Daniel stood in Control and held his breath. Come on! Come on!
"Chevron five encoded... chevron six encoded..."
Everything went silent in the room, as if every member on staff collectively sucked in breath with Daniel. The inner wheel turned and took position. The Chevron moved, but the red light failed to appear.
"Chevron seven will not engage, sir."
"Damn it," Daniel mumbled under his breath.
"I'm sorry, sir," Sergeant Siler said as he looked up from his command console. "I had hoped overriding the dialing protocol would work."
Daniel took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I appreciate you trying, Siler. I'm sure the General does, too."
With heavy feet, Daniel climbed the stairs to the next level and went to Jack's office door. General Hammond was on the phone, and Daniel heard the tail end of his conversation.
"I understand, sir. Thank you, Mr. President."
General Hammond hung up the phone and turned his attention on Daniel. "The protocol override didn't work," Daniel said simply.
General Hammond sighed. "I just spoke with the President. If we are unable to dial through within the next forty-eight hours, I have been given authorization to contact both the Asgard and the Tok'Ra and ask for their assistance."
Daniel nodded. "Forty-eight hours, huh?"
The older man nodded. "Their lives are not at risk. The President doesn't feel we need to rush things. For now, I think we all should get a good night's sleep, and go back at this first thing in the morning. Fresh minds, maybe fresh ideas."
"Thank you, General. Good night," Daniel said, and tapped the doorjamb with the side of his fist before turning to leave.
Three days alone on a beautiful planet with Sam. Happy vacation, Jack.
Daniel stopped by the commissary on his way to Control for a cheese Danish and a large cup of coffee. He stopped by the Gate Room first, and saw Sergeant Siler running a maintenance check on the giant ring. Siler had been up almost all night, first running another full diagnostic and then checking every other system he could manually.
Daniel walked up the steel grate towards the tall man. "Hey, Siler."
The sergeant looked up. "Good morning, Doctor Jackson. We should be ready to try another dial out in the next five minutes."
"Great. Thank you for your hard work, Sergeant," he said, and held out the cup of coffee.
"Thank you, sir," Siler said as he took it. "But I'm only doing what needs to be done."
"I know, but you're putting everything into it." Daniel gave a small wave and headed back down the ramp.
He found Teal'c and General Hammond already waiting in Control. Daniel bit into the Danish, and realized his stomach really didn't want food right now. He offered the remaining baked good to Teal'c, who just raised his eyebrow. With a shrug, Daniel tossed it in the nearest waste basket.
"Here we go again, huh?"
"Indeed, Daniel Jackson. Perhaps today we will procure some good fortune."
"It's 'get lucky', Teal'c. But close. Very close."
The intercom crackled. "We're ready to give it a try, sir," came Sergeant Siler's voice.
"Understood. Thank you, Sergeant." General Hammond turned to the bank of computers that sat facing the giant glass window. "Sergeant Harriman, dial P9X-4EV."
"Yes, sir."Harriman typed in the coordinates, and Daniel tapped his fist against his lips... waiting... waiting...
"Chevron five encoded... chevron six encoded..."
Daniel closed his eyes. One, two, three... damn... four, five
Clank!
"Chevron seven has engaged, sir!" Harriman nearly shouted. "Tracking MALP trajectory now, sir."
"Yes!" Daniel jerked his fist in the air. "General Hammond, permission to--"
"That's strange," Sergeant Harriman mumbled.
"Hold on, Doctor Jackson. Not quite yet. What is it, son?"
"It's the internal clock on the MALP, sir. The time is off."
"By how much?"
"Way off, sir. But it may be a malfunction due to the interference that disrupted the Gate."
General Hammond nodded. "See if you can get General O'Neill on the radio."
Sergeant Harriman nodded, and tried for several minutes to com Jack and Sam, with no answer.
"The Ornorean could still be affecting radio transmissions, sir. When we were there, there had been a lot of static."
General Hammond stared out the window at the glowing event horizon of the Gate. "Shut her down, Sergeant."
"General--"
General Hammond raised his hand, and Daniel bit of his words. The event horizon dissolved and the Gate shut down with a swoosh. General Hammond turned to Sergeant Harriman.
"Redial the gate in ten minutes. If it connects without issue, then, Doctor Jackson, you and Teal'c may go through."
"Thank you, sir." Daniel turned to Teal'c and slapped his palm against the big man's chest. "Teal'c, meet me in the Gate room in ten minutes."Teal'c bowed his head, and Daniel was off and running.
Exactly ten minutes and forty-five seconds later, Daniel and Teal'c stepped through the Gate to P9X-4EV. Behind them, the Gate disengaged and the even horizon was replaced by the idyllic scenery of the planet.
Daniel looked around, and saw no sign of Sam, Jack, or anyone else. Teal'c stepped up beside him, setting the end of his staff weapon on the ground.
"It would appear that O'Neill and Colonel Carter have not been attempting to use the Gate."
"At least not right now..." Daniel said and started away from the giant ring. "Let's go see if we can track them down."
The two of them headed for the nearest road they had traveled before with Aaroon, and headed north. As they neared Aaroon's farm, they walked by one of his many fields. Daniel shaded his eyes with his hands and saw Aaroon out amongst the corn stalks as he harvested them. Beside him walked Trallen and Ebresh.
"Aaroon Sonarnon!" Daniel called, and Aaroon looked up.
"Daniel! It is good to see you! I will be right there."
Daniel and Teal'c waited as Aaroon waded through the tall stalks and climbed over the wood rail fence that separated his field from the road. As soon as he reached them, he pulled Daniel into an exuberant hug and patted Teal'c arms."It is wonderful to see you again, my friends. Too much time has passed."
