Here you are folks, another chapter – a longer one this time – to keep you happy. I'm off for a little while, but I will be back with another chapter just as soon as I can get back to you.
Thanks for all your reviews, I really do look forward to getting feedback...it helps me to improve and encourage me in my writing.
General Disaster.
By LetitiaRichards.
Previously:-
Sam offered her father a warm smile, and hugged him tightly, thanking god that he was still alive. 'Where would she be without him?' she wondered.
Chapter 11
"You hungry?" Jacob asked when Sam's stomach rumbled. She giggled and nodded.
"Starving!" Daniel sighed with longing. It had been so long since they'd eaten. "You have some food handy?"
"Sure. Ah...em...what did you do with Corlam?"
"Who?"
"They guy who was supposed to bring you here?"
"Oh...um...him," Sam hesitated a little, grimacing with recollection. "We...er...jumped him too. Daniel knocked him out!"
Jacob swung round to gape in astonishment at the younger man. He'd always seemed such a mild mannered kid.
"You did?"
"I didn't know who he was. He was a Goa'uld...well, I'm guessing that would be a Tok'ra now, huh?" Daniel explained defensively, pulling a face in remorse.
Jacob nodded, trying hard not to grin.
"Sorry!"
Jacob laughed, slapping Daniel on the shoulder.
"Don't worry about it. But, what did you do with him?" he asked, wondering why his friend hadn't joined them on the bridge.
"We kinda locked him in a store-room of sorts."
Just then the door burst open and Corlam entered followed by several more Tok'ra. He looked relieved to see Jacob chatting and laughing with Sam and Daniel.
"Corlam, come, meet Jacob's daughter and Dr. Jackson," Selmak called, taking over from Jacob.
Corlam stepped forward and executed a regal bow to both Sam and Daniel. The other men, melted away into the background and disappeared back through the door.
"It is my honour to meet you Major Carter, Dr. Jackson of the Tau'ri. Jacob has told me much about you."
"Thank you Corlam, and I'm really sorry we hit you."
"Think nothing off it Major Carter, Dr. Jackson. I am relieved that we were able to be of service to you."
Sam acknowledged his concern with a nod, then asked, curious as to why they had acted in secret.
"Tell me, why did you pretend my father/Selmak was you master?"
Corlam looked at Jacob who snorted, laughing, bringing about a smile on Corlam's lips too.
"Actually, your father wanted to surprise you Major Carter."
"Well, he did that all right!" she replied dryly.
"Food, Corlam. These two are hungry!"
"I will fetch some from our supplies," he said, dipping his head a little as he turned away.
"Don't mind him," Jacob said with a sigh. "We rescued the host, Eldwain, from a Goa'uld kitchen where he was little more than a wretched slave. He was thin and emaciated and near to death through abuse, but Corlam needed a host and he volunteered. He still treats us like kings, and we can't get him to change his ways. Corlam, humours him a little, I think, just to keep the peace. It's all he knows; he was just a little kid when he was taken from his home-world. He's happiest when he thinks he's serving us. Sort of a 'thank you' I guess."
"What about when you fight the Goa'uld?" Daniel asked curious about how the host would deal with the Tok'ra symbiote in a time of crisis.
"Corlam usually takes control, but Eldwain is no push over. Don't let that servitude approach fool ya; he has a score to settle with the Goa'uld and he fights real hard."
The man in question entered again, dipping his head as was his custom. He handed them a plate with some bread like substitute, and something that tasted like cheese, though the dark red colour puzzled them a little, and a skin of water. Not wishing to look a gift horse in the mouth, they both tucked in hungrily.
OoOoOoOoO
Two hours later, they were ringed down to a deserted planet. It was night here, and the two moons were just slivers of light in the darkness. A cool breeze blew round their clothes and rustled through their hair, but Jacob assured them it was safe here. What little wildlife there was, was fairly tame and the only danger they were in, was by being licked to death from an over-zealous welcome. It reminded Daniel of his first trip through the gate to Abydos, and being woken by that slobbering Mastidge after being taken on an unexpected ride across the sand dunes; feet first!
"Okay!" he said, looking round as if trying to avoid whatever creatures there were around. He moved across to the DHD and began dialling home.
"Thanks for the rescue Dad. I really didn't know how we were gonna get outta there. At least in one piece." Sam stepped into her father's embrace and hugged him tightly.
"Hey, glad I got there in time. Just...promise me you'll stay outta trouble in future kid."
"I can't promise you that Dad. Not with this job," she sighed regretfully.
"I know kiddo. So keep your head down, okay?"
"Sure I will Dad," Sam grinned, stepping out of his arms and back towards Daniel.
Jacob readied the GDO for when the huge plume of matter spewed from the centre of the Stargate. He pressed the code on the remote device and waited, watching and waving to Daniel as he stepped through. Just before Sam disappeared, he called her attention.
"Sam! Don't forget to let me know how George and Jack are okay?" he called with a wave.
"I won't. Bye Dad!" She waved back then stepped into the vertical puddle of the event horizon and out onto the ramp at the SGC amid chaos.
OoOoOoOoO
Amid all the efforts to clear up the gate-room from the debris left behind when SG-13 and the volunteers had arrived home, General Bauer stood at the foot of the ramp, a worried frown marring his features. If anything, he looked older and his white hair thinner, Sam noted. He wasn't her favourite General by any means, but she knew enough from her dad, to acknowledge that without his interference, she and Daniel would be prisoners of Anubis by now. It was Bauer's message that had sent Jacob off to find his daughter.
"It's good to see you Major Carter, Dr. Jackson. I trust your rescue went according to plan?" Bauer greeted them with a hesitant smile, unsure of his reception.
