Thanks for the reviews guys, yup, I need more action. Probably not so much in this chapter, but in the subsequent ones definitely! Reviews make me type faster so keep them coming;)
"Oh god"
A cry, a flash of fire,
And then,
Nothing.
Just the shocked silence of the remaining members of SG1.
Teal'c stood, as if in a nightmare, watching the still blazing flames leap about the archway. Unable to believe what had just happened.
He had sent his friend to his death.
He had done it.
Not a goa'uld, not a replicator, not even a well-aimed staff weapon.
Him.
"What do we do now?" Came the shocked, voice of Daniel Jackson, the pain in his voice sending arrows into Teal'c's heart.
Major Carter turned from the burning stones, the crimson glow making her features seem haunted and unnatural. Her eyes sparkled with tears, but to Teal'c's relief, and respect, she did not weep.
"We find a way out of here is what we do." Her voice had a tone of forced harshness, and her words reminded Teal'c of O'Neill.
Before his death at least.
"Teal'c, what-" at the abrupt halt in Major Carter's sentence, he raised his head, to see both she and Daniel Jackson staring at the second archway.
A deep grinding was coming from just behind it, and the bewildered trio made their way numbly towards it. Some unseen light faintly lit the space beyond the wall and arch. It appeared to be a huge cavern; rough rocky sides created a semi-sphere like shape, and the very inside of the arch seemed flinty, as if it had melded with the cave. There was no floor however, just a deep, dark void, with no perceivable bottom. An abyss with no discernible end.
And just beyond the entrance, a ghostly image of Major Carter's face floated.
The three stood for a long time, at least five minutes some still-functioning part of Daniel's brain told him. Watching the flicking hologram, and the hole just beyond it.
'Think it's going to close up just because you want it to?' Some sarcastic mental voice, strangely Jack-ish asked him. He shut his eyes, the grief threatening to overwhelm him.
"My turn Teal'c?"
Shocked, and more than a little alarmed, Daniel pivoted to face his friend, "Sam you can NOT be serious. After what just happened to Jack?" He demanded urgently, and was rewarded by a sad smile.
"Because of what just happened to the Colonel, Daniel." She answered, her voice gentle, but firm. "This is part of your test right Teal'c?" The Jaffa nodded, and Daniel swore tears lurked in those grave, deep eyes. "And I'm guessing that if we don't complete it, something really bad if going to happen."
Daniel watched as Teal'c nodded again, almost painfully.
"Sam-"
"Daniel, please," His friend stopped him, and continued quietly, "This is something I have to do." Daniel saw her blink back tears, and look back to him with bright eyes, "Teal'c would never ask us to do this if there was another way," She turned to gaze at their friend, "and I trust him." Teal'c returned her look, surprise and gratitude in his features, "I'll always trust you guys, whatever happens." Sam smiled; her eyes full of unshed tears, not unlike Daniel's own. "If you make it back, and the colonel and I are…don't make it. Tell the SGC," She paused, her features threatening breakdown, but resolving in a grin, "Tell them I said goodbye okay? And tell Sergeant Siler his birthday present is in storage room 12, level 14." Daniel shook his head smiling through his tears, "I'll tell him Sam."
She nodded, then reaching out, enveloped him in a hug, clutching the sleeve of his jacket as if she was afraid he'd evaporate. He held her tightly; tears spilling from his eyes, whispering "Sam..." desperately, a last appeal though he knew it was hopeless. Drawing back, she shook her head slightly, and turning to Teal'c, she reached out an arm. Daniel watched as the usually dispassionate Jaffa embraced Sam like a daughter, and a single tear fell from his eye. Eventually, Sam stepped back, and with faint smile, walked towards the archway. At the edge, she stopped for a minute, and turned,
"Daniel, I hope to hell whatever this is spares you, I really do, but if it doesn't…Just do what you think right. Nothing could guide you better." She grinned weakly at them, a stoic determination in her eyes, "Catch you later guys."
She stepped forward and was gone. Into an chasm devoid of hope.
Turning away from the dark doorway, where their friend had stood a moment before, Daniel tapped Teal'c on the arm, attempting to waken the Jaffa from his shell-shocked stare.
"So what's next Teal'c? Is there one of these things for me?" Daniel asked harshly. He knew this wasn't Teal'c's fault, that the Jaffa must be suffering far worse than he was. But Daniel was not a saint, and he might just lost two good friends because some damn alien decided they should die. If he didn't die first, he would apologize to Teal'c but right now, he was so full of grief, he just wanted to end this, however it ended. Hearing a rustling sound from the third archway, he strode angrily over to it, ready to finish this thing. He heard Teal'c striding after him but did not turn round. Walking up to the arch, he looked through, preparing himself for whatever horrific fate the aliens had planned for him.
The chamber through the doorway seemed empty. Lit up, no obvious danger was apparent, Daniel sighed, perhaps he was being spared after all. He inwardly reprimanded himself, how could he be pleased when two of his friends had perished in such awful ways? He heard a rustle behind him, and before he could turn, he saw something green fly into the arch.
Teal'c's SGC jacket sank straight through the floor.
'Whoops?' Said that pesky voice in his head.
Daniel stared at the chamber floor, trying to quell the panic he could feel building. Being buried alive must be his worst nightmare, that of most archeologists he imagined. Someone commented once, it was odd, that you'd think spending so much time deep underground in old mines, tombs etc would accustom someone to it. Strangely it had the opposite effect, you spent a lot more time imagining how it would feel if the roof suddenly collapsed on you. Given the choice, he'd have taken burning alive or plunging into a chasm anytime over this.
'But that's not the idea is it?' That mocking voice said. 'The idea is you suffer.' Trying to calm himself, he turned to face the Jaffa standing behind him. "So I guess this is my stop right?" To his astonishment, Teal'c twisted towards the opposite wall, despair evident on his face.
"Teal'c…look," Daniel said, trying to figure out what he could say, if anything to comfort his friend. "This is bad right? It's really really bad. And truth be told, yeah I'm scared." His admission surprised even Daniel. "I'm not like Jack and Sam, I don't have that whole military mind-set, but I know one thing they did-DO." He reached for Teal'c shoulder, and gently turned him round, "That is that I trust you. I trust you to do what is best for us, even if it seems terrible." Daniel met the Jaffa's eyes, as his friends had before him. "So I'm going to do this, and somehow, this whole thing will be resolved, one way or another. And this time Teal'c, no good-byes, because we are going to meet again, soon" With that, Daniel turned from his comrade, and walked straight through the arch, not allowing himself to look back.
A rustling of sand, and Teal'c was left, alone in the gloom.