Jack was fidgeting. Not an unusual occurrence in itself, but in this case, Daniel really wished he'd leave a certain part of his native attire alone. It was embarrassing.
"Jack, stop it," Daniel hissed.
"It's too small," Jack snapped back.
"They're supposed to be snug fitting, now leave it alone."
"I don't see why you got the larger one."
Luckily, the darkness hid Daniel's smirk.
They were hiding in the shadows outside the building Elizabeth's father used as his observatory, waiting for her to give them the all clear. Daniel was slightly surprised to find it inside the town until he remembered that there was no light pollution. The observatory did not look that different from the Earth equivalents. Built from wood, it was a tall building with a domed roof. Although it did not revolve, Daniel could see a hole bisecting the dome.
No one had spared them a second glance as they'd hurried through the darkened streets. The people who were still around at this hour kept to themselves. They weren't about to challenge strangers.
The clatter of footsteps signalled Elizabeth's return.
"He must be at home," she replied a little breathlessly.
"Thank you," Jack said as they followed her up the stairs to the top of the tower.
The room reminded Daniel of his own office. Elizabeth had lit the candles, offering them some illumination. Papers were scattered over every surface, books bulged from the shelves and there was the comforting smell of wax and old parchment.
"How the hell are we supposed to find anything?" Jack complained.
"Elizabeth, where does he keep his drawings of the sky?" Daniel asked.
She immediately crossed to a shelf and pulled out a roll of parchment.
"He has been working on these for many years," she said.
Daniel took the document from her and unrolled it carefully. At one glance, he could tell that this part of the galaxy was more densely populated than Earth. What Jack expected to see, he wasn't sure. Daniel couldn't tell one star from another. He couldn't recall the last time he'd seen his friend study something this intensely. His uncomfortable codpiece forgotten, Jack seemed to know exactly what he was doing. They'd brought Sam's laptop with them. Jack switched it on and brought up the map downloaded from SG-7's observations. He'd found a straight edge and a pencil and was drawing a network of lines across the paper, correlating the two.
Despite speaking twenty-three different languages, Daniel had absolutely no idea what it meant. Jack hadn't been kidding when he announced he could read a star map as well as Sam. Every so often, he checked the computer display, muttering to himself. When he'd finished with one map, he went and got another. Daniel found himself in the unfamiliar position of being bored while someone else worked.
It seemed like hours later when Jack finally announced he was done.
"You find what you wanted?" Daniel asked.
"No," Jack replied, "It wasn't there."
"What?"
"The black hole, Carter told me the accretion disc was visible in a small telescope. It's in the most recent map but not in any of the earlier ones."
"So?"
"There should be something. It takes a pretty big star to condense down to a black hole. This close it would have been visible to the naked eye … look."
Jack showed him the difference between the two maps. There was definitely a mark in one and not in the other.
"I need to talk to Carter," Jack said.
They cleared up as best they could, although it was doubtful that there was any kind of order to be restored. Back in the street Elizabeth turned to them,
"You can find your own way?" she asked.
"Yes and thank you for your help," Daniel told her.
She was obviously eager to get home because she practically ran away from them. Jack and Daniel moved at a slower pace. The streets had emptied in the intervening hours and, aside from a wandering dog, it was doubtful anyone witnessed their passing.
Sam and Teal'c were waiting anxiously for them.
"What did you find?" she asked as they sat down by the fire.
"It's recent," Jack told her. "Dad had maps going back ten years or more. Up to six months ago there was nothing there."
"Nothing? There had to be."
"I know."
Teal'c looked from one to the other and then at Daniel, who shrugged. Despite Jack's earlier attempts at explanation, he still had very little idea as to the mechanics of black hole formation.
"I need to think about this," Sam said to forestall any more questions.
XOXO
Jack didn't sleep. This planet gave him the creeps. Sure, it all looked peaceful enough; quiet town, slightly surly natives … no reason to be worried. Apart from the fact that a SG team had disappeared here under mysterious circumstances and Jack didn't want SG-1 to be next. That was why he was unnaturally alert and not because Carter was now snoring happily to herself in the other tent. He wondered if it annoyed Pete… then again when Pete stayed over he doubted that he and Carter did much in the way of sleeping. It wasn't something Jack really wanted to imagine. He was getting very good at ignoring the fact she had a boyfriend. Since Carter didn't seem that keen on discussing her relationship with Shanahan, the arrangement worked out just fine for both of them.
Even though his watch wasn't due to start for another two hours, Jack decided it was time to get up. He was sure Daniel would welcome some company.
It wasn't a surprise to find the archaeologist had his nose in a book. How he could remain alert to his surroundings was a mystery, but he'd never given Jack any reason to complain. The habit was one the Colonel just had to endure, just like Carter's obsession with astrophysics and Teal'c's unnaturally large biceps.
"Jack," Daniel acknowledged without looking up.
"Daniel," Jack returned.
Jack sat down on a handy log and started to take his P90 apart. Probably wasn't the wisest thing to do, given they were in enemy territory, but he found the familiar action had a calming effect. He could do this backwards, with his eyes shut, which left his mind free to consider weightier matters… whether he'd remembered to set the VCR for The Simpsons, being a good example.
"Time to check in with Pierce yet?" he asked.
"Not for another half hour," Daniel replied.
There was no harm in doing it early, Jack decided and walked over to the DHD, ignoring Daniel's annoyed sigh. He paused a moment as he tried to recall the symbols. The Alpha Site had moved so frequently it was tough to keep track of where it actually was. He usually got Daniel or Carter to take care of the dialling, but since the other man didn't look like he'd be moving anytime soon, Jack punched in the symbols.
"Alpha Site this is SG-1 niner," Jack spoke into his radio.
"You're early," Pierce's voice replied. "Is there a problem?"
"Just wanted a chat."
"Excuse me?"
Sometimes that young man was too serious for his own good, Jack realised.
"Everything's pretty quiet this side. Heard anything from the SGC yet?"
"Not yet."
It had been a futile hope, Jack realised. When Siler made an estimate, it was usually correct down to the last second. There seemed little point in continuing the conversation as neither of them had anything to talk about.
