"Are we there yet?" Seated on a large crate, Jack fiddled with his MRE in frustration. He wasn't hungry, although he should have been. His stomach was churning… might have been the thought of heading out on another suicide mission, or it could have been Jacob's flying, Jack really wasn't sure which.

"I believe the answer to your question is, once again, negative... O'Neill." Teal'c was seated on the floor in the cargo bay of the small Tel'tak; eyes closed, legs crossed and slightly peeved. He was finding it hard to concentrate with the insistent nagging from his friend. He hadn't satisfied his need for Kel'No'Reem back at the SGC; like everyone else his mind was with Sam. At least on the long flight to Elysium he could get some rest, knowing that they were on their way to help her. That was if Jack O'Neill would let him.

Teal'c felt Jack's eyes on him again, "Teal'c, you got a bad feeling about all this? Or is it just me?"

"Is that not an appropriate feeling O'Neill?"

Jack placed the MRE next to him and inspected his sticky fingers in disgust, "Don't get me wrong T, in all our previous, life threatening, snake infested adventures I always expected something to pop outta nowhere…" He trailed off. For a long moment he said nothing. When it was clear Teal'c wasn't going to interrupt he figured it best to finish, "Just, something seems really odd. Odder than usual… if that's even possible."

Teal'c opened an eye and cast a sidelong glance at Jack, "Perhaps it is simply the unique nature of Major Carter's situation." It was a statement, not a question.

Jack's head shot up, "What do you mean?"

Teal'c flicked his eyes towards Daniel, who was curled up in a ball on the other side of the room. Jack followed his line of sight, slightly surprised. Easing himself of his crate he joined Teal'c on the floor.

Jack lowered his voice, "Did you talk to Daniel?"

"Indeed."

"And?"

"He is burdened by guilt. He believes Major Carter's capture was a direct result of his failure to mention his findings on P3X-900."

"But you don't think so?"

Teal'c chose his words carefully, "I believe that Daniel Jackson made an honest mistake."

"An honest mistake? Teal'c, he willingly chose not to mention the tablet. How am I supposed to believe that that was an honest mistake?"

"Are you not aware that I too make a fatal mistake O'Neill."

Jack raised his eyebrows, "You?"

"Indeed. When Major Carter and I left Elysium, I lost track of her -"

Jack finished Teal'c's sentence for him, "Outside the wall."

Teal'c dipped his head in confirmation, "It was a mistake I had made but twice before that. Yet I do not bear the same feeling of guilt that Daniel Jackson is suffering from. While it was my fault O'Neill, I believe that at the time, I was not acting like myself." Teal'c shifted his position, slightly irked by the recollection of the event. "Daniel Jackson may have fallen victim to the same notions."

"And you think that there was something causing these, notions?"

"I do. Yet I am uncertain of what it could have been."

"Why didn't you mention this before?"

"You did not ask."

"Teal'c, you don't have to draw such a thick line between being asked for information and giving it up freely you know. This changes a lot of things."

"O'Neill?"

"Daniel. We need to tell him this. It might bring him out of his wallowing enough so that he's back in the realm of the living again. I really don't feel like dragging that onboard a Goa'uld mother ship!" Jack pointed at Daniel. The archaeologist was on his back, sprawled out like a starfish. Glasses falling off his face, shoelaces untied, shirt untucked, unkempt hair… and a snore to end all snores; Daniel had rarely looked so dishevelled in good company. In bad company he'd looked worse, but Jack figured that right now he was even giving those moments a run for their money.

Teal'c simply nodded and closed his eyes. Jack sighed heavily, "So I take it that I get the short straw?"

Teal'c smiled, "Perhaps it will occupy you enough to prevent you from making a nuisance of yourself…"

"Ooooh." Jack wagged a finger, "Low, low!"

