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Chapter 10

Sam Beckett rather enjoyed working with the members of SG-1. They had a certain chemistry, one that could only have developed through the deep respect they had for one another and the dangerous missions they completed. He had a feeling that if, no, when they got back to the SGC they would make a difference in the galaxy.

Their relationship was very similar to the one he had with Al. Sam had been thrown into countless different lives, problems and situations and Al had been by his side during every one. Thinking back to his very first leap he smiled, remembering when he had to fly that fighter plane. Al helped him through and Sam had lived to tell the tale. Though now that he thought about it, he didn't have anyone to tell it to. He smiled at the thought, but was rushed back to the present by Al, who had made an unexpected right turn. Shaking his head of the memories, he brought his focus back into the present situation. If he wanted to be able to have the opportunity to remember this leap, first he would have to survive it.

He turned his head to glance at the wearied team that followed him. Samantha walked painstakingly in front of Teal'c, who was keeping an eye on her and lending a hand when she faltered. Jack held up the back, but didn't seem to want to stay there.

"You know, I'm glad you have a plan and all. You are doing a fine job, but I'd kinda like to know where we are going." Jack O'Neill complained in a harsh whisper while trying to get past the others to be in front. However, the narrow hallway plus the large presence of Teal'c prevented him from achieving his goal.

Sam had no idea how far it was to the engine room but he had confidence that Al would get them there without any hic-ups. However, Jack as the commanding officer would want to know the plan. Turning his head just a bit, he said in a fast but low voice "We are going to cause a little distraction in the engine room. Then we are going to fly out of here in a cargo ship. Sound good?"

Jack crinkled his brow and grunted his approval. At least that's what Sam hoped it meant.

The team, led by Al the hologram, exited the small hallway and entered one of the main corridors. Al's bright red suit stuck out against the gold walls and black floor. Suddenly the project observer stopped in his tracks. Sam didn't notice and ended up walking though the hologram. Giving a sigh of frustration, Sam halted the team with a raise of his arm. The team drew up short of the stressed scientist.

"Daniel? What's the hold up?"

Sam looked back at Al. Teal'c had stopped right where Al had been standing. All Sam could see was Al's head, shoulders and arms, rest of obscured by the tall Jaffa. The hologram smacked handlink with his palm causing a series of beeping noises.

Once Al looked up from the screen, he quickly stepped away and blurted out an objection to being walked through. Sam didn't pay attention to his best friend's complaint. The urgency of the situation demanded his full concentration, wanting to know the cause of the halt, he gave Al a demanding look.

"You know, Sam. Um…I was pretty sure I knew where we were going and I had it all planned out. But now I'm not so sure. I think we took a wrong turn. The engine room should be right here…" Al's voice trailed off.

"Al! We don't have time for this." Sam blurted out. Thinking quickly, he pivoted to face the rest of the team, his mind retracing the group's steps for the correct route. The team, however, stood staring at him. Both Samantha and Jack sported equal looks of concern and confusion, while a raised eyebrow was the only change of Teal'c's normal facial expression.

"Um…hey guys. We took a wrong turn." Sam tried to laugh but it turned into a half-hearted chuckle that dribbled off into an awkward silence.

Shifting his eyes back from Teal'c to Samantha and finally resting on Jack. "So let's turn around and take the next left." He dictated to the colonel, whose look questioned the scientist's leadership qualities and sanity.

"Come on. Let's go, we don't have all day." Sam walked past the team toward the hallway he had pointed out. Even without turning his head he could see and feel the three team members' hesitation, but eventually he heard something that gave him a spark of hope. Samantha let out a sigh and then strode to catch up to him as best she could.

The reluctant colonel and the proud Jaffa soon trekked after them. Sam gave a little smile and hoped that they wouldn't think by the time this was over Daniel went permanently crazy.

