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Gunfire again echoed in the small cave. The first wave of attackers was as easily repelled as they had been in the first two battles. But the second wave was larger, there were more of the black clad soldiers, moving much more quickly toward the narrow path that led to the cave. When Major Parker announced that he, Texas, and Tony were out of ammunition, Grace was the one who insisted on taking more to them. Kaitlyn and the others continued to watch as the Immortals…the soldiers…warriors…from another world fought to protect them. Each of them were filled with feelings of awe and gratitude.

Casey tried not to look at the ground in the clearing below. It was black with bodies, and she could see that the soldiers that continued to rush toward the cave were walking on the corpses.

Tension in the cave was mounting. She glanced at Jack. He had the same look on his face he did every time things had gone to hell on them. She grinned suddenly. Before she could tell them that she had felt the approach of the Marines, gunfire from the path to the right of the clearing echoed around them.

"General O'Neill, this is Turk. What's your 20?"

"Cave just above you, Turk. The guys on the ground are the enemy, I repeat, the bad guys are on the ground."

"Roger that, general. We'll just see if we can't confuse them a little."

The sky lit up with flares, and then the trees around the clearing began to fall from grenade fire. Jack had held off on firing the claymores. He gave the order to do so. Those explosions brought down more trees, and for several minutes it seemed to stop the flood of Prima soldiers.

When a transport vessel hovered near the cliff face, ready to drop off more troops, Daniel gave a moan. "This is getting ridiculous," he said.

"Daniel, maybe…maybe it's time to just end this," Casey said softly.

He looked at her. "Yeah, maybe so. Send me the Fire, babe." He stood up, concentrated, felt the Fire that flowed from her slender body into his. He raised his hands, and took aim. "Tell the guys to duck and cover," he said quietly.

"Turk, this is O'Neill; hit the deck, I repeat, hit the deck! Duck and cover!"

"Roger that, sir, on the deck!"

With a satisfied nod, Daniel released the power that had built up in his hands. Two blue balls of Fire flew from his hands, and impacted on the ship. It rocked, dropped almost to the ground. Several large guns mounted on the side of the ship returned fire, nearly bringing the cave down upon them.

"Daniel! Get rid of that thing!" Jack ordered, as dust and small rocks continued to fall.

Casey stood behind her husband, put her slender hands on his back. "You have to destroy it, Daniel, or we're going to die in this cave," she said softly.

Once again he called up the Fire. He continued to hold it for several seconds, even when the ship began to fire on them again. When at last he released it, his hands were blistered, and the blue fireballs were nearly twice the size that he normally threw. When they hit the ship, the craft plummeted to the ground. Several explosions were seen, and felt, and flames shot above the trees as the transport caught fire.

"Tell me what's happening, Case," Jack said.

She put her arms around Daniel's waist, her cheek against his back, waited for his gentle presence. She reached out. There was confusion among those who were still alive. She could sense that most of the confusion was due to lack of command structure. "There are a few soldiers out there, I can't seem to find any…officers. They're confused."

Jack nodded. "Turk, go round up whoever is left. We'll take 'em back to Gamma with us."

"Roger that, general."

The older man looked around, grabbed his radio. "Major, you and the boys come on down."

Not more than two minutes later Parker, Texas, Tony, and Grace walked into the cavern.

"Okay, campers, I'm tired, and I want to sleep in my own bed tonight. Let's pack up and move out," Jack said.

Daniel explained what was happening to Kaitlyn, she in turn informed her companions. The Prima Immortals were staring at him with wide eyes and slightly frightened expressions. "SG-6 will stay here with you until Thor arrives-"

Kaitlyn and the other five Prima Immortals disappeared in flashes of white light.

"Or he picks you up," Daniel finished, shaking his head, a smile on his face.

"Major, take the boys home. Make sure the prisoners are secure. They were created to be soldiers. They won't go easy," Jack said. Just before he and the rest of SG-1 disappeared as well.

Evan Parker grinned. "Let's go boys. Before Thor decides to beam us up too!" The men hurriedly repacked gear, carried it down to where F.R.E.D. had been hidden, and loaded the little vehicle and headed for the 'gate. Turk and the other Marines had the few Prima soldiers still alive in custody.

"Where's General O'Neill and the rest of 1?" Turk asked as he fell into step beside Major Parker.

The major grinned and pointed upward. "Thor."

