those men with the weapons, they are bad. They have a friend of mine, the man they beat. Have you seen him?"

Looking around and answering very quietly, "Yes, he is in the cave." She appeared to be very nervous; she was glancing behind her. "They are very mean. They killed some of my people. Can you make them go away?"

"Can you come with me for a few minutes? I have some friends I want you to meet." Daniel took her arm and gently led her to where Teal’c and Sam were hiding and watching. She allowed him to lead her. Daniel thought ‘this woman must be desperate to trust me so easily.’

**********************

Briggs heard O’Neill’s moan and watched as the man struggled to move into a sitting position. He had to admit the Colonel was one stubborn, tough man. Briggs had figured the man would be out for the count the rest of the night. He had taken a tremendous beating today, one which Briggs took great pleasure inflicting on the man. A slight grin crossed his face and he looked to his companions.

"Guys, look who decided to wake up…. So, O’Neill did you enjoy your first day here at Camp Briggs? You know we have many fun and exciting events planned for you!"

"Well, as Camps go this is a walk in the park." Jack grinned. He realized baiting this wacko was asking for more punishment but he was hoping that if he made him mad enough he would get sloppy. If that happened he would have the opportunity for escape or at least get his hands on a weapon.

"O’Neill, you are one smart-ass. You know I had heard that about you. That mouth of yours is going to get you killed one day!" A satisfied smirk appeared on his face. "You know tomorrow could be that day!" Satisfaction was evident in the man’s voice.

"Hey, we all have to go someday." Jack deadpanned, still hoping to unnerve the man.

Briggs walked over to where the Colonel was sitting. "O’Neill, there is no escape, you are mine….." He knew this man before him had not given up, O’Neill was known for his fierce determination and stubbornness. "Your friends will be joining us tomorrow."

Jack’s face showed no emotion to the words. He would not give the sadistic man the pleasure of seeing him upset. There was no way in hell he would allow his team to be captured by this vengeful man. He knew his team would do their best to rescue him. They needed to free these people from this group of criminals.

"So, Briggs… how about some water, huh? I can’t enjoy the activities if I die from thirst."

"Alston, give him some water. I want him fully alert for tomorrow’s games…"

Alston walked over to join the two men and handed Jack a canteen full of water. The Colonel tried to hide the fact of how weak and ill he was feeling. He sipped the water enjoying the cool, wet taste as it slid down his throat. His whole body was on fire with pain and his harsh breathing was becoming more labored with each passing hour. Jack knew that the bullet wound had become infected. That alone could be his downfall. Every time the bleeding had stopped he had been hit in the wound and it started again. Jack was dizzy and his head pounded. He was concerned that another beating to his already abused body would kill him. ‘Briggs was right, he might die tomorrow.’ It occurred to him that the blood loss could be the cause of his weakened state.

Jack continued to sip the water as his mind searched for options. His captors had moved to the other side of the cave, talking quietly. Jack O’Neill was never one to lay down and die. As long as he was alive there was a chance; he would fight till the very end. The Colonel decided to get some rest; he would need to be alert and ready when his team found this place. O’Neill slid down the wall and rolled onto his side. He drew his legs up and wrapped his arm protectively around his chest.

**********************

Daniel Jackson had introduced his friends to Saya and they had found a place to hide so they could talk. The three friends had convinced the woman that they would help free her people from Briggs.. Daniel had also wanted to be part of the plan, but Sam wanted him and Teal’c to stay hidden until she could enlist more help. They would be ready to help when the time was right.

"Wait for my signal." Sam instructed as she walked away with Saya.

Daniel and Teal’c watched as she disappeared into the darkness. They both hoped Briggs and his men would not notice her wandering around the camp. She would need to blend in with the rest of the women.

Sam had gone back to the cave where Saya lived with her family. Her husband stood when the two women entered.

"Telin this is Sam Carter. She is a friend of the other stranger. She is here to free her friend and to help us……"Sala had placed her hand on the man’s shoulder. She knew it would not be easy for him to trust this woman.

"The evil ones have many powers. Perhaps this is a trick, Sala!" Telin had watched as the ones with the powerful weapons had activated the Great Circle, he stood by and witnessed the death of his friends because they had not obeyed their orders.

