Carter turned on her laptop as she wanted to check the readings from the seismometers, and if the SGC had tried to contact them after the earthquake. Any data they sent to the MALP could be transferred to the laptop as soon as she set up the receiver. Jack was resetting the tent which had shifted during the earthquake. He turned around and saw Carter with her hands on her forehead looking upset.
"Carter, what's up?"
"Sir, the SGC did not send us any data through the gate. We are several hours late to check in and I had hoped they would've sent something, so I could tell that they tried to contact us. This means we have to go to the gate, explain why we are so late and get new radio's. We've also got to find Daniel and Teal'c."
"Carter, as soon as we've had something to eat, we'll go." While Jack wanted to leave right away, he knew that Carter needed rest. Had he known where Teal'c and Daniel were or if they were ok, he would've ordered Carter to stay put. In the past 24hrs she'd been through enough that he was convinced when they got back to the SGC, Doc Frasier would have her in the infirmary for at least a week. He wasn't about to leave her alone while he went off looking for the other two so he'd see how she felt after a warm meal. Carter checked the seismographs and let out an exclamation.
"Carter?"
"Sir, the earthquake. It measured a 6.7 around the gate."
"Ok. So. Therefore." Jack prompted Carter as she started thinking and stopped talking.
"Sir, that was a pretty forceful earthquake. On Earth a quake that size could do significant damage to a large city. I can't tell where the earthquake occurred yet but it could be bad."
"I don't like bad."
"I don't know yet Sir. I'm going to have to run these readings through a program and see if I can get some results that will help."
"Can it wait?"
"Sir, earthquakes around a dormant volcano are usually quite small. So small that you wouldn't feel them. When a volcano starts to become active, generally the earthquakes increase in magnitude and frequency. I need to see if I can figure out what's going on here."
Jack left her to it. He prepared a warm lunch and gave Carter hers. She thanked him absently and returned to her work. When she eventually laid the laptop on a log and moved towards the tent, Jack became curious.
"Carter. What'cha doin?"
"The program has got to run the numbers and will take a few minutes. I'm still wearing the clothes from yesterday and I need to change." Jack looked down at his own clothes. He also needed to change as his pants were caked in mud and leaves. As Carter entered the tent, he went to the FRED and pulled out a spare set of clothes. He hesitated before pulling his shirt off. He remembered last night and the wounds on his back. If he had reopened them when he changed shirts, he didn't want to do that again. He had no idea of what condition they were in and didn't want to run the risk of reopening them again as they'd never heal that way. He gingerly pulled the shirt off and gulped as his back burned. He hadn't noticed how tender they'd become. He put the new shirt on and decided that Carter would have to take a peek. If the wounds were already infected he needed them to be cleaned out as soon as possible. He heard silence in the tent and stuck his head inside. Carter was out cold. He returned to her laptop, put it on top of the FRED, doused the fire and prepared to wait for her to wake. Not long after, he was nodding off too.
"Ok Teal'c. I'm guessing this happened during the earthquake."
"I would assume so Daniel Jackson."
"So that would mean that Sam and Jack would've been at the caves."
"Indeed."
"The likely hood of them already being back at the base is..."
"Limited."
"Then what are we waiting for? We should go to the camp and see if they are there."
Daniel and Teal'c started the trek to the camp. Once they were on the trail, they kept their eyes peeled for any sign that Sam and Jack had been there recently. When they arrived at the point where the paths split, one to the camp and one to the caves, Teal'c noticed something.
"Daniel Jackson. I have found some recent footprints in the dirt. It appears that O'Neill and Major Carter have passed this way."
"Towards the camp? Oh good. Then they're ok."
"The tracks lead towards the cave and they are the most recent."
"They haven't returned then. Which way should we go?"
"We have supplies for another 2 days. We can go back to the camp or towards the caves."
"Caves. They could be trapped. "
Teal'c left a marking on a tree branch to signal Major Carter and O'Neill that he and Daniel Jackson had been looking for them and followed Daniel down the trail.
When they were halfway to the caves the ground became muddy and debris was littering the ground. Had there been a storm? Daniel picked up his pace a little as the trail became worse and more dangerous with every step. He was taking care to look where he was planting his feet, at the same time as scanning under trees and around the area, in hopes that they would spot Sam and Jack. As they neared the shore, Daniel guessed as to what happened.
"Teal'c, remember the translation of the symbol for wave of water?"
"Yes."
"Could it mean a tsunami? It's a giant wave that can follow a big earthquake."
"It could. I have not seen or heard of one before."
