See Chapter One for full disclaimer and author's notes.
Chapter Six
It was 0700 when Sam entered the locker room to gear up for their mission. She had spent a relaxing evening with Jack, mainly curled up on the couch watching some mindless sci fi television. She knew there was still something bothering him, something down deep, but every time she had tried to get close to whatever it was, the conversation had been steered in another direction. He had left early, with the excuse that she needed to get to sleep early. 'Don't wantcha nodding off during the mission tomorrow.' He had said, his usual bravado masking anything else he might have been feeling.
But she was learning to read him better as their time together grew, and her sleep was hardly what had been dragging at his attention. Sam bent down to lace up her boots, pushing her personal worries aside. Now wasn't the time to dwell on them; now she needed to be focused and prepared. She knew that the minute she started taking what seemed to be routine missions through the 'gate lightly would be the day she or one of her team might not come back. And that simply wasn't an option.
By the time she finished up or shut down several projects she had working in her lab and drew her gear from the quartermaster and weapon's officer it was nearly 0845 and time to meet the guys. She strode through the doorway to the 'gateroom, unsurprised to find Teal'c already kitted up and waiting for her. And as equally unsurprised to see that Daniel had yet to arrive. Throwing Teal'c an exasperated smile, she was about to have Daniel paged when he skidded to halt at the base of the ramp just as the wormhole was established.
"Sorry," He at least had the manners to look as though he meant it.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's what you always say," Sam replied before turning toward the control room and catching Jack's eye. "SG-1 all present and accounted for, sir. Ready to embark."
The General leaned over to grasp the microphone. "You have a go, kids. Be good. Don't forget, home by 11."
Sam smiled, "Will do, sir. Keep the light on for us."
Jack nodded, stuffing his hands down into his pockets as he watched them climb the ramp and one by one disappear through the event horizon. The niggling feeling he'd had since Daniel had first briefed them on this mission hadn't diminished, but he didn't have any solid reason not to authorize the trip. He normally wouldn't have ignored such intuitions, but this time it seemed as though his usual instincts were being clouded by his personal feelings for Sam and that was something he couldn't allow.
And so, he watched them go, and knew that the next two days would be long and difficult and he expected sleepless as well, but it couldn't be helped. He still had a base to command and other teams to see to. As the wormhole closed he finally turned away from the windows and returned to his office and the responsibilities that lay within.
SG1-SG1-SG1-SG1-SG1
Daniel shook off the lingering cold and vertigo as he stepped through the event horizon onto P7X-035. The briefing he had delivered the day before had outlined the ruins and Goa'uld technology they hoped to find on the planet. The archaeologist was cautiously optimistic, having learned of this planet from the Tok'ra shortly before the dissolution of the alliance. Things had been so chaotic after the partnership between the Tau'ri, Rebel Jaffa, and Tok'ra failed that now several months later they were getting their first look at the planet.
Once a remote part of Ra's influence, the Tok'ra were reasonably sure the planet was no longer under any direct control of any one System Lord. Jack had scoffed at Daniel's mention of those assurances, having been on the wrong end of a Tok'ra surety one too many times over the last eight years. However, he had allowed the mission to proceed, also admitting that no matter how suspect their intel may be, they needed to be sure. If there was Goa'uld technology to be found on this planet, Jack wanted to be sure it was the SGC and not the Tok'ra or Goa'uld that got to it first. Jack had admitted the whole thing made him uneasy; the fact that there may be Goa'uld technology on this planet waiting for someone to come along and scoop it up and that the Tok'ra had known about it but done nothing was disturbing to say the least.
Sam and Teal'c had preceded him through the 'gate and were now standing on either side of a short flight of stone steps, scanning the tree line ahead of them. Daniel stood at the base of the stairs, waiting for his teammates to signal the all clear so they could move on. Daniel had learned over the years that it did him little good to gripe about the waiting ritual he was forced to endure each time they 'gated to an unknown planet. Too often this caution had saved their lives.
After several moments, Sam turned to catch Teal'c's eye and at his slight nod she gave the order to move out.
"How far is it to the ruins from here?"
