Going Home
Sam groaned in frustration. There seemed to be no power at all going to the DHD. Well, she wasn't the top scientist and foremost expert on Gate technology at the SGC for nothing! She took the central panel off of the device and carefully set it on the ground. The crystals all seemed to be intact. No, wait. There might be part of the problem, Sam thought to herself. One of the three main crystals that were needed to operate the device seemed to be lying at an odd angle within the DHD. Sam picked it up and gently set it back where it was supposed to be. It couldn't be that easy, could it?
She replaced the panel and tried once again to dial home. This time, the panel did light up but the corresponding Chevrons didn't move or light up on the Stargate itself. Back to square one, maybe square two as she had gotten one thing fixed. She went to the back of the Stargate and checked on things back on the lower panels of the gate.
While Sam was working getting the DHD and the gate operational, she had Josef and Kellan collecting samples of the minerals in the walls. She might as well kill two birds with one stone while she was here! The younger children played games in the cave, throwing small stones into a circle Kiera had drawn in the soft dirt floor. Every once in a while, Sam could hear one of them cheer when they had successfully hit the target.
After about an hour of Sam working on the gate, Teegan came up to stand beside her and watch. He was still extremely curious about this gate.
"What does that part do Major Sam?" he asked, pointing to the DHD.
"That is where I dial the address that we need to go to. It allows us to make sure we pick the correct planet when we travel," responded Sam.
"How many symbols do you need to press?" he continued.
"Seven, although some planets really far away use eight."
"How come the gate doesn't fall over?"
Sam looked at the inquisitive child. Boy, if he had glasses, he really would be a carbon copy of Daniel! "I'll tell you what Teegan. Once we get back to Earth, you can ask Daniel all of your questions about the Stargate. He really knows a lot about it and would love to talk to you!" She really wanted to get back to work and fix the Stargate.
"OK," Teegan replied. "Can we eat the rest of those bars? I'm kind of hungry."
"Sure, why don't you split them up among the seven of you? I think I should be ready with the gate in another hour. Hopefully we'll be home soon."
"Then we can have ice cream, right?"
"Yes Teegan," she smiled at the boy. "Then we can have ice cream."
Teegan happily went back to the others and helped divide up the remaining energy bars. Sam continued her labors on the DHD and the Stargate. She was close, she could feel it.
An hour later, Sam was replacing the panels on the back of the gate and the DHD. This should be it. From the entry tunnel, Kellan and Josef came running. "Major Sam! Those Death Gliders, they're back! We heard two of them coming this way from the other direction. What should we do?" The panicked children gathered around her, nervously looking back toward the entrance of the cave as if the Jaffa might come bursting in at any minute.
"Could you tell if they were landing anywhere around here?" Sam asked the boys.
"No, I don't think they were," replied Kellan. "They were flying up and over the ridge to the south."
"I don't think they are coming this way, but we're not going to wait to find out," said Sam. "The Stargate should ready for us. Everyone stand back as I dial out."
Sam double-checked to make sure her GDO was in working order. She also checked her watch; 1130. For the third time since this rescue had begun, Sam sent up a prayer to whatever higher beings might be listening. She reached out and pressed the first symbol. It lit up on both the DHD and the gate; a very good sign indeed! She continued to press the remaining six symbols in slow succession, wanting to make sure that each of them engaged as they were supposed to. With the seventh symbol, there came the familiar KAWOSH as the wormhole was established. The children stepped back in awe at the unfamiliar sight of the event horizon before them.
Sam stepped back to the children with a smile on her face. "Everything is ready. After I send through my special code, we can step through the gate and we'll be home!" Sam entered her IDC and looked back to the children. Their faces were full of fear: never before had they been asked to do something so strange!
"What is it like Major Sam?" asked Jalia. "Will it hurt to go through the gate?"
"No honey, not at all. Did you ever get snow in your village?" At their nods she continued. "Well, it's like riding down a snowy hill on a sled or piece of wood. You go really fast and your tummy tickles. You might feel a bit cold as well, and maybe a little dizzy once we get to the other side, but it doesn't hurt at all, I promise."
"Can we hold hands like when we crossed the bridge?" asked Bryson. He did not want to go through another mishap as he had the previous day.
"Of course, we can all hold hands as we walk through the gate. How does that sound?"
"GOOD!" the children chorused together. Anya came up to Sam and held up her arms. She wanted to be carried through the gate. She felt much safer when she was close to Major Sam. Sam bent down, picked up the little girl and settled her on her hip. She then turned toward the gate and took Bryson's hand in her left hand. The other children filled in and held hands as they got ready to enter the wormhole. It had been a few minutes since Sam had sent her IDC. She wanted to get through before they got suspicious in the control room and possibly shut the iris.
"OK everyone, let's go!" And with a deep breath, the group of 8 stepped through the gate on their way back to safety.
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"Unauthorized off world activation!" came through the SGC intercom as Jack, Daniel and Teal'c were making their way to see General Hammond. They wanted to check on the status of the Tok'ra. Jack glanced at his watch...1130. The Tok'ra must be early, he thought. The men jogged the last few meters and up the stairs to the control room. General Hammond was waiting for them.
"Is it the Tok'ra sir?" Jack asked. He had reviewed his rescue plan several times and wanted to get down to business as soon as they arrived.
"I don't know yet Colonel. We haven't received a code yet." responded the General. He looked down at Sergeant Davis.
"Incoming code sir. It's....SG-1 SIR!"
The four men looked at each other in astonishment. Had Carter taken out the Jaffa? Did she find the other gate? After a moment of stunned silence, the three members of her team raced into the gate room and stood at the bottom of the ramp, of to the side behind the guards. General Hammond joined them moments later.
They waited. And waited some more. "Where is she?" asked Daniel. "God, I hope she's not in trouble. She could be getting shot at as we speak! She could be hurt and..."
"Knock it off Daniel!" Jack glared in his direction. Things didn't need to be anymore tense than they already were.
"It could be a trap O'Neill. Maybe the Jaffa have captured Major Carter and discovered her IDC code. It might be prudent to close the iris," stated Teal'c.
"Let's give it another minute or two gentlemen. You have been known to be a bit delayed after ending your codes before," responded the General.
Just them, the event horizon shimmered and out stepped Major Samantha Carter with a small blond child in her arms and surrounded by six other children. The guards lowered their guns as the four men who had anxiously awaited her arrival stared in shock at the sight before them. She had been gone four days and returned not only with Treyem's children, but five others as well. They couldn't believe their eyes!
A/N: One more chapter coming!