Turk grinned. "Cool."

A  A  A  A  A  A

"Thor, buddy!" Jack said, a smile on his face.

"Greetings, O'Neill. It is good to see you."

"You, too."

Sam and Casey exchanged a glance, and began giggling.

"What's up?" Jack asked, looking from one lovely, laughing face to the other.

Casey's cheeks flushed slightly. "Thor, you helped Sam and I during one of our missions a couple of weeks ago."

The little alien looked at her, the oversized black eyes studied her carefully. "That is not possible. I have not seen you since we rescued O'Neill and Doctor Jackson from Drucilla Seleconne's pleasure house."

Sam giggled. "Well, you weren't exactly there…"

Blushing brighter, Casey quickly explained how she and Sam had used Norse mythology to get outside of the tower where they were being held prisoner in Dovinia Minor. She glanced at the gray alien. She was sure he was laughing.

"I am pleased I was able to…assist," he said. Yep. Thor had learned to laugh. Being around humans required it.

Jack, Daniel and Teal'c were laughing as well. They had read about the ruse in Sam and Casey's report, but listening to Casey tell about it was highly entertaining, especially when she demonstrated some of the movements she made during their 'prayers'.

"I received a message from President MacLeod. I have already placed the Immortals with you into the cryo-chambers. As soon as their DNA is entered into the computer, we can attempt the repair," Thor told them.

"Can we…be with them?" Casey asked softly.

"Yes, Mrs. Jackson. I believe your presence would be beneficial to these Immortals when they are awakened," Thor replied.

The team hurried to the large room where six cryogenic sleep chambers were lined up. Daniel paused at the door. The last time he had been in this room, Casey had been in one of those tubes, and she had been dead. In fact, for several long hours after she had been removed from the cryo-chamber and placed on life support, he was afraid that she would never wake up.

"Daniel?" she asked softly.

"Bad memory," he replied.

She turned him to face her. "Let it go. I’m here. I'm alive and healthy and so in love with you that it sometimes scares me."

He wrapped his arms around her slender frame, pulled her close. "It's not easy to let go. I've come so close to losing you, so many times," he whispered.

"I know, Sweetheart, I know. But you haven't lost me." She leaned up, pressed her lips to his. "I'll take care of any nightmares," she promised softly.

He smiled, hugged her tightly, pressed a kiss to her temple, then stepped away from her. He wrapped his fingers around hers, and led her to where Thor stood with the rest of the team.

"…they can't leave. So, we're hoping you can 'fix' them, like you fixed all of the Immortals on Gamma," Sam was saying.

"I will certainly endeavor to do so," Thor said. "This might take some time. Your rooms are still available. Perhaps you would like to rest?"

All of them nodded. "That would be nice," Jack admitted. "Teal'c, buddy, you weren't with us the last time. Thor put in rooms just for us!"

Teal'c raised an eyebrow. "Indeed."

"I felt it was appropriate, considering that we find reason to work together on a seemingly regular basis," Thor said.

"Whatever the reason, we appreciate it," Sam said.

"Do you remember the way to the quarters?" Thor asked.

"I think so," Sam replied.

"Then I will stay here and begin work."

"Thanks, Thor," Jack said, as the team headed wearily toward the rooms that the gray alien had put on his ship specifically for them.

"I was hoping to get home tonight," Casey sighed.

"Me, too," Sam said. "Evvie had a cold when we left. I'm sure by now Amber has it as well."

"They'll be just fine, ma," Jack smiled, putting his arm around Sam's shoulders and pulling her close. "Mrs. Peterson has raised four kids of her own. She knows what to do."

"I know," Sam admitted. "Doesn't change the fact that I should be with them…or at least I feel like I should be with them."

Casey put her arm around Sam's waist and hugged her. "Right there with you, girlfriend," she said quietly.

"Must be a mother thing," Jack grinned, winking at Daniel.

"Yep," the young archaeologist agreed.

"Did you not state that you were concerned about Evelyn Denise O'Neill as well, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked. The large man was fighting a smile.

"Busted, Jack," Casey giggled.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Teal'c, buddy, you're killing me here."

"Nice to know that daddies worry just as much as mommies," Sam said, smiling up at Jack.

They had arrived at the rooms. Jack grinned. "Well, this is where we say goodnight. Sleep well, campers."

"You too, Jack," Daniel said, opening the door to the room that he and Casey had used before. "Goodnight, Teal'c."