"According to the Tok'ra surveys, just over a kilometer from here. Shouldn't take us long to get there, not much between us and the temple but some stands of trees," Daniel replied.
Sam nodded in reply. "Okay, we head to the temple, take a look around. Get inside if we can. When we get there Teal'c, you'll take perimeter while Daniel and I go inside. Stay sharp guys, I don't want any surprises while we're here. No way to know for sure if the Goa'uld have really abandoned this place or not."
"Understood, Colonel Carter."
Moving as silently as possible across the leaf strewn forest floor, it took them less than twenty minutes to reach a large clearing; at its center stood the temple to Ra, just as the Tok'ra had described it. Throwing her hand up to call for a halt, Sam approached the edge of the tree line and knelt down on one knee, pulling out her binoculars to get a closer look.
Scanning the outer surface of the temple and the surrounding open ground, Sam saw nothing to indicate that anyone had been there in decades if not hundreds of years.
"Teal'c, see anything I'm missing?"
"I do not. It appears to be deserted."
"Okay, single file. I'll go first then Daniel, Teal'c you bring up the rear. Keep your spacing out there. I don't want us to get caught bunched up and in the open."
"Okay, Sam."
"Understood."
With a nod, Sam stood and cautiously eased out and into the open, her eyes restlessly scanning the trees surrounding them along with the temple itself. She had learned a hard lesson long ago that just because things seemed innocent enough, didn't mean they were truly safe. Ring transporters rarely left any traces behind, especially if they dropped enemy Jaffa inside a structure; like a temple. Sam was nearly half way across the clearing when she felt the hairs on the back of her neck raise. Slowing her steps, she did a quick 360, searching for whatever had set her senses on edge. Seeing nothing, but still feeling as though she were being watched, Sam picked up her pace again, quickly reaching the temple wall and crouching down at its base.
Daniel waited until Sam was several feet in front of him to make his way across. The archaeologist moved swiftly, reaching the wall and taking a knee next to his teammate. A few moments later, Teal'c also reached the temple wall safely and took up his position at the corner where two of the temple's walls came together, giving him a vantage point where he could cover two directions nearly simultaneously.
Relieved that they had made it this far, but still feeling uneasy, Sam motioned for Daniel to join her as they began to search for an entrance. Daniel began a thorough scan of the temple walls, searching for any markings or writings to indicate a doorway of any type. Sam, meanwhile was working her way in the other direction, running her hands along the rough stones hoping to find some seam or chink to indicate the presence of a door.
After several minutes of fruitless searching, Sam was about to call Daniel back to regroup when she heard him call out.
"Hey, come here, I think I found something."
Turning back the way she had come, Sam found Daniel staring intently at a small section of the temple wall, the stone there a slightly different shade than the rest of the structure and that appeared to be covered in tiny scratches that to her untrained eyes looking nothing like Goa'uld.
"What've you got?"
"Well, it's writing of some sort, kind of like Sanskrit, but not exactly. But I think I can decipher it. Just give me a couple of minutes here."
"I'm gonna go check on Teal'c. I'll be right back."
"Okay," Daniel replied, his attention already fully focused on the task at hand.
Sam knelt next to Teal'c, her eyes never leaving the area around them. "See anything yet?"
"I have not."
"There's something out there. Something watching us. I'm sure of it."
"As am I. We should not remain here long, Colonel Carter."
"Agreed," Sam said, then rose to rejoin Daniel.
"Anything?"
"Uh…what? Oh, um, yeah actually. If I'm reading this right, this is the control panel that opens the portal."
"Do you know how it works?"
"Let's see," Daniel replied, pressing a series of inscriptions lightly but firmly. As he pressed and released the final character, a section of the wall retracted from the surface and slid open to reveal a long, dark corridor.
"Whoa. I didn't see the door there at all. We could've searched for days and not found it," Daniel said excitedly.
"Yeah. Okay, we'll take it slow. Let me go first, you see or hear anything you let me know okay? If things go to hell, get yourself out. Don't wait for me."