Jack was about to sign off when he noticed something. The surface of the event horizon, usually flat, was bulging slightly. Curious, Jack walked around the other side. There was a definite dip.
"Daniel, wake Carter," he ordered.
Teal'c, Jack noted, had roused himself from meditation.
"Sir?" Pierce's voice questioned.
"I don't know yet. Keep this channel open."
"Sam!" Daniel called.
Two minutes later a very dishevelled Samantha Carter crawled out of her tent, still wiping traces of drool from her mouth.
"Carter, you ever seen anything like this before?" Jack asked.
She came straight over, all traces of weariness forgotten. There was no doubt about it the bulge was getting bigger, like a bubble about to burst.
"Uh Jack…" Daniel began, "You think we should…"
"Yes I do," Jack replied.
Grabbing Carter's arm, Jack jumped backwards dragging her away as the Stargate exploded outwards and something passed straight over their heads. This was no ordinary Kawoosh. It didn't sink back into the event horizon, leaving Jack and Carter to roll from underneath. Instinctively they backed away. Something inside seemed to be moving, pushing against the membrane.
"What the…?" Jack began, just as whatever it was broke through.
A dull roar filled Jack's ears as he felt the wave of heat singe the hair on the back of his neck as he turned away from it.
"Move!" he screamed the order.
They didn't even think they just started to run, Jack bringing up the rear. Teal'c led them towards the town and the distant river. Any thoughts of bad knees and a sore back were quickly forgotten. It was amazing how adrenalin and exercise diminished the stiffness. He'd suffer for it later when Fraiser found out what he'd been doing… Crap. It wouldn't be Fraiser. Jack couldn't believe he'd forgotten.
Behind them the vegetation was burning. Trees, grass, shrubs had flashed into flame with the burst of intense heat. The wind was blowing the smoke in their direction, making running over the rough ground that much more difficult. Swapping the grass for the uneven cobbles of the town gave them no relief. Jack was glad his team kept their physical fitness at a peak. If anything, he was the one lagging behind.
They were making enough noise to rouse the few inhabitants who hadn't been woken by the smell of burning. Soon, SG-1 weren't the only people fleeing towards the dubious safety of the water. The screams and yells of the populace were deafening and his voice was drowned out by the noise. He found himself being swept away from the other members of his team. Jack had forgotten one important fact about living without the benefit of modern plumbing and waste disposal. The town's trashcan was the river and the water wasn't exactly flowing rapidly. Up close, the smell was almost enough to make Jack pass out.
The fire had spread to the outskirts of the town and a group of men were forming a chain, trying to save their homes. Without thought, Jack joined them. He was relived to see Carter and Daniel further down the line. Teal'c was the only one of them who had braved the river. Half the juvenile population seemed to be clinging onto him as he waded into the water, guiding the women and children to safety.
As dawn broke, the true scope of the destruction was brought to light. Despite their best efforts, the townspeople had been able to save very little. Many of the buildings were still smouldering, but the fire, for the most part, had burnt itself out. Jack and his team sat a little away from the others. Now the crisis were over they were once again outsiders. Despite his best efforts, Jack hadn't been able to stop himself getting wet. He felt like he'd drunk half the river too. He stank, he was covered in soot, and his lungs were burning. The last person he wanted was to see Elizabeth's father heading in his direction.
Jack harboured a secret fantasy that the man was going to beg forgiveness for his previous behaviour… Followed by a feast held in honour of SG-1 and all the first-born children would be called Jack. Even the girls. The truth, however, was written in the man's face, his aggressive posture.
"You will leave," he stated.
It wasn't a surprise and Jack didn't even bother to stand. He was too tired. The other town's people gathered around, waiting, watching, No one seemed inclined to choose sides.
"You brought this thing to our land. You will take it away with you."
Jack still didn't bother to reply.
"In a couple of days, we'll be able to contact out homeworld," Daniel said. "We can bring help."
"We don't need your help!" the man snapped.
"Food, medical supplies…"
People started muttering to themselves.
"Leave!"
It was difficult to judge the mood of the crowd. Some of them seemed to be wavering, but the last thing Jack wanted was to have to fight his way out. Maybe it would be better to leave now. They could come back once they'd established contact with the SGC. Give it a few days these people might be happy to accept aid.
"Okay Daniel," Jack said as he struggled to his feet.
"Jack…?" the other man questioned.
"We're going."
"What?"
"Right now."
He didn't want to stand there and explain. Jack had to rely on his team to follow him, even if they didn't understand his reasons. Without a backwards glance, he started walking.
XOXO
None of their equipment had been worth salvaging. SG-1 stepped back onto the Alpha Site in just the clothes they stood up in… which were promptly taken away for incineration.
"They were right, you know," Daniel said to Jack as they waited for Sam to finish in the shower. The bathroom facilities weren't all operational and she'd won the coin toss to use the single functioning shower. Teal'c had disappeared to carry out a Jaffa cleansing ritual… or so he said. Daniel suspected he was just going to take a dust bath… or plunge into the nearest lake. Neither option really appealed to himself or Jack so they were forced to wait.
"What about?" Jack muttered.
"Us and the Stargate. Those creatures only attacked when the 'gate was active."
"It still doesn't make it our fault."
"I know and it still doesn't give us the right to walk away."
"Damn it Daniel, what were we supposed to do? Without back up from the SGC, we can't offer those people squat!"
"I think we should go back."
"We will, when we have something to offer them."
"Good."
"Fine."
The two men stood in silence, arms folded. Daniel knew Jack wasn't angry with him. It was the whole damn situation that had them sniping at each other.
"How long do you think Carter's going to be?" Jack asked.
"She took in shower gel, shampoo, conditioner…" Daniel ticked the items off on his fingers.
"How does she manage to fit all that stuff into her pack?"
"Handy travel size."
"Oh."
"And leg wax."
"She didn't."
"No."
Pushing himself upright, Jack started to walk away.
"Where are you going?" Daniel asked.
"To find Teal'c. The lake suddenly seems appealing."
