Title: End of the line (part one) A friend in need
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: The Devil you Know, Meridian
Summary: Sam and Jack aren't talking to each other after an argument. This results in the capture of an SG-1 member. Will they be rescued in time, or will harboured grudges hold them back? (NB: 'Divide and Conquer' never happened, Martouf is still alive!)
Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
~ End of the line part one: A Friend in need ~
Copyright © 2003, Ruth
**********
Sam Carter walked down the SGC corridor looking studiously at the floor. All of the corridors looked the same, with the same grey walls and doors, the same uniformed officers marching around in them.
In her blue uniform, Sam looked and felt a little out of place in the dark and dreary corridor. The bright colour of her clothing certainly wasn't reflecting the colour of her emotions. No, at that moment, Sam's soul was as grey and depressed as the walls.
She and Colonel O'Neill had not been speaking for several hours. General Hammond had not yet realised, but she knew that he would be pissed when he did.
Teal'c had noticed the tension between them, and it worried him. Since Daniel Jackson's ascension, Jack had become a LOT more agitated and Sam had become more withdrawn, sitting in her lab and working through the night, which agitated O'Neill even more.
Teal'c had made it his business to re-build bridges between the two of them, but it was proving to be a mammoth task.
"I do not understand why the two of you are no longer communicating, O'Neill. You have been friends for six years."
"Teal'c, I'm really not in the mood for this talk right now, so if you don't mind…"
"General Hammond will be displeased if he realises that the line of communication between yourself and Major Carter has been damaged. He will not let us resume our duties as SG-1 until the two of you have ressolved your disagreement."
"Yeah, well, that's not gonna happen, Teal'c."
"O'Neill, will you not please explain to me the reason you are so agitated with Major Carter? Perhaps then I would understand your reasons for not communicating."
"Well…"
Just then, someone appeared at the door who annoyed Jack more than Carter did at present. Jonas Quinn. The young man who had filled Dr Jackson's place in SG-1. In Jack's eyes, he was still responsible for the archaeologist's death.
"What?" he asked in exasperation.
"General Hammond wants to see SG-1 in the briefing room, sir. He said it was urgent."
**********
Sam sat down wearily in her chair. Jonas sat to her right, Jack and Teal'c across the table from her. Jack would not even acknowledge her presence. She swallowed, and tried to concentrate on the briefing, though her heart was beginning to ache.
"SG-1, thank you for coming on such short notice. We have just received word from the Tok'ra that Apophis' ship has moved into orbit around Vorash."
"Oh my God," said Sam.
"Does the ship appear to be moving into an attack position?" asked Teal'c.
"Yes, Teal'c, I'm afraid it does."
"Well, have they requested any help? I mean, we could…"
"Carter! I am sure the Tok'ra can look after their own asses! They tell us that enough times!"
"But Sir, I…"
"Your father is one of them, Carter, I'm sure he can look after his own butt too."
Neither General Hammond nor Dr Frasier liked the tone of Jack's voice when he said that. Sam definitely didn't like it, and felt compelled to stand up and give her arrogant CO a piece of her mind. Then she remembered that the added pressure of an insubordination charge would not do her fragile physical and mental state any good, and swallowed the barrage of insults she had been planning.
"So far the Tok'ra have not requested help, but…"
"General, why are we here? We all know that the Tok'ra are arrgoant b…"
This was too much for Sam. "No, they are not," she said, unable to keep the ice from her voice as she looked at her CO.
"Most of them," he said, in an attempt to quiet his 2IC.
As they argued, the computer screen was obscured by a blast of fire and a loud banging sound. They promptly lost their telemetary.
General Hammond looked at Major Carter. She was pale and looked exhausted, but there was also fear in her eyes.
"General, please, the Tok'ra have helped us in the past, and…"
"Didn't you hear him, major? They don't want our help!" Colonel O'Neill shouted the last part of that sentence.
"Colonel O'Neill, stand down! Major, we will wait 24 hours and send a MALP."
"But, General, by then we…"
"No buts, Major. I'm sorry about your father but it's the best I can do."
"Yes sir," Sam looked at her hands.
**********
After the briefing, Jonas made his way to Sam's lab. He found her there, sitting at her desk and typing furiously on her computer. She managed a small smile when he came in.
"Hey Jonas."
"Hey Sam." Jonas shuffled his feet uncomfortably. He wanted to ask her about Colonel O'Neill, but he didn't want to offend her.