"I am here to help you and your people. Those men have no special powers, I also know how to make the Circle work." Sam pulled her sidearm from under the dress she had borrowed from Sala. "I also have a weapon like they have. Please believe me we are here to help you!" The Major was desperate to gain this man’s faith. She knew that if the villagers turned on them, this plan would not work.

"WE.." Telin was concerned that more men had arrived through the Circle to terrorize his people.

"Yes, there are two men with me. We don’t want you to fight Briggs and his men, but I need your word that you will not fight against us. We can stop these men from hurting your people. Please just keep the rest of the villagers out of the way." It had been decided that they could rescue the Colonel and take care of the rogue unit without the assistance of these locals. These people had suffered enough; the team did not want to take the chance any more of them would be killed.

Telin was surprised by this information. These strangers were going to fight to free his people. He had witnessed the beating their friend had endured earlier. Their friend may already be dead, then what action would be taken? Would this new group retaliate against them for his death? After all he had stood by and watched and not lifted a hand to help.

Sam could almost see the different emotions play on his face. She knew this was a difficult decision for the man. Time was running short; this rescue could only succeed under the cover of darkness. Daniel and Teal’c were vulnerable in their present location. In the light of day, they could be spotted easily.

"Telin, I know this is a difficult decision, but I need your answer."

"You don’t want us to fight?" He was shocked these people did not expect him to help. "You want me to stop my people from interfering with your actions. That is all you expect?"

"No, I don’t expect you to help us fight. Please just keep your people out of the way."

"Husband, you can trust her, this is the right thing to do." Sala gave her husband a hug for encouragement. "Our people have suffered enough, it is time for this to stop."

"Okay, my people will not interfere." The man hugged his wife and silently prayed he was doing the right thing. He kissed her softly on the head and left the cave. He would need to warn his friends of the upcoming battle.

Sam patted Sala’s arm and silently walked from the cave. She stood and briefly took in the surroundings. Telin was entering another cave, Sam prayed that these villagers would listen to him. The Major noticed one of Briggs’ men moving around in front of the cave directly across from her. The man was walking toward the stream. If Daniel and Teal’c noticed him this might be an opportunity to even the odds.

**********************

Teal’c laid a hand on Daniel’s shoulder and motioned with his head over to the stream. One of Briggs’ men was filling a canteen. Teal’c signaled for Daniel to remain and he silently moved toward his target. The man obviously was unaware of any danger; he was ignoring his surroundings and didn’t even know what hit him as the big Jaffa threw a blow to the man’s head. Teal’c caught him before he had hit the ground. He carried the downed man over to Daniel’s position.

"Okay, what are we going to do with him?" Daniel was grateful that there was one less man to deal with, but he was concerned about him being missed by Briggs.

"Get the ties out of my backpack. We will tie his hands and feet. We can retrieve him after we have secured the camp."

Teal’c and Daniel had tied the man securely and found a place to hide him. They settled down and anxiously awaited Sam’s signal.

"Teal’c how long do you think it is until sunrise?"

"Daniel Jackson, I believe we have less than two hours."

**********************

Sam allowed a grin to slide across her face. Her teammates must have disposed of the lone man. It had been over an hour since he left for the stream. Sala had been telling Sam about their village and how Briggs and his men had showed up one day and they had lost their freedom. The villagers had been in awe of these visitors at first. They had appeared to be kind and no one had ever been able to make the Circle work. Many of the villagers thought they were Gods. But several had chosen to fight them and were killed for their efforts. This left the rest afraid and they obediently did as they were told. Sam shook her head at the remembered look of fear that had passed over the woman’s face as she told the story. Sam had suggested that Sala try to get some sleep. The Major had slipped outside to check on the situation.

Sam was watching as Telin walked toward her "Telin, will your people help us?"

I have told them of your plan. They will not try and stop you." The man hoped that once again he had done the right thing. "There is something I need to tell you. Several of our villagers decided to join these men. They will fight against you, however they do not know of your existence."

"I need to join my friends. Remember stay inside and take care of your family." The Major lightly squeezed the man’s arm silently thanking him for his help.

