Chapter 3

"It's another beautiful day, campers. We've got fresh air, sunshine--times two, and...trees. Lots of trees." Jack adjusted his sunglasses. "And according to the UAV, we've also got some totally awesome mineral deposits and a most excellent set of ruins about 6 clicks due south."

Carter rolled her eyes. "Colonel, have you been rediscovering the eighties with Teal'c?"

"Indeed." The Jaffa moved up beside them, staff weapon in hand. "O'Neill kindly provided me with many narly cultural samples of the time period. The dude rocks."

"Back atcha, big guy. Let's hit the road, kids. T, you take point. Carter, you're next. Daniel and I have your six."

Teal'c inclined his head and set off, Carter falling in behind. Jack trudged along beside his conspicuously silent archeologist, hating Daniel's ramrod straight back and blank, guarded expression.

Three weeks had passed since the conversation on his roof, but his concern for his friend had only grown. Oh, outwardly Daniel was the picture of cooperation, seeing Dr. Larson twice a week, eating regular meals, going home at a reasonable hour. Yeah, he had the General, and even Fraiser, pretty much buffaloed, certain he was on the road to recovery.

Jack wasn't fooled.

What little Larson could divulge without betraying patient confidentiality convinced Jack that his too-clever-by-far genius was manipulating the shrink to his advantage. Not to mention he was pretty damn sure Daniel only ate when he had an audience and took his laptop home with him.

The little shit.

Things had been decidedly frosty between them since that night. Not that Daniel was exactly being Chatty Cathy with Carter and Teal'c, but Jack bore the brunt of his reticence. Daniel stuck to business, refusing to be drawn in to the banter that so defined their friendship. It hurt, but Jack understood.

Daniel knew he knew. And he wasn't taking any chances.

Jack rested an arm on his P90 and pasted on a smile. "So, Daniel--"

"I know what you're doing, Jack."

Jack raised an eyebrow at the clipped tone. "You do?"

"You're screening the missions. We haven't visited an inhabited planet since P28-779."

//You're not the only one who knows how to work the system, Dannyboy.//

"You're right. I am."

Daniel stumbled, then rounded on Jack. "You admit it?"

"Hey, they say confession's good for the soul. Why don't you try it?"

Daniel scowled at him through narrowed eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Jack lowered his voice when he saw Carter turn her head. "There were conditions to your continued 'gate travel."

"That's--I did what you asked. I'm seeing Larson twice a week, damn it!"

"Seeing. That's a good way to put it, Danny. 'Cause you're not doing much talking, are you?"

"That's completely unethical. He had no right--"

"Keep your pants on. He hasn't given me any more than the required progress report."

"Then how--"

"You're my best friend. I know you." When Daniel just continued to snarl, Jack huffed. "Fine. Tell me, Daniel. Look me in the eye and tell me you've been straight with Larson. Your word is good enough for me."

Daniel hesitated for a moment before his eyes slid away and he pressed his lips together.

Jack sighed. "Yeah. That's pretty much what I thought."

"O'Neill." Teal'c materialized at his side, Carter close on his heels. "Strangers approach. Their footfalls suggest they number at least eight, most likely warriors. I suggest we conceal ourselves immediately."

Jack had stopped questioning how the Jaffa could detect so much from so little. "Go."

They moved into the underbrush, withdrawing far enough from the path to hide yet still maintain surveillance. Within seconds the forest went still, birds and small creatures silenced by the rhythmic tramping of booted feet. Jack cautiously lifted his head and peered through a gap in the leaves. Every muscle in his body tensed. Teal'c, crouching at his elbow, hissed.

"Jaffa."

Eight armored warriors marched in perfect formation, heads held high and staff weapons clutched in their hands. Jack watched until their footfalls faded. A bird warbled, followed by another and then the drone of cicadas. He slowly stood, brushing bits of dirt and leaves from his BDUs.

"What in the hell is a platoon of Jaffa doing on this planet?"

"I cannot say. But I believe it would behoove us to find out."

He looked sharply at Teal'c, but the warrior's stone face revealed nothing. "Carter?"

She picked a twig from her hair. "I can't explain it, Sir. The UAV readouts didn't show anything that might attract the Goa'uld to this location."

