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Seleconne finally woke up, and after serving his guests a breakfast that was nothing short of spectacular, he agreed to discuss what it was he wanted from Gamma.

"We learned about General O’Neill and Doctor Jackson from the Oeterians, that these brave men freed the people from the priests of Mordred, and how the people of Gamma were willing to help them rebuild their village," Seleconne said. "What I am interested in are the techniques that you have for farming, and for irrigating. I have fine land, but not excellent land. I would like for it to produce as if it were excellent land."

Daniel nodded. "We have agriculturists who would be happy to go to your planet and teach you…"

Seleconne was shaking his head. "No, I’m afraid that is not allowed. Strangers are not allowed on Dracia. It is the law. If they could come here, and explain to me, show me, then I could return home and put this knowledge to use."

Again Daniel nodded. "I think that could be arranged." He put in his notes, and showed it to Jack, to make sure that any teams arriving here would immediately set up their own camp, and to have plenty of food and wine in order offer hospitality. Jack nodded. "Okay, I think we can get this done. When would you like to meet with them?"

"Since I am here, can it be arranged quickly? That would save me time, as my lands lie far from the Great Eye."

"I don’t know how soon they can be here, I can send a message to President MacLeod and find out."

"Good, good!" The small man rubbed his hands together. "Let us drink a toast to our new friendship," he said. He signaled, and wine was brought out.

"A little early in the day, isn’t it?" Jack asked quietly.

"Apparently not," Daniel replied. He smiled at the serving girl who handed him a chalice of cool, sweet wine. If there was a difference in this wine, none of the men from Gamma noticed it.

A  A  A  A  A  A

The day grew increasingly warmer, and several of the men, Jack and Daniel included, had shed their shirts and tee shirts. Seleconne had left them, claiming that he needed to see that preparations for the night’s feast were underway. The wine continued to fill the chalices, and the men were having a wonderful time. They sat telling stories of past missions, each trying to tell a better story than the last. The wine’s aphrodisiac effects weren’t noticed, until a group of beautiful women, including the auburn-haired beauty who had served Daniel, and the blonde who had served Jack, came in and began to dance. Five of the women, older than the others, it appeared, played musical instruments. The young women began to move slowly, erotically, provocatively, each woman dancing in front of one man.

Images of Casey dancing for him flashed through his brain, but didn't stay…as the young auburn-haired woman danced for Daniel, more of her clothes falling to the floor at her feet with every movement she made.

The music continued to play as the women danced ever closer to the men.

"What is your name?" Daniel asked, his eyes locked with the gray ones above him. He touched his chest. "Daniel." He put his hand on her chest, just above her naked breasts, then looked at her. He repeated the movements several times before the young woman put her hand on his chest, said his name, then put her hand on her chest.

"Ishtar," she said shyly.

"Ishtar," he repeated. "She was an Assyrian fertility goddess," he said. He reached out and traced her areolas with one finger. "She was probably not as beautiful as you." He held out his hand, she took it, and lowered herself to the pillows beside him. He leaned over her, kissed her, something in the back of his mind telling him that she didn’t taste…right. His hands were already on her ample breasts, his mouth followed. Her breasts felt wrong, tasted wrong. There was something…missing …from her navel when his mouth finally made it down that far.

When he settled himself between her thighs, he compared it with a smell that his brain knew well. It didn’t match. Neither did the taste. It should be sweet, he thought. It wasn’t. He rolled to his back, pushed her head to his groin, watched as she tried to suck him. She wasn’t doing it right. Something was wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong! It wasn’t…satisfying. It wasn’t… pleasurable. With a grunt, he rolled again, putting himself on top of her. He pushed against her, disappointed when he couldn’t fully enter her body. He moved his hips back and forth, pushing his cock in and pulling it out, ever faster, but never enough to reach that ever-illusive point of no return. Finally, in absolute frustration, he pulled out of her, and put his throbbing shaft between her breasts. Again the sensations were…wrong, but eventually he was able to come, although it wasn’t much, and he didn’t feel as much relief as he knew he should. Spent, but not completely satisfied, he pulled up his pants and looked around the tent. Jack was doing the same thing to the blonde that he had done to Ishtar. All of the other men were in various stages of intercourse with the young women who had danced for them.

