Part 2
Disclaimers can be found in Part 0
***
Jack's heart was pounding as he turned to the rest of his team. He could see that they were, like him, wondering if this was the end ... the day they would die.
The river raged at their feet, tearing away bits and pieces of the ledge that they were standing on. Their final hope of escape had minutes ago been torn from the ledge and washed away downstream in the raging torrent that had at once been a peaceful river bringing food
and water to the people of the village they had made contact with on this world.
As night had descended and a full moon had risen above this beautiful landscape, the terror had begun. The people of the village had retreated to their homes leaving SG-1 to themselves in the darkness. They had set up a camp on the outskirts of the village and had just finished eating when they felt a presence. Jack had noticed it first and had picked up his MP9 and walked to the edge of their encampment.
"Colonel, what is it?" Carter had asked.
Before he could answer her, Teal'c had risen from where he had been sitting, Staff Weapon making a slow arc around the camp. Then Carter and Daniel had felt the first prickling of fear run up the backs of their necks and they armed themselves as well. All four now stood,
back to back, facing whatever it was that was slowly making itself felt.
In the light of the full moon, none of them could discern any form or shape ... nothing that would indicate that someone was there besides themselves. However, the feeling that there was someone or something was strong. Jack squinted his eyes staring into the darkness, willing
something to appear. Nothing did and then a dark cloud had overtaken the moon, blocking its light and making the darkness complete.
Noise erupted as the people from the village ran from their homes in panic. SG-1 turned to the sound and saw the villagers running towards them ... adults and children alike. Screams of fear rent the air, making it a living thing. Buffeting against SG-1 and causing them to cringe at the pure force of it.
The villagers passed SG-1, pushing and shoving until the team were separated from each other and lost in the panic stricken horde rushing for the river and the bridge that spanned its length. Forced to run along with them, they kept trying to turn ... to see what was chasing them, but it was to no avail. Soon they found themselves with the rest of the villagers at the river's edge fighting with them to get onto the bridge and across to the other side of the river.
They were all thwarted as the river suddenly turned into a raging torrent pulling the bridge from its moorings on both sides taking with it those that had made it onto its surface.
Managing to get back together again, SG-1 watched in horror as several families had jumped into the water rather than face what followed. Turning away from that scene, they saw a young woman at the furthest edge of the crowd vanish from sight into a swatch of blackness so
complete that in the natural darkness of night it's edges were visible. Villager after villager vanished until the last warrior stood his ground and screamed out his rage and frustration. SG-1 felt a sense of pleasure coming from the blackness as it slowly advanced upon the warrior. Then moving with unbelievable speed it swallowed the man.
SG-1 opened fire, expending every bit of ammunition that they carried with them into the blackness. Teal'c's Staff Weapon lit up the night again and again, but nothing had any effect. The blackness advanced slowly and Jack's heart pounded as he turned to face his team.
***
"SG-1, you have a go," Hammond intoned.
Jack O'Neill looked up to the Control Room and saluted General Hammond who was standing at the window looking down into the Gate Room. Hammond returned his salute and Jack turned, walked up the ramp and entered the Stargate. No one on the team noticed that he didn't make
his usual quip upon the beginning of a new mission. However Hammond did, as did the rest of the members of the Control Room staff. Jack's little remarks were an expected routine whenever SG-1 left. Lieutenant Simmons turned to look at General Hammond who returned his
gaze with a shrug. Turning to walk to the spiral stairs leading to the Briefing Room and his office, he felt the first prickle of uneasiness about this mission.
***
Jack felt first the bone-numbing cold he had come to expect with travel through the Stargate. He felt himself tumbling head over heals as he sped through the worm hole towards his destination. He concentrated on his body movement so that he would end up on his feet when he came through the other end. It really wasn't a whole lot of fun to be spat out rolling in a ball to bounce down the steps that usually led up to the Stargate. Too many times to count, he'd ended
up with bruises from tumbling down stone steps.
Jack was the last out. Regaining balance so that he looked like he was just out taking a casual stroll, he walked to where his team waited. He couldn't help noticing that all looked as nervous as he was feeling and he hoped that his face didn't mirror theirs.