"Newsflash, Carter. They're here." Jack hesitated, biting his lip. "Teal'c is right. We need to know what they're up to, not to mention which snakehead we're dealing with. I couldn't make out whose mark they wore."

"Nor I."

"All right, let's do a little recon, see if we can answer some of these burning questions. Teal'c?"

The Jaffa inclined his head and moved off, skirting the path and winding his way easily through the tangled groundcover, trees and bushes. Jack motioned Carter and Daniel to follow and brought up the rear.

Jack watched Daniel keep pace with Teal'c, weaving through the trees. Swift, graceful, almost as silent as the Jaffa. Daniel didn't move like an archeologist, he moved like a soldier. Unbidden, his friend's hunched shoulders and choked voice echoed through Jack's thoughts.

//That's what I'm afraid of.//

Jack shoved the memory aside and focused on covering his teammates' backs.

They followed the warriors past the gate and on through a seemingly endless stretch of trees as the planet's two suns rose higher and the temperature crept from comfortably warm to blistering hot. Despite the trees' shade, sweat stung their eyes, trickled down their backs, and glistened on Teal'c's head.

Eventually the ground became rockier, gradually sloping upward, scrubby bushes and tall grasses replacing the trees. They crested a rise and Teal'c dropped to his belly, gesturing for the others to do likewise. Jack crawled past Carter and Daniel, settling in beside the Jaffa.

Before him the ground dropped sharply away into a huge, bowl-shaped crater devoid of vegetation. Nestled into the depression, gleaming in the sunshine, rested a Goa'uld tel'tak. The Jaffa they'd been tracking had scrambled halfway down the steep slope, hailing several of their counterparts who were walking the perimeter.

"Well, lookee what we have here," Jack murmured, slapping at a particularly persistent mosquito--or the planet's equivalent. "Someone threw a party and didn't invite us."

"Heru'ur." Daniel squinted at one of the guards through glasses that insisted upon sliding down his nose.

"Daniel Jackson is correct."

"Which still doesn't explain why they're here."

"It may be they seek to acquire raw materials or weapons undetected by our instrumentation," Teal'c said.

"It's also possible their presence has nothing to do with the planet itself, Sir," Carter countered. "They could have set down for engine repairs, or even to evade pursuit."

"Except...that patrol we nearly ran into was an awful long way from the ship," Daniel said slowly. "And coming from the direction of Sam's mineral deposits."

"As well as your ruins, Daniel Jackson."

Jack tugged off his cap and mopped his forehead with the sleeve of his shirt. "Okay, here's what we're going to do. Carter, Teal'c, you circle around to the north, Daniel and I will head south. The objective is to gather any information that will clue us in to why a remote, unpopulated planet is currently a Jaffa hotspot. Don't, I repeat *do not* break cover or approach the ship. We're outnumbered and isolated; we can't afford discovery. We'll meet back here in one hour."

Sam and Teal'c nodded in acknowledgement, and within seconds vanished into the tall grass. Jack followed the crater's rim as it curved in a gentle arc. His knees ached and his tee shirt, drenched with perspiration, stuck uncomfortably to his chest and back. The furtive rustle of small animals, a half-obscured trail of footprints, even the subtle odor of the man following on his heels, all filtered through senses hyper-attuned to danger.

Occasionally one of the patrolling Jaffa would wander uncomfortably close to their position. Each time, Jack dropped to his belly, cheek pressed to the rocky soil, until fading footsteps signaled danger had passed. Jack was pleased that in every instance Daniel's response instantly and without hesitation mirrored his own.

When had Daniel changed from a well-intentioned, slightly oblivious geek into a competent soldier? Jack knew it had been a gradual transformation, born of necessity and even desperation. Physically, Daniel had evolved, developing a warrior's skills to protect himself and his teammates. Mentally and emotionally, however, he still agonized over what he'd become.

After nearly fifteen minutes of the nerve-wracking, back-breaking trek, Daniel latched onto his arm and pulled him up short. He guided Jack to the very edge of the drop-off, gingerly parting the weeds standing like a curtain between them and the ship. Thrusting his chin, he urged Jack to take a look.

Four or five Jaffa clustered around a huge, charred hole in the tel'tak's bulkhead. One was using something that looked amazingly like a blowtorch on the jagged edges, while the others propped several large sheets of metal against the hull.

