Teal'c stepped into the men's locker room the next morning expecting to have a few quiet moments to lay his equipment out. SG-1 was the only unit scheduled to go off world and, due to the months of re-organization, most other personnel were on stand-down. It made the SGC eerily quiet, but that quiet occasionally paid dividends. His heavy boot steps echoed mutely on the safety carpet as he wandered over to his locker space. He reached for his tactical vest and noticed a wisp of humidity condense on his skin; he noticed the faint odor of soap hanging in the damp. He turned his head and noticed a soft clicking sound.
The lights in the room save those over the individual lockers were still out. He could just make out a shadowed form sitting at the far end of the locker room, hunched over in the shadow. After a handful of moments, he determined, or rather, deduced who it was. "Good morning, Captain Rand." Another soft click; the form looked up.
"Morning, Teal'c." With a slight bow, Teal'c took a few steps to the side and flipped a wall switch, bringing up the lights. Rand blinked slightly, but otherwise kept at his task: re-assembling a cleaned and stripped P90. Teal'c cocked his head in curiosity.
"Would not that task be easier with illumination?"
Rand nodded. "Sure. But, I should be able to do it in the dark." He pushed a pin into place and lifted the weapon, pulling at the slide. He inspected the breech and released the slide with a loud and satisfying CLACK. He removed the clip and set the weapon down on the bench.
The clothes he had arrived in had been destroyed with electrical burns, so he was wearing familiar green BDU pants and boots with a black tee shirt. His face was flushed from heat and his hair was brushed and damp. He picked up a web belt and began moving a black, cylindrical sheath with a large burn mark on it to the left side from the right. Teal'c watched the strange man's movements: they were slow and methodical, almost plodding. He seemed troubled. Teal'c was never one to mince words but, with people to whom he was not especially close, as long as it did not interfere with the task at hand, it was none of his affair. "Has your proficiency with this weapon been renewed?"
Rand nodded as he stood and gathered up the over shirt to the BDU. "Yeah. It's like riding a bike." His eyebrows twitched. "You never really forget how to do it."
Teal'c nodded and smiled slightly. "So I have been told."
Daniel Jackson meandered into the room looking particularly drowsy. Kyle broke eye contact with Teal'c and repressed a slight smile at the sight, shaking his head. "Morning, Daniel. Please tell me you slept last night?" Daniel slogged down onto a bench and leaned over, snagging his vest and jacket from his perch.
"Good morning. I slept… some. I spent some time researching myths surrounding the Bifrost Bridge. There wasn't much to find, but I really shouldn't have started that late." Kyle nodded, pulling on his jacket. He grabbed his gear and rummaged along one side of the bench. He produced a covered plastic foam cup and walked over to where Daniel was wobbling. He set it down gingerly beside the depleted archaeologist.
"You might want this. I haven't touched it. Not a good idea with the meds they had me on."
Daniel looked up a little too hopefully. "Black?" Rand nodded, pulling on his vest. Jackson's face broke into unmitigated elation, lifting the cup. "Thank you. I'll have to add precognitive coffee delivery to our list of observed psychic phenomena."
Teal'c cocked his head slightly. "Indeed."
Kyle rolled his eyes. "I'm so glad you have a good use for me in mind. If you're nice, I'll give you lottery numbers before I go." Daniel grinned sheepishly. "Can you do that?" Kyle sighed and shrugged. "Hasn't happened yet. Besides, I didn't need to have a vision to know you'd stay up. Enjoy; I need to go baby-sit the dialing computer. See you guys in the gate room."
IIIIIII IIIIIII
Samantha Carter plodded down the too-empty corridors of the SGC, brooding her way through her pre-mission routine toward the armory. So far she'd been able to shower, dress and prep the mission without having to talk to a soul. An unexpected bonus to an off world assignment was the fact that she wouldn't have to wait for one of Teal'c and Daniel's morning visits. It was sweet, and she knew that they meant well but it was easier for her to just work the problem. In fact, her mood had lifted at the prospect of going off world to find a solution. Possibly it was only a distraction, allowing her to ignore what she was going through but she would take it. Maybe what made her so… bothered by their visits was that she had no logical reason to be going through this—not in this way, not any more. On second thought, maybe she shouldn't begrudge her teammates' efforts too much; she could use some genuine lightening up; it would help.
"You have to be kidding me." She heard a vituperative growl coming from around the corner.
"I'm sorry, sir, I can't do that." It sounded suspiciously like the voice of the armory sergeant.
She slowed at the corner and rested her hand on the icy concrete tube, bending her body slightly around the corner. She saw Captain Rand standing in front of the armory gate; dressed in field kit, arms resting on a slung P90. His back was to her but she could see the young sergeant on duty on the other side of the gate looking pallid. "Please explain to me why you let me have an assault rifle this morning but I can't withdraw a non-lethal sidearm now?" Sam grinned at his obvious frustration and rounded the corner, taking slow steps toward the pair.
