Chapter 9 SG-1 Win The Game
The cloaked Puddlejumper flew down to the Stargate, which Jack had dialled from the controls. It was still early morning – SG-1 didn't see anyone around in the square as the little ship hovered briefly in front of the event horizon before whooshing inside. A few seconds later and they sped out of the other side, Jack immediately taking them in a steep ascent away from the 'gate.
Two bemused guards stood waiting in front of the wormhole, clearly expecting a person to appear from within. The men looked at each other, then at the Stargate, then at the area surrounding themselves.
One of them was clearly shouting – he gesticulated into his sidekick's face, who after a few seconds became fed up and punched his fellow guard on the nose. The two of them began brawling on the ground as Jack carefully brought the 'jumper back down to hover about fifty feet above them before shutting the wormhole down.
"My, what lovely folks," the General commented wryly.
"Aren't they just." Jonas rubbed the back of his head, which still had a decent sized bump on the back of it.
Another man came out of the undergrowth, quite clearly yelling at the other two, who stopped their fight and stood talking with him. One of them pointed to the Stargate. The new arrival was obviously of a more suspicious nature than his two compatriots – he pulled out a large rifle-like firearm and let off a salvo of shots, spreading them across the surrounding area.
One of the other men began waving his arms about again as the gun toting guy reloaded and began to fire over his head, spreading shrapnel around the sky above the Stargate.
"Crap!" Jack spat out, as he felt several of the bullets hit the Puddlejumper. Before he could do anything numerous lights began to flash on the virtual console in front of him.
At the same time the men on the ground became very excited – shouting, waving and pointing at the little ship above him.
"There goes the cloak then," Daniel remarked, conversationally.
Jack pulled heavily on the controls and swung off above the trees as rapidly as possible, away from the mine. The little ship lurched on it's axis, causing the group in the rear compartment to be severely jolted.
"Over there, sir." Mitchell pointed to a small clearing off to the left. "We could set down there, cover the ship with as much undergrowth as possible."
Jack didn't reply, merely aimed in the direction where Mitchell was pointing, managing to bring the ship to a bumpy landing as he took the 'jumper as far in under the trees as possible.
Everyone bundled out as quickly as possible, grabbing at branches, sticks, vines – anything that they could hide the 'jumper beneath.
"Can you fix it?" Sam came into the cockpit behind Jack and leaned over his shoulder.
He shrugged. "Not really my thing," he told her. "The question is, can you fix it?"
She grinned at him. "I knew that you were going to say that!"
Jack glanced over his shoulder, checked that they were alone, and slipped his arm around her waist. "I'll make it worth your while," he winked, pulling her closer.
Sam put one arm across his shoulder. "You'd better," she replied, already reaching out to stretch across to the crystal tray release switch.
A moment later and the two swiftly untangled themselves from each other, as Vala came bouncing in from the rear compartment.
The wily alien didn't comment, although she did smother a grin. She merely asked Jack to come and check if the camouflage that they'd covered the ship with was thick enough.
He nonchalantly wandered out, tweaked a few branches, threw some more sticks on top then crossed his arms. "It'll do." He surveyed the hidden craft pensively. "We're gonna have to end this party on foot now, ya realize?"
Mitchell was already tightening the straps on his tactical vest. He shrugged, resigned. "Should have guessed we'd hit trouble somewhere along the way, sir," he told Jack. "We are SG-1, after all!"
- o – o – o – o – o – o -
A new plan was hatched. Sam and Jack would stay with the 'jumper – Sam to try and fix it and the General because he was the only one of them who could fly it. The others were to split up and head off back toward the quarry.
Mitchell had the Naquadah generator in a backpack – he and Jonas were paired together.
Daniel and Vala were sent to scout the area ahead.
The team's object now was to try and get the generator into the quarry without the use of the Puddlejumper. setting it to overload on a delay switch, in the hope that they'd have enough time to get back to the small ship before the explosion. They should be able to withstand the explosion at least, even if they were unable to get away in time.
