Title: Painful Line of Work
Author: knightshade
Fandom: Stargate
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate or any of it's characters. This is just for fun.
Author's Notes: This was written a while ago for flatkatsi on her birthday. Set early in the series at some point. Thank you so much to Gumnut for suggesting I meet up with Twitch and for beta reading this even though she's sick. Many hug.
Summary: Pain exploded through his leg and up into his torso. Jack silently ran through every curse he could think of as fire burned its way up his thigh.
Painful Line of Work
He appeared in front of them out of nowhere. Jack and Teal'c were tearing through the forest, fully aware that P27-909's welcome wagon was hot on their heels, but before either of them saw the man who had cut them off, a knife came hurling through the air. It was one of those slow motion moments where Jack had just enough time to think that the dagger had a nice spin to it but not enough time to dive out of the way before it buried itself to the hilt in his left thigh. He couldn't even stop himself from coming down on that leg in his next step. He fell out of a full-bore run, smacked to the ground, and managed to fall on the hilt of the knife driving it deeper.
Pain exploded through his leg and up into his torso. Jack silently ran through every curse he could think of as fire burned its way up his thigh. He heard the sizzle of Teal'c's staff weapon above him and hoped it would buy them some time. Rolling over onto his side and gripping his knee, he waited for the pain to subside enough to think. The blade had gone straight in through the muscle, most likely missing bone by a less-than-comforting margin. Blood was seeping into the fabric of his fatigues forming an ugly dark stain. At least the wound wasn't spurting -- the knife probably hadn't hit his femoral artery.
In a moment Teal'c was at his side and Jack was sure that the man who'd knifed him had paid a steep price for it.
"Are you alright, O'Neill?"
"Just peachy," Jack spat through gritted teeth.
Teal'c gave him the eyebrow and Jack let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine, except for the knife in my thigh."
"We do not have much time."
"Yeah, I know." It was going to have to come out. Leaving the blade in place would probably keep the bleeding down a little, but they needed to get back to the gate quickly. If he didn't pull it out, it was going to slice up more muscle with each step.
Jack grabbed in a few more ragged breaths and then tugged the first aid kit out of his utility vest. He fished out a roll of cloth bandage and handed it to Teal'c. Then he hooked his boot behind a root and grabbed the hilt of the knife with both hands. Squeezing his eyes closed and gritting his teeth, he gave a hard, sharp pull. He fought to get in another breath as the pain blistered its way through him. Jack rolled back, his eyes shut, trying to breathe through the pain.
"O'Neill, we must move quickly."
Jack nodded and took the roll of bandage, wrapping the fabric around his thigh above the wound to form a tourniquet. Gritting his teeth to keep quiet he pulled the two ends of the strip tight. "Put your hand on top of the bandage to hold it while I tie it," Jack said, indicating the crossed ends. Teal'c pressed down firmly and Jack finished off the knot. "Someone must have helped his mom wrap Christmas presents as a young Jaffa," Jack said, trying to catch his breath against the pain. He didn't care that Teal'c had no idea what he was talking about.
A few more silent curses and Jack was ready to go. Teal'c grabbed him under the arms and hoisted him to his feet. "I do not believe we have far to go."
"Easy for you to say."
Teal'c looked at him oddly but Jack just shook his head. Together they limped off, running in a three-legged race where all the other competitors were unfettered. Jack cringed and clenched his jaw each time he had to put his foot down. He was losing his strength and Teal'c was practically dragging him along.
Finally they broke into the clearing that housed the gate. Daniel and Carter were clustered around the DHD, but it only took a minute for them to realize he was injured. As Sam started dialing, Daniel rushed over and ducked under Jack's free arm. The three of them made a run for the gate, Jack swinging like a side of beef between them. Carter had finished dialing and the event horizon burst toward them before settling back into the gate's normal, watery facade. "Hurry," she yelled, looking at something over their heads.
Jack wasn't surprised when another knife flew past him.
Daniel and Teal'c half swung, half dragged him up the stone ramp to the gate. They paused just long enough to see the mob that was all too quickly bearing down on them. The men in the lead let loose with a flurry of spears before Teal'c, Jack, and Daniel flung themselves through the gate, Carter right on their tail.
Jack was cloaked in the familiar disorientation of the wormhole, being whisked back to Earth. It had been so overwhelming the first few times, but now the cold and dizziness were a welcome relief. He should have been safe now, but as he fell through the gate, he knew something was wrong. Then he hit the cold, biting metal of the ramp and his leg exploded again. He vaguely heard himself gargle out some incomprehensible groan. He tried to roll to a more comfortable position but there was a second source of sharp pain searing through his torso, keeping him glued in place on the floor.
"Sir?!" It was Carter's voice. He could hear it, high pitched above the other shouts and urgent commotion. He managed to pry his eyes open only to look down and see that a spear had caught him through the side and had lodged in the metal lattice of the ramp.
Ah, hell.
Impaled.
Again.
Jack let his head drop back down against the ramp. One of these days he was really going to have to find himself a less painful line of work.
----------------
-knightshade
December 2, 2006