Soldiers of Misfortune – part 17
Jack acted. He'd made his decision and then moved. That was the type of person he was, once that decision was made he didn't look backwards, or forwards, just at the moment …
He edged his way along the crowd, noticing with satisfaction that Soolek was watching him intently as he eased his way through. He took the opposite direction from the museum, aiming to come out of the crowd just a couple of blocks down from it, far enough away to draw any attention from that area.
He gripped the staff tightly. It was pure adrenalin that was keeping him upright and moving and he watched as Soolek sent his soldiers along the outer edge of the crowd to intercept him. When he judged he'd gone far enough he broke free from the people around him. He saw the soldiers advancing on him and used the staff to hit out, swinging it and feeling satisfaction when the wood connected solidly with the first soldier.
They'd obviously been given instructions to take him alive as more converged on him, and he used this to his advantage to take down as many as he could. His strength was failing fast now as the soldiers surrounded him and hit out. He lost his grip on the staff and was grabbed by two them, while another pounded on him. He was dimly aware of being dragged towards Soolek, the blood from a fresh wound trickling down his head interfering with his ability to see.
His head was snatched up by his hair and he found Soolek peering at him with undisguised hatred.
"It is because of you I was assigned here," spat the alien. "I lost standing because of you!" He let fly with his fist and Jack felt the blood spurt from his mouth. "Your attempts to fully destroy the collars did not work and once they were discovered I was punished. You remember my promise to you?"
Jack watched hazily as the alien was passed a thick stick by one of the soldiers. He had the feeling it he wasn't going to like being acquainted with it.
"Where are the others?"
"Others?" mumbled Jack.
Soolek hit out and hit hard. The stick connected with his ribs, and the sound of his bones cracking made the alien smile. Jack gasped and heaved for breath. The soldiers holding him pulled his arms more tightly behind him, allowing him no movement.
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Daniel and Teal'c managed to get close to the square by ducking around the next building on the block and they found themselves witnessing Soolek's confrontation with Jack. Daniel hissed in alarm as he saw the stick connecting with Jack's ribs and stomach … again and again …
Teal'c forcibly held him back, knowing there were too many soldiers for them to rescue O'Neill safely.
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Jack almost passed out … He knew he'd had it. The only way out of this was a quick death … Something he wasn't holding much hope of attaining …
"Tell me where the others are!" demanded Soolek.
Jack gave him a weak grin. "Where you can't touch them."
He hissed as the soldiers holding him twisted his arms viciously. Soolek hit him repeatedly before he changed tactics and used the butt end of the stick as a blunt weapon, inflicting as much damage as he could. The stick connected with the wound in his side and Jack's eyes rolled up as he lost consciousness.
The blood from the wound began to run as the new scar re-opened. Soolek demanded the soldiers run for water to wake Jack, while he offered a final angry blow to the unconscious man's head.
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Two of the soldiers left and Soolek noticed some of the crowd watching them, restlessly creeping towards them, and dispatched four more to back them away. That just left Soolek and the two soldiers that held Jack pinned between them.
Teal'c crept forward, indicating that Daniel do the same. They had the handguns, fully loaded, but no spare ammunition. Every shot had to count. They got as close as they could and only as one of the soldiers, seeing the weapons, shouted a warning, did they fire. Teal'c took out Soolek with a single shot to the head and the alien's eyes showed his shock as he dropped to the floor. Daniel's shot hit one of the soldiers holding Jack, but the other one quickly drew the unconscious Colonel in front of him as a shield.
The crowd went mad and surged towards the soldiers who were trying to keep them back, but they were quickly enveloped by the masses. The soldier holding Jack was grabbed from behind and he let the Colonel fall to the ground.
Teal'c and Daniel had no need to fire again. Teal'c rapidly ran to O'Neill and scooped him into his arms.
"Quickly, Daniel Jackson. We must leave," shouted Teal'c, urging Daniel to keep pace with him.
Daniel risked looking back and saw that the crowds had begun a riot. He just hoped not too many would be killed. He didn't think they stood much hope of besting the aliens for any length of time.
They arrived at the museum; the bloody mess in Teal'c's arms making Daniel swallow harshly. Teal'c hastened to reassure him that O'Neill was indeed breathing as they ran into the room where the Stargate was housed and he shakily began to dial.
