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‘Babe?’

She sat up on the bed. ‘Daniel? Oh, please tell me you’re all right!’

‘We’re fine, Angel. We’re on Gamma.’

She closed her eyes as relief washed over her. The desire, the need to be there with him, with her friends and family was tangible. ‘Love you.’

‘Love you, too. What’s wrong?’

She smiled, not surprised that he had picked up on her unease. ‘He made me…dress up…for some of his…friends. And wear that…perfume.’

She could feel his anger. ‘Damn it, Casey! This is exactly why I didn’t want you doing this! Are you okay? He didn’t…’

‘No, Daniel, he didn’t, none of them did. I’m getting a bad feeling, though. I think he’s going to try and double cross Ba’al…er …Methos.’

‘As soon as you’re on PX3-695, we’re getting you out. I don’t give a shit what Zinder does.’

She nodded. ‘You’re not going to get any arguments from me,’ she replied. She knew that Daniel was aware of her fear, that it came through to him as clearly as her words.

‘Have you had anything to eat or drink?’

‘Not so far.’

‘I hate to ask this of you, babe, but try not to eat or drink anything if you can help it.’

‘I understand. I won’t.’ She bit back a yawn.

‘Get some sleep, Angel. I’ll be right here. Has Zinder left Alteria yet?’

‘Not yet. Probably in the next hour or so.’

‘Okay. Sleep. Love you.’

‘Love you, Sweetheart.’ She decided to put her BDU back on - wearing the fatigues gave her some sense of security. Dressed once again as the soldier she was, she curled up and gave in to her exhaustion.

A  A  A  A  A  A

Daniel was pacing the length of the conference room. Methos was reading every bit of information that they had on Ba’al, and Sam was answering his questions as thoroughly as she could. He knew that Casey was asleep, had felt her ‘disconnect’ from him. The fact that Zinder had tried to use her as he had done with Doria bothered him. Oh, shit! He stopped, whirled to face the Immortal sitting at the conference table. "You’ll have to be injected with the antidote."

Sam and Methos looked up at him. "What?" Methos asked.

"Zinder is still using the Hathor drug. He’ll have Casey drenched in it if I don’t miss my guess," Daniel explained.

"Shit!"

"My feelings exactly. Case thinks he’s going to try and double cross you. I want her away from him as soon as they get there. I don’t give a damn how we have to do it," Daniel said.

Methos nodded. "I agree. With luck, we can take him out when we go in for Casey."

That feeling that he was about to lose her began to seep into his being once again. He tried to fight it, tried to fight the panic that filled his heart.

‘Daniel?’

"Right here, babe," he said out loud. Methos and Sam looked up at him.

‘The ship is moving. I think we’re on our way.’

"Okay. We’ll be there when you arrive. Be careful, Angel." He looked at Sam and Methos. "They’re on the way."

A  A  A  A  A  A

The planet hadn’t changed much since the last time he had been here. When he had arrived desperate to find her, waiting, hoping, praying that Framone would show up and have her with him. Luck had smiled on him. He had raced to her side, stood against Framone, and as a result, they had gone through the Ceremony of Fire. They were bound heart to heart, soul to soul for eternity.

SG-6 set up around the ‘gate, Jack had SG-1 set up near the temple ruins and the altar. Two Marine teams were ‘gating to the planet where a small group of free Jaffa were waiting, eager to help the friends of Teal'c. Methos was going with the Marines, and would assume the identity of Ba’al upon arrival.

Daniel sat near the altar, staring at it, remembering how she'd felt in his arms that day...how hot the Fire had burned...how easily she'd fanned the flames in him...how wonderfully she'd put them out. ‘Babe?’

‘Hmmm?’

She had been asleep…or almost asleep. ‘I’m sorry, Angel. Did I wake you?’

‘No…not really. Are you all right?’

‘I’m fine, Angel. We’re on PX3 695. Just waiting for you to get here. We’re not going to play around, we’re heading in to get you as soon as we can.’

‘Might be difficult if he doesn’t land,’ she said softly.