A left turn and a little jaunt down the next corridor brought them to the engine room. Poking his head around corner, Sam could see only one guard standing in the doorway. Sam sent a look to Al, trying to motion the hologram to go scout ahead of them. Al blanked for a second before pushing a button on the handlink while muttering to himself. Centering inside the engine room, he yelled back "There are two big guys- one by the door and another inside. This could be tricky."

Sam stepped back from the corner and whispered to Jack. "One guard by the door and I'm sure there is another one inside the room."

The team stood there in silence for a second before Jack took the initiative. He took off around the corner at a sprint, zat gun at the ready. Without hesitation Sam dashed after him.

Jack caught the first guard unprepared, and the Jaffa fell with the unnatural electric whiz. The second guard had a bit more time to prepare his weapon. The hefty Jaffa let out a blast from the staff weapon. The yellow energy beam missed Jack by a hair and burnt a black hole in the corridor wall. Sam made it in time to see the guard fall with the blue electricity of Jack's zat gun.

"See that wasn't so hard." Jack had just finished explaining when a blaring siren sounded throughout the halls and the rest of the ship. The colonel glanced at Samantha, Sam and then at Teal'c "Did I do that?"

"Colonel O'Neill you are correct. I believe that is the alarm." Teal'c said urgently. "We must hurry."

"Daniel, what's your plan?" Samantha approached the consol to join Sam, who was looking at the energy readings from the power source and doing some mental calculations. He didn't have time to explain everything, so he just ignored the captain's question.

"Told you it was just a matter of time before he went permanently wacko." Jack said as he looked at Teal'c, who didn't deny his statement.

Disregarding the colonel's comment Sam said "Teal'c, Jack. Please watch the door."

He pulled five timer bombs out of the pockets in his cargo-style BDU pants, each were about the size of a tennis ball. Luckily, they were fairly easy to figure out. A couple clicks of the almond shaped buttons and the devices were ready.

Al had said the cargo ship bay was close and it would only take five or so minutes to get there. He put the one with the shortest time next to the hyperdrive engine. The others that were left he placed around the large power source. The latter would go off in sixteen minutes, if he programed them correctly.

Glancing around the room, Sam asked "The hyperdrive will blow in eight or so minutes. After that we have another eight minutes before the power source detonates. We are going to head to the ship bay now and fly out of here before the second explosion destroys the ship. Ready?"

"The route to the ship bay is clear. You should have enough time to get there" mentioned Al, who was standing close by.

Teal'c checked the corridor, and then gave one quick nod of his head. Quickly and carefully, Sam activated the timers.

Leading the way out of the engine room, Sam followed Al's direction and took a right, continuing the opposite way from which they had come. If Al's schematics were correct, it was basically a straight shot to the closest ship bay. He had a good feeling; they were so close to going home. He relished the thought of a good night's sleep and planned on taking a well deserved nap on the way back to Earth.

The blaring alarm still sounded through the halls, reminding them of the urgency of the situation. Their footsteps seemed to echo as they jogged down the long hallway and to Sam it seemed that the beating of his heart could compete with the piercing alarm. They were just about halfway down when a patrol of ten Jaffa guards entered the corridor about twenty meters ahead of them. The Jaffa in the lead let out a yell and turned his staff weapon on the team.

"Get down!" Jack grabbed Sam by the back of his shirt and threw him toward the wall, out of harm's way, just in time. Half a second later, an energy blast whizzed by where the scientist had been standing.

The four members of SG-1 were against the sides of the hallway. Sam could see Samantha kneeling behind a protrusion in the wall, her zat gun firing at the party of Jaffa. Teal'c stood over her; his staff weapon had already brought down two of the guards.

The electric whiz of the zats sounded as Jack crouched and activated his gun, his demeanor radiating the USAF colonel that he was. He brought the enemy count down to half a dozen left, but they were still outnumbered and reinforcements would probably show up at any moment to flank them. They would either be recaptured or killed in the crossfire.

Sam peaked out from against the wall and fired his zat, but met with no success. He didn't know what to do. Their path was blocked.

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~Gracie