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Jack bit his lip as he looked one more time through the observation window at Daniel. He didn't think there would be a single spot on his friends' body that wasn't battered black and blue by now – unless of course it was covered with blood, cuts and gashes. Somehow Daniel was still conscious. Somehow he was still alive – and he'd be hoping to be rescued any second now. After all, he wasn't on some other planet so far away that you could barely see it through a telescope, he was on home territory – in the middle of the SGC that was filled with people on his side, within clear sight of some of his teammates and his best damned friend. Jack had never felt so helpless in his life.
"So, what do you think Carter?"
Sam looked back at him with eyes that were beginning to take on that haunted look that she had had when Daniel had been dying of radiation poisoning. "If you're asking for my recommendation sir, then I don't think we have any other real options. I'd suggest that the sooner we get started the better it will be for everyone concerned. I'd like to go along."
"We can guarantee the safety of only two beings other that the Daniel Jackson," said one of the tornados.
Jack nodded briskly. It was ultimately his decision – a decision that might well cost him the life of his best friend but they had clearly run out of time and since there really weren't any other plans on the table. "Okay, we go with Teacher's idea, and Teal'c and Carter go along. Carter, gear up as quickly as possible. Teal'c?"
"I have understood the plan, O'Neill. I will attempt to return Daniel Jackson safely."
Jack nodded gratefully although he knew Teal'c couldn't see. "Keep him safe, Teal'c."
"I shall, O'Neill."
"Okay, I guess we get this show on the road. Do you two need anything?"
"We do not."
"We will give you guys thirty minutes and then another team will be sent through to help out."
"Acceptable."
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Teal'c kept careful watch as the two tornados came into the Gate room ahead of Samantha Carter. The darker tornado holding onto Daniel Jackson did not react to their presence, and Daniel Jackson gave no indication that he was aware of them. Teal'c hoped that O'Neill would ensure that their part in the plan was initiated as quickly as possible. Daniel Jackson's body was barely moving now, and Teal'c could hardly recognise his friend beneath the many cuts and livid bruises that he now bore.
Teal'c watched as the two smaller tornados moved around the Gate room, lifting aside debris and spiralling into each body that they encountered. Teal'c hoped each time they entered a body that somehow the mangled remains might be healed. His own previously unremembered memory of a tornado spiralling into his own damaged body had returned with the images he was now watching. He remembered well what it had felt like to have the orange tornado within him and it was all that he could do not to shudder with revulsion at the unpleasant experience. He also remembered that the orange substance had remarkable healing abilities.
There. An Airman was moving weakly as one of the tornados emerged.
Teal'c hurried over the debris to help the Airman to his feet. "O'Neill, I am escorting a survivor towards the main blast door," he announced into his radio. He glanced up at the observation window in time to see several people hurrying into action and O'Neill waving him onward. He shielded the man with the riot shield and his own body and handed the man through to the other side of the blast door before crouching down low again to observe. Altogether, the orange entities were indeed powerful healers, he would rather spend six months within the infirmary healing slowly and painfully on his own than allow himself to be healed by them. He remembered it was highly painful to be healed by the orange entities. Every inch of him had felt violated and it had taken him a long time to realise that he had not been peeled open from the inside out …
"Chevron one locked," said Walter's voice over the loud speakers.
Finally, thought Teal'c with relief. He risked one more glance upward towards his team mate. Daniel Jackson's movements were weaker now than they had appeared even moments ago, and his eyes had closed.
"The tornado with Daniel in it hasn't budged, Carter," said Jack speaking through the radio. "Stay safe."
"Will do sir, and we'll bring Daniel home," said Carter's voice.
"Chevron two locked."
"Okay, let me through," said Carter's voice.
Teal'c watched as the blast door opened once again. An Airman handed him his staff weapon and a gas mask which Teal'c quickly fitted over his head in place of the visor.
"Chevron three locked."
Samantha Carter slipped into the room wearing her own gas mask and carrying a back pack and her weapon.
The blast doors closed again.
"Chevron four locked."
One of the tornados moved closer to them, blocking them off from the tornado holding Daniel and obviously standing guard over them.
"Chevron five locked."
Teal'c glanced back up through the observation window. "We are ready, O'Neill," he murmured over the radio."
"God speed, Teal'c."
"Chevron six locked."
The other tornado blended back with the large one holding Daniel for a few moments before separating again.
The Gate opened with a whoosh, instantly obliterating all of the debris caught within the plasma wake. A white gas began seeping in via the SGC vents and quickly started filling the room. At the same time the two smaller tornados began pushing at the larger one. Both of the smaller tornados were rotating in the opposite direction and were eating away at the power and velocity of the large one.
Daniel's eyes snapped open. "Wh … what?"
"Sorry Daniel, I'm so sorry," said Jack's regretful voice over the intercom. "But since we can't get you out and we can't have Anubis possessing anyone else, we're going to incinerate everything in that room. The gas is highly flammable you see, so unless Anubis goes through that Gate in the next thirty seconds, I'm afraid that's it, buddy, oh and you won't have time to ascend either. Once we light it up you won't have time to blink, let alone ascend. I'm sorry buddy, really sorry. It should be quick and relatively painless, and I know that you would be the first one to tell me that it has to be done."
Daniel opened his mouth to reply but started coughing instead, heaving hacking coughs that left him breathless. It was the sound of regret that was in Jack's voice that convinced him. That military mind set that had always and would always put the safety of Earth first over anyone and anything. Daniel closed his eyes and braced himself for pain. He was going to be burned to death. Burned alive, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He wished that he had the strength to ask his friends to turn away. He didn't want them to watch him die - again.
The larger tornado shrank down and Daniel dropped lower. There was an incredible surge of anger that nearly tore Daniel's sanity to pieces. Then he and the tornado holding him flew through the open Gate.
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