Wait... it couldn't be a whippoorwill, could it? Could animals that evolved on Earth have followed the same trail to end up with cousins on the other side of the galaxy? According to the early reports from SG teams, it seemed as if the Goa'uld had transplanted groups of humans from Earth on various planets in their domains. But they'd barely had time to scratch the surface of what had happened. Could the Goa'uld have also brought various animals with them in order to help their slaves adapt to the new world? Good Lord, could the story of Noah's Ark actually be about a Goa'uld transferring humans and animals to...
She pushed that thought out of her head. The anthropological teams back at the SGC would probably have their hands full with figuring out what the Goa'uld had been up to all these years. For the moment, she was content to just step off the Gate pedestal and plant her feet on alien soil for the first time. She took a deep breath and tilted her head up, putting a hand over her eyes even though they were covered by the brim of her hat. She could see the faint outline of two moons in the sky and whistled. "Alien worlds," she said. "It's hard to believe..."
Teal'c came down the pedestal behind her, adjusting his grip on his staff weapon as he paused behind her. "SG-1 is this way," he said succinctly before walking in the direction he'd pointed.
Janet walked after him, deciding that he wasn't much of a conversationalist. He had come through the Gate close to a half hour earlier, reporting to General Hammond that the rest of SG-1 had been ensnared in some kind of trap. They had found a stone frame, draped with ivy and isolated from the remnants of the village they had been investigating. As soon as all four of them were inside, something activated and the entire area had been coated with some sort of fine powder. Colonel O'Neill had insisted on staying put until they found out what they'd been sprayed with, but they soon discovered they didn't have a choice. An energy barrier had blocked their exit from the stone structure. They were trapped.
Teal'c, on the other hand, had passed through the barrier without a problem. Captain Carter figured it had to do with his symbiote, the immunity it granted him keeping him from being infected by whatever had dusted the team. O'Neill had ordered Teal'c back to the Gate to bring back reinforcements and a medical team. Hammond had thought differently. SG-1 didn't seem in any immediate danger, from Teal'c's own account. Sending in another team only heightened the chance of more people being infected. In the end, he had agreed to send Dr. Fraiser back to check out the team's condition and report on the viability of bringing the infected SG-1 back to Earth for treatment.
He hadn't seemed to realize that his decision would be monumental for the newly-appointed Chief Medical Officer. She'd watched teams go off-world, of course, and had managed to watch the Stargate activate as many times as possible. It still gave her goosebumps. But to actually suit up and step onto another world? It seemed impossible, unbelievable and she got to do it! It seemed almost ironic that she was doing something so amazing and couldn't tell anybody about it. The only people with the clearance to know about it were already immune to the wonder.
She and Teal'c entered the edge of the forest, he holding up a branch so she could pass easily underneath. The ground sloped downward, leading to a narrow stream. "Which way?" she asked.
Teal'c pointed with the end of his staff weapon and started off in that direction. She adjusted her pack and followed. When she'd geared up and met him in the Gate Room, he had barely afforded her a passing glance. With anyone else on base, she would have been highly insulted or at least hurt. But this was Teal'c. The large rebel Jaffa who had saved SG-1 on their first mission. He seemed more mystery than man, more an essence than a presence. She had sat in on a briefing with SG-1 recently and he'd been so still and silent that she'd almost forgotten he was sitting in the chair next to her. But it was more than his size, his silence and his strength that made Janet uncomfortable.
It was him. The idea of him, the idea of spending time with an actual alien life form. A man born and raised on an alien world with other aliens. She'd spent her teens laughing at the kids in school who read science fiction. Those nerds who lined up around the block to watch Star Wars for the thirteenth time. She'd scoffed at the yokels who claimed to have been abducted by aliens. If aliens were so advanced, she argued, why the hell did they focus on abducting drunk rednecks from Alabama? But now... she was walking next to an alien stream in an alien forest. And her tour guide was undeniably alien. No matter how human he looked, she couldn't forget that he carried a small snake-like creature in his gut that kept him alive.
She stumbled slightly in the mud, yelping before she managed to right herself. She brushed the sleeve of her jacket where it had brushed against a tree and looked up to see Teal'c looking over his shoulder at her. "I'm fine," she said. "Just a little-" He turned and continued walking. "Slip," she muttered. "Thank you for your concern. Oh, please, no, I don't need to be checked out. You're embarrassing me now, really."
"To whom are you speaking?" Teal'c said.
"Myself, apparently," Janet said. She sighed and continued after him, making sure to keep an eye on where she stepped.
