See part one for disclaimers and story notes

Jack watched the last load being placed into the transport. Several of the guards had left their posts and moved over to assist in securing the precious cargo. Apparently they didn’t like to take any chances with the material.

He watched as men continued to emerge from the mine wheeling their heavy burdens of ore. Work didn’t appear to shut down even when the receptacle for the ore was unavailable. The carts were merely lined up awaiting a fresh vehicle. The workers walked back to the mine shaft empty handed. Jack assumed they would be assigned a different chore until they could resume their appointed tasks.

Just as he began to wonder where Teal’c was, he noticed the Jaffa making his way through the shadows the twilight cast on the canyon walls. Just as Teal’c neared the transport, the vehicle roared to life. Headlights were flipped on, temporarily blinding those in it’s vicinity. Jack remained unaffected and was able to watch as Teal’c took advantage of the momentary distraction and toppled an ore cart. The rocks rolled out and gave into gravity as they tumbled down the sloped canyon floor.

The noise appeared to go unheard as the transport revved up its engine. It carried a heavy load and the powerful engine generated a loud din.

Jack breathed a sigh of relief as the transport began to more out. As stated, it carried a load of three Jaffa. Two sat in the uncovered front cab while the third sat on the back platform and kept guard. By the time it had lumbered out of the canyon and moved out of sight, Jack was in position.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sam felt the approaching transport before she heard it. The heavy vehicle ran on tracks and caused the very earth beneath it to vibrate as it passed. She tensed, hoping her ‘Jaffa’ would stand up to the challenge about to come.

She watched from her hiding place as the transport pulled near. As it approached the DHD it ground to a halt. The passenger clamored out of the cab and punched in the address that would open the ‘gate. Sam took careful note of the symbols, committing them to memory.

Without so much as looking at the two ‘guards’, the Jaffa climbed back in the cab and the vehicle began to move once again. It made its way up the ramp and headed through the ‘gate, its occupants so eager to make the delivery and retire for the night that they didn’t even notice the two frightened men who carried sticks instead of weapons.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Daniel gave the all clear for Revlis to head off to his position. They’d surveyed the area and found no third guard. While that didn’t mean there wasn’t one, they had to proceed as planned.

Since Revlis didn’t possess a watch or any other time telling device, they’d settled on an old fashioned approach; counting. If Daniel had had the time, he might have been able to explain why the numerical system of this world mimicked that of the ancient Greeks, but he didn’t. What he did do was establish a count, watch Revlis go, then get himself in position alongside the front entrance of the building. When he reached the appropriate count, he burst through the door, finger poised and zat ready to fire.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sam kept her men in position as the ‘gate activated. Mere minutes had past since the transport left taking its valuable load with it. Now it would return, empty and ready to start the process again.

This time when the transport emerged, it didn’t stop. Without needing to dial the DHD, it kept on course back to the mine.

Sam let out the breath she’d been holding when it moved out of sight. She knew the Jaffa in the cab wouldn’t notice her ‘Jaffa’, but the lookout on the back would have a clear view as long as the transport remained in the immediate area. When it moved off, the guard apparently paying attention to other things, she acted.

She, Sorren and Marn had figured out the most likely position to mount their attack from earlier on their journey to the Stargate. They were faster on foot than the heavy vehicle was and at Sam’s signal, they raced off into the night, needing to make all speed to intercept the transport.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack moved quietly into position. He noted that the guards seemed less than vigilant than earlier. Nightfall had lulled them into a sense complacency, knowing that it was almost time to halt to the day’s efforts. He needed to act before the final call that would end the day rang out.

Moving with great care, Jack approached an unsuspecting guard. He moved up behind him and reached out slowly, the Jaffa never noticing his presence. With a blinding move, Jack had the guard down on the ground in seconds. The attack on the pressure point just under and behind his ear had rendered him unconscious before he had time to think. Alleviating the Jaffa of his staff weapon, Jack stowed his zat away. He needed the firepower the staff weapon gave him if he wanted to carry out his plan.

Moving away from the fallen guard, Jack neared his final position. He’d spotted the natural niche in the canyon walls from above. It afforded him good visibility, while providing him necessary cover.

Now safely ensconced in the vertical cleft, he sought out his first target and fired.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Teal’c nodded with satisfaction as he watched the first Jaffa fall to his CO’s hand. The move spoke of great training and he once again marvelled at his friend’s skills. He knew O’Neill sometimes felt as though his contribution to the team was minimal, but seeing him today proved otherwise. Only O’Neill would have been able to get them this far and he had confidence that the man would see them safely through this task.

As he heard the first shot, he acted, his movements in perfect synchronisation with the Colonel’s. He was moving even as the first explosion went off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jorsan was ready as the first blasts lit the night. As he waited, he watched as the Jaffa from within the mine came swarming out of the entrance in response to the sound of battle. He smiled to himself. It was just as O’Neill had predicted. Moving quickly he took two of the men at his disposal and ran lightly down the bank to the mouth of the cave. He glanced about to make sure the guards were otherwise engaged. Seeing that their movements hadn’t been noticed, he and his companions entered the mine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unknown to the driver and passenger, the rear guard was removed forcibly from the transport. Marn had scaled a tree and clung to an overhanging bow. As the transport rolled underneath, he allowed the front end to pass by as the Major had ordered. When the rear guard came within reach, he dropped from his perch, landing on the unsuspecting Jaffa and pulling him off the vehicle. With Sorren’s help he quickly subdued the man, tying him with the plastic restraints they’d been given. A quick blow to the head stopped the Jaffa from fighting them and they dragged him off into the woods to be collected later.