"They happen rarely on Earth and can be more devastating than the quake itself. I think that's what happened here. We need to get to that cave, find out what happened."
Daniel and Teal'c walked as quickly as they could towards the shore noticing the devastation worsening as they approached. They knew they were getting close when most of the trees were fallen or leaning precariously. Once at the cave Daniel spotted a thin black strap wrapped around the shield device on the floor.
"Hey Teal'c. Looks like they were here."
"Indeed." Teal'c had found something also.
"What have you got there Teal'c?"
"It is a damaged radio." Daniel looked over as Teal'c removed the plastic and rubber coating.
"It's looks like it's rusted. How could that happen? I mean, it's metal but it would take years for it to rust."
"Was not the water slightly acidic on this planet Daniel Jackson?"
"Yeah, slightly. I have a hard time believing the water would do that in less than a day though."
"Perhaps it came in contact with another substance?" Teal'c placed the radio in a plastic bag and put it in his pack. Daniel wandered over to the tie.
"This looks like the tie off a backpack."
"It appears to have been cut."
"Wonder why it was there." Daniel scanned the cave walls. "Look up there."
Teal'c followed Daniel's gesture and noticed the spider like device attached to the wall. Teal'c placed his pack on the ground, and started to scale the wall. In no time he was hanging onto the device as Daniel looked on in awe Despite his size Teal'c was amazingly graceful and he knew there was no way he would be able to climb up, there let alone deftly.
"It appears to be a similar to the other devices. I can see similarities to create a shield."
"Why's it all the way up there? How would you use it there?"
"I doubt this is a transport device. It would seem to serve only one purpose."
"Which is?"
"I am unaware of it's uses Daniel Jackson. It is currently inactive."
Teal'c climbed down as nimbly as he had climbed up, picked up his pack and prepared to leave. Daniel followed Teal'c out of the cave and noticed water at his feet. The tide had started to come and it was going to get dark soon.
"Teal'c you reckon we could get back to the camp before dark?"
"We will arrive shortly after dark."
"Ok. Let's hur..aagggh."
Daniel took several steps forward and tripped over the smaller device on the shore. He fell flat on his face, rolled over and grabbed his knee and shin. He sat up swearing.
"Daniel Jackson. Do you require assistance?"
"Damn it Teal'c. That hurt." Daniel pulled up the pant leg to reveal a cut just below his knee and a scrape down his shin. It was already starting to bruise. Teal'c hid his amusement. It appeared to be such a small wound compared to ones he'd seen them all endure before, yet he was making a bigger fuss about it. Daniel pulled out his first aid kit, and proceeded to clean up the cut and place gauze on it. Teal'c commnted that they hadn't changed the gauze on his head since that morning, and offered to take care of that. He removed the gauze and parted the hair on Daniel's head. The large gash had stopped bleeding yet didn't appear to be healing yet. Teal'c cleaned out the wound and applied some butterfly closers as Daniel flinched with pain. He then applied a new piece of gauze and taped it back on. Daniel stood up and they started the journey back to the camp again. Due to the delay at the shore, they were less than halfway to the camp when Daniel started to trip with every step.
"Teal'c. I think we've got to stop. I can't see much in front of me and my flashlight's dying."
"I estimate we have perhaps another hour to arrive at the camp. I too am having difficulty navigating around the debris."
"Ok. Tent? Or just sleeping bags."
"We will be warmer in a tent."
Teal'c set up the tent as Daniel prepared a cold supper. They ate in silence and retired early, as the lack of sleep of the past two days was beginning to gnaw at them. Before they fell asleep, both had the same thought. Were were Jack and Sam?
Jack woke up suddenly. He jumped to his feet and reached for his P-90. What had awakened him? He heard a groan coming from the tent. He opened the flap and saw Carter tossing in her sleeping bag. After learning his lesson last time he woke Carter, he crawled in the tent and gently shook her awake.
"Carter." She mumbled nonsense in response, so he called a little louder.
"CARTER." That did the trick. Her eyes snapped open.
"Sir?"
"You were dreaming. Not a good one too I'm guessing." She looked at him in confusion so he crawled out of the tent. He relit the fire as Carter emerged and wandered over to her laptop.
"Tired Carter?"
"Apparently Sir. I had a bit of a headache so I laid down. I had no idea I'd be out for so long. What did you do?"
"Oh you know, the usual." Sam smirked to herself. If he had been awake why was he relighting the fire?
"Any sight of Daniel or Teal'c?"