"Sam…"
"Daniel, I'm not kidding. If things go south I want you on your way out," Sam held his gaze for several beats before Daniel let his eyes drop and she knew she had won this round.
Reaching for her radio, Sam keyed the mic. "Teal'c, come in."
"Go ahead, Colonel Carter."
"Daniel's found the entry. We're headed inside. Stay sharp. Call out if you see anything. We'll check in every fifteen minutes."
"Understood."
Sam switched on the small flashlight mounted to her P-90 and proceeded into the darkened entryway, Daniel following a few paces behind. They worked their way slowly down the dank hallway, Sam's flashlight the only illumination to be seen. Sam moved cautiously, stopping every few feet to listen carefully for any signs that they were not alone. The feeling of being watched had only intensified now that they were inside the structure, putting Sam on edge.
As they neared the end of the corridor, they found themselves at a crossway and had to make a decision to go either right, left, or straight ahead. Gazing in each direction, Daniel could see no markings or writings to indicate a probable direction for them to take. Sam reached out to lightly touch his arm, drawing his attention down the left hand corridor.
"What?"
"Do you see that?" Sam whispered.
"See what?" Daniel softly replied.
"I think I see a bit of a glow coming from down there."
"A glow? Like a light?"
"Or a power source."
"Okay then, left it is."
Sam again took the lead, keeping herself close to the walls as she moved slowly and deliberately down the corridor and toward the steadily growing light at its end. They were within several feet of what appeared to be another doorway along the smooth corridor walls when Sam suddenly froze and pressed herself into the wall, throwing her arm across Daniel's chest and pressing him against the wall behind her. Daniel raised his eyebrows in silent question, but Sam merely placed a finger to her lips then motioned for him to stay put.
Daniel did as he had been instructed, watching as Sam drew closer to the opening, then paused just before reaching it, cocking her head to listen. That's when Daniel heard what had alerted his teammate, the low voices coming from inside the room were speaking Goa'uld. The archaeologist could only make out one word in three, but what he could hear chilled him. Earth…Tau'ri…weapon…Ba'al. Risking detection and Sam's irritation at disobeying her orders, Daniel moved closer, straining to hear more. Sam urgently motioned him to stay where he was, but he ignored her as the voices from inside the room became more distinct.
"Lord Ba'al will be pleased. We are well ahead of schedule. We will be ready to use the weapon on the Tau'ri by the end of the lunar cycle."
"Beware your overconfidence. We still have much to do before that day comes. I care not to displease our Lord if this should fail."
"Yes, of course, Master."
"Have you prepared the device for tomorrow's test?"
"Yes, Master. All is in readiness. What do you hope it will do, sir?"
"If our Lord's informants are correct and this weapon works as they claim, it has the power to wipe out every living animal, be it man or beast, in moments. The Tau'ri and Tok'ra have nothing that can defend against it. But it leaves the structures and vegetation in tact."
"A brilliant weapon, sir! With this we can wipe out anyone in our way and appropriate their bases and technology for our own purposes."
"Yes. If it works."
Daniel's eyes widened. Test it? On us? Earth? Oh my God, we've got to warn Jack! He knew he had to let Sam know what he had heard, but they were too close to the enemy Jaffa to risk speaking. Reaching out, he tugged at her sleeve, jerking his thumb over his shoulder back down the corridor. Sam nodded and waved him on, keeping herself between him and the open doorway. Once they were down the hall and around the nearest corner Daniel stopped.
"What? What did you hear?" Sam whispered urgently.
"They're Ba'al's Jaffa. They have some sort of weapon they are set to test on Earth by the end of some lunar cycle."
"What kind of weapon?"
"I'm not sure, and it sounds like they aren't sure either."
"What do you mean?"
"They're not sure it will work. But if it does, it has the power to wipe out living beings in seconds, leaving the infrastructure and technology completely intact."
"Oh my God."
"Yeah."
"We have to warn the General. Let's get out of here, we'll meet up with Teal'c and get back to the 'gate ASAP," Turning away from Daniel, Sam led the way back toward the outer doorway they had come through only minutes before, moving much more quickly now that they knew they were not alone in the temple. As they neared the doorway Sam heard two brief clicks come through her vest radio and slid to an abrupt stop as Daniel nearly crashed into her from behind.