For her part, Sam was biding her time. When she felt the moment had arrived, she leapt from her hiding place and fired her zat at the passenger guard. Her first shot was true and he was out of the fight as his body spasmed under the effects of the electrical impulses. The driver let go of the steering wheel and tried to extricate his weapon from the holder placed at his side. His fingers had barely touched the smooth metal shaft before he also fell to the effects of a well-placed shot.

Between Sam, Sorren and Marn's efforts, the two guards were removed from the transport and joined the third man in the woods, their limbs similarly bound.

Sam jumped into the driver's seat and looked at her two new friends. "So? Either of you know how to drive this thing?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Daniel got off a quick shot on his unsuspecting guard. As he turned to look at the back of the room he noticed that Revlis was not so lucky. He was knocked down by the second guard who stood poised to shoot him with his staff weapon. Daniel hollered out, attracting the Jaffa’s attention. When the guard turned to fire on him, Revlis acted. He fired his zat just as the Jaffa fired at Daniel.

Daniel anticipated the shot and rolled off to the side, the blast missing him and hitting the wall behind him. As he righted himself, he watched as Saro approached the frightened children. Thankfully they had been seated at tables near a side wall and had been safe from the energy bolt the Jaffa had released. The man soon found him arms full of laughing and crying children, two of whom were his.

Daniel smiled as he took in the scene. He only hoped his teammates had the same opportunity to witness this heart-warming reunion. He didn’t know if they were winning or losing. He didn’t know if any of them would survive against the Jaffa’s forces. What he did know was that seeing this man surrounded by all those young children made this whole venture worthwhile..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack felt the heat of battle coursing through his veins. This was what he was born for. He was unaware of the feral grin on his face as he sent bolt after bolt of energy about the area. Some targeted the lumps of naquadah scattered about the area while others were levelled at the Jaffa themselves. It was unclear which did more damage as the Jaffa fell to both kinds of blasts.

Explosions rocked the night. The very earth shook from their force and the canyon blazed in an inferno of heat and flames. It looked like a scene straight out of Dante’s Inferno and was one that would likely never be seen on this world again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sweat beaded and dripped from Teal’c’s brow as the Jaffa dodged around bodies and fires, trying to keep track of any surviving Jaffa. Thankfully he had shed the Serpent Guard uniform after the first explosions began. He didn’t want to be mistaken for the enemy in the confusion. As he looked around at the destruction, he couldn’t help but feel some remorse. While he did not wish this violent end on anyone, he understood the necessity of their actions. Alone, the people of this world would not have survived.

He caught sight of his CO through the flames. O’Neill surveyed the area just as he did, looking for any survivors. Neither teammate had any intention of killing the remaining guards if they surrendered. At this point, however, they had to be careful. An old Jaffa trick was to lie amongst the dead, only to attack as the enemy drew close. It became a challenge to pick out the living amongst the dead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jorsan was greeted by his friends and family, many of whom were too weak to even panic at the sounds of battle. Holding up his hands in a placating manner, he tried to console the people. "It’s all right. We have returned and we brought help through the Stargate. Those explosions you hear are the sounds of our freedom."

When the anxious mob threatened to overwhelm him with their questions, he tried to gain control. "I will try to answer everything later. For now we need to get you out of here and into safety."

It didn’t take long to organise the group. The women left the cave first, escorting those children deemed strong enough to work with them. The men pulled up the rear but not before arming themselves with picks and shovels to use against their captors.

It was a slow process getting all the people up the side of the canyon and out of harm’s way. Many had difficulty navigating the steep slope and had to be helped by those above and below. It didn’t help that that explosions threatened to cave in the very walls they tried to climb and footings became precarious exercises in balance.

Jorsan came up the hill last, after making sure the cave system was indeed empty. He was determined to live up to O’Neill’s faith in him. He watched the retreating backs of his people as they headed off to the village, led into the night by the other men who’d returned home through the ‘gate with him. He turned on the edge of the canyon for a moment to look at the drama unfolding beneath him. Drawing in a shocked breath, he watched, stupefied as a bolt of electricity raced towards him. He didn’t have a chance to react, nor to call out to his God before the bolt hit him squarely in the chest. He collapsed bonelessly and rolled down the hill. His body came to rest in the mouth of the mine, his eyes staring sightlessly at the carnage in front of him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sam drove the transport up to the edge of the canyon. Her eyes took in the scene even as her brain tried to process the image. Dying fires dotted the area and the stench of blood and ozone tainted the sky. She shook her head in disbelief. While she’d known intellectually that this would happen, reality was sometimes hard to take.

As the headlights from the vehicle lit up the scene, she drew her weapon. Just at the edge of the illuminated area was some movement. As she watched, the movement turned into shapes which turned into figures. Teal’c and the Colonel were walking out of the canyon together. Both were sweaty and dirty, their uniforms covered in blood and grime. They both appeared physically unscathed by their activities.

Sam jumped down and ran to greet them.

"Hey, Carter. You missed the show." Jack knew this wasn’t a joking matter. He and Teal’c had just finished the grisly chore of searching through the bodies for survivors. None of the Jaffa had survived the attack. More disturbing than that was the discovery of Jorsan’s body. Despite the fact that Jack barely knew the man, he’d sensed in him a core of strength and honor. Both were qualities he admired and respected and he was deeply saddened by the young man’s death. Jorsan had now become one more face to add to the collection he saw on those nights when his memories came back to haunt him. He knew he wouldn’t be alone in his feelings of guilt over this day. Intellectually they knew they had fought the enemy. Emotionally they understood that they had killed men that might be another Teal'c or Bray'tac. Not all Jaffa were bad but they didn't have the luxury of finding out about these ones. It was something that would have to be addressed by all of them. They would all have to deal with the consequences of their actions. This was the stuff bad dreams were made of and he would have to make sure he was there to help his team through them. In the meantime, however, he was going to do his best to make his people understand that they had done something good. That positive would come out of this negative.

