Thank you to everyone for the kind words and encouragement! I've had a heck of a last few weeks-sick, vacation, tore my calf muscle, a close friend passed away...the list goes on. Thanks for hanging on while I got my issues sorted out.
Point of clarification: I tried to make it clear in the last chapter that the planet they are stranded on is a complete unknown, with all different symbols on the DOD. We'll get to some of the why, but I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear enough. I'm trying to keep the technology in canon, but will probably stretch things a bit at times.
I've got the next two chapters mapped out, so hopefully I can get them more quickly than this update.
-Begin-
The trek to the clustering of trees was taking much longer than Teal'c had anticipated. The terrain was dry, rocky, and extremely hot. Their gear was of little help since they had packed for a planet that was almost completely water. Despite the fact that Teal'c had been apprised of the supposed mixup of planets, he had to pack as if he didn't know what was going to happen. Unfortunately, that left him in waterproof boots and pants that held in the heat, making the ambient temperature feel much hotter.
After the first click, he and Colonel O'Neill had stripped off their long-sleeved shirts in a bid to alleviate some of the suffocating heat, leaving them in their black t-shirts. After another click, Major Carter had finally given in and stripped hers off, leaving her in a modest grey sports bra. While neither he nor O'Neill had said anything, Teal'c could sense a sizzle of fire snap from O'Neill as Major Carter stripped. Teal'c also watched with amusement as she merely arched an eyebrow as if replying to something being said. O'Neill's unapologetic shrug, followed by the half-smile he saved exclusively for his second-in-command caused Teal'c to hide his own smile. After watching them deny their attraction for so many years, it was refreshing to see them relaxed with one another.
Teal'c's amusement was driven aside, however, by the third click, which was proving to be the hardest. The terrain slowly morphed into a vast, jagged canyon. Instead of hiking side-by-side, they were being forced into a single file line as they tried to stay towards the top of the canyon by following a narrow ledge. While traversing the bottom of the canyon would have been easier, they all knew from experience it could lead to entrapment if there was no exit on the other end.
"Watch your footing," Jack called back to them as he struggled to stay steady on his feet.
Before Teal'c could respond a slight tremble began to shake the ground beneath their feet. A sharp cry from Major Carter had him snapping his head upward just in time to watch O'Neill grab her arm as the ledge under her gave way.
"Sam!" Jack shouted as he jerked her hard towards him. With a loud grunt, she slammed into O'Neill's chest. Teal'c watched in horror as Major Carter's momentum drove O'Neill backwards, causing them both to tumble several feet down the rock face, landing in a heap of arms and legs on the jagged ground.
"O'Neill! Major Carter!" Teal'c called, unable to move as everything began to convulse violently. A massive piece of the canyon crumbled as the quake triggered a rockslide. Unable to reach his friends, Teal'c retreated the way they had come; scrambling toward an area of the ledge that wasn't disintegrating around him. After what seemed like several minutes, the violent upheaval stopped. As the dust settled, Teal'c uttered a Jaffa curse as he realized a large chasm had formed between him and his friends. Even if he could find a way to climb down to them, there was no way he could get across.
"Teal'c!" he heard Sam calling up to him.
"I am here, Major Carter!" he answered. "Are you and O'Neill alright?"
"We are," Jack hollered back, "you alright!?"
"Indeed," Teal'c answered, trying desperately to find a way around the rift. "I'm afraid I cannot find a way to you!"
"Don't try," Sam yelled back. "We're stuck.. There's no way to go except farther down."
"She's right," Jack confirmed. "Carter and I are going to have to climb down and hope there's a way out at the bottom. Head back to the gate and see if you can find an alternate planet. Carter said even though she doesn't recognize half the symbols on the DOD, you might have some luck deciphering the-at least find another planet to gate to if necessary. We'll try to get out of here and head the back, too. If we aren't at the gate in 24 hours, wait for the SGC to contact you and request a search and rescue. We've got enough rations to last approximately four days."
—POV—
Jack turned back toward Sam as Teal'c acknowledged his orders and headed out.
"Jack, you're hurt," she said as she gently pulled on the arms he held tight against his ribs.
"It's not that bad," he tried to force a grin, but it came out as a grimace.
"Yeah, right," Sam rolled her eyes. "You forget you can't lie to me about being in pain anymore." Pulling out her canteen, she held it to his lips and told him to drink. It spoke volumes that he didn't balk at her actions, but instead took long swallows of the water.
"I've had worse," he said once he was finished drinking. She knew that statement to be true.
"Can you climb?" she asked, putting the canteen back in her daypack and pulling out their standard med kit. They only had enough pain killers and antibiotics for a day. Standard procedure was return to the SGC immediately if a member of the team suffered a significant injury. Unfortunately, that was a possibility right now.
"Wrap my ribs tight and I should be able to climb down. Thank god we don't have to go up," Jack sighed. "I've cracked at least one, maybe two ribs."
"I'm sorry," Sam said, lifting the hem of his shirt, getting her first look at the bruising that was already starting to mar his skin.
"Not your fault," he ground out as she probed the area gently. She must have hit a particularly sore spot because his breath inhaled sharply. "Damn, Carter," he ground out.