"Goodnight, Daniel Jackson. Goodnight, O'Neill," Teal'c said. He disappeared into his room.

A  A  A  A  A  A

Casey dropped her pack. "I want a shower. A nice hot shower."

"Sounds good," Daniel agreed. "Hungry?"

"A little bit."

"Eat first, or shower first?"

"I guess we could eat first. What do we have?"

"Well, we have MREs. You wouldn't happen to have any stew or oatmeal, would you?"

She opened her pack to check. "Nope, sorry."

He nodded, and pulled out the last two MREs he had. "Okay, do you want the beef enchilada or the beef teriyaki?"

She smiled, knowing that the teriyaki was his preference. "I'll have the enchilada."

Daniel opened the meals, inserted the chem heat pack into the two entrée packs. He pulled the compact bowls that they used for their meals from his pack, searched hers for the package of plastic flatware. He grinned when he found a package of coffee in individual bags, like tea bags. He pulled the metal coffee cups from her pack, opened two of the packs and put one into each cup. "Hey babe, run some hot water into these," he said handing the cups to her.

"Found the coffee, did you?" she asked with a smile.

"Yep." He knew that she had to have creamer and sugar as well, he found them in a ziplock bag, stirred two packets of creamer and one of sugar into her coffee.

They sat down on the bed and ate their meals, drank their coffee, both glad to be out of the cold of the cave on P7X 399. Casey took a ziplock bag and put the trash in it, made sure it was closed, and pushed it back into her pack. The cups and bowls she washed out in the sink.

"Now, Mrs. Jackson," Daniel said, pulling her into his embrace, "I think you mentioned something about a shower?"

"Why, Doctor Jackson, are you suggesting that we shower together?" she asked, her eyes full of light and laughter.

"Yes, I am. Conserves water. You can get your back washed as well."

"Well, I’m all for conserving water. And having my back washed sounds…pleasant." She pulled away from his arms and began stripping.

Daniel watched her for a few minutes. He never tired of seeing her beautiful body. He could remember the first time he had seen her - first those tantalizing, delectable breasts; the flat belly with the sexy little 'inny' bellybutton that he loved to tease; then those amazing hips, and the heart-shaped ass that left him breathless with need; the legs that made his heart pound against his chest. The first time he had seen her sweet womanhood…tasted it, he'd been certain that he'd died and gone to heaven. Every inch of that creamy skin aroused him.

Casey looked up, he was staring at her. "What?"

He smiled. "Just thinking about the first time I saw that incredible body of yours."

Her smile matched his. "And?"

"I'm still just as breathless, just as…needy…every time I see you as I was that night."

She put her arms around his neck. "You, Stud Muffin, were pretty magnificent yourself."

"Really?" His arms went around her, one hand moving over her hip and that sweet, firm ass, the other softly caressing her back.

"Oh, yeah." She ran her hands over his shoulders, down his arms, up his chest. "I'd never been with a man who worked out…who had such well defined muscles. Not to mention the legs. And the hips. And the ass. If I hadn't been so…worked up…your anaconda probably would have scared me to death!"

He chuckled. "Yeah, I realized when you…noticed. For a minute I thought you were going to tell me no, and at that point, I don't think I could have held back."

She giggled. "I was too worked up…needed you too badly…and I trusted you not to hurt me. You didn’t. You did, however, drive me out of my mind!"

He hugged her. "Yeah, I remember that, too."

"I'm going to get the water warmed up. Don't take too long to get undressed," she said softly. "I want to hurry up and get clean…so we can come out here and get all dirty again."

He shivered. "I like the plan, Angel," he whispered, just before his lips claimed hers. He smiled mentally when he felt her lean against him, her hands in his hair, as he kissed her. He slanted his mouth over hers, took his time teasing her, touching her, tasting her. When he pulled away, she was breathing as hard as he was, her eyes full of Fire.

She caressed his face with her fingertips before she stepped away and into the tiny bathroom.

He pulled his clothes off, then hurried in to join her. Stepping into the narrow shower, he couldn't help but run his hands over her body, slick from the water, and the soap she was using. He massaged her hips, her back, working the lightly scented soap into a lather on her slender body. He helped her rinse off, then stood and let her wash him, her hands and fingers caressing him gently as she worked his soap into his skin. They made sure that all the soap was rinsed away, then dried one another.

