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Ashnan was returning to the planet where there were several small villages. Why raid her own territories of slaves when she could raid Nergal's to supply him with what he wanted? She didn't bother cloaking her ship, there were only two habitable planets in this particular solar system, and neither had more than primitive tribes on them.

Colonel Bradshaw sat upright when the arrival of the Goa'uld ship was announced. "Okay, people, let's take her out, right here and now. Get the 302s ready to launch, I want that ship in little tiny pieces!"

The first salvo caught her completely off guard. And unprepared. The damage was extensive; to a ship still being repaired it was even worse. She cursed the Jaffa in front of her for not having shields up, although she had not given the order for them, nor would she have forgiven the man if he had raised them with out her express consent. When the small Tau'ri fighters approached, she clenched her fists in rage.

"Destroy them!" she commanded, then watched, her anger growing by the minute, as the fighters were able to avoid the weapons fire from her ship. "Where did they go?" she demanded, when none of the ships could be seen through the window in front of her.

Before the Jaffa could reply, the ship began to shudder around her. The Persephone was suddenly looming directly in front of her, firing continuously.

She raised her hand and activated her personal force field, and began to run towards the escape pods. She would kill the Tau'ri for this! She would level their planet called Gamma. She would make them pay for their insolence! A satisfied smile crossed her face as she settled into the safety of the escape pod. She pushed the button, and was ejected from the burning ship.

"One escape pod, sir," the weapons tech announced.

"That has to be her. Get rid of it," Colonel Bradshaw ordered.

"Yes, sir." A flash, and the pod became nothing more than tiny pieces of shrapnel. "Got it, sir!"

Bradshaw grinned. "Scratch one more bad guy. Or bitch as the case may be. Make a note to let Casey Jackson know she has another name to add to the wall."

Smiles flickered on every face on the bridge.

A  A  A  A  A  A

The teams had opted to set up camp near the 'gate. None of the Terrarians seemed inclined to disagree with them. Although they weren't being treated with hostility, the townsfolk weren't exactly overly-friendly, either.

The air was cooling quickly around them. Several barrels were being used to hold fires, their tents circled around them. Casey was sitting inside the tent she and Daniel shared, working on a poem. She kept her small notebook hidden from everyone, even Daniel. Her poetry was something…private. Daniel had read some of her older poetry, and declared it wonderful. She didn't believe any of it was worth reading. But it often helped to exorcise the demons from her soul. She yawned, then continued writing, holding Daniel's penlight in one hand, his pen in the other, the notebook against her drawn up legs.

She was asleep when he slipped inside the tent. He saw the notebook, gently pulled it from her limp fingers. He took the penlight, and the pen that had fallen to the sleeping bag. He was about to close the notebook when the light flashed on the words. Curious, he began to read.

He choked back the tears that threatened, each word so full of the pain and torment she had suffered that he could feel it. He tried to ignore the fact that she had found Nergal to be handsome…beautiful…virile. This was private, her poetry was like a journal for her. He shouldn't be reading it. He closed the notebook. There was a date on the bottom of the outer cover. She had started this one right after he had come back from that mission to take out Neferteri. He wondered how much pain was written on the first pages. Wondered if he could handle reading it. He opened the notebook to the very first page.

He smiled. That's right, babe, he thought, brushing a lock of hair from her face. I'm yours, heart, mind, body and soul. I never left you, Angel. Never.

She stirred, opened her eyes. She smiled up at him, until she saw the notebook in his hand. She could feel her cheeks burn with embarrassment.

He followed her gaze. He handed the small book to her. "Casey, I'm sorry. You were asleep, and I was just going to close it up, and-"

She reached up and put her finger against his lips. He had read her poetry before. He would never hurt her, never laugh at it, or criticize it. "Which ones did you read?"

"The one you must have been working on, and the very first one," he admitted.

"Pretty awful, huh?"

"I don't think so. I…I like the first one."

She smiled. "Gee, I wonder why?"

He grinned at her, tapped her gently on the nose. "Always yours, Angel. Always."

She opened the book to the poem she had been working on. "I…he is handsome, Daniel. I won't deny that. But he's evil. And not nearly as devastatingly handsome…as beautiful, as you are. I've seen him naked. Adonis he ain't."

He couldn't help but grin wider at her words. God how this woman could stroke his ego! "I'm devastatingly handsome, huh?"

"Absolutely devastatingly handsome," she whispered, raising up on her knees to lock her arms around his neck. "You're magnificent, My Heart."

"Glad you think so."

"Don't just think so. Know so"

He settled down on the sleeping bag, pulled her down on top of him. "You're sure about that?"

"Absolutely."

His hand was moving up and down her back. He worked it beneath her tee shirt so that he could feel her soft skin. "Did writing that help you?"

She nodded. "It's not finished yet."

"Really?"

"Really. I have to write the part about you rescuing me."

He smiled, pressed his lips against her hair. "That will be the best part," he said softly.

"Yes it will be." She yawned.

"Let's get some sleep, Angel. We have third watch." They carefully undressed and hurried to crawl into the sleeping bags, cuddling together for warmth. Soon they were toasty and comfy and sound asleep.

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