"'Jumpers can fly through Stargates and back and forth through time," Sam reminded them. "I'm fairly sure they can withstand a Naquadah explosion – as long as it's not too close."
"How sure, exactly?" Vala asked, edgily.
"Well – mostly sure. Pretty much." Sam attempted to look more certain than she actually felt. "I'm quite sure."
Vala narrowed her eyes and muttered under her breath, but carried on prepping her P-90.
- o - o - o - o - o - o -
The four team members responsible for triggering the device had been heading back quietly towards the quarry for about twenty minutes before they heard the first sounds of anyone approaching.
Mitchell gestured Jonas to get down. Just as the two of them dropped behind a convenient fallen tree Daniel and Vala showed up.
"A group of Alliance – heading this way," Daniel spoke in a low tone. "Sounds like four or five."
"Yeah," Mitchell readjusted his grip on his firearm. "We hear 'em. You two try and circle around – spread out and come back behind. Let's just hope that they're looking for the 'jumper and move on."
Daniel nodded, tightening his hold on his P-90. "Good luck," he whispered, before following Vala, who was already disappearing into the trees.
"You too," Jonas replied.
It was only a couple of minutes later that Mitchell, still crouched behind the tree, heard the not-very-stealthy approach of the enemy. He made himself into as small a shape as possible.
Jonas, listening intently, held up four fingers.
Mitchell nodded. Four men.
The enemy were making quite a racket – snapping twigs and branches and whispering loudly to each other.
Mitchell, with his Black-Ops training, held back a snigger as the stamping antagonists moved on, unobservant of the two hidden men. Slowly, once it was quiet again, Mitchell and Jonas stood up and began to creep off through the trees. They'd been moving for about another ten minutes when the Colonel held up his fist. The two of them stopped, just as Vala came slipping back through the undergrowth.
"We're there," she whispered. "Only about fifty feet ahead. Daniel's waiting for us – the woods go right to the edge of the quarry."
"Must be our lucky day after all," Mitchell said, dryly.
The two men followed the alien back through the trees. She moved silently, like a ghost – Mitchell had forgotten how good she was at this kind of manoeuvre. Another few minutes and it was Vala's turn to put her hand up. The others' stopped and crept forward slowly to join her.
She signalled them to get down.
They did, crawling forward on their stomachs.
Daniel appeared on their right, also lying flat out. Another yard, then another and suddenly they were looking down into the quarry itself.
It was smaller than any of them had expected – only about four hundred yards across, and partially hidden by overhanging trees. There were three inter-connected metal huts situated towards the end closest to where they were hiding, with several smaller cabins set close by. Centrally was placed what looked like living quarters, with another large hut - wooden, and not as large as the metal ones - to the far side.
"I would say that the Naquadria is in there," Jonas offered, quietly, indicating the metal units below them.
Daniel nodded. "Agreed."
"And the crystals are over there?" Vala pointed at the wooden building.
"Probably." Jonas looked to Mitchell. "I need to get the generator ready. Can I do it now?"
"Seems as good a time as any," the Colonel replied.
The other three continued to watch the quarry, while their team mate began to set the generator to overload once it was triggered.
- o – o – o – o – o – o -
Back at the Puddlejumper Sam had been pushing and pulling different crystals in and out of trays, much to the bemusement of Jack.
"I don't know how you can tell one from the other," he told her after she'd been at it for a few minutes.
Sam flashed a smile across at him.
"It's not as hard as you think," she answered. "You just have to remember the layout of which powers what, and then it's easy."
"Of course," Jack looked sceptical. "I'm sure that someone like me would make a fine job of it!"
"You shouldn't underestimate yourself, sir," Sam chuckled.
"Don't you 'sir' me when we're on our own, Samantha," he replied, eyes darkening.
"Stop it," she retorted, then laughed. "Jack."
The General opened his mouth to say something, but the sound of men imminently approaching stopped him. He turned to the back of the 'jumper, readying his P-90. "Carter, keep doing what you're doing."
She nodded. "Be careful, sir."
Jack narrowed his eyes at her before moving covertly to just inside the closed rear door of the little ship.
