Hi everyone! This is the second SG fic I have written. I only posted a first chapter so far, so it's not exactly attention grabbing just yet, I guess. But I wanted to see if it was worth continuing on with.
I will try to be as accurate to the terminology and timeline as possible. I'll do what research I can, but if I am not sure, then I'm taking the liberty of making stuff up that sounds good to me.
I wish the show were still on, and I wish I owned them!
Reviews would be a great help!
Chapter 1
At first, there was only darkness. Then, a faint source of light from somewhere in the distance crept into view.
"Switching to IR."
A copse of tree trunks fell into view, ground cover rising up to meet tree branches in many spots. The light was dim, filtering through the trees from above and in the distance. Nothing else could be seen except the trees: no animals, no humans, no sign of any other life.
"Any signs of life other than the usual...trees?" Colonel O'Neill asked.
"Some. Very faint. The data indicates an atmosphere perfect for life, Sir. Could be they're some distance from the 'Gate." Carter indicated to the digital readings on the monitor in front of her. She glanced up at General Hammond for confirmation.
Since they had already had a round table discussion about the planet, Hammond nodded, "you have a go, SG-1."
Teal'c, Daniel, Carter, and Jack exited the Stargate on PX9-292, which was located on a slab of stone with three stone steps leading to the ground. This Stargate stood within the thicket of trees they had seen through the M.A.L.P. The M.A.L.P. had indicated approximately ten Klicks of woods in any direction, though it appeared that a small body of water-a stream or small lake-lay to the north-east of the Stargate.
Without discussion, the group headed in the direction of the water, since any human-like life that lived on this planet, would most likely have settled in close proximity to the water.
They'd been walking for a few hours, each aware of any noise or movement around them, yet passing the time telling jokes or stories. Most of Teal'c's went over their heads-even Carter's-but somehow Teal'c always elicited at least a chuckle or two. It could be said that Teal'c didn't always understand the humor in Tau'ri jokes himself.
At this point in the day, the sun was now overhead and they had left the wooded area about an hour ago. The land here was grass and weed strewn, a few trees here and there, much to Jack's relief, but as of yet, no signs of life at all. No birds had made a sound in the trees if they existed. No ground animals lurked through the grass; not even a bee. The trees and the grass looked relatively similar to what they were used to. At this point, Jack wasn't sure that he could tell apart an Earth tree from another-world tree.
Just as Jack was growing bored with the walking and the talking and the jokes, they finally reached where the land sloped up for a few hundred yards before dipping back down. As they reached the top, they could finally see the lake below a few Klicks away. They could also make out a few small buildings and other human-made items in the distance, but even with the scope, Jack couldn't see any people.
"Where do you think they went?" Daniel asked as they headed down the slope. With the sun high above them, its warm rays giving off heat like an oven, Daniel wiped sweat from his brow with his handkerchief.
The question was more a rhetorical one, for neither of them knew any more than the other. But, it was Teal'c who answered. "Perhaps they are all inside those buildings." It was a simple, obvious answer, but the why wasn't answerable just yet.
"I don't know if I buy that one. Have you noticed that the air seems a little...odd?" Jack asked.
"Odd how?" Daniel asked.
Jack stopped for a second and the rest of the group came to a stop as well. "I don't know, just...odd. It's too quiet. Everything is so...still."
Carter was looking around. "I can sense it too, Sir. Did you notice it back in the trees also?"
"Just since we crested the hill."
"Same here. Something's definitely off."
"There's no sign of immediate danger. I think we should go see if anyone is down there." Daniel said, looking at Jack for confirmation. Daniel was always itching to check out a new culture, or the remains of one.
"I agree with Daniel Jackson, but I believe it would be wise to be cautious." Teal'c said.
"Okay, as Teal'c said. Let's check it out." Jack said, and motioned with his hand to continue forward.
They approached the first outcropping of buildings, which were little more than dignified shacks, spanning perhaps two to three hundred square feet each, with open squares for windows. Jack called out a tentative hello and waited.
As no reply came, Daniel called out. "Please, we wish you no harm. We are peaceful explorers from Earth, known as the Tau'ri. We came through your Stargate. We would like to speak with you, learn your cult-"
"I think they get the point, Daniel." Jack muttered, lifting his P-90, but keeping his finger off the trigger.
Daniel rolled his eyes in annoyance but didn't say anything.
"Okay, Carter, Teal'c, check out the west side. Danny and I will check here to the north and we'll meet over there." He pointed.
"Yes, Sir." Carter responded and she and Teal'c headed off, ears and eyes alert. P-90s at the ready.
Just in case.
Daniel and Jack searched the first few shacks, but did not find anything interesting. The buildings were sparse, containing only a few key items that served as a bed, chairs, tables, cookware.
"Well, we can rule out gaining any new technology." Daniel commented as he picked up a bowl carved from a tree, some of its bark still clinging to the outside.
"Carter'll be disappointed she won't have any new doohickeys to play with." Jack responded, shoving a toe at a mound of what he assumed to be some sort of cloth piled in the corner. When nothing moved, he continued on.
"Should we move on then?" Daniel asked and left through the door without waiting for an answer.
As Carter and Teal'c made equally quick work of the buildings, they had separated. Noting no signs of life or immediate danger, they had silently concluded that to remain together would take longer than necessary. A quick glance in through a door or window revealed to Carter that nothing moved inside. Then she moved on to the next unless something interesting inside caught her eye. After checking a dozen or so buildings, the distance between buildings grew, as did their dimensions and sophistication. Carter silently noted the differences, reminding herself to speak to Daniel about it when they met up.
She finished searching the last house, noting that Teal'c actually seemed to have fallen behind. She pressed the clicker on her radio. "Teal'c? Find anything?"
"I have, indeed not, Major Carter," came Teal'c's stoic reply.