"What? Why're we stopping?" Daniel asked breathlessly, only to have Sam thrust her hand over his mouth to silence him, her eyes wide. Two clicks of the radios had been their pre-arranged danger signal. If any of them spotted trouble but either couldn't call on the radio or couldn't risk the sound of the radio being heard on the other end, two clicks would let the entire team know there was trouble.
Sam dropped her hand from Daniel's face and mouthed, "Teal'c. Trouble," It was all he needed to see. Gently he eased his 9mm out of its holster and nodded; he was ready to follow Sam wherever she led him. They began to move again and as they neared the doorway Sam slowed, raising her weapon to her shoulder and leaning out slightly to get a better look outside. A glimpse of motion, just to the right of the door, caught her eye and she quickly yanked her head back inside. Listening intently for sounds of the Jaffa she suspected was just outside. But how many, she couldn't be sure.
Hearing nothing, she motioned to Daniel to stay behind her and then squared her shoulders and approached the opening her weapon raised and ready. Not knowing the situation worried her, but they had little choice. They couldn't stay inside the temple without risking detection, they couldn't go outside without risking the same. Stepping out into the sunlight, Sam trained her weapon first to the right and seeing nothing turned back to the left. The Jaffa were no longer in sight and she motioned for Daniel to follow her out.
Moving deliberately, Sam led Daniel into the open and using hand signals ordered him to make for the trees. Daniel shook his head adamantly, but Sam was insistent, signaling toward the trees again. Daniel glared defiantly at her, refusing to budge. Sam blew out a frustrated breath and began moving toward where they had left Teal'c. Not expecting to find him still in his original position, the corner of the temple was closest to the tree line and would give them the shortest open distance to cross.
They hadn't taken more than two steps when the wall next to them erupted in a shower of flying stone chips. The staff blast came from nearly behind them and Sam whirled around to face it, reaching out to shove Daniel behind her.
"Daniel, move! Run for the trees!" Sam shouted over her shoulder as she trained her weapon on the advancing Jaffa and squeezed the trigger. There were only three of them and Sam managed to take out one of them before they returned fire and forced her to duck under their blasts, the back of her head and neck showered with razor sharp shards of stone. She could feel the blood begin to trickle down under her shirt, but she ignored it and the pain, focusing entirely on the enemy in front of her.
She was peripherally aware of Daniel as he headed for the trees, returning fire of his own as he reached for his radio to signal Teal'c. With all the weapons fire, there was no longer any need for stealth. Any Jaffa within earshot would be able to hear the battle and would come running.
"Teal'c! Teal'c where are you? We're under fire!"
Only seconds later his radio crackled to life. "Daniel Jackson, what is your position?"
"We're at the corner of the temple. Sam's pinned down!"
"I will be there momentarily."
Daniel didn't take the time to reply and as he gained the safety of the trees, turned toward the Jaffa advancing on Sam's position and opened fire. It was just enough to draw their attention away from Sam, giving her the opportunity she needed to take more careful aim at the Jaffa and fire, felling them both. She didn't give the act another thought, later she would have time to regret their deaths and her role in killing them. But right now her job was to get her team out of there and safely back to the SGC. They had intel that had to be passed on up the chain of command.
Sam swept her eyes across the open ground between her and Daniel; seeing nothing she ran full out for the trees. Sliding to a stop at the younger man's side, Sam looked up at him. "Thanks. And don't ever disobey one of my orders in the field again, Daniel. Ever."
Daniel dropped his gaze, saying nothing, simply nodding his head in reply. Sam's radio sprang to life. "Colonel Carter, what is your situation?"
"Teal'c, we're just inside the tree line opposite your previous position. We are secure for the moment. What about you?"
"I was forced to move away from the temple to avoid Jaffa patrols. I will rejoin you momentarily."
"Acknowledged. We'll start to head for the 'gate, catch up to us on the way. We'll be on a heading of 226, copy?"
"Copy. Teal'c out."
