Sorry it's taken me so long to update. I promise the next part won't be as long in coming.
On a Slow Ride Through Molasses – Part eight
The stunned silence that followed Jaahn's departure was broken by a low groan from Colonel O'Neill. Daniel jumped forward, Sam following a fraction of a second later, and together they managed to prevent the shaking man from taking a nose dive to the floor.
"Here – I'll help." Ferretti stepped in, taking Jack's arm from Daniel's grip. "You go after Jaahn and see if you can persuade him to change his mind."
"You sure?"
"Yes. Quick, get to him before he leaves the grounds."
The colonel's head lifted and Sam watched as comprehension came back into his pain filled eyes.
"Daniel, don't. We don't need him. We're better off without them."
Daniel paused, but shook his head, muttering "sorry" before hurrying from the room.
"Come on, sir, you shouldn't be up." Sam tugged a little on the colonel's arm, feeling more of his weight settle on to her as he slumped. She changed her stance, steadying him more. Lou took a few steps back towards the cushions, and after a slight hesitation O'Neill followed.
They eased him down and Sam reached for the nearby flask, holding it out. She waited until the colonel took it before opening the small jar she removed from her pocket, shaking two bright yellow tablets into her hand.
"Here." She held them out.
The colonel eyed them with obvious suspicion. "What are they?"
"Very mild pain killers."
"Where did you get them?"
"Steffen thought they might help." She hurried on before O'Neill had a chance to protest. "I know I said we shouldn't use their medicine, but your headaches don't seem to be getting any better. I tested them myself, sir, last night. As far as I can tell they have the same effect as ibuprofen."
She could tell as soon as she spoke that she was fighting a losing battle. O'Neill gave the stubborn frown she knew so well. "No way, Major. I can't believe you took them." The knuckles of the hand he had on the water container whitened and he grimaced, lifting his other hand to cradle his head.
"Sir?" Lou asked, leaning in.
"Don't feel..." The colonel gulped and his eyes shifted frantically, searching.
Sam realized what was about to happen and managed to jump up and grab a bowl from the table just in time to hold it as he vomited. Lou supported him as the colonel heaved, his face becoming even paler, beads of sweat forming in the short time it took to expel what little he had in his stomach.
When he had finished, she held the discarded water flask out to him and he gave her a grateful nod of thanks as he took a few deep swallows. When he had finished, she held his wrist lightly, feeling his pulse racing. He didn't protest as she urged him to lie back by giving him a gentle push, and his compliance had her worrying even more.
"Lou, please." Colonel O'Neill plainly wasn't prepared to let the subject of their allies drop. His eyes were unnaturally bright, pupils just pin pricks in the deep brown. But his voice, although hoarse, was clear. "Listen. Don't do it. There must be some other way to get through the gate. At least let Teal'c scout out the area."
Sam saw Lou's reaction to the almost pleading tone in O'Neill's voice. He paused for a minute, looking decidedly uncomfortable, before answering.
"You don't know what it's like out in the city, Jack. Teal'c wouldn't stand a chance of not being spotted, regardless of how careful he is. There are too many people on the streets – all white males. Even the local women and children seem to stay indoors unless accompanying their men. And before you suggest it, they don't wear anything with hats or hoods, so there isn't any way to disguise the color of his skin. He'd be caught almost as soon as he set a foot out of the grounds of this house. I only just managed to pass as a local because I was with Jaahn and Kelvin. As it was, I had some pretty suspicious looks sent my way." He shifted his weight on his heels as he crouched down. "I know you find it hard to trust Jaahn, but without any concrete reason not to, we'll have to go with his plan. It's our best chance of getting home. As it is, he risked his life to get us a GDO. If he had been caught everything would have been lost."
"I don't suppose he managed to 'liberate' my P-90?"
Lou gave a wry smile as he shook his head. "He said the obvious weapons have already been moved from the prison. We're lucky the GDOs weren't recognized for what they are and taken as well."
"Yeah – lucky."
Sam heard the resignation in the colonel's voice, his sarcastic words lacking the joking undertones they normally held. Lou must have picked up on O'Neill's despondency as well. He gave the colonel a quick pat on the shoulder, almost apologetically, and stood, gesturing to Sam with a nod of his head.
They moved away from the sick man, over to the far side of the room, Lou gesturing for Rutledge and Jones to keep watch at the door.
"We're going to have to move pretty quickly when the time comes and the colonel's not looking too good as it is." Ferretti cast another worried glance over to the still form on the cushions.
