As much problem as Jack and Daniel were having, Teal'c and Carter weren't much better off. They, too, were walking on loose shale for the most part, and they also had water covering the rock so they couldn't see exactly where their feet were going. Teal'c had stumbled several times, cursing in more than one language every time he tripped. Sam had it even worse. Her eyesight wasn't as good as Teal'c's, and in the gloom of the growing evening with the rain coming down so hard they couldn't see more than four or five feet ahead of them, she'd fallen several times as well.
Twice she'd had the ground under her feet actually give way, and only Teal'c's lightning reflexes had saved her from taking what would probably have been nasty tumbles. Both times he'd reached out and grabbed her, catching her before she could fall. Which, of course, was Jack's whole reason for teaming her with the Jaffa. He knew that Teal'c could watch Sam's back just as well – if not better – than he could, and he trusted him to bring her back safe.
Even Jack was having trouble, although his four legs and lower center of gravity seemed to be helping a little. But it was obvious by the way he was watching Teal'c for direction that his nose wasn't much help if any in the torrential downpour.
"This is awful!" Sam yelled at him, rubbing her wrist, which he'd grabbed the last time she'd almost fallen. Not that she was complaining, since a few bruises and maybe a sprain were a lot better than what could have happened. "We're never going to be able to find SG-3 in this mess!"
They'd lost radio contact with Daniel and Jack about an hour before, and they weren't sure if it was because of rainwater getting into the radios and ruining them, or if it was interference from the weather and the rough terrain. It wouldn't have been the first time such a thing had happened, after all. Even worse was the possibility that something had happened to them, and considering the nasty weather and the treacherous footing Teal'c and Sam were dealing with, there was no reason to think things were any easier for Jack and Daniel.
"I agree!" Teal'c nodded, reaching out and grabbing Jack's collar when the ground suddenly gave way under the yellow lab, and his back legs scrabbling for purchase when there was suddenly nothing there to hold his rear end up. Teal'c pulled him closer, and made sure he wasn't injured. Jack wagged his tail, uninjured, but pretty much feeling like a drowned rat. "We should return to the Stargate and try to reestablish radio contact with the others!"
Sam nodded her agreement. They needed to get some help out here. There was no way she and Teal'c – or Daniel and Jack – were going to be able to find SG-3. Not in this mess. It was like looking for a needle in a very wet haystack. They'd literally have to fall on them or run into them to find them, and the odds of doing that were too high for even Sam's fine mind to figure out without a piece of paper and a pen.
"Let's get back!"
They turned and began retracing their steps, walking just as carefully as before, but making slightly better time, since they knew where they were going this time. They'd gone a fair pace, though, and weren't going to get back to the Stargate immediately.
That was where Jaffer found them.
.................
Jack heard him coming first. The yellow lab's hearing was better than either of theirs, no matter how loud the rain was, and his head turned slightly to their right, his tail wagging suddenly. Teal'c didn't notice immediately. He'd been keeping a close eye on Sam, his hands constantly ready to reach out and grab her if she were to fall. It was only when Jack started barking excitedly that Teal'c noticed the difference in the dog's demeanor, and stopped.
"Someone is coming!" He called to Sam. Obviously it was someone the yellow lab knew, Sam thought, looking into the driving rain, or he wouldn't be so excited. So it must be Daniel, Jack and Jaffer.
She was only 1/3 right.
Jaffer's dark form came out of the growing darkness, and Sam was immediately worried. Not only because he was obviously alone, but also because the black lab was limping slightly, and had a nasty gash on his shoulder. Obviously, he'd taken a fall somewhere, and Sam had to assume that he'd been with Jack and Daniel when it'd happened. Which really made her worry, since there was no way Jack would have sent Jaffer off alone. Not if he had any choice.
She knelt down and the big lab limped over to her, looking exhausted and miserable, but his tail was wagging at the sight of her and when she ran her hands along his body to search for any other injuries – or even better, a note from Jack or Daniel – he listlessly licked her hand. She found swelling, but no other serious cuts, and the rain had washed the shoulder gash fairly well. There wasn't even any blood.
"What happened to you?" She asked, wishing that he could answer her.
"O'Neill and Daniel Jackson must be in trouble!" Teal'c yelled to her, kneeling down as well. Jaffer was swarmed by Jack, who was nuzzling his brother, and the contact seemed to pick the lab's spirits up a bit, because his tail wagged even more, and the tired look in his eyes was replaced by a little more cheerfulness.
"We need to get help!" Sam called back. "They must be hurt!"
That was the only way Jaffer would be alone. God, she didn't want to think about them being worse than just hurt. Hopefully they were just at the bottom of some hill, maybe after a tumble like one of the ones Teal'c had saved her from taking.