"Come on, let's get the hell out of here before those guy's buddies show up wondering what happened to them," Sam said tersely, the tension in her voice the only indication of her worry. Waving Daniel to precede her, Sam covered their retreat, looking back behind them every few moments looking for pursuit. At first she saw nothing and she began to relax minutely, praying that the uncanny SG-1 luck held for one more mission.
Sam had just turned her head back toward Daniel when a flash of armor caught her eye; realizing that the Jaffa had followed them into the forest with an unknown size force, Sam didn't take any chances. Doubling her pace she caught up with Daniel quickly and put out a hand to push him from behind just as a staff blast rocked the trees just behind them, nearly knocking them from their feet.
"Move it! Go! Go! Go!" Sam cried, swiveling to return fire. A blast of staff weapon fire arched over her head and she ducked instinctively. Looking behind her Sam was utterly relieved to see Teal'c standing perhaps fifty yards from her position, covering their withdrawal. Surging to her feet she ran toward him, pulling Daniel with her. Racing past Teal'c they beat a hasty retreat, hoping to put as much distance between them and the advancing Jaffa as possible.
Sam could hear Teal'c firing several more blasts before his running feet were right behind them. They ran for all they were worth, knowing that their only hope now would be to make it through the Stargate and home. The last thing Sam wanted to do was attempt to stand and fight. There was no way to know how many Jaffa were chasing them, or what kind of weapons they had with them. For all she knew they were outnumbered by a much larger force who only needed them to slow down even for a moment in order to surround them.
Daniel ran harder than he thought he possibly could, his breath coming in short gasps as he navigated the uneven forest floor. He stumbled slightly, his foot catching on a protruding tree root and would have fallen had it not been for Sam's steadying hand pulling him back upright again.
Finally the trees began to thin and the Stargate peeked from between the trunks. Daniel allowed his pace to slow when they reached the edge of the trees as a high pitched whine reached his ears. He knew that sound, had heard it before, more times than he cared to remember. It was the sound of a death glider beginning a strafing run. He opened his mouth to shout a warning, but was pushed roughly to the ground before he could utter a sound, Teal'c's body landing next to his as the tops of the trees over their heads exploded in a shower of limbs and leaves.
As the firing ceased, Daniel raised his head to look around, seeking out his teammates. Teal'c sat up next to him, raising his staff weapon across his body as he searched the trees and then the skies seeking their enemy. Automatic weapons fire from the clearing drew his attention, pushing himself to his feet Daniel stumbled into the open. Sam was standing just past the edge of the tree line firing her P-90 at the retreating death glider. Her attention focused on her target as it turned for a second pass, Sam hadn't heard the approach of a second glider.
Teal'c raced into the open, raising his staff weapon to fire at the approaching glider even as the pilot opened fire on them, strafing the ground near them with superheated blasts from his canons. The concussion knocked Sam backwards and into the trees, forcing the air from her lungs as she landed painfully at the base of a large evergreen. Daniel saw Sam go down and raced to her side as she was pulling herself upright.
"Sam! You okay?"
"Yeah…" Sam wheezed, attempting to draw in a decent breath. "Fine. Just…got the…breath knocked outta me."
Daniel breathed a sigh of relief, but he knew they were far from safe. They still had to cross the clearing and make it to the DHD to dial home, all before the Jaffa foot patrol and the death gliders returned.
Sam ran a shaking hand through her hair as she attempted to slow her breathing and get herself under control. She still had a responsibility; to her team and to Earth. They needed to get at least one of them through the 'gate and back home with what they knew. She knew that person had to be Daniel. He had understood what they had overheard inside Ba'al's temple, he had a better chance of explaining it to the General and the staff at the SGC. Daniel could get them back inside the temple again when they returned with a strike force to level the facility and could decipher the writings on the temple walls. Daniel was the key.
In the end, it was one of the easiest decisions she had ever made, and one of the hardest. Grief washed over her at the thought of never making it home again, of never seeing Jack again. Just the thought brought hot tears to her eyes, but she roughly pushed them away. She had a duty to perform, and she'd be damned if she wasn't going to carry it out, no matter the personal cost.
