First Post
In the commissary next morning, Alex Fox stared at his plate of waffles with a happy smile. He loved living in a country where they ate syrup and cakes for breakfast... As he looked up, he spotted Peterson wandering into the room. Hastily swallowing his mouthful, the Scotsman waved his hand earnestly in the air.

"Peterson!"

The black-haired captain changed direction with a smile, pushing his tray on to the table opposite Fox.

"Morning, Scottie."

"I have a name, Ralph," the RAF man mock scowled before settling back to his breakfast. "Looking forward to the whole team thing?"

Peterson tucked into his cereal with intense concentration. "You forget I was in SG-14 before this, Alex," he said with a smile and emphasis on the name.

"Hey, I didn't forget!" Fox protested. "How could I, when I have 'Gate maintenance to do every day and to watch all you tramp through? I meant as a new team. New beginning. New SG-11 - and here's to hoping we don't suffer the same fate as the last team."

Peterson looked sober, and too late Fox remembered that two months ago one of the members of SG-14 had been KIA. And of course, the previous SG-11 had all died on the archaeological dig on that Unas planet. But the airman's expression cleared slowly, and he looked thoughtful.

"I know what you mean. You're right; I am looking forward to it. The skills I learned on Chulak weren't much use in a mining-specialised SG team."

"You were one of the two who were at Chulak?"

Another British voice chimed in, and Doctor Gunn scrambled over to sit next to Fox, her bright brown eyes intrigued. Alex noticed that she had taken flapjacks too, smothered in syrup, as most days. Peterson smiled inscrutably.

"Indeed."

After a brief sideways unsure look, the two British personnel started giggling, and when Peterson raised one eyebrow high and inquiring, that set them off even more.

"Peterson, what are you doing to these poor English," another man said, walking over with a breakfast tray in hand, trying to hide a grin.

"I swear I did nothing," replied Peterson, innocence dripping from every syllable, as he turned to grin at the speaker, and then adding a hurried, "sir..."

Colonel O'Neill dropped his tray carelessly beside Peterson and sat down. Fox and Gunn immediately sobered up, and exchanged uncertain glances.

"I hear it's your first trip out this afternoon, kids," the Colonel said, busily eating his brightly coloured breakfast cereal. "Thought I would impart an old Colonel's knowledge to you. Watch out you don't get into trouble with the natives, and if ya see a guy with glowing eyes, don't assume it's a normal alien phenomenon."

"As you say, sir," said Peterson affably. Being on the Chulak program meant that he had spent several weeks with Teal'c and therefore the members of SG- 1. And Colonel O'Neill was always wandering in and out of Doctor Jackson's office, which lead onto the Archaeological labs, so Caitlin had been spoken to before. Fox smiled uncertainly, but continued eating his waffles.

"General tell you where you're going?" continued the Colonel.

"P4X-639, sir."

Various things flickered across the Colonel's face, as if he was remembering previous events. "Well, two things I can warn you about that place. Take a lot of sun cream, and – who's the engineer?" As Fox raised his hand cheerfully, O'Neill nodded decisively towards him. "DON'T turn anything on that you don't understand. Take it from me, it's a lot easier that way."

"But - "

"No buts, Captain. And Doctor Gunn? Don't get too absorbed in translations, it tends to make other people... annoyed. Well, nice talking with you guys..." O'Neill stood up, his lightning fast visit completed. "Good luck this afternoon. We would see you off, but we're moving out at 1100. Break a leg." As he spun around to leave, he turned back again suddenly. "Actually, don't. But you know what I mean," he added lazily.

"Yes sir!" The three members of SG-11 chorused.

As they continued their own breakfast, O'Neill grinned slightly before heading for the door. "Don't worry about your Scotsman, Carter," he commented as he passed his surprised 2IC in the doorway. "They'll be fine." She turned a bemused expression to his departing back as she headed for the food queue. "Sure, sir."
A familiar scene in the embarkation room.

The swirling event horizon casting blue flickering lights across the room, playing shadows across the four determined faces of the team to move out. The shortest one swallowed convulsively, fear mingled with excitement as she stared at the Stargate ahead of her.

