Author's Note: So, a huge thanks to everyone recently poking me about this. Sorry for the long wait. What can I say except life is rarely what we expect…and I haven't given up on trying to finish this. Thanks everyone for hanging in with me. This chapter is actually unbeta'd. I'll get the edited version up when I can, but I figured everyone would be happy just to have a new chapter. :)

x.x.x.x.x

Jack was not at all sad to see the nobles go, especially Haken. Then he could finally drop the act and go and check on Carter. Well, almost. Lord Tesiler was still hanging around trying to broker a personal deal with Omila in exchange for access to her libraries. To Jack, it sounded more like blackmail.

"Most of the others are too young to remember when the libraries of Oketena were open to all, but I know you have not lost your father's books as you claim, not lost them at all," the old Lord confidently stated.

"Lord Tesiler," Omila tried again with a patient smile, "The war on my House was tragic-"

"Yes, yes it was. In more ways than one," he told her with sincerity, but he wasn't about to be misled.

Omila tried a different tactic, asking with a mischievous grin, "Would you have me give up all my House secrets?"

He chuckled, telling her, "I am but a crazy old man, my dear Lady. But, but, if Bethro knew who our visitors really were…" he trailed off, but Jack didn't think the old man actually meant to threaten Omila. Unfortunately Rakel didn't see it that way and stepped up next to Omila. Tesiler's one and only Guardsman did the same, his hand on his sword hilt, his face clearly saying just how loyal he really was to the aged Lord.

Tesiler blinked owlishly, startled by the sudden movement around him, still not fully realizing the threat that his words had implied.

Thankfully Omila quickly diffused the situation, gently telling Rakel to back down with just a motion of her hand. Then, taking the hand of the old Lord in hers, Omila told him, "Lord Tesiler. For you alone will I open my libraries, but not today. It has been a long week."

"Yes, yes it has." And he nodded with much gratitude. They escorted the Lord out to his carriage. Daniel and Rhyon were there waiting, having finished loading all of the Lord's items, including the troublesome stone slab.

Jack had had a chance to see it when he and Daniel had finally found a moment to have their 'talk.' It had filled in all the missing pieces about how Okata and Bethro had come to be and how they could be so opposite from each other or even how their societies must have developed over the years. Jack just wasn't sure what to do with that information. The old Lord had made many side comments to Omila over the last four days that had obviously confused the woman, but she didn't seem as interested in sorting out the truth as Teslier obviously was.

Jack watched as the man stopped to quietly talk to Daniel. He even shook the anthropologist's hand before getting into the carriage. Beside him, Jack heard Thimen hiss in disapproval, but Jack knew it was impossible for Daniel to not make new friends, no matter who they were.

And then, finally, the last noble of the Council was gone.

"I've always liked that man," Omila remarked with a fond smile. "Odd though. He's probably the only one on Bethro to believe in the Prophesy, and now suddenly he's the only one who doesn't." And expectantly, she crisply called out, "Daniel!"

The anthropologist lightly made his way over, only glancing briefly at Jack, but Jack had no words of wisdom for the man and so he just fidgeted in place, feeling more than a little impatient to go. The Council was over, they had done everything she had asked of them, and with his little display of 'power' Jack had no doubt her 'business' would go up in the coming weeks. If she was really going to punish them because Daniel talked to Tesiler, then so be it. This was a screwed up world anyway.

Looking at Daniel with shrewd eyes, she demanded, "Just what exactly did you tell Lord Tesiler to change his mind about the Prophesy?"

Daniel crossed his arms, his face taking on a rather stubborn expression as he told her, "The truth, Lady Omila. Just the truth."

Again Thimen softly hissed his disapproval, and Jack knew Daniel was close to earning himself one of Rakel's nasty punches. He tensed, intending to step in if he had to, but after a moment of strained silence, Omila finally ordered, "Go join the rest of Third with cleaning up."

Daniel nodded, and then left, Rhyon slipping out from the shadows to join him as they made their way back into the House.

Jack slowly let himself relax, but when he turned to Omila, intending to request a dismissal her gaze made him hold his tongue.

"Jack, you and your friends have done a lot this week. You've saved my House from shame and from possible disaster. You are a slave, but I know I owe you much. If you and your friends wish to leave no one will stop you."

