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From Chapter 16: Risking a look back just before entering the wormhole, Daniel saw a large explosion take out the local DHD and a wave of heat and dirt and rocks blew Teal'c and Peterson crashing into them as they fell into the wormhole.
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Ch 20: PATER NOSTER LAKES
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The concussive force of the blast ejected the four men from the wormhole and sent them tumbling down the ramp amidst a driving spray of rocks and dirt.
"CLOSE THE IRIS," both Peterson and Saunders yelled from the tangle of arms, legs and torn BDUs at the bottom of the steel ramp.
With a ka-a-shunk, the iris spiraled shut and the Gateroom was suddenly silent.
But only for a moment. And then they were pounced on by the waiting medical personnel. Doctors and medics took over as injuries were sorted and prioritized. Major Caruthers' injury was the worst – he had taken a projectile wound in the leg and was bleeding profusely. Once the Major was quickly swept off on a gurney, Colonel Peterson and Teal'c were scrutinized.
Waving the attention off, Peterson turned to the General, "Not friendly, sir," he understated.
"And no signs of General O'Neill or Colonel Carter?" Hammond had to ask for confirmation.
"No sir, no signs of anyone from Earth... just the natives... and they weren't up for conversation!" The military officer responded.
Daniel stood up awkwardly and winced, he was pretty sure that his ankle was just twisted and not broken. "General, the natives apparently see anyone who comes through the 'Gate as mortal enemies – no exceptions. I was able to make a preliminary assessment of their language, but we didn't get a large enough sample for me to get very far," the archeologist supplied.
"Yeah, they started yelling, chasing and generally trying to kill us any old way that they could think of," the Colonel provided acerbically and Daniel couldn't deny the assessment.
"Do you think that we should write off the MALP?" the General asked.
"Oh, yeah," Daniel responded. "I saw their DHD explode in the blast that slammed us through the wormhole. Which means that anyone else who 'Gates to that planet is going to be pretty unhappy," he explained.
"General, I know that we'll go over all this again in the debrief, but I recommend that
P8X-331 be locked out of the SGC general dialing list... with an appended note regarding the hostility of the natives," Peterson spoke firmly.
"Understood," Hammond replied with a sigh. "Colonel, take your team to the infirmary and then get some showers and clean clothes. Debriefing in 3 hours."
"Yes sir," and the Colonel finally allowed the medics to take over.
Hammond watched with resignation as the Gateroom slowly cleared. Another MALP lost. Three offworld teammembers injured. And no sign of O'Neill and Carter. He wondered how much longer they would be allowed to continue to search for the missing officers. SG-7 would now be out of the rotation for at least a few weeks, and even when they came back, he would have to find a temporary replacement for Major Caruthers.
From the looks of things, the only search team still operational was now SG-4. Doctor Jackson's and Teal'c's injuries looked fairly minor and he suspected that the two men would be requesting to resume assisting with the search in a few days to a week at most. He decided to make an announcement that qualified and healthy personnel could volunteer for search missions when on downtime between regular missions. If SG-4 stayed healthy, and they could get a couple of volunteers to join Jackson and Teal'c, then there'd still be at least 2 teams carrying on the search.
Turning to look at the now quiet Stargate, he wondered again where O'Neill and Carter were... and what was preventing them from returning on their own.
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P9X-198
Teal'c led SG-1 through the event horizon and scanned the area with all senses alert. Protective of the comrades in his charge.
Daniel was only scant seconds behind the Jaffa. The archeologist exited with his weapon ready and a cautious air as he joined Teal'c for their first assessment of the area around the alien 'Gate.
The two men were quickly joined by the other two members of their team today; Lieutenant Jennifer Hailey of SG-3 and Dr. 'Dragon' Rider of SG-9. Hailey was immediately on alert with her weapon ready, while the civilian Dr. Rider was already scanning and visually evaluating the native vegetation.
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A beautiful lake extended out in front of them.... the sharp sawtooth aretes and glacial horns created a breathtaking backdrop for the crystal clear waters.
More correctly called a glacial tarn, the lake was nestled at the river's headwaters in an abandoned glacial cirque (a depression carved out by a glacier). The cirque was an artifact of much colder times in this planet's past; today, the only snow or ice visible was in the crevices of the razor-sharp ridges.
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Moving out and away from the 'Gate, the four teammates began scanning for evidence of the two missing officers - while staying alert for any hostile native life or threats.