"Sir, all alien devices are restricted to authorized personnel."
Kyle huffed. "I'm fully aware of that, Sergeant, but I'm standing here; in this facility. You've got to see the logic here."
"If I could see your ID, sir…" Sam was close enough to see Kyle's narrowed eyes. He opened his mouth to release a reply. By the expression on his face, it wouldn't be kind, so she stepped up beside Kyle and spoke.
"It's alright, Simms. We'll take two and a P90 for me."
Relief washed over the NCO's face. "Yes, ma'am." He disappeared into the back of the room. Kyle's face relaxed and he seemed to regret what he had not quite been allowed to say. "Thanks."
Sam smiled wryly. "You know, you could have just waited for one of us." The sergeant returned with a P90 with ammunition, two zats and the appropriate harness and holsters. Rand grabbed the spare zat and began clipping it onto his belt and leg.
"Well, where would the challenge in that be? Besides I had to run an errand."
Kyle picked up her P90 and Carter popped an eyebrow as she clipped the holster and harness to herself. "An errand? Like, betting on horse races, putting some cash down on stocks, that sort of thing?" Kyle chuckled and they started off toward the control room.
"Nah. As fun as that might be, I needed time to hotwire the dialing program before they send the MALP. Actually, it's probably a good thing I ran into you." She tightened her sling and stumbled while clipping the leg strap on her thigh holster.
What do you need to do?"
He stepped out of her way and passed her the weapon. "The planet we're going to is in a ternary star system, like Alpha Centauri. It's a close central binary with a third distant companion. I'm going to make sure the trajectory calculations are alright."
Sam pursed her lips pensively. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea." They started up the wide steps to the control room and Rand flicked his eyes over toward her.
"Quit it, ma'am." Sam closed her eyebrows together in frustration and surprise.
"Quit what?"
He stopped and poked his head into the control room. Finding it relatively deserted, he dropped down to a free terminal in front of the observation window as a MALP trundled into view below. "Blaming yourself." Her eyes widened accusingly. His face remained impassive and he simply spun his eyes back to the monitor. "For K'Tau. There was no way to anticipate what happened. Besides, you don't have a monopoly on major screw ups." A few minutes passed with the pair silently working. Sure enough, the first two tries failed to produce a lock. Several minutes later, using Sam's administrator password to change some variables, they managed to dial successfully. The MALP showed a positive environment and the gate appeared to be in a wooded area at local nighttime. Finally, they stood and made their way to the gate room; Teal'c and Daniel were already waiting and the gate had begun to dial.
Daniel watched as Dr. Weir made her way down to the control room as chevron four locked into place. Sergeant Davis had come on duty and was running the dialing program. Teal'c and Sam were tossing some idea quietly back and forth to the side. Kyle seemed to be taking the place in. Not with the awe of someone visiting for the first time but someone simply, quietly absorbing in every detail. Daniel smiled thinly to himself. I guess I'd probably be doing the same thing. Must be pretty different. He seemed to shake himself and began patting down some of his gear. Looking himself over quickly, Daniel watched his eyes fall on his right shoulder: at the blank space normally occupied by an SGC unit patch. He seemed to frown slightly. "So what usually goes there?"
Kyle lobbed him a sarcastic grin and made a circle with both hands. "Well, it's this round thing. It's black and gray, it's got a number on it and the letters 'S' and 'G' at the top." Daniel narrowed his eyes and looked up as the seventh chevron locked. Elizabeth Weir leant over Davis and bent the PA microphone; her dark locks nearly dropping onto the highly-strung sergeant.
"SG-1, good luck." Sam looked over her shoulder and nodded curtly. Teal'c inclined his head and Daniel waved once. With that brief pause, SG-1, plus one, minus one, stepped up the ramp and through the event horizon.
A heartbeat later, the group stepped out onto the platform of the receiving gate. The cool, crispness of an alien dawn greeted them. The stargate was mounted on a slightly elevated stone platform in a small, grassy clearing. The three squat flagstone steps leading to the forest floor met the end of a path that wound it's way between the thick trees and away to the southwest. The gray sky above was shifting to a nearly familiar pale blue and a gentle golden light filtered through the boughs of the evergreen trees that seemed to engulf them. Thin filaments of the newborn daylight stretched across the clearing, dappling every surface; a pleasant, slightly musky, pine scent washed through the clearing on the chill morning air. The MALP was off to the left, clumsily perched near the DHD at the base of the platform, it's treads mired in a paste of thistles and churned up mud. The four of them spread out silently, sweeping different sectors of the surrounding forest. It was vacant as far as their vision went through the growth, and only the occasional breeze, calling bird or chirping insect, disrupted the calm air. Satisfied, Sam nodded and Daniel broke the silence. "Well, do I get to guess which way we go?" That earned him a few amused looks as they relaxed their postures and began wandering down the path.
Kyle sighed and pulled on a pair of sporty military sunglasses. "I so can't believe I'm doing this."
