For disclaimer and warnings see part 0/1.
"I must say, I don't have that much experience being chased."
"You're kidding?" Sam said sarcastically. They had barely made it out of the palace before the mob arrived and were slowly making their way to the Gate.
"Unfortunately, my area of specialty is science. I had just finished working on the tretonin when this assignment came my way. This type of mission would normally be given to another, but with our recent losses there are not as many operatives who are able to undertake this type of mission. Those operatives who are infiltrators are all on high risk missions."
"So you're new to this?" Sam interrupted his rambling.
"Oh, not so much new, rather I haven't had much practice for a while."
"Well then, Dahin," she said, the frustration clear in her voice, "let me give you a little piece of advice. If people are looking for you, such as in this situation, don't advertise your position."
"What do you mean?"
"What I mean is shut up!" she said angrily, only her military bearing keeping her from yelling at the Tok'ra. She stormed off through the forest, a slightly chastised Dahin following her. Sam's impromptu lecture worked though. Dahin was quiet for the rest of the trip.
SG1SG1SG1SG1
"Sir, we're receiving a radio signal."
"Put it through Sergeant." Hammond turned to look at the monitor. After a few seconds of static the face of Captain Collins came into view. "What's your status Captain?"
"Sir, they located the rest of SG-8. They'll be coming through in a minute. Teal'c called ahead. It seems our arrival is causing quite a stir. They're being chased back. They asked you to keep the gate open as long as possible. They're also bringing a guest back." On the screen Hammond could see SG-3 helping SG-8 to the gate. Moments later the lost team appeared in the Gate room. Medical teams started swarming around them.
"We copy Captain. We'll keep contact with the MALP."
"Thank you Sir. Collins out." Hammond and the rest of the Control room staff watched as the soldiers began getting into defensive positions. They watched as Teal'c, Jonas, and the rest of SG-7 came barreling down the nearby hill. Teal'c pivoted at the base of the hill, firing his staff weapon at the ground as an angry villager came screaming over. More villagers joined him as Teal'c once again started his sprint to the Stargate.
"Cover!" Collins shouted out over the din. The soldiers found cover as arrows, spears, and rocks came toward them. Off to the west more villagers formed a line. Staff weapons were being primed on the ridge, their long range not very effective against the covered soldiers but capable of stopping anyone breaking cover to dash for the Stargate. SG-7 and 3 laid down cover fire so the rest of the team could make it to the Gate.
"Where's Carter?" Collins asked as he fired his P-90 at the feet of the steadily moving stream of villagers.
"Her line of escape was cut off. She is attempting to join us through another trajectory." Teal'c fired his staff weapon as a daring villager tried to charge them. "She should be here momentarily."
"Teal'c? Do you copy?" His radio interrupted any further discussion.
"Major Carter. What is your position?"
"We're about fifty feet east of the Gate." Teal'c glanced in that direction. He could see Major Carter and the Tok'ra crouched at the edge of the forest. Their presence had not been detected yet, however there was little ground cover between them and the Stargate.
"You will need a diversion to make it to the Stargate."
"My thoughts exactly. Concentrate your fire on the opposite ridge. Hopefully the villagers will be focused on that and not see us dash out. We'll go to the group of boulders and decide what to do next."
"Agreed." Teal'c turned to SG-3 and 7. They had all heard and were ready.
"On my mark boys," Major Holmes shouted above the ruckus. "SG-3 take the ridge, SG-7 will take the advancing group. Ready! Fire!" The SG teams opened fire at once, allowing Sam and Dahin to easily reach their cover. Sam stopped as the SG teams reloaded, but Dahin continued to the gate. The villagers quickly spotted Dahin and Sam's new cover. Their fire soon included the small refuge Sam had found, as well as the man dashing to the Gate. It was sheer luck that Dahin managed to get to the Stargate without being hit.
"Shit!" Sam mumbled under her breath. Grabbing for her radio she called Teal'c. "Get him through the Gate." Teal'c complied, roughly pushing the cowering Tok'ra through the Gate hard enough that he lost his footing on the other side and fell hard on the ramp. "What's our ammo look like?"
