Chapter 5
His wish was granted when they started to pack up for the night. Daniel, as seemed to be his habit, dallied while leaving the temple. This wouldn't have been bad if the ground hadn't started to shake and toss in an incredibly large earthquake. Jack barely kept his feet and he watched as Daniel fell in the doorway, only to have a large stone drop on him a moment later.
The sound of Daniel's cry of pain streaked across the small clearing, winning out on the tumbling of rocks for volume. Jack fell to the ground weather from pure shock or just the inability to balance with the earth tossing like it was. He clumsily crawled towards the temple door only to have Teal'c hold him back.
"What are you doing?!"
"Do no endanger yourself too, we must wait for the quake to cease." The Jaffa's normally stoic tone was laced with worry.
The quake lasted for five more minutes, it seemed more like an eternity, fortunately no more rocks fell on Daniel. Unfortunately, the screams died out and he wasn't moving. Within seconds Sam, he, and Teal'c were at the archeologist's side. Daniel had fallen on his stomach and the bolder had neatly fallen on his pelvis and probably crushed his legs too. His breathing was quick and ragged, his eyes glazed with pain.
"Carter," Jack snapped, his emotions were running rampant and he barely kept his voice from quivering. "Go back to the stargate. Get Janet and a rescue crew ASAP." Sam looked like she might argue, but thought better of it and sprinted off.
Jack's eyes studied the rubble on top of Daniel.
"Teal'c," his next order was cut off by Daniel's weak voice calling his name.
"Jack," it was soft and nearly hissed.
"I'm here space monkey." Jack unconsciously used the nickname hoping that the miraculous life save would happen again. He bent down and clasped Daniel's hand. He looked into the pain filled eyes that were searching. When their eyes locked Jack's heart plummeted, he knew that look, it was the look of a man who was dying and realized it just at the end. He'd seen it enough in his covert op's days and didn't want to believe he was seeing it now. What he heard next confirmed what he already knew.
"Please Jack, leave me here,"
"Nobody gets left behind." Jack's face went grim. He expected the tone of fear in Daniel's next words, but not the actual words themself.
"Please just leave me," a then a quieter whisper, "I don't want to kill you too."
"Nobody gets left behind," Jack reiterated more forcefully this time. "Come on T, we've got to get these stones off him. The two started with the lighter stones at the top of the rubble hoping that by the time help arrived they'd be able to get Daniel out of here. The work was hard and tiring, but when Daniel fell unconscious they just worked harder, pushing their muscles to the limits.
A petite brunette broke into their monotony with a shout of "Daniel" she set her bag down and started checking vitals. With her arrival came more help to dig Daniel out. Time managed to both fly and crawl by as the stones were lifted, soon there was enough room to lever the large stone off of Daniel and slide him from under. It seemed like no time passed between getting his form out of the entrance and into the infirmary. Where he was rushed to the OR.
Sam Jack and Teal'c debriefed and were quickly at the window watching Dr. Fraiser battle for Daniel's life. Unfortunately the battle was a losing one and the remainder of SG-1 watched as Daniel drew his last breath. Janet broke out into tears and sank down to the OR floor. Sam seemed not too far away, but Jack wasn't certain with his own emotions running rampant. He failed. He failed Daniel and Shu'ri. He fell back into a chair. Just like he failed Charlie. He felt the world falling away in his guilt, just like it had when Charlie had died. Daniel had pulled him out of his self loathing then, but he couldn't now, nor would he ever be able to again.
He knew it couldn't be a trick like the incident on Oannes was. They had his body, it was no trick. He looked at the window again, he didn't want to have preform another eulogy for the man, once had been enough and he had hoped after that it would never have to happen again.
He looked up when he felt a hand on his shoulder, General Hammond was there with a teary-eyed face, "I don't want to either son," Jack was startled, had he said that out loud? Time seemed to blur, Jack felt like he was being herded places, but he didn't mind he was grieving.
He was pulled from his misery when the medical alarm went off. He rushed to the infirmary, only a step behind General Hammond.
The sight that greeted him was strange indeed. Dr. Fraiser and her medical staff were backed away from Daniel's cooling body. It took Jack a moment to notice that the sheet that covered most of Daniel was moving, twisting as if it covered a bed of serpents and not a human's corps.
A brave SF reached forward and tugged on the sheet that covered Daniel. The room collectively gasped as it revealed thick greyish blue tentacles wrapping around the body. Quickly covering every area, wrapping Daniel like some sort of organic mummy.
"OUT" Janet shouted and the room was quickly emptied and locked down. Jack quickly ran over to the observation room just in time to see Daniel's face disappear into the grey wrappings.
The next few hours had everyone that had been present in quarantine while the lab made sure that the thing surrounding Daniel's body wasn't giving off any airborne bacteria or chemicals. The man that had pulled the sheet was put under more rigorous testing to make sure the near contact didn't effect him either. The base had gone through its fair share of medical disasters and wanted to avoid any more if possible.