"All right there, Doctor?" came Peterson's soft voice, concerned as he hefted the long staff weapon to his other hand, glancing back towards the archaeologist. Fox beside her grinned infectiously and straightened his sand-coloured BDUs. "It's Doctor C's first trip through the Gate, remember," he commented. He was about to say something else when General Hammond in the control room above tapped the mike.

"SG-11, you have a go. Good luck."

"Yes, sir," called out Major Kendall confidently, stepping forward and gesturing with his other hand to his team. "Let's get going, folks," he said, letting the two captains stride up the metal ramp, pausing slightly before stepping through the puddle of blue. Caitlin followed them, but halted as she got to the event horizon. Kendall also stopped.

"Come along, Doctor. I think we'd tell you if it was something to worry about," he said encouragingly, placing his hand on her shoulder. She grinned nervously, but before he had to physically push her through, she stepped through of her own accord. Shaking his head with a grin of his own, the Major walked forwards and into an alien sun.

"That was incredible!"

Doctor Gunn's excited voice was the first thing to reach Kendall's ears as he stepped onto the dusty stairs leading down from the Stargate. The second thing that hit him was the bright light, making him blink and swear under his breath. Having been in an underground complex only moments before, his eyes left dark flashes against the dazzling ruins in front of them. He scrabbled for his sunglasses, smiling as his vision returned to something useful. The wormhole disengaged with a zip behind him, and the doctor flinched slightly.

"Right, team. Fox, you want to check out the laboratory? It's..." he swung on the spot, scanning the place.

"Behind you, sir?" said Fox innocently, stepping back up the stairs two at a time to look through dark glasses at the other side of the giant stone ring.

"You know I'm not going to fall for that one, Captain," Kendall said seriously, stepping down to join Peterson, who was leaning against his staff weapon, looking around the deserted ruins. At the curious silence, he sighed and raised his voice.

"That was a joke."

"Yes, sir," said Peterson, straight-faced, though a twitch in his cheek betrayed him.

"Just – get on with it, will you?" Kendall smiled and looked back. Fox was kneeling by the remote laboratory, varying his glance between the gadget in his hand and the angry red sun above them. Their archaeologist seemed to have disappeared.

"Doctor Gunn?!"

Her face appeared from behind a pillar as she leant back to look at them, sunglasses hiding her expression.

"Major?"

"Doctor, we've got our orders. We're to recon the area around these ruins, not examine them. Besides, there are digital recordings of all this writing stuff."

"It's just not the same though, Major, as actually being here..." she came back around the corner, trailing a reluctant hand across the deeply carved pillar.

"That's just wonderful, Doctor, but we're going on a recon now. The walls will be here when we get back."

"Yes, Major."

"Fox? We're going out to look around. We'll stay within radio contact. And don't stay in the sun too long."

"Very good, sir," the Scotsman frowned absently at the machine in his hand as he answered, before reaching up to plug a cable between the two things. Then he raised his head. "For future reference, the ionisation in the atmosphere is building. There will be storms in about five hours, sir."

"Right, thanks Fox. Now, Peterson, you go out round that way, Doctor, you're with me."

"Yes sir," complied Peterson, turning to head out of the west side of the ruins. As the remaining two started walking eastwards, the archaeologist perked up.

"Look at that, Major," she said, pointing at the large altar thing at the end of the colonnade. "That's the time loop machine!"

"Fascinating."

"Isn't it?" The bright tone of the archaeologist told the Major that his disinterest obviously hadn't registered. Well, okay, he was a little interested, but there was no way he was going near it.

"We're going this way, Doctor," he said, pointing the way with a swing of his P90, and Caitlin turned her attention back and followed meekly.
As they left the ruins, the ground around became sandy, with shrub-like stunted bushes dotted here and there. They slid awkwardly down the steep dune that held the ruins on top of it, finding it a little difficult to walk. However the land beyond rolled away flat and featureless for as far as the eye could see. Kendall sighed. This was going to be an interesting recon.

"So, Doctor, what did you think of your first trip through the Stargate?" he asked conversationally as they trudged further from the ruins. Caitlin looked up startled from where she had been scanning the ground.

