Chapter 6
Sam tossed and turned on the hard ground. The mine was dark. From where she lay just inside the entrancem she could see a glow from the embers of the fire they had left burning off to one side. She could see starlight from where she lay. The night sky was sprinkled with stars, but the planet had no moon. As tired as she was, sleep would not come. She had begun to have a bad feeling right after dinner. It wasn't the food. Kempson actually made the MRE's taste less offensive. Or maybe it was his company that helped. Once he had gotten over his apparent awe of being in her presence he was good company. He made her laugh, telling stories of some of the places he had lived. Sam reciprocated by sharing some of her stories.
Sometime during the evening she became quiet, withdrawn, sensing something, but unable to figure out what. Kempson noticed something was bothering her, but didn't pry. She suggested they get some sleep so that they would be fresh in the morning and he told her good night, climbing into his sleeping bag per her orders while she checked the perimeter of the camp. Nothing was out of place and the night was very quiet. No animal sounds, just the wind through the scrub. She chose to skip the nightly watch as everything seemed calm.
She gave a big sigh as she turned over for what felt like the hundreth time. The uneasy feeling persisted. Finally, she sat up and began to extricate herself from the sleeping bag. Her radio chattered.
"MajorCarter," Teal'c intoned. Leaping up, she moved to the entrance of the mine.
"Go ahead, Teal'c," she responded.
"Daniel Jackson has been bitten by some sort of insect," Teal'c replied. "I must get him to the gate as soon as possible. He is having some difficulties breathing."
Sam switched into high gear. "Have you used the epi pin on him?"
"Yes, MajorCarter, I have. He is better at the moment. I fear that his condition will decline once that is out of his system."
"Ok. Start back to the gate. We'll get started right away. Go ahead and go through when you get there. We'll be right behind you. Carter out."
"I understand MajorCarter. I will alert General O'Neill that you will follow."
Sam moved back into the mine. Kempson, having heard the conversation, had the flashlights out and was already getting the sleeping bags ready for travel. They both felt the ground beneath them tremble. It was over almost as soon as they realized it had happened.
"Did you just feel that?" Larry asked, his voice shaking a little as he handed her a flashlight.
"Yeah, at least I think I did," Sam replied. "Let's get this stuff together and get out of here."
Another tremor shook the mine. Kempson looked nervously around him.
"Forget this stuff. Let's go," Sam shouted over the increasing noise the tremor was causing. She started towards the entrance when she heard a crack from overhead. Shining her light up, she saw that one of the timbers holding the ceiling had started to splinter. Larry was directly under it and was unaware of what was going on, looking around wildly. Sam gave him a mighty shove, propelling him out the entrance onto the shaley ground outside. Before she could get herself clear of the entrance, the timber and rock came crashing down towards her. She was blocked from getting outside with Kempson, so she dove back into the mine away from the collapsing entrance. Pain enveloped her body as the ceiling began to rain down on her and something sharp contacted with her head. The last thing she remembered was relief that she had gotten him out of the way. Then darkness claimed her.