"Daniel! I'll stay behind and cover you. I want you to run for the 'gate!"
Daniel's shocked expression would have been comical had the situation not been so dire. "No! Either we all go, or none of us go!"
Teal'c came to kneel at Sam's side. "The patrol was not far behind us and the gliders will be back over this position in moments. We must go now, Colonel Carter."
Sam knew Daniel and Teal'c wouldn't hesitate to stay behind, just as she was willing to do, but this time it was different. This time the fate of the world rested on the knowledge Daniel carried with him. "Teal'c, I'm giving you a direct order. Get yourself and Daniel through that 'gate!"
"Colonel Carter, I do not believe that is a wise course of action."
"Teal'c, please. Daniel and I overheard the Jaffa inside the temple. They have a weapon and they plan to use it against Earth. The SGC must be warned!"
Teal'c's eyes widened at the news, his mouth set in a hard grim line. He knew that in her position as team leader it was up to her to ensure the safety of the members of her team and to ensure the safe delivery of such critical intelligence, but he didn't have to like her decision. The arrival of the Jaffa patrol made further discussion impossible and Sam knew they were wasting precious seconds arguing.
"Daniel, for once in your life, just follow orders!" Sam shouted, the anguish in her voice carrying over the din of the staff fire blasting over their heads.
"Sam, we're not leaving you behind!"
"Daniel, don't argue with me! The only way we are going to have a chance at defeating this damn weapon is if you get back through the 'gate with what we found out!" Sam reached forward and tangled her free hand in Daniel's jacket lapel, pulling him roughly around, forcing him to meet her gaze. "Daniel, I mean it! Move your ass! I'll cover you."
Daniel opened his mouth to protest but stopped short at the look in her eyes. He had seen Sam Carter in many moods and many states, but never before had he seen the fire and determination that now shone brightly in her steely gaze. He nodded mutely, resigned to following her directives, at least for now.
"Ok, ok. We're going. Just don't make me regret this, ok? You'll be just behind us, right? Promise?"
"Yes, I promise. Now go! Go! Before those Jaffa have a chance to swing around and cut you off from the 'gate!"
"Colonel Carter, I will accompany Daniel Jackson to the 'gate and then return to cover your escape."
"Teal'c just get yourselves through! Don't wait for me!"
Teal'c inclined his head in acquiescence. The last thing he wanted to do was leave his commanding officer behind, but he could hardly argue with her reasoning. At least one of them had to report back if they were to have any hope of defending against the coming attack. Pulling Daniel roughly to his feet, they both fled toward the 'gate. They were less than 50 yards from the DHD when the ground suddenly bucked and rolled beneath their feet, knocking them both to their knees. Daniel recovered first, covering the remaining distance to the DHD in record time to begin dialing out. By the time he had punched the seventh symbol to open the wormhole Teal'c was at his side.
Daniel paused to turn back toward Sam's position raising his sidearm to return fire, "Sam, come on! Come on!" he screamed, panic beginning to course through his veins when he realized she was no longer in her sheltered position but had moved out and into the open to give them as much cover from the advancing Jaffa infantry as she was able.
Sam half turned at his shouts, her guard dropping momentarily as she drew a breath to reply, "Daniel, get outta here now!" She turned her attention back to the Jaffa in her sights, squeezing off several bursts from her P-90.
Daniel pursed his lips into a hard, thin line before reluctantly turning back toward the open 'gate and sending through his GDO code. He had just reached the edge of the event horizon when he risked one last look back at where Sam had been standing, fiercely defending their only path of retreat. In that last glance he watched, horrified, as a blast from a nearby Jaffa staff weapon lifted Sam neatly up off her feet and sent her crashing to the ground in a crumpled, tangled heap, the ground where she had stood smoking slightly in her wake.
"No! Sam!" Daniel cried, his voice hoarse with fear. He turned to head back down toward his fallen teammate when the Jaffa still advancing on the 'gate turned their weapons on him and opened fire. He awkwardly ducked the haphazard blast aimed at his head and dropped down to one knee just in front of the 'gate, squeezing off several rounds from his 9mm as he dropped.
