A/N: Sorry it's been so long since I updated, but was on vacation in the Hamptons and there was no way I could get something online.
I was asked what 'protecting your six' was. It's actually a military term meaning they are going to watch the back of the unit. A 'six' as they call it is sort of a slang term for tail.
Anyway, I hope that this chapter and the rest will be worth the wait. So here goes it.
As quickly and without warning as they had turned off, the flashlights shot back to life. Three of them lay on the damp grass, deserted by their owners during the skirmish. The fourth, along with Daniel Jackson, was no where in sight.
"Ow, get off!" Daniel's voice echoed around him even as it was drowned out by the excited whispers that were still being issued from the aliens. One of the beings had tied a thin rope around his wrists and ankles and was now trying to see if one could be wrapped around his right ear. As he wriggled he was met with a sharp blow to the stomach causing him to keel over and drop to the ground, only to be pulled up again by firm hands.
About five minutes had passed since he had been pulled away from his comrades and taken into the desolate forest. The archeologist guessed that there were about ten aliens with him, though he was still not sure. His P-90 and sidearm had been taken from him and he could tell that the aliens meant to post a sentinel to deal with his team if they were following. Oddly enough, they had left his flashlight alone. Daniel supposed they weren't worried about it, undoubtedly because they could control it as they wished. He had though about using it, but thought that might draw their attention to it and it would be taken away, and he would need it if he was ever able to escape.
After regaining his footing, Daniel was forced onward. Though he was being led by the rope, he still managed to stub his toes on every rock and tree root and his eyes had started to ache from straining so hard to see in the darkness. Without the aid of a light he couldn't even see an inch in front of him, let alone a foot.
Though he had not had much success in communicating, it was obvious that the aliens were in a rush. He knew they wanted to get away from the rest of SG-1, but there was some other reason too, something far more important.
"Um, where's Daniel?" Jack asked as he watched Carter scan the surrounding area with her flashlight. He was half expecting the archeologist to pop out from the shadows and shout, "Miss me?" But there was no sign of the fourth team member anywhere.
"He does not appear to be in the vicinity O'Neill."
"Thanks T." Jack shot at the Jaffa, sarcasm dripping in his voice. If he had seemed irritated at all, it wasn't because of Teal'c's obvious comment, but because of the fact that he had lost one of his team.
"What's the plan sir?" Carter asked as she walked over to her CO.
"We'll go after him."
"Yes sir." Sam hadn't really expected a different answer, no one gets left behind.
After retrieving the things they would need from the tents the three soldiers set out after a faint trail of tracks Teal'c had found leading in the northerly direction away from the 'gate.
Few words were passed between them as they trudged through the thick undergrowth of a forest that had come upon them. Each was caught up in their own thoughts.
Jack was wondering how the aliens could have taken control of their flashlights like that, and if they could do that why did they bother asking them to turn them off in the first place. Was it possible that Daniel had been right about turning off the lights? Maybe if they had done that then the aliens would have held true to their word about not wanting to harm them. Dammit! Why didn't he listen to Daniel more? And why had they taken only Daniel anyway, instead of all of SG-1 as they obviously could have done it quite easily.
A few paces in front of him Sam was staring up into the blackened sky, as much as she was concerned about the archeologist, she couldn't help her scientific mind from wondering why they hadn't seen a sunrise. It didn't make much sense, there were plenty of plants and plants needed sunlight. So where was the sun?
Sam was brought out of her musings by a faint curse from the Colonel. "You okay?" she asked him over her shoulder.
Jack who had just tripped over a tree root and stubbed his big toe replied, "Peachy, I just hate trees. Remind me to tell General Hammond to add night vision goggles to the necessities list of every SG team."
What happened next barely spanned the blink of an eye, there was the sound of a bullet being fired and Jack watched in shock as Sam crumpled to the ground in a heap in front of him.
Instinctively, O'Neill dropped to the dirt beside her and brandished his gun in the direction the bullet had come from, but Teal'c was faster. Taking only a split second to aim, he had let off a shot from his staff weapon and was rewarded with a figure, presumably armed with Daniel's P-90, dropping out of a tree somewhere to the left.
"Nice shot." Jack said amazement evident in his voice but it was sorely drowned out by the concern he had for Carter. "It's my turn to ask, are you okay?"
Sam propped herself up on one arm and said, "Nothing a larval Goa'uld couldn't heal."