A quick reconnaissance of the area immediately around the 'Gate revealed no indication of either General O'Neill or Colonel Carter.
Something they were all, unfortunately, getting used to.
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"I don't see signs of anything human, Teal'c," Daniel admitted dejectedly.
"Neither do I, DanielJackson," the Jaffa returned and then added, "However, the ground in this area is extremely rocky and hard, and the trees and vegetation appear more habitable further down the valley."
"I agree," Doctor Rider chimed in. "If I was going to stay on this planet, I'd head downstream a-ways to where the vegetation is thicker, the temperature is undoubtedly a little warmer, and the ground a little softer."
Daniel couldn't help but grin a bit at her priorities. As with today's mission, the zoologist had volunteered several times to join SG-1 when SG-9 was on downtime; consequently, the archeologist was enjoying the pleasure of her continued company as they persisted in their search for Jack and Sam.
As they walked and searched the alien worlds, they shared tales of their various experiences with alien languages and cultures. They commiserated about their struggles with military viewpoints and objectives vs. those of science and discovery. And in the telling of the stories, Daniel couldn't help but reflect on the various valorous actions of his two missing teammates. Dr. Rider reciprocated with tales of the actions and antics of her own SG-9 teammates.
Teal'c generally just listened quietly while constantly scanning, watching and protecting those he was now responsible for.
When Jennifer Hailey had volunteered to join them on her downtime last week, Dragon had found an immediate kinship with the outspoken and feisty young officer. The two women promptly agreed that one certain General was probably in for a little ass-kicking when this was all over... if it hadn't happened all-ready.
Daniel and Teal'c, on the other hand, had watched the ever-changing relationship between the two military officers of SG-1 for years... and they figured that nothing between Jack O'Neill and Sam Carter would ever be so simple as a little ass-kicking. The two officers had an 8-year history of not clearing the air... an 8-year history of comments and looks that could be interpreted in so many ways... but never definitively one way or the other. They said so much with so little... and still left so much unsaid.
Pulling himself out of his musings, he looked over to where the two women were animatedly discussing the attitudes in the military towards female officers and scientists. 'Whoowhee!' the archeologist thought silently with an internal smile... 'these two women were a quite combination...'
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Standing on a small rise, Teal'c surveyed the area downvalley with binoculars. Searching for anything artificial... any signs of intelligent life or habitation. Watching for any signs of movement... and signs of something like... smoke from a campfire.
But there was nothing.
This was another of the planets that they were searching that had not revealed any signs of present habitation by an intelligent species anywhere in the vicinity of the 'Gate.
Neither Daniel or Teal'c had been to P9X-198 before, but Jack and Sam had accompanied SG-5 six years ago on an exploratory reconnaissance of one of the addresses that Jack had entered into the computer from his first download of information of the Ancients (Episode 215 'The Fifth Race'). At the same time that Jack and Sam had been here, Daniel had been attending a conference and Teal'c had been visiting Ry'ac.
The archeologist and the Jaffa now assessed the planet before them and its viability for the location of their missing teammates. "Jack would love the lakes," Daniel commented.
"Indeed," Teal'c replied as they scanned the lake-studded vista below them.
The scene was absolutely stunning.
Five good-sized clear-blue lakes were visible from their current position. End-to-end, the lakes stepped down the course of the valley. Termed 'pater noster lakes' by alpine geologists, the glacial lakes resembled jewels strung together by the river between them.
But nothing moved.
There was no sign of the smoke of a campfire.
No signs that humans had traveled through here recently.
No signs of habitation in the valley below them.
Daniel and Hailey scrutinized the lake shorelines through binoculars, while Teal'c and Rider scouted the more immediate vicinity more closely.
Nothing.
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After 4 more hours of searching for any evidence of human activity, they admitted defeat and checked P9X-198 off of the search list. Stopping just before the 'Gate steps, Daniel paused to take a look back.
"It's a spectacular view," the zoologist commented as she paused beside the archeologist.
"How does it rank compared to the tropical waters of PX3-071?" he asked with a grin.
"Well, they are about equal on the beauty-scale, but I tend to go for the warmer climates a bit more myself," the zoologist admitted. "Warmer climates tend to have a larger abundance and variety of life... and, well, I just personally hate to be cold," and she allowed her femininity its existence.
"I believe that ColonelCarter would share your opinion of the climate," Teal'c spoke up unexpectedly from behind the tarrying scientists.
