When All Else Fails

Chapter Nineteen

Disclaimer: Nope, not mine today either.

A/N: Again, thanks for all the kind reviews. I like to hear that my story doesn't suck. :)

XXXX

When Fehr finally came across the DHD it took him everything he had not to collapse on it. Mustering up all the strength he had he dialed home, watched as the blue liquid of the 'gate appeared before him, and prayed to God he was the only one who had noticed it. He had come too damn far to be taken capture by an over-confidant Jaffa. In fact, if one did notice the 'gate start up and came to investigate he was certain he would fight to the death rather than be taken prisoner again. No more of that shit for him, he was tired and pissed off.

But luckily his life was safe for at least one more day. He sent a signal through the Stargate, an SOS really, and waited for a moment. The last thing he needed was to walk through the 'gate only to end up splattered like some bug on a window. He was hoping that they would send some kind of 'all clear' through to him, since radio waves were one of the few things that could travel both ways through a wormhole. Don't ask him how it was possible, he was a military man, he had skipped college all together and went straight into the Marines, all he knew was guns and planes- not to mention explosives. And science definitely hadn't been his strong suit in High School.

To his amazement something didcome back through the 'gate. Not a signal, though. A voice. A very recognizable voice. Brigadier General Jack O'Neill's deep, smooth voice broke through his radio like the voice of an angel. It was the voice of his own salvation. "Come on through," he said. "The iris is open."

That was all he needed to hear, he limped as fast as he could up the stairs of the Stargate and then forced himself through the event horizon, with the vague understanding that he would be tumbling through the other end, and it would probably hurt. Badly.

Of course the universe wasn't going to baby Fehr because of a couple of rough days. Nah, then it would be kind. And he knew from experience that the universe was pretty much a bitch. He did come tumbling through the other end, but tumbling wasn't exactly a strong enough word. Crashing maybe. Crashing was good. He crashed onto the ramp, rolled down it, and landed in a heap on the cold, concrete floor of the embarkation room. A frustrated, painful moan escaped his lips as he heard something in his left arm snap. That couldn't have been good.

He heard the General order the iris closed, then the metal swoosh, but after that he slipped into blissful oblivion.

XXXX

Lieutenant Colonel Samantha Carter was pissed. Somehow every time they began to go over strategy that same over zealous Jaffa came bounding through the door, a menacing scowl on his face. Each time he barked something particularly filthy at them and snickered to himself, as if he was telling a joke that only he knew the answer to. If you asked her he was over compensating. For what she did not know, nor did she want to.

But when Daniel wanted to lecture the group on the jobs and importance of Thoth in Egyptian mythology, he was always absent. Maybe he knew something the other's didn't. Daniel was not that interesting half the time, for the simple fact that he was basically repeating the same thing, over and over again, except with different names. Now, she assumed that this bulky Jaffa knew all about his master, and therefore didn't need a history lesson on him. Well... Sam didn't know the Goa'ulld and she really didn't want to, either.

He was spitting out something about where Thoth judged the dead, "The Hall of the Two truth's was basica–"

"Daniel," she barked, "please shut up."

He grew silent and she sighed, leaning her head against the wall behind her. Quiet- finally. Now she could focus on the headache pounding away at her temples instead of the reason it was there in the first place. She suddenly understood why Jack never payed attention to Daniel, it was too much effort half the time.

Speaking of Jack, "I wonder what time it is." she mused, looking around the cell. It had to be after 1900 already.

"I am sure that it's past our due time, Colonel," Dr. Craig of SG-2 replied.

"How can you be so sure?" Major Simpson, his CO, questioned.

"Have you not observed a decrease in temperature since our arrival?" He asked, glancing around the cramped room. "The drastic change in the temperature leads me to believe that the sun has either already gone down or is in the process of setting. That would account for the change."

"What are you, the weather man?" Captain Bridges of SG-4 asked. "Who cares anyway? If they were going to be here then they'd be here by now." He snorted, "Face it, we'd better prepare for our judgement."

"Stop it all of you," Sam ordered. "You're acting like children when Dr. Craig was only trying to be helpful. Now, as for you Bridges, I wouldn't give up on General O'Neill just yet, or at the very least Fehr."

"What's he gonna do for us?" somebody asked. "He's one man... against hundreds of Jaffa. Those aren't exactly what I would call betting odds."

"We give up hope and we're as good as dead," Daniel supplied. "Sam and I have been in far worse situations, all she's trying to say is that Jack always pulls through."

Daniel was right, that had been what she was saying. Jack had yet to let her down, they had nothing to worry about.

Right?

XXXX

A groan escaped Fehr's lips as he realized that he was no longer unconscious. All he wanted to do was to slip back into that wonderful, dreamless sleep that had consumed him. Deep down he knew that there was no way that was going to happen, but it was nice to hope. His eyes fluttered open to reveal that he was still lying on the 'gate room floor, but now surrounded by doctors and nurses. Above him one very anxious General stood, and when he noticed that Fehr was awake his eyes brightened.