"Sorry Carter, but last time I checked you didn't have one of those."
"No sir," she replied grimly.
Jack turned his attention back to the Jaffa, "You think there are any more of them out there?"
"I do not believe so, O'Neill. How is Major Carter?"
Jack looked back at his 2IC, who he was still crouching beside, "Took a nasty hit to the leg, but I think she'll live to bring down another system lord." He turned back to her, "I'm going to do my best to wrap this up and then I'm going to have Teal'c help you back to camp and I'll-"
"No sir, I can make it back on my own, you'll need all the help you can get to bring Daniel back. Besides when I get back to the 'gate I can try to figure out what's wrong with it and hopefully find someway to get us home."
"You sure Carter?" Jack wasn't going to argue with her, he knew he'd never be able to free Daniel by himself, and he wasn't sure that even with Teal'c he would be able to, but he had to try.
"Yes sir."
"Okay." Jack opened up his pack and found the emergency first aid kit. He took out some bandages and salve and began to clean and dress Carter's wound. Upon closer inspection of the hole he noticed that the bullet had just missed the femur and he knew she had been lucky in that regard. It was likely that the alien had never seen a gun before and was not skilled at using one, so it was surprising that he had even managed to hit one of the team anyway. When Jack was done he asked her if she could stand.
"Yes sir," she replied with determination.
She threw an arm around her CO's shoulders and he helped her to regain her footing. Sam had to bite her lip to keep from crying out in pain when she put weight on her injured limb, but she stood resolutely nonetheless.
"O'Neill." Teal'c called to Jack from where he was standing over the dead alien, he had taken possession of the weapon that was suppose to be with Daniel Jackson.
"What is it T?" Jack asked as he shifted slightly under Carter's weight.
"I have found something."
Slowly and painfully, Jack and Sam made their way over to Teal'c who was standing beside the dead alien. When they finally made it there Sam looked down at the corpse. It looked a lot like a human except that its skin looked more rubbery and the head was bald and squarish.
"Yeah?" Jack asked.
Without a word, Teal'c shone his flashlight onto the flesh of the alien. They all watched with a mixture of curiosity and disgust as the skin of the creature started to sizzle and began to flake off and in seconds they were staring at a hole the size of a fist burnt into the chest of the being.
"Well, that's just nasty."
"But it does give us an advantage," Carter started.
"Oh and how's that? If any of them die we can maim their bodies?"
Sam ignored O'Neill's sarcastic comment and continued, "That must be why they live on this planet, there's no sun or at least no sun light for long amounts of time, and if and when the sun comes out they probably retreat to caves or somewhere underground. They must have been telling the truth when they said the light hurt them. That," she gestured with a disgusted look at the alien body, "must happen."
"Not even a bullet can slow you down, can it Carter?" Jack said.
Sam couldn't help but grin at his remark, but it turned it into a wince when a sudden twinge shot through her leg.
Jack noticed and wrapped his arm more securely around Carter's waist inviting her to lean on him and then he told Teal'c, "Carter's going to go back to the 'gate while you and I go find Daniel."
Teal'c inclined his head in a gesture of understanding; he thought it strange that O'Neill would let Major Carter go back on her own but did not remark on it, trusting O'Neill to make the right decision.
"Okay Teal'c, let's go." Jack cued the Jaffa to go on ahead a bit so he could talk to Carter. He carefully slid his arm from around her waist so that she was standing on her own. He watched as she wobbled a bit and asked one more time, "You sure about this Carter?"
Sam gave him a grim smile and patted her P-90, "I'll be fine."
Jack seemed a bit more assured by this and slipped back into his customary joking manner. "Alright then, we'll see you in a flash." He said as he playfully waved his flashlight around.
He had already turned around when Sam spoke again.
"It's not your fault sir."
Instantly, Jack knew she was talking about Daniel and not the bullet in her leg and without so much as turning around he replied, "I know Carter."
A/N: Okay, I know it's not that realistic for Sam to walk back to the Stargate with a bullet in her leg even if they're not that far from the 'gate, but you have to go with me on this one. I considered her getting shot in the arm but then she wouldn't have to go back to the Stargate and she needs to for a certain reason. Hope you can accept that.
Again, thanks for all the reviews and the suggestions for Nacwald, I'll be sure to put some in the next chapter. And any more ideas are still welcomed.