"It was...incredible, major," she said, turning to glance at the silhouetted ruins behind them. "I mean, you read mission reports, and talk to people, but it just isn't the same as actually going through yourself..."

"Yup. I agree," the Major replied, prodding a bush with his desert boot before walking on.

"You do?"

"Oh yeah. I was pretty excited first time I went through."

"Really?"

"Look, no need to sound so surprised, Doctor. I'm a normal person too, you know."

"It's just... never mind."

He sighed. "Look, for some reason I get the feeling that you don't like me. Is there something I did? Said?"

Doctor Gunn stopped, tilting her head to look at the striding form of Kendall, and swallowed.

"Nothing you did, Major. I just... got the impression that you didn't like me."

"Look, I admit that I think you're absent-minded and untidy. But you're a part of this team, and I'm damned if we aren't going to make it work." He favoured her with a wide smile on his scarred face. "You work well, obey orders and hold up your end of the team, and we'll be fine. You good with that?"

"I think I can handle that, Major," she smiled hesitantly in return, before exchanging it for a confident one. They walked along in silence for a while, however this time it was a companionable one. After about half an hour Caitlin shaded her eyes, despite the sunglasses, to look ahead.

"Can I look at that, Major?" she asked, pointing ahead to a divot in the sand, where either a rock or a wall was revealed in the shimmering heat.

"Your area of expertise, I think," shrugged Kendall. "Go ahead."

The doctor jogged a little way ahead and then dropped to one knee to examine the wall.

"It looks like this is – OW!"

Things happened fast. Kendall's head jerked up as the archaeologist sprang to her feet, holding one knee curled up slightly. She yelped again in pain, and reached down to try and grab something off her leg, pulling her hand back with another startled oath.

"What is it?" Kendall ran over, hand automatically going for his gun before halting himself. As he got closer, he realised that there was some sort of sand-coloured lizard attached to the calf of the archaeologist's trousers. As she shook her leg to dislodge it, it darted forward its head and bit her savagely.

"Take it off!"

"I just tried! The things attached!"

Kendall swore and leant down to pull the lizard-snake away, but it raised its sleek head and almost delicately sank its razor-sharp fangs into the back of his hand. Ignoring it, Kendall attempted to pull it off, but it must have had claws or something, because it clung obstinately and Caitlin whimpered slightly. Kendall struggled upright again, trying to figure out what to do. Damn but that hurt!

"Try zatting it," said Caitlin suddenly, face stiffening as it bit her again. Kendall's hand dived for the zat'nik'atel in the side holster, then stopped.

"You'll get hurt," he warned.

"I know what the freaking thing does, Major! Shoot it!" and the woman's voice rose to an angry yell. Kendall's eyes narrowed and then aimed carefully.

Electrical crackles seared through the dry air, then blossomed into a blue sphere as it fed on the ionised air of the planet. Kendall staggered backwards, almost knocked flat by the huge static charge that ensued.

"Crap!"

Immediately he ran forward again, trying to ignore the feeling that he'd just stuck his fingers in a socket. The archaeologist was lying silent on the floor, arm twitching sporadically as electricity flickered across her body. The lizard-snake reptiloid however had withdrawn its claws and lay in a huddled coil on the sand. Kendall picked it up with his left hand and hurled it away, not really caring where as long as it was away. Then he knelt beside the doctor, feeling for the pulse in her neck. She jerked, and opened her eyes.

"Thanks," she rasped out, still twitching reflexively, trying to sit up.

"Any time."

He tried to help her to her feet, but as she finally stood up, to her surprise her leg just collapsed under her. She blinked. Kendall grabbed the radio on his jacket.

"Kendall here. Peterson, get back to the Gate. Fox, get the medic kit out. And whatever happens, don't use zats on this planet."

He heard the beginnings of a question from someone, which got cut across by a clear "Yes, sir," and he dropped the radio again.

"Okay, Doctor. Loop your arm around – that's it. We're heading back."

"Oh good."
Peterson skidded down the slope towards the figures limping back towards the ruins. Dashing over, he ducked his head under the archaeologist's other shoulder, removing some of the weight from Kendall, who sighed with relief. Caitlin said nothing, but instead was fiercely concentrating on walking. Fox stood at the top of the slope, shading his eyes.