Damn! That was a wrinkle they hadn’t considered. ‘Do you think he’ll just ring down here with you?’

‘I’m not sure. I have the feeling he’s going to try and double cross Methos…er…Ba’al. I’m not sure…uh oh…gotta go. I’ll talk to you as soon as I can. Oh shit! Needle! Drugs! Oh! Daniel…!’

He was on his feet. "Casey? Casey!"

Jack, Sam and Teal'c were immediately by his side.

He shook his head. "They just drugged her. I don’t know what’s going on," he said.

Jack put a hand on his shoulder. "She’s tough, Daniel. She’ll be okay."

Daniel tried to smile, but couldn’t. He turned away from his friends, not willing to let them see the pain, or the tears.

Sam put her arm around his shoulders. "She’ll be okay. Duncan has SGI-3 on the way to Darteen in the Phoenix. The Prometheus is standing by if we need them. Casey said this has to happen, we have to do this. Let it play out, Daniel. Trust her."

He managed to nod. "If anything happens to her…"

"It won’t, Daniel, not if we have anything to say about it," Jack said quietly.

A  A  A  A  A  A

She looked around, tried to focus her eyes. Everything was so blurry! Her head felt funny, too. She heard movement, turned her head toward the sound. She tried to move, discovered that she was strapped down.

"Good, you’re awake," a voice said. Sounded like a very old man. Or maybe an old woman with a deep voice.

"Who are you? Where am I? What are you doing to me?"

The old man, or old woman, cackled with laughter. "So many questions. A good sign. You are intelligent as well as beautiful. A very good combination. I am your Teacher. You are on board Elta’an’s ship, and we are heading to Darteen and the slave market. I must have you ready by the time we arrive."

"Ready? Ready for what?"

"To be sold. You must be taught skills, other than just the obvious."

She thought about this for a moment. "I can dance. I know a harem dance." She knew it, she just couldn’t focus her still foggy mind enough to remember all of the steps right now.

"Interesting. When the drugs wear off a bit, I will have you show me. Until then…"

Something was put around her neck. She heard an electronic click near her right ear. "What was that?" Her vision was beginning to clear, but she didn’t want the old man, she saw now, to realize that. She didn’t think that he was aware that she was Immortal, and she wasn’t about to let him know.

"Just a device to keep you from trying anything foolish. You will receive a mild shock if you try to escape."

She laid her head back and thought about what she knew so far. "Who is Elta’an, and why does he want me?" She tried again to move.

The old man cackled again as he checked the restraints that held her hands and feet against the metal table. "He is the owner of a large pleasure house. He doesn’t necessarily want you, my dear. But Zinder owes him a great deal of money. Money that he can get by selling you at the slave market."

"Will I be…hurt?"

"No, my dear. Elta’an wants you to be in perfect health. You will bring a higher price if you are undamaged in any way."

She relaxed a bit. Daniel! She had to let Daniel know what had happened, and that she was indeed on her way to Darteen to be sold. "I’m…uh…a bit tired," she said.

"That’s from the drugs. You may rest now. Nothing will happen to you, I assure you."

She pretended to consider this. She then nodded, and closed her eyes. ‘Daniel?’

‘Babe? Oh, thank god! Are you all right?’ She could feel the relief in his voice.

‘I’m okay, for now. Some guy name Elta’an has me. I’m on his ship now. Don’t know how he managed to get on Zinder’s ship, or me off it, unless he had inside help. Anyway, Zinder owes this guy mega bucks and so I’m on my way to Darteen. My…uh…teacher…says that I’m not going to be…hurt. I’ll bring top dollar if I’m…undamaged.'

‘Okay, babe. We’re on our way to Darteen now. We should get there about the same time that you do.’ Daniel dropped his head forward, relief that she wasn’t in immediate danger of being raped washing over him.

‘Bring the checkbook. You’re buying me.’

She heard him chuckle. ‘I’ll make sure I have the platinum card with me.’

She felt another prick in her arm. ‘More drugs…love you…’ She never heard his reply.

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