.
Staring blackly at the now-crowded whiteboard, he decided to take a walk, stretch his legs and see what Daniel and Teal'c were up to. Maybe they were following a lead that he hadn't thought of.
====o0o==== End Part 3 ====o0o====
.
Part 4: Left Behind
.
27 hours later.
"Unscheduled offworld activation. Unscheduled offworld activation."
Colonel O'Neill, General Hammond and SGC personnel from all over the base scrambled towards the control room or some other vantage point.
"Incoming wormhole. Receiving SG-5 IDC."
"Open the iris, Sergeant," the General ordered. SG-5 was one of the four SGC teams on the combined mission – the last major mission of the events that had started more than 10 days ago. SG-5 and three other SG teams, along with a few Tokra and several squads of special ops trained Rangers, had been tasked with infiltrating a Go'a'uld planet where production facilities were maintained for the construction of death gliders and other Go'a'uld ships and technology.
Daniel and Teal'c entered the control room and stepped over to stand by Jack's side. They exchanged glances, but no one said a word. Everyone just watched the rippling pool inside the ring of naquadah.
And then two soldiers ran through,
…then another
…then two more,
…then there was a pause,
….
And then two more came through carrying a third, who was injured.
Then the gate was quiet as medical personnel surrounded the returning soldiers.
…
And then, behind them, more soldiers started stepping though.
Some hurt, some dirty and bloody, some being supported by teammates.
They all looked tired.
Then Colonel Roberts stepped through with two other soldiers trotting closely behind him. "Count off, folks, let me know if anyone is missing," Roberts called out… and around the room squad commanders were locating their personnel and counting noses. Each then gave their tallies to the Colonel so that he knew how many were still to be expected through the gate before they could close the iris. Listening to all of their reports, Roberts turned to the control room window and signaled '7' personnel should still be on their way.
A few minutes passed and then three more stumbled through the gate and it was difficult to tell who was holding up whom.
That left 4 more.
The minutes passed slowly as they waited.
Medical personnel were swarming over those who'd come down the ramp already, and Jack noticed that the medical personnel were arguing with the wounded. Watching carefully, it looked like the wounded were refusing to leave for the infirmary. He shook his head in understanding – they wanted to wait until their last set of comrades had made it back through the gate. A few of the medical personnel were becoming adamant with the more seriously wounded. Jack looked at the General, but Hammond seemed inclined to let the officers work it out for themselves. He understood their need to wait for those who were still, hopefully, coming.
Getting restless, O'Neill decided to join Colonel Roberts at the bottom of the ramp in the gateroom.
And, then two bodies leaped through the gate and fell heavily on the ramp before rolling forward a few feet.
Each of the two men, pulled themselves up and turned immediately back to the gate watching for their comrades.
A few seconds later, a third soldier flew through the gate, narrowly missing his two teammates.
"CLOSE THE IRIS, CLOSE THE IRIS, NOW," the third man through screamed.
The General signaled quickly to Sgt. Davis to close the iris.
The iris slid shut and the gateroom was quiet for a second.
And then the iris groaned and flexed outwards…and then it relaxed back into its normal position as the wormhole disconnected.
The last soldier through was leaning forward and O'Neill could see that the young man was crying.
One of them hadn't made it.
…
====o0o==== End Part 4 ====o0o====
Staring blackly at the now-crowded whiteboard, he decided to take a walk, stretch his legs and see what Daniel and Teal'c were up to. Maybe they were following a lead that he hadn't thought of.
====o0o==== End Part 3 ====o0o====
.
Part 4: Left Behind
.
27 hours later.
"Unscheduled offworld activation. Unscheduled offworld activation."
Colonel O'Neill, General Hammond and SGC personnel from all over the base scrambled towards the control room or some other vantage point.
"Incoming wormhole. Receiving SG-5 IDC."
"Open the iris, Sergeant," the General ordered. SG-5 was one of the four SGC teams on the combined mission – the last major mission of the events that had started more than 10 days ago. SG-5 and three other SG teams, along with a few Tokra and several squads of special ops trained Rangers, had been tasked with infiltrating a Go'a'uld planet where production facilities were maintained for the construction of death gliders and other Go'a'uld ships and technology.
Daniel and Teal'c entered the control room and stepped over to stand by Jack's side. They exchanged glances, but no one said a word. Everyone just watched the rippling pool inside the ring of naquadah.
And then two soldiers ran through,
…then another
…then two more,
…then there was a pause,
….
And then two more came through carrying a third, who was injured.
Then the gate was quiet as medical personnel surrounded the returning soldiers.
…
And then, behind them, more soldiers started stepping though.
Some hurt, some dirty and bloody, some being supported by teammates.
They all looked tired.
Then Colonel Roberts stepped through with two other soldiers trotting closely behind him. "Count off, folks, let me know if anyone is missing," Roberts called out… and around the room squad commanders were locating their personnel and counting noses. Each then gave their tallies to the Colonel so that he knew how many were still to be expected through the gate before they could close the iris. Listening to all of their reports, Roberts turned to the control room window and signaled '7' personnel should still be on their way.
A few minutes passed and then three more stumbled through the gate and it was difficult to tell who was holding up whom.
That left 4 more.
The minutes passed slowly as they waited.
Medical personnel were swarming over those who'd come down the ramp already, and Jack noticed that the medical personnel were arguing with the wounded. Watching carefully, it looked like the wounded were refusing to leave for the infirmary. He shook his head in understanding – they wanted to wait until their last set of comrades had made it back through the gate. A few of the medical personnel were becoming adamant with the more seriously wounded. Jack looked at the General, but Hammond seemed inclined to let the officers work it out for themselves. He understood their need to wait for those who were still, hopefully, coming.
Getting restless, O'Neill decided to join Colonel Roberts at the bottom of the ramp in the gateroom.
And, then two bodies leaped through the gate and fell heavily on the ramp before rolling forward a few feet.
Each of the two men, pulled themselves up and turned immediately back to the gate watching for their comrades.
A few seconds later, a third soldier flew through the gate, narrowly missing his two teammates.
"CLOSE THE IRIS, CLOSE THE IRIS, NOW," the third man through screamed.
The General signaled quickly to Sgt. Davis to close the iris.
The iris slid shut and the gateroom was quiet for a second.
And then the iris groaned and flexed outwards…and then it relaxed back into its normal position as the wormhole disconnected.
The last soldier through was leaning forward and O'Neill could see that the young man was crying.
One of them hadn't made it.
…
====o0o==== End Part 4 ====o0o====