Teal'c's warrior heart cried out in agony as he watched as his teammate was felled where she stood. In that split second the choices laid before him seemed impossibly cruel. He could head back down the steps and try to pull Sam to safety, disobeying the last order she had given him, or he could retreat through the 'gate and leave her to almost certain death or capture. That second stretched out before him like a lifetime and he realized that to go back would likely mean death for both of them. To retreat would mean life for him and a possibility that he could return for her. And he would be back for her.
The betrayal of his decision caught in his throat, choking him, but he truly had no other choices. Teal'c gained his feet as the Jaffa continued to advance toward him. Reaching down to pull Daniel up by the back of his vest they stumbled through the 'gate and were swept up and into the cold arms of the wormhole.
Carried along, the trip seemed nearly instantaneous, and as they tumbled through to the other side they became aware of hands and voices as the security forces in the 'gate room advanced toward them slightly, weapons raised in challenge.
Teal'c somehow found his voice and called out a warning. "Close the iris! There were Jaffa right behind us!"
Daniel sat up dazedly and looked back at the 'gate, expecting half a dozen armed Jaffa to come barreling through at any moment. But as the iris slid smoothly closed, he realized there could be no pursuit. The seconds stretched on and still nothing from the 'gate; ten, fifteen, twenty seconds with no tell tale thuds of an impact and he slowly he let out the breath he had been holding as he became aware that they were not going to pursue them.
His shoulders slumped in relief and then tensed again in sickening dread. The Jaffa appeared to be holding the 'gate open on the other side. They were going to prevent them from returning for at least the next 38 minutes by holding the 'gate open. An eternity in which they could do what they liked to Sam or they could be half way across the galaxy with her before they would be able to dial back out and get to her.
Jack had watched the scene unfold from the confines of the control room and had ordered the iris closed once Teal'c had shouted his warning. He had barely acknowledged that Sam hadn't followed them before he headed down the stairs and into the 'gateroom. He was determined to discover how a recon mission could have gone so horribly wrong that they had been pursued back through the 'gate by Jaffa and minus their CO.
"Teal'c, what the hell happened out there!" Jack's strained voice carried through the cavernous room. "Where's Carter? And why the hell isn't that 'gate closing?"
Daniel pulled himself shakily to his feet, his heart still thundering in his ears as he turned to face Jack. What could he say? Before he could form any sort of coherent answer, Jack was spinning on his heel barking orders to the SF's who held defensive positions around the 'gate.
"Lieutenant Jacobs, take your element and stand by this area. Expect hostile forces, they could attempt come through that 'gate at any time and you'd damn well better be ready for them, just in case that iris doesn't hold," Jack didn't pause long enough to hear the 'Yes, sir's' uttered by the moving officers before he turned on his heel and strode toward the remaining members of SG-1.
Daniel stood gaping at the open wormhole. "They're holding it open. Damn them, they're holding it open."
Jack's patience was beginning to wear thin, but he realized that the middle of the 'gateroom was no place for a debriefing. "Briefing room, now."
Jack led the way up the stairs, taking them two at a time. Once they were all inside, he turned to face them again, preferring to stand to one side of the conference table. "Alright, who's holding the 'gate open? Damn it Daniel, what the hell happened?"
"Jack…" Daniel began, but broke off unsure of what to say, his eyes dropping to study his boots. 'Sorry Jack, we got ambushed? Sam ordered me to leave her behind and so like a good little soldier I did? And now it looks like Ba'al's forces have control of the only way back to her?' Probably not the best way to answer any of those questions, Dr Jackson. His gaze drifted up to Jack's face and he took a deep breath before continuing. "It started off well enough. Everything was right where the Tok'ra said it would be. We discovered the ruins not far from the 'gate. What we didn't know until we were inside was that the temple was camouflaging…one of Ba'al's research facilities."
Daniel paused watching Jack's eyes widen in surprise then harden in anger. "Daniel, what happened to Carter?" He asked through clenched teeth. Jack wasn't really sure he wanted to hear the answer to that question, but he had to hear it. Flicking his eyes between Daniel and Teal'c his heart began to sink at the expressions on their faces.