"What happened, sir?"

"Reptiloid bit her. Had to zat it off. Don't worry," called Kendall up the slope.

"Right, sir."

"What about you, Major?" asked Peterson quietly, catching sight of the puffy wound on the back of Kendall's hand.

"It's nothing. Might be poisonous though, so we'll be going back through the Gate when we get up there. You find anything out the other way?"

"A lot of sand, sir."

"Right."
Back at the SGC Sergeant Davis the Gate technician frowned. Reaching over to the microphone, he called out to the busy group of mechanics swarming around the Gate.

"What's jamming it?"

"We don't know," called back Siler with frustration, wiping an oily hand across his forehead and staring at the large ring. "Are you sure it's not something with your computer?"

"All the computer says is that it won't engage," replied Davis, taking off his glasses and scrubbing at them furiously before replacing them and staring at the screens in front of him. Just then he heard a familiar step behind him, and he cringed.

"What on earth is going on?" came the irate voice of General Hammond as he leant forward to stare at the screen. "SG-8 should have left by now!"

"Beg to report some technical difficulties with the Stargate, sir," said Davis automatically, punching in some access codes.

"What's wrong with it?"

"We're trying to figure that out, sir!"

"Can people gate in?"

"Not sure, sir."

"Sergeant, there are four teams including SG-1 off-world right now. You'd better get it fixed."

"I know that, sir," he muttered in reply, bending closer to the monitor as his fingers danced across the screen. General Hammond sighed and headed back for the stairs. Just what he needed.
"Okay – ouch! – okay," said Kendall irritably, making to jerk his wrist out of Peterson's grip as the captain wound the bandage tightly across.

"Sir, please hold still."

"They can deal with that in the infirmary," he replied shortly, getting to his feet. "Fox? We're dialling home."

"Good idea, sir." The red-haired captain looked up from his bandaging. As the most competent medic in the team he was attempting to deal with Doctor Gunn. Removing her blood-soaked trouser-leg had revealed no less than seven angry bleeding bite-marks, puffy and turning the skin an ugly shade of yellow-green. There was no doubt that the things were poisonous. Caitlin sat quietly, her face very white. She'd said not much more than 'yes' or 'no' since they had returned. As Fox got to his feet, he worked his mouth a little against the dry tang in the air.

"Apart from anything else, the geomagnetic storms will be here in about three hours. We would have been leaving in the next half hour anyway."

"You've done all you need to do with the laboratory?"

"Not quite, but I'm satisfied it will last until another trip and frankly sir, I think you and Dr C should be in the infirmary."

"Then dial!"

"Yes sir."

Fox stepped over to the DHD, carefully punching in the correct glyphs. As the gate spun, Kendall allowed himself a grimace of pain. There was no way he was going to say anything, but whatever was in that reptiloid's bite, he didn't like it. The seventh glyph spun slowly up to the top of the gate, and the chevron punched down in to engage. Fox ducked instinctively.

Nothing happened.

"For the love of God, Fox, try and get the address right?" Kendall snapped, then subsided at the look of complete surprise and remorse on the young man's face. "Sorry, Captain. But really, now is not the time to be getting the wrong address."

"But – it was the right address – they must be busy," replied Fox, sighing. "We should wait for ten minutes."

"Ten minutes it is."

"I don't understand!" said Fox, completely non-plussed. Reaching down he punched the pattern for the fourth time. Both Peterson and Kendall watched his hand carefully – this time he had definitely got the right one. They'd been off-world enough to remember it instinctively by now.

Once more the Stargate did not engage.

Kendall put his face in his good hand and sighed.

"There's got to be something wrong with the DHD. Right, Fox, Peterson, try and work on it. I'll get a shelter from the sun set up here for the Doctor."

"You don't have to worry about me, Major," objected Caitlin, sitting forward from the wall.

Kendall shot her an amused look. "Get the tarpaulin out and we'll sit on it. Enough room for everyone. Ow!"