"Actually, Sir, I caught the encore." Sam understood what her CO was trying to do and decided to play along.

Jack took a final look behind him before turning back to his team. "Well, kids. I think it’s time to go and check on Daniel. What do you say?"

"I say……let’s ask these two how we get there." Sam turned and faced the two remaining villagers. They still sat in the transport, clearly shocked by the devastation they were witness to. "Marn, Sorren, do you think you could take us to the village?"

Marn was the first to look at the three people standing in front of him. He’d known their plan to defeat the Jaffa; hell, he’d been there through the discussions but he hadn’t really believed they could do it. He was glad to be proven wrong, but he hadn’t anticipated the devastation they had wrought. Not trusting his voice to speak, he nodded his response to their request. He turned to his companion, nudging him in the side to gain his attention.

Sorren looked over, his eyes still alight with the fires burning in front of him. "What?"

Marn finally found his voice. "It’s time to go home."

Sorren nodded thoughtfully before climbing off the vehicle for the final time. He held his silence as he led the group along the age worn trail that crested the canyon and led to the village.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Daniel stood just outside the doorway of the town hall. His attention was torn between the reunions taking place inside and watching for his friends. His eyes fought against the darkness to see the trail as it emerged from the woods. Thankfully the moon hung full and heavy in the clear night sky and the area was relatively well lit.

His grin threatened to split his face as he made out the figures emerging from the darkened woods. While he didn’t recognise the first person or the fifth, he did know the middle three. He knew them very well in fact.

Marn and Sorren ran down the remainder of the path to greet their loved ones. In contrast, Daniel scaled the incline to greet the rest of his team.

Jack's wide grin encompassed the group as Daniel drew close. The four teammates stood in the near dark, each enjoying the sight of one another. Finally Jack broke the silence. "Well kids, we did it."

Daniel smiled sadly, thinking not only about all the hugs and kisses going on behind him, but the tears as well. "We sure did."

Picking up on the mixed emotions he heard in his friend’s voice, Jack turned his expressive eyes on the younger man. "Daniel, I know what you’re thinking, but you have to remember that some good came out of this. A lot more than if we hadn’t come at all."

"I know, Jack." Daniel smiled as he felt his hair being ruffled in that annoying way Jack had.

"Come on. Let’s go meet the neighbors."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Revlis stood back and watched as the men, women and children moved around him. He watched the smiles and listened to the tears. For him there would be no happy reunion. When he spoke of wives and children being held by the Jaffa, he did not mean his own. Revlis had never taken a bride. Instead he watched as his friends moved on from their days of childhood freedom to taking the next step in their lives and settling down to raise families.

He also understood he had cultivated a slightly different image with the team from Earth. He had let them think he had a family to fight for as well. They had made the assumption based on his words and he had not felt the need to dissuade them from that. It worked to his advantage and Revlis had learned long ago to always capitalise on every twist that fate deemed to send his way. He had spoken the truth about families and loved ones. They just were not his.

Revlis had always been more of a loner, somewhat misunderstood by his peers but respected nonetheless. It was through his efforts that the people were as prosperous as they were. It was at his urgings that their circle of trade had been expanded and their wealth grew. He had earned his rightful place on the council, not by birth but by deed. He had no father to leave him a position. No one in his family had ever held a place on the council. He was the first and he intended to stay there.

Looking away from the people around him, he noticed the arrival of the O’Neill and his people. His eyes grew wide as he thought about what their presence meant.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack scanned the vast room, his eyes finally settling on the man he’d come to recognise so well. Revlis stood at the far end of the hall where he remained conspicuously alone. Jack pushed through the throng of curious people, making enough of a path that his team could follow. He finally covered the distance and came to a standstill in front of the Council member.

"Well, we meet again. I see that you were successful." Revlis indicated the crowded hall. "You have my thanks and that of the people."

Knowing Jack was uncomfortable with this kind of thing, Daniel stepped up to the plate. "You’re welcome. I’m sure you would have done the same for us." He chose to ignore the soft snigger he heard coming from behind him. "We’re just sorry that so much suffering had to take place to get to this point."

If Revlis picked up on the double entendre, he didn’t comment. Instead he took a few steps nearer the exit and began to ring the large bell bolted to the wall in a bid to gain the attention of all present. It was obviously meant for this purpose as the chatter in the room began to die down as the first peals rang out.

Having silenced the room and seeing all eyes fixed on him, Revlis moved to the nearest table and stood on it, gaining enough height that his voice might carry to the far reaches of the room. "I know we have much to be thankful for tonight. We have been liberated from the Jaffa. No longer will they abuse us and our world. We have fought them and prevailed. Know that your efforts and your sacrifices have not gone unnoticed. You should all be proud of yourselves, each and every one of you." With that, a huge whoop of excitement went up, drowning out everything else.

As Jack watched Revlis jump down to accept congratulations from his kin, he frowned. "So, what are we then? Chopped liver?" He didn’t expect an answer, nor did he receive one. Jack wasn’t big on fanfare, nor did he particularly like overt recognition, but the blatant disregard Revlis had shown them was enough to put his already frazzled nerves on edge.

Finding themselves left out of things, SG1 left the building. The four friends wandered across the street to the park. They barely noticed the beauty of the flowers that lined the paths, nor did they smell the perfume that scented the night air. They were past noticing the perfect symmetry of the gazebo as they made their up its steps and commandeered its ornate benches.

The team was tired. Physically and mentally they were worn out. The activities of the past few days had finally caught up with them, as had the emotional roller-coaster they had been riding. No one spoke as they sat. No words were needed right now. Instead, each person tried to find their own mental focus, that spot to which they retreated to when they needed to sort things out.