Daniel didn't really have the heart to blame him. Sam was certainly taking her time and there would be no escaping the lingering traces of melon and passion fruit. If Sam used the shower first, she always managed to make the rest of them smell like girls. She emerged a few minutes later, her cheeks flushed accompanied by a cloud of highly scented steam.
"Don't worry," she grinned at Daniel, "I left you some hot water."
"Thanks."
She'd lied. When Daniel found himself standing under the spray, the water was lukewarm at best. Then he remembered something. Jack had been the one to toss the coin and he hadn't shown anyone the result.
Son of a bitch.
Well, luke-warm water was better than nothing. Daniel hoped Jack enjoyed skinny-dipping with Teal'c.
XOXO
"We sure they were dialling out?" O'Neill asked her for what felt like the tenth time.
Sam took a deep breath before answering,
"Yes, sir."
She could tell he was shaken. They all were. It was one of the fundamental constants of Stargate travel. Two-way travel through a wormhole was impossible for anything other than energy. She'd written the theory herself. The fact that something had managed to drag one of her compatriots away was a cause for alarm. It hinted at a corporeal form, but that was impossible. Her mind was running in circles. There had to be a logical explanation… When Elizabeth had first told them, Sam hadn't really believed her.
"We sure…" he started again.
"Yes!" she snapped.
"But I thought…"
"It can't!"
"Then how…?"
"I don't know, sir!"
If he hadn't been her commanding officer, Sam would have been tempted to slap him. Not hit him. Not injure him, but just to express her annoyance.
"We have encountered one life form which was capable of such travel," Teal'c added.
"Yeah, but that was just energy, right Sam?" Daniel said.
"Right," she replied.
It wasn't something she particularly wanted to remember. Bad enough her body had been hijacked and her personality subdued, but her soul had been ripped away and forced into the cold, hard electric circuits. It still gave her nightmares. Sam never talked about it. Bad dreams were probably par for the course as far as the members of SG-1 were concerned. Hers weren't anything special. It wasn't something she particularly wanted to recall. A bad end to a very bad year; there had been all that business with the Colonel … And Martouf…
They were sitting in the mess hall, trying to make the best of the MRE's that were all the Alpha Site had to offer in the way of food. Sam was very much aware that they all still smelled slightly of sewage. It was probably the reason why the rest of the personnel were avoiding them.
"You think that could be responsible?" Daniel questioned.
"Yeah, all it really did was futz with the computer systems," Jack added.
"It caused considerable damage to Major Carter," Teal'c said.
Sam fought down a shiver. What she was about to suggest didn't exactly fill her with joy.
"I think we should go there," she said.
"Where?" O'Neill asked.
"P9C-372," Daniel supplied.
"Where?"
"The planet where the Entity came from," Sam explained.
"Is that wise?"
"I don't see that we have much choice. We can't send a MALP."
The Colonel dragged his hands through his hair as he considered the idea. Sam found herself holding her breath. She was certain that General Hammond would have agreed with her suggestion, she wasn't so sure about O'Neill. Even after all these years, his first instinct was to protect, by any means necessary. It was something she had grown to accept, even if her own instincts were somewhat different.
"We don't have any nukes here, do we?" he asked.
"Not yet, sir," she replied.
"Okay… then I guess we'll be paying these guys a visit."
He grinned at her, but Sam didn't feel much like smiling. They had to go to P9C-372. She could only hope that she wouldn't freak out once they got there.
"Get some sleep," O'Neill ordered, "we'll leave first thing tomorrow."
Teal'c, she noticed, waited behind as Daniel and the Colonel left. He looked at her closely. Sam knew he wouldn't speak, not unless she did. And her resolve lasted precisely thirty seconds.
"I'll be fine," she told him.
"Of that I have no doubt," he replied.
"Thanks Teal'c."
"For what?"
"Looking out for me."
Not that Daniel or the Colonel O'Neill were remiss in that regard, but she and Teal'c had grown closer over the past few years. Their friendship was a simple one, unburdened by the complications that marked her relationships with her other team members. Sam had to admit she hadn't been as comfortable around Daniel since his latest return from the dead, having mourned him once she was scared of losing him again. As for the Colonel…well, she wasn't going to go there.
"Do you remember your experience?" Teal'c asked.
"Yes," Sam replied.
"But you do not wish to speak of it?"
"I wouldn't know where to start."
Sam knew he was seeking hints about the Entity, in case they had to defend themselves. The problem was she had nothing to tell him. How exactly did you stop something so powerful burrowing its way into your mind? Sam certainly hadn't been able to stop it. Ironically, the only defence would be the one the Colonel favoured… blow them to hell. She hoped it wouldn't come to that. Sam was convinced the Entities could tell them what had happened to SG-7. The last time, the SGC had unwittingly been the aggressors. They just needed to find a way to communicate without harming the life form.
She was relieved to crawl into her bunk. Closing her eyes, Sam tried to sleep. She wasn't sure how long she lay there, listening to the sounds of the base, the whine of the air conditioning, quiet voices. It seemed she wasn't the only one having trouble sleeping.
Some hours later that she realised someone was in the room with her. She was vaguely surprised to realise the man in the bunk above was Colonel O'Neill. It didn't matter, not really. Pete had changed everything between them.
"Sir?" she questioned.
He was breathing too quietly to be asleep.
"What?" he asked.
"I was thinking about Matt," she admitted.
"What about him?"
"Do you think he's dead?"
"Who knows?"
"But we'll go after him, won't we?"
The Colonel shifted, poking his head over the edge of the bunk so he was looking at her.
"If we can," he promised.
Sam knew the situation was bigger than one missing man, but somehow it was easier to make it personal.
"But I'm going to take him to the Doc and get him castrated," O'Neill continued.
"Right," she couldn't help grinning. The Colonel had had his fair share of off world liaisons.
"Kynthia was drug induced."
"And Laira?"
"If I'd realised you were going to save my ass… I'll know better next time."
Sam decided that wasn't worth a reply, so she changed the subject.
"I think she really cares about him."
"Who? Elizabeth?"
"Yeah."
She heard Colonel O'Neill shift in the darkness. It seemed the subject she had chosen wasn't a comfortable one so she changed it again.
"I don't think we can learn anything more here, sir. I suggest we return to the SGC in the morning."