Glancing around, he fiddled with his sunglasses before putting them on. "Well campers, let's see how many merit badges we can earn for old Troop SG-1 this time out." Pointing due south he added, "Teal'c why don't you take the point."
Teal'c acknowledged with a slow nod and began walking towards the trees that surrounded the clearing where the Stargate stood. Daniel followed behind, then Carter leaving Jack to bring up the rear. The sun shone down on terrain that imitated the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. A clear blue sky was over their heads and a ghostly quarter of the moon followed their trek.
"Carter, how far away was this village the UAV spotted?" Jack asked.
The UAV was a small ultralight plane that Carter had helped to design to use in reconnoitering worlds before an SG team was sent through. It was equipped with a camera and various recording devices that sent telemetry through the Stargate back to the computers at the SGC. It
was able to measure atmospheric conditions and any biological or chemical hazards that might be present on the planet. It could be controlled manually with the kind of joystick any kid would recognize who played video games, or it could be controlled by the computer.
"About 20 klicks, sir. There's a river that runs along the southern edge of the village, but a rope bridge has been built to cross it."
Daniel fell back from his position to walk next to Jack. He looked increasingly nervous as they made their slow progression through the trees.
"Uh, Jack."
"Yes Daniel."
"Uh, you remember the other day I was telling you about this, ah, dream I've been having," Daniel asked.
"Not now Daniel. This isn't the time."
"Jack. Please."
Jack stopped walking. "All right Daniel, what is it?"
Now that he had Jack's attention, Daniel seemed a little uncomfortable. Jack thought he knew why, and he thought he knew what Daniel was going to tell him. He just wasn't so sure he wanted to hear it spoken out loud.
Carter and Teal'c noticed that their two team mates had stopped and walked back to where Jack and Daniel stood.
"What's up?" Carter asked.
"Daniel wants to tell us something." He didn't mention that Daniel wanted to tell Jack about his dream, he'd leave that up to Daniel.
Carter and Teal'c looked at Daniel who was examining his feet. Finally, he looked up.
"I've seen this place before."
There it was, out in the open and Jack inwardly cringed careful though to not let it show through on the outside.
"Daniel," said Carter, "we've all seen this place before. The photos sent back from the UAV."
"No, not those, not there. Look guys, this is going to seem really silly, but I just can't shake it. I've got to tell you."
Everyone listened patiently to Daniel as he recited his tale. He told in vivid detail the dream he had had several times over the past two weeks. Three pairs of eyes were locked onto his face as he spoke and they could see in his eyes how much the dream had disturbed him.
"And then last night, I had the dream again. Only this time ..."
"It was different."
Daniel, Carter, and Teal'c turned to Jack who was staring intently at the young anthropologist.
"Sir?"
Jack stood silent for a second, then seemed to come to himself. As he looked around, he seemed unaware that he had spoken.
"Yes?"
"Jack, you said 'it was different'. That's what I was going to say. How did you know?" Daniel asked.
"I've had the same damn dream every other night for the past two weeks," Jack admitted.
Without missing a beat, Daniel asked, "and last night. It was different." A statement, not a question.
"Yes, last night we were in it, too. Going through the whole thing. We were the only ones left standing on that ledge. I woke up before it ended."
"I too have had this dream."
Everyone turned to Teal'c. "You Teal'c?" asked Jack.
"Yes, O'Neill. And last night it was like yours ... different," the big Jaffa said stoically.
As one, the three men turned to Carter. "Carter? You?"
"No sir. I haven't had it, not that I remember anyway."
"You'd remember." Looking around he added, "Seems to be a guy thing."
"A guy thing?" Teal'c asked.
"Yeah Teal'c. A guy thing. You know things that just guys do."
Teal'c raised one eyebrow in response.
"Oh never mind. Look, it was just a dream, nothing more. I'll admit it was a little disturbing, but it was just a dream."
"That's what you said when you had that dream about floating in the air," Daniel reminded him.