Daniel drew his brow together, staring at Aaroon. "Ye-eah. Good to see you, too, Aaroon."
"Do you seek Jack and Samantha?"
"Ah, yes. We're concerned because—"
"Oh, concern is not necessary. As you will see. Continue down this road a short while, and you will find them. You all must come to our home this night for the evening meal. Sarai will be happy to see you again. As will Tella."
"Let me first speak with Jack and Sam, and we will let you know."
"Fine. Fine. Until then, I must go. The harvest does not care about returning friends."
As Aaroon went over the fence again, Daniel turned to Teal'c."
"That was...""Unusual, Daniel Jackson. He acts as though much time has passed since our last visit."
"Yeah," Daniel said slowly. "Let's just find Jack and Sam. I'll feel much better when I know they're fine."
They headed down the road again, meeting no one along the way. As they crested a hill, Daniel spotted a good sized cabin sitting about 100 feet from the road. He could tell the building was a mix of old and new construction, with at least half the building being new. A barn sat further back with a small bunch of chickens pecking at the ground. A tall man with slightly gray hair stepped onto the shaded porch, and stacked his armload of chopped wood with the good cord or so that was already there.
"Maybe they know where Jack and Sam are. Because I'm pretty sure the road that leads to the village is in the other direction. I don't know what they'd be doing out this way."
They continued towards the cabin, and as they reached the edge of the property, the cabin door opened and a blonde woman came out with a cup in her hand. She approached the man, and he took the cup, but before he drank he pulled her into his arms and kissed her soundly, dipping her slightly. Their laughter reached Daniel and Teal'c.
"Daniel Jackson, I believe that is--"
"Excuse me," Daniel called out, heading for the house. "We're looking for--"
"O'Neill and Colonel Carter..."
The couple turned, and Daniel's jaw dropped open.
"Daniel? Teal'c?"
"It is, indeed, O'Neill and Colonel Carter," Teal'c finished.
Daniel and Teal'c walked forward, but were met more than half way by Sam, who ran to them and threw her arms around his neck. Daniel hugged her back, trying desperately to figure out what the hell was going on. Sam moved on to hug Teal'c as Jack reached them, and Daniel could only stare. He knew he was staring... but... JEEZ!
If he didn't know better, he would have sworn Jack had gone back fifteen years in age. His face was lean and line free, and he looked a good ten to fifteen pounds lighter. He put his hand out in greeting, and Daniel took it, almost wincing at the strength of his grip.
"It's good to see you, Daniel."
Daniel just nodded, blinked, and looked to Sam. And blinked again. Sam was stunning -- not that she hadn't always been -- but, damn! The glow of her skin was almost luminous, and she looked as young as they day they met. Her blonde hair shined like golden strands and curled around her cheeks.
"Sam... I... Jack..." He looked from Sam to Jack, then to Teal'c, and back to Jack. "I don't mean to be rude, but what the hell?"
Jack gripped Teal'c's hand, and they embraced roughly, Jack slapping his free hand on Teal'c's back. "Hey, T. How's it hangin'?"
"I have been well, O'Neill."
"Jack," Daniel snapped.
He stared wide eyed as Jack stepped back from Teal'c, and Sam stepped to his side, their arms going around each other as if it were the most natural thing in the world. This his eyes tracked down...
"Sam? Are you... are you pregnant?"
Jack laid his hand on Sam's slightly distended waist. She couldn't be more than four or five months, but Sam Carter was most definitely pregnant. And if he didn't know better, he'd think Jack was the Proud Papa. Daniel was so confused, his head hurt.
"Things have changed the last six cycles, Danny Boy."
"Six... wha--... six cycles?"
The cabin door opened with a crash, and a small sprite of a little girl with long, curly hair came running at them. "Daddy," she cried out as she ran. "Daddy, Momma said ..." Her voice trailed off as she reached them.
Daniel stared down at the child. Bright blue eyes, as wide and as curious as any he had ever seen, looked up at him. Then she smiled, wide and sweet and unafraid. Jack stroked the girl's hair.
"Baby, who do I tell you stories about every night?" he asked her.
"My Unca Danul an' Unca Teke an' Grandpa Jakup an' Grandpa George."
Jack nodded. "This is Uncle Daniel and Uncle Teal'c, Hannah."
She smiled wide again, the kind of innocent and accepting smile only ever seen on the face of a child. Despite the dozen or so questions slamming around in his head, Daniel smiled back. Hannah walked over to Teal'c, and after bending her head back so far it looked like she was going to tip over backwards, she lifted her arms to him. Teal'c shoved his staff weapon at Daniel, and picked the little girl up. She giggled as he settled her against his chest.
"You big, Unca Teke," she said with a giggle, and touched his golden tattoo. "You bigger dan Daddy."
"And you are very beautiful, little one."
Daniel shook his head and raised his hand. "Okay. Okay. Again, I'm gonna ask... Jack, what the hell is going on here?"
"Is it not obvious, Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c said, smiling wide as Hannah continued to trace his tattoo with her tiny fingertips. "The progression of time on P9X-4EV has not run concurrent with time on Earth."
Daniel squinted. "Oh, yeah. Sure. Obvious."
"Would such a variance not explain the internal time device on the MALP left here varying so greatly when we opened the Gate?"
"Okay, so, hold up." Jack raised his hand, holding up one finger. "Daniel, we've been here six cycles. That's what..." He looked down at Sam.
"Four and a half years. Roughly."
"Four and a half Earth years."
"No, Jack. You haven't. Teal'c and I left here yesterday. We have been trying to dial back for the last twenty-four hours, and just now managed to get through."
Sam gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "Oh. My. God. Jack..."
Jack's head dropped forward, and he closed his eyes. "Yeah. Ah, damn."