Jack itched to take her up on her offer, but he knew he couldn't just leave, not now. Without committing one way or the other, he asked her instead, "Omila, what is it you want from us?"

"To stay of course, you are valuable assets to this House."

"That's not what I mean," he cut in impatiently. He was tired of being careful. He needed to know her real intentions. "What do you want from us? Power? You seem to have it in spades. So what, control? You have an entire house of slaves, what's three more. Tell me Omila, what is it you really want?"

Jack noticed Rackel's fist curl, but he didn't dare break eye contact with Omila. She regarded him solemnly, and then, in a quiet voice she answered, "I've lived most of my life as the sole heir of the most powerful House on Bethro. Everyone has wanted to take it away from me. Everyone. But my family gave up everything to ensure I lived to keep their secrets. I honestly don't know what I want, but what I don't want is for my House to ever be threatened again."

Jack considered her answer for a minute and then with a small shrug he told her, "I'll see what I can do about that." Not waiting for a dismissal, he turned and walked away as if he intended to go and do exactly that.

The Colonel already had some ideas about how to ensure the safety of the House, but somehow he didn't think they were ideas the okatan was ready to listen to.

x.x.x.x.x

It took two days for everyone to get everything back to the way it had been. At least for the most part. Daniel had quickly found himself more ostracized than he had when he'd first arrived. No one talked to him more than they had to, treating him much the same way they treated the First, only with fear instead of respect. Even the people he called his friends were shying away from him.

Now back in their old bunk rooms, Daniel sat down on his usual bed but wondered if he should pick a different one. With a sigh he wandered out to the common room to stare at the shelves of items.

"Want to play a game of Took?" Rhyon quietly asked coming to stand next to him.

Grateful that at least one person was still talking to him, Daniel readily agreed. But even Rhyon looked at Daniel with nervous apprehension. They found a corner of the room and settled in to play. Everyone else found corners as far away as possible.

Daniel tried to ignore their stares as much as possible, focusing solely on the game. Eventually Opith, Kheta, and Eglish wandered over, but they did so cautiously, as if he might suddenly set them on fire. Unable to take the estrangement any longer Daniel exclaimed, "This is crazy!" And then talking to the entire room loudly stated, "I am the same guy I was before. Nothing has changed!"

"Except you can control the ground," Kheta argued. Whoever had been there had long since told everyone else.

"No, I can't," Daniel refuted.

"So," Eglish asked, scrunching his face up in wonder, "only Jack can?"

Daniel wanted to groan. "Jack can't either! It was a trick, nothing more." But the rest weren't convinced. "Look, no one outside of the Council room felt the ground move, so the ground really didn't move. Omila just made it seem like Jack could make the ground shake."

He had no idea whether this farce was something they were supposed to keep up for the Okatans' sake. No one had told him one way or the other, but there was no way he was going to let these guys think he was some sort of mystical being.

"Is making the ground shake such an easy thing on Earth?" Rhyon quietly asked.

Exasperated Daniel told him, "Rhyon you know I didn't do that. You know-" but he broke off, and not just because he was about to blurt out something he did know he wasn't allowed to talk about, but because of the expression on the quiet man's face. Having heard everything Daniel had told Tesiler, Rhyon was the only one who knew the truth about Okata and Bethro…and them.

"I know," Rhyon affirmed, but then added, "Jack didn't make the ground move with his mind, but he did make it move."

"Actually, my guess is that was Sam," Daniel replied with a small frown. The worry in Rhyon's eyes had subdued the anthropologist. The two of them hadn't really talked about things. Rhyon hadn't seemed to want to, and Daniel realized his friend wasn't disturbed because he believed what the others believed, but because he was starting to believe what he had learned. He was starting to understand the truth.

As if to confirm this, Rhyon told him, "Daniel. I don't want to be a slave anymore."

Frowning in confusion, Opith questioned, "Rhyon, what are you talking about? We are who we are, we can't change that."

Daniel looked up at the man, automatically asking, "And if your mother had been Okatan? What then?"

Opith frowned even harder and Daniel felt the sting from the look of betrayal in the man's eyes. He shouldn't have said that. Looking around at everyone watching them Daniel suddenly realized just how much he shouldn't have said. It would be so easy to start a revolution, especially when in spite of his words to the contrary, Daniel was sure they still believed he possessed some great unseen power.