The sun was starting to go down when Daniel went outside to answer Mother Nature’s call. He was pulling his shirt on when his fingers passed over a small lump. He opened the pocket, and pulled out an earring.

"Casey!" he whispered. He closed his eyes. In an instant the fog in his head cleared. God, he had fucked that girl! He had wanted to, and he had…and oh, god, Casey would never forgive him for this! He leaned back against the tree he had just pissed on. His stupidity had just cost him everything! His life, his wonderful, incredible life was over. Loneliness would once again wrap its cold fingers around his heart. He had no doubt that Casey would never deny him visits with his children. But he wouldn’t be…in…their lives, not really a part of their lives. No, he would be that man who visited every other weekend. Nicholas would never know him as Daddy, just as the man who fathered him. He wouldn’t be there to see Emily off on her first day of school, he wouldn’t be there to help her with her homework. Never again would his beautiful wife laugh with him, make him laugh. Never again would his Angel dance for him. He would never again hold the woman he loved more than life in his arms, never hear her whispers, or the sweet whimper she gave when she came. Never again would she be known as His Chosen. He pushed his fists against his head and gave in to the pain. He cried out, sank to his knees as sobs of despair overcame him. "Casey!"

‘Daniel?’

He shook his head. "Casey?"

‘Oh, Sweetheart, I’ve been so worried about you! Are you all right?’

The pain washed over him again. "No, babe…uh…Casey, I’m not." His mind was already pulling away from her, convincing him that his marriage was over.

‘Oh, god, what’s wrong? Do you need help? Are you being held prisoner? Was it a trap?’

The questions, and the fear and worry and love were almost more than he could bear. "No, I’m not being held prisoner. It wasn’t a trap. I…I don’t know how to explain this. I’m so sorry, Casey, so damned sorry!"

There was a pause. For several long seconds he thought she was gone. His mind reached out, felt her fear, the hurt that she was feeling now. ‘Daniel, do you love me?’

The question ripped at his heart. "Oh god, yes, I love you! I love you, Casey! With all my heart, babe."

‘Daniel, I love you, with all my heart. Just tell me what’s wrong, we’ll work it out.’

He closed his eyes. "Angel…it’s…it’s really hard to explain. I don’t even know where to start."

‘Try the beginning. It usually works for me.’

He couldn’t help but smile at her humor. How could he tell her about this…explain what had happened so that she would understand that his decision to sleep with Ishtar was one induced by drugged wine? He tried to gather his thoughts before starting. Every word he said had to reach her heart, make her understand what had happened. "The Dracian society is based on the Feudal System, and women are viewed as chattel. Hospitality is very important to them, and it’s their custom that men have a woman sent to their bed when they’re a guest…the women are beaten if they’re refused. I tried to keep her away from me…she went down on me while I was asleep…I left the tent to get away from her. We had our meeting this morning, and then this afternoon Seleconne gave us wine, the wine last night was okay, so we didn’t test this stuff. It must have been drugged or something, because it affected all of us…and she couldn’t please me, and oh god, babe, I’m so damned sorry!" The words poured out of him as he begged for forgiveness.

‘Daniel, did you say she couldn’t please you?’

He paused, surprised by the question. "Yeah, babe, that’s what I said. I’m still sort of…well…I didn’t get…I didn’t really get off. She…she didn’t fit, Case. I had to pull out and…tittyfuck her…except it…it just wasn’t…right. I came…but not very much."

‘You say you were asleep when she went down on you, and then you were…drugged…this afternoon?’

