Summary:
On an overgrown and uninhabited planet, Daniel goes missing. (More summary to be added with more chapters!)
Notes:
I'm still deciding where to take this one. All I know so far are the events of Chapter 1. There is potential for some light Sam/Jack and possibly Daniel/Janet, but the main focus is telling a nice long, SG-1 story.
Sam stepped through the gate, the SGC disappearing behind her and a world green with trees appearing in front. The area looked wild and overgrown. Vines were wrapped around the base of the D.H.D. and weeds poked up through the steps leading down from the gate, cracking the stones. She gazed, with awe, at the determination of nature to overcome the influence of man. Or in this case, she supposed, it was the influence of the Goa'uld or the Ancients. Climbing carefully down the steps she moved towards the M.A.L.P., followed by Daniel. The Colonel and Teal'c had gone slightly further ahead, hands on their weapons and a cautious glance around the area for potential threats. The readings from the M.A.L.P hadn't shown any signs of life or recent activity in the immediate area, but that wouldn't stop either of them from making sure.
Sam checked out the M.A.L.P. and determined that it hadn't been broken by it's bumpy trip through the gate. They had sent it through ahead of their scheduled mission to P5A-637, but the odd angle of the gate and the broken steps had propelled it violently towards the ground below. It hadn't overturned, but Sam had been concerned that the equipment on it had been damaged. To her relief, it seemed fine. Her focus turned to Daniel, who was pottering around to the side of her, pushing foliage away from a pile of stones they had seen over the video feed, prior to their embarkation.
"Find anything interesting?" She asked.
"Well, I was right; there's writing on these." He indicated the larger stones. "But I don't recognise the letters, let alone the language."
"They look like they were placed there, not like they've been knocked over from part of a larger structure or anything." She looked at him quizzically.
"You're right. They've been layered. And I couldn't see from the video, but look, there's another one, further back in the forest." He moved aside a low-hanging branch to show her a second pile, constructed in the same way as the first; larger stones at the bottom, gradually getting smaller towards the top. Each stone was covered in the same symbols. "Jack." Daniel called, and Jack approached the two to join their inspection of the strange rocks. "There are more of these that way."
Jack glanced over to where Daniel was pointing. "I suppose that's as good a direction as any to start exploring."
He had a point, Daniel thought. The wilderness around the Stargate was all encompassing. There were no paths, no clear sign that one direction or another might be the right way to go.
"Teal'c." Jack gestured for the Jaffa to join them. "Looks like we're going this way."
Teal'c nodded and the team set off, with much scrambling over the tangle of branches and leaves, towards the next pile of stones.
Closer to, they were clearly larger than the last structure. But Daniel confirmed that the writing appeared to be the same. He took photos, and SG-1 looked around for more piles of rocks.
"Here!" Sam called. There were more through a thick bush of nettles. "Careful, Sir. I think they sting."
Jack smirked and waved her off, pushing his way through the plant with his P90.
The next pile of stones was bigger again, and Daniel began to suspect they were some kind of mile-marker. "I think these are cairns." He exclaimed excitedly.
Teal'c raised an eyebrow at him.
"What?" Asked Jack.
"A cairn." Daniel repeated. "They're mile-markers, or landmarks. I think these may have been markers to show a path."
"A path to what?"
"Well, I don't know, Jack. But if we follow them I'm sure we'll find out." He tried to keep the patronising tone out of his voice, but it was difficult when Jack asked such ridiculous questions.
"Hmm. Follow the mysterious rocks. This is sure to end well..." Jack didn't even try to mask his sarcasm. "Right, let's follow the yellow-brick road kids."
The third set of stones led to a fourth, and then a fifth, but whatever path they had once sat alongside had long since disappeared beneath the wilderness. At points, SG-1 had to resort to cutting through the plant-life with their knives, careful to do minimal damage, but faced with no other option against the wall of greenery in front of them. After the fifth cairn, however, the foliage seemed to thin a little, and the sixth pile of rocks was easier to spot.
Jack stowed his knife away and strode forwards. "There's a clearing over here." He called back to his team.
The others joined him and Sam noticed the perfect circle left bare ahead of them. "I wonder what's caused the plant-life not to grow into the circle." She mused.
"It has not ceased growing Major Carter." Teal'c pointed out. "The edges of these plants have been burned or sliced away." He touched the leaves of the nearest tree and Sam saw that he was correct. Some of them had been sliced clean in half.
