Once we start posing as kidnappers, there's no turning back. And if we get captured, we are hooped! -- Daniel, in "Bad Guys"

Hooped

Daniel turned around cautiously, keeping his hands raised, to face the leader of the soldiers surrounding SG-1. "Look, we never wanted to hurt anybody. We just want to go home, okay? And that ring is how we do that. Please just let us leave. All we have to do is walk through that." He gestured in the direction of the Stargate, its shimmering event horizon so tantalizingly close. "Once we're gone, it will shut down and no one will be harmed, I promise."

Quartus' eyes hardened. "I'm afraid I can't allow that." The Viceroy needs a very public victory over the rebels, and that won't happen if you escape.

"Oh crap," Cam burst out. "Look, we all know what you're going through! We-We've all been there. Hell, when I first heard there were alien worlds and races out there, I…freaked…out. I was afraid. Afraid of how advanced they might be. Afraid of what their intentions were. Afraid they might come to my world and kill me. And I'll be honest with you, there are worlds and races out there who do mean you and your people harm, but we're not one of 'em, and you're lucky you ran into us before you ran into them. Now, I will admit that our first contact was not ideal. In fact, it could well be our worst," he acknowledged, with a glance toward Daniel.

Daniel made a face, and guestured in a manner that suggested he'd had worse. Teal'c bowed his head slightly in agreement.

Cam continued calmly, "But you do not want your first foray into interplanetary relations to be a violent one." He walked slowly but deliberately toward Quartus, keeping his hands raised. He allowed a hint of a threat to creep into his voice. "We're a peaceful people, but we do not take acts of aggression lying down. So you let us walk through that ring, and when and how we meet again, will be under your control. Prevent us from leaving, and it won't be," Cam concluded, locking Quartus in a penetrating stare.

Cicero could contain himself no longer. "Please, Quartus. This is the future of our people," he begged.

Quartus sighed, and then turned to his soldiers keeping SG-1 at bay. "Lower your weapons."

"Thank you," Mitchell said with barely-disguised relief. Carefully, to avoid giving the appearance of pulling out a weapon, he took out his radio and prepared to contact Landry.

Then, the wormhole blinked out. The sudden absence of its brilliant glow left the alcove surprisingly dark.

Several of the soldiers jumped in surprise. Weapons that had been pointing downward were refocused on the members of SG-1. As Daniel's eyes adjusted, he noted that Quartus' expression had become decidedly hostile.

"What happened?" Quartus demanded.

"The gate closes by itself if nothing is sent through," Vala replied with a nonchalant toss of her head, "and you delayed us long enough for it to shut down."

"Can you start it up again?" Cicero asked eagerly. The researcher looked ready to step through the gate himself.

"No, we can't, not without another power source," Vala responded, tartly. "As I said before, dialing the gate has depleted the naquadah core in the bomb. I don't suppose that you have another one of these lying around your lovely museum?"

"That's not our only option," Cam interjected. Quartus is getting twitchy – he's going to lock us up, if we don't off-world real soon, he thought. "Our people on the other side are prepared to send through dialing equipment in just this sort of situation. When we don't contact them, they'll call us, and we can let them know what we need."

"Why can't you just leave when your people, as you say, "dial the gate," without sending any equipment?" Quartus asked in a suspicious tone.

"The connection only goes one way at a time," Cam answered. "We can only leave if we initiate the connection from our end. So, they send us the equipment, and then we leave," he finished, giving Quartus an expectant look.

Quartus gestured to his soldiers. "Take them." The soldiers swarmed towards the members of SG-1.

"You're making a mistake!" Cam objected, as soldiers stripped off his vest and cuffed his hands behind his back. The other members of SG-1 were similarly treated.

Cicero was sputtering frantically. "Wait -- don't – you can't – Quartus, please!"

Quartus glared at the researcher. "My priority is to bring the rebellion to an end as soon as possible. I cannot take a chance on supposedly 'peaceful explorers' bringing a weapon here."

"They're not going to send a weapon, just a power source and a dialing program!" Cam protested, as two soldiers grabbed his arms and begin dragging him down the hall. Quartus ignored him, turning to the nearest soldier.

"Keep a contingent of men here, and watch that carefully," he ordered, pointing toward the gate. "Destroy anything – or anyone – who comes through the ring."

Cicero was stunned. "I want to talk to the Viceroy!"

"You overestimate your position," Quartus replied. He turned to one of the remaining soldiers. "Take this man into custody as well. He is their accomplice."

"What? No!" Cicero cried out, uselessly, as the soldier grabbed him.

The guards forced SG-1 down the hall towards an open door. Daniel glimpsed a waiting vehicle beyond. He glanced over his shoulder at Cam, who was to his right and slightly behind him.

"Yeah, I know," Cam said, before Daniel had a chance to get off his I told you so. "We're so hooped."

A/N: About half the dialog in this chapter comes directly from the S10 episode "Bad Guys."