"Running low Major." Sam looked at the Gate to assess the situation. SG-7 had better defensive positions, many of them within jumping distance of the Gate. SG-3, on the other hand, was spread out around the Gate under whatever cover they could find. With ammo running low, Sam knew there would not be enough to provide cover for SG-3 and herself to get to the Gate.
"Conrad. Provide cover fire for SG-3. Holmes, get your men through the Gate, SG-7 right behind them. SG-1 will be on your six." They grumbled their acknowledgment, neither group of soldiers liking the fact they had to leave the battle when the Major was still exposed but knowing there was no other way to get everybody home. SG-3 ran for the Gate as SG-7 laid down cover fire. As soon as they crossed the event horizon, SG-7 started moving for the Gate. Teal'c and Jonas stopped at the event horizon and started laying down cover fire for Sam as she tried to join her friends. As she dodged the staff blasts and spears, everyone thought maybe SG-1's luck would hold out. That hope was smashed as a single arrow found its mark, piercing Sam's upper, right thigh. The Major stumbled, took one more step and then fell hard, a single word screaming out of her mouth.
"GO!" Teal'c grabbed Jonas by the shirt and pulled him into the wormhole.
The members of the SGC were helpless to do anything but watch the drama unfold through the MALP. The medical teams had gotten all of the injured members of SG-8 down to the infirmary. SG-3 and 7 joined the ranks of troops waiting in the Gateroom, guns drawn, in case any unfriendly managed to get through. As soon as Teal'c returned, with Jonas firmly in his grasp, he climbed the stairs to the Control Room. He could only watch helplessly as the villagers swarmed the Major, disarming her and roughly pulling her to her feet. The semiconscious woman was manhandled toward the Stargate, stopped just short of the event horizon. She struggled to break free from her captors, but a hard hit to her wounded thigh quickly stopped her struggles. Grabbing her wrists, the natives securely tied a long rope around each one. The other end of the ropes was tied securely to the large stones at the sides of the Stargate. The ropes were pulled tight and Sam couldn't stop her cry as she felt her shoulder pop out of its socket. Just as the beating started, the Stargate reached its thirty-eight minute time limit and shut down.
"General Hammond, we must go back to the planet."
"Agreed Teal'c. Sergeant, dial up the planet. Teal'c, prepare a team to..."
"I'm sorry Sir, but I can't do that." The timid voice of Sergeant Harriman interrupted the enraged General. Both Hammond and Teal'c turned to stare at him. Walter shuddered from the murderous look in Teal'c's eyes.
"You can't do what Sergeant?" Hammond asked coldly.
"Sir, we can't redial the planet," Walter explained quickly. "Major Carter was positioned in the path of the vortex. Unless she is moved, if we redial we'll vaporize her." Realization dawned on the two men.
"We can not open the Stargate until we know Major Carter is a safe distance away from the forming wormhole," Teal'c started.
"And we won't know that until we open the wormhole. Catch 22." Hammond sighed. "So how do we get her back?"
"We must travel to the planet through some other means."
"Teal'c, Jonas, try to make contact with the Asgard. We'll keep trying the Tok'ra. We're not giving up on her. In the meantime, everyone to the infirmary for post Gate check. We'll debrief in one hour." An hour later, the medical checks done, SG-3, 7, and the two members of SG-1 were gathered in the Briefing Room. The debriefing went well, a clear and detailed account of the rescue mission turned sour. The search for assistance to retrieve their missing comrade was another matter.
"The Asgard, unfortunately, aren't able to help Major Carter. The war with the replicators is not going well and they need every ship they have. It sounded like they had something big planned and if they were successful they said they would be able to help then," Jonas reported. "We've also had no luck contacting the Tok'ra either. So far, all of our attempts at communication have been unanswered. Our Tok'ra guest said they didn't have a ship where he was going and he'd try to contact the high council with our request, but I wouldn't hold my breath."
"Then we are out of options," Teal'c said dejectedly.
"For the moment," Hammond said. "Our best bet is Jacob. If he hears what happened to his daughter, I know he'll come to her rescue."
"That's a pretty big if," Jonas said. He hadn't known Sam for long, but still felt a sense of loyalty to her.
"I know. Unless anybody else has any ideas you're dismissed."