The voices were close, maybe twenty feet away, but they were moving on all the time, not stopping. Jack was about to let out a small sigh of relief when it all went wrong.
Sam, putting one of the crystals in slightly off-centre, jumped as there was a small flash and bang on the circuit board. At the same time the back door of the 'jumper opened, lowering to the ground and revealing the two people inside.
"For crying out loud!" snapped Jack, glaring at Sam.
"Sorry!" she whispered, penitently.
Jack set his P-90 to his shoulder, just as the four Alliance members came crashing in their direction.
Here goes nuthin'! he thought, getting as low as he could behind the seats and beginning to fire.
- o – o – o – o – o – o -
The sound of gunfire carried through the trees to where the other team members were hiding on the edge of the quarry.
"Is that us?" Vala whispered, startled.
"You can bet your sweet ass on it!" Mitchell hefted up his P-90 and pulled Daniel to his feet. "With me, Jackson! Princess – you stay here and look after Jonas. Any serious trouble, fall back to the 'jumper but bring the damn generator with you!"
The two men ran swiftly into the trees and were quickly lost among the undergrowth.
Vala crouched next to the Kelownan. "Are you nearly done?" she asked. Jonas was using a small tool to adjust some tiny dials and switches inside the device. Another few seconds and he snapped the cover shut. "Done," he told her. "Once we set the device we have about two minutes until it reaches critical overload."
"We have to get it down there, though," Vala eyed the quarry floor worriedly. "We won't have time to get back out again."
Jonas nodded grimly. "We'd better hope that Sam gets that Puddlejumper working." he answered. He stood up and stretched.
Vala pulled him back down almost immediately. She put her finger to her lips. The sound of more adversaries approaching could be heard clearly.
"Have you got a gun?" she whispered.
Jonas nodded, indicating a Zat gun in his leg holster. He pulled it out slowly.
The voices of their enemy were so close now that they could make out individual voices.
"There sounds like a lot of them," Vala murmured, ominously. She checked her own weapon. "Ready?"
Jonas nodded, slinging the rucksack with the generator inside onto his back. "Ready."
- o – o – o – o – o – o -
Mitchell and Daniel came running out of the trees about ten seconds after Jack had taken down the last of the Alliance men who'd stumbled upon the Puddlejumper.
Sam was rapidly pushing the crystals in and out of trays and opening and shutting drawers. "My fault," she admitted, glumly. "I accidentally opened the back door!"
"Nice trick," Mitchell grinned.
Jack glared at him, alternately straightening and bending his poor knees.
"I'm gonna strangle you, Carter, if you pull sumthin' like that again," he growled.
"Sorry sir." She gave him a sad little smile.
Damn the woman, she wasn't going to get around him like that. With a small hiss the last of the crystal compartments closed itself. At the same time the rear door began to rise and the 'jumper quivered into invisibility. There was a long pause.
"Aww….okay," Jack grinned ruefully. "I forgive you Carter. Nice work."
Sam didn't answer, but looked smug. The General came and sat behind her, taking the controls and bringing the little ship online.
"You hear that?" Mitchell cocked his head.
They all listened.
"Gunfire," Daniel's face was set like stone. "Vala and Jonas!"
Jack had already begun maneuvering the 'jumper into the air. "Hold tight!" he instructed, as they swung about and headed back towards the quarry.
- o – o – o – o – o – o -
Weapon fire hit a tree close to Jonas's head. He ducked and rolled away, shooting as he went. The Zat blast hit the ankles of one of his attackers – Jonas fired again and the man stayed down.
Another of them ran at him – Jonas fired quickly but didn't hit the antagonist squarely - the man only staggered and kept coming. Jonas grabbed at a branch, which was still attached to a tree, bent it back and pinged it towards his adversary, who had to duck. Firing again, Jonas hit him in the chest. He paused, before regretfully Zatting the downed man for a second time. They couldn't take the chance of any of the enemy getting up again.
Jonas could hear Vala's P-90 rattling away somewhere to the right – he headed over in the general direction, passing several lifeless bodies as he did so.