"Fehr... what's going on over there?"

"SG-1," he rasped, surprised by his own voice. "Captured... Sanchez- Goa'uld." He tried to drift back to nothingness, but a strong, but soft hand grasped his chin.

"You can't sleep, Lieutenant." the doctor informed him. "It's highly possible that you have a concussion. If you sleep you could slip into a coma."

"Good," he stated, closing his eyes again.

"Fehr I'm ordering you to stay awake," General O'Neill demanded. "I need to know what happened on that planet."

He swallowed hard, his throat was swollen and his voice came out thick and strained. "They were... captured, sir. All of them. Nothing I could do. Had to get to the 'gate. Had to... Get help."

"Where were they taken, Lieutenant?"

"The city," he licked his dry, cracked lips. "Captured by Jaffa... Sanchez is Goa'uld."

"The other's of your team?"

"Dead," he stated simply. "Sir... permission to go back through the 'gate... help rescue."

"Denied," Jack ordered sternly. "You are in no shape to be on a rescue mission. But I need to know everything you know."

By this time they were in the infirmary and he was being poked and prodded by all kinds of needles. "They were captured, sir. That's all I know. The city... eight clicks northeast of the 'gate... Can't miss it."

General O'Neill nodded, patted him gently on the shoulder, and forced a smile on his face. "You did great, Lieutenant. Thank you."

"Sir... yes, sir." And then despite the good doctors orders he once again fell into that wonderfully blissful oblivion.

XXXX

Within minutes he was shouting out orders for SG-5, SG-8, and SG-10 to suit up and be ready at the 'gate as quickly as possible. He, himself was gearing up along with them. No way in hell he wasn't going on this mission. Sam was out there, Danny and Teal'c were, too. Not to mention three of his other teams. Oh yeah, he was most definitely going.

Within minutes he was standing in front of the 'gate, ready to go and impatiently waiting for the other teams to get there. The SG-5 marines where the first to arrived, followed almost immediately by SG-8 and 10. Jack looked behind him at Siler and the man nodded, then began dialing the 'gate.

The 'gate swooshed forward then snapped back into place and the MALP slowly rolled forward until it had gone completely through. O'Neill turned to look behind him once more and after a minute or so Siler nodded.

"SG's 5, 8, 10, and General O'Neill- you have a go."

That was all he needed to hear, he practically broke out in a run up the ramp and then through the shimmering blue liquid.

He was on a mission and he wouldn't stop until his teams were safe.

XXXX

She shivered in the darkness, glancing around the room trying to make out the forms of her team-mates. Teal'c was the first person she spotted, his gold emblem shined brightly in the pitch black room, then she noticed a glare off of a pair of glasses. And Daniel was the only one with glasses so it had to be him. Other than that she could see outlines, but none she could place to a specific person. How long had they been there?

The sun had gone down shortly before then and obviously Thoth didn't care whether his prisoner's had lights or not so they were left in the darkness. Thankfully Daniel had gotten the hint about his discussions on Thoth in Egyptian times because he had not spoken of the Goa'uld since Sam had snapped about it. She knew she should but she just couldn't bring herself to feel bad about it. Her headache had gone away for the time being and hopefully it would continue to be that way. If Daniel got that archeology itch again it would no doubt return.

God, she suddenly knew how Jack had felt all those years. Maybe she should have cut him a bit of slack.

"Colonel," somebody's voice broke through the silence. "What happens if General O'Neill and the reinforcements don't make it."

"That's not an option," she whispered harshly. "They'll come... give it time."

If only she could believe that herself.

"Yes ma'am." the voice replied.

How could she let them get captured? She should have known it would be an ambush. He was a Goa'uld, damn it! Why hadn't she been more cautious? More aware of her surroundings? If she had they wouldn't be in this situation.

She leaned heavily against the wall behind her and sighed. Having those kinds of thoughts would do her no good in her situation. She needed to be thinking about possible escapes, she needed to think about how she was going to save her teams, not why they needed saving. To be Colonel Carter, the solider, not Samantha Carter the woman.

She needed a plan.

XXXX

It was beginning to get dark when he came out the other end of the 'gate. His gaze instantly turned northeast, where Fehr said the route to the city would be. Sure enough there was a large clearing with a well worn path in that very direction. A thrill of hope coursed through his veins and he shivered in it's intensity. Stepping down the stairs of the Stargate he surveyed the area around him, looking for hostiles. From what he could see everything was clear, but he was still suspicious. He hadn't gotten the whole story from Fehr before he passed out from exhaustion, but he knew from experience how well Jaffa could hide. It was always better to be alert.

Deciding that he didn't have the time to be cautious he turned to the men (and woman) waiting for his go-ahead.

"Alright men," he ordered, "let's move out."

XXXX

A/N: Anyway, I only have this story and John Doe to write for at the moment, and John Doe is practically over, so from now on the chapters should be coming out sooner than normal. I think there's like two or three chapters left, but I know better than to speculate when it comes to the end of a story, my muse doesn't like that. I'm never correct. So... let me know.