His current emotions a sharp contrast to his strong sense of justice, Daniel felt torn. He had the full truth now. He could tell them everything about who they were and where they came from, and they would believe him. But what good would it do?

Looking at Rhyon's pleading eyes Daniel wanted to do it. His mind automatically told him the cost would be worth it, but Jack had told him not to. It wasn't as if Daniel had never gone against Jack's orders before, but something held the anthropologist back. They'd been here for quite some time now. This was perhaps the longest mission SG1 had been on, but Daniel somehow knew Jack was still searching for something. Something that would help all of them.

"Rhyon," Daniel quietly asked, "do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"Then trust me when I say Jack has a plan."

The man searched his face for the truth, and finding it nodded, smiling softly as his shoulders sagged in relief. Daniel returned that smile, and then looked apologetically at Opith, but the man was regarding them both with intelligent and thoughtful eyes.

Typically, Eglish questioned confused, "A plan for what?"

But before Daniel could come up with an answer, Opith told him, "Eglish, forget about it." The order was as much for the young man as it was for everyone else and just as usual they all seemed inclined to follow Opith's advice.

After that, people still avoided Daniel, all but his close friends, but the anthropologist didn't mind so much. He only hoped he was right in thinking that the Colonel did have a plan, and if possible, that it would happen soon.

x.x.x.x.x

When Sam woke up it was all too reminiscent of her first time waking up in the White Rooms. She was right back in the same room she'd been in before. The only thing missing was the pregnant woman watching over her. Sam didn't even remember how she got there, or when. And just like before, there wasn't a single clue to tell her so much as the time of day.

She was in clean clothes this time, and feeling around there was a bandage taped to her back, another over her knee, and her left wrist was wrapped tight. From the dryness in her throat she knew some time must have past. The very fact that she was in the White Rooms meant it'd been several days.

Sam drained half the cup on the side table before she realized it wasn't water, but a clear juice way too sweet. And then she finished it anyway, already feeling some of her energy returning. She was extremely stiff and sore, and the injury along her back pulled sharply at her chest any time she moved her arm, but overall Sam didn't think she was in bad shape.

Cautiously getting up, Sam used the wall to make her way to the door. She was about to open it when Rhia came in. The woman lit up with excitement the moment she saw her. "Sam! I'm so glad you're awake! How are you feeling? Do you need to rest?"

"Rhia, I just got up," Sam replied with a faint smile, although with how quickly her energy levels were dropping that might not remain the case for long.

"Right, yes, of course. We were all so worried about you when Jack brought you here."

"And when exactly was that?" Sam asked, hoping to get a time line.

"The day the Council ended," Rhia promptly replied, and then held the door open for Sam since she hadn't turned back to her bed.

Sam looked at the woman, a pointed look silently asking for more details.

"Oh, um, three days ago. Shella said they had done what they could in the mines, but your infection had spread. Are you sure you don't want to rest?"

Yes, and no. And then coming up with an excuse to remain conscious, Sam told her, "Not until I get something to eat."

The woman was only too willing to help her, talking excitedly along the way about the latest events, telling her everything she had heard, namely what had taken place the day Sam had collapsed. Rhia didn't ask Sam about any of it, obviously assuming that Sam hadn't had anything to do with the mysterious earthquake. And Sam wasn't inclined to add any details. But the stories were either extremely lacking in facts, or grossly misleading.

"But no one will tell me what happened to you in the mines," Rhia finally added, helping Sam sit at one of the tables and going to the counter to get them something from the kitchen. Only two women were there with a small group of three year olds. The young kids were keeping them too busy to come over to Sam's table, but they smiled and waved and called out that 'it was good to see her again.'

Mostly, Sam was just as happy not to have to make conversation and she worried briefly about what she would tell Rhia. Maybe the woman would forget her question?

But as food was placed down in front of her the woman repeated, "So, Sam, what happened?"

"Ah, well," Sam stalled by shoving several chunks of white meat into her mouth. Realizing that she was starving, she quickly followed it up with several pieces of some sort of asparagus looking vegetable. But she couldn't stall forever and cautious about what she should actually say, Sam finally told her, "I was investigating a broken vent in one of the mine shafts. It wasn't very stable."

Rhia nodded as if she totally understood. Since she came from the mines she very well might and Sam let her come to her own conclusions about what could have gone wrong. "Those shafts can be very dangerous," the young woman stated sagely and then with a bright smile asked, "Did you get a chance to meet Shen?"