Telin watched as the woman walked toward the stream. He prayed for the safety of this brave visitor and also for his people.

**********************

Sam approached the area where Daniel and Teal’c had hidden. Daniel and Teal’c both emerged from the tall grass.

"Okay, we are in business. The locals will not interfere; we do have the problem of the few renegades. But the odds are getting better, one down and three to go. Daniel and I will go into the cave and take care of Briggs and whoever else is with him. Teal’c, I need you watching for the locals. We need to capture Briggs and his men alive if possible. I want them to stand trial for their actions." The Major was letting her anger rise to the surface. "Let’s move out . "

The team quietly maneuvered their way to the cave where they knew their CO was being held captive. It was still dark so the camp was deserted. Teal’c took up position outside the door. Major Carter and Daniel Jackson moved silently through the opening leading into the large cavern. Three men were stretched out in sleeping bags around the dying fire.

Daniel’s eyes searched the cave for their missing friend. His intake of breath told Sam he had spotted the Colonel. Sam gently grabbed his arm. They needed to apprehend Briggs and his group before they could help the Colonel. She motioned for Daniel to surround the sleeping figures. Weapons drawn Sam shouted. "Briggs you and your men are under arrest." Still dazed from their rude awakening they reached for their weapons. Seeing the weapons pointed at them, they relaxed their grips and let the weapons drop. Daniel and Sam moved backed slightly as the group rose to their feet.

"Well, well, who do we have here…" Briggs was shocked this team had been able to find the camp. "Honey, put that gun down and you and me will have some fun."

"Briggs, shut up or I will shoot you where you stand." Carter’s hatred for this man was showing.

"Kick those weapons over there." Sam motioned with her head to the back of the cave. The group did as they were ordered. "Daniel, check them for other weapons."

Daniel approached Briggs and began searching him for weapons finding a knife that was hidden in his boot. "Sam, this wouldn’t by chance be the missing part to the DHD?" The archaeologist held up the small metal object he had found in the man’s pocket.

"Good job, Daniel!" Sam had been concerned about the missing part. At least that was one less thing to worry about.

Daniel heard Jack stir in the corner and looked around to check on his friend. That was the opening Brown was waiting for. The man had turned his head and Brown attacked the smaller man. Daniel was fast enough to turn and pull the trigger hitting the large man in the chest. Sam turned to see him fall to the ground with Daniel standing over him, chest heaving.

"Daniel, you had no choice." The Major knew that the archaeologist had killed before but the killing always disgusted him.

"Briggs move over there." Sam wanted the remaining two men closer together. The noise from the gunshot was going to awaken the villagers.

"Daniel, check on the Colonel."

Daniel walked over to Jack and knelt down beside him. "Oh God," slipped softly from his mouth after seeing the condition of his friend. He gently rolled his friend onto his back, silently apologizing for the pain he was causing as his CO moaned.

Teal’c came into the cave "Major Carter, we need to leave, it appears there are several men heading in this direction. " Teal’c had heard the gunshot and noticed a group of men had gathered. He assumed these were the villagers Briggs had recruited.

"Daniel, help the Colonel up. Teal’c, I need you to cover these two." Carter knew that time had run out and they needed to find a hiding place.

Daniel gently shook Jack on the shoulder. "Jack wake up, we’re getting you out of here…."Daniel saw the slight grin appear on his friend’s face.

"Well..it’s about….time!" The words were barely spoken as the man gasped for breath.

Daniel helped steady the Colonel as he leaned heavily on the smaller man. The archaeologist was supporting most of Jack’s weight as they exited the cave and headed for cover. Sam led the way closely monitoring the situation for danger. Teal’c and the prisoners were bringing up the rear.

Major Carter yelled for Daniel to take cover as gunfire rang out, echoing through the camp. Sorcan and his men had spotted the group heading for the treeline. Teal’c dropped to the ground returning fire with his staff weapon. During the confusion the prisoners escaped.

Teal’c ran from his hiding place to join Carter, Daniel and O’Neill. The weapons fire had stopped for the moment. "Major Carter we should leave this area."