"Get some sleep," he replied. "And no snoring."
"I don't snore."
"Do."
"Go to sleep, sir."
She assumed her commanding officer actually followed orders and rested. Sam didn't. As soon as she was certain the Colonel was asleep, she crept out of the room. She spent the intervening hours working with her laptop trying to write a communication program. At best, she was guessing. There was no way to test her work. By the time she was satisfied it was almost time to leave. Sam hoped O'Neill wouldn't notice the dark circles under her eyes.
XOXO
Major Carter didn't look too good, was the first thing Colonel Pierce noticed when SG-1 appeared the following morning. He nearly said something, but held his tongue in the face of O'Neill's glare. If the older Colonel was cranky, it was best not to antagonise him.
Pierce had been with the SGC long enough to know when silence was the best policy.
He admitted SG-1's presence made him nervous. The Alpha Site was in no way ready for action. They'd only been here for a few weeks. There was so much equipment still waiting for them on Earth, not to mention the X-302s. He'd be a lot happier when they were able to defend themselves. According to Major Carter, it would be a few more days before they'd be able to make contact with the SGC. Not long, not long at all… if it weren't for the fact SG-1 were here. They attracted trouble and Pierce didn't really want to be responsible of one of them died… again.
Sometimes Pierce wished he had never been promoted. Leading an SG team seemed infinitely less complicated than being responsible for the Alpha Site. He sometimes wondered if O'Neill had been offered the opportunity and Pierce could now understand the reasons why he might have turned it down.
SG-1 were now gathered in front of the Stargate, ready to set out on their next mission. Pierce wasn't sure how wise this was, but again he kept his mouth shut. Should something untoward come through the wormhole, he was ready to take the necessary steps, including abandoning SG-1. He was actually more worried about the communication situation. Major Carter was adamant that they shouldn't use any form of radio waves. Not knowing exactly who was going to be returning through the Stargate left Pierce feeling vulnerable. He was placing a lot of trust in SG-1's reputation for infallibility. If it had been any other team, he would have refused.
He didn't really understand what was going on, that was the real problem with all of this. Dr. Jackson had mentioned something about aliens. Major Carter kept talking about wormholes and O'Neill seemed to be more concerned about black holes. It didn't make a whole lot of sense. Teal'c hadn't said much… that at least was normal.
"We about ready?" O'Neill asked.
"Yes, sir," Major Carter replied.
She had been furiously typing something into her laptop, but now she closed it with a triumphant flourish.
"Dial it up," the Colonel ordered.
Pierce nodded to the gate technician who activated the dialling sequence.
After they had gone, he figured he should page Dr. Harris. It didn't hurt to be prepared.
XOXO
This was a dead world. Jack felt it as soon as he stepped free of the Stargate. He was certain that nothing lived here, energy life forms or otherwise. It had been three years since the SGC had sent the MALP. He remembered his conversation with the Entity. It had been injured, but that was all. There were no obvious differences between the landscape he was looking at now and the one he recalled from the video footage, but he knew this time it was not alive.
And it was so quiet. The air was completely still.
Jack's immediate instinct was to turn around and head back to the Alpha Site, but he fought against it. The landscape was like nothing they had seen anywhere. There was no sky. It seemed to be totally enclosed. Despite the vastness of the open space, it still felt claustrophobic.
"There's nothing here," Daniel stated the obvious.
"Carter?" Jack questioned.
"It's been a while. We can't say when this happened."
"Survivors?"
"I don't know sir."
They could go back, but Jack was well aware that they'd lose any possible lead.
"Keep your eyes open," he ordered.
Together, they stepped away from the Stargate. He didn't want them to separate. This environment was like nothing they had ever experienced and he wanted his team in full view at all times.
The surface they were walking on wasn't rock and earth; it wasn't metal, not exactly. Jack felt his boots sink slightly into the ground. It was almost like walking across a trampoline. He bent down, his fingers seeking some trace of warmth but all he encountered was cold metal. Unnerved, he slipped his sunglasses on.
"The original MALP went this way," Carter said.
She indicated the direction; along a mezzanine above what appeared to be the 'floor'. The ground below was rough, uneven, made of blocks of crystalline material. Huge blocks… nothing like the copper sulphate Jack recalled growing in Chemistry 101. This path had been designed for humans but the terrain down below was not. This place was totally alien. The Stargate was evidence that the ancients had been here however, he couldn't even begin to imagine what might have happened in the intervening millennia. Organic life had been ousted by something else entirely.
They followed the mezzanine as far as they could. It ended abruptly, with a fifty-foot drop down to the crystalline floor. This was the point where the MALP had started flying. Unfortunately, SG-1 didn't have that option. They had enough rope to make the descent but climbing back up wasn't going to be a whole heap of fun. Both Carter and Daniel were staring at him with hopeful expressions on their faces. In the distance, Jack could see a large structure and he knew they couldn't leave without checking it out… even if it meant sore arms on the morrow.
Jack dropped his pack and indicated the others should do the same. He used one of the curved struts surrounding the mezzanine to secure his rope before tossing it over the edge.
"Wait until I'm down," he ordered as he rigged himself a harness.
Finally, he pulled on his gloves and, clinging onto the rope, Jack stepped over the edge. That was the worst part, the few moments when you were suspended about the ground, while you decided whether the rope was going to take your weight or not. A split second and then he started to slide downwards. Jack found himself stumbling slightly as he landed. The surface was as rough as he feared. From above the blocks had appeared regular. On closer inspection, he could see that each on was made of a multitude of crystals, square like salt. Some were small; others were as large as his fist.
Looking up, he waved to the rest of his team. One by one, they made their descent. Carter practically flew down, her excitement evident. Daniel followed a little more slowly. Heights weren't really his forte even though he no longer complained about them. Teal'c always worried Jack. In all honesty, he wasn't the most flexible person and he looked vaguely comical dangling on the rope. This type of thing probably wasn't covered in Jaffa training. He didn't even have the benefit of being forced to climb a rope in gym class.
