Chapter 15- Return and Assignments
Laura looked up as Daniel emerged through the gate. "Daniel, you okay?" Laura asked as two small children sidled up to her and grabbed at her hands.
"Yeah," Daniel said, looking at the watery event horizon.
"They behind you?" Sam asked, meaning Jack, Teal'C, and the other team.
"I hope so," Daniel said. Laura bit her lips hard and held her breath, praying that Teal'C and her father came through the gate intact. It was the first time in living memory that Laura had ever prayed that a Jaffa would make it. She figured since the Jaffa had saved their lives she owed him, not to kill him. She could now see that the Primta in his belly wasn't his fault any more than her having the memory of the Goa'uld or Tok'Ra who fathered her was her fault. Teal'C hadn't asked for it any more than she had.
Someone, followed by Teal'C came through the gate. The soldiers raised their machine guns. "Hold your fire! Hold your fire!" Sam and Daniel both shouted.
"They're with us," Laura said, walking up the ramp to Teal'C, who gave her his staff weapon. "Teal'C where's my father?" Laura asked, looking at first him and then the man who came with him.
"Back there, Harcesis," Teal'C said indicating the event horizon.
Laura looked toward the horizon as Jack, Kawalsky, and another soldier came through. "Now! Lock it up!" Sam ordered as the three men hit the ramp.
"Closing iris," a man over the intercom said. Laura held her breath as three sharp thuds hit the iris. "Wormhole disengaged," the same man said as Jack stood.
"Dad," Laura said breathlessly and ran to him, hugging him tightly as the iris opened and the event horizon was gone.
"Medic! Medic!" men in white uniforms shouted coming to the soldier Jack and Kawalsky was helping.
"You got him?" Jack asked as the survivors came forward and hugged everyone.
"Colonel O'Neill, care to explain?" General Hammond asked as soon as he got Jack's attention.
"Um, we can use the Stargate to send these people home, Sir," Sam said.
"What's he doing here?" Hammond asked with barely concealed animosity as he looked at Teal'C, who stood off to the side with a frown on his face.
"General, Hammond, this is Teal'C. He can help us when I can't and my memory only goes so far," Laura said, stepping up to Teal'c.
"You know what he is, Miss O'Neill?" Hammond asked, bristling.
"Unfortunately, Sir, I do. But he can't help what he is any more than I can help having a Goa'uld's knowledge. But he's also the man who saved our lives. And if you accept my recommendation, Sir, he'll join SG-1," Laura said, getting looks from everyone.
"You are not a part of the Air Force, Miss O'Neill. That decision may not be up to you," Hammond said as he walked away.
"Very good, kid. At least you are giving them something to think about. For what it's worth, you are right. The snake's memory may only go so far and there will be times you can't help us," Jack said.
"Colonel O'Neill, Major Kawalsky, this is sure to be an interesting briefing which shall take place at 07:30," Hammond said, walking to his office. If Laura had looked over at Kawalsky she would have noticed something was wrong.
"She's out there somewhere, Jack," Daniel said, looking to the Stargate.
"I know. So is Skaara," Jack said.
"So, what do we do?" Daniel asked.
"We find 'em," Jack said as they left the ramp to go to the briefing, leaving Kawalsky behind.
The next day Laura found herself standing in front of a glass partition with Jack, Kawalsky, Carter, and Daniel, with General Hammond pointing to certain stars on it. "Gentlemen and young lady, these planets designated P3-575 AND P3A-577 have been submitted by Captain Carter's team, which involve her and Miss O'Neill, as possible destinations for your next mission. SG units one and two will operate concurrently," Hammond said.
"You know, I'm kind of partial to P3-575, if you don't mind taking P3A-577," Jack said conversationally.
"No, I'll take 577-" Kawalsky started to say, playing along with Jack's ribbing.
"I'm not married to it. I want to be fair about this. How about we flip a-" Jack started to say.
Guys, how about you go where we tell you? As far as I'm concerned-" Laura started to say, trying hard not to laugh, when Walter the gate tech came over the loudspeaker.
"Alert! Inbound traveler! Repeat! inbound traveler!" His voice blared.
"Those Goa'ulds are persistent," Kawalsky said. The Goa'ulds had been trying all night to get through the gate and hadn't quite figured out the shield blocking them.
"I think we made them angry," Jack said calmly as if he was ordering dinner.
"Closing the iris," Walter said as Hammond went to the glass overlooking the gate room.
"Alert! All defense teams standby! Set the base autodestruct countdown at three minutes," Hammond said to Walter. Laura and Jack moved up to the glass. Jack gently touched the back of Laura's head and they waited. Everyone visibly winced at the sound of bodies hitting the iris.
"We're not going anywhere as long as the Goa'ulds keep up these attacks," Kawalsky said at the last bang.
"Well, they can't keep this up forever. Can they?" Daniel asked Kawalsky.
"Wow," Jack said as another slam shook the iris.
"Once they realize our gate's impenetrable, they should just give up," Carter said.
"Part of me just wants to let 'em through; give 'em the fight they're lookin' for," Kawalsky said, in a teasing voice.
"You and me both," Laura muttered as the gate shut down.
"Radiation team, move in," Walter said. A team moved up to the gate, a Geiger counter in hand.
"Well, there have got to be worse ways to go, I suppose," Jack said. Everyone turned to look at him.
"You don't think the Goa'ulds are sending people through, do you?" Daniel asked in shock. Jack shrugged.
"Be like bugs on a windshield," Jack said smugly.
"Yeah, it wouldn't be the first time that a Goa'uld would treat a human like a guinea pig," Laura said as the radiation team gave a thumbs up.
"Team reports all clear, Sir," Walter said to Hammond.
"All right. Stand down from alert and abort the countdown," Hammond said to the team and aside to Walter. Laura looked over at Kawalsky as the team below breathed huge sighs of relief. He looked as if he was in some kind of pain as he massaged the back of his head.
"Kawalsky, what's the matter?" Jack asked, apparently seeing the same thing Laura saw.
"Headache. I took a fistful of aspirin, but nothing helps," Kawalsky grunted.
"Get down to the infirmary. Get it checked out. Go on," Laura said gently, indicating the infirmary with her chin.
"Yes, kid, I think I'll do that. Sir, with your permission?" Kawalsky asked Hammond and saluted.
By all means, Major. I need you to lead your team to P3-575," Hammond said, saluting back.
Laura bit back a giggle as Kawalsky sauntered past with a cocky grin on his face and she remembered Jack and Kawalsky teasing about planet assignments. The mirth was short-lived as the wormhole opened again.
"Inbound traveler! Inbound traveler!" Walter blared as the soldiers in the gate room aimed their machine guns again.
"Reset the counter. Here we go again. All defense teams remain in position," Hammond said and Walter reset. Three more bodies banged against the iris.
"So, this iris is gonna hold, right?" Daniel asked Carter.
"Pure titanium, less than three micrometers from the event horizon. It won't even allow matter to fully reintegrate," Carter said.
"So, this iris is gonna hold, right?" Jack repeated Daniel's question.
"If it doesn't, the fail-safe device will detonate. This whole mountain will vaporize, and there'll be nothing to worry about, Dad," Laura said, looking at the iris and biting her lips.
"Ah! Good. I feel much better," Jack snarked as the gate started up again, followed by more banging against the iris. Laura had a feeling this was gonna be a long day if the Goa'ulds kept this up. She had no idea how much longer the day was going to be,