"All right, that was different. It wasn't just a dream, but this is," he insisted.
"And the fact that all three of us have been having it is just coincidence, huh?"
Jack knew he really should let Daniel continue, but he wasn't in the mood. He felt himself getting irritated at Daniel and he didn't know why and that bothered him. He knew that if he let this go on any longer though, he'd say something he'd later regret. As much fun as it was to tease the young man occasionally, he was truly fond of him and he didn't want to hurt his feelings.
"Look, we have to get going if we're going to reach the village before nightfall," was all he said. He started walking, knowing the rest of his team would follow.
By the time his stomach started to tell him that it was time to stop and eat, he had calmed down. He called a halt to their forward movement. Finding a convenient log to sit on, he pulled out an MRE and using his knife he opened the pouch. The rest of his team did the same.
"Jack?"
"Yes Daniel."
"Can we talk about it now?"
Jack sighed. He had known that Daniel would bring the subject up again and was prepared for it. "Sure Daniel, go ahead."
Daniel took a deep breath. "Someone is manipulating our thoughts again, just like last time."
"Daniel, you can count me out of any more seances."
"But Jack ..." Daniel started to protest.
"No Daniel. I mean it. Once was enough." He shoved what was left of his MRE back into his day pack. "We're not Ghostbusters R' Us." The irritation that he had felt earlier was returning along with a throb of pain just above his right eye. He rubbed at the offending area. "Peachy, now I'm getting a headache. Carter?"
"Here sir." Carter threw him a small bottle containing aspirin which he dry swallowed.
Stuffing the small bottle into his pocket, he rose and shouldered his pack. "Let's go. I figure if we keep going at the pace we have been, we should reach the village long before nightfall. It'll give us plenty of time to scope things out while we decide if we're going to make contact."
With that said, he set off at a fast walk. They all walked in silence. The usual bantering conversation not in evidence this time out. Jack tried once or twice to start something, but his jokes died a painful death so he finally gave up. By the time they had reached the river, a morose cloud hung over everyone.
***
Continued in Part 3
Disclaimers can be found in Part 0
***
Jack's heart was pounding as he turned to the rest of his team. He could see that they were, like him, wondering if this was the end ... the day they would die.
The river raged at their feet, tearing away bits and pieces of the ledge that they were standing on. Their final hope of escape had minutes ago been torn from the ledge and washed away downstream in the raging torrent that had at once been a peaceful river bringing food
and water to the people of the village they had made contact with on this world.
As night had descended and a full moon had risen above this beautiful landscape, the terror had begun. The people of the village had retreated to their homes leaving SG-1 to themselves in the darkness. They had set up a camp on the outskirts of the village and had just finished eating when they felt a presence. Jack had noticed it first and had picked up his MP9 and walked to the edge of their encampment.
"Colonel, what is it?" Carter had asked.
Before he could answer her, Teal'c had risen from where he had been sitting, Staff Weapon making a slow arc around the camp. Then Carter and Daniel had felt the first prickling of fear run up the backs of their necks and they armed themselves as well. All four now stood,
back to back, facing whatever it was that was slowly making itself felt.
In the light of the full moon, none of them could discern any form or shape ... nothing that would indicate that someone was there besides themselves. However, the feeling that there was someone or something was strong. Jack squinted his eyes staring into the darkness, willing
something to appear. Nothing did and then a dark cloud had overtaken the moon, blocking its light and making the darkness complete.
Noise erupted as the people from the village ran from their homes in panic. SG-1 turned to the sound and saw the villagers running towards them ... adults and children alike. Screams of fear rent the air, making it a living thing. Buffeting against SG-1 and causing them to cringe at the pure force of it.
The villagers passed SG-1, pushing and shoving until the team were separated from each other and lost in the panic stricken horde rushing for the river and the bridge that spanned its length. Forced to run along with them, they kept trying to turn ... to see what was chasing them, but it was to no avail. Soon they found themselves with the rest of the villagers at the river's edge fighting with them to get onto the bridge and across to the other side of the river.