"Yeah I know Teal’c, I hate to leave without Briggs and his buddies, but there is nothing we can do. Once we get back to the SGC we can come back with reinforcements." Sam was concerned that Briggs would retaliate against these people, but once again the team found themselves on the defensive unable to assist the locals.

Teal’c came up beside his struggling CO. Sweat was pouring down his friend’s face as he struggled to stay on his feet. His breathing was raspy and shallow and his arm was wrapped protectively around his ribs. His blood-covered shirt was wet from sweat and his brown eyes were dazed as he looked to the big man with silent thanks for his help.

"O’Neill, I believe it is time for you to see Dr. Frasier." Teal’c stated the obvious fact.

"Where is….Briggs? We have..got to stop …..him." The Colonel realized the vengeful man would direct his anger toward the locals.

"Colonel, we’ll come back and take care of Briggs and his men. We need to get you back to the SGC. We don’t have time to discuss this now." Carter knew her CO was worried about the danger of leaving Briggs behind. The group headed toward the Stargate.

Major Carter called a halt after walking for several hours. She had waited until they had reached a safe distance from the camp. They needed to check on their CO’s condition. She led the team deeper into the forest hoping the dense cover would keep them hidden.

"Teal’c keep watch." She ordered, knowing the big man was always on alert. Teal’c laid the Colonel gently on the ground and used his jacket to cover the trembling man. He placed his pack under his friend’s head, then left to keep watch.

Sam knelt beside her CO. Wetting her bandana; she cleaned the blood from his face and neck. He had a large gash high on his cheekbone. The Colonel shied away slightly from her touch. "Sorry Sir, but I need to clean this." Carter moved down to his side and gently opened his shirt. The wound was covered with fresh and dried blood. His t-shirt was stuck to the area and she applied some water to it as she gently lifted it from the wound. The Colonel moaned as she applied light pressure to the red, inflamed area. "Daniel give me a dressing." She applied the dressing to the wound hoping the pressure would stop the bleeding. Carter leaned back on her heels taking a slow breath and shaking her head.

"Major, you’re …doing .. fine. I’m okay….." The Colonel was trying to alleviate the concern obvious on his Second’s face. "Do what you need to …do." Exhaustion was clear in his voice.

"Daniel, tear your extra shirt in strips. We need to wrap the Colonel’s ribs." Daniel helped Jack into a sitting position so Sam could wrap the injured ribs. "Colonel I need you to take these." The Major handed him a couple of pain pills and a broad-spectrum antibiotic. Hopefully the antibiotic would at least slow down the infection until they could get him to the infirmary.

"Okay, Sir, we’re done, try and get some rest for a few minutes."

Daniel watched as his friend slowly relaxed and closed his eyes. He silently wondered how long Jack could continue. His face was far too pale and his body was trembling. Daniel didn’t know if that was from blood loss, from the fever of the infection, or from the elements. He kept one hand on his friend’s shoulder for comfort. Daniel didn’t know if it was for him or Jack’s sake.

"Major Carter, there is a group of men coming this way." Teal’c had scouted the area.

"How many, Teal’c?" Sam’s mind was racing, should they fight or try and outrun them? Knowing the Colonel could barely stand much less run. "Take cover, maybe they will pass by."

Teal’c moved their CO to a safe area behind a fallen tree. Daniel remained close in case Jack woke up and also to protect him.

As the group approached the team’s position Telin and several other men emerged from the forest. Gunshots rang out, arrows flew through the air and several men were fighting one on one. Sam watched as Sorcan aimed his weapon at Telin, the Major fired and Sorcan fell to the ground. Telin gave the woman a nod before turning his attention on Briggs. Briggs had turned and was running away, but Telin would not allow this man to escape. He drew his bow back and sent an arrow into the man’s back. The fight was ending as several men lay dead on the forest floor.

Teal’c and Sam emerged from behind the trees and walked over to check on the wounded. Several of the villagers were wounded but the renegades and all of Briggs’ men were dead.

The Major walked over and placed her hand on Telin’s shoulder. "Thank you for helping us. We can help you with the wounded." This would finally give Sam a chance to really assist these people and maybe their healing could begin.