-
He did not like this. Escorting a female, a doctor no less, into a potentially dangerous situation was highly unacceptable. He had seen what Captain Carter could do in battle and had no qualms about relying on her. But this female was different. She did not seem comfortable with a weapon. She was far too distracted by their surroundings. In a male, he perhaps would have put off her attentions to being alert. But she was definitely not searching for enemies. She was... what was the word O'Neill had used?... sight-seeing. He knew it had not occurred to her that this could be dangerous. He would be forced to protect her if anything happened.
She had slipped in the mud and was now muttering to herself, carefully brushing off her uniform. As if dirt on her clothing would assist her in battle. He had heard her referred by a rank and could not believe she had achieved the same level as Captain Carter. Perhaps it was an honorary title.
"Excuse me," she said. "Mr. Teal'c?"
He tensed and stopped, turning to face her.
She exhaled, looking both ways. "Maybe we could take a minute to catch our breaths."
"My breathing is fine," he said.
"Yeah, well," she motioned at his legs. "You're a little taller than I am. And a lot faster. I just need a minute."
Teal'c tightened his jaw. "Very well."
He straightened his spine and planted the butt of his staff in the mud as she took a seat on a fallen log. She sighed, stretching her legs out and rubbing her thighs. "You could sit down, too, if you want."
"It is unnecessary," Teal'c said. At this rate, it would take him at least twice as long to get back to the team. Bringing the doctor had been a bad idea. He had known it from the start, but could not defy General Hammond's orders. Perhaps he could carry her. He pushed that thought out of his head and took a breath, looking over at her. Finally, he said, "It is also unnecessary for you to refer to me as 'Mr. Teal'c.'"
"Oh," she said. "I'm sorry, I'm just used to military ranks, that sort of thing. I didn't know it was offensive-"
"Do you ever cease speaking?" Teal'c interrupted. What was the point of her rambling explanations? He did not care, he was uninterested in why she insisted on calling him Mr. Teal'c. All he wanted was for her to stop.
She seemed stricken, as if he'd actually assaulted her. She blinked and turned away, closing her mouth and pressing her lips together. After a moment, she cleared her throat and stood. "I'm ready," she said softly.
"Dr. Fraiser," he said.
"This way?" she asked, brushing past him and walking along the riverbank.
He grit his teeth. Females had no place in combat. If their feelings would be hurt by such a simple- He tensed and froze where he stood, turning his eyes to the tree canopy. Something had... There! "Dr. Fraiser!"
She didn't stop so he moved quickly, grabbing her collar and yanking her to her knees. "Hey!" she snapped. He pressed himself to her back, snaking a hand around and covering her mouth with his hand. She struggled, twisting and jerking in a futile attempt to free herself. He tightened his grip and pointed to the sky. Janet glanced up... and froze when she saw what he had just heard. A small black and gold ship swept across the forest, making the trees tremble with it's passage. Her eyes widened and she shifted her gaze to Teal'c. "A Goa'uld cargo ship," he said softly, his voice resembling far-off thunder next to her ear.
He eased his hand from her mouth and she whispered, "What is it doing here?"
"Perhaps the device which ensnared SG-1 alerted them."
"Like a bear trap?" Janet asked.
"Perhaps," he said, not entirely clear what she was speaking of.
"So the Goa'uld..."
"The Jaffa on board that ship are most likely on their way to capture SG-1."
-
Janet couldn't help the shudder that passed through her at those words. She looked back at the sky, but the ship was already long gone. Her heart was pounding against her chest; not only was she on an alien world, the bad guys had just shown up. She almost said 'this wasn't in the brochure,' but following Teal'c's little outburst, she thought it best to remain quiet. She bit her bottom lip and eased her way out of his arms, staying on her knees as she turned to face him. He was apparently thinking of a plan of action. "If I send you back to the Stargate, there is a chance the Jaffa have already set up a guard," he said slowly. "Meaning you would be safest accompanying me to SG-1's position."
"I want to go with you," she said.
He looked at her, apparently not believing her, and nodded. "We must move quickly."
"Good thing I just took my break," she said. She jogged two miles whenever she could, despite her earlier inability to keep up with Teal'c. Walking was a little different than running; she could have easily kept up with him if she'd wanted to jog instead of walk. She rose to her feet and said, "Come on. Time's wasting. That ship has probably already landed."
Teal'c nodded and rose, already moving forward. He brushed past Janet, keeping himself low. His steps were few and far between, each one carrying him farther than the last. Janet took a deep breath and started jogging after him. Just as walking and jogging were different, jogging was an entirely different animal when done in sweatpants with headphones on. Moving through unfamiliar terrain, weighted down with supplies and a vest and her uniform, she was exhausted far too early. Her feet were killing her in the boots, pain shooting from her little toe to her ankle.
