The Hammer Falls
Part 12 of The Asgard Sequence
Sequel to 'May the Gods have Mercy'
By Gumnut
Sep 2003
"I hit a tree?!"
The Colonel's voice went up an octave.
He was lying in the middle of the Garden path, propped up against a rock, holding his head. Blood, a startling red colour, ran down the side of his face.
"I thought this planet didn't have any trees?"
"Colonel O'Neill, you are correct." O'Neill turned, wincing, towards Fann, the Asgard medic. "Your hover chair collided with a Palfa vine."
The Colonel looked up at the massive chunk of botanical obstruction. "Looks like a tree to me."
"Colonel, please lie down, you might have a concussion." Janet heaved a sigh.
"Doc, I'm fine." He made to get up, but groaned and sank back down.
Obeying her rules of Colonel O'Neill Diagnosis, Janet checked him out for other injuries.
Typical of him to neglect to mention his broken arm. And it was obviously broken, that, or the Colonel had sprouted an extra joint.
"What was it doing in the middle of the path, anyway?"
"Palfa vines are mobile, Colonel." The Asgard was being extremely patient.
To illustrate the medic's statement, the said Palfa vine suddenly extended branches out from its base, and wandered off into the bush.
The look on the Colonel's face was definitely something to write home about, Janet began to wonder if he had broken his jaw as well. "A tree jumped out and hit me. Now I have seen everything."
A flash beside Fann, and a hovering medcart appeared. It was quickly followed by another, revealing several concerned faces of SG-1.
"Jack, you okay?"
"Just dandy, Daniel."
"You've broken your arm, sir." Janet was being extremely patient as well. "It will need to be set."
Jack looked at Fann. "Can't you use one of those wandy-light things and abracadabra, it's fixed?"
"Unfortunately, Colonel, no." Fann gestured toward the medcart. "Please lie on the bed so we can take you back to the Centre for medical treatment."
Janet could see by look on Jack's face that he was about to capitulate, but his next words were interrupted by yet another transporter flash.
And another. And another.
Suddenly they were surrounded by Asgard security.
And they didn't look happy.
**********
Jack looked up at all the heavily armed grey bodies and reverently hoped that Palfa vines held no religious significance.
One of the Asgard stepped forward.
"The council has requested you come with us. We are to place you in protective custody."
It didn't sound like a request.
Carter spoke up. "What has happened?"
The small alien's dark eyes were hard. "That is none of your concern."
O'Neill did not like this one's attitude at all. "And if we refuse?"
The Garden disappeared to be replaced by three walls and a force field. The arrogant Asgard stood opposite them, the shadow of the sparkling energy rippling across his face. "I do not think you will." He turned and left.
The five humans stared at each other in amazement. What the hell was going on?
**********
"Oh, god, shit, Doc, you done yet?" Sweat popped out on his brow, and he swore his jaw was about to shatter his teeth.
"Nearly, sir, hold on a bit longer." He so did not want to watch her maneuvering the broken half of his arm.
"Aaach!"
"Done."
Jack looked down, finding his arm wrapped in a makeshift splint. Thank god it wasn't his gun arm, he could still shoot the Doc if she touched it again.
He wiped his other hand across his forehead, his hair was damp with sweat. Maybe he should ask Thor if he could borrow one of those healy devices so he could pack it in his medkit to avoid this scenario in the future.
"Colonel, I want you to rest for awhile."
He looked up at Janet. "It's not like I have anything else to do in here." He knew he was being petulant, but he didn't care. He was pissed off.
They had been dumped here and left. No-one had come to tell them why. O'Neill had gone through everything he and the team had done in the past few days, and apart from his head-on collision with that stupid vine-thing, he couldn't think of anything that might have offended the Asgard. Danny hadn't even managed to touch anything. Of course, it quite probably was something as small as jaywalking for all he knew.
His team was still hovering around him. The often asked question of his health was still annoying the hell out of him. Since he had come back from the almost dead...okay, again...okay, for the second time that month...his team had turned into a dancing set of mother hens.
Daniel rarely let him out of his sight. This had resulted in an overload in those few neurons Jack reserved for archeology and anthropology. Daniel had spouted theories about Norse mythology until Jack's eyes started to cross.