They were all thwarted as the river suddenly turned into a raging torrent pulling the bridge from its moorings on both sides taking with it those that had made it onto its surface.
Managing to get back together again, SG-1 watched in horror as several families had jumped into the water rather than face what followed. Turning away from that scene, they saw a young woman at the furthest edge of the crowd vanish from sight into a swatch of blackness so
complete that in the natural darkness of night it's edges were visible. Villager after villager vanished until the last warrior stood his ground and screamed out his rage and frustration. SG-1 felt a sense of pleasure coming from the blackness as it slowly advanced upon the warrior. Then moving with unbelievable speed it swallowed the man.
SG-1 opened fire, expending every bit of ammunition that they carried with them into the blackness. Teal'c's Staff Weapon lit up the night again and again, but nothing had any effect. The blackness advanced slowly and Jack's heart pounded as he turned to face his team.
***
"SG-1, you have a go," Hammond intoned.
Jack O'Neill looked up to the Control Room and saluted General Hammond who was standing at the window looking down into the Gate Room. Hammond returned his salute and Jack turned, walked up the ramp and entered the Stargate. No one on the team noticed that he didn't make
his usual quip upon the beginning of a new mission. However Hammond did, as did the rest of the members of the Control Room staff. Jack's little remarks were an expected routine whenever SG-1 left. Lieutenant Simmons turned to look at General Hammond who returned his
gaze with a shrug. Turning to walk to the spiral stairs leading to the Briefing Room and his office, he felt the first prickle of uneasiness about this mission.
***
Jack felt first the bone-numbing cold he had come to expect with travel through the Stargate. He felt himself tumbling head over heals as he sped through the worm hole towards his destination. He concentrated on his body movement so that he would end up on his feet when he came through the other end. It really wasn't a whole lot of fun to be spat out rolling in a ball to bounce down the steps that usually led up to the Stargate. Too many times to count, he'd ended
up with bruises from tumbling down stone steps.
Jack was the last out. Regaining balance so that he looked like he was just out taking a casual stroll, he walked to where his team waited. He couldn't help noticing that all looked as nervous as he was feeling and he hoped that his face didn't mirror theirs.
Glancing around, he fiddled with his sunglasses before putting them on. "Well campers, let's see how many merit badges we can earn for old Troop SG-1 this time out." Pointing due south he added, "Teal'c why don't you take the point."
Teal'c acknowledged with a slow nod and began walking towards the trees that surrounded the clearing where the Stargate stood. Daniel followed behind, then Carter leaving Jack to bring up the rear. The sun shone down on terrain that imitated the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. A clear blue sky was over their heads and a ghostly quarter of the moon followed their trek.
"Carter, how far away was this village the UAV spotted?" Jack asked.
The UAV was a small ultralight plane that Carter had helped to design to use in reconnoitering worlds before an SG team was sent through. It was equipped with a camera and various recording devices that sent telemetry through the Stargate back to the computers at the SGC. It
was able to measure atmospheric conditions and any biological or chemical hazards that might be present on the planet. It could be controlled manually with the kind of joystick any kid would recognize who played video games, or it could be controlled by the computer.
"About 20 klicks, sir. There's a river that runs along the southern edge of the village, but a rope bridge has been built to cross it."
Daniel fell back from his position to walk next to Jack. He looked increasingly nervous as they made their slow progression through the trees.
"Uh, Jack."
"Yes Daniel."
"Uh, you remember the other day I was telling you about this, ah, dream I've been having," Daniel asked.
"Not now Daniel. This isn't the time."
"Jack. Please."
Jack stopped walking. "All right Daniel, what is it?"
Now that he had Jack's attention, Daniel seemed a little uncomfortable. Jack thought he knew why, and he thought he knew what Daniel was going to tell him. He just wasn't so sure he wanted to hear it spoken out loud.
Carter and Teal'c noticed that their two team mates had stopped and walked back to where Jack and Daniel stood.
"What's up?" Carter asked.
"Daniel wants to tell us something." He didn't mention that Daniel wanted to tell Jack about his dream, he'd leave that up to Daniel.