Sam nodded, seeing O'Neill's eyes were shut and he looked to be already asleep. "I know, Lou, but what choice do we have? We have to move him. If I'm right and he does have a skull fracture. . . " She didn't complete the sentence, knowing Lou was aware of the risks.
"It could all be academic anyway. Daniel isn't back yet."
Almost as if he had heard Ferretti's words, Daniel appeared in the doorway, looking flustered, but smiling slightly. He strode over to them, beginning to speak before they could ask any questions.
"I convinced Jaahn to carry on with the plan. It wasn't easy, but he finally agreed on the condition that Jack doesn't cause any more problems."
"And how are we going to stop him? We didn't bring the gag from the prison with us." Lou threw another frustrated look over at the sleeping man." He really doesn't trust them, and I have to say that it goes against the grain to ignore his suspicions. I've never known him to be wrong when it comes things like this."
Sam frowned. "I know what you mean, but there's no evidence to support anything he says. You said it yourself – this is our best chance to get home. Cronus could return at any time, and you know how much he would love to capture us – especially Teal'c. We have to be gone before he gets back."
"So, it's agreed. We go with the escape plan as set for tomorrow night?"
Daniel and Sam both nodded.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
The bustle around them was organized but tense. Teal'c felt totally isolated from it, sitting with Colonel O'Neill, waiting to leave their refuge. His commander was barely conscious, a state he had been in for the past day. He was sitting up, leaning against Teal'c's shoulder, staring with hooded eyes at the activity around them. Every so often he would move, shifting position slightly, giving a small grunt of discomfort as he did so. Teal'c knew he was still feeling the effects of his head injury, and he could feel the bones on his teammate's shoulder and upper arm sharp against his own biceps. What little weight O'Neill had regained in the first few days after their escape from the prison had slowly been eroded, leaving his clothes hanging loose on his gaunt frame.
Daniel Jackson entered the room, still in the process of pulling a long coat on over his grubby BDU's. They had each been given some clothes that hid their uniforms. Teal'c had put the too small jacket on already, knowing it did little to conceal either the color of his skin or his size. O'Neill was similarly dressed, with a blanket also wrapped around his shoulders. Despite the extra covering the other man was shivering in the cool night air.
"We're almost ready." Daniel Jackson held out one of the native hand weapons and Teal'c took it, slipping it into the waistband of his trousers, making sure it could be easily removed.
"Were more weapons provided?"
His enquiry was replied to with a shake of his teammate's head. "No, we still only have four. Lou, Sam and Colin have the others. Van, Bob and I have knives."
"You should take this one. I will be unable to use it while carrying Colonel O'Neill." Teal'c made to pull the weapon out but was stopped as the other man shook his head in protest.
"We agreed you should have it. I know it's not likely, but if anything should happen. . . " His eyes moved to the colonel. "You need to get Jack back home."
Teal'c nodded in understanding. For once he would not take his customary place in the forefront of the coming battle. His was the more important task – making sure O'Neill reached the safety of the SGC.
"Carter." O'Neill's low voice alerted Teal'c to the presence of the major. She crossed the short distance to their side, bending to speak to the colonel.
"Sir? You ready?"
"I don't suppose I can get you to change your mind?"
The woman offered only a slight smile in reply before turning, her worried eyes looking into his. "Remember, try not to jar him if at all possible."
Teal'c inclined his head slowly, acknowledging the major's words. "I shall ensure Colonel O'Neill is safe, Major Carter." He was not annoyed at her reminder, knowing how concerned she was about the effects of the coming journey on O'Neill's injuries.
"I know you will."
"Hey, still here you know. Not dead yet." O'Neill shifted again, pushing up. "I don't need to be carried. I can walk."
"You cannot. Nor will you." Teal'c had only to rest his hand on O'Neill's arm to stop his movements, and once again he was reminded just how frail the other man was. "I shall carry you and you will keep quiet and still, otherwise Major Carter will get annoyed."
O'Neill's eyes opened wider as he glared up at them. "At least give me some sort of weapon. I know I'm going to need it."
Teal'c exchanged a glance with the major before nodding. "Very well. I shall obtain a knife for you."
There was a muttered 'thanks' from the colonel, barely audible as Teal'c rose and strode over to where Steffen stood, checking a well-filled backpack.
Teal'c had found Steffen to be the most approachable of the local men, and despite their lack of common language, had developed something of a rapport with the medic. The care the man had exhibited towards Colonel O'Neill was seemingly at odds with his gruff appearance and massive size, and Teal'c couldn't help but compare others' reactions to his own solicitous nature when it came to dealing with his injured teammate.
