Alone On a Wide Wide Sea

The sail swayed gently in the breeze, the tattered canvas merely brushing across the mast and lines, refusing to catch even the tinniest scrap of wind. He stood, his right hand resting on the narrow mast, his left holding his stomach in an unconscious attempt to keep its nonexistent contents.

"How are you doing?"

He opened his mouth to answer and shut it again just as quickly, contenting himself with a mere shake of the head to convey his distress.

"You should lie down."

He scowled, refusing to look at the other man, knowing that to move his head again so soon, even a few inches, would be enough to set him off.

All he could see was water and sky - both blue and both endless.

"Sir, Daniel's right. You should lie down."

They didn't get it. To lie down he would have to move, and if he moved everything would begin to hurt again. He wasn't sure if he could stand that.

His head spun and he tightened his grip on the smooth wood under his hand, feeling that lightness in his head that heralded another . . .

xoxoxoxoxo

"Hell!"

Jack's collapse took Daniel by surprise and he lurched forwarded knowing it was already too late. The sound of his friend's head hitting the deck with a thud had him wincing. Damn the man for being so stubborn. The tiny vessel rocked violently as it reacted to the abrupt movement, making its passengers grab for handholds. Daniel snagged the edge of Jack's shirt, his knuckles white as he struggled to prevent the taller man from sliding into the water.

It was several minutes before the motion eased to a slow rolling and Daniel felt secure enough to edge forward cautiously, almost crawling.

Jack lay face down, unmoving. Daniel slipped his fingers under Jack's neck, feeling a thin and erratic pulse beneath the overly warm skin. He knelt, keeping as still as possible, and taking hold of one arm, turned Jack over, grimacing at the blood.

"How is he?"

Daniel shook his head, looking to where his teammate sat in the stern, her hand on the tiller.

"He's bleeding again, and he's running a fever."

'That was inevitable. Can you rebandage it, or do you want me to?"

"No, you stay where you are. I can do it."

They both knew the perils of too much movement on their small craft, so Sam nodded, remaining still, and Daniel could feel her eyes on him, watching his every move. Unwrapping the dressing, Daniel frowned at the deep gash crossing Jack's abdomen, blood now oozing sluggishly from it. There were sure to be splinters still in there despite their attempts to clean it, but now, with Jack unconscious, Daniel bent closer, wiping some of the blood away to inspect the wound. A glimmer of wood shone against the raw flesh and he gently pulled it loose, dropping it to the deck. He paused as the other man groaned, waiting for him to settle again before applying a dressing. By the time he had finished, Jack had stirred twice more but thankfully hadn't woken.

Daniel carefully eased himself down, stretching his legs out as much as possible, and positioned himself under Jack's head, letting it rest in his lap. He could feel the heat coming from the older man clearly through the material of his uniform. A slight shift in the boat's balance was enough to send water sloshing over the side and he looked over towards his companion. Sam was leaning forward, obviously trying to see the colonel. Daniel didn't bother to speak, allowing a shake of his head to convey his worry, and she sat back again.

Daniel licked his dry lips, wishing it was time to sip the meagre ration of water they had allocated themselves.

Time seemed to pass so slowly, just drifting along like this, but when he looked back down at the flushed face of his friend, he knew it was time they couldn't afford.

xoxoxoxoxo

The silver wings of the UAV cleared the event horizon and shot up into the sky. It began its assigned search pattern, sweeping across the water and turning to circle round before heading off again. Its onboard computer sent a steady stream of information back through the open wormhole until contact was lost exactly thirty-eight minutes after it began its flight. For a short while it glided slowly, caught by the strong wind currents, then it fell in ever deceasing circles, finally hitting the water with a smack.

It floated, waiting to be found, just as the people it had been searching for waited.

xoxoxoxoxo

Sam regretted the action as soon as she rubbed her left hand along the leg of her trousers. The sweat she had wiped off was preferable to the sharp sting of abused skin that was the result. The rope burns were beginning to turn to blisters, and the constant contact with the wooden tiller was aggravating them even further.

For a second she envied Daniel his seat in the middle of their small craft, but a glance at the haggard face of her teammate soon reminded her that his was the hardest task – keeping the colonel from slipping further away.

It had seemed such an innocuous mission, checking out the abandoned settlement the MALP recorded just a short way from the gate. Colonel O'Neill had even commented on the nearby harbor as a likely source of fish, the short wharf jutting out into the water lending itself perfectly, in his opinion, to the sport of fishing. A small wooden boat was still tied to the wharf, as if waiting for someone to embark.

She smiled grimly, scanning the water. The colonel had been right, there were fish in the sea, their shadowy shapes slipped through the depths beneath the boat, sometimes skimming the surface.

At least there was something moving.

Sam turned her head to look at the sail, squinting her eyes against the sun. The slight breeze had died completely and the tattered canvas now hung limp. She sighed. Even if the sail hadn't been ruined she and Daniel wouldn't know what to do to turn the craft back towards land. The only person on the boat who knew anything about sailing was unconscious and unable to help.

The silence was becoming oppressive and she felt the sudden need to hear another voice, just to reassure herself she wasn't alone out here.

"Daniel? How's he doing?"

She regretted asking the moment she spoke, because the answer was plain and not what she wanted to hear.

"Not good." Daniel pulled out his canteen, giving her a quick look as if daring her to say anything, and carefully tilted it against the colonel's mouth. She watched as the few precious drops ran off and down the stubble covered chin. She found herself caught by the sight, her eyes tracking the liquid's path as it fell.

She was drifting, just as the craft drifted – lost.

xoxoxoxoxo