The group rose to their feet and went their separate ways. As much as they hated to admit it, General Hammond was right. Jacob was their best hope, but as night came and went the Stargate stayed still. Teal'c and Jonas practically camped out in the Control room, waiting for the ex General to come. In the end, they had to be ordered to bed by General Hammond. The Stargate remained quiet throughout.
Teal'c couldn't quite reach the level of relaxation needed for Kelno'reem. His concern for his friend and his agitation at his own helplessness kept his mind from peace. In an effort to calm himself, he began remembering the past missions of SG-1. In a burst of insight he knew how to reach his friend. His eyes snapped open in a flash as he regained his footing, heading toward the General's office.
"General Hammond, I have an idea."
"What is it Teal'c?"
"We can fly a death glider to the planet."
"It would take far too long to reach P6X-241 from Earth. It would take over a year to get there."
"We depart from a nearer planet."
"It would still take time to fly to a closer planet."
"We could use the Stargate." Hammond sighed, not wanting to poke holes in Teal'c's plan but needing to remain objective.
"Even if we knew of a planet, the death gliders are too big to go through the Stargate."
"We use the modified Death Glider we used during our assault on Hathor." Hammond was stunned. How could he have forgotten about that adventure? They had been unable to bring the Glider back with them and had left it on P3X-254. Meanwhile, Teal'c continued, "If we are able to find a planet close enough, I could fly to P6X-241 and retrieve Major Carter." Hammond needed no other argument. Picking up the phone, he quickly told Sergeant Harriman what he needed. Teal'c returned to his quarters. He would need to get some rest if he were to go retrieve Major Carter in the morning.
"P9M-674." Sergeant Harriman looked around the group assembled in the briefing room. "It's the only other Gate that we found in that system."
"Good work, Sergeant." It had taken the better part of the day, but the technicians had finally found a Stargate relatively close to P6X-241. Now General Hammond, Teal'c, Jonas, and Dr. Frasier were discussing the second part of the rescue mission.
"How far away are the two planets?" Jonas asked.
"Approximately twenty light years apart," Walter answered immediately.
"How long will it take us to get there, Teal'c?" Jonas asked.
"Two days," Teal'c deadpanned. "I suggest we leave immediately."
"Sir," Janet spoke up, "request permission to join the rescue mission."
"There's only room for two," Jonas reminded her.
"I am not comfortable sending you into a potentially hostile situation Doctor. Teal'c and Jonas are more than qualified to retrieve Major Carter."
"With all due respect Sir, no they're not."
"Excuse me?" Hammond asked, not used to her display of insubordination. Although the two of them often disagreed about the best of action for his people, she had always maintained her professionalism.
"Sam sustained at least one severe injury we know. She has been without medical treatment for twenty-four hours and it will be at least another forty-eight before we arrive. And that's not including any other injuries she may have sustained after the Gate shut down." She took a calming breath before continuing. "Teal'c and Jonas are qualified to retrieve Major Carter, but without proper medical treatment, they might just be recovering her body."
"You could be standing by, Doctor," Hammond tried to reason. "It would take only minutes for them to move her out of the path of the Stargate and call for backup."
"Minutes Sam might not have Sir," she insisted. He thought about it for a minute.
"Captain Wilson will go," he said, referring to a field medic.
"No Sir. He's not familiar with Sam's unique body chemistry. The wrong medication could send her body into shock, which in her weakened state could kill her." She gathered her courage and looked at the General. "I'm the best chance Sam has to come out of this alive." Hammond thought about this for a few minutes before deciding.
"Very well Doctor. You and Teal'c will leave as soon as the Death Glider is ready. Dismissed." Everyone stood as the General left for his office. Teal'c also left quickly, going down to confer with the techs that were going to prepare the Glider for its journey. Janet looked across the table at the hurt face of Jonas.
"I'm sorry Jonas," she began when he interrupted.
"You don't think I'm capable of getting Major Carter?"
"It's not that, Jonas. I think this is what's best for Sam." He thought about this for a moment before plastering a fake smile on his face.
"I understand. I should let you get ready. I think they're trying to leave within the hour." Janet called out to him as he left, but he either didn't hear her or ignored her. Sighing to herself, she headed for the infirmary to prepare. She'd take care of Sam and when she returned she'd fix her fragile relationship with the alien.
