Just Another Day at the Office
By
Denise
Sam crept through the bushes, her attention divided between what was in front of her and any sound that might come from behind her. A hunting horn echoed in the distance and she froze, cocking her head to hear the answering bellow.
Hearing it no closer than the last time she continued on her way, trying to remember Teal'c's lessons in tracking. She walked parallel to the track they'd taken from the Stargate but not on it, knowing that if she took the trail she'd be easy pickings for the Jaffa who were hunting her.
She glanced at her watch and picked up the pace, well aware that not only did she have a rendezvous to make, but that night was falling and the last thing she needed was to trip and sprain an ankle. She'd definitely never hear the end of it.
Finally arriving at the gate she surveyed the clearing, fully aware that the Jaffa would be coming. Even if they didn't suspect a rescue team, they'd be looking for her. They knew that a typical SG Team consisted of four people.
The sound of boots echoed through the forest and she ducked, moving herself into the shadows of a large bush. If she was lucky, they'd pass right on by. She really didn't want to engage them. She knew that she could take them on, or at least a few of them. But she couldn't risk it. She was the only person who knew where her team was and she needed to get that information to the rescue team.
The Jaffa started to move off and she relaxed, sighing softly. Finally, something was going right.
The heavy chunking sound of the chevron locking broke into the quiet and she groaned. "Of course," she muttered, placing her finger on the safety of her weapon, switching it off with the locking of the third chevron.
The Jaffa returned, positioning themselves in an arc around the gate, their staff weapons primed and ready. "They're gonna be sitting ducks," she whispered to herself.
Knowing that she wouldn't have time to warn the rescue team, she dug into the pocket of her vest, wincing at the ripping sound of the Velcro. She pulled out the three grenades she carried and knelt down, laying them in front of her. She took a count of the Jaffa, hoping that the six that she saw were the only ones that there were.
The gate opened with its normal dramatic kawoosh and Sam tensed, well aware that she had only seconds to take out at least a few of the Jaffa or the rescue team were all dead. She picked up one of the grenades and pulled the pin, lobbing it into the middle of the Jaffa. It exploded and two of them were caught in the blast, their bodies flying through the air. The remaining Jaffa turned their attention from the gate and towards her. Sam ducked as staff blasts cut through the air above her head. She fired back, her bullets striking two of the Jaffa, pinging loudly as they penetrated their armor.
More gunfire cut across the clearing and Sam knew that SG-3 had arrived. The Marines made short work of the last two Jaffa and the clearing fell into an echoing silence.
"Friendly on your six," she called out softly, picking up the two grenades and replacing them into her pocket before leaving the shelter of the trees.
"Major," Colonel Makepeace acknowledged as his men secured the clearing, checking the Jaffa to make sure that they were neutralized.
"Colonel. I'm glad to see you," Sam said. "I'm sorry about the welcome but I didn't have time to warn you."
"Nothing like a firefight in the morning to get the blood pumping," he said. He frowned and glanced at the sky. "Or evening. Gatelag's a bitch. What's the situation?"
"It was a normal meet and greet. The natives looked rather primitive. They invited us to dinner, in the middle of the second course the swords came out."
"Why aren't you with them?"
"Call of nature," she said, cursing that she blushed as she said the words. It was nothing to be ashamed of and it wasn't like she was the only SG team member to take a couple of minutes in privacy. "I heard the commotion, realized that something had gone wrong and slipped away. Once it was quiet again, I slipped back and as soon as I saw the Jaffa, I came back to the gate to call for assistance."
Makepeace nodded. "Their situation?"
"Initially it was just a dozen Jaffa holding them captive in an old fortress. But I've seen a dozen death gliders and two teltacs land in the last hour. I'm guessing that the Jaffa have notified whatever goa'uld they work for that they have captives."
"A DOZEN gliders AND two teltacs?" Makepeace asked. "And you didn't think this would be important to know?"
"With all due respect, sir, I didn't have access to the gate to update you to the situation," Sam said. "Besides, I have a plan."
"Do tell," Makepeace ordered.
"The gliders are parked about two clicks that way. If we can get to them and get one off the ground, that person can disable the other gliders on the ground, the teltacs too. And then provide cover for the rescue team and SG-1 to escape," she explained.
"Great idea," Makepeace said. "If we had someone that could fly a deathglider."