Blue spears of mountain became visible in the distance ahead as daylight fermented in the early sky. Rand silently led the way down the winding path, leaving SG-1 to clump together instinctively. They watched their surroundings carefully—almost as carefully as the man on their point. Two hours down the trail, Daniel's eyes narrowed marginally. "Huh."
Teal'c rocked his head perceptibly as he raised his staff weapon to avoid a large root, slinking onto the path. "You are concerned about something Daniel Jackson?" Daniel pushed his boonie hat back slightly and patted at the moisture on his brow.
"Well, not concerned so much as curious." Sam's right eyebrow brushed upward.
"About what?" Daniel's mouth twitched. "About how old would you guess Kyle is?"
Sam rolled her eyebrows and huffed. "God, I thought I was the only one. He looks twenty. Maybe twenty five, but… that makes no sense."
Teal'c's face cast itself into measured surprise. "Indeed." Kyle paused ahead; they stopped and watched. A few moments later, he turned and approached.
"Break, Sam?"
She nodded. "Five on the ground."
They pulled canteens and dropped on a cluster of purple rocks beside the path. Teal'c rested on his staff. Sam perched on a stone, crouched on one leg, the other supporting her weight. Daniel started to sit on a small boulder but faltered and slid to the ground with his back resting against the rock. "Well, I guess this works too." Kyle sat indian style and looked up with a deep breath.
Teal'c shifted his weight, further to his weapon. "Are you jaffa?" Kyle looked down and looked over his glasses.
"Was that directed at me?" Teal'c crossed his arms. "Right. No, human. Why do you ask?"
Daniel downed a sip from his canteen. "How old are you?"
Kyle chuckled wryly. "Ah. Remember, I told you I have healing abilities. So… think Tok'ra; I'm older than I look. A bit, at least."
Sam lifted her cap and scrubbed her fingers back through her hair, her face showing amused curiosity. "So, that would mean you're old enough to vote, right?" Kyle sputtered on his water. "Cute, Sam. Very cute. Okay, you got me: Captain Babyface. I'm thirty." He sighed resignedly. "I'm just glad that…" The slight smile dropped from his face and his eyes narrowed.
Sam snapped into combat mode. "What is it?"
Kyle's jaw set. "Something's up." Teal'c spun his staff weapon into a generic ready posture and Daniel drew one of his Berettas. Kyle rose onto the balls of his feet as the soft murmur of forest sounds died off, leaving an eerie peace in its place. Sam slid down her boulder and crouched, the circle of stones becoming a crude garrison.
"Daniel!" A high whistle sliced the air in the wake of Kyle's exclamation. A tan, wooden missile pitched its way toward the archaeologist. Fortunately, Rand's reaction had been faster than the bolt. He pushed off the rock in front of him and rolled backward, diving toward Jackson with amazing speed. He impacted Daniel at nearly a right angle, his left arm catching him mid-chest.
Daniel puffed a solid, "Oof," as Kyle's momentum rolled him in a lateral slide off the rock. Together, they careened over the crest of the rock and landed hard on the other side. The dart shattered against violet rock on a patch that had, only the slightest instant earlier, been the resting place of Daniel Jackson's neck; though, not before cutting a gash in Kyle's shoulder as the pair bounded away. A heavy mist of blood sprayed a cloud into the air that condensed on the boulder, pasting the wood fragments to the surface. Unlike their colleagues, Teal'c and Carter executed perfect combat rolls and assumed cover without incident. Whistles flooded the area with sound and a violent hail of crossbow bolts peppered the area, their fragments impregnating them with splinters. Vague silhouettes darted between the trees as Sam and Teal'c returned fire. Carter stared down the barrel of her P90, taking aimed marksman shots and Teal'c fired his from the shouldered position, for greater control. Rapid bursts from Teal'c's staff weapon were aimed at the ground beyond the attackers. The shots baked the clay in the soil into an impure ceramic, blasting the area with whirling pottery daggers that ripped through trees and underbrush; the heat from the blasts weakly ignited the nettles and grass, sending thin puffs of woody smoke into the air.
Daniel pulled himself into a kneeling position and began firing. Kyle released his P90 and drew his zat, firing with his one good arm. Unfortunately by then, bolts began assailing them from a widening arc. Each of them felled an increasing number of the anonymous attackers, but the pitch of the fight increased despite their efforts. The silhouettes were holding back but soon, they were surrounded. The hail stopped more quickly than it had begun. The shadows became men, stepping from behind the pine trunks, weapons steadily trained. They were dressed in traditional Norse warrior garb: long hair, natural-colored tunics, high boots and metal skullcaps. They were brandishing angry crossbows, blowguns of some design and livid expressions. Seeing their position, they raised their weapons in surrender. Daniel clambered to his feet and cleared his throat. "We're peaceful ex…" Daniel was never allowed to finish. Wordlessly, four men raised their blowguns and fired. Each dart found it's target, and all four of them crumpled to the ground.