For Teal’c it meant going into a light state of kel-no-reem. Daniel found reciting his favorite legends in his mind helped him to relax. Sam listed the periodic table of the elements in order, the soothing repetition of the constants were familiar and comforting. Jack just let his mind go blank. He let if fall into that place where nothing formed; not thoughts, not images, just that calming place of non existence. It was like applying a soothing balm to a frayed mind.

The effectiveness of their meditations was proven when Revlis managed to catch them unaware. Sam and Daniel jumped simultaneously as he called out to them from the base of the steps. Teal'c's eyes snapped open and Jack leapt to his feet, his weapon zat suddenly appearing in his hand. As quickly as he'd reacted, he relaxed, tucking his zat away once again. A furtive look at his watch told Jack they hadn’t been there for more than a few minutes so Revlis must have only just arrived. Still, Jack couldn’t help but mentally berate himself for being caught off guard. He never once thought to attribute his lack of attention to his injuries or his growing fatigue. Instead he blamed himself for letting his team down when he should have been more vigilant.

If Revlis had caught their lack of attention, he wasn’t commenting. "I’ve been looking for you."

"Well, you’ve found us." Jack wondered what was happening that would cause Revlis to leave the festivities.

"I thought I might escort you to your quarters. I assumed you would be tired after your recent activities."

‘So, we’ve fallen back on formalities, have we? I wonder why?’ Aloud, he answered in kind. "That would be nice." Jack couldn’t help but notice that Revlis wouldn’t look him in the eye and he wondered why. Not having any other clues, he chalked it up to the fact that the man was grieving. He’d lost at least one good man today and an untold amount during the past days since Revlis had led his men off-world.

"Please, follow me." Revlis turned and headed off down the nearest path. SG1 had no choice but to follow.

Less than an hour past and the team was on their own in their new accommodations. The small building appeared to have a purpose other than housing guests as there were no bathing facilities and the four cots appeared to have been moved there haphazardly. There was no furniture of any kind and no windows to let light in. It had the appearance of being a warehouse of sorts, but for what they didn’t know.

Daniel looked about the room, his expression more bland than was usual for him. "Well this is……nice."

Jack rolled his eyes in derision. "Yeah, if you go for that minimalist kind of decor." He lifted the paper thin blanket that lay on the end of the cot before disdainfully dropping it again. "They really go all out for guests, don’t they?" The words ‘or prisoners’ ran unbidden through his mind, but he kept that thought to himself.

"Well they weren’t really expecting company, Jack." Daniel was trying to find an excuse for their less than stellar treatment.

Jack didn’t bother to reply as he moved towards the door. His instincts were on guard and he didn’t know why. Something about this place was off and he needed to find out what. Before he reached the door, it opened, revealing Revlis’ form.

Sam had an instant flashback to their cell when the same situation had occurred. Revlis appeared now as he did then; large, menacing and promising to make their lives miserable. She studied him now as the shadows partially obscured his face. The resemblance to the then-Leg’nor was frightening. Then he moved into the light and she wondered if her imagination was playing tricks on her as he once again bore an expression of gratitude and sadness.

"Are your accommodations satisfactory?" Without waiting for a reply he continued on. "I’m sorry I couldn’t offer you better. As I’m sure you can understand, the people were not anticipating guests and we had nothing else available."

Sam smiled at him. "Not a problem. Thanks." Privately she wondered about the Jaffa and where they must have slept. Then she gave some serious thought as to whether she would even want to have taken over their quarters and decided this room would suffice.

Revlis looked at her. "I was wondering if you would be interested in a tour of the mine tomorrow?" He looked around to include the others in his offer. "All of you are welcome of course."

Jack answered for all of them. "We had actually planned on heading home tomorrow." In truth, Jack didn't know if they could get home, but they could certainly leave Dorbon. "Maybe next time, huh?" He clarified, "When we come and negotiate a treaty with your council."

Revlis’ face fell even further. "Sadly, there is no more council. I am the sole survivor on this planet, although one more still lives. He remains back with the other wounded."

‘Well isn’t that convenient for you?’ flashed through Jack’s mind, but he managed to keep the thought to himself, although it wasn’t easy.

"Besides. The people were hoping you could stay for a celebration dinner tomorrow night. We don’t have much, but it is their way of thanking you and it would mean a lot if you would join us."

Jack was torn. He really wanted to take his team and go, but if they were to embark on a trading partnership with the people of this world, they had to show them their willingness to learn about the society and its people.

Daniel understood Jack’s dilemma. He, too, wanted to go home. He wanted a long hot shower, to sleep in his own bed, to eat a decent meal and to feel human again. Beyond that, he wanted Janet to have a go at Jack, but wasn’t about to say so. He could see the stiff way the Colonel carried himself and knew his injuries were telling. Still, he of all people understood the need for diplomacy. "One more day couldn’t hurt, Jack." His intent came through clearly in his words.

Jack smiled his gratitude. Knowing his team was behind him, his decision became clear. "Sure. That sounds good. Thanks."

Revlis smiled. "Then you will join us in touring the mine?"

"What the heck. Might as well, seeing as how we’re not going anywhere now." Jack was less than thrilled about the turn of events but saw no diplomatic way of altering them.

Revlis nodded his acceptance of Jack’s decision. "I’ll come for you in the morning then. Sleep well." With that he turned and left, closing the door securely behind him.

Jack turned to look at his team. "Well, kids, it looks like we’re roomies tonight. I call dibs on the nearest cot." To emphasise his point, he hopped on the small bed, stretching out theatrically and grinning like a Cheshire cat. While his actions were meant to lighten the atmosphere, he had a tactical reason for wanting this position. If anything happened in the night, he’d be the first in the line of fire……not that he was expecting anything.

