I most sincerely do apologise to you all for keeping you in suspense all this time. I hadn't realised it had been so long since I updated. There has been so much going wrong in RL that this sort of got pushed onto the side-lines. Sorry! I'll try not to keep you hanging on any more.
Thanks for your reviews anyway guys. They are always much appreciated.
General Disaster.
By LetitiaRichards.
Previously:-
"We have found them!" he cried with the merest hint of grim smile.
Chapter 9
Along with the dust and debris that fell downwards into the chamber, it was the fresh air that was mostly welcomed, though neither of the occupants were conscious of that fact or that they were about to be rescued.
Dave Dixon tapped Teal'c on the shoulder and took his place to get a look inside where his CO and his friend were. He flashed a powerful torch around the darkness until he lighted on the two inert figures. He wondered if they were too late, then shoved that thought away; he wouldn't allow himself to give up yet.
Pushing himself upright again he started to bark out orders.
Ropes, pulleys, and teams were organised to drop a pair of medics into the hole so that they could assess the damage done to Jack and the General, while the rest of them worked on widening the access so that the stretchers carrying their precious cargo could be lifted out without too much hassle.
Several minutes later Lt. Andrews was pulling on a harness, his backpack already lowered down into the dark space below. He sat on the edge, his feet dangling over nothing and with just a little trepidation, he was lowered away.
His feet swung in the air, the rope twisting so that he spun round a few times, and Andrews closed his eyes until he felt his feet touch down. He opened his eyes thankfully and scrambled to free himself, ready for Lt. Baker to follow.
He watched the rope disappear and turned to sweep the light around the chamber. Once he had spotted his patients he headed there with his gear.
Both were deeply unconscious but alive.
He released the breath he hadn't realised he was holding and pressed the button on his radio.
"Colonel?"
"Yeah. Go ahead Andrews," Dixon replied.
Everyone up top was waiting anxiously for the news; worried that they were too late.
"They're both alive sir!"
A cheer rang out and everyone wore happy smiles as they went about their rescue with renewed vigour.
"Okay Lieutenant...let's see if we can keep them that way. Lowering down Baker now."
OoOoOoOoO
There was a knock on the door.
Bauer looked up to see Sgt. Davis standing hesitantly in the open doorway.
"Sergeant?"
"Colonel Simmons is up top sir. He's demanding to see you General."
"He can demand all he likes Sergeant. This mountain stays closed until we get our people back."
"Yes sir."
Davis turned away and walked back to the control room; a smug smile on his lips. At least the General had come to his senses at last. He'd moved heaven and earth to get the rescue teams underway without raising suspicions in higher places. Obviously there was some news leaking through from someone, but with the mountain closed up tight, it would only be a matter of time when someone would show their hand.
He'd only just sat down when the klaxons announced an incoming wormhole.
Bauer shot from his chair and hurried down to the control room and stood behind Davis' chair.
"Sergeant?"
"It's SG-1's Iris code sir," Davis informed him.
Bauer nodded and Teal'c's voice came through the connection.
"General Bauer," Teal'c acknowledged. "We have located the whereabouts of General Hammond and O'Neill. They are both reported to be alive."
There was an audible sigh of relief from those in the control room, and Bauer gripped the back of the technician's chair harder, in order to keep himself from falling to his knees. His legs shook but he sucked up his courage and replied to the Jaffa with a thankful voice.
"That's good Teal'c. Do you have any further information on their state of health?"
"Not at this point in time General Bauer. We are waiting for their medical assessments before we can move them."
"Acknowledged Teal'c. Keep me appraised of their progress."
"I will General Bauer."
The communication shut off and the wormhole closed down with a snap, leaving an eerie silence in the room.
Bauer breathed another sigh of relief; all that remained now was the hope that the search party could catch up with Osiris before she reached her destination and rendezvous with Anubis, and that they could successfully rescue Major Carter and Dr. Jackson.
OoOoOoOoO
Daniel wrapped his arms tightly round his stomach trying hard to prevent it from rumbling. He was sooo hungry despite the fact that he and Sam were in a desperate situation.
Nevertheless, the gurgle of hunger escaped the confines and echoed loudly around the silent room.
Sam couldn't help the little snort of amusement when she heard it.
"I ought to call you Charlie Allnut," she giggled, naming him after Humphrey Bogart's character in movie, 'The African Queen'.
Daniel looked up at her and smiled sadly. It had been almost two days since their meeting with Osiris and since they had eaten any food.
"So that makes you Rose Sayer?" he retorted. "I don't exactly see you as a Katherine Hepburn type."
Sam giggled again. She couldn't help it. She was sooo hungry that she was feeling light-headed. She had to laugh, otherwise she would cry. For the last 48 hours or so, or whatever length of time had passed by, she had pictured Jack lying broken and lifeless beneath a pile of rubble. She just couldn't get those images out of her mind. Her laugh ended on a sob and Daniel realised that she was nearing the end of her tether.
He scooted over to her, pulling her into a hug, soothing her jagged psyche with words and gestures of comfort.
They both felt the jolt when the ship dropped out of hyperspace. Looking each other in the eye, both knew what that meant. It could only mean one thing; that they had reached Anubis' home-world. They had reached the end of their journey and possibly the end of their life.
Sam dragged in a calming breath and patted Daniel's hand to reassure him that she was once more in full control of her emotions. She could do this; she wanted to die like a warrior, so that Jack could be proud of her. The consummate officer that he believed she was.
The door slid open and they stood to face their destiny together.
The Jaffa gestured for them to walk in front of them, following the First-Prime through the long winding hallways. Flickering fire-light lit their path to the ring-room where they were ordered to stand ready for transport to Anubis' palace below them on the surface of an unknown planet.
Sam's fingers touched Daniel's as they stood side by side on the ring pad.
The Jaffa around them aimed their weapons at them, making sure they didn't try anything.
There was a moment of disorientation when a fire-fight broke out around them. Sam and Daniel dropped to the floor trying to avoid being hit. The noise abated and they caught a glimpse of several dead bodies lying about, just before they were transported out.
The rings and the bright light obliterated their view of what had happened.
Sam felt Daniel's fingers grip hers and she squeezed them back.
"Was that a rescue attempt?" she asked, still troubled by the strange events.
"If it was, then what just happened?" Daniel replied with a question of his own.
Did it fail? They both wondered.
The rings deposited them in a dark room, the muted gold of the walls filled with shadows.
From out of the dark a stranger's deep voice welcomed them to his humble abode.
Daniel felt Sam shiver, and gripped her fingers tighter, though he was fighting to stop himself from shaking too.
"Major Samantha Carter. Dr. Daniel Jackson. Welcome. Come, my master wishes to meet with you most urgently."
Disappointment flooded Sam's heart at his words. She glanced round at Daniel and sucked in a huge breath. This was it. They were completely at his mercy. There would be no escape for them.
They followed the dark robed servant, heads bowed down in defeat, but hearts and minds determined to face their death with equanimity.
TBC