Carter and Teal'c looked at Daniel who was examining his feet. Finally, he looked up.
"I've seen this place before."
There it was, out in the open and Jack inwardly cringed careful though to not let it show through on the outside.
"Daniel," said Carter, "we've all seen this place before. The photos sent back from the UAV."
"No, not those, not there. Look guys, this is going to seem really silly, but I just can't shake it. I've got to tell you."
Everyone listened patiently to Daniel as he recited his tale. He told in vivid detail the dream he had had several times over the past two weeks. Three pairs of eyes were locked onto his face as he spoke and they could see in his eyes how much the dream had disturbed him.
"And then last night, I had the dream again. Only this time ..."
"It was different."
Daniel, Carter, and Teal'c turned to Jack who was staring intently at the young anthropologist.
"Sir?"
Jack stood silent for a second, then seemed to come to himself. As he looked around, he seemed unaware that he had spoken.
"Yes?"
"Jack, you said 'it was different'. That's what I was going to say. How did you know?" Daniel asked.
"I've had the same damn dream every other night for the past two weeks," Jack admitted.
Without missing a beat, Daniel asked, "and last night. It was different." A statement, not a question.
"Yes, last night we were in it, too. Going through the whole thing. We were the only ones left standing on that ledge. I woke up before it ended."
"I too have had this dream."
Everyone turned to Teal'c. "You Teal'c?" asked Jack.
"Yes, O'Neill. And last night it was like yours ... different," the big Jaffa said stoically.
As one, the three men turned to Carter. "Carter? You?"
"No sir. I haven't had it, not that I remember anyway."
"You'd remember." Looking around he added, "Seems to be a guy thing."
"A guy thing?" Teal'c asked.
"Yeah Teal'c. A guy thing. You know things that just guys do."
Teal'c raised one eyebrow in response.
"Oh never mind. Look, it was just a dream, nothing more. I'll admit it was a little disturbing, but it was just a dream."
"That's what you said when you had that dream about floating in the air," Daniel reminded him.
"All right, that was different. It wasn't just a dream, but this is," he insisted.
"And the fact that all three of us have been having it is just coincidence, huh?"
Jack knew he really should let Daniel continue, but he wasn't in the mood. He felt himself getting irritated at Daniel and he didn't know why and that bothered him. He knew that if he let this go on any longer though, he'd say something he'd later regret. As much fun as it was to tease the young man occasionally, he was truly fond of him and he didn't want to hurt his feelings.
"Look, we have to get going if we're going to reach the village before nightfall," was all he said. He started walking, knowing the rest of his team would follow.
By the time his stomach started to tell him that it was time to stop and eat, he had calmed down. He called a halt to their forward movement. Finding a convenient log to sit on, he pulled out an MRE and using his knife he opened the pouch. The rest of his team did the same.
"Jack?"
"Yes Daniel."
"Can we talk about it now?"
Jack sighed. He had known that Daniel would bring the subject up again and was prepared for it. "Sure Daniel, go ahead."
Daniel took a deep breath. "Someone is manipulating our thoughts again, just like last time."
"Daniel, you can count me out of any more seances."
"But Jack ..." Daniel started to protest.
"No Daniel. I mean it. Once was enough." He shoved what was left of his MRE back into his day pack. "We're not Ghostbusters R' Us." The irritation that he had felt earlier was returning along with a throb of pain just above his right eye. He rubbed at the offending area. "Peachy, now I'm getting a headache. Carter?"
"Here sir." Carter threw him a small bottle containing aspirin which he dry swallowed.
Stuffing the small bottle into his pocket, he rose and shouldered his pack. "Let's go. I figure if we keep going at the pace we have been, we should reach the village long before nightfall. It'll give us plenty of time to scope things out while we decide if we're going to make contact."
With that said, he set off at a fast walk. They all walked in silence. The usual bantering conversation not in evidence this time out. Jack tried once or twice to start something, but his jokes died a painful death so he finally gave up. By the time they had reached the river, a morose cloud hung over everyone.
***
Continued in Part 3