"Very grown up, Jack." Daniel hadn’t missed the wince that crossed the older man’s face at his movements, but he knew Jack wouldn’t appreciate him commenting so he kept quiet. Instead he flopped down on the next cot over, leaving Sam and Teal’c to fight over the remaining spots.

"Am, too." Jack came back petulantly.

Daniel grinned, knowing this set-up well and willing to play along. "Are not."

"Am, too."

"Okay, you are. Not."

Jack sat up and threw his blanket at Daniel, hitting him with great accuracy. "Am, too."

"You win, Jack. You’re completely grown up…but I’ve got an extra blanket."

"Not for long you don’t." In deference to his injuries, Jack did a modified leap off the cot and mock tackled Daniel for the coveted blanket, grinning triumphantly when he managed to snare the prize.

Teal’c and Sam watched the proceedings, smiling indulgently. It was good to let go of some of the stress of the past few days.

"Now, now children." Sam laughed at their antics.

Daniel looked over indignantly, his hair ruffled, his glasses askew and looking very much like the juvenile Sam had just addressed. "Who are you calling children?"

"Oh, no one." Sam turned her head, whistling nonchalantly to the air.

Jack gave Daniel a conspiratorial look before both jumped up and grabbed the Major, dragging her to the ground as she giggled against a merciless barrage of tickling. She tried to call out to Teal’c to assist but couldn’t form the words.

For his part, Teal’c merely watched. To anyone watching, he might have seemed unaffected by the sight, but there was a definite twinkle in his eye.

While it might have seemed strange to see two US Airforce Officers, one multiple PhD and an alien playing around like a group of juveniles, it really wasn't. People had different ways of coping with stress and for this group it was through play. In the course of less than a week, they'd overcome a lot. Between the capture of Sam, Daniel and Teal'c, Jack's romp around the woods and the happenings on Dorbon, the team needed the break. They finally had a chance to let their guard down for a few minutes and they were capitalizing on that. They were such a close knit group that a high level of trust had been established. This extended to their current actions. While the military might frown on men and women engaging in a tickling match, friends wouldn't. This was simply a chance to blow off some steam and to let go of some accumulated stress. Besides, it felt really good to laugh again.

"Come on, Teal’c, join the fun." Daniel called to the Jaffa before returning his attention to jabbing his fingertips into Sam’s sensitive ribcage.

"I do not think so, Daniel Jackson. You appear to be doing very well on your own." Saying that, Teal’c sat down on his bed, studiously avoiding the conflict taking place in front of him.

It took some time for a sense of decorum to settle over the room, but when it did, the friends were feeling better than they had in some time. For the first time in what felt like a very long while, restful sleep seemed like a distinct possibility. Even still, Jack elected to post a guard. He wasn’t about to let go of all his reservations at this point.

He was relieved to find his actions had proven unnecessary as the night passed peacefully. When the door finally opened to reveal their escort, the sun had risen and the team felt somewhat rested and ready to tackle the day.

They were led back through the garden after being handed nutrition bars of compressed grains and dried fruits to nibble on. The food was bland and appeared disgustingly healthy, but it was consumed ravenously nonetheless.

Revlis kept up a running historical commentary as they walked, commenting on everything from who built which building, to who constructed the park benches they passed by. Jack found it supremely boring, Daniel seemed to find it fascinating and Carter and Teal’c apparently fell somewhere in the middle.

Before long the group found itself on the path that led to the mine once again. It seemed so different during the light of day. It was age worn, the ground cover long since eroded by the passage of untold numbers of footsteps. The exposed earth was compact and smooth. It made for a pleasant walk and they made good time.

As the trail opened up to reveal the canyon, all words ceased as the scene was taken in and mentally digested. The area was one of complete devastation. Small fires still burned infrequently but were nearly gutted out from a lack of ready fuel. Thankfully the area was clear of bodies. Jack and Teal’c had disposed of the dead Jaffa the night before when they checked through the wreckage. The only one they hadn’t eradicated was Jorsan’s. His body had been moved to a safe place to await a proper burial.

Despite Daniel having seen the Jaffa camp that Jack had previously destroyed, he was still staggered by the amount of damage his friend had wrought with Teal’c’s help. He made a mental note to himself to always stay on Jack’s good side.

Revlis’ expression turned hard as he led them down the canyon and threaded past the

small craters caused by the explosions. Soon they arrived at the mouth of the mine itself. Thankfully it had escaped damage and the interior was soon lit up awaiting their entrance.

Revlis stood to the side to allow the team access. "This is where we mine the logos that seems so popular."

Jack wondered about the odd word choice but his attention was soon drawn away by the setting he found himself in.

The mine was enormous. The ceiling was impossibly high and the main chamber could have housed a baseball game, complete with audience. The walls had been strung with lights giving an almost festive feel to the place.

Daniel couldn’t help himself as he cupped his hands and yelled. "Hello, out there!" He listened for an echo which seemed to take forever to make itself heard.

Sam was apparently impressed as well as she kept turning in slow circles while she surveyed the area. Jack was getting dizzy just watching her. Finally she stopped, turned and looked at Revlis, awe showing clearly in her face. "Are there more caverns like this one?"

"None as impressive, but yes. There are tunnels branching off from this room that lead to the various active mines. What you see here has long since been stripped of the logos, but it took many generations to accomplish that."

"Wow." As Revlis spoke, Sam could see the dark patches in the distance that indicated the tunnels Revlis spoke of. "Could we go and see an active site?"

"If you wish."

Sam headed towards the nearest tunnel but was quickly halted as Revlis placed his hand on her arm.

"Not that one. It’s closed due to a minor cave-in. Come. There is one over this way that is very safe." Revlis escorted them across the room which took some time to traverse. He led them down a lit tunnel which eventually opened into another cavern. As Revlis had stated, this one was smaller but still remained an impressive sight.