Teal'c nodded, and they all stood up, Jack taking point and Jaffer walking so close to Sam that the black lab's side was brushing against her thigh. Occasionally as they walked, she'd reach her hand down and rest it on him, but whether it was to reassure him, or to comfort herself, neither knew.
Twice she'd had the ground under her feet actually give way, and only Teal'c's lightning reflexes had saved her from taking what would probably have been nasty tumbles. Both times he'd reached out and grabbed her, catching her before she could fall. Which, of course, was Jack's whole reason for teaming her with the Jaffa. He knew that Teal'c could watch Sam's back just as well – if not better – than he could, and he trusted him to bring her back safe.
Even Jack was having trouble, although his four legs and lower center of gravity seemed to be helping a little. But it was obvious by the way he was watching Teal'c for direction that his nose wasn't much help if any in the torrential downpour.
"This is awful!" Sam yelled at him, rubbing her wrist, which he'd grabbed the last time she'd almost fallen. Not that she was complaining, since a few bruises and maybe a sprain were a lot better than what could have happened. "We're never going to be able to find SG-3 in this mess!"
They'd lost radio contact with Daniel and Jack about an hour before, and they weren't sure if it was because of rainwater getting into the radios and ruining them, or if it was interference from the weather and the rough terrain. It wouldn't have been the first time such a thing had happened, after all. Even worse was the possibility that something had happened to them, and considering the nasty weather and the treacherous footing Teal'c and Sam were dealing with, there was no reason to think things were any easier for Jack and Daniel.
"I agree!" Teal'c nodded, reaching out and grabbing Jack's collar when the ground suddenly gave way under the yellow lab, and his back legs scrabbling for purchase when there was suddenly nothing there to hold his rear end up. Teal'c pulled him closer, and made sure he wasn't injured. Jack wagged his tail, uninjured, but pretty much feeling like a drowned rat. "We should return to the Stargate and try to reestablish radio contact with the others!"
Sam nodded her agreement. They needed to get some help out here. There was no way she and Teal'c – or Daniel and Jack – were going to be able to find SG-3. Not in this mess. It was like looking for a needle in a very wet haystack. They'd literally have to fall on them or run into them to find them, and the odds of doing that were too high for even Sam's fine mind to figure out without a piece of paper and a pen.
"Let's get back!"
They turned and began retracing their steps, walking just as carefully as before, but making slightly better time, since they knew where they were going this time. They'd gone a fair pace, though, and weren't going to get back to the Stargate immediately.
That was where Jaffer found them.
.................
Jack heard him coming first. The yellow lab's hearing was better than either of theirs, no matter how loud the rain was, and his head turned slightly to their right, his tail wagging suddenly. Teal'c didn't notice immediately. He'd been keeping a close eye on Sam, his hands constantly ready to reach out and grab her if she were to fall. It was only when Jack started barking excitedly that Teal'c noticed the difference in the dog's demeanor, and stopped.
"Someone is coming!" He called to Sam. Obviously it was someone the yellow lab knew, Sam thought, looking into the driving rain, or he wouldn't be so excited. So it must be Daniel, Jack and Jaffer.
She was only 1/3 right.
Jaffer's dark form came out of the growing darkness, and Sam was immediately worried. Not only because he was obviously alone, but also because the black lab was limping slightly, and had a nasty gash on his shoulder. Obviously, he'd taken a fall somewhere, and Sam had to assume that he'd been with Jack and Daniel when it'd happened. Which really made her worry, since there was no way Jack would have sent Jaffer off alone. Not if he had any choice.
She knelt down and the big lab limped over to her, looking exhausted and miserable, but his tail was wagging at the sight of her and when she ran her hands along his body to search for any other injuries – or even better, a note from Jack or Daniel – he listlessly licked her hand. She found swelling, but no other serious cuts, and the rain had washed the shoulder gash fairly well. There wasn't even any blood.
"What happened to you?" She asked, wishing that he could answer her.
"O'Neill and Daniel Jackson must be in trouble!" Teal'c yelled to her, kneeling down as well. Jaffer was swarmed by Jack, who was nuzzling his brother, and the contact seemed to pick the lab's spirits up a bit, because his tail wagged even more, and the tired look in his eyes was replaced by a little more cheerfulness.
"We need to get help!" Sam called back. "They must be hurt!"
That was the only way Jaffer would be alone. God, she didn't want to think about them being worse than just hurt. Hopefully they were just at the bottom of some hill, maybe after a tumble like one of the ones Teal'c had saved her from taking.
Teal'c nodded, and they all stood up, Jack taking point and Jaffer walking so close to Sam that the black lab's side was brushing against her thigh. Occasionally as they walked, she'd reach her hand down and rest it on him, but whether it was to reassure him, or to comfort herself, neither knew.