DISCLAIMER: All characters and property of Stargate SG-1 belong to MGM/UA, World Gekko Corp. and Double Secret Productions. This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment and no money was made from it. Also, no copyright or trademark infringement was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Any other characters, the storyline and the actual story are the property of the author.
Sam felt Daniel's sharp intake of breath under her supporting hand. Thor? Here? In the few times they'd met, the little alien had seemed so...untouchable. How did he wind up here, in the none-too-gentle hands of the Pal'noor? Teal'c gently picked up the small, gray alien and moved him into the lighter area where they were. Daniel removed his cloak and Sam used it to blanket the still, cold form.
The odds were good that Thor had been here for awhile. As far as Sam could tell, there were no obvious injuries...and she simply didn't know enough about the Asgard's physiology to make any sort of guess as to his life signs; the tripping rhythm at the alien's throat could mean anything.
"Guess that answers a few questions..." The colonel observed with a dry concern. Sam knew the colonel was especially fond of this particular Asgard, and she knew that the light tone masked a deep anger at what had likely been done to the gentle alien. Tel'nat had a lot to answer for.
"So, the gang's all here. Now what?" The colonel asked of no one in particular.
As if on cue, a voice from outside the barred door answered coldly, "Now, we shall see exactly what it is about the Tau'ri that the Asgard find so redeeming."
It was Tel'nat.
Sam could see a fresh rush of anger ripple through Teal'c, Connor and the colonel. Tel'nat's actions so far had been right in line with Teal'c's earlier analysis and Daniel's unease. Tel'nat had proven himself both cruel and calculating. Sam could only hope that Teal'c's impression that the Pal'noor possessed some alien form of honor would also prove true.
It could be their only chance of getting out of this thing alive.
As he supported Daniel down the long hallway back toward the conference room, Jack could feel Daniel trying to gather his strength. Jack had a feeling that Daniel was hurt worse than he was letting on; his lean frame trembled with the effort of putting one foot in front of the other and Jack could see beads of sweat forming on Daniel's forehead. Jack looked at Daniel in concern, receiving a shrug and a headshake that told him Daniel would tough it out; now was not a good time to bring attention to any weaknesses.
Thor, still wrapped in Daniel's cloak, was being carried by Teal'c. Carter and Connor brought up the rear, followed closely by two Pal'noor with those weird-looking energy weapons. Jack could see his team was alert, searching for any possible means of escape.
Once inside the conference room, Jack helped Daniel into a chair and sat beside him. Teal'c lay Thor near the fire and took up a guarding stance beside him. Tel'nat allowed it and motioned for Carter and Connor to also sit; as an act of passive resistance, both soldiers looked first to Jack for permission before being seated.
Tel'nat seemed amused by their actions and turned to Jack. "Your 'team' is quite loyal to you, O'Neill."
Jack was hardly new at 'cat and mouse'...and two could easily play that game. "That surprises you?"
Tel'nat shook his head. "Not really. You are hardly the first humans we've encountered...although you are the first of the modern Tau'ri. Thor seems to consider you most unique among even those."
Jack spared a glance toward their alien friend, then looked at his team. "Hear that, kids? We're unique."
Inwardly Jack was pleased at the thought, the little Asgard was kind of a favorite of his as well...but Jack also wondered just how much Thor had been put through before revealing so much about them. Jack remembered Thor mentioning an enemy more dangerous than the Goa'uld...could the Pal'noor be the ones? A glance from Daniel told Jack that his friend was thinking along the same lines, and if Jack knew Daniel...which he did....he figured the scientist had probably reached that conclusion long before now.
Tel'nat had watched Jack closely and hadn't missed the subtle messages flashing between the two men. "You are the two that killed Ra and Hathor. You also nearly destroyed Apophis. You, Major Carter, killed Setesh. It seems the Pal'noor owe you something of a debt. The Goa'uld have never posed us much threat, but they are a rather consistent irritation."
Jack decided to play it cool. "Great, you owe us one...Can we go now?"
Tel'nat laughed, a harsh barking noise. "One wonders what it is in you that brings about such success...even against opponents so obviously more technologically advanced?"
"Just lucky, I guess..." Jack offered with patently false modesty.
"I do not believe that good fortune would account for such consistent victory," Tel'nat offered, almost benignly. "We shall have to see just what it is."
Jack didn't know what the furry alien meant by that statement, but he was sure he wasn't going to like it.
Thor had been awake and quietly listening to the exchange between O'Neill and Tel'nat for some time. He felt a heavy remorse that it had been his mind that had betrayed the Earth team to Tel'nat. Pal'noor technology had been geared toward defeating the Asgard for centuries and Thor had been shocked to discover Tel'nat possessed a means of forcibly intruding on Asgard thoughts and memories. Obviously the device did not function on humans, or Tel'nat would simply take the knowledge he desired. Undoubtedly, that had been the purpose of Daniel's beating; the device hadn't worked on the young human so Tel'nat had resorted to more primitive means.
Thor's race was empathetic, as well as somewhat telepathic...even now Thor could feel Daniel's pain, a pain more deeply rooted than the merely physical; obviously a great deal had occurred since their last meeting on Earth. Thor had the lingering impression of an untended physical injury, which was consuming the young human's precious energy.
O'Neill's blunt voice asked Tel'nat what his intentions were. Thor knew before it was spoken that his human friends were about to pay dearly for his personal weakness.
Tel'nat's voice came quickly, full of barely concealed amusement and curiosity. "I believe we shall send you hunting."