Jonas heard Vala give a small cry, and the weapon fire stopped briefly. When it started up again, it sounded far more erratic and jerky. Another few seconds and it stopped completely.
The Kelownan crept onward, to find his team mate being dragged by her hair through the woods by a nasty looking Alliance operative. Two others came tojoin him.
Jonas barely paused before firing the Zat'nik'tel twice, taking down two of them.
Vala rugby tackled the third man, bringing him down hard onto the ground. She was leaning on his weapon arm, but slowly he was managing to lift it towards her.
Jonas moved swiftly and hit him with the discarded P-90 which lay on the woodland floor.
"Tie them up," Vala panted, struggling to her feet and shaking her left arm.
"Are you okay?" Jonas began, but another weapon blast interrupted them, hitting the trees to one side of the clearing.
The two SG-1 members pelted away into the undergrowth, but before they could get far the sound of more gun fire carried through the trees.
"That's us!" Vala squeaked excitedly, and began running back the way that they'd come.
Sure enough, Mitchell and Daniel, looking as if they were suspended in mid-air, were firing down on their attackers from the back of the cloaked Puddlejumper. Another few seconds and Jack had dipped the ship low enough for Jonas and Vala to scramble on board.
"Everyone okay?" Mitchell asked.
They both nodded.
"My hand stings," Vala added, wiggling her left fingers. They looked red and swollen. "They shot my P-90 and it doesn't work properly now. It made my hand go all funny. It hurts. And they pulled my hair!"
She frowned furiously, as if this was a greater insult than being shot at. Daniel squeezed her quickly.
Vala gave him a rueful little smile in return.
"Kids – are you ready for the fun part?" Jack called back from the pilot's seat. "I'm as low to the quarry as I'm gonna get – anyone who wants to throw out Naquadah generators at this point – go right ahead!"
Jonas took off the back pack and pulled out the device.
Sam swapped places with Mitchell and crouched next to the scientist. She pressed something, a red light came on. Then a blue one. "Ready?" she asked.
Jonas nodded. "As ready as we'll ever be," he muttered.
Daniel, holding tightly to a strap beside the lowered 'jumper door, grabbed the back of the scientist's combat vest.
Jonas took a deep breath, exhaled, then threw the generator out of the ship. It tumbled down towards the sheds where SG-1 hoped the Naquadria was being stored. Bouncing along the roof, it rolled to a stop towards the middle of the structure. There was a pause.
"Sir – shut the door!" Sam yelled.
Jack raised the back door, at the same time lifting the craft to a much higher altitude. Everyone inside the 'jumper now crowded as far into the front as they could, endeavouring to see out of the windows.
"I can still see…" Vala began, but was cut off by the generator exploding, bang on time. The whole of the Naquadria store went up with it, the resulting fireball huge, like a mushroom cloud. It expanded rapidly, heading swiftly towards the small Atlantean ship.
Jack continued to increase altitude - they were close to three miles above the surface now.
"We need to get further away," Sam told him. She bit her lip worriedly – when the fireball reached the Aureoques, then the quarry and it's surrounding area would quickly become a place where none of them wanted to get caught.
Jack didn't answer, but increased speed and altitude again, heading towards the Stargate. A few seconds later and the sound of the explosion reaching the Aureoque store shook the whole ship, throwing those who were standing up from side to side.
"The Stargate!" Vala whispered, horrified.
The fire from the massive explosion had already spread over two miles in each direction – the 'gate was surrounded by huge, licking flames. Everything between the DHD and the quarry had become a flattened, burning wilderness. It was a firestorm – fierce, blistering hot winds whirled about outside and buffeted the little ship, causing the temperature inside to climb rapidly.
Calmly, Jack dialled the address for Kallios Prime – not a moment too soon a wormhole appeared and the Puddlejumper sped through, heading for safety.
TBC...
Just the epilogue left! Thanks to all of you who've stayed with this story. Sorry for the late posting of this chapter - been a very busy couple of weeks, here at Naquadah Mansions :-)