Sam smiled. "What do you think SG-1 has been doing during those long weekends for the past year? Teal'c's been training us on the two gliders we recovered when Apophis attacked Earth."
"Those gliders aren't flight capable," he said. "If I'm remembering the right report, R&D suggested that one of them be cannibalized to fix the other."
"Space worthy, no," she agreed. "But one of them was flight ready. I can fly the glider."
"We're secure," Sergeant Johnson reported. "The bodies are out of sight."
"Ok," Makepeace said, obviously not too fond of her plan, but also apparently not able to come up with a better one himself. He turned his attention back to Sam. "What was their condition last you knew?"
"Mobile and unharmed," Sam reported. "I didn't get a really good look at the door, but I'm pretty sure a mag strip will open the lock."
"Johnson, Kelso, stay here, secure the gate," Makepeace ordered. "Cheng, you're with me and Carter." The three of them started off through the trees, retracing the path that Sam had just walked down. "What do you know about their situation?" Makepeace asked.
"They're not in a dungeon. It's a cage and. I think it's made of wrought iron."
"Where is it?"
"Outside the main building. It's a little exposed but if we go at it using the cover of the building, we can blow the bars while still remaining under cover."
"We?" he asked.
"Sorry, sir," Sam apologized, recognizing that she was addressing a superior officer. Technically, he didn't have to pay attention to a word she said.
He shook his head slightly. "It's your mission, you have the Intel," he said.
"Thank you, sir."
"Let's get you to the glider. What time do these people go to bed?"
"It's a hunter/gatherer society. It's pretty much dusk to dawn."
"We'll use the cover of darkness to help us out then," he decided.
They continued through the woods, their conversation fading to a few muttered words. In a little over half an hour they arrived at the clearing where the gliders were parked. As she'd already scouted, two Jaffa stood in guard over the gliders. "Part of your plan?" Makepeace whispered.
"There's only two of them," she said. "If I choose a glider on the end, I can be in it and airborne before they can react."
He shrugged, clearly not too fond of her plan but lacking one of his own. "How far away is the cage?"
"A click and a half that way," she directed, pointing off to her left."
Makepeace looked at his watch. "Give us one hour from now," he said. "We'll get there, scout it out and be ready to act on your diversion."
Sam looked at her watch as well, memorizing the time. "Yes, sir. One hour from now."
Makepeace and Cheng left her, fading into the darkness and Sam hunkered down, concealing herself amongst the bushes. She sat down and made herself comfortable, aware that she needed to relax and recharge a bit. She pulled a ration bar out of her pocket and quietly ripped it open, slowly eating it.
As she ate she closed her eyes, mentally going over Teal'c's flight lessons. She wrapped her hand around the ration bar, pretending that it was the control stick of the death glider.
Her lips moving silently she repeated Teal'c's words, imagining herself turning on the engines, closing the canopy and lifting off from the ground.
She took her imaginary plane in lazy circles, maneuvering it in a lazy eight pattern. She reached for the weapons, firing the blast canons.
Mindful of the time, she opened her eyes and glanced at her watch. Twenty minutes had passed and it was time for her to start making her way towards the glider. She quickly ate the last of the slightly mushy ration bar and washed it down with water from her canteen.
Done with her break, she eased her way through the bushes, slowly making her way down to the end of the flight line.
She paused at the edge of the clearing, looking for the two guards. Both of them were about fifty yards away and she smiled, grateful that something had gone right. Deciding not to risk waiting, she slipped out of the trees and crept towards the closest glider.
She clambered onto the wing and slid down into the cockpit, struggling a bit to stow her weapon. She looked at her watch again. Twenty minutes until the deadline.
Ok, she didn't dare take off just now. Twenty minutes was plenty of time for the Jaffa to warn the guards on the rest of her team. She forced herself to calm down and study the controls. Unlike their glider, there were no convenient English labels so she had nothing to depend on but her memories.
She looked at her watch, watching as the second hand swept in a circle, relentlessly counting down the minutes. Fifteen circles, she needed fifteen circles of that little hand before she could take off.
Fourteen.
Thirteen.
Twelve.
Eleven.
Ten.
Nine.
Eight.
Seven.
Six.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
Sam took a breath, locating the two guards before she started pushing buttons, quickly bringing the glider's systems on line. She closed the canopy and fired up the engine, her eyes riveted on the power meter.
The engine must reach a power level of 680 before the craft can become airborne, Major Carter.