Steffen nodded a greeting, looking up from his preparations. It only took a few gestures before he understood Teal'c request and produced a small, but sharp, dagger. He handed it to Teal'c with clear signs that he was to keep the fact Teal'c was giving it to the colonel a secret from Jaahn.
Teal'c returned to his waiting teammates, only to find O'Neill once again asleep.
"He tried to stay awake, but only lasted a couple of minutes. Are you going to give him that?" Major Carter indicted the knife with a slight wave of her hand, "He won't be able to use it."
"If he wakes before we leave I shall give it to O'Neill." Teal'c did not add that he was sure that if it was warranted, O'Neill would have no problem in finding a use for the weapon, regardless of his infirmity. He concealed the knife in one of large pockets of his jacket and once again settled down to wait beside his commander.
O'Neill showed no sign of waking, even when Teal'c lifted him into his arms and joined the others at the door. It was a moonless night and he struggled not to stumble as they made their way down the path to the gate of the property. Tree roots from the overgrown garden snagged his feet a couple of times, but he managed to stay upright, once only with the assistance of Lieutenant Nguyen's steadying hand.
Majors Carter and Ferretti were at the head of the small group, along with Jaahn. Eight other members of the resistance accompanied them, with Captain Jones and Lieutenant Rutledge flanked by Hans and Kelvin in the middle of the pack. Daniel Jackson, along with Steffen had taken rear positions behind him. The rest of the group were to rendezvous with them closer to the Chaapa'ai while the women and children stayed in hiding until the last minute. The hope was that a swift attack would overpower the guards, allowing the Chaapa'ai to be dialed and the non-combatants to be helped through before the alarm was raised. Teal'c was to be the first through the Gate, fulfilling the joint tasks of getting O'Neill medical help and warning of the impending visitors.
Although the distance to the Chaapa'ai was not long, Teal'c was soon feeling the effects of carrying a fully grown man awkwardly in his arms like a child. The option of a stretcher arrangement had been mooted, but Jaahn had vetoed it, insisting they needed to have as many men as possible ready to fight if need be. The darkness didn't help matters either, but when they reached a main road the journey became easier, the smooth surface no longer hiding any hazards he could trip over.
"T?" O'Neill's voice drifted up to him out of the darkness, and he paused, carefully repositioning the man. The movement was enough to elicit a small moan, and several of the nearby rebels turned to glare at them.
Teal'c lifted O'Neill slightly, bringing his head as close to his own mouth as possible, whispering in response. "You must be still. We are near the Stargate."
O'Neill's hand briefly gripped his arm and Teal'c took that as an acknowledgment of his warning. He relaxed a little, knowing the veteran warrior he carried would be aware of the need for stealth. The lieutenant at his side moved closer and he could see the concerned expression on his face despite the darkness. He gave the young man a reassuring nod.
Just at that moment the moon appeared from behind the dense concealing clouds, allowing Teal'c to take a better look at their surroundings. The Chaapa'ai was a lot closer than he expected, and he could feel the anticipation in the movements of the people around him. Daniel Jackson moved past him, pausing for a moment to meet his eyes in a look that spoke of their mutual pact to make sure O'Neill was brought to safety by their actions this night, before continuing to the front of the group. Daniel Jackson had the task of dialing the gate and sending their IDC through, using the GDO Jaahn had managed to obtain from their belongings still in storage at the prison.
They halted in the shadow of a stand of trees just beyond the last of the city's buildings and Teal'c gratefully set his burden down, kneeling beside O'Neill. The moonlight filtered through the leaves, giving the other man's face an ethereal quality, almost translucent in its paleness. His eyes were open, and he looked a little bewildered, staring around as if trying to make out where they were. Teal'c put a finger to his lips, and waited until he was sure O'Neill's wandering gaze had seen the Tau'ri gesture for silence, before standing.
Over to one side Teal'c caught a glimpse of more figures and assumed they were the rest of the rebels. He looking around, peering into the gloom, but was unable to see the women and children. Perhaps they were hiding in the shelter of the closest buildings, although it did mean a longer run to the Chaapa'ai than he would have expected.
An uneasy feeling ran up the Jaffa's spine. Something did not seem right, but just what he could not decide. He took a few steps into the trees, moving silently towards the nearest group of men. As he got closer, he recognized Hans and Kelvin in whispered conversation with some of their men. Unable to hear the words, Teal'c once again crept closer. Despite his straining to hear, their words remained inaudible, but he did see one thing that sent him hurrying back to where he had left O'Neill.
A flash of metal as Kelvin turned, his jacket moving from his side, and the glimpse of the unmistakable shape of a P-90.
xoxoxoxoxoxo