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Chapter 7

Kempson rolled and slid down the slope, unable to stop. The skin of his hands scraped against the rock as he tried to find a handhold to slow his descent. Finally, he slowed to a stop. After taking a deep breath, he took mental inventory of his body. He had bumped his head, his hands would never be the same, and, ow, his ankle must have been twisted. Looking around, he expected Major Carter in a similar state, but couldn't see her anywhere. He called her name, but got no response. Not knowing where she could be, he managed to pull himself up and start to limp and slide back towards the mine.

It took a few minutes to make the trek back up the slope. He kept calling out to her to no avail. Once he got to the entrance, or where the entrance had been, he stopped. There was no way into the mine. He looked around at the remnants of the fire. This had to be the place. The entrance had collapsed and rocks of all sizes filled what had been the opening. He dropped to his knees and started digging frantically, all the while calling his CO's name.

As if from a great distance, Sam heard someone calling her. She tried to call back, but found her voice weak. Opening her eyes, she could see no light. Complete blackness surrounded her. She was lying on her stomach on hard, rocky ground. Her head throbbed. Every breath was agony and she felt as though she was breathing in water. The air was thick with dust. She started to cough and her chest exploded with pain. She realized that she was having difficulty getting a good breath and then she remembered where she was. The mine. A cave in. Great!

Tentatively, she pulled her left hand to her face to check for injuries. Her hand encountered something wet on her forehead. She hissed in pain as the fingers probed a long cut. She started to move her right arm, but again, pain made her shudder. She put her head back down on the ground to sort out what had happened. She started to roll over, but found she couldn't move. Her arms were free, but her right one seemed to be broken. She could move her head, but otherwise seemed to be trapped. She definitely had a concussion from whatever hit her head and probably some damage to her ribs if her breathing was any indication. She could feel the blood on her face from her head wound. Now for her legs. She attempted to move them, but felt nothing. She felt no pain, nor was she able to shift them at all. In fact, she couldn't feel them. For a moment, panic started to grip her. The darkness suffocated her. She was going to die here…

Then she heard it. It seemed to come from far away. Quickly, she stuffed the panic back down and started thinking about survival. She remembered shoving Kempson out the opening before everything went back.

"Major Carter?" The voice sounded unsure, worried. Sam's mind kicked into command mode.

"Captain?" She called back surprised at how weak it sounded. She heard her name repeated. Obviously he hadn't heard her,

Gathering her strength, she tried again. "Captain Kempson. Are you alright?"

"Oh, thank God! Major, I couldn't find you. Where are you?"

"I'm in the mine. Are you injured?"

"Just scrapes and cuts and an ankle that's getting bigger every second, but I'll live. What's your situation, ma'am?"

"Captain, I'm trapped. Contact Teal'c and Daniel on your radio."

Kempson reached to his pocket to key his mike – and found his pocket empty. He remembered taking it off when he lay down to sleep. And that's where the radio was now – inside the mine.

"Can't do that Ma'am. My radio is beside my sleeping bag – in there with you. What about yours?"

Sam knew that hers was no longer in her vest pocket, or she would be able to feel as she was lying on her front. No radio. So she was officially stuck.

"Go back to the SGC and tell them what happened. They will bring help, Larry."

"No, Major. I'll start digging right now." She could hear sounds as he tore into the rocks, trying to move them to get to her.

"Negative, Captain. It would take too long to get through that rockfall. I can barely hear you, so it must be huge. Go to the SGC and bring back help." She could hear him continue to attack the rocks from the outside, ignoring what she said… or maybe he couldn't hear her. She tried again, using all the strength she could muster to make herself heard.

"Captain Kempson. You will leave immediately and go back through the gate to the SGC and apprise them of the situation. That is an order. Do you understand?"

"Major, I can't leave you here!"

"That is an order, CAPTAIN! Go now!" She practically shouted. Then, in a softer voice, she said, "Larry, I'm hurt. I buried under rocks and can't get myself out. My arm is hurt, probably broken, and I hit my head. I can't help you at all. Please, just go and let them know what happened. They will send help. Do you have the GDO?"

Panic overtook him. It was in his pack…inside the mine. "No, Major. It's in there with you."

"Gate to PX2-575. There's an emergency transmitter there. You can use it to get home. Now get going."

Kempson obviously didn't want to leave, but he remembered the General's words. 'She says jump, you jump!' Still, he hesitated. She sensed it from inside the mine.

"Larry, I'm not going anywhere. Even if you could get me out, I couldn't make it to the gate without more help. I can't feel my legs, Larry." He could hear the fear in her voice. "I can't reach my radio and I don't know where the canteens or lights ended up. I'm stuck here until you get help. Please go, now!" The last sentence came out almost as a sob.

"Major, I'm going now. It will take me a while to get back to the gate but I'll move as fast as possible. Hold on. We'll be back as soon as possible."

"Thank you, Captain. I'll be here." She chuckled to her self and winced as her head reminded her of her injuries. " Be careful."

Weariness came with the pain. The adrenalin high was wearing off and the pain was becoming more intense. Her arm throbbed. Her chest twinged with every breath. Whenever she tried to lift her head, dizziness erupted.

"Sleep," she thought. "I'll just take a little nap…" Her last thought as she drifted off was that she shouldn't sleep with a head injury but at the moment she was too tired to care.