"No, sorry," Sam told her but the woman was only disappointed for a moment before she went on to fill Sam in on all the more boring gossip from the House.

She was just starting to really relax when the Colonel caught up to them. "Major! What are you doing out of bed?" He immediately demanded.

Sam automatically straightened, but then tartly replied, "Eating, sir."

The Colonel gave her an odd look, and then with a scowl remarked, "And I can see that you're done now. Come on. We need to talk."

Sam got to her feet, glad to find that the food had given her another surge of energy. Not sure how long it would last, she gave Rhia a brief wave and followed slowly after the Colonel, but at least it was on her own two feet. When they were alone in the hall he turned to her, his face a mix of emotions that startled her. "Sam, seriously, you shouldn't be out of bed yet."

"I'm fine."

But he rounded on her, anger bred from worry shining in his eyes. "Sam, you are not fine, or you wouldn't be recovering from blood poisoning right now!"

"Blood poisoning?" Sam asked, startled. She had to think hard to remember all the events before her collapse. She'd assumed she'd passed out from dehydration, exhaustion, or even blood loss. Rhia had mentioned an infection, but not blood poisoning. Did these people even have such things like penicillin or tetanus shots?

"I let Chasken talk me into letting you sit the Council out in the mines because you were supposed to be safe there. Not to say that I'm not extremely grateful for your timely step outside to find the bombs-"

"I wasn't-"

But he just kept talking right over her, "There's no denying you saved our collective butts, but when I found out…damn it Sam! You're not supposed to do it at the risk to yourself!"

"Then what are we risking our lives for?" She suddenly bit back in frustration. He had ordered her to find the last bomb when they were practically out of time. Wasn't that a huge risk? It was a far bigger risk than getting cut from some rusted metal.

He didn't say anything, his face once again tight with emotion. Abruptly he turned away, continuing back down the hall. Sam followed, her own mind confused, and suddenly just as tired as her body felt.

Before they reached her room they were passed by another visitor to the White Rooms. Khem was being led down the hall by the hand of his son. The fair haired little boy lit up even brighter when he saw them and quickly greeted, "Hi Jack. I'm showing Khem my game. I'm the fastest there is!"

"Good for you, Mitch," Jack replied encouragingly, but the look he exchanged with Khem as they passed wasn't so enthused.

With a sigh, Khem told the boy, "Mitch, you don't need to drag me there, I can just follow behind."

"But you said you wanted to see?" The boy replied with pleading eyes.

"And I will," Khem quickly returned, but Sam noticed the First didn't make any effort to remove his hand from the boy's.

All too soon they had disappeared down the hall and the Colonel was pointedly holding the door to her room open. Sam entered the white gilded prison with a sigh. Then she noticed the Colonel was gazing down the hall after the other two with a disconcerted expression. "Sir?"

"Mitch turns five in a few days."

"He'll join Eighth then."

"Hopefully."

Sam frowned in confusion. She thought she understood how the groups here were managed. "Sir?"

He sighed, motioning her to get back into bed before he finally replied, "Mitch has an extremely high intelligence, which would normally put him on the route to become a Second, but he also has the ability to work the Ancient technology, and as Khem's kid to avoid favoritism there's a strong chance Omila will want to send him downstairs."

The news sent cold shivers down Sam's spine. "You mean to the Blue Rooms," she stated with no small amount of anger. "Colonel, have you been down there? Have you met those people? It's inhumane!"

"Is there anything humane about keeping slaves, Carter?"

She didn't respond and he gave her a knowing look, asking steadily, "Major, what would you do? You've seen it all now. Would you rise up a rebellion on Bethro? Free the slaves here? If we did, for it to really work we'd have to kill the okatans, these okatans."

"They're not all-" She immediately protested and then stopped short as she realized her words were the same he'd once spoken to her. Again, he gave her that knowing smile and she bit down on her anger. "There has to be another way."

He grinned, saying lightly, "Glad to hear you say it, because I have an idea, but I'm going to need your help."

x.x.x.x.x

"It looks like everything's back on schedule," Thimen told the group of Firsts during their evening meeting. "Business has gone up, of course, but we should be able to handle it."