"Although she'd never admit it so easily," Daniel pointed out affectionately.
"Indeed," the Jaffa returned knowingly.
"What do you think, Jennifer?" Daniel invited the young Lieutenant into their conversation.
The slim young officer looked up at him openly. "I'll grant you that this place is beautiful, but what would Colonel Carter do here? She's an astrophysicist and a specialist in alien technologies... and I just can't visualize her spending her days camping and fishing."
"SamanthaCarter has spent many days camping as a member of SG-1," the Jaffa reminded the Lieutenant.
"For fun?" Hailey persisted, and the young physicist's tone revealed her opinion of how she would have felt if she had been the one trapped on a planet such as this one.
Daniel and Teal'c looked at each other and considered the question. "I know that she had fun at least some of the time," he offered with a smile of fond memories. "What do you think Teal'c?"
"If a smile and a pleasant expression are to be used as indicators, then SamanthaCarter did indeed have fun on many occasions when SG-1 was offworld," and they all stared at the Jaffa as they worked their way through his serious assessment of 'fun'.
Hailey took one last, long look at the impassive Jaffa, and then let her glance fall across the amused face of the archeologist before taking one more scan of the alpine lakes nestled in the valley below. Deciding to say nothing more, she shook her head slightly with look of wonder before waving at the others, "See you back home," as she stepped through the wormhole.
"She's a highly intelligent young woman," Dragon commented as they watched the ripples quiet down on the event horizon. "I am surprised, however, that she managed to stay in the military with her obvious penchant for speaking her mind."
"Yeah," Daniel agreed. "There's a story behind that if you're up for coffee when we get back," he offered - even though he only had second-hand information, as he'd been offworld with SG-11 when the then-Cadet Hailey had her first off-world expedition with Jack, Sam and Teal'c at the research station on N4C-862 (Episode 419, 'Prodigy').
The zoologist gave him a small smile as she turned to follow the Lieutenant, "It's a date, Doctor Jackson," drifted over her shoulder as she stepped through the shiny metallic surface.
Daniel turned back to Teal'c. "Well, that's another planet with no sign of Jack or Sam," and he let his comrade hear his sadness.
"Unfortunately," the Jaffa returned stoically.
"So why not here?" Daniel was still trying to figure out Jack's logic for whichever planet he had chosen. "There are beautiful lakes... no pesky Goa'uld or other evil supervillians around. Except for the trees, this looks like Jack O'Neill Heaven!"
"I do not know what criteria O'Neill used in making his choice. I am sure that when we do discover where O'Neill and Carter are, then we shall perceive the logic of his choice," Teal'c offered his almost Buddha-like philosophy.
Daniel sighed. "I wish I could take it all as calmly as you do, Teal'c."
"Many times, I have offered to instruct you in the continued practice of Kel-nor-reem, DanielJackson," the Jaffa reminded his friend.
Daniel just nodded and gave him a small smile before sending a last look over the panorama before them. "Let's go home, Teal'c," and he turned and stepped through the wormhole with the Jaffa right behind him.
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TBC
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Author's Notes: Please visit some of the websites listed below if you want to see what I was envisioning for the scenery on P9X-198.
For Pater Noster Lakes (the view downvalley),the lakes would look something like in the photos at the websites listed below (and remember to replace the dots with periods before entering the URLs)
- - - communitydotwebshotsdotcom/photo/15264670/15266103ryWqZygnsZ
- - - wwwdotcsusdotedu/indiv/s/slaymaker/Archives/Geol10L/paternoster.jpg
- - - wwwdotwebshotsdotcom/g/32/679-sh/31868.html
- - - wwwdotwebshotsdotcom/g/33/620-sh/38339.html
If you'd like to see what a glacial tarn looks like, go to (but replace the dots with periods before entering the URLs)
- - - wwwdotwebshotsdotcom/g/33/620-sh/48841.html
- - - wwwdotwebshotsdotcom/g/33/620-sh/32764.html
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As always, a Special Thanks to SG-1 Yahoo Transcripts
wwwdotmoon-catchindotnet/transcripts.htm (just replace the dots with periods)
Episode 215 "The Fifth Race", Transcript by AQ
Episode 419 "Prodigy", Transcript by AQ
And, credit also goes to the Episode Guide & Synopses at SciFidotcom's Stargate SG-1 website
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