Teal'c's smile faded as he moved into a deep state of Kel'No'Reem. Jack sighed again and stood up. He might as well let Daniel sleep for a bit longer before he braved the talk. Jacob had been unusually quiet at the controls. Jack walked, stiff legged, slowly out towards him. Hands stuffed in his pockets, Jack just stood there for a little while, watching the stars whiz by and listening to the low him of the engines. The moment quickly turned sour, when Jacob decided to let him know that he knew he was there.

"Jack, are you just going to stand there drilling holes in the back of my head?"

"Is it working?" Feeling way too awkward, Jack took a seat in the co-pilot's chair and folded his hands together. "So, uh, how much further?"

"I thought Teal'c told you not to ask that question again."

So he had heard the entire conversation. Jack smiled sheepishly, "Sorry."

"We'll be there in around 8 hours. I know it's painstakingly slow…"

Jack knew the last comment was really making the older man nervous. After all, his daughter was in trouble, and the best he could do was offer transportation that made a donkey and cart seem like a steam train. Granted, they were travelling faster than the speed of light, it just didn't feel like it.

"How're you holding up? I could man the fort if you wanted some rest." Jack tried to make it sound casual. Saying something like 'Hey Jacob, you wanna stop fretting about your daughter and take a load off?' might have come across as rather crass.

Jacob chuckled, "I'm fine Jack. Selmak tells me to order you to get some sleep."

"Yeah, not having much luck in that department."

Jacob swung his chair around to face Jack, "Sorry, I don't have any good bedtime stories to help you out. Tried counting sheep?"

The conversation was failing miserably in diverting their worried minds away from their present gloomy thoughts. Jack just smiled apathetically, "Nah…"

There was a long pause. Finally, after the pair had stared into the oblivion out the windows for long enough, Jacob decided to talk about more pressing issues than counting sheep.

"When we get there, I'm going to have to ring you aboard Ptah's mother ship and then leave you guys. I can't stay. The High Council needs me back for some urgent business. It was hard enough getting approval for this mission as it was, Sam's life being at stake or not. I'm sorry." Jacob chewed his bottom lip in frustration, "The worst part is that I'm leaving you all there without a way off that god forsaken ship."

"I know. But we've gotten out of tighter scrapes. We'll be fine… peachy."

The Tok'ra produced a watery smile, "Don't get me wrong Jack, I know you guys have been through hell and back countless times. I just don't like the idea of having to abandon you… or Sam."

It was Jack's turn to struggle for words, "Jacob, you're not abandoning us. Without your help we would've been stuck waiting for the Asgard or worse… waiting for your meeting to end. We all know how much you Tok'ra like to talk."

At least it got a laugh out of him, "They weren't going to stop me..."

"And besides… I've had it up to my eye balls with people feeling guilty over this."

"Speaking of which, how's Daniel?" He didn't miss a beat!

"Dead to the world. But he'll be feeling a lot better when he wakes up."

Jacob nodded, "And the Elysian guy… Ajax… can you trust him?"

Jack had almost forgotten about him. That guy could turn himself invisible in a glass factory. "I think so. He's pretty pissed about all the lies…"

Ajax was asleep sitting up against the wall near Daniel's feet. A beige coloured blanket that he had dug up from one of the crates was draped over him, making him look more like a rock than a human. Jack was confident that Ajax was going to play by his rules, but even if that decided to bite him in the ass, he'd be ready. Deception was second nature to interplanetary cultures.

Jack caught himself yawning. Maybe he was going to get some sleep after all.

"Jack, at least go and rest a bit. If I have to order you I will."

"You're retired." Jack mused.

"Yeah, but I can still kick your ass."

"No thanks, I'll be getting enough of that in 8 hours time."

"Actually Jack, you should be aiming at giving it not receiving it."

"Oh don't worry, my Air Force regulation boot is all shined and ready… I've just learnt to expect at least a little in return." Smiling, Jack got to his feet and made his way back to the cargo bay, sleep finally beginning to cloud his thoughts.

"Bring her home Jack. In one piece." Jacob turned his attention back to the star field, only just managing to keep his emotions at bay.

"It won't go down any other way Jacob. You have my word."