"Yes sir," Sam nodded, looking around. "Any news on the Colonel and General Hammond sir?" she asked, bringing her eyes back to the General before her.
"SG-13 came through just a few moments ago Major. Both General Hammond and Colonel O'Neill are being prepped for surgery." His gaze dropped to wards the floor where a few spots of blood still showed evidence of an injury. Sam wasn't sure who it belonged to, but closed her mind that it might be Jack's, and that he could be badly hurt.
"Sir, permission to..." she broke off as Bauer interrupted her with a wry twist of his lips.
"Get yourselves to the infirmary Major, Doctor. Have yourselves checked out. We'll debrief at 08:00 tomorrow. Dismissed!"
Sam saluted the senior officer and she and Daniel headed out of the room, desperate to find out how Jack and the General were, and Teal'c too.
They met up with the huge Jaffa as he was standing vigil outside the OR.
"Hey, Teal'c, how are you?" Sam called when she rounded the corner to see his impassive form blocking the doorway.
"I am well Major Carter. Your presence here indicates that Jacob Carter's mission was successful. I am pleased that you and Daniel Jackson appear unharmed."
"Yeah Teal'c. Dad arrived in the nick of time. How's the Colonel?"
"Dr. Fraiser is attempting to repair the damage. Both General Hammond and O'Neill were unconscious when we rescued them. There was very little air left when we broke through to the chamber they were sealed into. As to their injuries, I do not know the full extent, but it was obvious they had both suffered extensively."
Daniel sighed, hugging himself in classic anxiety pose, but he sat down on the chair to wait for an update on his friend.
Sam slumped into the chair beside him, folding her arms to stop herself from chewing on her nails, or knuckles; the elation of being free having been replaced with deep concern for her...not exactly lover, not yet, but she had dreams; what girl didn't? Jack loved her, of this she was sure, and she loved him dearly, despite his annoying little foibles. Perhaps after this, they would actually do something about the intolerable situation concerning those damned frat regs.
OoOoOoOoO
"You agreed. You went into this with your eyes open Bauer!"
The angry voice spat a stream of obscenities down the phone at him, but General Bauer brushed it off. For the moment he was safe; no-one could enter the mountain until he'd given the order to open it up again, but for now they were all sealed in tight for the duration.
"...anything to get back behind a command placement." The voice continued sneeringly. "After that last little fiasco, you were washed up and retired. We...I gave you another chance and you blew it. I..."
Bauer dropped the phone back onto it's hook and sat pressing his threaded fingers against his lips as he pondered what to do for the best. Yes, the voice had been correct; he had done this, knowing the outcome, but then, he'd been thinking and had come to his senses at last. He wasn't cut out for all this cloak and dagger, backbiting, and secret revenge thing; he hated it. Now he'd thought it over, he'd changed his outlook, knowing what he did now, and having gotten to know the people involved, he knew what course of action to take. At least the President had agreed with him and was backing him one-hundred percent.
He picked up the phone and dialled for base security.
"Colonel Masters? Colonel Simmons and his entourage are once again demanding entrance at the front door, please show them to a nice comfortable cell somewhere and detain them...indefinitely." he paused listening to the Colonel's questions. "The charge? Two counts of attempted murder, and the blackmailing of a superior officer of the USAF," he said. Squashing the startled yelp of surprise from the Colonel, he made it plain that those were his orders and they had come directly from the President.
He dropped the phone back into place and stood, making for the elevator; only one thing filling his mind now, and that was to find out how Hammond and O'Neill were doing.
OoOoOoOoO
The doors swung open and the gurney, loaded with IVs and other paraphernalia, was pushed out into the corridor; the crew heading it towards the infirmary proper.
"Janet?"
Sam pounced on her friend as soon as the petite Doctor had appeared behind the loaded gurney.
"How is he?"
"Sam. Are you okay?" Janet deflected the question, by her concern for her friend who had still been missing when they'd gone into surgery.
"I'm fine. We're fine!" she sighed in exasperation, she was desperate to know how Jack was. "Janet, please!"
"Colonel O'Neill will be fine, given time. He's got a couple of broken ribs; a deep gash on his leg; a badly bruised arm which lucky for him wasn't broken, though it will probably feel like it is for a while. He has a high fever from an infection, but we're tackling that with antibiotics. Concussion... the usual, bumps, bruises, scrapes..." Janet listed and would have gone on, but Daniel stopped her short, not really wanting to hear how much Jack was suffering, only that he was going to be okay after all.
"What about General Hammond?" Daniel asked.
"He'll be okay too. Thank god! Unfortunately he'll be off work for some time. He's broken his right ankle and also his left leg in the fall and gained a pretty bad concussion too, earning himself several stitches in his forehead. Other than that, he's just fine."
Sam and Daniel both let out a huge sigh of relief; unable to bear the thought that the General might have died out there along with Jack.
"Can we see Jack?"
Janet smiled and shook her head in resignation, not in the least surprised by their request.
"Let me get him settled into bed and then you can sit with him for just for a short while. His fever is uncomfortable at the moment, and I need him to rest as much as possible. Give me five minutes guys."
Daniel nodded and watched their friend walk away. He placed a hand on Sam's shoulder and gave it a little squeeze.
"I told you he was tough Sam."
"Sure!" Sam gulped, holding back on her tears of relief. Jack always bounced back after an injury, you'd think she would know that by now; but it was still hard to see him like that, hurting.
The hand on her shoulder moved into a gentle tap and they moved off towards the infirmary, eager to see their team leader and friend, happy in the knowledge that he was going to be okay.
TBC