She watched as Teal'c jumped the stream, stretching one leg out and landed perfectly on the other side. He scrambled to the top of the rise and dropped to his knees, pushing aside an overgrown branch. Janet slowed enough to get across the stream, careful not to splash, and clambered up the rise behind him. He turned and looked at her for just a moment before looking back into the clearing. Janet peered over his shoulder.
The structure was a stone frame, alien words carved into the support beams. She couldn't see anything keeping the team where they were, but that was the nature of energy fields... she assumed. Colonel O'Neill, Captain Carter and Daniel Jackson were all facing east, where the cargo ship had landed. Three Jaffa were making their way across the clearing, staff weapons level with O'Neill's chest. The Colonel stepped forward, holding his hands out and saying something that was lost in the distance. The Jaffa barked a loud, "SILENT!"
Janet glanced at the man next to her, watching his face as the Jaffa advanced on the captured team. He had been on the giving end of this kind of thing all too recently. Would he have a flashback? Maybe help the wrong side? She suddenly felt overwhelmingly worried about the man a few inches away from her and eyed his weapon suspiciously. She was about to ask him for it when he said, "We must not allow them to be taken prisoner." He surprised her by rising onto his knees and handing her the staff. "Take this. Return to the Stargate. Inform General Hammond what had transpired." He reached over her shoulder and detaching the medical kit she'd brought with her.
"What are you going to do?"
"SG-1 is valuable only as trinkets. I am shol'va. The Jaffa will leave SG-1 if I offer myself in trade."
Janet wasn't sure whether to be impressed, amazed or angry at herself for what she'd thought of this man. "You're going to turn yourself in? Teal'c, you're a traitor!"
"Which is why they will not hesitate to make an exchange. Go. Return to the Stargate. With luck, the rest of SG-1 will join you shortly."
He turned and pushed through the clearing. "Jaffa, kree!" he shouted, drawing the trio's attention.
Janet ducked down, hoping the bushes and her green clothing kept her from sticking out too much. She pressed her hat down on her head, trying to block as much of her skin as she could. She heard one of the other Jaffa say, "Shol'va!" Even knowing there was no way to get reinforcements in time, she turned and slid down the embankment. She couldn't let Teal'c sacrifice himself for nothing.
-
Teal'c held his hands out, palm up, to show he was unarmed. The med kit hung from his thumb, swinging as he walked forward. The three Jaffa, as predicted, recognized him and turned their weapons away from the 'bear trap' as Janet Fraiser had called it. "Shol'va!" the lead Jaffa snarled. "These are the people for whom you have turned against your god? Fools who wander into even the most simple trap?"
"Hey, now," Jack O'Neill said. "Let's not say anything we'll regret."
"Silence, human!"
"Yeah, you shut up, too," O'Neill said. "Hey, Teal'c, where are those reinforcements we talked about? SG-2? SG-3? C'mon, you had to have at least brought the jarheads..."
Teal'c didn't take his eyes off the other Jaffa. "General Hammond did not believe it safe to assign reinforcements."
O'Neill winced. "Damn it, I was afraid of that."
"What?" Daniel Jackson said.
"We've been contaminated," O'Neill explained. "Hammond couldn't risk anyone else catching whatever we've got."
Teal'c threw the med kit across the clearing, turning away only to make sure it passed through the energy barrier to the team. "Dr. Fraiser supplied me with medicine she believed would counteract whatever you were infected with."
Captain Carter knelt and opened the pack while Teal'c held his hands farther apart. "Leave the humans. They are not worth your trouble. You worship Heru'ur," he said, nodding at their forehead markings. "He would greatly value my imprisonment."
"It would go far in negotiations with Apophis," one Jaffa agreed. "Our lord would greatly favor us if we were to return with-"
"Enough!" the lead Jaffa snapped. "I am well aware of Teal'c's value to our god. However, the humans of Earth are just as valuable. Apophis was furious to learn of their escape and wants them eliminated quickly." He worked his jaw, considering his options, and motioned one of the other Jaffa forward. "Release them from the force field. I will secure the shol'va."
The other two moved towards the stone trap, while the leader branched off towards Teal'c. When they reached the force field, one Jaffa ordered, "Release your weapons. Place them on the ground and step away from them."
The team reluctantly complied, but Captain Carter kept a small yellow packet pressed between her thumb and palm. "Drop that as well," the Jaffa ordered.
"It's just a disinfectant," Sam said, showing them. "We were sprayed by something that-"
"It was not a biological agent. You are in no danger. Drop it."
Carter dropped it and stepped away from her
90. The Jaffa pressed a series of engravings on the stone pillar and the force field came down. The lead Jaffa had reached Teal'c, smiling victoriously. "If I should kill you, know that Heru'ur need only a sarcophagus to revive you... again and again." Teal'c seemed unphased by this news. "Are you prepared to die for your treachery?" the Jaffa asked.
"I die free," Teal'c said.