"Guess Carter wins the door prize," Jack said, sotto voce. He watched the activity for a moment longer, then hooked his thumb over his shoulder and they both eased back from the crater's edge. "We've got our answer. Let's get out of here."

"So they set down to make repairs," Daniel murmured as they began retracing their steps. "It's just coincidence they picked this planet."

Jack huffed under his breath. "Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world..."

Behind him, Daniel spluttered, then whispered with clear delight, "Casablanca, Jack?"

"Bogie, Daniel. 'Nuff said."

Jack crawled along, spine aching, knees twanging. Senses still on alert, he let his brain puzzle through the best way to get them all safely through the 'gate without bringing a herd of Jaffa down on their heads. Damn them anyway--couldn't they have picked the next planet on the block?

Three quarters of the way back to the rendezvous point a twig snapped, then a shower of pebbles tumbled down the incline. He went to ground, body still as stone, barely breathing. Faintly sensing Daniel's warmth along his right leg, he listened for the familiar sound of retreating Jaffa.

Two boots appeared before his eyes. Jack let his gaze travel up long legs to an armor-clad torso and finally the scowling face. "Hi there."

The Jaffa's lip curled and he glanced over his shoulder. "Tau'ri."

Which was when Jack noticed the second warrior with his staff weapon pressed against Daniel's back.

Shit.

Jack's Jaffa--damn, that was so not what he wanted for Christmas--delivered a brutal kick to his ribs that flipped him onto his back and nearly sent him tumbling down the dropoff. "Tau'ri. Kree!"

Pain knifed through his chest and he heard an ominous snap. Instinctively curling into a ball, Jack gulped for air. Rough hands stripped his P90 from his back and flung it aside, found and confiscated his knife, as black spots danced on the edges of his vision.

He rolled onto his hands and knees, searching for Daniel. His friend was getting to his feet, hands raised, babbling something in Goa'uld. Jack saw his Jaffa's head snap around, drawn by the unexpected sound of his own language. Daniel's warrior looked equally startled; the upraised staff weapon dipped slightly.

"Daniel, now!" Jack launched himself, curling both arms around his Jaffa's lower legs as he body slammed into the warrior.

He got in several hard punches before the Jaffa rallied. Fists knotted in his shirt and suddenly he was sailing through the air. He hit the ground with bone-rattling force and the ache in his ribs blossomed to agony. He sucked in a breath before the Jaffa was on him, fists pummeling his head, sides, and abdomen like pistons.

Time slowed to a series of snapshot impressions.

Scuffling, and the thud of fists on flesh. Daniel's pained grunts. The Jaffa's grinning face. The smell of sweat. Hot, loathsome breath. His heart hammering double-time.

Ears ringing and vision blurring, Jack flung out one hand, desperately scrabbling for his gun. His fingers bumped something hard and round. Forcing them closed, he gritted his teeth and swung his arm upward with all his remaining strength.

A sickening crack as the rock connected with the Jaffa's skull. The warrior's eyes flew wide open, then glazed, as blood gushed and poured down his face. Two hundred pounds crashed onto Jack, a dead weight.

Jack struggled under the suffocating pressure, finally rolling the limp Jaffa off. He hauled himself upright, squinting. Daniel and the other Jaffa, locked in a furious contest for the staff weapon, wavered and swam before his eyes, as if underwater. The warrior brought the weapon sharply upward, clipping Daniel hard on the side of his head. Daniel staggered, arms pinwheeling, fighting to regain balance. The Jaffa bellowed in triumph, priming the staff as he aimed for Daniel's chest.

"Daniel!"

Without stopping to think, Jack flung his body between Daniel and the weapon. He heard a high-pitched whine, felt a blast of white-hot agony. Then someone, mercifully, turned out the lights.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"...work with me...do this alone...help..."

He needed to puke.

Jack forced leaden eyelids open, then slammed them shut against the topsy-turvy riot of shapes and colors. He was bouncing up and down, head swaying, arm dangling. Everything hurt--ground glass filled his gut, his shoulder burned fire, his skull had obviously cracked wide open and, oh yeah. He really needed to puke.

"...crazy. I mean, what the hell were you thinking, Jack? You're lucky you're not dead, although if I can't find someplace to hide--"

"Down."