Luckily it seemed that the grey mass was happy with Daniel's body and didn't try to move after cocooning it. Three hours later, it was sitting in Sam's lab undergoing whatever test she could think of. Jack stayed with the captain, lending her some strength in trying to puzzle out what happened and what this organism was. The hours whittled away and soon it was apparent that whatever the thing on Daniel was, it wasn't done yet. The thing secreted some sort of chemical in key points of the wrapping which then hardened and obstructed the x-rays that Sam was preforming.
"Sam, it's three in the morning, we should get some rest." Jack's tired voice was laced with concern.
"No," her voice was desperate, "I have to know."
"Then how about we get some coffee and a bite to eat, you look like you need it."
Sam looked as if she would decline for a moment, but then closed her eyes and lowered her head.
"Sure," She looked back up and they both went to the commissary together.
"What do you think it is?" Jack was worried for her health, but also insanely curious as to what the thing defiling the body of his friend was.
"I'm not sure sir," she paused looking thoughtful, "but before the x-rays were being stopped, Daniel's bone structure was being changed," she frowned slightly, "shrinking."
"Shrinking?"
"I don't have any explanation for it." She seemed slightly bewildered. Silence reigned a moment more while she sipped her coffee and Jack glanced around the barren room. Sam finished off her coffee and stood. Her posture showed weariness while her eyes shown with determination.
They returned to the lab and were startled to see that the mass had managed to produce thick plating across most of the body. It looked almost like turtle shell and covered the body like a suit of armor. The head was the most drastic thing. A small steel looking ball was now at the center of the forehead with two smaller ones in grooves that started at the temples and slid back over the cranium. Where the eyes would be were two dark glassy looking spaces and the mouth looked like some organic SCUBA respirator. Small spines littered the body at the major limb joints, and it was moving gently as if breathing.
Jack and Sam stopped dead at the sight. They took a quick glance at each other and Jack gave Sam a look of "I'll go first". Sam nodded and followed a few feet behind.
As Jack approached, one of the smaller balls moved swiftly in its groove until it was pointed at him. The moment he got within arm's reach of the body on the table it stood with lightening speed and struck him. He heard Sam shout just before feeling the hard steel of the wall hit his back, knocking the breath out of him. His head hit the wall and he knew by the fuzzy feeling he wouldn't stay conscious much longer. The innate stubbornness passed along his family line was the only think that kept him awake long enough to see the thing strike Sam into the opposite wall and freeze. All went dark.
AN:
Well that's that, and since no one's really reading this, but me, I can take as long as I want NYA which is a looong time.
His wish was granted when they started to pack up for the night. Daniel, as seemed to be his habit, dallied while leaving the temple. This wouldn't have been bad if the ground hadn't started to shake and toss in an incredibly large earthquake. Jack barely kept his feet and he watched as Daniel fell in the doorway, only to have a large stone drop on him a moment later.
The sound of Daniel's cry of pain streaked across the small clearing, winning out on the tumbling of rocks for volume. Jack fell to the ground weather from pure shock or just the inability to balance with the earth tossing like it was. He clumsily crawled towards the temple door only to have Teal'c hold him back.
"What are you doing?!"
"Do no endanger yourself too, we must wait for the quake to cease." The Jaffa's normally stoic tone was laced with worry.
The quake lasted for five more minutes, it seemed more like an eternity, fortunately no more rocks fell on Daniel. Unfortunately, the screams died out and he wasn't moving. Within seconds Sam, he, and Teal'c were at the archeologist's side. Daniel had fallen on his stomach and the bolder had neatly fallen on his pelvis and probably crushed his legs too. His breathing was quick and ragged, his eyes glazed with pain.
"Carter," Jack snapped, his emotions were running rampant and he barely kept his voice from quivering. "Go back to the stargate. Get Janet and a rescue crew ASAP." Sam looked like she might argue, but thought better of it and sprinted off.
Jack's eyes studied the rubble on top of Daniel.
"Teal'c," his next order was cut off by Daniel's weak voice calling his name.
"Jack," it was soft and nearly hissed.
"I'm here space monkey." Jack unconsciously used the nickname hoping that the miraculous life save would happen again. He bent down and clasped Daniel's hand. He looked into the pain filled eyes that were searching. When their eyes locked Jack's heart plummeted, he knew that look, it was the look of a man who was dying and realized it just at the end. He'd seen it enough in his covert op's days and didn't want to believe he was seeing it now. What he heard next confirmed what he already knew.
"Please Jack, leave me here,"
"Nobody gets left behind." Jack's face went grim. He expected the tone of fear in Daniel's next words, but not the actual words themself.
"Please just leave me," a then a quieter whisper, "I don't want to kill you too."
"Nobody gets left behind," Jack reiterated more forcefully this time. "Come on T, we've got to get these stones off him. The two started with the lighter stones at the top of the rubble hoping that by the time help arrived they'd be able to get Daniel out of here. The work was hard and tiring, but when Daniel fell unconscious they just worked harder, pushing their muscles to the limits.
