The gate room was silent, men and women in uniform standing at attention. This was going to be a hard day for General Jack O'Neill and the rest of the SGC as they honored Teal'c in a traditional human way, an Earth way, the military's way. In a few days Jack and the gang would repeat this process though off world on Chulak as they would participate in the customs of the Jaffa as Teal'c family and friends honored Teal'c on his home world. There was no cheer within the walls of the SGC, outside it was a miserable, cloudy, windy and an utterly gray day. The rain was almost ice cold and the air was crisp and warm, fog hung all around Cheyenne Mountain.
The gate was activated, the coffin in all its grim beauty was slowly brought to the end of the ramp by Jack, Daniel, Walter, and Sam. They each departed from the ivory white casket with its gold trim. It was decided that Jack would give the eulogy. Jack wasn't fond of the idea but he wanted to pay tribute to his fallen friend. "Teal'c was a man of very few words" Jack began. "A man who was raised to believe in false Gods and who courageously turned on those snake bastards denouncing them. Teal'c joined SG-1 and fought alongside myself and the rest of SG-1." Jack started to fumble around with what to say "He was a warrior, and a friend. Teal'c saved our asses a few times..." Jack saw the look Carter was giving him. "...okay, many times he saved our asses and a few times, we saved his." The eulogy went on for the next half an hour before the casket was sent off world.
"Hello darkness, my old friend. I've come to talk with you again" muttered Daniel as he lay on his back starring up at the ceiling, music playing on a low setting. "Because a vision softly creeping left its seeds while I was sleeping." Daniel closed his eyes and took a series of deep breaths. Daniel heard a light knock and sat up on his bed. "Sam?"
Carter wasn't sure what to say, it was an awkward moment for her. "Hey" she said softly and her eyes met Daniel's "Kind of depressing music" she said commenting on Daniels choice. She began to hum the next few lines "Simon and Garfunkel, right?"
Daniel looked at Sam "Hey" he said in reply, his tone slightly more masculine. "Actually, oddly enough this song is cheering me up a little. Its sort of like a safety blanket for me. My parents, they would always play this song at home and on trips, it would always be on the radio. I always was with them when I heard this song. Well, until..." Daniel didn't need to finish, he knew that she knew. "So, it pretty much reminds me of happier times."
Sam smiled at Daniel. "Remember that time we traveled back to 69? Do you remember having to go shopping with Teal'c and you tried to persuade him to get that afro wig?" Sam took a seat beside Daniel. She wasn't the greatest at comforting friends during depressing times such as coping with the death of a friend but she knew Daniel could use company and personally, she knew that she could as well. Sam had a lot on her mind, Teal'c's death, Janet staying behind on the planet, and how she was going to explain to Cassandra that Janet had not come home, by her own choice. Cassandra had become a master violinist and pianist.
"I just can't come to terms with it Sam." Daniel looked at her and shook his head, his head fell into his awaiting hands. "Where do we go from here? Do we mourn and slowly work ourselves back into life, back into functioning?" Daniel stood up from his bed and sighed. "I have to burrow into paper work or something. The only way I am going to get through this is by keeping myself busy. Maybe I can find something on Morpheous that could help Janet." Daniel then was struck by that loss as well "Sam, what about Janet? We can't just leave her there."
Sam stood up as well and gave a nod "I know how that is." She felt a sore from within when Daniel mentioned Janet Fraiser. "I don't know Daniel. General O'Neill wouldn't leave anyone behind if he didn't have to. Janet wouldn't leave, she felt obligated to help those people or die trying. You know as well as I do Daniel, that General O'Neill will do everything in his power to send a team back there as soon as we can."
"Oh, I do hope so" Daniel said as he began to reach for his black pea coat. "I am going to head up to the surface for a while." Daniel and Sam embraced each other in a short departing hug. "I will see you in the morning Sam." Daniel slowly headed our the doorway and headed down the corridor, leaving Sam in his living quarters until she left the room.
General Jack O'Neill was alone sitting behind his desk. He was contemplating whether or not he would make a call to the President. He would need to inform her of the death of Teal'c and the decision made by Doctor Janet Fraiser. Jack ultimately reached for the phone "Madam President," O'Neill said with a mellow tone. The conversation continued for around an hour until it reached a climax "With all due respect Madam President, My chief medical officer is on a planet with hostile forces. Grant approval to return to the planet and SG teams will get her back." Jack was not hearing what he wanted to hear, "I understand. I don't agree with that Ma'am." O'Neill hung up the phone. O'Neill felt the same sharp tightness that he had felt on the planet, he placed a fist to his chest and started to slowly breath, trying to relieve the pain.
Colonel Samantha Carter knocked on General O'Neill's door and walked in "General?" Sam was expecting to find O'Neill at his desk but she couldn't see him. Carter was about to leave when she noticed something. There were legs peaking out from Jack's desk. He was laying on the floor. "Jack?" She walked closer to his desk and then walked around it. He was clutching his chest and trying to say something. "General!" She shouted before dropping to her knees beside him. "Hold on Jack," she said with concern. She reached up onto his desk for the base phone and patched herself through the communications channel for the base "Medical Team to Debriefing room, General O'Neill needs help!"