The word came out as a groan, but Daniel caught on. The nauseating motion stopped, and a moment later he felt solid ground at his back. He floundered; his uncooperative limbs would not allow him to turn on his side. Strong arms lifted him, supporting him as wave after wave of paroxysms rolled through his stomach. Each spasm further tormented his gut, his arm, his head.

When he finally stopped heaving Jack collapsed against Daniel's chest, limp as a rag doll. "That...was disgusting."

"I hope this means you're back with me, Jack, because I could really use your help." Daniel's hoarse voice trembled as he held his canteen to Jack's lips.

Jack swallowed two mouthfuls, coughing, then groaning. He averted his gaze from the bloody, charred flesh of his shoulder, staring up at overhanging branches. "Where?"

"How the hell should I know?" Daniel sucked in a deep breath. "I got us back to the trees but we're cut off from the 'gate. We need to keep moving, Jack, they've got patrols out looking for us."

"Carter and Teal'c?"

"I'm not sure. I managed to radio Sam, told her to go for reinforcements. We were cut off--I have no way of knowing if they made it."

"Need...cover."

"Yeah, I know. Think you can move?"

"Piece of cake."

Jack couldn't bite back a cry of pain when Daniel dragged him to his feet. His knees buckled and he sagged against his friend, panting.

"Sorry, sorry." Daniel tugged Jack's arm more securely across his shoulders, his breath wheezing in Jack's ear.

"You okay?"

"Compared to you, I'm terrific." Daniel set off through the trees, half dragging, half carrying Jack. "Throwing yourself in front of a staff weapon, Jack?"

Jack chuckled, quickly regretting it when pain spiked through his already abused stomach. "Little trick learned...from a friend."

The fingers curled around his waist tightened and Daniel swallowed hard. "Sounds like an idiot."

"He grows on ya."

They fell silent, Jack hurting too much to talk and Daniel pouring all his flagging energy into moving them forward. Jack tried to help, but his feet kept getting tangled up and his knees had a mind of their own. Sweat poured off his body and his tongue felt three sizes too large for his mouth. Everything faded to a green blur as his eyelid fluttered and his chin dropped to his chest.

Something thumped against his back, pulling him from his stupor. He craned his head, ignoring Daniel's irritated hiss.

"Got...P90?"

Daniel lifted his free arm, swiping at the rivulets of sweat trickling into his eyes. For the first time Jack realized his friend's glasses were missing, his face contorted into a perpetual squint. He breathed in short, sharp pants and his muscles vibrated with fatigue.

"Got it. Would've taken...staff too, but...couldn't carry both of you."

"Jaffa?"

"Dead."

Jack swallowed a flood of questions, hearing the ragged edge of exhaustion in Daniel's terse reply. He pulled himself upright, teeth gritted against the pain, and concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other.

The brief burst of energy didn't last long. His limbs turned leaden and his eyes insisted on sliding shut. Lulled by Daniel's seductive strength, he slipped into a gray place--neither asleep nor awake, but a little bit of both.

Abruptly, he pitched forward. Jack gasped, eyes flying open and body stiffening as he seemed to plunge face first toward the ground. He got a vague perception of walls pressing inward and increasing darkness. Pushing with rubbery legs, he tried to uncurl his back. The band around his waist tightened, forcing him down as easily as if he were a small child.

"Damn it, Jack, quit fighting!"

Daniel's breathless admonition cut through the confusion. Blinking, the constriction around his waist resolved into Daniel's arm. He kept his head down, turning it slightly to assess his surroundings. Solid rock, above, to both sides, and beneath his feet. Four more steps and the passage opened up into a small, oblong chamber, the stale air damp and cool. A cave.

Thank God.

Daniel stumbled, staggered as he struggled to keep his feet. "Got to...got to set you down, Jack."

Then they were falling, a controlled, sliding descent down one of the smooth walls. Jack groaned as his butt hit the floor, shock waves rippling through his head, shoulder and gut.

"Ah...God." He breathed through his mouth, tamping down the urge to vomit.

"Sorry. Sorry, Jack, I... So tired." Daniel's breathy voice broke on the apology.

Clenching his teeth against the pain, Jack slid his hand across the floor. Curling his fingers around Daniel's arm, he squeezed. "I'm okay...I...I'm okay."

Continued in Chapter 4