They left the rope where it was. They'd need it on the way back. As Jack had expected the going was rough. Their target was at least a mile away. At their current speed, it would take them at least an hour. They couldn't even walk in a straight line. Climbing over the blocks proved impossible as the surface was too jagged. Jack tried, but the edge of a crystal sliced straight through his glove. He hated to think what would happen if anyone slipped. And they had to keep going. There was nowhere to stop and rest.
But they made it, even though they all had various scrapes and scratches. The surface smoothed out and they found themselves standing before their destination. A huge conical shaped object stood before them. It tapered to a point some way above, meeting a second identical structure, which seemed to end in the sky. In the MALP footage, this place had crackled with energy, now it was as dead as the rest of the planet. Jack was starting to think this trip was a huge waste of time.
XOXO
Daniel didn't know whether to be excited or depressed. On the one hand, this was all so very alien that he didn't know how to refer it to any frame of reference. None of his skills seemed to apply here. He was a stranger in a very strange land. Whilst the others took advantage of the smoothing of the terrain, Daniel continued to wander. He admitted he was restless, wanting to find something that was even vaguely human. Without the benefit of radio, he knew he had to keep within shouting distance but it didn't stop him walking around the structure, just to see what was on the other side.
The walls were shear, unmarked. There was nothing to tell him how far he'd walked.
"Daniel!"
Jack's voice was muffled but still close.
"Just a minute!" Daniel replied.
He didn't want to be ordered back so he picked up his pace. Up ahead, he thought he could see a break in the walls and he started towards it.
The door he found could almost be described as human shaped. It was a little wider and a little shorter, but Daniel had no trouble passing through. Darkness engulfed him and he was forced to switch on his torch. For the first time since they had come to this world, Daniel thought he heard something other than the voices of his friends.
"Hello?" he called out.
Something flashed across his path and Daniel set off in pursuit.
"I don't want to hurt you," he shouted, although why he wasn't certain.
What he had seen didn't have any form or structure. If it didn't have ears, how could he expect it to hear him? At some level, it must have sensed his intentions were benign because it stopped. Daniel switched off his torch so he could get a better look.
'It' was nothing more than a patch of light, yet it had reacted to his presence, the stimulus of his voice. Daniel realised this was the entity they had come to find.
"Don't be afraid," he said, moving nearer.
He wasn't certain how close he could afford to get to it. At the SGC, the Entity had used a computer interface to get to Sam. It hadn't been in actual physical contact with her. Daniel felt he was safe but he also had no way of actually communicating with it. He realised he was going to have to go back and fetch the others or at least Sam's laptop.
"Wait right there," he told it.
As it turned out, he didn't have to retrace many of his steps. The others were on their way to find him.
"Quickly," he told them, "I've found it."
"Found what?" Jack demanded.
"This way, Sam you'll need your lap top."
They followed because he didn't give them any choice. Daniel darted back through the opening hoping the light was where he'd left it.
"It's here," Sam said.
He looked at her, and saw the fear on her face. Teal'c raised his staff weapon, ready to protect them all.
"Can we talk to it?" Jack asked.
"I can try, sir," Sam replied with a little more composure.
She placed her computer on the floor and switched it on.
"Sam, last time you tried to communicate…" Daniel began.
"This program is voice activated. I don't have to touch it," she replied.
Reinforcing her words, she stepped away from the computer.
"Hello?" Daniel said and the words appeared on the screen. He waited but nothing happened. The light just glowed. Maybe it didn't know what to do?
"You can speak to me through this device," he went on pointing to the laptop.
"I'm not sure it can," Sam said.
"Why not?" Jack demanded.
"Last time it built a complex machine before it decided to communicate. Perhaps this isn't enough?"
"Look!" Teal'c announced, drawing their attention back to the screen.
I AM WITHIN.
The words glowed in the dim light, beneath the record of their conversation.
"That's odd … I and not we?" Daniel said.
He glanced at Sam who just shrugged. She didn't seem willing to share any insights into the Entity and he couldn't exactly blame her. No one said anything and Daniel realised it was down to him to lead this conversation but he was struggling to find a pertinent question. It wasn't as if they had a common frame of reference.
"Who did this to your world?" he asked eventually.
THEM
"Them?"
FROM OUR PAST I AM THE LAST
"The last of what?"
WE
"Did they destroy the rest of you?"
YES
"Where did they come from? The Stargate?"
FOLLOW
Having abandoned the computer, the light was in front of them again. Sam rushed forward and shut down the computer before packing back into her pack.
"So we follow?" Daniel asked.
"I guess so," Sam replied.
They both looked at Jack, hoping he wouldn't veto their mute request.
"Follow the bouncing ball," he grinned and led the way.
Daniel fell into step beside him leaving Sam and Teal'c to bring up the rear.
The light wasn't the easiest thing to follow. Once they were out of the circular structure it became more difficult to see, especially as they also had to deal with the rough terrain. Daniel tried to keep one eye on it and another on where he was putting his feet and found himself failing miserably. The only way to cope was to keep his gaze fixed on the point to which they seemed to be heading.
On the horizon, Daniel could see a pillar, a vast monument that seemed to brush the sky. In fact, he couldn't be certain that it didn't. If he didn't know better, he would swear that the whole planet was under a roof like some vast warehouse. He had no idea what the purpose of the structure they had left had been, and was none the wiser with regards to their destination. Daniel couldn't remember the last time he had been this perplexed. This landscape probably made more sense to Sam than it did to him. All he could do was stumble along after this fragment of light.
Jack kept them marching, much to Daniel's disappointment. There was no wind here, the temperature never changed; there was no sign of day or night. If there was a sun up there somewhere, Daniel never caught a glimpse of it. He lost track of how long they'd been walking. Sure, his watch ticked away the seconds, the hours but the divisions seemed to have no meaning. He wondered if he was the only one who was finding the going difficult. Jack wasn't one to show the world he was in any pain. Teal'c could just about walk forever and so could Sam. It wasn't that Daniel was that bad in the fitness stakes, but they'd all been doing this all their lives, not just since they'd joined the SGC … and none of the others had spent a year dead.