Daniel paused in the doorway to the bedroom and watched as Casey turned down the blankets on the bed. Watching her bend over, that sweet pink flesh winking at him, made him hard and ready in a second. She climbed onto the bed, looked at him, and held her hand out, her smile soft and warm and inviting and full of love, and oh god he loved her! He took her hand, stretched out beside her, supported himself on one arm and let his hand move over her satiny skin. "Love you, Angel," he whispered softly.

"Love you, Sweetheart," she replied in kind. Her fingers were moving over his skin as well, over his chest, up his shoulder to his neck, across his jaw to his lips. She shivered when he nipped at her fingertip before he sucked it into his mouth.

Her gentle touch had set fire to his skin, the taste of her finger was enough to have him aching with need. He moved his hand to her throat, caressed it gently. "Do you know that you have never flinched, never pulled away from me, not once, when I put my hand around your throat?"

"Why would I?" she asked, her voice echoing the confusion in her eyes.

He smiled. Only his Casey would be so…innocent. "Most people react instinctively when someone puts a hand to their throat. Defensively, even if it's only to flinch…or move away an inch or so. You never have."

"I ask again, why would I? You would never hurt me," she replied. "Your hand on my throat is just one of the ways you touch me…caress me."

"What you do to me, woman," he whispered. He lowered his head and captured her lips with his own, opened them with his tongue, pushed inside her mouth to taste her. His fingers continued to caress her throat, moved across her jaw, then down to her collarbones. When he could fight the need no longer, his lips followed the trail his fingers had blazed.

His touch was setting her on fire, always set her on fire. Her body was already arching toward his hand as it made its way to her breasts. When he rolled to lay on her, freeing both hands to caress her body, she slid her hands over his arms and shoulders, back up to his neck. She let the fingers of one hand fill with his short dark-blonde hair, the other continued to caress the nape of his neck. She sighed softly when his lips closed around an aching nipple. She smiled at the ceiling as his attention fueled the inferno that raged inside her. He was suckling greedily, his mouth moving from one breast to the other and back again. "You seem to be enjoying yourself," she teased, hissing a breath when he tugged gently at her nipple.

"I do love your tantalizing titties," he replied playfully, just before he sucked one of hardened buds back into his mouth. He smiled against her skin when she arched even more, pushing against him, begging silently for more. He began to suckle harder, his hands squeezing, massaging the firm flesh around each nipple.

She couldn't hold back the soft moan that filled her throat. She wanted…needed for him to move on, worship her. The ache between her legs was exquisite, her hips were moving against his chest with every tug he made on her nipples. She had both hands on his shoulders now, her fingers digging into the muscles as she fought the urge to push him down toward her thighs. She could feel his erection pressing against her, it made her needy, made her mouth water when she thought about tasting him, making love to him. "Please, Daniel, I want to taste you," she whispered, her needs driving her mad.

He shifted and turned around, lifted one leg over her and lowered his hips toward her. He felt her wrap her hand around him, guide him into her hot, hungry mouth. He hissed a sigh of pleasure when her tongue began to work around his aching flesh. With a moan he lowered his head, tasted that sweet, honeyed skin between her slender thighs. He pushed his tongue into her well, rewarded with a flood of sweet nectar when she came. He lapped at her, licked that sweet pink flesh, then began to tease her swollen love button.

She had moved the pillow, lifted her chin so she was able to take more of him into her mouth. One hand moved up and down on the base of his magnificent erection, the other moved slowly, gently over his hip and ass. His mouth was doing amazing things to her, and she was close to coming. She intensified her attention to him, reveling in the taste of him, the control she had over his body as she teased him with her tongue.

Too close. She had him too close to the edge. He wasn't ready for this ride to end…not yet. He wanted inside her. He pulled away, grinned when her head followed him, keeping him in her mouth as long as possible. He shifted again, rolled to his back, pushed the pillow behind his head. "Ride me, Angel," he said softly.

She straddled his hips, impaled herself on his rigid shaft. "Oh, god, I love that feeling," she whispered. Her head was back, her eyes closed.

"Which one would that be?" he asked, his hands on her breasts. He was watching her face, the pleasure that was reflected there.

"The feeling of being stretched open to hold you…feeling you so deep inside me," she replied breathlessly. She sat still, massaging him with the muscles deep inside, every throb of his engorged shaft sending thrills up and down her spine.