She felt guilty. Instead of looking for them she'd been sleeping. It had been one hell of a headache though. She thought the world had been spinning and couldn't keep thoughts in her head. She didn't remember changing or getting into the sleeping bag, but she had done at some point. The headache was still there, but the pain was manageable now. At least now she didn't feel like she was continually going to fall on the ground.
"No. Do you know how long till darkness falls? We should at least get to the gate, contact the SGC and get new radios."
"I'm guessing we've got just over an hour from where the sun is now. We might now make it there and definitely not back. If Daniel or Teal'c went to the gate they'll more than likely come here first, after checking in with the SGC."
Jack had to agree. Sometimes it was best to stay put when you got separated and he didn't want to be traipsing around in the dark as they could miss the other two and not realise it. They would head out in the morning. Carter became lost in her laptop so Jack started their meal. As he got a whiff of what he was cooking his stomach rolled. It took all of his willpower not to run over and vomit in the trees. He went to the FRED and filled up his water canister from the water jugs they'd packed and attempted to appease his unhappy stomach. Carter shut her laptop and sat down with a frown. Jack handed her a bowl and attempted a few bites.
"What's up Carter?"
"I can't concentrate."
"Headache?"
"Little one." Jack knew she was lying. He could see her eyes shift as she answered.
"How little?" She sighed and answered honestly.
"Not as painful as before, but my head feels fuzzy."
"Fuzzy?"
"I dunno. Like it's full of cotton wool. Nothing on that thing is making sense." Carter pointed at her laptop. "I wrote half the stuff on there and now I can't comprehend most of it."
"Carter, you've more than likely got a concussion. Give your overworked head a break. It's gotta recover." Jack could see her frustration and he wanted to help her, but the few bites of food he'd had were threatening to come back. He made an excuse and dashed off into the trees. When he returned a little shaky he saw Carter wrapped in her coat mere inches away from the fire.
"Carter. You cold?"
"Uh yeah." He could tell she was not focused on his question. She got like this when she had a new idea or doohickey taking all her concentration.
"If you got any closer, you'd be in the fire."
She moved back after glancing in his direction, and in a few minutes shed the coat and moved further away from the heat. Jack watched her as she stood up and wandered towards the clearing in the trees. He wanted to follow her but assumed she had something on her mind and wouldn't want him distracting her. He cleared up the utensils and packed the food away. He watched as Carter walked back towards the laptop on the FRED, in an almost dreamlike state. She shut the laptop without turning it off, and ambled to the tent.
He was curious at her behaviour and hastened to clear up. He threw the remainder of his dinner on the fire to put it out, but another rebellious roll of his stomach delayed him. He staggered into the tent and moved towards her. She was lying on top of the sleeping bag, her face flushed, and fast asleep. He put a hand to her forehead. She was hot to the touch so he grabbed a cloth and some water and went back inside the tent. He poured water on the cloth and applied it to her forehead and neck. He wanted to cool her down before the fever ran too high. They had a few medical supplies but nothing for this. He could only assume that the time in the water mixed with the fall, and the hike back, had caused this.
He cursed himself. He should've stayed in the cave or insisted they stopped earlier. He should've checked to make sure she was ok when she complained about her lack of concentration. Jack felt his headache building swiftly and eventually placed his own head down. He could barely keep his eyes open and whatever could possibly be left in his stomach was warning him of a potential trip outside. Jack took several deep breaths of the cool night air, and willed his stomach to take control. He felt Carter shiver beside him and removed the cloth from her neck. She still felt warm but not as much as she had been before. He fought the waves of sleep that overtook him for as long as he could, checking Carter every few minutes. She'd stopped shivering shortly after he removed the cloth and hadn't stirred since. His head was now pounding and he allowed himself to drift off to sleep.
Teal'c and Daniel woke up before dawn and with only one working flashlight, they decided to stick to the decision of the night before and wait for light. They wouldn't be any help to Sam or Jack after injuring themselves further by tripping in their haste. They had packed up their belongings, had a cold breakfast and were waiting for the sunrise. It was difficult, just sitting there, as Daniels imagination started creating all sorts of senarios. Teal'c did not appear to be in a mood for conversation as every time Daniel tried to engage him, Teal'c would respond with monosyllables. The second Daniel could see the outline of the trees he was ready to go. They set off cautiously as the ground was still difficult to see clearly. Less than an hour later they emerged from the trees into their camp. Daniel heaved a sigh of relief as he saw Sam's laptop sitting on top of the FRED. He was surprised she hadn't put it away as usual, but brushed that off. He ran to the tent and opened the flap. What he saw startled him. Sam and Jack were fast asleep, cuddled up to each other, Sam facing Jack, with Jack's arms holding her to him.