Shadows of Fear
"Drop!"
Colonel O'Neill didn't utter a word but he didn't need to, the hand signal was sudden and imperative. His three teammates reacted immediately, dropping and finding cover, their weapons up and ready.
The forest was silent. There was almost no movement at all, nothing except the rise and fall of soft breaths from the four members of SG-1, eyes scanning their surroundings.
Several minutes passed before the colonel rose slowly to his feet, turning as he did so to take in as much of the forest as possible. Teal'c followed him up a few seconds later, Major Carter and Daniel Jackson following after several beats.
Jack responded to Teal'c's unspoken query, still on alert, his voice soft.
"I saw something move." He gestured to their left, to where a particularly thick patch of undergrowth obscured their view after just a short distance.
There was no need for further instructions. Each team member fell into the role they had established after so many missions together. Teal'c moved ahead, checking for any signs, Jack watching his back. Daniel and Sam flanked them, watchful for the presence of danger. It was only after Teal'c had given the all clear that they relaxed somewhat.
Daniel was the first to break the silence. "What did you think you saw, Jack?"
O'Neill gave a quick shake of his head and replied, his annoyance obvious. "I didn't think I saw anything. I did see a figure watching us from these trees."
"A native, sir?"
"I have no idea, Carter. I just caught enough of a glimpse to register its presence."
"The being has left no trace of its passage through the undergrowth." Teal'c was still examining the ground. Jack was pleased to hear no trace of doubt in the Jaffa's voice.
"Okay, I don't need to tell you to keep alert." Jack flipped the cover from his wristwatch, taking a quick look at the dial before returning his attention to his surroundings. "We have another couple of hours before dark. Let's get out of these trees and find ourselves a better position to set up camp."
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
By the time SG-1 reached the open grasslands that stretched as far as the distant gate Jack was as edgy as hell. He couldn't count the number of times he'd turned, feeling sure someone or something was trailing them. Usually Teal'c was in tune with Jack's instincts, but for once he didn't share his anxiety and Jack began to doubt his own senses, wondering if he was over-tired, causing his imagination to play tricks on him.
Now sitting at the campfire, sipping a coffee and trying to relax, Jack felt the hairs rising on the back of his neck. He turned away from the light, blinking several times to allow his eyes time to adjust to the change, and peered out into the night, searching for anything that could account for his concerns. Teal'c's dark figure stood watch at the camp's perimeter, but there was no other sign of life outside their little circle of fire flame.
Jack turned back to find Daniel and Carter's gaze on him. He looked down, not meeting their eyes, and tipping the remains of his coffee onto the ground, stood.
"Going to bed already, Jack?"
"Yeah." Rubbing a hand over his face, he grimaced at the gritty feeling as his fingers pressed lightly into his eyes. "We should make the gate by midday, right, Carter?"
"Yes, sir, easily."
"Good." He glanced off into the darkness again, his eyes drawn once more to something on the edge of his vision.
"That means I'll be able to work on the artefacts SG-7 brought back from their last mission, 'Daniel said, drawing Jack's attention back to his companions. "I've been trying to get to them for weeks. You remember, don't you, Jack . . .they're the ones you were picking through in my office."
Jack nodded, recalling the strange collection of seemingly random objects on Daniel's desk before their mission briefing.
"Some of them appear to have a variation of Cyrillic inscriptions, yet others are clearly Melanesian in form. It's fascinating really, how two such diverse. . ."
"Yes, good – I'm happy for you." The Colonel's abrupt tone cut Daniel's words off in mid-flight. "Now I have to get up to relieve Teal'c in a few hours so, as I said before, I'm going to bed."