One week had passed since the Council ended and the House had returned to its old pattern just as if nothing had changed. Jack wondered if anything really had. For the first few days everyone had been nervous around him. Most because of the rumors about his 'powers,' and the First because they knew Omila had offered him freedom. But when he didn't seem inclined to act on the offer, the rest eventually relaxed.

But too much had happened for things to really go right back to normal.

"Thimen, has Lady Omila made her decision?" Khem suddenly demanded of the Aide. The young man had been growing antsy as the night had progressed.

Thimen hedged. They all knew what Khem was referring to. Was Khem's son going to be sentence to a life of solitude in the Blue Rooms or not? "She has until tomorrow," Thimen finally replied. "And with the increase in business things have been-"

"Thimen!" Khem cut him off, his face tight with emotion. "What way is she going to decide?"

For a moment the Aide looked like he was going to snap back, but then his shoulders sagged and he honestly told him, "Probably with the Blue rooms. With the increase in business, they're short three people."

Grief washed over his face. Everyone there felt it. Chasken put a hand of comfort on the man's arm even while his other hand sought out Shella's for personal reassurance. With the way things had been going between the couple Jack wouldn't be surprised if they didn't worry about facing a similar situation.

Then Neth cried out in outrage, "This isn't right! You would think as First we would be able to at least keep out own younglings from the worst!"

"Most don't even get to know their younglings, Neth. That's just how it goes!" Thimen retorted.

Suddenly getting up, Khem stated, his voice thick with emotion, "I've got to tell Tethlia."

Shella called after him but Jack immediately ordered, "Let him go."

Now that was something that had changed. While Thimen was still the Aide, not even he questioned Jack. They had come to know him as the Colonel he was and Jack had no intention of going back to just being a slave here. It left him free to move about the House as he needed.

Movement at the door pulled his eye and he saw Sam standing there. She didn't come in, but waited. Jack looked back to the rest, asking, "Are we done here?"

Thimen nodded, but as Jack got up to leave, Neth stood as well, stopping him. "Jack, before the Council you said you would help us. I know you've been down in the ship a lot. Are you…" But he trailed off unsure.

Jack looked at the rest, seeing a mix of emotions on their faces, the most telling being the pensive expression Thimen held. He grinned. "Don't worry, Neth. Everything is going to work out. Trust me."

"But you can leave now, you don't have to-"

Jack cut him off, firmly telling him, "I told you once before, I won't leave my team behind." And then he left.

"Sir, what if it doesn't work?" Sam quietly questioned once they were out into the hall.

"Of course it'll work!" He happily replied, but her look lacked confidence. Then he asked more seriously, "Did he get them?"

"Yes. He's waiting in my room."

Jack frowned, trying to ignore the sudden feelings of suspicion as he questioned, "In your room, Carter?"

Sam's cheeks colored briefly as she stammered out, "We thought…it's not what you think…yes, sir."

"Relax Carter," Jack told her with a smile. "Good thinking. No one will think twice seeing us go into your room." Again her cheeks colored, but this time it only made him smile harder. They passed two Guardsmen before entering Sam's quarters. The Colonel nodded respectfully to each, and in turn they nodded back.

That was something else that had changed. Hyron still insisted on giving Jack sword lessons in the morning, but the attitude among the Guardsmen had changed towards Jack. There were even several who were now requesting that Jack show them some of the hand to hand combat techniques he'd been showing Hyron. In their eyes, Jack wasn't just an honorary Guardsman anymore, he was one of them.

But Jack knew he was anything but. As soon as the door was closed behind them, Jack curtly greeted the okatan waiting for them. "Overseer Kila."

"Just call me Kila," the man replied.

"Sure, okay. Thanks for getting the layouts for us," Jack told him, but instead of handing the rolled documents over Kila knelt down on the floor and spread them out. Jack rolled his eyes. He'd been hoping to do this with as little help from the man as possible. Then, groaning from the cracking of his knees, Jack got down too, Sam quickly joining them.

"There's always city Guardsmen on duty here and here," Kila stated, pointing to two sections of the non-blue blueprints of the building that housed the Stargate. "Possibly more since war on Okata broke out, but generally no one's ever tried to go through the gate unauthorized before."

Jack hummed, looking the map over. Unauthorized gate activity was something of his specialty. He was more interested in other things.