"Love the way you feel, Angel, the way you hold me," he said. "Like you were made just for me."

"Just for you," she whispered. "Always yours, Daniel, I belong only to you." Her hips were moving now, slowly back and forth.

Her words thrilled him, sent his heart and soul flying. He pushed up into her, felt her pushing down against him. Her body was warm and welcoming and she felt so damned good! He moved his hands to her hips, she was increasing the tempo of her movements, and he wasn't ready to let go. "Easy babe," he whispered. "Make it last."

She slowed her movements, pushed against his fingers when he moved one hand between them, caressing her swollen clit gently. "Yes…yes…yes…that's it, right there," she said, her voice strained. Her hips continued to move against him, back and forth, pressing down against him with every thrust upward that he made. She ran her fingers over his chest, toying with his hard, flat nipples.

He looked up into green eyes full of love and fire, knew that she was seeing the same thing in his. He captured one of the hands that was scorching the skin of his chest, sucked her fingers until they were wet, then pushed them between their bodies. "Make it good, babe," he whispered. His hands went to her hips, guiding her, moving her up and down as well as back and forth now, thrusting harder each time she bore down against him.

After a few minutes of absolute bliss, she pulled her hand from between them, used the friction of her body against his to continue stimulating that aching nub, planted her hands on his shoulders, and began to grind against him. His hands continued to guide her, his fingers digging into her flesh as he moved ever closer to his release. She could feel that warm, incredible feeling building…it wouldn't be long now. "I…I'm gonna come," she whispered.

He bent his legs, planted his feet against the bed, and drove himself into her, harder and deeper each time. She tossed her head back, that beautiful whimper filling her throat just as her thighs began to quiver against him. "Come for me, Angel," he whispered.

With a cry she obeyed, her body sailing over the clouds, spinning in space among the planets and moons and stars, vibrating with such pleasure that she cried out again. "Love me, Daniel, fill me with your love," she begged softly, as she began to ride him harder, faster.

"Oh, god," he moaned. He thrust into her once…twice…cried out when she began to grip him with those muscles, refusing to let go, his mind…his body…filled with such intense pleasure that he could see the sparks their Fire created. He pulsed inside her, she continued to hold him, massage him, until the final spasms had ended. He pulled her down against his chest, his hands moving up and down her back. "Love you, Angel," he said softly.

"Love you, Sweetheart," she replied. She snuggled closer, smiled when his arms tightened around her. This was the safest place in the universe, she thought. In the arms of the man she loved. Sleep came softly, carrying both of them into the land of slumber.

A  A  A  A  A  A

They had showered quickly, pulled on their clean BDUs, and repacked, making sure that they were leaving nothing behind. Packs ready, they left their room. Jack, Sam, and Teal'c entered the corridor at almost the same time. The team walked to the room where the Prima Immortals remained in stasis.

Thor was there, whether he had left to rest or not they didn't know. He looked over at them as they entered. "Greetings. I was about to send for you. I believe all repairs have been made. I am ready to wake them."

"You're sure they're fixed?" Jack asked.

"Yes, O'Neill," the little alien replied. Casey was certain that the little alien was smiling.

"Okay, let's wake 'em up."

Thor activated the cryo-chambers, and the glass 'lids' slid back. Within minutes each of the Immortals was sitting up. Grace and Kaitlyn tugged modestly at the thin silver blankets that covered them.

"Wh…what happened?" Kaitlyn asked. Her eyes widened when she saw Thor standing near the group of people that she considered to be friends.

Daniel smiled. "Kaitlyn, this is Thor. Supreme Commander of the Asgard Fleet. Thor, may I present Kaitlyn."

"I am pleased to meet you," Thor said. "I have made the necessary adjustments to your DNA. You are now genetically identical to the Immortals on Gamma."

"Thank you," the raven-haired woman said. She hurriedly translated to her companions, who waited in their cryo-chambers.

"Uh, do you have the clothes these folks came in?" Jack asked.

If Thor could have chuckled, or knew how, he would have. "Yes, O'Neill. I will see to it that they are allowed to dress immediately."

Jack grinned. "Good. We'll just go up to the control room and wait there."

"We will arrive at Gamma in less than fifteen minutes," Thor told them.

"Sweet. We'll get our packs and meet everybody in the control room," Jack said.

Five minutes later, SG-1 and the Prima Immortals watched as Gamma grew ever larger in the window.