"It was time for us to help ourselves. We want to thank you, all of you for showing us that these men could be stopped." Telin bowed slightly to the woman. "Your friend needs to be returned to your World. We can take care of our wounded." The man was impressed with the compassion and loyalty that was so evident in these people.

"Telin can we come back here and talk to your people about an alliance?" Daniel and a struggling Colonel emerged from out of the trees. Daniel was sorry that he had not been able to get to know these villagers. He thought back to the reason for this mission.

"My people need time to forget and heal." Telin respected these travelers but he felt that his people would need to learn to trust once again. "Perhaps one day we will be ready to accept an alliance with your World."

"We understand," Daniel gently lowered his friend to the ground, and walked over to the man, he extended his hand. "It will be a good day when our two Worlds can learn to trust each other."

Telin returned the handshake with a smile, "Yes, it will. It is time we get our wounded safely home."

Daniel, Sam and Teal’c watched as the villagers supported their wounded comrades and disappeared into the forest.

**********************

The team emerged from the trees, stopping and relishing in the site of the Stargate. Even Jack had a grin on his bruised face, "I have had enough fun at Camp Briggs, let’s go home."

"Yes Sir, just give me a minute to replace this part and we are out of here…" Major Carter was busy repairing the DHD. "Okay, Daniel dial us up.." She was anxiously waiting for the last chevron to lock, fingers ready to enter the iris code.

The four friends stepped out of the wormhole supporting their Commanding Officer. Major Carter yelled for a medical team as Teal’c and Daniel lowered Jack onto the ramp. Dr. Fraiser and her nurses came running into the Gate Room and quickly began assessing the Colonel’s condition.

**********************

It was three worried, tired and dirty friends that stood outside the infirmary door, waiting for news of their CO. It had been several hours since Dr. Fraiser and her team had rushed Jack off to the infirmary.

When Janet finally joined them in the corridor, she looked exhausted, but had a relieved grin on her face. "The Colonel will be fine. He was quite a mess. Dehydration, blood loss and an infection from the gun wound, four broken ribs as well as a concussion and heavy bruises from the beatings. We had to do emergency surgery to stop the internal bleeding and repair the damage both from the gun wound and the broken ribs, but he came through it well. His blood pressure is still a little low, but we are treating it and it’s stabilizing. I will keep him sedated so he can rest. We also have him on antibiotics for the infection. Colonel O’Neill will be very sore and grumpy for several days so I will expect you three to help protect my nurses from him. You know the last time he visited us here, two of my nurses refused to come to work until I released him." The Doctor added that last bit with a laugh. She was hoping to relieve some of the stress the Colonel’s team was obviously feeling.

"Janet, can we see him?" Daniel questioned.

"He’s asleep, but you can go in, just don’t stay too long. You all need to go eat and get some rest." Janet knew this team trusted her medical expertise, but they needed to see for themselves that their CO was okay.

**********************

After checking on their friend the night before, the three teammates had eaten and gotten some rest. They had decided to meet for breakfast and then head for the infirmary to check on Jack. General Hammond had scheduled the mission briefing at 1100 hours; the Colonel would give his report in a few days.

Daniel, Sam and Teal’c entered Jack’s room to hear him complaining. "For crying out loud how much more of my blood do you need?" The Colonel’s face lit up when he saw his friends enter the infirmary. He was still very pale and laying flat on the bed, surrounded by IV-drips and various pieces of equipment to monitor his condition. As his team approached he struggled to sit up. Daniel rushed to his side and pushed the button to raise their CO’s upper body. The Colonel supported his ribs as he moved into a more comfortable position.

Daniel watched as the nurse gathered her supplies and shaking her head quickly left the area. "Jack, you sound like you’re feeling better. But if I were you I wouldn’t antagonize the nurses, with your luck you will be needing them again."

"With my luck, Dr. Jackson! You spend more time in the infirmary than most of the nursing staff…." Jack’s grin spread across his face lighting up his eyes.

"Daniel’s right, Sir." Sam smiled and winked at Daniel. "I mean you shut down this operation and the first mission you go on after your undercover sting, you end up on the same planet with one of the disbanded units."

"Yeah I can’t understand it, they didn’t seem happy to see me…." It was good to have his team laughing and joking again.