XOXO
No one had spoken for what felt like an age. All Teal'c could hear was their footsteps. He had expected O'Neill to start complaining by now, but the man remained silent. The uncertainty was making them all uneasy. It was all so dead. Teal'c would have given anything to see a tree, a blade of grass…
"O'Neill," he began.
O'Neill stumbled, surprised by the voice.
"Something bothering you, T?" he asked.
"We have come a long way," Teal'c said.
"And you're wondering when we start back?"
"I am."
O'Neill paused and looked around.
"You know the way back?" he asked
"I do," Teal'c replied.
"Good."
It wasn't the answer he'd expected. O'Neill was willing to keep going until they all dropped and Teal'c didn't know the reasons why. It was as if he sensed something… O'Neill's instincts were almost as finely honed as Teal'c's were. He had no reason not to trust the other man. Even so, he couldn't help feeling that on this occasion O'Neill's judgement had been impaired.
"May I remind you that this creature was responsible for damaging the SGC and causing harm to Major Carter? It has deceived us on many occasions. What reason do you have for trusting it now?"
"What reason?"
O'Neill stared at Teal'c as if he couldn't believe his decision was being questioned. Teal'c returned his gaze, making sure he kept his face impassive. The tactic always worked very well with O'Neill. He didn't like being scrutinized for an extended period.
"Okay, so maybe we have to go out on a limb here, but something destroyed that town on P9J-567. What if it wants to come back for more? What if that's not the only planet it decides to visit?"
Teal'c considered his friend's words.
"You fear for Earth?" Teal'c asked.
"Yeah… maybe? Hell, we still don't know what happened to SG-7. Last anyone saw, Mason was alive and was taken through the Stargate. We have to assume he's in the hands of the enemy and he will talk. If he does…"
O'Neill failed to complete the sentence, but he didn't have to. The possibilities he spoke of required little imagination. P9J-567 was a sparsely populated world. If Earth was attacked, the consequences could be significantly worse. There was still so much they did not know about the alien force or the method it used to transport itself. Even Major Carter had been unable to provide a theory, so perhaps O'Neill was wise to avail himself of this opportunity.
This was, as O'Neill might say, the only lead they had. Having received an explanation, Teal'c was willing to follow.
The journey took several more hours. Their destination was more distant than it had first appeared. As they came closer, Teal'c realised the magnitude of the structure had been the cause. He experienced a moment of vertigo as he gazed upwards. The base was the size of a Goa'uld mothership but the pinnacle stretched up out of sight. The creature they had been following halted, hanging in mid air as if it were waiting for something.
"There aren't any inscriptions," Daniel Jackson muttered to himself, seemingly dismayed that there were no visible carvings.
"It would seem doubtful that this entity would require writing," Teal'c said.
"But there were organic life forms here. The Stargate proves that."
Major Carter stepped forward, running her hands over the surface of the structure. Then she surprised them all by pressing her body against it.
"Carter?" O'Neill questioned.
"Come here sir," she replied.
He joined her, touching the monument as she had.
"Can you feel it?" she asked.
"What am I supposed to be feeling?" O'Neill said.
"Power. I think it's alive."
O'Neill didn't look convinced but he took a step backwards and raised his voice,
"Hello? Anyone at home?"
Someone or something must have heard him. One moment Teal'c was looking at a blank wall, the next an entrance had appeared.
"Well, what do you know?" O'Neill muttered to himself, and then added, "Wait here."
Raising his P90, O'Neill stepped over the threshold and into the darkened chamber. Something inside must have detected his presence and a high-pitched note echoed across the landscape. Painful for humans, Major Carter and Daniel Jackson instinctively clapped their hands over their ears. Teal'c, however, resisted the pain. He swung his staff weapon into his hands, ready to attack the unseen enemy. But he wasn't fast enough. The light that burst forth burned his eyes and Teal'c had no recourse but to drop his weapon and fling his arms across his face.
XOXO
"Hello?"
The Colonel's sounded as if he was speaking to her from a vast distance. Sam opened her eyes to see him standing directly above her. She held her nose and blew, trying to clear the stuffiness from her ears.
"What happened?" she asked.
"No need to shout," he replied.
"Sir?"
He crouched down beside her.
"Don't know," he replied, "I went inside, looked around, when I came back, you were all napping."
"Must have been some kind of defence mechanism."
"See what our 'friend' knows about it."
Sam nodded and watched as O'Neill moved away to check on Daniel and Teal'c. She pulled herself to a sitting position, trying not to throw up as she did so. Her balance was shot and, if the effects didn't wear off, the Colonel would be carrying them home. Shrugging the pack from her back, she pulled out her laptop, hoping it hadn't been damaged by being fallen on.
The light was still glowing but it seemed paler than before. Could these Entities get sick, she wondered. It was possible. The transmissions from the original MALP had caused them significant damage.
"Hello?" she questioned. "Are you okay?"
YES
"What was that?"
ATTACK
"Against us?"
AGAINST WE
"Why?"
WAR
The Entity didn't seem to have any concept of past or present, at least in the crude medium with which they were forced to communicate. Was the war it spoke of recent, or a million years ago? She suspected it wasn't speaking of the recent genocide. Why would anyone arrange a trap when most of the enemy were dead?
NO FURTHER
"What?"
YOU. ALONE.
"We have to go on alone?"
YES
"Sir!"
"Carter, get over here, Teal'c's hurt."
Sam responded to his call without a second thought. Whereas Daniel was up and moving around, Teal'c was still lying on the ground. The big man didn't look good. His dark skin had taken on a green sheen, and Sam was horrified to see a trickle of blood coming out of his ears. She experienced a moment of terrified panic, hoping this wasn't anything that was beyond her very limited experience. Then she found herself wondering if Janet had ever felt like this. If she had, the doctor had never shown a moments fear or hesitation.
The Colonel's hand touched hers briefly, bringing her back to the here and now. His eyes told her he knew the direction her thoughts were taking, but Teal'c was the priority now. Sam nodded in mute apology and then berated herself for becoming distracted. Janet was gone and it was about time she accepted the fact.
"He took the full force of the sonic blast," she informed her commanding officer. "I think he may have ruptured an eardrum."
"Is he going to be okay?"
"I think so."
