Infuriatingly the MALP showed that PX4 877 was still over run with Goa'uld, Jack assumed that since their number one off world enemy had discovered they were there, more Jaffa had been called in. A UAV was sent through also and the footage showed that the village and waterfall, the entrance to the cave, was swarming. But of Carter and Daniel there was no sign. In the hours after all personnel kept away from O'Neill and Teal'c, the former was sick of waiting for the go ahead to return to the planet; it was too long in coming, and he took to stalking the corridors of the SGC. Teal'c walked up and down the control room, he was intimidating the people there though that was not his intent. When the General said they could go he wanted to be there and ready to set off straight away. That prospect did not look promising though.
When next they tried the MALP, there was no signal; evidently the Jaffa that now guarded the gate had destroyed it. A staff weapon also had shot down the UAV. The remaining half of SG-1's angst was felt by everyone, but the guilt was heavily on Jack and Teal'c's shoulders – obviously they knew that to have stayed would have meant their deaths and those of the people they were rescuing, but it did not do anything to numb what they felt. If there was one rule that SG-1 abided to it was to never leave one of their own behind and they had left two of them.
Whether it was due to hunger or because they had unconsciously sought each other, O'Neill and Teal'c both turned up at the commissary. It was close to closing now, most of the lights had been switched off and half of the room was in darkness, nobody else was there. The Colonel was sat in the corner digging his fork into a chocolate cake; he was hungry but didn't feel like eating. It felt wrong somehow to enjoy the food when two of his teammates were out there trying to evade and survive the Jaffa – if they had not already been caught. He refused to entertain that thought.
"I too feel guilt, O'Neill" the Jaffa stood by the side of the table, his hands clasped firmly behind his back.
Jack pushed the bowl away from him and leaned back in the chair, rubbing his balled hands over his eyes. He let out a frustrated sigh before speaking "we never should've left, T."
Teal'c sat down opposite his Tau'ri friend. He glanced at the mushed but uneaten cake before looking up "to have stayed would have meant death or capture, to us and the villagers" he told him logically.
Jack already knew that already; it was the same argument he had ran through in his mind numerous times since returning. "I know! And if it'd been Carter and Daniel near the gate and me in their position I would have told them to leave..." his banged his fist down on the table and the bowl jumped into the air, the fork clattered onto the floor. "If we would've just left after the first time Garin screwed us we'd all be in here right now."
"We will not rest until Major Carter and Daniel Jackson are found" Teal'c stated.
He hated feeling so useless. "I know..." neither of them wanted to voice the question in their minds: what if they were never found? An announcement sounded over the speakers a few seconds after the alarm for an unauthorized off world activation sounded throughout the SGC's halls. They were needed in the Gateroom; the two men jumped to their feet, daring to hope.
They ran into the Gateroom, the alarms had stopped and General Hammond was stood below the ramp in front of a very worried Jacob. The dread Hammond felt was felt by Jack too, Teal'c felt remorse. He knew how he would feel should be in Jacob's position and Ry'ac the one that was missing. So far General Hammond had only greeted his old friend; he could tell by the look on the General's face that something was wrong. Jack looked at Hammond pointedly; he wanted to be the one to tell Jacob. Teal'c stood by his side and the General backed away to leave the three of them to talk. Jacob was insisting they tell him what was going on there and now, he was not going to move another inch before he got some answers.
"Jake..." O'Neill started off before deciding from the impatient look on the other mans face that the direct approach would be best "a few hours ago we were sent to PX4 877, long story short we were ambushed by Jaffa – we don't know what happened to Carter or Daniel, they didn't get back to the Gate...they're still out there" he finished.
"You left them behind?" Jacob demanded. Anger and worry bonded together to create one very dangerous Tok'ra. He looked away from the two members of SG-1 for a second forcing himself to remain in control, there would be a reasonable explanation but to decide if there was Jacob wanted all the facts, down the tiniest detail. He knew Jack and Teal'c would never willing leave their friends and teammates behind in unknown enemy territory. "Tell me everything," he instructed in a calm voice. Selmac was berating him for almost flying off the handle.
Jack looked around the Gateroom; Airmen averted their gazes as they saw the Colonel's attention focused directly at them. "Briefing room" he said simply and led the way out of the Gateroom, away from unwanted listeners.
It didn't take took long to detail exactly what had happened on PX4 877, the events were engrained in both the Colonel and Jaffa's minds and together they told Jacob of the events that had unfolded. Jacob proved to be a surprising good listener then, he didn't jump in asking questions or criticizing the steps they had taken, though he wanted to, instead he waited patiently. General Hammond took over when Jack and Teal'c had finished, he told his old friend what was being done – and what couldn't yet be done, to help Sam and Daniel. Unsurprisingly Jacob became frustrated when he was told of the lack of action regarding a rescue, he understood the reasoning behind it but could not accept it. He wanted to leave straight away and go there himself, to tell the Tok'ra to help in the search. He would be able to persuade them eventually but at that moment the council would not allow it. Beside it being too dangerous, they also had other things that would be foremost on their list of things to do. Jack, Teal'c and Hammond waited for his reaction but one did not come straight away, Jacob sat at the briefing room table quietly thinking, speaking with Selmac, they were planning what to do.
After a few tense minutes had passed Jacob spoke up. "I can't say I wouldn't have done the same thing in your position, Jack, it was an impossible situation...I don't blame you or Teal'c for what happened, but that doesn't mean I accept it" he stood up, his hands flat on the table and he peered at each man in turn. "At this moment in time I can't speak for the Tok'ra but I'm not going to stop until I've found my daughter, and Daniel."
"We will not stop either Jacob Carter" Teal'c announced.
O'Neill nodded in agreement. "I know we've been ordered to stand down on this matter, General" Jack spoke directly to Hammond, his tone about as serious as Hammond had ever heard "but the second we're allowed through that gate on a different, unimportant mission, we'll be looking for Carter and Daniel instead" he told the older man gravelly.
"No..." Jacob responded before Hammond could do so himself "the only thing that blatant disregard of orders will get you is a court martial. I understand you're raring to go but until you're told you can do so, I'll look and keep in touch."
Jack looked ready to disagree, regardless of the consequences but this time the General did answer. "We will do whatever we can, Colonel, but if I think you will deviate from a mission to find Major Carter and Dr. Jackson, I will keep you off world indefinitely" he stated, it would not do anyone any good to try and change his mind on the matter, or dare to go against his wishes.
"Yes Sir" Jack responded. He didn't bother to mask his irritation, but to do what he had initially planned would probably get him court marshaled, and then he would never be able to help Sam or Daniel. And that would eat away at him until he went crazy.