"Welcome home," Casey said softy.

Kaitlyn's eyes filled with tears when Daniel translated. "Thank you. Your kindness is most appreciated."

Daniel smiled. "You're kin. Now more than ever," he said.

"We already feel the ties of kinship," Kaitlyn replied, a smile lighting up her face. "Already Gamma feels like…home."

"It has been a pleasure to see you, O'Neill," Thor said. "As it was to see each member of SG-1."

"Yeah, great to see you, too, buddy. Thanks for the help," Jack replied.

"As you would say, 'any time'," Thor said.

In a flash of white light, SG-1 and the six Prima Immortals were beamed into the 'gate room. "I hate it when he does that," Jack grumped good-naturedly.

Duncan hurried into the room, felt the buzz of the new Immortals. "Welcome home, team," he said. He smiled and nodded at the newcomers. "Brenna Masterson will take our guests to the barracks and get them checked in, see to it that they have what they need. We'll debrief in an hour."

"Good," Sam said. "I'm starving!"

"I'm kinda hungry, too," Casey admitted.

"Okay, we get our post-check up, then we'll hit the commissary," Jack said.

They were all sitting at a table eating when Daniel frowned. "I just realized that Duncan referred to Kaitlyn and her friends as 'guests'," he said. "I would think he would call them new citizens."

The team members exchanged uneasy glances. "Then they found out something from the soldiers they captured," Jack said.

"That would be a good guess," Daniel agreed. "Case?"

She shook her head. "What Kaitlyn told us was the truth. At least from their point of view. It is possible that she doesn't know everything that transpired. I did pick up the feeling that Kaitlyn, Westland, and Grace were the most…important, of the group. The other three were almost…subservient, if that makes any sense at all."

Sam nodded. "It does. I agree. The three men seemed to defer to whatever Kaitlyn and Grace wanted."

"Whatever it is, we'll find out in the briefing," Jack said.

A  A  A  A  A  A

Duncan waited until the team members had their coffee…or water, in Teal'c's case, before he began. "Trenton told me what…uh…Kaitlyn…told you about Prima, and how the Immortals came to be hunted. It seems to be true, as far at it goes. What she didn’t tell you is that the Immortals had set themselves up as…well…if not 'gods'…damned close, expected the mortals of Prima to support them, and those Immortals demanded a lot. They all lived very well, even when the mortals suffered through famines and a couple of plagues, which, by the way, were the result of experimentation of chemical warfare compounds. That's how…and where, the people of Prima came up with that virus to kill Immortals."

"Kaitlyn said that the Primians began killing Immortals when they learned how, due to the accidental suicide of one of them. Because they had been unable to manipulate DNA to make the people of Prima Immortal," Daniel said.

The Highlander shook his head. "According to the prisoners that SG-6 and the Marines brought back, the Immortals were rounded up, and were going to be imprisoned because of the constant experimentation on the people of the planet."

The team exchanged uneasy looks. "I didn't feel any deception from her," Casey said, a frown on her face.

"Is it possible that Kaitlyn didn't know?" Daniel asked.

"It is possible, I suppose. Evidently the group you just brought back weren't the highest on the most wanted list. However, I think we should talk to them, and I know for damned sure not one of them is going to be allowed near a lab, not on Gamma, not on Alpha or Beta. I'm even alerting Langara, Earth, Terra, and Tollana," Duncan said.

Casey was pulling her lip between her teeth. "He blocked me! That's why he came over and held my hand. He didn't give a damn about knowing what the commander of those troops was doing! He wasn't trying to hide us! He needed to block me!"

"How can we stop him?" Jack asked.

"Sedate him," Sam said quietly.

Duncan nodded. "Okay, we'll take them into separate rooms, sedate their seer, and then we'll see what Casey can pick up."

"I'm going to be really pissed if we were on the wrong side," Jack said darkly.

"I don't think you were on the wrong side. Those hunters want all Immortals dead. We just happen to be Immortal. If we let the prisoners go free, they'll bring the Prima fleet to Gamma as fast as they can. I'm not about to have that happen."

"So what happens to the prisoners?" Daniel asked.

The dark haired Scot lowered his eyes. "We can't let them leave," was all he would say.

"What about these Immortals?" Sam asked.

"If they're as bad as I have a feeling they are, we're going to send them to a nice, isolated planet, one that has no Stargate."