"Everyone keep an eye out for trouble." Called Jack, instantly alert.
"Jack, there's a path over there. Leading away from the clearing." And before Jack could stop him, Daniel had stepped into the space to investigate the path beyond.
"Daniel, what did I just say?" Jack called out.
He had barely finished speaking when the dirt around the clearing flew up and a ring transporter whisked Daniel from their sight.
"For crying out loud!" Jack exclaimed, raising his P90 and grabbing his radio. "Daniel."
Only static came back in reply.
"Daniel, respond."
Again, nothing.
"Dammit, Daniel. Where are you?" When he received no reply the third time, Jack turned to his remaining team. "Teal'c head round the clearing that way," he indicated to the left with his gun, "Carter, with me over here. Keep an eye out for anyone, or any weird techno-stuff, that might show where he's gone. No one, I repeat, no one, step into that clearing."
Teal'c began negotiating his way anti-clockwise around the circle the ring transporter had left, light-footed and nimble. He had reached the other side and the path before Jack and Sam. As they joined him he looked directly at Jack. "There is nothing to suggest where Daniel Jackson may have gone, O'Neill."
"Nothing on the other side either, Teal'c." Said Sam.
"Carter, head back to the gate." Jack ordered. "Let General Hammond know we've lost Daniel. Ask for SG-3 to come back with you to help in the search. Teal'c, you and I are gonna have a look down this...path." He indicated the gap in the greenery in front of them. Path had been a generous description. It was overgrown, like the rest of the planet they'd seen so far, but someone seemed to have trampled there way through it. Recently too, thought Jack, or more of it would have grown back.
"Yes sir." Sam obeyed, and turned to head back around the circular clearing.
"It is highly unlikely he is still on the planet, O'Neill." Teal'c spoke firmly, but gently. "There may be a ship in orbit."
"Probably." Jack replied. "But until Carter and SG-3 get back, we're gonna at least look down here." He took point, his hand still firmly on his weapon, not raised, but alert in case he needed to use it. He tried the radio again. "Daniel?" Nothing, but then he wasn't expecting any response.
Jack and Teal'c trudged on in silence, eyes flickering to either side of the path, hoping to spot something other than trees and vines. They had been making steady progress for about half an hour when the ground began to tilt upwards. There was no sign that the plant-life was thinning as the climbed the hill, but, Jack thought, perhaps when they reached the top they would have a better view of what the planet had to offer besides trees.
Sam reached the gate after scrambling through the overgrown foliage. Her arms were covered in scratches and stings from the plants she had forced her way through. She'd moved as quickly as she could, determined to get back to the SGC so she could return to the planet with back-up and join the search for Daniel. Behind her worry, she felt a twinge of agitation that he hadn't listened to the Colonel. His excitement at exploring a new planet had clearly overtaken his common sense. She wondered, briefly, if he would still be on the planet somewhere, or if he was on a ship in orbit. He hadn't replied to the Colonel's radio calls; a flicker of dread ran through her as she considered the possibility that he was hurt, or worse. If he'd replied, they'd have stepped into the ring transporter and been right behind him, but his silence meant the Colonel had to be cautious about their next move. They'd be of no use to him if they got themselves captured or killed.
Brushing aside the thoughts of what may have happened to Daniel, Sam dialled the DHD and once the event horizon had settled into a shimmering puddle, sent through her iris code. She took the broken steps two at a time, forgetting to brace herself for what would invariably be a rough landing, given the tilted angle of the 'gate on this planet. As she came through the wormhole she stumbled and tripped down the ramp. She steadied herself and looked up to the control room, seeking out the concerned eyes of General Hammond.
"Major Carter?" He called over the tannoy. "Briefing room."
She swept her way across the Gate Room and up the stairs, meeting the General at the head of the briefing room table.
"What's going on Major? Where are the rest of SG-1?"
Steeling herself slightly, she launched into her de-brief. "And Colonel O'Neill ordered me back here, Sir." She finished. "Request permission to take SG-3 back to the planet to join the search for Daniel."
Hammond had remained silent throughout her recount, listening, taking in every detail. Finally he allowed himself to weigh up the facts and come to a decision. Thankfully, the one Sam was hoping for. "I'll have SG-3 gear up and join SG-1. I'm giving you twelve hours to search, Major. I want a sit-rep once that time is up and we'll re-assess."
"Thank you, Sir."