"Are we there yet?" Seated on a large crate, Jack fiddled with his MRE in frustration. He wasn't hungry, although he should have been. His stomach was churning… might have been the thought of heading out on another suicide mission, or it could have been Jacob's flying, Jack really wasn't sure which.

"I believe the answer to your question is, once again, negative... O'Neill." Teal'c was seated on the floor in the cargo bay of the small Tel'tak; eyes closed, legs crossed and slightly peeved. He was finding it hard to concentrate with the insistent nagging from his friend. He hadn't satisfied his need for Kel'No'Reem back at the SGC; like everyone else his mind was with Sam. At least on the long flight to Elysium he could get some rest, knowing that they were on their way to help her. That was if Jack O'Neill would let him.

Teal'c felt Jack's eyes on him again, "Teal'c, you got a bad feeling about all this? Or is it just me?"

"Is that not an appropriate feeling O'Neill?"

Jack placed the MRE next to him and inspected his sticky fingers in disgust, "Don't get me wrong T, in all our previous, life threatening, snake infested adventures I always expected something to pop outta nowhere…" He trailed off. For a long moment he said nothing. When it was clear Teal'c wasn't going to interrupt he figured it best to finish, "Just, something seems really odd. Odder than usual… if that's even possible."

Teal'c opened an eye and cast a sidelong glance at Jack, "Perhaps it is simply the unique nature of Major Carter's situation." It was a statement, not a question.

Jack's head shot up, "What do you mean?"

Teal'c flicked his eyes towards Daniel, who was curled up in a ball on the other side of the room. Jack followed his line of sight, slightly surprised. Easing himself of his crate he joined Teal'c on the floor.

Jack lowered his voice, "Did you talk to Daniel?"

"Indeed."

"And?"

"He is burdened by guilt. He believes Major Carter's capture was a direct result of his failure to mention his findings on P3X-900."

"But you don't think so?"

Teal'c chose his words carefully, "I believe that Daniel Jackson made an honest mistake."

"An honest mistake? Teal'c, he willingly chose not to mention the tablet. How am I supposed to believe that that was an honest mistake?"

"Are you not aware that I too make a fatal mistake O'Neill."

Jack raised his eyebrows, "You?"

"Indeed. When Major Carter and I left Elysium, I lost track of her -"

Jack finished Teal'c's sentence for him, "Outside the wall."

Teal'c dipped his head in confirmation, "It was a mistake I had made but twice before that. Yet I do not bear the same feeling of guilt that Daniel Jackson is suffering from. While it was my fault O'Neill, I believe that at the time, I was not acting like myself." Teal'c shifted his position, slightly irked by the recollection of the event. "Daniel Jackson may have fallen victim to the same notions."

"And you think that there was something causing these, notions?"

"I do. Yet I am uncertain of what it could have been."

"Why didn't you mention this before?"

"You did not ask."

"Teal'c, you don't have to draw such a thick line between being asked for information and giving it up freely you know. This changes a lot of things."

"O'Neill?"

"Daniel. We need to tell him this. It might bring him out of his wallowing enough so that he's back in the realm of the living again. I really don't feel like dragging that onboard a Goa'uld mother ship!" Jack pointed at Daniel. The archaeologist was on his back, sprawled out like a starfish. Glasses falling off his face, shoelaces untied, shirt untucked, unkempt hair… and a snore to end all snores; Daniel had rarely looked so dishevelled in good company. In bad company he'd looked worse, but Jack figured that right now he was even giving those moments a run for their money.

Teal'c simply nodded and closed his eyes. Jack sighed heavily, "So I take it that I get the short straw?"

Teal'c smiled, "Perhaps it will occupy you enough to prevent you from making a nuisance of yourself…"

"Ooooh." Jack wagged a finger, "Low, low!"