"I take it you've already found one," Jack said.

"Yep. They'll be able to survive. But they won't be able to experiment on Innocents again. Give me a run down of what happened," Duncan said.

Jack told him what had transpired on the planet, about being beamed aboard Thor's ship, and then returned to Gamma.

"Okay. I'm going to get things set up. Casey, I know you want to go home, but I need you to stick around for an hour or so," Duncan said.

She nodded. "I understand."

"I think we'll all stick around," Jack said, looking at each face of his team. "We need to know whether or not we just helped the bad guys."

A  A  A  A  A  A

Casey paced the corridor outside of the rooms where the Prima Immortals were being 'debriefed'. Westland had been given a sedative, he had fought the effects for nearly thirty minutes before finally slipping into unconsciousness. She stopped, stood in the middle of the hallway, and reached out. She entered each room, listened, looked, examined, touched each mind briefly.

Duncan was watching her. He noticed her smile when she opened her eyes. "Tell me you have good news, honey."

"Kaitlyn and Grace were part of the rebellion against the Immortals who were experimenting on the people. They didn’t realize that the entire population would turn on every Immortal. Only those responsible for the experiments were supposed to be captured." Her smile widened. "Kaitlyn was telling the truth about their escape…there were those who sympathized with the Immortals. It was also understood that the guilty parties would be dealt with. But as soon as they had all 'gated to a 'safe' planet, they started fighting among themselves. The guilty were the first to try and leave the solar system. Kaitlyn and her group moved from planet to planet, trying to find a safe place. They found P7X 399 and have been there ever since, almost a year now."

"Good. Okay, then we can roll out the welcome mat," Duncan said, grinning.

"We're still left with those prisoners," Daniel said quietly.

"Daniel, what do you suggest we do? Turn them loose? Do you really want warships parked up there firing down at us?" Duncan asked, slightly exasperated.

The thought chilled him to the core. "Of course not!"

"Then what? Hell, they were created to be soldiers! I have fifteen highly trained…whatever they are…in those cells, and it scares the hell out of me!" the Highlander declared.

"Can they be…assimilated…into society? Given a choice to be something other than soldiers?" Daniel asked.

Sam shook her head. "They were created for this, Daniel. Every aggressive gene turned on, every gene that would make them faster, stronger…whatever would make them the perfect solider was turned on. I'm betting that everything that could make them…human…was turned off."

Casey shuddered. "As bad as that damned nanovirus," she murmured.

"Methos suggests we just make it as quick and painless as possible," Duncan said. He looked at the young archaeologist. "I know you hate this, Daniel. For the record, so do I. But I have a city full people that I have to think about. Two of them happen to be your children."

Daniel's head came up. The thought of Emily and Nicholas being endangered by these men - these test-tube soldiers - made his stomach burn and his heart clench with fear. "I understand," he said softly.

Jack put a hand on the younger man's shoulder. "War is hell, Daniel. And we're at war with these people. We have to make sure that they never find Gamma."

"Satellites," Casey said suddenly, looking at Sam. "Dampening field."

Sam's eyes lit up. "Yes! That's perfect! We can even integrate a force field into the equation, so that no one knows about the dampening field."

Duncan nodded his head. "Drop by the lab on your way home, give the techs the idea to start working on. Down day tomorrow, team. Case, thanks."

"Just doing my job," the slender blonde said, although she smiled happily.

"Uh, I still say we should keep our new…citizens…away from labs," Jack said.

"I agree," said the CIC. "That is already being explained to them. Let's hope that they understand, and won't give us any problems."

"I hear that," Jack replied. "Okay, campers, let's go home."

A  A  A  A  A  A

Casey was sitting on the deck, looking up at the stars when Daniel joined her. He sat down behind her, pulled her back against his chest.

"Penny for them," he said quietly.

"Just thinking about how beautiful they look. Even though I know how many dangers are out there, people that want us dead, creatures that want us as hosts and slaves…they're still beautiful," she said softly.

"Just because a rose has thorns, it doesn't make the bloom any less beautiful, any less fragrant," he replied.

"You have the soul of a poet," she said. She turned slightly, kissed his chin.

He smiled, pulled her closer. "So, any stars to wish on?"

"Not yet."

They watched the night sky together. They would continue to fight all the dangers that threatened them, and all the Innocents, directly and indirectly. And they would continue to wish on stars.

THE END

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