O'Neill said, "Nice..."
The lead Jaffa sneered. "So be it."
A staff blast sounded, a man cried out in pain. O'Neill winced in sympathy, the knowledge that Teal'c could be revived not helping him any. Behind him, he heard Captain Carter say, "Oh, my God, is that who I think it is?" O'Neill looked, blinked, and still couldn't believe what he was seeing. Dr. Fraiser, the newly-appointed Chief Medical Officer of the SGC, was running from the woods. She was carrying a staff weapon that had to be taller than she was, firing wildly at the cargo ship. The Jaffa who had been about to kill Teal'c was on the ground, smoke rising from beneath his body.
O'Neill spun and took out the closest Jaffa. Carter, following his lead, launched herself at the other and knocked him down. Fortunately, the Jaffa hadn't bound their hands. Carter pressed a knee into the small of her Jaffa's back, while O'Neill practiced his full nelson on the other. "Any more of your friends in that ship?" he asked. There was no reply, so he tightened his grip. "Come on, play along."
"There... are no others."
"Good dog," Jack said, patting the man on the head. "Danny!"
The younger man was already ahead of him, bringing their weapons out of the structure. Teal'c ran to Janet and took the staff weapon from her and they ran over to SG-1 together. "This fella says they're alone," O'Neill said.
"The rest of the world is uninhabited," Teal'c said. "It is believable that these three were merely in the vicinity when we set off their trap."
"But they might have called someone, right?" Jack said, rising to his feet and turning the weapon on the Jaffa he'd been holding down. The warrior started to rise, but Jack kicked him and said, "Ah-ah! Heads down, thumbs up."
"They could have radioed for reinforcements, yes," Teal'c confirmed, ignoring the bizarre order O'Neill had just given the captives.
"Daniel?" Jack asked.
"The structure seems to be made by whoever built the Stargates," he said. "I'd like to know why it let Teal'c out, but-"
"But it's not worth hanging around someplace this dangerous to find out. Right? That's what you were going to say, right?"
Daniel pressed his lips together, but said, "Right."
"Excellent," Jack said. To the Jaffa, he said, "Now, you boys keep your heads down. No peeking. Count to thirty billion and then you can come looking for us." He turned to Teal'c. "You ready to head out?" Teal'c was staring at Janet Fraiser and didn't answer. "Yo, Teal'c. You ready?"
"Yes," Teal'c said, snapping out of his trance.
"All right, then," Jack said. "Let's get outta here." He motioned to Janet and said, "Xena, you lead the way."
-
Teal'c looked up as the door to the gym opened, surprised to see Janet Fraiser step into the room. "Oh," she said. "I didn't think anyone was here."
"I am sorry..."
"No, it's all right," Janet said, walking onto the mat towards him. She was wearing sweatpants and a tight tank top, a towel draped over her shoulders. "I don't mind if you don't. It is a big room."
"I do not mind," he assured her. He picked up the wooden stick he'd been using and swung it in a slow arc. Janet put her towel on the bench and watched as he moved, the play of muscles beneath the skin. He was bare-chested, revealing the criss-cross scar that led to his symbiote pouch. As he brought the stick around, he saw that she was watching him and said, "You wish to observe?"
She shrugged and smiled. "You proved to me on that planet that I need a little help for field work," she admitted. "It's the reason I've started coming here when I'm off-duty. Trying to make myself a little bit less of a liability."
Teal'c straightened and leaned against the practice stick. "You are not a liability."
"Please, Teal'c," she said.
"Had you followed my orders, I would have become a prisoner to Heru'ur. SG-1 would have been taken as well. I am not confident it would have ended well."
"All I did was fire that staff weapon," she said. "Badly, might I add."
Teal'c pointed out, "You hit the Jaffa."
"In the shoulder. When I was aiming at the ship. I'm just glad I didn't hit you."
The corners of his lips tilted in what she assumed passed for a smile. "Regardless of intent, it had the necessary effect. And for that, I thank you."
"I couldn't just leave. Reinforcements would've been far too late." She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "And believe me, I'm glad it worked out the way it did. But admit it, on our way to SG-1, you really would have preferred anyone else, right?"
He looked away, as if ashamed, and said, "I am still unaccustomed to going into battle with humans. I had never before seen what you were capable of and therefore was wary of..."
"I understand," she said. "And I'm here to make sure it's not an issue in the future. You know... assuming I go on missions in the future."
Teal'c nodded and said, "Very well. Do you wish to spar together?"
Janet thought about that and slowly smiled. "If I train with you, then I think I could hold my own against anyone on base."
He lifted his practice stick and pointed it menacingly at her head. "In that case... arm yourself."
She grabbed a stick and stepped up to face Teal'c in the center of the mat.
END