Disclaimer: This is starting to get old... so I guess I should have some fun with it... I don't own them... I made no money... I am one broke, unfamous fanfic writer... The Universe is out to get me! (grin!)

A/N: This is an episode addition to 'The Quest.' Think season 10 cliffhanger episode right before hiatus... the dragon?... and you'll know which episode I'm talking about. This is a long drabble, or a short short story... Depends on how you want to look at it. It's from Sam's Point Of View - I do know that much, at least! Reffers to 'Abyss'... The episode where Jack gets tortured by Ba'al. (I can never remember which episode is which... Can you?)

Ba'al, as in Boche

by Linda Bindner

The trees cast a cooling shade on the small group of straggling questers. Sam had fallen to the back of the group as they walked through the welcoming shade. It wasn't long before Ba'al dropped back to gloat... uh... talk to her.

Colonel Carter, Ba'al greeted. I can't emphasize enough my surprise at finding that my rescue came in the form of SG-1, he conversationally said as they continued on their way through the forest.

Sam wasn't fooled by his congenial behavior. She grimaced at having to walk beside the man she had always hated, and the situation was made worse by having to talk to him. But that didn't mean she had to be polite about it. What do you want, Ba'al? she abruptly inquired. Do you want to gloat about how you're surprised that we got this far, or that we're here at all? Did you think that we would just give up this quest when you had all the cartouche addresses? It galled her to no end that she was the one who had been forced to give him the addresses in the first place. The fact that he'd held her as a hostage at gunpoint didn't seem to play a part in her considerations of the past event, however.

Ba'al put a hand over his heart on his chest. You wound me, he said. I would never gloat... much, he added.

Shut up, Ba'al, Sam grunted. I don't trust you any further than I can throw you. She glared at him. But I do know you, and know that of course you'll gloat... It's part of your nature. Then she wrinkled her nose at him. And you don't have a heart... Don't pretend that you do.

Ba'al laughed at her. Of course I have a heart, Colonel Carter, he affirmed. Or I wouldn't have offered my services to your... uh... group.

Without a warning of any kind, Sam grabbed the leather jacket he was wearing, wrapping her fist over that heart he was affirming that he had, and yanked him to a stop. Her voice lowered so that the others couldn't hear what she ground out through clenched teeth. I'll say this one time, she furiously said, eyes snapping. I will never forgive, nor forget, about what you did to Jack. And you know what I'm talking about. I saw him stagger down the Stargate ramp, saw him suffering in the Infirmary from Sarcophagus withdrawal, was the scientist responsible for analyzing the shirt they took off him, so I know perfectly well what you did to him.

Ba'al shrugged under her hand holding him captive. It was torture... We were at war... I had no choice...

Sam's grip tightened. Her hand twisted until it came into rather painful contact with the hair on his chest. Don't give me that shit, she growled. You and I both know that you enjoyed that torture. And that it went on for several days. And I want you to know that I have the same thing in mind for you if I ever catch you at a time when you're all mine...

Ba'al actually had the nerve to laugh. Are you going to kill me, then, Colonel Carter? he disrespectfully asked. I highly doubt that we will ever be alone... He looked appraisingly at her. Though I'm sure I will enjoy it if it ever does happen.

Sam smiled, but the gesture was definitely not warm. No, I don't plan to kill you. I plan to torture you, just like you tortured Jack. What did you use? Acid? she asked. No matter... I know that's partly what you used... I did analyze his shirt... Fourteen holes in the shirt he was wearing... Some made by acid... I have that answering acid in my pack even now... I'm ready at any time... And I have the knife riiiiight here... She pulled out the knife from its place in her vest, and held it squarely at his throat. One hole for every one of the strikes you gave Jack. Fourteen in all. And I'll steal a Sarcophagus to revive you if I have to, rig it all up in some obscure basement where we won't be disturbed... And after I'm done torturing the living hell out of you, reviving you when you can't take it anymore, I plan to zat you three times, so that you'll disintegrate and disappear from this galaxy.

Ba'al stared at her with a sneer on his face. You haven't got the nerve, he announced in a low voice.

Sam barked a laugh that had no humor in it. You think that if it makes you feel better. Just remember that I know exactly how you treated Jack, and I promise that the same is in store for you. Then she smiled, looking as if she actually enjoyed her threats. And don't think I don't have it in me... I soooooo do. And I'm soooooo ready for this.

O'Neill...

Jack's not involved in this at all... I don't want him within a parsec of the likes of you... He might 'accidentally' kill you... But me... Sam grinned, and lowered her voice to a whisper. I won't kill you, at least not until I'm done with you... But I will find you... Someday... Somewhere... I promise...

Sam grinned once more at him, then released his coat, smoothed it down so that the wrinkles she had made in it disappeared. She patted her pack once, just to let him know what she was thinking about. Then, she walked away, jogging to catch up with Vala and Daniel walking in front of them, leaving Ba'al alone to contemplate all that she had just said.

And for the first time that he could remember, Ba'al was a bit frightened. He had never considered how the threat of the promise of torture could torture a person. He was already worrying about how he was going to be looking over his shoulder for the foreseeable future.

He had to admit that Colonel Carter was a far more formidable opponent than he had first thought. He gazed at her through narrowed eyes. It had been common knowledge to him, intelligence gathered by his Jaffa years ago, that she and O'Neill shared a special attachment to each other. Now, it appeared that he had vastly underestimated that attachment. It was a mistake he would not duplicate, he promised himself.

That is, when he wasn't looking over his shoulder for Colonel Carter.

For the first time, Ba'al wondered if perhaps he hadn't made a mistake when he'd tortured O'Neill the way he had. He could have just turned the tables, and captured and tortured Colonel Carter instead, he supposed, but then he would have had to contend with O'Neill's trigger finger. Either way, it didn't look like this was a winner of a situation.

The ignominy of being held in mental torture by a woman... Ba'al didn't know how he would ever live this down... Which, he knew, was what the Colonel'd had in mind all along...

She's good, Ba'al thought as he followed in the wake of SG-1 through the trees of a calm, uncaring forest on a distant planet in a galaxy that really must appreciate that thing called 'Universal Justice.' He shivered under his leather coat.

The torture had only just begun.


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