Sam looked around the empty room. She noted the additional tunnels that led from the area. These remained dark so she was unable to determine their actual purpose but presumably they led to more caverns.

Revlis spoke, his voice echoing eerily about the room. "Normally this mine would contain a dozen or more workers, but after the events of yesterday, I gave them the day to relax and remain with their families."

"You gave them the day off?" Jack was quick to pick up on that bit.

"Of course. As the new head of the council, I have that right."

"Ah." Jack didn’t bother to point out that as the only member left at the moment, the head designation was rather moot. He also didn’t miss the gleam in the other man’s eye when he spoke of his new title.

Sam moved closer to the wall, studying the marks she saw in the dense rock. "How do you remove the logos?"

"By hand. We use picks, hammers and wedges to chip away the surrounding material and to prey the stones out."

"No power tools of any kind?" Sam was somewhat surprised by this as they clearly had power in the mine. The lighting was man made, not natural.

"No. We mine in the same manner as our forefathers."

Sam looked perplexed. "Why weren’t you given better tools by the Jaffa? I would have thought they would want greater production out of you. It doesn’t make sense."

Jack was surprised by her. "Sure it does. Too little food and sleep and too much manual labour makes for an easily subjugated society." As Jack noted Sam’s thoughtful nod, he raised a question of his own. "Would the logos be absorbed into the system by the miners?"

Sam wondered at the question. "I would assume so, given that it’s even purer than the naquadah we’re used to. Why?"

"I was just wondering about the zats. Every time I used it these guys dropped like flies. I guess now I know why." Jack was pleased to have solved that mystery. It seemed like such a small thing, but it had been bugging him somewhat.

In the meantime, Sam still had her mind on the lack of technology this place held. "You know, Revlis, maybe this is something we can help you with." Sam considered the potential this place offered and what an increase in production could provide for both cultures.

"What are you talking about?" Revlis had lost track of the topic at hand. His mind was caught up in the Colonel’s comments about how to contain a people.

"The mining. We can help you to increase productivity and make the work easier for you." Sam was pleased that they would be able to send aid which would benefit both societies.

"How so?"

"We could send some better equipment along as part of our trade agreement. We’ll show you more modern techniques for removing the…logos." She still had a hard time using the unfamiliar name. "We can also help you to map out the caves and figure out the most likely areas to yield maximum loads." Sam couldn’t help but smile as she thought about what such a treaty could mean.

"Yes, about that trade agreement."Revlis couldn't keep the slightly gleeful tone from his voice.

Jack instinctively knew they were in trouble and his stance reflected that. His hand reached for his zat but stopped short at Revlis’ words.

"I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Colonel." Revlis wore a smug grin and his eyes held something more.

Jack turned to see Daniel being held firmly by one of Sam’s companions from the previous night; Sorren. The burly man held a zat in his own hand and Jack had to assume Revlis had given him the weapon.

Daniel had fallen back from the others as he moved near to one of the darkened tunnels. A strange scuffling sound caught his attention and he leaned in to investigate. He realised his folly as he found himself caught in a bear trap of a grip. He was moved nearer to the group as his captor shifted about. With one arm now firmly encasing Daniel’s chest, the man produced a zat which he held to the archaeologist’s temple.

Jack stared at the scene, not fully understanding the situation. "What the hell is this, Revlis? What are you playing at now?" The restrained manner in which the question was asked spoke volumes about the depth of the Colonel’s anger. Jack spared a glance at Teal’c and Carter. Both stood ready to act should he give the word.

"I’m not playing at anything, Colonel. I’m merely looking out for the best interests of my people." At Revlis’s nod, more men emerged from the tunnels. They quickly stripped the team of their zats, staff weapons and guns, their actions none to gentle. Finally determining that the group was indeed unarmed, they stepped back, turning the weapons back on their owners to keep them from acting.

"I don’t understand." Despite the threat to his person, Daniel couldn’t help but ask the question. If he was going to die here, he wanted to know why.

"It’s quite simple, Daniel. We seem to have a rather valuable commodity here. Our logos is proving rather popular and I feel it is time to capitalise on that."

"You can’t be serious?" Jack was outraged, both at the turn of events and at himself for not seeing it coming. Damn but this man was a master at the about face. Jack himself could take lessons and he’d learned from some of the best.

"Oh, but I am, Colonel. The Goa’uld want this…you want this…and I’m sure I can find plenty of others willing to trade me for this," he paused for effect, " most precious material."

"If that’s the case, then why don’t you just trade with us and skip this whole ‘I’m pointing guns at you’ thing?"

"That’s a very good question, Colonel and the answer is standing right there." He nodded in Teal’c’s direction.

"You’re willing to risk an interplanetary incident because of Teal’c?" Jack wasn’t sure if he was getting all this. It seemed so twisted that even he was having a hard time grasping it.

Revlis’ tone was cold and hard. "I told you before, Colonel. The Jaffa are not to be trusted. By showing your loyalty to him, you show your true colors and cannot be trusted by us."

"And what are you going to do when Apophis comes to call? ‘Cause you’ve got to know he will when the shipments stop."

"Ah, but you forget, Colonel. We have weapons now. Weapons that you so thoughtfully provided us with. Not only that, but you taught us how use them to great effect and how to prepare ourselves for combat. You have been most helpful to us." He moved to stand in front of the Colonel and ran his hand down the side of Jack’s face, the gesture almost tender. Revlis' expression hardened as he felt Jack flinch at the touch. "Who would have guessed that one man could prove so useful to us."

Before Jack or anyone else could respond, Revlis gave Sorren a nod.