The gauge rose steadily, passing 200, 300, 400. The craft shook and Sam looked out the window grimacing at the sight of a guard firing at her. She activated the shields, aware that the power drain would delay her launch. But she didn't seem to have a choice. It was either that or risk losing hull integrity.
500, 600, 620, 640, 660.
"Yes!" she exclaimed as the meter reached 680. She grabbed the controls and opened up the throttle quickly rising into the night sky. She swooped out over the forest, arming the weapons as she swung back.
She flew over the airfield, laying down a path of destruction as she fired off the canons. Behind her, two gliders exploded, sending fireballs into the sky. The glider rocked roughly and she manipulated the controls, trying not to overcorrect.
Mindful of the time, she headed towards the town aware that five people were counting on her. It took her only seconds to reach the gathering of buildings. She caught sight of the cage and strafed the clearing, careful to keep her fire away from where her teammates were held. She could only hope that they hadn't been moved in the past couple of hours.
Her canon fire blasted the ground, sending up explosions of fire and dirt. The noise woke the Jaffa and the locals and the clearing was soon filled with people scurrying back and forth. Not wanting to kill any more innocents than she had to she altered her aim, firing upon the building the Jaffa were using as a barracks.
Segments of the wall fell under her assault, tumbling to the ground and adding to the chaos. "Carter, we're clear!" her radio crackled.
Sam looked down and caught sight of the cage. Its door stood ajar and she got a glimpse of several green clad figured melting into the trees around the clearing. "Roger that, I'll keep them busy here for a few," she said.
She strafed the clearing again, this time taking care to hit the cage. If she was lucky the Jaffa would think that their captives had been killed.
An orange bolt flashed across the canopy, zinging past her to vanish into the sky. Cursing under her breath she craned her neck, not surprised to see a glider behind her.
Abandoning the clearing, she pulled back on the controls, arcing up into the dark sky. Calling up on her old flight training she set the craft into a series of maneuvers that she hoped would lose the glider behind her.
It didn't work and two more canon blasts shot past her. She swung around, realizing that she needed to get behind the other glider or she'd never be able to land and make it through the gate.
She zigged and zagged through the sky, getting further and further away from the gate in her attempt to shoot down the other glider. "You just had to be good, didn't ya," she complained when she was unable to shake him. He fired off shots randomly, either lacking the control to wait or hoping to rattle her into making a mistake.
"Carter, what's your twenty?" Makepeace's voice crackled in her radio. Unable to take her hands from the controls to answer him, she ignored the question and banked to her left, swinging immediately to her right and pulling up at the same time. "Carter!"
This time she caught the pilot off guard and managed to get behind him. She fired twice, missing her quarry. He pivoted to the right and she followed, firing again. This time she struck his left wing and he spun out of control, careening down into the forest. His glider crashed hard and burst into flames, a fireball rising into the sky. "CARTER!" she heard Colonel O'Neill scream over the radio. "CARTER, REPORT!"
Her hand shaking from the adrenaline, Sam fumbled with the radio. "Scratch one glider," she said, rising up to get her bearings before she set course back to the gate. She could see that it was open, the blue surface shimmering softly in the darkness.
She looked for a place to land, frowning when she caught sight of a group of Jaffa headed towards the gate. "Good flying," he said. "Now why don't you land your new toy so we can go home."
"Negative," she said. "You've got Jaffa less than a hundred yards down the trail. There's no time."
"There'll be plenty of time if you shut up and land," he said.
"Colonel, get through the gate. There's too many coming for you to hold off," she instructed.
"Major," Makepeace's voice joined the conversation.
"They're coming from your two o'clock, sir," Sam said. "About two dozen, maybe more. You need to get through the gate."
"That's nice, Carter, what about you?" Colonel O'Neill asked. Sam winced at the annoyance in his voice. Oh, he sooo wasn't happy.
"There's a gate in the next system. If I take this thing to hyperspace, I can be there in an hour. I can gate home from there."
"We can hold them off, Carter. Land now," Colonel O'Neill ordered.
"Colonel Makepeace, get them through the gate," Sam said. "I'll meet you back at home."
She arched up into the sky but not before she heard some very interesting words from her commanding officer. "Better be glad we're on another planet," she said. "The FCC'd have a field day with that language."
It took her only minutes to leave the atmosphere and slip into hyperspace. She set the auto pilot and settled back to enjoy the flight…and the calm before the storm.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Walter looked over his shoulder, hiding a grimace as Colonel O'Neill paced back and forth behind him. "Sergeant?"