In response to her words, the prone man groaned.
"Easy, Teal'c," Sam warned.
However, he took little notice of her and tried to struggle to his feet. He promptly fell over again. A panicked expression twisted his features as he tried again.
"Teal'c stop!" O'Neill warned, "That's an order."
But the other man took no notice. He managed to get onto his hands and knees.
"He can't hear you," Sam explained.
She moved in front of Teal'c and took his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her.
"Teal'c, your ears have been damaged," she told him.
In the corner of her eye, she noticed that Daniel was bending over the computer, but she returned her attention to Teal'c.
"Do you understand?" she mouthed.
To her relief he nodded, although the despair on his face was palpable. Ever since he'd lost his symbiote, Teal'c had trouble reconciling himself to the fact his injuries were no longer a passing annoyance. He wasn't quite as vulnerable as the rest of them but the mental effects were a whole lot worse. Sam glanced at the Colonel, wondering if he'd scrub the mission. They'd come a long way and they had a man down. Teal'c probably wouldn't object to going on, but Sam wasn't certain that he should.
"Anything in there?" Sam asked the Colonel.
"Yeah … yeah there is," he replied, "we should take a look."
"What about Teal'c?"
The Colonel turned to face Teal'c,
"You okay, buddy?" he asked.
"I am," Teal'c replied.
"Daniel! We're moving out."
"In a minute," the archaeologist replied.
"What is it, Daniel?" Sam asked.
Daniel jumped away from the computer and put his hands behind his back. It was enough to convince Sam that he was guilty of something; she just didn't know exactly what.
"Just talking," he protested innocently. Too innocently.
"Anything interesting?" O'Neill asked unable to keep the sarcasm from his voice.
There were new words on the computer screen and Sam bent close so she could read them.
TAKE WITHIN
"Daniel," the Colonel warned.
"Jack, it's the only way we can take it with us," the other man argued.
The technology here was completely alien and Sam wondered how far they'd actually get without a guide.
"Sir, he may have a point," she agreed albeit reluctantly.
The Colonel rounded on her, anger evident in his eyes. Sam took an involuntary step backwards.
"That thing damn near killed you!" he spat.
"No sir, you almost killed me," she replied without thinking.
Which was true from a certain perspective but that didn't stop Sam regretting her hasty words. They had never discussed the fact that O'Neill had shot her twice with a Zat. Yes, she knew it had been necessary and she should have been mad at him for hesitating, but at some level, she couldn't help the sense of betrayal his actions had caused. From Janet's account, O'Neill had delayed switching off the life support machines. He didn't know it but he had given Sam enough time to get her message through and let everyone know she was inside the computer. She owed him her life, even if he had been the one to kill her in the first place…
Damn but it was complicated.
And Sam couldn't cope with the conflicting feelings right now. She had spoken to her commanding officer in a disrespectful fashion. Sticking a 'sir' in the sentence didn't automatically make it right.
"I'm sorry," she apologised, "but there may be a way of taking advantage of the situation without incapacitating the host."
"Meaning?" he replied.
"Symbiosis. It's an intelligent life form. I'm sure we can explain."
"And we're back to the talking thing."
She shrugged, not knowing what else to do. The Colonel muttered something inaudible, which Sam took to mean he accepted her apology and he was considering her suggestion.
"If you can't figure out how to make what's inside work, then maybe I'll think about it," he said.
"What's inside?"
"Ladies first," he offered with a grin.
Before Sam could cross the threshold, she heard a muffled cry. She spun round in time to see Daniel crumple to the ground.
XOXO
Every time he turned his back… Jack grumbled to himself. He had every right to be annoyed and Jack just wished Daniel were conscious so he could vent his anger. There wasn't any point in yelling at Carter, she was doing her best to make the younger man comfortable. Teal'c still couldn't hear so even talking to him was an exercise in futility.
Damn it! Why did Daniel have to act the hero? Two of his team members had been injured in a matter of minutes. As Jack looked over the alien landscape, he realised how far they had come. Teal'c had warned him, Teal'c had wanted them to stop, but had Jack listened?
No.
He thought he knew better than the man with a century of experience did. This whole trip had been a waste of time. There was nothing here worth salvaging and they were no nearer to knowing what had come through the Stargate on 567. Jack doubted the two events were even related and his friends had paid the price for his bad decision. Sure, Carter thought that Daniel would regain consciousness eventually, but what did she know? She wasn't a doctor. Well, she was, but not that kind of doctor. Daniel really didn't look good. When he'd fallen, he'd scraped his face on the crystalline surface. Although Carter had cleaned the cuts, the wounds stood out against his pale face.
Finished with her ministrations, Carter sat down next to him. Without speaking, Jack handed her a MRE. They'd rest a few hours, he figured, and then head back. There was nothing here they could use to rig a stretcher but they'd get Daniel back home somehow. Where were the trees when you needed them?
Behind them, the entrance to the structure still gaped wide. Jack noticed that Carter's gaze was drifting towards it. In his heart, he couldn't deny her the opportunity to look inside.
"Go on," he told her.
She turned back to Daniel, her indecision plain.
"Teal'c can keep an eye on him," Jack assured her and signalled to the other man.
With the Entity inside Daniel, the security system was no longer a problem. As before, the lights came on as soon as they stepped inside.
Any form of rational thought was driven from his mind when he saw the object inside. It was a ship. At least that was the closest thing his brain could associate with the shape and form.
And it was beautiful.
Carter was just as transfixed. She stood there with her mouth open for a good ten minutes before she tentatively moved forward. Jack hung back as she approached the ship, watching as she ran her fingers over the surface.
"It's almost entirely frictionless," she breathed.
As ships went, it wasn't the biggest he had seen. At a guess, it would hold four or five people. Jack considered himself an experienced pilot he couldn't even begin to speculate how it flew. The only thing he'd be willing to say was that it had been designed for humans. The forward bulkhead was entirely transparent and he could see some kind of seating inside.
"How do you think they get it out?" Jack asked.
"I'm not sure they do, sir," Carter replied, and she pointed upwards
"You mean this thing goes all the way?"
