Sorry for the long delay again guys. Hopefully you'll all still read. Had a lot going on just now. This hasn't been beta read yet. I wanted to get it out as soon as possible. Hope that's okay. I can't see too many mistakes. Hope you all enjoy.
11
The fear did not leave her when she made it to the other side. It only made it worse.
Shaking her head she told herself she was being paranoid. This planet had been abandoned for several thousand years, and they were one of the first people to set foot on it since.
She made her way down the steps with the other members of the team and set off towards the ruins where the object was found.
After about half an hours walk they came upon the ruins. Sam and the other members of the team were rooted to the ground in shock, their mouths swinging open.
Before them was a piece of Ancient technology. Never before had any of them seen such a vast piece up close.
With wide curious eyes, and excitement and wonder that pushed the dread away, Sam made her way closer to the machine. The rest of the team a few paces behind.
"Wow," she breathed as her left hand traced some of the markings on the device.
She quickly located the control panel at the back of the device, close to the back of the cavern where it was situated. There were leavers and what looked like buttons on one of Jake's favourite toy all over the panels.
She laughed at the comparison she had made and smiled at the team members who looked at her as though she was mad.
"Sorry, it just looks like something my son plays with," she explained.
"Well then, it shouldn't be too hard to figure out," the team leader joked, and
returned the smile.
"If that were only the case," Sam replied.
"Okay people, let's see if we can figure out what this thing is and how it works, if it still does."
--
"I think I've found a way to turn it on!" Dr. Turner, SG-7's scientist, exclaimed two hours later. He was currently lying under the machine with his feet sticking out at the end.
"Well try it Michael, the quicker we figure out what it does the quicker we can go home and get some real food," Colonel Briggs replied, a little impatient with his rations, that he never grew to like.
The machine started to purr with life as Dr. Turner shuffled his way out from under the machine. The tower glowed a faint orange while the controls went blue.
"Ha, told you I found a way to turn it on!" he said, his voice full of excitement.
No sooner had he said the words, the cave in which the device was located started to shake. Small pieces of rock started to fall from the ceiling and the team was soon covered in dust.
"What's happening?" Captain Haynes cried.
"We need to get out of here!" Sam shouted back while picking up her bag and equipment.
"Okay people, move, move, move!" Colonel Briggs yelled over the noise of the bigger falling rocks.
The team quickly made their way to the exit of the cave, but suddenly stopped short at the sound of a scream of pain. Looking round, the team laid eyes on Dr. Turner lying on his front with a piece of shattered rock on his leg.
"God damnit Turner!" Briggs cussed. "Okay, Haynes, get his left arm. Carter get his right. I'll move the rock, Kerr, you're with me!"
Captain Kerr quickly made his way to the left side of his fallen friend and helped his commanding officer move the rock. As soon as the rock had been moved Haynes and Sam pulled him up onto his feet.
Once clear of the cave and falling rocks and dust the team sank down to the ground. Kerr pulled out his medical kit and started to look over Michael.
"Bloody hell Michael, you've made a good job of this one! You're not gonna be leaving Earth for awhile!" Kerr scolded him.
"Sorry David," Michael apologized.
"You remind me of Daniel, Michael," Sam laughed.
"Ah Dr. Jackson, I try and model myself on him," Michael joked, while the team laughed at him.
"Well you're doing and excellent job!" Sam laughed.
As Captain Kerr cleaned and wrapped Turner's wound the rest of the team took the opportunity to relax. It was then that Sam realised what her bad feeling had been about. She knew something was going to go wrong, and it had. Dr. Turner had been injured, but with the right medical attention he would be up and about in no time.
Sam exhaled and visibly relaxed. Panic over.
It took them nearly two hours to get back to the Gate. Turner's injury slowed them considerably, having to swap team members every so often to give the others a break. All the way Turner was apologising.
Upon finally reaching the Gate, Sam made her way across to the DHD. As she pressed the familiar symbols, Turner passed out from the pain. She smiled sympathetically at Colonel Briggs and Captain Haynes as they passed her with an unconscious Dr. Turner in their arms. She smiled at the awkwardness of the position he was in.
She and Captain Kerr brought up the rear. Sam was the last to walk through the Gate. Taking a second longer to look back in the direction that had come from. She could see what used to be the cave in the distance, now I pile of rubble.
--
Sam walked down the ramp leading away from the Gate to see that Michael was now being wheeled away to the infirmary on a gurney. She shook her had and watched all the dust fall from her hair fall to the ground. She needed a shower.
Slowly she made her way out of the Gate room and down the corridor. She smiled slightly at the people she passed. She coughed slightly the more she walked. A few passing airman stopped and asked if she was okay, concern filling their faces as the coughing grew steadily worse.
"I'm fine really," she told them, coughing as she did so.
"Maybe you should get checked out first ma'am," one said as he held out his arms as if to catch her if she were going to fall.
"No, I'm fine, I just need a shower first," she replied as she walked away.
The young Native American airman looked on in worry as she walked down the corridor away from him. Making up his mind he walked towards the General's office with a purpose, he had to do something. He couldn't let her walk away knowing something could happen for the worse.
He arrived at the General's office in record time and explained his worry's. The General promptly thanked the young man and called the infirmary, then his own second-in-command.
He knew Jack would want to know what was going on, even if it resulted in nothing.
--
Sam stood under the blast of the shower, her face tilted upwards, her hands running through her hair. She knew she had stood there longer than necessary, but she didn't care, she didn't feel clean. Even though she knew she was, the water was running clear now.
She had to turn her face down towards the ground as the coughs started up again. She couldn't remember the last time she had coughed that bad for that amount of time. Perhaps when she was a child.
Her coughing got so violent she thought she was going to be sick. She knew then she would have to get the infirmary as soon as she could and get checked out. She couldn't pass this on to her son.
Stepping out of the shower cubicle wrapped in a towel she got dried and dressed as quickly as she could and then exited the room.
She was nearly at the infirmary when the next wave of violent coughing took control. Her right hand went up to her mouth instinctively, while left went to the wall so she could grab onto something. She knew if she was to let got of the wall she wouldn't be able to stand up right.
Once the coughing subsided again she looked at her hand. It was splattered with blood and cave dust. Her eyes widened in horror, and her mouth fell slack.
"Sam!" she heard her name being called.
She looked up and saw Jack running towards her. He was meant to be looking after their son. Where was Jake?
"Where's Jake?" she asked hoarsely.
"He's with Daniel on the surface," he explained. "Are you okay? The General called me, said an airman told him you were coughing a lot and it didn't sound healthy."
It was then that he noticed her hand that was still in the air. He looked on in shock as he took in the sight of the blood and dust that covered it.
"Oh God Carter!" he exclaimed as she started to cough up more blood and dust.
Acting on impulse, Jack gathered Sam up into his arms and ran towards the infirmary. He felt Sam tense at the contact between them. He knew she was remembering the last time he had touched her, not a pleasant memory. But he was surprised at how quickly she relaxed into his arms. It wasn't until her head fell back that he realised she was unconscious.