Title: Hard Choices, Simple Truths
Author: CritterKid
Email: Teen
Category: Action/Adventure, Hurt/Comfort
Summary: The SGC doesn't leave their people behind, do they?
Spoilers: General knowledge up to Season Six. Meridian, Redemption, Frozen, Abyss
Setting: Between Frozen and Nightwalkers
Author's Note: I had the idea for this story after watching Abyss. The way Sam reacted when Hammond said 'we don't leave our people behind' gave me the feeling something more happened while Jack was with the Tok'ra. Also, all the medical knowledge I have comes from watchin ER, so don't be surprised if the medical bits aren't entirely accurate.
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1, it's characters, and all related entities are property of
Stargate SG-1 Productions (II) Inc., MGM Worldwide Television Productions Inc., Double Secret Productions, Gekko Film Corp, and Showtime Networks Inc./ The SciFi Channel. No copyright infringement is intended. This story is for entertainment purposes only and not intended for commercial profit.
"SG teams 1, 3, and 7 you have a go." General Hammond looked down from the control room as teams 3 and 7 immediately stepped through the wormhole. The members of SG-1 paused for a moment while Major Samantha Carter turned and shot a crisp salute to the Control Room before leading her team through the Stargate. It was a move always done by Colonel O'Neill before a mission, and it seemed Major Carter would keep the tradition alive.
Hammond stood there until the event horizon shut down before heading back to his office. Truth be told, he was worried about his flagship team. Sure they said they had welcomed Jonas into their little circle, but he knew that it would really take time and experiences for them to mean it. Experiences they had plenty of, time they didn't.
He knew the recent loss of Daniel Jackson was affecting them all. When Colonel O'Neill got sick and left with the Tok'ra, he could see the strain on the rest of the team's faces. He intended to keep them on base until the issue with the Tok'ra could be settled, but then a bloodied Captain Drake came through the gate.
SG-8 was doing a simple recon of the planet P3X-735. Since the MALP had shown no signs of inhabitants, Major Wilson didn't see any harm in splitting up the team. Drake stayed with the slower moving FRED while the rest of the team went ahead to find a camp site. But the planet wasn't as abandoned as they thought. SG-8 was caught in an ambush, Drake barely making it home to bring reinforcements. Since there were only two SG teams on base at the time, he had no choice but to add SG-1 to the rescue mission. He only hoped he hadn't made the biggest mistake of his life.
The teams came through the gate on guard. Next to the Gate were two large stone columns, as tall as the gate itself, with a third column spanning them. The effect was to create a doorway they had to pass through before they got to the planet. Surrounding the Gate were several stones of the same size. The effect reminded Sam of Stonehenge. She briefly wondered whether there was a connection, but quickly abandoned the thought.
After quickly securing the area, Sam turned to SG-7. "Captain Marcos, take three men and secure the gate. Radio contact every hour. The rest of us will follow the FRED tracks to the ambush site. Major Holmes, you and SG-3 take point, then the rest of SG-7. We'll cover the rear. Keep your eyes and ears pealed, hostiles could be lurking. Move out." Major Holmes nodded as he led his team out. Major Holmes was still relatively new to the SGC and more than willing to follow SG-1's lead.
Three hours later, the group had reached the spot where SG-8 was captured. The planet's suns had started setting, slowly sending the planet into darkness. They had entered what appeared to be a large forest a few miles back, and the small amount of light barely penetrated the canopy of leaves above them. Major Carter decided it would be to dangerous attempting to navigate this rough terrain in the dark and had called for a break. A few minutes later a defendable area was chosen and the group had settled in for a long night.
"You are troubled." Sam jumped at the unexpected voice behind her. She had felt Teal'c approach her, but had thought he was checking the perimeter and would bypass her for the moment.
"Is it that obvious?" She motioned him to grab a seat next to her.
"It is not, however I am extremely familiar with you."
"You know me to well Teal'c."
"Is that not what I said?" Sam glanced up at the Jaffa with a small smile on her face. Satisfied that he had eased her burden slightly, he took the offered seat next to her. He calmly sat there, watching the first moon rise, until she was ready to talk.
"I don't know if I can do this Teal'c."
"I believe we will be successful in retrieving SG-8"
"No, not this Teal'c," she thought for a minute before continuing, "not only this." She turned and looked at him. "I don't know if I can be a part of SG-1 anymore."
"No one doubts your abilities to be a successful member of SG-1. If they had you would not have been given this assignment."
"It's not General Hammond I'm concerned about," she admitted.
"It is O'Neill," he said knowingly.
"Yeah." Sam turned again so she was looking straight ahead, staring at nothing in particular.
"You believe O'Neill will no longer want you on SG-1?"
"No, it's not him. It's me." Sam closed her eyes for a moment, trying to get her jumbled thoughts in order. "I feel like I betrayed him. Everybody knew his attitude toward the Tok'ra, but I ignored his feelings and convinced him to get blended. I knew exactly what buttons to push and I pushed."
"You also saved his life. Do not think O'Neill will forget."
"But in order to save his life," she argued, "we had to use a means that he has numerously said he would rather die. I'm not even sure he gave consent. It could have been a muscle spasm, or he slipped back into his fevered dreams and didn't understand me or..."
"Or perhaps he understood completely and was willing to take the risk in order to save his own life," he told her, unfazed by her uncharacteristic hysterics. "Either way, I do not believe his trust and respect for you have changed."
"It's not his confidence I'm worried about." At his raised eyebrow she continued, "I'm afraid every time he looks at me he'll be reminded about his joining. I don't know if I can do that to him, especially if it doesn't go as smooth as the Tok'ra think it will. He's had enough pain over this. I can't cause him to rehash it every time he sees me."
"Perhaps he will not be saddened at the sight of you. Perhaps he will be grateful at the life you gave him."
"Maybe." They were both silent for a few minutes, gazing up at the now fully risen moon. "I guess I'd better hit the sack. We have a long day tomorrow." Nodding his head, Teal'c watched as she made her way toward the camp. He rose and checked the perimeter again. He hoped everything was well with the Tok'ra, for both his friend's sake.