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Sam stood waiting. The gate had shut down and the length of time had begun to panic her. She was almost ready to dial up the planet and go back, but for Alenor's reassurances.
SG11 were stunned to see them. Their CO informed Sam that the SGC had posted them MIA after two weeks, there being no word on them. Even the Tok'ra had failed to find any indication that they were alive somewhere.
The GDO stood waiting and, for Sam, the time seemed to be standing still.
Finally the gate began to turn and she held her breath, waiting, SG11 at the ready in case any hostiles made it through.
Teal'c was the first to exit the wormhole, the bundle he carried not registering with her at first. Daniel was just behind him, shouting for them to dial up the SGC as quickly as they could.
Sam gazed at Teal'c, almost in shock, her eyes gradually dropping to the gruesome sight of the man in his arms and she felt herself slipping.
Daniel's quick action saved her from falling. "He's alive, Sam. He's alive," he cried, urging her to stand.
The gate shut down and SG11's captain promptly dialed home. The CO sent the signal, wishing them God speed.
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Sam went through with Daniel first. Daniel called that they had refugees with them and needed medics the second his feet touched the ramp. Teal'c was close behind, followed immediately by Alenor and the others.
General Hammond stared down in both shock and relief at seeing his flagship team returning.
Teal'c pushed past Sam and Daniel, calling out for assistance.
"O'Neill is not breathing," he boomed, and hurried down the ramp with his burden to meet Doctor Fraiser and her staff in the corridor on her way to them.
"He has ceased to breathe," he repeated urgently as he placed the Colonel's still body on the gurney.
Janet Fraiser was already on him, her staff beginning the routine without being told. "How long?" she asked.
"A minute, perhaps two. He was breathing as we entered the Stargate."
She began chest compressions and one of her nurses already had the ambu bag in place.
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Sam found herself face to face with the General. Hammond took in their shocked faces and ragged appearance.
"SG1, it's good to see you. We'd given you up for dead. Colonel O'Neill?" he asked gently.
"He was captured and beaten badly," said Daniel faintly as Sam failed to respond straight away. "These men helped us on the planet. We'd never have managed without them. They don't have a home at the moment," explained Daniel as he indicated the others with them.
"Sir," Sam croaked, at last finding her voice, "permission to go to the infirmary?"
General Hammond didn't bat an eyelid. "Granted. Make sure you all get checked out," he said, "We can de-brief later."
The SF's escorted Alenor and the others to a room to be given clean clothes and a hot meal until the infirmary was free.
Daniel and Sam went to find out how Jack was and found Teal'c waiting in the corridor, his face still, revealing nothing. Teal'c's clothes were covered in blood - O'Neill's blood, he had informed the nursing staff who had tried to tend him while he gave them a catalogue of the Colonel's injuries. Sam blanched visibly as he turned to her.
Lt. McPhee soon came out to them, and sought reassurance that no-one was in urgent need of medical attention. It was then that Sam remembered the drugs. She fished them out of the bag she carried tied at her waist, and filled the nurse in quickly as to just what the Colonel been given, and the reason. McPhee promised to inform Doctor Fraiser of the Colonel's previous injury and urged them to go shower and change as the Doctor would be a while.
The Lieutenant went back in and they stood together, not moving until the General's voice behind them took their attention.
"Shower and food," he said kindly, "You're a sight for sore eyes, but the odor isn't …" he joked, trying to lighten the atmosphere, and pointedly led them towards the locker room.
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They showered and changed, but none of them felt like eating and they were back outside the infirmary within twenty minutes. Eventually they were shown in and given beds to wait on until they could be seen. Another doctor had been called in to give them their post-mission check ups and they were each given a thorough going over before being charged with rest and food and then released.
It was almost five hours before Janet emerged to see them, the General making his reappearance only minutes before her. The doctor pushed her hair back from her face and dug her hands deeply into the pockets of her white coat.
"It doesn't look good I'm afraid. He's suffering from several smashed ribs, sternum and a skull fracture, hemorrhaging - massive blood loss. We've stopped the bleeding and are compensating for the blood loss, but …" She sighed heavily. "The next forty eight hours are critical. As yet we don't know how severe the head injury is, or if there is brain damage. He's …" the doctor hesitated, taking a breath before continuing, "he's not responded well to the anesthetic either."