And he couldn't get away. The man was stuck to him like glue. He'd had to literally sneak out this morning to visit the Garden. Combined with the other three conspiring to keep him in their sight, he had had to use all those skills he'd learnt in his career in black ops just to get some time alone.
He suspected that part of Danny's obsession had to do with his nightmares.
He still had them.
But Daniel was not in them. His decision to not be afraid of his best friend just because some scum sucking goa'uld wanted to play with his mind had banished any spark of worry associated with Daniel.
But that hadn't stopped him from waking up screaming.
He had tried to convince Daniel that he was fine, but his extensive history of lying on that count had come back and bitten him in the ass.
Danny didn't believe him, so he hovered.
Teal'c on the other hand, to the casual observer, was still acting his normal stoic self.
Except for the fact that he was always there.
O'Neill was beginning to wonder if he would ever be able to go to the john by himself anytime soon. Who knew that Jaffa could perform synchronised urinating?
Janet was, as usual, relishing in her medical dictatorship. But every now and again, he would see a glisten in her eye, a sudden tremor in her lip. Something had disturbed her deeply on this turnabout mission. She was hurting, he could tell, but he was unsure what to do about it.
But Carter was the worst.
She hovered, like the others, but she was too quiet. Gone was the exuberantly babbling scientist. She hardly spoke to him at all, except to ask him how he felt.
And he had bitten her head off at least twice for that already, so she was talking to him even less. But if he so much as sighed, her eyes were on him. They rarely left him, anyway, but now when he flinched, or yawned, or complained a little too much, her eyes would fill with pain.
During the last few minutes, his exciting time with 'lets grate the bones together and make muscle mush' had Carter on the far side of the cell, almost cowering.
Was it worry? He wasn't sure. It almost resembled fear, but fear of what?
God damnit, he hated the recuperation phase. He had been through it so many times. Perhaps it would be easier if he just shot himself and put them all out of his misery.
He sighed.
Carter's eyes flickered towards him.
Perhaps not.
She would probably chase him down into the afterlife just to whip his ass for it.
Mental image.
O'Neill, watch yourself, or you'll turn into a raving loon.
His self discussion was interrupted by an Asgard entering the room. Several Asgard in fact.
Most of them seemed to be security personnel, but two of them were definitely not. One well dressed Asgard - O'Neill was shocked at that, he had gotten used to seeing naked grey aliens - stood at the forefront of the group. Another non-security person stood at the back. He only wore a badge of office.
The 'clothed' Asgard wore a robe and some type of necklace. His bearing spoke of surety of command.
Jack wanted to be on his own two feet for this one.
"Guys, help me up."
Daniel and Janet protested, but Teal'c grabbed his good arm, levered him up, and supported him. The world spun sickeningly. His body was still not a fan of the full vertical position, his legs like jello, but Teal'c's strength held him up.
Okay, both feet in....
"Excuse me, why have we been detained?"
The clothed one spoke. "You have been held for your own protection."
"Why?"
"Commander Thor has been shot."
The jello in his legs turned liquid. Teal'c stumbled and Daniel grabbed Jack around the waist to keep him upright. He coughed, the shock running up and down his spine. "Shot?! How? Is he okay?"
"The Commander was found outside his office. We are currently attempting to ascertain the circumstances." He paused, his eyes skimming over the group of humans. "The Council has decided that it would be in both yours and our best interests for you to return to your planet at this time."
O'Neill was persistent. "Is Thor okay?"
"I have told you all you need to know. I ask you respect our privacy in this matter."
O'Neill's head was spinning again. An image of Thor lying dead in a pool of purple blood flashed across his mind. He had to know. "Please tell me, what is Thor's condition?"
"I can not."
Anger sparked in O'Neill. "Well, get your boss, or whoever else has the authority, in here so he can tell me."
"Colonel O'Neill, I am the highest authority. I am Val, leader of the Asgard High Council. Please realise that this decision was not made lightly. Your past efforts in assisting us have only staved off other possible solutions to our problem. You will go home. I will tell you no more."
He signalled to the decorated man at the back of the delegation , and O'Neill's world changed again.
They were standing in front of a stargate.