"Jack. I'm sure Omila would be willing to help you all get through the gate if you asked her." And then when Jack didn't respond, he asked, "That is what this is about, isn't it? Finding a way to get your people back to Earth?"

Again he didn't reply, asking instead, "Do you have a map of Galeka?"

"And Bethro." Kila pulled both of them out.

Jack was glad to see the map of Galeka was extensively detailed. Just what he needed. Then, looking at the whole of Bethro, he murmured, "This is really a very small planet, isn't it?"

Beside him Sam remarked with a faint smile, "Told you."

He turned back to studying the layout of Galeka, looking for the best route possible to the gate. Idly he wondered if it might be easier to just move the gate, but he'd already brought that up with Carter earlier and she'd given him so much science mumbo jumbo about the practicality of moving a gate and a DHD that he'd quickly abandoned the idea. Still, it might be easier.

Then Kila suddenly pulled him out of his thoughts with a jerk. "Jack. When the three of you go, I want you to take me with you."

"What?" Jack quickly looked at Sam, but she shook her head as if to say she'd had nothing to do with it. He glared at the man, once again full of suspicion, but the okatan was serious. "Why?"

"I'm tired of living on a world that rejects change. I had planned on going to Okata, but even they seem to be stuck in the past. I want to go to Earth. Take me with you."

Jack had expected the request from the bethrons, but not from an okatan. He wasn't even sure they would be able to get back to Earth yet. But he couldn't out right say no to Kila, either, if just to ensure the okatan didn't give their plan away. Glowering, Jack grumbled, "I'll think about it."

The man grinned as if Jack's answer had been a guarantee and with another glower Jack turned back to the maps. Since the man was already there, Jack took the opportunity to ask him as many questions about the city Guardsmen, the buildings, the general curfew of the people, and anything else he could think of.

By the time he left Jack was feeling only slightly more confident in his plan. It was doable. It had to be. They left the plans hidden in Sam's bed and then once Jack was sure Kila had gone off to his own room, Jack had said goodnight to the Major and left for his own bed. Jack was somehow sure Omila was keeping tabs on him and probably knew everything that had gone on that night, but Jack wasn't worried. She probably thought much like Kila had, that it was all about getting his team home safely. Even if she suspected the truth, she hadn't said anything, or done anything to stop him.

Walking back towards the First's room, Jack suddenly caught sight of movement out of the corner of his eye. It was late enough that the House's interior lights had dimmed for the night, making it hard to see, but all the hairs on the back of Jack's neck suddenly rose in alarm. Quickly changing course, Jack followed his instincts, hurrying until he was close enough to make out the person down the hall.

It was Khem. The man was walking steadfastly towards the other end of the House. Jack relaxed, his heart automatically reaching out to the obviously visibly upset man. He knew what it was like to lose a son. Jack was about to call out to the man when a glint of light bounced off something at Khem's side.

His blood running cold Jack knew at once exactly what it was.

Jogging, Jack quickly caught up to the man, but not wanting to upset him further he didn't try to stop him but rather walked up beside him. "Khem, what are you doing?"

"I can't let Mitch go down there. I promised Tethlia I'd look after him," Khem tightly replied, refusing to look at Jack. Tears were streaming down the man's cheeks unnoticed as his grief hardened his resolve.

"And you will," Jack calmly told him, "But this isn't the answer. It'll only make things worse."

"No," Khem objected, his pace quickening. "No. It won't. I'll make her see reason or I'll…"

"You'll what, you'll kill her?"

At last Khem looked at him, but there was only pain and anger in his eyes. And he quietly stated, "If I have to."

It was suicide is what it was. Grimly, Jack stepped in front of the man forcibly halting him. "I can't let you do it."

As he expected, Khem immediately raised the knife to threaten Jack. He was gripping the hilt so tightly his knuckles were white. In a voice thick with emotion, he ordered, "Get out of my way, Jack."

"Khem, listen to me. This isn't the way. You'll just get yourself killed and Mitch will still end up in the Blue Rooms," Jack emphatically stated, trying to reason with the man.

He shook his head, his eyes narrowing as he growled out, "Get out of my way! I'm not standing by and losing him! I can't!"

"And you won't. But if you go through with this you'll lose everything and solve nothing. Are you really ready to abandon Tethlia?"