Carter sighed. They had visited many planets that held little to no valuable information or technology, and despite the chaos and danger they had been fraught with over the past year, from Cassie's sickness, their almost disastrous meeting with the Aschens', their counter attacks to get rid of Anubis. Again; Daniel's death, Jonas joining SG-1, almost drowning on an abandoned ship with Colonel O'Neill, more Replicator nonsense, only recently getting Daniel back from his time as an ascended being...Carter sighed again. Okay, that last thought was a positive one. And they did manage to procure the tretonin and aid the rebel Jaffa in becoming one step closer to freeing themselves from their-ahem-god.
But this was disappointing. Unless whoever had built these buildings were somewhere nearby, all seemed to be abandoned. That is, until Carter began to notice odd things about the buildings. Some of the windows had wood covering them and a few of the doors seemed to be barred from the inside. One of the larger buildings that lay open had a chair laying on its side, a bowl made of bark laying on the floor near the bed, the remains of a sticky, oatmeal-like substance congealed to the bowl and the floor near it.
Okay, now we're getting somewhere, Carter thought, feeling that spark of adrenaline rush through her.
"Carter, Teal'c." Jack's voice came through the walkie-talkie.
"Here, Sir."
"I am here." Teal'c said.
"We have nothing over here. I say we head back."
After a slight pause, Carter commented on the overturned chair and bowl. "Perhaps they left in a hurry because they heard the Stargate engage. They may just be scared. We could be the first to come here. Obviously they're hundreds of years behind us in technology."
There was silence on Jack's end as he thought about what Carter said. On the one hand, he would love to just head back to the Stargate, gather up his fishing gear and head off for a weekend of relaxation, but on the other hand, some action would be nice too.
While Carter waited for Jack's order to retreat or continue, she walked around the side of the next building and came to a quick halt. "Sir, there's a body."
Propped up next to the building was the body of what looked like a man, legs out straight, head bowed forward, hands limp beside him. "I'm going to check it out."
"Be careful, Carter. Are you sure it's dead?"
"Pretty sure. I'm not an expert, but based on the sun and temperature on this planet, I would say it hasn't been long. Maybe a few days."
"Sickness?" Jack asked.
Sam shrugged even though no one could see her. Teal'c had yet to catch up with her. "I don't think so. Wouldn't there be more bodies?"
"Just don't touch it." Jack warned.
"I won't." Carter had just made her way to the body, being sure to keep some distance. She bent down to look at the face, but it was mostly hidden in shadow by its position. The hands looked fat and jelly like, though the skin remained clear and free from bruising as the blood clotted and the body began to break down. She didn't see any obvious signs of a struggle or cause of death. In fact, the ground around her, which had become more sandy than grass-covered, was smooth except for her own tracks. She stood up and pressed the button. "Sir, I think we should check it out. See if there are any others. If they're sick, we might be able to help."
Jack didn't like it, but what harm could they be in? Their only sign of possible life was dead.
As if she knew what he was thinking, Carter said, "the readings on my HDC show no signs of toxicity. Whatever killed him, it's not airborne."
"Okay. Hang on Carter, we're on our way." Jack said.
"As am I." Replied the long-silent Teal'c.
As Carter stood there, she glanced around her for other bodies, wondering why there would be only one, and if there was a connection between the evidence that someone had left in a hurry.
Carter let out a gasp as she felt something tighten around her ankle. Her head snapped to the ground. The body was no longer just a body, but a moving body. Though still looking much more dead than alive, it had grabbed her leg and was attempting to drag her leg out from under her with a non-human like whine. It now looked up at her as she tried to pull her leg from its grasp. Its eyes were milky white and its face was puffy, its tongue snaking through its fat lips, purple and thick to match. Carter shoved the butt of the P-90 against its head to throw it off-balance, but instead, the P-90 smashed through its skull with a wet, squishy sound. Carter grimaced and retracted the P-90. The thing reared up, grabbing at her BDU vest, its face now in full view. Carter was repulsed and shoved at it as hard as she could, knocking it to the ground. She was just about to fire the P-90 when someone-or something-grabbed at her from behind. Trying to swing around, she was knocked to the ground. A second one of those bodies fell on top of her and the point of a blade just narrowly missed slicing into her cheek. A gooey mass of skull, brain, blood, and other tissue seeped out of the crushed skull and all over Carter. She saw the first body getting up again and quickly shoved the second body off of her, taking in the smell of death that now covered the front of her body.
A hooded figure stepped in and took care of the thing that had gotten to its feet. It fell to the ground and remained still. The figure turned to Carter and reached out a hand. Carter looked up at the figure, but couldn't see a face. Remaining on the ground, propped up on elbows, Carter asked, "who are you?"
Instead of answering, he just waved his outstretched hand. Carter took it and was brought to her feet. She asked again, "who are you? Where did you come from? We couldn't detect any signs of life here."
As the voice spoke, Carter inhaled. "That is because they are all dead. Or most of them. As we will be soon if we don't get to the Stargate."
Carter backed away. Though she couldn't see his face, she couldn't mistake the voice. "Colonel? Teal'c?" Carter spoke to her radio. There was no reply. Carter glanced around her, worry creasing her brow.
"Did you harm them?"
The hooded figure laughed. "I just saved your life, Major Carter. And you think I would harm the rest of SG-1?"
Carter gave him a wary glance. "Sir? Do you copy?"
Static came back, but so did the out of breath voice of the Colonel. "I copy. We have a bit of a situation here, Carter. You okay?"
"I'm fine. What kind of situation?"
"I am close by, Colonel O'Neill." Teal'c replied. "I am, indeed in the same situation."
"On my way, Sir." Carter took one glance at the figure, motioned with her gun for him to start walking, and then jogged after him towards the rest of her team.