But it was no ordinary stargate.
It was huge. Twice the size of the stargates they were used to, and, instead of the standard seven chevrons, there were nine.
He found it interesting, but he could almost hear the whirring of the cogs in Carter's head from here. He knew that if their circumstances were different, the Major would be clambering all over it.
As it was, they were just a small group of extremely stunned travellers who were about to be chucked involuntarily through a wormhole.
There was a flash and all the belongings they had left, which weren't much - a couple of packs supplied by Thor with their remaining odds and ends stuffed into them - appeared beside them.
At a sound from above, Jack looked up. The High Councillor was standing on a platform above the stargate. "I would like to thank you, SG-1, for all your efforts on behalf of the Asgard, and want you to know that we, as a people, bear you no ill will. Despite recent happenings, you, Colonel O'Neill, are still considered a hero of the Asgard."
Jack didn't know what to say to that. He certainly didn't feel like a hero. Accusing eyes stood out amongst the security contingent surrounding them. Perhaps it wasn't so much of a bad idea that he get out of here. The emotional situation seemed to be reaching combustible levels.
He still couldn't think of anything to say.
He nudged Daniel with his splinted arm, immediately regretting it.
Daniel, surprised, as it was usually Jack who addressed the Asgard, stuttered. "Yes, High Councillor, we thank you for your hospitality, and hope that our two races will continue to work well together."
Way to go, Danny.
"I bid you farewell." And with that the High Councillor disappeared.
The security contingent didn't, and their immediate preferences were obvious.
"Okay, guys, grab your stuff. Let's go."
Obviously, Daniel and Teal'c considered their CO to be their 'stuff', because it was only Janet and Sam who grabbed their packs. He didn't comment, because, frankly, he couldn't stand straight without them.
The group walked up the ramp, and, turning, took a last look out over the massed Asgard to the windows and their view of Othalla. It still was an amazingly beautiful place, and a part of O'Neill's heart wanted to stay, but a simple glance at the Asgard below emphasized that they were no longer wanted. So, somewhat reluctantly, they turned as one, and entered the wormhole.
SG-1 went home.
**********
FIN
Part 12 of The Asgard Sequence
Sequel to 'May the Gods have Mercy'
By Gumnut
Sep 2003
"I hit a tree?!"
The Colonel's voice went up an octave.
He was lying in the middle of the Garden path, propped up against a rock, holding his head. Blood, a startling red colour, ran down the side of his face.
"I thought this planet didn't have any trees?"
"Colonel O'Neill, you are correct." O'Neill turned, wincing, towards Fann, the Asgard medic. "Your hover chair collided with a Palfa vine."
The Colonel looked up at the massive chunk of botanical obstruction. "Looks like a tree to me."
"Colonel, please lie down, you might have a concussion." Janet heaved a sigh.
"Doc, I'm fine." He made to get up, but groaned and sank back down.
Obeying her rules of Colonel O'Neill Diagnosis, Janet checked him out for other injuries.
Typical of him to neglect to mention his broken arm. And it was obviously broken, that, or the Colonel had sprouted an extra joint.
"What was it doing in the middle of the path, anyway?"
"Palfa vines are mobile, Colonel." The Asgard was being extremely patient.
To illustrate the medic's statement, the said Palfa vine suddenly extended branches out from its base, and wandered off into the bush.
The look on the Colonel's face was definitely something to write home about, Janet began to wonder if he had broken his jaw as well. "A tree jumped out and hit me. Now I have seen everything."
A flash beside Fann, and a hovering medcart appeared. It was quickly followed by another, revealing several concerned faces of SG-1.
"Jack, you okay?"
"Just dandy, Daniel."
"You've broken your arm, sir." Janet was being extremely patient as well. "It will need to be set."
Jack looked at Fann. "Can't you use one of those wandy-light things and abracadabra, it's fixed?"
"Unfortunately, Colonel, no." Fann gestured toward the medcart. "Please lie on the bed so we can take you back to the Centre for medical treatment."
Janet could see by look on Jack's face that he was about to capitulate, but his next words were interrupted by yet another transporter flash.
And another. And another.
Suddenly they were surrounded by Asgard security.
And they didn't look happy.