"Definitely one broken rib," she confirmed. Despite his affirmation that it wasn't her fault, she knew it was. When she slammed into him as they fell, he'd shifted so his body took the majority of the blunt force. She'd likely have broken bones, or worse, if not for him.
Not your fault, he whispered to her. She hadn't realized a tear slipped from the corner of one of her eyes until he wiped it away from her cheek with his thumb. Not. Your. Fault. Giving Jack a quick nod, she pushed her emotions aside and focused on wrapping his ribs.
"Come on," Jack said as she finished up and pulled his shirt back down. "Let's get moving; it's going to take me twice as long to climb injured, and I don't want to be stuck up here in the dark."
—POV—
General Hammond rushed to the gate room as soon as Walter had paged indicating he'd received SG-1's IDC. Something must have gone wrong with the plan because Teal'c wasn't supposed to reveal their location for another four days.
"Teal'c." Hammond greeted, "You're not supposed to be back yet. Where are Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter?" A wave of concern rushed up his spine. Teal'c would never leave his team behind unless it was necessary. Hammond had arranged to send the three members of SG-1 to a safe area; a sort of tropical honeymoon location. Teal'c was supposed to get them to lay low, ensuring the Colonel and Major stayed put for a few days-out of the reach of Kinsey and his goons. The dialing "accident" had been Walter's idea, and a stroke of genius, according to Hammond. The base was currently on lockdown from the outside due to an unknown alien "threat." In reality, the threat was just a new plant one of the scientists had brought back. Hammond ordered the base quarantined until the so-called threat could be mitigated, meaning once the plant was taken back through the stargate in four more days.
The planet he'd actually sent SG-1 to was one the Tok'ra had inadvertently found during a scouting mission. According to Tok'ra intel, the local population were friendly and laid back. As soon as Hammond had mentioned to Jacob the need to make his two officers unreachable, Jacob had offered the planet's gate address. Since it was not part of the SGC's database, Major Carter wouldn't be able to decipher the several new symbols easily, making their immediate return unlikely. It also served as plausible deniability for her and Jack. They were on a planet no one at the SGC actually knew about. It would be an amazing discovery and once she was back, her and Dr. Jackson would have a field day exploring the new symbols and deriving new gate addresses.
"I was separated from the others, with no way to get to them," Teal'c said simply. "Colonel O'Neill ordered me to backtrack and meet up with them at the stargate. He said they were fine, but I believe O'Neill to be hurt. I've come to update you on the situation and acquire some medical supplies from Dr. Fraiser."
"Of course," Hammond led the way to the infirmary. Shaking his head he looked at Teal'c as they walked. "This was supposed to be a relaxing interlude for them before facing the music in Washington," he sighed.
"I believe it still can be," Teal'c reassured him. "O'Neill's injuries were not severe or Major Carter would have said something. I believe some additional pain killers and antibiotics will be sufficient. The standard amount we carry will only last a day, two at most."
Before they reached the infirmary, the base's alarms began blaring.
"Unscheduled off-world activation!" Walter's voice rang through the PA system.
"Now what," Hammond growled, taking off in a jog with Teal'c on his tail.
"It's the Tok'ra's IDC, sir," Walter informed them as they entered the control room.
"Open the iris," Hammond ordered and made his way to the gate room.
"George, we've got a problem!" Jacob Carter bypassed any greeting as he emerged from the wormhole and down the ramp.
"Yes we do," Hammond quickly filled him in on what Teal'c had reported.
"I hate to add more to your plate," Jacob shook his head apologetically. "But we need to get Sam and Jack back here ASAP. Ba'al somehow acquired knowledge of the planet we sent them to and he's on his way there now."
"Jesus!" Hammond cursed before ordering Walter to dial the planet where they'd sent SG-1.
"As soon as they're back, send them with me," Jacob suggested. "I'll take them to a secret Tok'ra base; keep them hidden for a few days."
"Unfortunately, that won't be an option," Hammond sighed. "The dialing error was the only way Kinsey couldn't accuse them of obstructing justice. Sending them to you, Sam's father," he stressed, "would raise too many red flags."
"George, you know I'm not letting my daughter go to jail," Jacob said solemnly. "Jack either," he added as an afterthought. "That pain in my ass is starting to grow on me."
Jacob's words pulled a chuckle from Hammond. He already knew, regardless of the outcome of the court martial, Jack and Sam wouldn't serve a day of jail time. Both the Tok'ra and the Asgard had offered them sanctuary upon hearing about the situation, but Hammond was praying it wouldn't come to that.
"Sir," Walter's concerned voice drew his attention. "I can't get a lock."
"What do you mean?" Jacob asked alarmed.
"Either the gate on the planet is in use or it's not operable," Walter explained. "Regardless, we can't dial it."
"Keep trying," Hammond ordered as he felt a migraine forming.
"Tell me this is not happening again, George," Jacob growled. "My daughter is not stranded on a planet and in danger!"
Hammond looked at his friend apologetically as he realized everything was going to hell in a handbasket. "Until we can re-establish contact, Sam and Jack are on their own."