Peterson and Fox exchanged worried glances, and then set down their packs and got to work. Kendall started stacking the other two packs up against the wall that Caitlin was leaning against and sorted through one-handedly for a thin tarpaulin. This was not how he wanted his first command to go.

About three quarters of an hour later, Fox held out the two leads towards the panel of the DHD. Just as he was about to connect them, he swore as a large blue spark jumped between them. He glanced up at the rolling clouds and the giant sun glancing down through them, and fumbled for a yellow box gadget in his pocket. Holding it out, he shook his head and got to his feet, grabbing for Peterson's arm.

"We're going to get under cover right now," he suggested, stepping back towards where the Major was attempting to clean his P90 and watching them carefully. Peterson looked up quizzically, then on seeing his teammate's face swiftly stood.

"Right."

As the pair ran for the scant sunshade, Kendall looked up confused. "What's up, captains?"

"The geomagnetic storm came on a lot faster than I thought," said Fox, throwing himself to the floor and struggling out of his equipment vest. "Sir, you've got to get rid of any metal in here."

"Lightning?"

"Oh yeah."

The three men started clearing out the shelter of their guns and any metal equipment, Kendall struggling with his hand almost useless. Peterson suddenly looked up at the motionless form of their archaeologist.

"Doctor Gunn?" He snapped his fingers in her face, and she rolled her head to look at him with a faint frown of pain on her face, eyes unfocussed.

"'M here..." she drawled, blinking violently to try and bring him into focus. He swore again and started manhandling the bulky equipment jacket from her. Fox tore the velcro strap of his watch off and then yelped as a large spark earthed itself on his finger from the watch face. Turning round, he realised that Caitlin was almost unconscious, crackles of electricity dancing across the metal of her equipment. "Aw, scorch it!" He turned to help Peterson. Suddenly an ominous rumble was heard overhead, and a bolt of lightning skewered down from the orange sky, earthing itself harmlessly on the remote laboratory and crawling along the wires that snaked over the dusty floor. Under the sunshelter SG-11 froze, feverishly hoping that no lightning like that would find them.

"Bootlace holes?"

"Aglets? Don't think that's large enough and earthed, sir."

Peterson's eyes darted this way and that, checking for anything else. Caitlin lay in the corner, having slid down the wall after being divested of metal. Her skin was waxy and pale, and she muttered something under her breath and tossed her head slightly, dog tags flashing in the shade of the wall.

"Dog tags!"

Peterson grabbed for his dog tags, pulling them over his head. His hand flew out to throw the metal as far as possible.

He wasn't fast enough. Even the raising of his hand had brought the metal high enough, and he screamed as the blue-white lightning arced out of the sky, jumped from person to person as the others struggled with their own dog tags. There was a smell of burning, and then there was only silence, broken by the shattering crashes of lightning being thrown around the alien sky.
Gate activations blared around the SGC as the returning team staggered down the ramp. Colonel O'Neill pulled off his cap and glared up at the control room.

"What the hell was up with the Gate, sir?" he called out annoyed. "Trying to convince natives that activating the 'Portal' is not a godly power isn't easy when we can't activate the damn thing!"

Beside him Carter handed her equipment to an SF and ran silently up to the control room to see how she could help. The rest of SG-1 headed for the equipment room, O'Neill was still muttering under his breath. Carter nodded to Davis and dropped into the seat beside him.

"Why couldn't we get back?"

"Gate malfunction, Major. It might have been the computer, might have been the Gate itself. You may want to look at it later."

"Are there any other teams trapped offworld still?"

"SGs 11 and 15, ma'am."

"SG-11?" She threw a sharp look at him, her eyes growing calculating. Trying to bring her mind back from her recent mission and onto the events of the morning, she suddenly paled.

"They need to be back within the next half hour, or they'll have to face the geomagnetic storms on that planet. Can you dial out to P4X wherever? Tell them the Gate is mended?"

"The General said that we mustn't dial out in case there are teams dialling in. They might be facing alien fire."

"I'll talk with him. If SG-11 don't come back now, they will be under alien fire for at least four hours solid."