**********
Jack looked up at all the heavily armed grey bodies and reverently hoped that Palfa vines held no religious significance.
One of the Asgard stepped forward.
"The council has requested you come with us. We are to place you in protective custody."
It didn't sound like a request.
Carter spoke up. "What has happened?"
The small alien's dark eyes were hard. "That is none of your concern."
O'Neill did not like this one's attitude at all. "And if we refuse?"
The Garden disappeared to be replaced by three walls and a force field. The arrogant Asgard stood opposite them, the shadow of the sparkling energy rippling across his face. "I do not think you will." He turned and left.
The five humans stared at each other in amazement. What the hell was going on?
**********
"Oh, god, shit, Doc, you done yet?" Sweat popped out on his brow, and he swore his jaw was about to shatter his teeth.
"Nearly, sir, hold on a bit longer." He so did not want to watch her maneuvering the broken half of his arm.
"Aaach!"
"Done."
Jack looked down, finding his arm wrapped in a makeshift splint. Thank god it wasn't his gun arm, he could still shoot the Doc if she touched it again.
He wiped his other hand across his forehead, his hair was damp with sweat. Maybe he should ask Thor if he could borrow one of those healy devices so he could pack it in his medkit to avoid this scenario in the future.
"Colonel, I want you to rest for awhile."
He looked up at Janet. "It's not like I have anything else to do in here." He knew he was being petulant, but he didn't care. He was pissed off.
They had been dumped here and left. No-one had come to tell them why. O'Neill had gone through everything he and the team had done in the past few days, and apart from his head-on collision with that stupid vine-thing, he couldn't think of anything that might have offended the Asgard. Danny hadn't even managed to touch anything. Of course, it quite probably was something as small as jaywalking for all he knew.
His team was still hovering around him. The often asked question of his health was still annoying the hell out of him. Since he had come back from the almost dead...okay, again...okay, for the second time that month...his team had turned into a dancing set of mother hens.
Daniel rarely let him out of his sight. This had resulted in an overload in those few neurons Jack reserved for archeology and anthropology. Daniel had spouted theories about Norse mythology until Jack's eyes started to cross.
And he couldn't get away. The man was stuck to him like glue. He'd had to literally sneak out this morning to visit the Garden. Combined with the other three conspiring to keep him in their sight, he had had to use all those skills he'd learnt in his career in black ops just to get some time alone.
He suspected that part of Danny's obsession had to do with his nightmares.
He still had them.
But Daniel was not in them. His decision to not be afraid of his best friend just because some scum sucking goa'uld wanted to play with his mind had banished any spark of worry associated with Daniel.
But that hadn't stopped him from waking up screaming.
He had tried to convince Daniel that he was fine, but his extensive history of lying on that count had come back and bitten him in the ass.
Danny didn't believe him, so he hovered.
Teal'c on the other hand, to the casual observer, was still acting his normal stoic self.
Except for the fact that he was always there.
O'Neill was beginning to wonder if he would ever be able to go to the john by himself anytime soon. Who knew that Jaffa could perform synchronised urinating?
Janet was, as usual, relishing in her medical dictatorship. But every now and again, he would see a glisten in her eye, a sudden tremor in her lip. Something had disturbed her deeply on this turnabout mission. She was hurting, he could tell, but he was unsure what to do about it.
But Carter was the worst.
She hovered, like the others, but she was too quiet. Gone was the exuberantly babbling scientist. She hardly spoke to him at all, except to ask him how he felt.
And he had bitten her head off at least twice for that already, so she was talking to him even less. But if he so much as sighed, her eyes were on him. They rarely left him, anyway, but now when he flinched, or yawned, or complained a little too much, her eyes would fill with pain.
During the last few minutes, his exciting time with 'lets grate the bones together and make muscle mush' had Carter on the far side of the cell, almost cowering.
Was it worry? He wasn't sure. It almost resembled fear, but fear of what?
God damnit, he hated the recuperation phase. He had been through it so many times. Perhaps it would be easier if he just shot himself and put them all out of his misery.
He sighed.
Carter's eyes flickered towards him.
Perhaps not.
She would probably chase him down into the afterlife just to whip his ass for it.
Mental image.