The cavern suddenly grew brighter as the room was lit by the discharge of zat guns, the echo reverberating long after the four members of SG1 lay unconscious on the floor.

Revlis smiled at the relish his men showed in binding the four captives about the hands, and he particularly enjoyed watching the blows which knocked them into unconsciousness.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack groaned aloud as he awoke. He was lying alongside Carter and Daniel on a mossy carpet, indicative of the fact that they were no longer in the mine, nor back in their room. As he sat up, the Stargate came into view, as did the crowd circled about the clearing. As he tried to figure out what was going on, three very important facts came to light. He was sore from head to toe, indicating his journey from the cave had been anything but gentle; his two teammates were slowly recovering, judging by their movements and similar groans; and the fourth member of his group was conspicuously absent.

Jack slowly pulled himself awkwardly off the ground and rose, his stiff joints protesting the movement. Once standing, he could see Revlis and his gang of cronies staring at him, their expressions uniformly smug. Sensing the movement beside him, he looked down to see Daniel and Carter helping each other to rise. Before long, the three friends stood side by side, now somewhat recovered from being shocked.

Revlis moved forward to stand before the three members of SG1, Teal’c’s staff weapon resting lightly in one hand.

Jack looked him in the eyes, his expression hard. "Where’s Teal’c?"

In lieu of an answer, Revlis moved back to stand alongside his cronies. At his signal, more men stepped forward, grabbing the now unbound arms of three members of SG1.

"Where the hell is Teal’c?" This time Jack shouted, his ire fully aroused as he pulled against the hands holding him.

Revlis lifted his free hand, snapping his fingers loudly. The watching crowd parted and an obviously beaten Teal’c was dragged in, supported between two men. They released him unceremoniously, watching dispassionately as he fell into the dirt.

Jack took in his friend’s appearance. "What the hell did you do that for? He doesn’t deserve that!"

Revlis snarled. "Of course he deserves it. He’s a Jaffa. Can’t you see that?"

Jack glared at the man. "What I see is a craven sycophant who accepted that man’s help," he nodded in Teal’c’s direction, "then turned on him. In my books, that makes you the bad guy."

Revlis nodded at the men holding Jack. They instantly released their hold on him. "Don’t misunderstand me, Colonel. We appreciate your help in freeing my people. You and your two friends…" at his nod, Daniel and Sam were also released, "…may leave. We have no desire to hold you here any longer. In fact, we insist that you go."

"What about Teal’c?"

"He stays with us."

"Why?"

Revlis looked over at the Jaffa, who lay unmoving on the ground. "His kind are evil."

The last time Jack had felt such intense hatred towards another human being was back in Iraq. He hadn't really thought it possible to feel that way again, but here he was. "You know something? His kind don’t make the choice to be Jaffa. It’s done to them. And after meeting you, if I had to chose between the guy with the snake in his gut and you, I’d go with the snake."

Daniel spoke up, unable to keep silent anymore. "He’s a Jaffa but he saved you and your people. He’s helped to bring down several major System Lords and saved the lives of countless others. Why can’t you understand that? He helps people. The Jaffa aren’t all bad."

Revlis snorted. "That’s what the others said."

Jack’s gut turned over in a nauseating manner. "What others?" Somehow he thought he already knew that answer to that one.

"The ones on the planet. They said they were against the Goa’uld but we knew better."

"You talked to them?"

"Yes. Right before we killed them." The words were so cold that shivers ran up and down Jack’s spine.

Suddenly all the pieces to the puzzle fit into place. All the little niggling things that Jack couldn’t account for but had known about now made a sick sort of sense. "What exactly did they say?"

Revlis’ brows drew close as he tried to remember the words. "They said they had escaped their former Lords." He laughed, the sound harsh and unnatural. "Apparently, they had recruited others and were attempting to band together to overthrow the Gods."

"They are not Gods." The effort it took for Teal’c to speak as he attempted to rise was obvious. Apparently he had roused himself sometime during the previous conversation.

"Did I ask you to talk?!" Revlis walked over, kicking out the arm Teal’c was using to prop himself up with and the Jaffa crashed down into the dirt once again.

It was the last straw and Jack lunged forward. "You sick son of a bitch!"

His attempt to reach Revlis was cut short as the man in question swung the staff weapon he still held, the object connecting solidly with the side of Jack’s face. He was sent sprawling, landing in a pile near Daniel’s feet.

Daniel tried to pull free of the arms once again restraining him even as Revlis strode up. The man looked down at Jack who had somehow managed to get up onto his knees.

"What was that you were saying? I’m not sure I heard you properly." Scorn laced the words.

Jack spat into the dirt, blood trickling from his nose and the corner of his mouth. The blow had been fierce and his face was already swelling and turning colorful, although the effect was somewhat hidden under the days old growth of stubble covering his cheeks and chin. Still, when he looked up at Revlis, the man felt compelled to take a step back. "I said, I think you are one sadistic bastard." The words were spoken with deliberate precision.

Revlis smiled, a cold, twisted smile. He moved to leave but instead pivoted on one foot, the other launching a malicious kick into Jack’s leg wound, causing the injured Colonel to topple heavily to the ground, the limb unable to support him. A second kick caught the downed man in the ribs, the action provoking a grunt of pain. Satisfied, he moved away, back into the middle of the circle where he stood surrounded by his peers, many of whom cast uneasy looks his way.

At a nod from Revlis, Daniel’s guards released his arms and he knelt down beside Jack, helping him into a sitting position. "Are you okay?" He looked over as Sam joined him, having also been released.

Jack nodded, trying to regain his breath, then spit out another crimson gob of sputum, the leftovers from the previous blow. He wasn’t about to admit to the agony emanating from his leg or his ribs, at least not with an audience watching. Besides, he wasn’t prepared to give Revlis the satisfaction. "I’ll live. Help me up." From the pain the movement produced, he was pretty sure that some of the already bruised and battered bones had given way. Still, he managed to hold his silence and keep the information to himself.