He headed for his tent without waiting for a reply, well aware of the curious looks he was getting from his teammates. He hadn't meant to snap but the last thing he wanted to do right now was sit around discussing Daniel's work. He was tired and a headache was beginning to nudge its way into his consciousness – a headache that would only get worse if he stayed to listen to the archaeologist's involved explanations of his current pet project.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Jack slept well despite his concerns, and was awake and alert when the time came to relieve Teal'c. He crept out of his tent, careful not to disturb his sleeping teammates, and poured himself a coffee from the pot sitting on the hot embers of the fire. Swallowing half of it down in one swift gulp, he tossed the remainder to one side and headed off to where Teal'c stood guard. The two warriors had no need for speech, merely exchanging silent nods as they swapped places. If there had been anything of note worth mentioning Teal'c would have done so. The colonel started his watch by walking the perimeter of the camp, carefully surveying the surrounding area. That task done, he found a comfortable position against a slight mound of dirt and settled down. As the slow minutes passed his mind wandered over the possible dangers he and his team could face on an unknown planet – anything from Goa'uld and Jaffa to wild animals. Sometimes even the local flora leapt up and bit them in the ass. Nothing could be taken for granted. They'd learnt that the hard way, losing friends and colleagues in the process.
He shook himself out of his reverie, mentally berating himself for allowing his attention to slip, if only for a minute. A minute was all it took.
He stood and began another circuit of the camp.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
"Anything to add, Colonel?"
"No, sir, we've covered everything. All in all it was an uneventful mission."
General Hammond glanced down at the notes he had taken. "You didn't see any signs of life apart from the glimpse you caught in the forest?"
Colonel O'Neill shook his head. "No, none, and given the lack of evidence of other life forms apart from insects and birds I have no explanation for that." He winced at having to say it, but continued regardless. "I guess I just imagined it."
"Imagined it?" Hammond frowned, and narrowed his eyes as if peering more closely at his subordinate. "You aren't generally given to an over active imagination, Colonel."
"It's the only explanation I have, sir. I'm sure Teal'c would have found signs if there had been anything watching us." Jack caught Teal'c eye, acknowledging the slight inclination of the Jaffa's head with a quick smile. His faith in Teal'c's ability was absolute.
"Very well." The general closed the report in front of him and pushing his chair back, stood, the others around the table following him up. "You aren't scheduled for another mission until Wednesday, so I suggest you take the time to clear up any overdue reports you may have. Dismissed"
Although Hammond wasn't looking directly at him, Jack knew exactly who the words were aimed at, and by the look on the faces of the rest of SG-1 they did as well. He sighed, just having time for a muttered "Thank you, sir." before the general's office door shut.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Jack rubbed his hands wearily over his eyes and picked up the next in a seemingly unending stack of forms and handwritten notes. Finding it to be a half completed recommendation he had begun six days ago he blinked and tried to remember exactly why he had been so keen on returning to PX4-711, or as he preferred to think of it, Planet Odious Smell. Something about Carter and astronomical observations flittered across his mind, but he lost his train of thought and sighed in frustration.
He really needed to take a break, get something to eat, and come back with a fresh mind. It was coming up to lunchtime anyway and breakfast seemed a very long time ago. He might even be good and forgo his usual high carb meal in favour of a nutritious salad. Or maybe not.
Putting the form back on top of the pile, he logged off the computer and pushed his chair back, wondering if Daniel would be willing to leave investigating his artefacts for long enough to eat. He would swing by his office and cajole his teammate into joining him.
Jack was already half way to his feet when he realised he was not alone.
Standing in the corner of the office, to one side of the door, was a still figure, his face in shadow.
The few brief seconds Jack had to react in were just long enough for him to begin reaching for the phone, then his hand stopped frozen in mid-grasp as the man in the corner stepped forward. He was in SGC BDUs and at first glance could be taken for any of the many personnel who manned the base, but Jack knew this wasn't just some Airman, part of the cleaning crew who had snuck in unnoticed. He knew this wasn't one of the SG team members he had scheduled to meet for staff evaluations. He knew this man had no right to be here, in his office, as if he belonged.
He was dead.
He had been dead since the beginning of the program, since that day Jack revisited in nightmares.
"Hello, Charlie."
And Charlie Kawalsky raised the half head that remained to him, and stared Jack straight in the eyes, the blood which poured down over his uniform as fresh as the day so long ago when he had ordered Teal'c to hold him down and allowed the event horizon to sever his life from him.
TBC
