Stargate SG-1: Steampunk

Chapter 6 - The Great Escape

A day and several interrogations later, O'Neill and Dr. Jackson compare notes. Both of their interrogations were almost exactly the same. However, given that they now better understand what has been done to them they did a better job dealing with their questioner. Both of their interrogations seemed to be shortened as a result. They also discuss how their fellow prisoners have slowly been disappearing. They hope the other prisoners have been taken to be exchanged. Unfortunately, the two men from Earth don't think they are going to be so lucky.

Not long after comparing notes they hear loud voices coming from the prison's command center. After several minutes of what seem like vigorous arguments the noise stops. The door to the cell area opens and three men in uniform walk in. One of them is a guard but the other two are strangers. The two strangers each carry a medium-sized duffel bag.

One of them says something that neither one can understand. When O'Neill and Dr. Jackson shrug one of the gruffly commands in Themanu, "turnaround and back up to the door. Put your arms through here." He points at the small door through which food and water are placed. O'Neill and Dr. Jackson's muscles ache as they comply. They hear chains rattling and then feel something being placed tightly around their wrists. As they step away from the doors they hear the sound of rattling keys. The cell door squeals as the guard swings it open. O'Neill and Jackson turn to see the new guards motioning them forward. They slowly step out of the cells. Each of the new guards roughly grab an arm and painfully escort them along the corridor and into the command center. The other guard walks behind them, snickering as he does. The other usually unfriendly guards stand there, arms crossed with serious-looking grins on their faces.

"Good luck, boys," one says, "on your new location. The cells here are going to seem like luxury suites compared to where you are going."

They hear chuckles and cat calls from the other guards as they walk out. O'Neill and Jackson exchange quick, concerned glances at each other.

Their new escorts roughly push them out through the main entrance and down the hall. They arrive at an elevator and one of the guards pushes the down button. They wait in silence. They hear a ding and the doors slowly open to reveal an occupied elevator. The eyes of those inside open wide as they see the two prisoners. O'Neill and Dr. Jackson start to enter the crowded elevator but their guards grab their collars and jerk them back.

"Not yet," says one of the guards gruffly.

The doors close. One guard pushes the down button again. After a tense wait they hear a ding and the doors open. Four men stand in the back. Two wearing guard uniforms and two others wearing grey coveralls with baseball-type caps pulled down over their eyes.

"Now you enter," one of the guards says as he pushes them into the elevator.

They wait for the doors to close. Just as the doors close but before the elevator begins to move one of their guards pushes a button on the panel. The elevator does not move.

O'Neill and Dr. Jackson hear clicks as snaps are unbuttoned. They turn and are shocked to see the two men in coveralls quickly stripping. The two guards spin O'Neill and Dr. Jackson around and quickly remove their manacles. They hand the manacles to the other pair of guards and then unzip the duffel bags. They pull out grey coveralls and shove them toward O'Neill and Dr. Jackson.

"Quick, put these on," the no-longer-gruff guard says softly.

Too surprised to argue they pull them on over their orange prison outfits as quickly as they can. The two men originally wearing coveralls now wear orange prison suits with sandals. "Come on, faster. We don't have much time. Here, put these on." The guards hand grey caps to O'Neill and Dr. Jackson. "Pull them down over your eyes. ... dammit, we forgot shoes for them. Here, put theirs on. Might work out."