He wrapped his arms around his midsection. His body was shaking. His heart was pounding against his ribs so hard it hurt. Heartbreak had such a grip on him that he could hardly breathe. "Yeah, babe, that’s right. Casey, I never meant for any of this to happen! Jack and I almost came back through the ‘gate last night. It happened to him, too."

There was another pause. ‘Oh, Daniel! Sweetheart, it’s okay. I believe you. There’s nothing to forgive, my heart. As long as you love me, then everything is still okay in my world.’

She believed him, still loved him! "Oh, Angel, I’ll always love you! Have never stopped loving you! Will never stop loving you!" He was back on his feet now, as waves of sweet relief washed over him. He didn’t care about Seleconne, or what he wanted, or what Duncan wanted. He was going home. He had a lot to make up for. Again. But as long as she loved him, then that’s all that mattered to him.

Shouts from near the camp caught his attention. He heard the sound of weapons fire, and…oh damn, staff weapons! He was already running toward the encampment. "Casey, trouble! Goa’uld! Send help!"

A  A  A  A  A  A

Sitting in his office, working on several of the reports that he had left unfinished, but with enough notes that she could get them typed, Casey almost jumped out of her skin when she heard Daniel’s anguished cry. He called out her name as if his heart was about to break into pieces.

"Daniel?"

‘Casey?’ He sounded…startled.

"Oh, Sweetheart, I’ve been so worried about you! Are you all right?" Her heart was pounding against her ribs. Something was wrong, she could feel it.

‘No, babe…uh…Casey, I’m not.’ Why did he sound like…that; as if he were…a stranger?

Every possible scenario of danger began to flash through her head. Was he being tortured, was that why he sounded so…different? "Oh, god, what’s wrong? Do you need help? Are you being held prisoner? Was it a trap?"

‘No, I’m not being held prisoner. It wasn’t a trap. I…I don’t know how to explain this. I’m so sorry, Casey, so damned sorry!’

Her heart dropped. There was only one other time he had apologized like that. She closed her eyes, was unaware that she had wrapped her arms around her body. She was shaking. "Daniel, do you love me?"

‘Oh god, yes, I love you! I love you, Casey! With all my heart, babe.’

He sounded…desperate. But she could feel his love, the strength of it. "Daniel, I love you, with all my heart. Just tell me what’s wrong, we’ll work it out."

‘Angel…it’s…it’s really hard to explain. I don’t even know where to start.’

"Try the beginning. It usually works for me." Her eyes were still closed, tears were sliding down her pale cheeks. She knew what was coming. Not the details. But she knew what had happened. He didn’t say anything, she had to search, feel, to see if he was still there. He was, and she could feel his anguish.

‘The Dracian society is based on the Feudal System, and women are viewed as chattel. Hospitality is very important to them, and it’s their custom that men have a woman sent to their bed when they’re a guest… the women are beaten if they’re refused. I tried to keep her away from me… she went down on me while I was asleep… I left the tent to get away from her. We had our meeting this morning, and then this afternoon Seleconne gave us wine, the wine last night was okay, so we didn’t test this stuff. It must have been drugged or something, because it affected all of us…and she couldn’t please me, and oh god, babe, I’m so damned sorry!’

Two things jumped out at her. He had been asleep when she, whoever 'she' was, had gone down on him, and she couldn’t please him. For a few seconds she thought she was going to laugh out loud. Her mind was screaming at her, telling her that he had just admitted to screwing another woman. Her heart was telling her that something had happened, this hadn’t been his choice, and her soul was telling her that he was still hers. She ignored her mind. "Daniel, did you say she couldn’t please you?"

‘Yeah, babe, that’s what I said. I’m still sort of…well…I didn’t get…I didn’t really get off. She…she didn’t fit, Case. I had to pull out and…tittyfuck her…except it…it just wasn’t… right. I came…but not very much.’

Why did the woman in her want to jump up and down for joy? Why was her heart and soul telling her that everything was all right, when her head continued to insist that the bastard had cheated on her...again? She continued to ignore the screams of her mind. "You say you were asleep when she went down on you, and then you were…drugged…this afternoon?"