"One hour fifteen minutes, sir," he said, struggling to keep his voice even. It was a feat that was getting harder and harder every time the colonel asked him the time.
"She did say about an hour, Jack," Makepeace said.
"For Carter, 'about' usually means she's only figured it out to three decimal points."
Walter bit his lip and turned his attention to his console. A flash of movement caught his eye and he looked over, hiding his sigh as Daniel Jackson and Teal'c walked into the control room. Great, just what he needed. More vultures hanging over his shoulder. "Any word?"
"I wish," Walter muttered.
"Nothing yet," O'Neill said.
"You know, Jack. When Carter said an hour, she probably meant flight time," Makepeace said.
"Yeah," Jackson agreed. "If a clearing isn't close enough she might have to hike a bit from where she lands the glider to get to the gate."
"That's presuming that she made a clean getaway from the planet," O'Neill said. "For all we know there could have been a mother ship in orbit or something."
"That is highly unlikely," Teal'c said.
"Unlikely does not mean impossible," O'Neill said.
Makepeace shook his head. "You're just a bundle of laughs."
"Jack, maybe we should go grab a bite to eat or something," Jackson suggested.
"You're hungry?"
"No, but lurking in the control room won't make her get back here any faster," Jackson said. "Besides, I think we're making Walter nervous."
"Walter, we're not making you nervous, are we?" O'Neill asked.
Very aware of the rank of the person questioning him, Walter remained silent, pondering his response. Maybe if he didn't say anything…
"Walter?"
He was spared having to respond by the beautiful sound of the gate activating. "Unauthorized off world activation," he said, activating both the alarm and the iris at the same time.
"Get the security teams down there," O'Neill ordered.
Walter followed his orders, one eye on the gate as chevron after chevron locked. The Stargate opened, bathing the back wall with a shimmering blue light. "Receiving IDC,"
Walter said, reading the numbers scrolling across his computer. "It's Major Carter's," he reported with relief. Finally. Maybe now he could get rid of the peanut gallery.
"Open it up," O'Neill ordered.
"Open the iris," Makepeace said at the same time.
Walter laid his hand on the panel and the iris spun open as the four men hurriedly left the room and made their way down to the gate room.
Eager to hear the conversation, Walter flipped a switch on his console, activating one of the many microphones that were in the gate room. The event horizon shimmered and Major Carter walked through, her pace easy and calm. The Stargate closed and Walter relaxed. "All defense teams, stand down," he took it upon himself to order.
"There she is, right on time," O'Neill said, oblivious to the looks from the other men in the room.
Her smile faltered. "I'm sorry, sir. I underestimated the time."
"Yeah, well, better late than never," he said. "You ok?" he asked, his tone changing.
"I'm fine, sir," she answered. "Teal'c, those lessons of yours? They really paid off."
"I am most pleased to hear that, Major Carter."
She turned back to O'Neill. "You know, sir, if we disassembled it, we could bring that glider home."
"We could?"
"Yeah, just take the wings off I think the fuselage will fit through the gate."
He nodded. "How's it gonna fit through that door?" He jerked his thumb at the door to the gate room.
Her face fell and Walter smothered a grin, waiting for the answer to that one. "Ok, so maybe my plan needs some work," she confessed.
"Plenty of time for that. Let's go let Doc poke some holes in you. Then I know that Hammond would love to hear all about your rescue plan."
He ushered her out of the room and Walter turned off the microphone. He heard footsteps on the stairs and turned, surprised to see Carter walking towards him. "Ma'am?"
She glanced over her shoulder and pulled a crystal out of her pocket. "Can you do me a favor, Sergeant? I need this downloaded to my lab."
He took the crystal from her. "May I ask what this is?"
She grinned. "A sweet little nebula I ran into." He raised his eyebrows, wondering when she had the time to scan a nebula. "A short little detour that Colonel O'Neill really doesn't need to know about…yet." She grinned conspiratorially and Walter sighed.
"Of course not, ma'am," he said. She turned to leave. "Major?" She turned back. "You might want to talk to Siler. If there's a way to get a glider out of the gate room, he'll know it."
Her face lit up. "Thank you, sergeant. If we get that bird home, you get the first ride," she promised.
Walter watched her leave then turned his attention back to his job. Just another day at the office.
Fin