Teal'c's smile faded as he moved into a deep state of Kel'No'Reem. Jack sighed again and stood up. He might as well let Daniel sleep for a bit longer before he braved the talk. Jacob had been unusually quiet at the controls. Jack walked, stiff legged, slowly out towards him. Hands stuffed in his pockets, Jack just stood there for a little while, watching the stars whiz by and listening to the low him of the engines. The moment quickly turned sour, when Jacob decided to let him know that he knew he was there.

"Jack, are you just going to stand there drilling holes in the back of my head?"

"Is it working?" Feeling way too awkward, Jack took a seat in the co-pilot's chair and folded his hands together. "So, uh, how much further?"

"I thought Teal'c told you not to ask that question again."

So he had heard the entire conversation. Jack smiled sheepishly, "Sorry."

"We'll be there in around 8 hours. I know it's painstakingly slow…"

Jack knew the last comment was really making the older man nervous. After all, his daughter was in trouble, and the best he could do was offer transportation that made a donkey and cart seem like a steam train. Granted, they were travelling faster than the speed of light, it just didn't feel like it.

"How're you holding up? I could man the fort if you wanted some rest." Jack tried to make it sound casual. Saying something like 'Hey Jacob, you wanna stop fretting about your daughter and take a load off?' might have come across as rather crass.

Jacob chuckled, "I'm fine Jack. Selmak tells me to order you to get some sleep."

"Yeah, not having much luck in that department."

Jacob swung his chair around to face Jack, "Sorry, I don't have any good bedtime stories to help you out. Tried counting sheep?"

The conversation was failing miserably in diverting their worried minds away from their present gloomy thoughts. Jack just smiled apathetically, "Nah…"

There was a long pause. Finally, after the pair had stared into the oblivion out the windows for long enough, Jacob decided to talk about more pressing issues than counting sheep.

"When we get there, I'm going to have to ring you aboard Ptah's mother ship and then leave you guys. I can't stay. The High Council needs me back for some urgent business. It was hard enough getting approval for this mission as it was, Sam's life being at stake or not. I'm sorry." Jacob chewed his bottom lip in frustration, "The worst part is that I'm leaving you all there without a way off that god forsaken ship."

"I know. But we've gotten out of tighter scrapes. We'll be fine… peachy."

The Tok'ra produced a watery smile, "Don't get me wrong Jack, I know you guys have been through hell and back countless times. I just don't like the idea of having to abandon you… or Sam."

It was Jack's turn to struggle for words, "Jacob, you're not abandoning us. Without your help we would've been stuck waiting for the Asgard or worse… waiting for your meeting to end. We all know how much you Tok'ra like to talk."

At least it got a laugh out of him, "They weren't going to stop me..."

"And besides… I've had it up to my eye balls with people feeling guilty over this."

"Speaking of which, how's Daniel?" He didn't miss a beat!

"Dead to the world. But he'll be feeling a lot better when he wakes up."

Jacob nodded, "And the Elysian guy… Ajax… can you trust him?"

Jack had almost forgotten about him. That guy could turn himself invisible in a glass factory. "I think so. He's pretty pissed about all the lies…"

Ajax was asleep sitting up against the wall near Daniel's feet. A beige coloured blanket that he had dug up from one of the crates was draped over him, making him look more like a rock than a human. Jack was confident that Ajax was going to play by his rules, but even if that decided to bite him in the ass, he'd be ready. Deception was second nature to interplanetary cultures.

Jack caught himself yawning. Maybe he was going to get some sleep after all.

"Jack, at least go and rest a bit. If I have to order you I will."

"You're retired." Jack mused.

"Yeah, but I can still kick your ass."

"No thanks, I'll be getting enough of that in 8 hours time."

"Actually Jack, you should be aiming at giving it not receiving it."

"Oh don't worry, my Air Force regulation boot is all shined and ready… I've just learnt to expect at least a little in return." Smiling, Jack got to his feet and made his way back to the cargo bay, sleep finally beginning to cloud his thoughts.

"Bring her home Jack. In one piece." Jacob turned his attention back to the star field, only just managing to keep his emotions at bay.

"It won't go down any other way Jacob. You have my word."