"Briggs did not seem to be stable. Were all the men in the units like him?" Teal’c had met men before whose hunger for power drove them to commit murder.

"Well, Teal’c they worked for Maybourne, what does that tell you?" O’Neill thought back to the unit he was to command and a frown appeared on his face. "Actually, I believe most of those kids believed they were doing the right thing. They thought that by stealing the technology, they were doing their part in the fight against the Goa’uld."

Daniel watched the turmoil his friend was feeling. "Jack, you can’t tell me Briggs was trying to save the World!"

"No Daniel, Briggs was a self serving SOB. I ran into him several years ago and he hasn’t changed a bit. He should have been rotting away in some prison, not terrorizing those people. Somehow he was able to escape when the shit hit the fan." Jack scrubbed a hand across his face and closed his eyes briefly.

"Colonel, Teal’c heard some of the conversation you and Briggs had in the woods. It’s not your fault he got away the last time." Sam was concerned her CO was blaming himself for Briggs’ escape from their last encounter.

"Oh I know that, but…it’s funny how things come back to bite you in the ass. Jack looked to the concerned faces. "You guys did good out there."

"Thank you, Sir!"

"Well, uh, thanks, Jack."

"O’Neill, would your actions not have been the same?" Teal’c knew their CO would have done everything in his power to free the team if the situation had been reversed.

"Of course, Teal’c, it’s my job to protect my team." Jack was getting uncomfortable with the direction this was heading.

"Come off it, Jack. You would sacrifice yourself for any one of us. That’s more than doing a job!" Daniel was not going to let the Colonel downplay his deep sense of responsibility. It suddenly dawned on the man how dangerous the undercover mission had been for his friend. "My God Jack, you could have been killed with that undercover mission. Maybourne had some crazy people working with him, no wonder you couldn’t tell us about it." Daniel paused. "You were trying to protect us!" He stared at his friend.

"Daniel, the Asgard and Tollans suspected everyone. I knew you guys were not involved but…yeah, I didn’t want you to know anything about the mission. It was too dangerous, I’d dealt with all this crap before, and I knew what they were capable of doing. But," Jack paused. "I am not proud of some of the things I was forced to do to pull it off."

"Jack we understand and I owe you an apology."

"Sir, that goes for me also."

An incredible sense of relief swept over Jack. All his worries on whether he had forever lost the trust of his teammates were put to rest with those two sentences and he felt a huge wave of gratitude towards his friends for their understanding.

Teal’c bowed his head and lifted an eyebrow in the direction of Daniel and Sam. He had fully understood his CO’s actions once the mission had been revealed to the team. What he had not understood was the reactions of Major Carter and Daniel Jackson?

Exhaustion was plain to see on the Colonel’s face. He was barely able to hold his eyes open, and the protective way he was cradling his ribs clearly showed the pain he was experiencing.

Dr. Frasier strolled into the infirmary to check on her patient. Noticing the fine sheet of sweat on his face and neck and the way he was holding his ribs she knew the Colonel was overdue for his pain medication. She checked the antibiotic drip and went to the cabinet to retrieve a bottle and syringe. Slowly filling the syringe she inserted it into the drip.

"Sir, you need to rest." Janet motioned for the visitors to leave. She needed to check and change his bandages on his head and side. She noticed the distant and confused look on the man’s face. "Colonel, are you alright?" Concern was evident in her question.

"What?" Jack was startled from his thoughts. "Oh, I’m sorry Doc I wasn’t listening……"

"Sir, I asked if you were okay?"

"Oh yeah, Doc." A smile lit up the Colonel’s face. "I am way more than okay!"

Dr Janet Frasier didn’t know what had happened to make the Colonel’s eyes light up but she knew that this team was going to be okay. They had learned to trust and believe in each other once again. SG-1 had survived another crisis!

© April 21, 2001 The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.

Sandra, thank you for all your wonderful ideas and for encouraging me to do this sequel. Your contributions truly made this a better story. Corine, what can I say! Thank you once again for all your support, encouragement and advice. You guys are the best!! Thanks for sharing your talents with me. Feedback would be greatly appreciated !!