O'Neill, watch yourself, or you'll turn into a raving loon.
His self discussion was interrupted by an Asgard entering the room. Several Asgard in fact.
Most of them seemed to be security personnel, but two of them were definitely not. One well dressed Asgard - O'Neill was shocked at that, he had gotten used to seeing naked grey aliens - stood at the forefront of the group. Another non-security person stood at the back. He only wore a badge of office.
The 'clothed' Asgard wore a robe and some type of necklace. His bearing spoke of surety of command.
Jack wanted to be on his own two feet for this one.
"Guys, help me up."
Daniel and Janet protested, but Teal'c grabbed his good arm, levered him up, and supported him. The world spun sickeningly. His body was still not a fan of the full vertical position, his legs like jello, but Teal'c's strength held him up.
Okay, both feet in....
"Excuse me, why have we been detained?"
The clothed one spoke. "You have been held for your own protection."
"Why?"
"Commander Thor has been shot."
The jello in his legs turned liquid. Teal'c stumbled and Daniel grabbed Jack around the waist to keep him upright. He coughed, the shock running up and down his spine. "Shot?! How? Is he okay?"
"The Commander was found outside his office. We are currently attempting to ascertain the circumstances." He paused, his eyes skimming over the group of humans. "The Council has decided that it would be in both yours and our best interests for you to return to your planet at this time."
O'Neill was persistent. "Is Thor okay?"
"I have told you all you need to know. I ask you respect our privacy in this matter."
O'Neill's head was spinning again. An image of Thor lying dead in a pool of purple blood flashed across his mind. He had to know. "Please tell me, what is Thor's condition?"
"I can not."
Anger sparked in O'Neill. "Well, get your boss, or whoever else has the authority, in here so he can tell me."
"Colonel O'Neill, I am the highest authority. I am Val, leader of the Asgard High Council. Please realise that this decision was not made lightly. Your past efforts in assisting us have only staved off other possible solutions to our problem. You will go home. I will tell you no more."
He signalled to the decorated man at the back of the delegation , and O'Neill's world changed again.
They were standing in front of a stargate.
But it was no ordinary stargate.
It was huge. Twice the size of the stargates they were used to, and, instead of the standard seven chevrons, there were nine.
He found it interesting, but he could almost hear the whirring of the cogs in Carter's head from here. He knew that if their circumstances were different, the Major would be clambering all over it.
As it was, they were just a small group of extremely stunned travellers who were about to be chucked involuntarily through a wormhole.
There was a flash and all the belongings they had left, which weren't much - a couple of packs supplied by Thor with their remaining odds and ends stuffed into them - appeared beside them.
At a sound from above, Jack looked up. The High Councillor was standing on a platform above the stargate. "I would like to thank you, SG-1, for all your efforts on behalf of the Asgard, and want you to know that we, as a people, bear you no ill will. Despite recent happenings, you, Colonel O'Neill, are still considered a hero of the Asgard."
Jack didn't know what to say to that. He certainly didn't feel like a hero. Accusing eyes stood out amongst the security contingent surrounding them. Perhaps it wasn't so much of a bad idea that he get out of here. The emotional situation seemed to be reaching combustible levels.
He still couldn't think of anything to say.
He nudged Daniel with his splinted arm, immediately regretting it.
Daniel, surprised, as it was usually Jack who addressed the Asgard, stuttered. "Yes, High Councillor, we thank you for your hospitality, and hope that our two races will continue to work well together."
Way to go, Danny.
"I bid you farewell." And with that the High Councillor disappeared.
The security contingent didn't, and their immediate preferences were obvious.
"Okay, guys, grab your stuff. Let's go."
Obviously, Daniel and Teal'c considered their CO to be their 'stuff', because it was only Janet and Sam who grabbed their packs. He didn't comment, because, frankly, he couldn't stand straight without them.
The group walked up the ramp, and, turning, took a last look out over the massed Asgard to the windows and their view of Othalla. It still was an amazingly beautiful place, and a part of O'Neill's heart wanted to stay, but a simple glance at the Asgard below emphasized that they were no longer wanted. So, somewhat reluctantly, they turned as one, and entered the wormhole.
SG-1 went home.
**********
FIN