Sam looked even more worried at Janet's last statement. "He … the drugs I gave him …" She faltered slightly, "the drugs I gave him on the planet …"
"We," added Daniel, "that we gave him."
Janet gave them a slight smile. "He's not responded to what we've given him, injuries aside that is. We had trouble keeping him under the anesthetic at times and now …" Janet shook her head. Sam's face showed her distress plainly and Janet hurried to console her. "If you hadn't treated the infection the Colonel wouldn't be alive at all. Don't feel guilty about that. What you did back there certainly saved his life."
Sam nodded at Janet, but her eyes still showed her distress.
"Before I let any of you in, I have to warn you …" Janet tailed off a little, looking uncomfortable. "We had to put the Colonel in restraints." She held her hands up at the faces staring at her in alarm. "He's intubated, but the sedatives we're giving him aren't having the desired effect and he's fighting the tube. He's in a lot of pain."
General Hammond looked as shocked as the rest of them. He cleared his throat before speaking. "Thank you, Doctor. Please keep me apprised. You're all to get some rest. We can de-brief tomorrow." He left slowly; his usual enthusiastic step missing
They watched the General's defeated step in silence for a moment, before Daniel cleared his throat to speak. "Uh, can't you give him the drugs we brought back? That painkiller knocked him out well."
"There's very little of them left. We are trying to synthesize more, but that's taking time, as well as checking their properties. Look, seeing him like this isn't a good idea, maybe …"
"Just for a little while. If he's awake he should know we're there for him," said Daniel quickly, giving Sam a quick glance.
Sam nodded her agreement. "Please Janet?" she whispered.
Janet took a breath. "Okay, but I warn you, it's distressing to see."
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Janet showed them into the room and gave the nurse at his bedside a quick nod.
"He's out of it at the moment ma'am," she said quietly before leaving.
Sam felt her feet become like lead as she approached the bed. The harsh sounds coming from the ventilator filled her ears and she swallowed hard, forcing herself to step closer.
Her eyes went straight to the leather fastenings on his wrists, attached to the raised metal safety rails. She dimly heard Daniel's gasp as he stood beside her. The slight tug on her other arm came from Janet as she was drawn numbly into the chair the nurse had vacated. She managed to tear her eyes away from Jack's wrists. The gnawing tension in the pit of her stomach threatened to evacuate the contents and she swallowed harshly as her eyes finally rested on his face.
His pallor was the color of the sheets, ghostly white, his face half hidden beneath the bandages on his head and the tube in his throat.
"Just a few minutes," warned Janet, but she stayed with them, not leaving as she usually did.
The monitors began to blip faster and Janet drew in front of Daniel on the other side of the bed as she checked the readings.
Sam eyes sought out her friends in alarm. Daniel's expression she was sure just mirrored her own, Teal'c gave her a calm reassuring look, something she was certain he was not feeling inside, but it helped her to take a breath and face the scene unfolding on the bed.
The Colonel began to stir, his hands already straining at his restraints.
"Easy Colonel, easy. You're intubated, don't fight it," urged Janet quietly.
His eyes opened briefly. The flash of brown lit with pain, before he slammed them shut, his face contorting with agony as he thrashed helplessly.
Sam bit back the sob that was ebbing out, giving a choked cough instead as she watched with her heart breaking.
"Don't fight it, Colonel. Let it do its job," repeated Janet calmly as she touched his shoulder gently, trying to comfort him.
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Janet watched the Colonel struggling. She knew he wasn't fully coherent, God alone knew what was going through his head as he struggled with the pain. She hated restraining him, knowing the dark memories it conjured for him, but she just couldn't risk him tearing the tubes and lines out as he had attempted to do when waking as he came out of the theatre. She'd thought he'd calmed down, but a repeated attempt in a haze of pain and confusion had taken the matter out of her hands.
Her main focus was the Colonel, but she was well aware of the distress his team were in, in particular Sam.
The Colonel's struggles continued for a few more minutes then he thankfully lost consciousness, the only way he was going to get any respite until they sorted the medication out.
She'd meant what she'd said to his team. He would have been dead from the infection on the planet if they hadn't acted, but if he was going to die now and in such agony she wished they'd not succeeded in keeping him alive. To go through so much and lose the battle was something that ate at her, and the next forty-eight hours were something she didn't honestly think he would survive this time.
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