"We were under fire, Jack. She did the best she could. Got us all the way back to the 'gate. We took cover, tried to fight them off. There were too many of them, we didn't stand a chance. There was no way we were going to all make it to the 'gate, Jack. No way."
Jack closed the distance between himself and Daniel in one long stride, bringing their faces within inches of each other. "Daniel, where is she?" He hissed.
Daniel instinctively stepped backwards, attempting to put some distance between them before he drew in a breath to answer. "She ordered us Jack…" he began lamely. It sounded even more pathetic now that he had actually said it out loud. "She ordered us to get back. She covered us while we dialed the 'gate," Daniel paused, that last horrible moment before he stepped through the event horizon flashing before his eyes and he felt a now familiar lump choking him again.
Up until that moment, Teal'c had remained stoically silent, but now he felt the need to report what had happened himself, warrior to warrior. He owed it to her. "General O'Neill, we followed Colonel Carter's orders to return through the Stargate. There was no other way. Had we not, we all would surely have been killed."
Mustering his courage, Daniel looked up and right into Jack's eyes, knowing his emotions were written all over his face. "I tried to go back for her, but there were too many of them. I couldn't get to her. She was hit. She went down, Jack. I didn't see her get back up," Daniel's voice trailed off to barely more than a whisper.
The world seemed to close in around him as Jack struggled to comprehend what he was hearing. His heart rate doubled and his breath came short in his chest, his heart pounding so loud in his ears it drowned out everything else. Carter had been hit? They just left her there to die? They left her! He stood, barely controlled fury causing him to shake slightly as he tried to take it all in.
"You just left her there?" His voice a harsh whisper, full of accusations.
"Jack, we had no choice! We'd all be dead right now if I hadn't!" Daniel raged, his blue eyes snapping with anger and remorse.
"You haven't learned a damned thing have you? We don't leave our people behind!"
"If it had been you in her place, you would've done exactly the same thing, Jack! You taught her well."
Teal'c's soft baritone carried through the nearly empty room. "O'Neill, I too left Colonel Carter behind. But Daniel Jackson is correct, we would certainly have died had we stayed. And we had to return, O'Neill. While inside Ba'al's fortress Daniel Jackson and Colonel Carter overheard Ba'al's Jaffa discussing a new weapon they plan to use against Earth. That was why Colonel Carter ordered us to return."
Jack stood rooted to the spot, quietly seething in anger and frustration. Daniel hadn't been wrong, he would have ordered them to do exactly the same thing, especially if the safety of Earth was at stake. But it still didn't make it any easier to hear. Slowly, his tactical mind began to take over, working out the details of what had happened and just how they were going to get back there. The silence stretched on for several moments, until Daniel had begun to fidget uncomfortably.
Jack took a deep breath, attempting to at least project calm as he looked up into each of their faces. "You did the right thing, reporting back here. Carter was right, we needed to know." He turned and paced to the head of the table, pulling out his chair and sinking into it. Daniel and Teal'c followed suit, each taking up a seat.
"Teal'c, where would they take her?"
"Jack, we don't even know if…" Daniel began before he was roughly cut off.
"No, Daniel. She's alive. And until I see a body, we're going to assume as much. Got me?"
Daniel merely nodded in reply. He knew in Jack's mind there would always be a chance, always would be hope. He had seen them come out of situations so dire it seemed as though no one on Earth would survive. But this time, knowing what they had seen on the other side of that 'gate, he wasn't so sure that their luck hadn't finally run out.
"We saw no evidence of a Mothership or Tel'tak, but one may be summoned to take her to Ba'al for interrogation. Or Ba'al may arrive on the planet to question her. Which, we cannot be sure."
Jack winced at the implication, but remained silent. The idea that Sam might suffer the same cruelties he had once experienced at Ba'al's hands left him cold.
"Ok. We need to know everything you know about this weapon. What it does. When and where they intend to use it and anything you can remember about the inside of that temple. I'll be damned if we're going to leave her there one moment longer than necessary."