SGC Headquarters, 6:38 P.M. MDT

"Offworld activation! Colonel Carter to the control room!"

Sam came sprinting into the room even as the echo of Harriman's announcement faded.

"What have we got, Walter?"

"It's SG-1's IDC, sir." He was already reaching to open the iris when she nodded approval. The iris cleared the event horizon.

A few moments later, Daniel stumbled through the gate, and sank to his knees on the ramp.

"Call medical! And get Teal'c to the gate room!" Sam ordered as she ran down the stairs. She reached Daniel before he could collapse completely, and held onto him. Behind him the wormhole dissipated. He was alone!

"Daniel, what happened?"

"We have to go back… Sam, it was a trap. The natives were really bounty hunters, after Jack. We were ambushed. Jaffa… captured Jack…" He was interrupted as the med team hit the ramp and edged Sam aside. Teal'c was on their heels, with Jay right behind him. "No," Daniel said, pushing the doctor's hands away. "That can wait. Sam, Teal'c… They were working with the Jaffa. Ow!" He shoved at the doctor again. "Stop that…"

The doctor reluctantly stepped back. A slim, dark haired, young woman, with exotic oriental features, she did not look at all happy about being pushed away.

"DanielJackson, let them help you," Teal'c said.

"No, there's no time!" He drew in a breath, caught at his ribs. "The Jaffa serve a Goa'uld named TeKhara. She's Hathor's daughter!" Sam, Teal'c, and Jay all reacted to this information with alarm. Nobody missed the point of what Daniel was saying.

"This TeKhara has the General?" Carter questioned.

"She's not there yet. The Jaffa… holding him. Waiting for her to arrive."

"Are they still on the planet?" Jay demanded. Daniel nodded. "How many?"

"A lot… twenty or more that I saw."

Carter turned around, yelling orders. "Sergeant, call every available team to the gate room! Full armor, heavy weapons; 203s and 224s! Get a MALP in here!"

"They're two or three klicks away from the gate…" Daniel managed. He was fading.

The doctor had had enough. "I need to take him—now!" she insisted.

Carter nodded. "Teal'c. Go with him."

"Can you get a UAV launched?" Jay asked. "If they're three klicks from the gate, we'll have to find them."

"It could warn them, too." She considered the idea.

Running feet in the corridor, and SG teams 2 and 3 entered the gateroom. Colonel Reynolds and Colonel Dixon came toward Carter with questions in their eyes.

"General O'Neill has been captured by Jaffa," she told them. "I'll do a full mission briefing when everyone is assembled."

She headed out of the gateroom, and discovered that Jay was on her heels as she hurried down the corridor toward the armory.

"Where are you going?" she asked him.

"Where are you going, Sam?" he countered.

"To get kitted out."

He caught her arm, stopped her, and turned her to face him. "You can't go to 998, Sam."

"The hell I can't!"

"You're in command of the stargate right now."

"I'll delegate…" She paused.

"To whom?" he asked. "Who's next in line? Reynolds? Dixon? You can't leave the base under these circumstances—and you damn well know it!"

She jerked her arm away from him. "You're out of line, Lieutenant!"

Jay stepped back. "Yes, ma'am. My apologies. But you know the regs as well as I do."

His eyes wouldn't let her go. O'Neill's eyes. He was right. She couldn't relinquish command with the General absent under these conditions. She swore vividly.

The elevator door across the corridor slid open and Teal'c emerged.

"Daniel?" Sam questioned.

"He has cracked ribs, much bruising and some internal injuries. Dr. Lam is treating him."

"Dr. Lam?" Jay asked.

"The new CMO. She's only been here a couple of weeks. The General requested her specifically."

"DanielJackson has given me more information," Teal'c said. "Both SG teams have been neutralized. Two members of SG-9 are down near the gate. Ferris and Jensen. Both are badly injured. The rest of the teams are wounded—or dead—in the same location where O'Neill is being held. He has given me directions to find that location."

"How many dead?"

"He is not sure. He thinks most still live. From what he could see, the Jaffa had restrained them, along with O'Neill." Teal'c paused a moment. "Colonel Barnhart is among the dead."

Sam put that aside for the moment. "We need med teams, then."

"Dr. Lam is organizing them now."

Sam turned to Teal'c. "I'm putting you in charge of the rescue. As the lieutenant here has reminded me," she said, shooting Jay a steely glance, "I can't leave the base under these conditions."

"I understand." Teal'c nodded. "Will JayO'Neill be coming with us?"

Carter gave him a startled look, then glanced at Jay. "Do you think he should?"

"He is O'Neill, after all. I believe there can be no better asset." Teal'c turned to Jay. "With apologies, Lieutenant. But we could use you."

Jay's turned to Carter.

She nodded, making an instant decision. "I'll authorize it."

SGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSG

Fifteen minutes later there were ten SG teams and three emergency medical teams crowded in the gateroom, as well as a motorized supply trolley, an ordinance carrier, and a MALP.

Carter climbed the ramp so she could face the group. "This is a rescue mission," she informed them. "General O'Neill, SG-9 and SG-11 have been attacked and captured by Jaffa belonging to the daughter of Hathor. We believe the primary target is General O'Neill, and we're not certain what they plan to do with the rest of the men. Daniel Jackson says there are men seriously wounded—as well as at least one fatality." Heads came up at that, but there were no sounds. "Teal'c will be in command of the mission. Second to him is Colonel Reynolds, and then Colonel Dixon. We believe the area immediately around the gate is clear, but are sending the MALP through first." She raised her voice, "Sergeant Harriman, dial the gate."

Carter walked down the ramp, and out of range of the wormhole initiation. Once the wormhole was open, the MALP was remotely activated and sent through the gate.

The room waited silently while the seconds ticked off.

"The MALP has arrived, Colonel," Harriman announced. "The cameras are showing no activity in the immediate area of the gate."

"SG-2 and 3 will lead off with me," Teal'c announced. "The teams will follow in order. SG-16 and 18 will wait for the all-clear, and escort the medical teams."

Sam retreated to the control room to watch the heavily armed troop exit through the gate. It had been a little over half an hour since Daniel had returned.