‘Yeah, babe, that’s right. Casey, I never meant for any of this to happen! Jack and I almost came back through the ‘gate last night. It happened to him, too.’

She nearly cried out with relief. Her heart and soul were rejoicing. If the same thing had happened to Jack, then this really wasn’t his fault! Even her mind was beginning to admit to that fact. "Oh, Daniel! Sweetheart, it’s okay. I believe you. There’s nothing to forgive, my heart. As long as you love me, then everything is still okay in my world."

‘Oh, Angel, I’ll always love you! Have never stopped loving you! Will never stop loving you!’ She smiled as she felt the warmth of his love surround her.

Before she could respond, he was calling to her again. She could hear the determination, and feel the fear.

‘Casey, trouble! Goa’uld! Send help!’

She was already running toward Duncan’s office.

A  A  A  A  A  A

Daniel dove behind a pile of baskets when a Jaffa fired in his direction. He had to get to the tent where he had slept, that’s where his gear, and his P90 were. He jumped to his feet and ran in the direction of the tent. He saw Jack heading there, too. Neither of them made it.

Seleconne was nowhere to be found. Neither were the people he had brought with him. Even the girls were gone.

The Tau’ri were lined up, and a Kull warrior looked them over, examining each face carefully. Three were chosen: Daniel, Jack, and Tony Sabotti. They were ringed up to a ship that was waiting above the planet.

On the surface, the ‘gate opened, and two Marine teams rushed through. In a matter of minutes Texas, Major Parker, Trenton, and the Marines who had accompanied them were free again. They went back to Gamma, to inform President MacLeod that General O’Neill, Dr. Jackson, and Master Sergeant Sabotti had been captured, by an unknown enemy.

A  A  A  A  A  A

They were definitely on a Goa’uld ship. They were taken to a holding cell, where at least twenty other men waited. Daniel began to talk to the other prisoners, and learned that they had been taken off of seven different worlds, in surprise attacks on their villages or towns. As had happened on PX9 869, the men were lined up, several chosen, and ringed to the ship. The fate of those left behind was unknown, but the worst was suspected.

Jack looked at Daniel. "Talk to Casey. Don’t worry about what just happened, you can deal with that later-" he broke off when he saw Daniel smiling. "You already told her."

"Yeah, we were in the middle of a conversation when all hell broke loose," he said.

"Was she…uh…pissed?"

"Hurt, at first. But we, uh…well, we’ll probably have to talk some more when I get home, but she understood that it wasn’t exactly by choice that all of that happened," Daniel said. He was still thanking whatever powers there were that had worked another miracle in his life, keeping his marriage, and his home, intact.

Jack nodded. "I can only hope Sam will be as understanding. For now, let Case know what’s going on."

Daniel nodded. ‘Case?’

‘Daniel? Oh, god, are you all right? SG-6 and the Marines just got back through the gate. They told us what happened.'

‘Yeah, babe, so far we’re okay. Don’t know where we’re headed, but we’re on a Goa’uld ship. One Kull soldier, about twenty Jaffa is all that we’ve seen. Haven’t seen anybody else since we were brought on board. There are twenty-three other men here, taken from seven different worlds. Same thing happened; sudden attack, men lined up, a few chosen, and we figure the rest were killed. Tell Duncan that just before the attack Seleconne and his people disappeared. Jack thinks the drugged wine and the…uh…well, were to keep us occupied while they left and the Jaffa showed up. We were set up, babe. You were right, something was very wrong.'

There was a pause, he assumed she was passing along the information he had just given her. ‘I won’t say I told you so, but Duncan has already promised me that the next time I have a bad feeling the mission gets scrubbed, no matter how simple or insignificant it seems.’

‘I'm sure as hell never going on a mission if you have a bad feeling,’ he said firmly. Never again. How many times had he said that? This time, he meant it!

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