A petite brunette broke into their monotony with a shout of "Daniel" she set her bag down and started checking vitals. With her arrival came more help to dig Daniel out. Time managed to both fly and crawl by as the stones were lifted, soon there was enough room to lever the large stone off of Daniel and slide him from under. It seemed like no time passed between getting his form out of the entrance and into the infirmary. Where he was rushed to the OR.
Sam Jack and Teal'c debriefed and were quickly at the window watching Dr. Fraiser battle for Daniel's life. Unfortunately the battle was a losing one and the remainder of SG-1 watched as Daniel drew his last breath. Janet broke out into tears and sank down to the OR floor. Sam seemed not too far away, but Jack wasn't certain with his own emotions running rampant. He failed. He failed Daniel and Shu'ri. He fell back into a chair. Just like he failed Charlie. He felt the world falling away in his guilt, just like it had when Charlie had died. Daniel had pulled him out of his self loathing then, but he couldn't now, nor would he ever be able to again.
He knew it couldn't be a trick like the incident on Oannes was. They had his body, it was no trick. He looked at the window again, he didn't want to have preform another eulogy for the man, once had been enough and he had hoped after that it would never have to happen again.
He looked up when he felt a hand on his shoulder, General Hammond was there with a teary-eyed face, "I don't want to either son," Jack was startled, had he said that out loud? Time seemed to blur, Jack felt like he was being herded places, but he didn't mind he was grieving.
He was pulled from his misery when the medical alarm went off. He rushed to the infirmary, only a step behind General Hammond.
The sight that greeted him was strange indeed. Dr. Fraiser and her medical staff were backed away from Daniel's cooling body. It took Jack a moment to notice that the sheet that covered most of Daniel was moving, twisting as if it covered a bed of serpents and not a human's corps.
A brave SF reached forward and tugged on the sheet that covered Daniel. The room collectively gasped as it revealed thick greyish blue tentacles wrapping around the body. Quickly covering every area, wrapping Daniel like some sort of organic mummy.
"OUT" Janet shouted and the room was quickly emptied and locked down. Jack quickly ran over to the observation room just in time to see Daniel's face disappear into the grey wrappings.
The next few hours had everyone that had been present in quarantine while the lab made sure that the thing surrounding Daniel's body wasn't giving off any airborne bacteria or chemicals. The man that had pulled the sheet was put under more rigorous testing to make sure the near contact didn't effect him either. The base had gone through its fair share of medical disasters and wanted to avoid any more if possible.
Luckily it seemed that the grey mass was happy with Daniel's body and didn't try to move after cocooning it. Three hours later, it was sitting in Sam's lab undergoing whatever test she could think of. Jack stayed with the captain, lending her some strength in trying to puzzle out what happened and what this organism was. The hours whittled away and soon it was apparent that whatever the thing on Daniel was, it wasn't done yet. The thing secreted some sort of chemical in key points of the wrapping which then hardened and obstructed the x-rays that Sam was preforming.
"Sam, it's three in the morning, we should get some rest." Jack's tired voice was laced with concern.
"No," her voice was desperate, "I have to know."
"Then how about we get some coffee and a bite to eat, you look like you need it."
Sam looked as if she would decline for a moment, but then closed her eyes and lowered her head.
"Sure," She looked back up and they both went to the commissary together.
"What do you think it is?" Jack was worried for her health, but also insanely curious as to what the thing defiling the body of his friend was.
"I'm not sure sir," she paused looking thoughtful, "but before the x-rays were being stopped, Daniel's bone structure was being changed," she frowned slightly, "shrinking."
"Shrinking?"
"I don't have any explanation for it." She seemed slightly bewildered. Silence reigned a moment more while she sipped her coffee and Jack glanced around the barren room. Sam finished off her coffee and stood. Her posture showed weariness while her eyes shown with determination.
They returned to the lab and were startled to see that the mass had managed to produce thick plating across most of the body. It looked almost like turtle shell and covered the body like a suit of armor. The head was the most drastic thing. A small steel looking ball was now at the center of the forehead with two smaller ones in grooves that started at the temples and slid back over the cranium. Where the eyes would be were two dark glassy looking spaces and the mouth looked like some organic SCUBA respirator. Small spines littered the body at the major limb joints, and it was moving gently as if breathing.
Jack and Sam stopped dead at the sight. They took a quick glance at each other and Jack gave Sam a look of "I'll go first". Sam nodded and followed a few feet behind.
As Jack approached, one of the smaller balls moved swiftly in its groove until it was pointed at him. The moment he got within arm's reach of the body on the table it stood with lightening speed and struck him. He heard Sam shout just before feeling the hard steel of the wall hit his back, knocking the breath out of him. His head hit the wall and he knew by the fuzzy feeling he wouldn't stay conscious much longer. The innate stubbornness passed along his family line was the only think that kept him awake long enough to see the thing strike Sam into the opposite wall and freeze. All went dark.
AN:
Well that's that, and since no one's really reading this, but me, I can take as long as I want NYA which is a looong time.