"I'm doing this for Tethlia!" Khem cried out and fueled by his rage he lunged forward bringing the knife up. Jack was ready for it. It didn't take much for him to block the attack and gripping Khem's wrist he swept the man to the ground, twisting his arm behind as he did. He effortlessly pulled the knife from Khem's fingers and tossed it across the floor before he released the man.

Khem slowly pulled himself to his knees but then suddenly broke down, his body shaking with grief, bitter tears streaming down his face. "Why, Jack? Why won't you help me?"

Because he couldn't. Not yet. It was too soon. Unable to reassure the man, Jack knelt down and pulling the devastated young man to him, Jack softly apologized, "I'm sorry." He meant it. His plan wasn't ready yet, and that might very well cost Khem his life. He wanted to tell the man it'd be okay, that no matter what Jack would make sure Mitch knew freedom, but he couldn't. He didn't dare breathe even a word of hope. So instead he hugged the young man as tightly as possible, trying to convey his assurance in whatever manner he could.

Khem clung to him, sobbing into Jack's chest as he let all his grief out. They both knew that even though Jack had stopped him before he actually did anything, if Omila followed the rules, than the chances of Khem living to see the morning were slim. Even now Jack could see Rakel with a group of Guardsmen coming down the hall.

His expression going tight with emotion, Jack met the stern gaze of the Chief, silently asking him to wait just a few more minutes. To his surprise the okatan stopped at the edge of the hall, motioning for his men to stop as well.

After several minutes Khem's shaking finally stilled and he went quiet. As if sensing his doom waiting behind him, the man slowly pulled back from Jack, silently wiping the tears from his face. Then, with pleading eyes he quietly requested, "Jack, will you check in on Mitch for me?"

His throat thick with emotion Jack promised, "I'll watch over him as if he were my own son." And he meant it. No matter what, he would ensure that kid made it out safely.

Nodding, Khem shakily got to his feet, and then glancing at the waiting Guardsmen he made one last request, "Jack, tell Tethlia that I love her. And that I tried." Jack couldn't answer, but he nodded, and then he watched as the young man turned and left, willingly letting the Guardsmen lead him away.

Rakel turned to Jack, his face hard but his voice mild as he said, "You did good-"

But Jack angrily cut him off. "Don't! Just don't." And without waiting to be dismissed he left. Hyron followed behind him, likely ordered to make sure he went back to his room, but gratefully the okatan didn't say anything, leaving Jack alone with his thoughts.

Things just weren't ready yet. He just needed a little more time, but after tonight Jack didn't think he could afford to wait much longer. Not anymore. It was going to be tougher to do what he needed to do now, too. He'd be expected to fill in for Khem and he was sure he'd be watched closely. They all would.

Jack wasn't as all surprised to find two guards posted outside the First's rooms when he got there, or to find that the rest were still awake and visibly upset.

"Jack, what's going on?" Shella asked as soon as he came in.

Thimen out right demanded, "What did you do?"

There was no easy way to say it, so Jack somberly told them, "Khem will not be coming back."

Shella gasped, seeking out her lover as they embraced for comfort. A pained expression creased Thimen's face and the Aide sat down as if he'd suddenly lost the energy to stand. "Why would he…?"

But Neth answered for Jack, practically growling out with heightened anger, "His son was being sent to the Blue Rooms! If it was your son, could you really stand by and do nothing?"

"But he could-" Thimen began to object, trying to justify the rules they had all grown up on.

"Enough!" Jack loudly barked out, making them all jump in the face of his anger. "It doesn't matter what Khem did, or why. Only that he did, and because he made that choice he isn't coming back."

All four, even Thimen looked surprised by Jack's words, even a little scared. Neth in particular looked like Jack had just sucker punched him in the gut. "But Jack-"

"I said enough!" He wasn't as loud, but he kept his voice commanding and stern. "I mean it. I don't want to hear another word about this matter." And when he was sure he had them all cowed into submission he told them, "I'll be taking over Khem's responsibilities until Omila picks a replacement. Now, go to bed. All of you." And to emphasize his point he turned his back on them and laid down on his bed purposely refusing to look at them.

No one dared to utter a word and soon after all the other lights went out, plunging the room into darkness. As soon as he was sure no one could see him Jack finally let himself relax, keenly feeling the regret wash over him for everything he had just done and said. But he hadn't had a choice. Omila would be watching.

This far into the plan he couldn't chance letting even one thing slip.