"You wanna know what's gone on between Colonel O'Neill and me, dontcha?" she asked, smiling at his look of embarassment.
"That obvious?" he asked, hands in his pockets.
"We had an argument, Jonas. I don't understand his behaviour any more than you do. I've known the man for six years, for cr- Gods sake."
She looked down at the keyboard again.
"Sam, I hope your dad's okay," said Jonas, "I'm sure they'll be fine! They're way more superior than we are, and…"
"Thanks, Jonas," Sam smiled, then added, "You hungry?"
"Yeah!" said Jonas.
"C'mon! The comissary should be quiet at the moment," said Sam, turning off her computer and following the eager Jonas out of the room.
**********
Teal'c saw Jonas and Sam enter the comissary. He smiled slightly as he saw Jonas make a beeline for the Jello. Sam came over and sat down opposite him.
"So…" said Sam, trying to start a conversation. Teal'c merely cocked his eyebrow. Jonas came over and sat down next to Sam, then began stuffing spoonfuls of Jello into his mouth, to the disgust of some airmen on a nearby table.
"You are concerned for the welfare of your father and Martouf?" said Teal'c.
"Yeah," said Sam, pausing to watch Jonas enjoying his jello.
"They have escaped death a great many times in the past, Major Carter."
"So has Apophis," said Sam wearily.
"I do not understand Colonel O'Neill's current attitude towards both you and the Tok'ra crisis, Major Carter. Could you explain it to me?"
"We had an argument, Teal'c. I don't know what else to say."
"Human emotions," said Jonas, through a mouthful of Jello, "Who'd have 'em?"
Teal'c cocked his eyebrow. Sam smiled.
"Yeah, Jonas, you have a point there."
**********
Jack O'Neill sat, angry, alone and bored in his room, throwing a scrunched up ball of paper repeatedly against a wall.
"Damn Tok'ra," he thought out loud, "They're in deep trouble and they're too damned arrogant to ask for help. Well, screw them!"
He left the piece of paper on the floor and rolled over onto his bed, beating the pillow into shape and closing his eyes. However, sleep was a long time coming to him that night. His argument with Carter raged around and around in his head, keeping him from sleeping.
**********
The next morning, Sam was up at 5am. She couldn't get back to sleep, so instead she got up, showered and changed into her uniform. She still had four hours before they would send the MALP through to Vorash.
She began to wonder how Apophis could have got the gate coordinates for Vorash. Then her mind flashed back to the time on Netu.
SG-1 and Martouf had gone on a mission to retrieve Jacob who had been captured and tortured by Seth. Their first attempt at escape had almost worked, but they had unexpectedly been re-united with Apophis, who then tortured them further for his own pleasure.
She remembered being held down, the thick, red blood of Sokar being forcibly poured down her throat. The terrible memories of her mother's death had seemed frighteningly real, until she had realised that something wasn't quite right.
She was pretty sure that she hadn't given Apophis any information, and Martouf had given him a false planet to deter him. Perhaps he had used the Blood of Sokar again, on less vigilant peoples.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the voice of Janet Frasier.
"Sam, what are you doing up? It's 5:30am!"
"I couldn't sleep," she admitted.
"I suppose it's a miracle you slept at all," said Janet, "I've half a mind to send you back to bed, young lady!"
Sam smiled. "Anyway, what are you doing up, Janet?"
"I have an infirmary to prepare," she said.
"Need a hand?" Sam asked.
Janet looked at her for a moment, then decided it was time that her friend opened up to her about the behaviour of her Colonel. "Sure," she said.
**********
A couple of hours later, when Sam was too anxious to be handling syringes any more, she made her way to the briefing room. She was surprised to see that Teal'c was already there.
"Major Carter. We will soon find out whether we will be able to help the Tok'ra."
"Yes," she said, pacing nervously. She was even more surprised to hear Jack walking into the briefing room, early.
"Morning campers," he said. "Where's our little friend Jonas?"
"He will be arriving shortly, O'Neill."
"Well, why don't you tell him not to bother. I'm sure their technologically superior asses will not be requiring our help here."
Sam looked at the floor. General Hammond walked in.
"SG-1, we are preparing to send the MALP."
Sam raced down to the control room and waited anxiously for the gate to engage. The MALP's progress up the ramp was devestatingly slow.
As it passed through the gate, Sam's eyes flicked up to the monitor on the wall.
"Receiving MALP telemetary in 5,4,3,2,1…"
"Oh my god," said Sam.
-TO BE CONTINUED-
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