Revlis watched and waited until Jack had regained his composure. "Think what you want, Colonel. It really doesn’t matter."

"I know what to think here, Revlis. We’ve had people like you on our own world. People so consumed with hate for others that they tried to systematically destroy them." He levelled a look of promise at the other man even as he tried to control his pained breathing. "You know what? Every one of them has been stopped." He cocked his head thoughtfully. "Hate’s a funny thing, Revlis. It feeds on itself. Hate breeds hate and pretty soon friends and family turn on each other." Jack fell silent, his little speech having depleted his oxygen reserves.

Revlis handed the staff weapon off to a nearby observer before crossing his arms in a defiant stance. He knew he was safe from these people in front of him, but he'd learned long ago that a little false bravado went a long way. "That won’t happen here."

"No? Well, maybe you’re right. Maybe in all of history you’re immune. It’s gotta make you wonder though, doesn’t it?" Jack smiled inwardly as a brief look of indecisiveness flashed across the man’s face. He’d taken note of the looks the other men shared and knew their allegiance was not entirely with their head man.

Revlis cleared his throat, attempting to regain control of the situation. "As I said before, you and your team are free to leave."

Jack stood tall, without any apparent difficulties. "Not without Teal’c." At his nod, Carter moved to the Jaffa’s side. She rolled him slightly, trying to determine his condition.

"Then you don’t leave at all." The tone was mild but the words were not. "Are you prepared to condemn your people to a lifetime here, Colonel? I don’t think they’d appreciate that, do you?"

Jack turned to catch Daniel’s gaze, then Carter’s. Unspoken looks of understanding were exchanged as his teammates mimicked his defiant stance. He was smiling as he turned back to Revlis. "Oh, I don’t think they’d mind. In fact, it might be rather fun. In case you hadn’t noticed, we are a very resourceful group. The challenge of escaping from this place," he looked about at the men and women surrounding him, " might prove rather interesting."

Revlis frowned as he realised the truth in those words. This man and his team combined to make a formidable enemy; one he was not entirely prepared to deal with. "Well then," he took back the staff weapon and aimed it at Jack. "Perhaps I should just kill you and be done with it."

To Revlis’ surprise, Jack took a calculated step forward. "You could do that, but what would they think?" He indicated the watching crowd. "Would they want you to kill the people that saved you? In cold blood no less?"

Revlis glanced about, taking in the expressions of those around him as Jack’s words sunk in. The men looked from Jack, to him, and back to Jack again, paying particular attention to the damage inflicted on the man who’d help to free them. The looks did not bode well for Revlis if the men decided to revolt. He knew his people’s feelings about this group. They were the saviors that had come from a distant world to fight the evil oppressors.

It had not taken much to convince his men that Teal’c should be dealt with, as fear and mistrust against the Jaffa still ran rampant amongst his people. That was a feeling that would undoubtedly last for some time to come. They had balked at his ideas for dealing with the rest of the team, though. All but a few refused to raise a hand against the trio, and the few that would were willing to out of loyalty to Revlis and not some latent desire to harm the outsiders.

This wasn’t how he’d planned it. Still, he could not show weakness in this matter. He needed to appear in control, so he decided to take the moral high road. It would show his moral superiority, and satisfy his people’s sense of obligation to the outsiders while still leaving him appearing in charge, which was something he desperately desired. Swallowing down his hate, he slowly lowered the weapon.

"Leave now, before I change my mind." He anticipated the next question, answering it before it could be asked. He nodded in Teal’c’s direction. "Take him with you. He taints the very ground he lies on and I’m tired of looking at his face."

Daniel joined Sam at Teal’c’s side, the two helping the Jaffa to rise. Jack walked slowly up to Revlis, making a conscious effort not to give into the pain in his leg and chest, nor his shortness of breath. He needed to appear strong. He directed his coldest stare at the man, the look saying more than words ever could.

As Revlis looked on, Jack turned wordlessly and led the way to the Stargate. Teal’c was still supported between Sam and Daniel, although the Jaffa now seemed to be gaining his strength. He walked more easily with every step, his symbiote already at work helping him to heal.

This time Jack dialled the return address.

As Daniel looked on, he noticed it wasn’t the proper sequence that would take them home, but rather the planet they'd recently vacated. Releasing Teal’c to Sam’s care, he moved alongside the Colonel. "Uh, Jack?" He kept his voice lowered.

"Yes, Daniel?"

"You do know that’s not the right address for Earth, don’t you?"

To his credit, Jack didn’t show his annoyance. "Yes, Daniel, but I don’t want them knowing where we live. Do you?"

"Um, no."

"That’s why we’re taking a detour. They know this address so we're not giving them anything new, here."

"Good thinking, Jack."

"That’s what they pay me the big bucks for." He looked up as the Stargate came to life. Once the surface settled, he looked at his team. "What do you say, kids? Time to go home?"

The others answered by walking up the ramp and stepping through the liquid blue wall. Jack followed, stopping just before he was about to go through. He turned back to see Revlis watching him. In his most dangerous tone, Jack delivered his parting words, "Good luck against the Goa'uld there Revlis." Jack smirked at the expression on the other man's face. "Until we meet again, then."

He almost left it at that, but then decided to he needed to impart one final piece of advice. "Oh, and Revlis?" He waited until the man locked eyes with him. "Watch your back." With that, he turned away and stepped through the ‘gate.

Revlis looked on as the wormhole disengaged. He knew he would hear those final words for a long time. He just prayed he would not be the one to meet up with that man again. Something told him that he would not survive the encounter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~