"Yes ma'am."
Alexander Fox blinked and tried to lift his muzzy head from the tarpaulin they had been sitting on. He stared at it for a minute. Why were they sitting on insulation in a scorching lightning storm? Suddenly he remembered, and attempted to sit up. He put a hand to his chest, wincing as he looked down at the burnt mess of flesh around his dog tags. No wonder it hurt so badly. In the distance he heard a sullen rumble, and a tiny spark flickered across the figure lying on its side in front of him. Jesus, that was Major Kendall! Crawling over he shook the man roughly, observing the swollen hand and the similar chest burns from dog tags. The Major groaned and tried to bat his hand away. He was alive, that was the good thing. Fox's eyes darted over to the flat form of Peterson, who was face down on the floor, one arm flung out with ugly shiny burns winding their way down it. Fox felt for a pulse with a sickening feeling in his stomach that cleared somewhat when he felt an erratic bound against his fingers. He was alive too, thank God.

The wormhole that was throwing light across the ruins cut out with its familiar noise, and Captain Fox suddenly realised that it was that which had woken him. The Stargate had activated! However, as the electrical field surrounding the Gate shut down, sparks started crawling around the ruins. He made his decision in a split second. Scrambling to his feet, he staggered to the DHD and started punching in the co-ordinates for Earth. Yes! The wormhole activated!

"Major! Major Kendall!"

In the haven of the Gate's electrical field, Fox stumbled over to the shelter, where Kendall was bending over the still form of Doctor Gunn. His heart sank. "Is she still alive?"

"Just. Is that the Gate working?" Kendall's voice was terse, but he did have the excuse of great pain, Fox thought charitably as he knelt beside Peterson.

"Yes, I've got a connection with Earth."

"Right. Forget the stuff, we can come back for it later. I'll take Gunn, can you handle Peterson?"

"I have to, sir."

"Right. Let's go." Kendall hauled the unconscious doctor into his arms, wincing and nearly dropping her as his hand betrayed him. Fox almost managed to carry Peterson, but was suddenly overcome with a dizzy spell, and fell over. He settled for half-dragging the senseless captain towards the Gate and man-handling him up the stairs. They had to get them to back to Earth, and fast.
Ralph Peterson stared at the high grey ceiling above for a while before realising that his eyes were open.

"Captain Peterson?" A woman's voice came into hearing, sounding concerned. With a little difficulty he placed it as that of Doctor Frasier.

"We're all back?" He rasped out, turning his head and attempting to sit up. However his arm was bound with light gauze all the way up its length, and incredibly painful to lean on.

"Please, Captain, lie back down. Yes, you're all back. In fact, Captain Fox was here just a minute ago... he went over to see if Caitlin Gunn had woken up," replied the petite doctor, smiling before reaching for his wrist with a business-like gesture.

"The poison – it's healing?" Peterson's face tightened in pain as the bandages running down his arm were checked.

"Slowly. Combined with the electrical burns, Caitlin was one of the most ill members of your team."

Just then Captain Fox came scrambling over to look at Peterson with searching green eyes, then a smile lit up his face.

"Ralph, you're awake," he said, perching on the empty bed opposite.

"Score ten points for observation," returned Peterson. "You okay? Major Kendall?"

"Major Kendall is dozing in the corner. He doesn't like being in the infirmary, but he's still pretty sick."

"I'm not fond of this place either – no offence, Doctor..."

"None taken... now, Captain, I would advise that you go and get your dressing changed, then get some sleep," Doctor Frasier addressed Fox gently, placing her hand briefly on his shoulder. "You've seen that your friend is all right."

"But - "

"No buts. Get going."

Fox sighed and then meekly turned to go, but not before rolling his eyes in a gesture that made Peterson start chuckling. Now if he could only keep his eyes open...
Author's Notes: In my AU, there is a British contigent of four following a discovery in the British Museum causing the UK to become involved in the Stargate Program. Also, in approx. season 3/4, two members of the SGC stayed on Chulak and trained under Bra'tac for nine months, disguised as Jaffa. Odd, but true.

..and so went the first mission of SG-11. Yup, routine I know. :D Anyway, this is mainly for my own enjoyment, so you don't have to review if you don't want to.

Kitty =nn=