There was certainly no sign of any roof. The internal structure of the tower was punctuated at regular intervals with circles of light. It didn't take a genius to realise the direction the ship was supposed to take.
"Do you think those lights are what makes it go?" Jack asked.
"Photonics?" Carter said.
"Uh… okay."
"You could be right, sir. It would certainly explain the configuration of the ship."
"Physalis."
"Excuse me?"
"Cape Gooseberry? Ground cherry?"
Carter was blushing for some reason. Jack couldn't figure out why. From a certain angle, the ship did look like the strange fruit. The main section was more or less spherical but it was almost obscured from view by the semi-transparent 'petals' that were draped over. If it had been painted orange, the analogy would have been complete.
"Once in flight, the sails open and she cruises on a beam of light," Carter went on.
There was something almost poetic about her words. Jack liked the idea of sailing to the stars. Although given what he knew about interstellar distances, it probably wouldn't get them much further than the nearest moon. Right now, he'd give anything to look at the stars.
"You think we can fly it?" Jack asked.
"I can."
Daniel's voice surprised them both. From what Jack remembered, Carter had been out for a lot longer than this; ten hours and forty-three minutes if anyone wanted to quibble about it.
"You look … better," Jack said.
Better because he was upright, even though Teal'c was hovering close behind him, just in case. If Jack were honest, his friend looked like crap. His face held no colour at all if you didn't count the bloody scratches. Daniel's voice was almost normal, but his eyes weren't. Jack could see something alien lurking behind them and he didn't know if he trusted it or not. What the hell were they getting themselves into?
The anger that had been banished by Carter's poetic words was back in full force. Jack still didn't know if Daniel had done this on purpose or if he'd been the victim of an aggressive attack. It was fifty-fifty either way.
"So where do you suggest we go?" Jack asked, "I mean you have to fly it somewhere."
Daniel didn't reply immediately. He seemed to be communing with something.
"Above. That's where the people lived," he said.
"Lived?" Carter asked.
"They don't any more."
"What happened to them?" Jack demanded.
"They went away."
XOXO
Daniel knew Jack didn't trust him. He knew the words coming out of his mouth sounded strange, but he couldn't help himself. There was so much information flooding into his mind that he was struggling to process it all. It was no wonder Sam had been overwhelmed by her contact with the Entity. The one he held was sick and dying, Sam had coped with something that was still strong, still able to dominate an organic life form.
He wanted to tell his friends everything was going to be okay but,
"This way," was all he could say as he led the way towards the ship.
The images in his mind were overlaying his vision, but they were blurred. Daniel took his glasses off. For some bizarre reason it made it easier to 'see'. He ducked under the long, transparent sails, searching, seeking… his fingers found the controls and the low hum of power permeated the room. The sails rose, revealing the entrance to the ship.
Daniel stood back, letting the others go first. The interior of the ship was also circular, with curved benches fitting against the walls. There was no sign of any controls.
"It has to have been designed for humans," Sam was saying.
"Or snakes?" Jack replied.
"Please sit down," Daniel told them.
"Whoever they were they didn't have asses."
The benches were narrow, and there was something almost comical about the way they all had to perch.
"Now what?" Jack demanded.
"Wait," Daniel said.
Jack gave a huff of impatience and Daniel just about managed to hide his smirk. So maybe this wasn't the moment to wind up his friend, but sometimes it was hard to resist. And they didn't have to wait for long. The thrum became more insistent and the lights around them blazed. Before they had time to adjust, the ship started to move, faster, faster, faster… Somehow, the walls and floor had become transparent and Daniel could see the rings of light passing in a blur. He had no idea how fast they were going or how far they'd travelled but they were definitely moving upwards. His hypothesis was proved several moments later when the ship left the tunnel of lights and he saw stars.
"Wow!" he heard Sam breathe.
Daniel had seen the stars from space, but this was different. They were all around him, over his head, beneath his feet. It was as if he were hanging in the void. There were no lights in the ship and their faces were bathed the starlight. Jack, with the lines of pain and loss standing out on his face. Sam looked ridiculously young, a child at Christmas anxiously awaiting the chance to open her first gift. And Teal'c, his ebony profile was as impassive as always, only his eyes betrayed the wonder of the scene before them.
"Where are we going?" Jack demanded.
"There," Daniel told him.
Before them was a moon, not unlike Earth's own. An airless world scarred and cratered but Daniel could see the regular outlines of buildings. The surface was rushing towards them at a tremendous rate. In the blink of an eye, the ship was swallowed up in a second tunnel, identical to the one that launched them towards the stars. This time they were slowing down.
"Is there anyone alive up here?" Jack asked as they stepped out of the ship.
"No," Daniel told him.
Daniel held up his hand to stop the others from leaving the ship right away.
"We have to wait for the atmosphere to be returned," he explained.
The ship had landed in a vast hanger. Several abandoned vehicles stood nearby and Daniel could see empty docking ports. As soon as he started to wonder where the other ships went to, the information came crashing into his brain.
"There are five moons," he heard himself explain. "This is the only one that isn't habitable. Before the war, it was used as a monitoring station."
"What happened?" Sam asked.
Her words unleashed a flood of images. People running and screaming, crying and dying and he watched it all from the cold, impersonal perspective of a machine.
"Only this place was immune," he gasped.
"From what?" Jack demanded.
"We could enter any computer system… any system and cause havoc. The crops were destroyed by the automatic harvesters. Their homes burned by the systems designed to protect them. The light ships fell out of the sky. So many died..."
"Why?"
"They hurt us. Flooded our home with radio waves, but enough of us survived and we found another way."
"What way?"
"We inhabited the bodies of their engineers."
Daniel was barely aware of the fact he was on his knees. He was struggling to retain his own identity but the thing in his mind was too strong.
"We went back to kill them all."
"Why? Why would you do that?"
"Because we had achieved sentience and wanted to be free."
"Daniel, I want that thing out of you now!"
"Jack, stop… I can't."
He felt hands pulling him upright and, without meaning to, he lashed out. His fists made contact with flesh so he kept on hitting. Daniel wanted to hurt this organic lifeform. He wanted to pound it into a pulp.
"Daniel! That hurts! Stop!"
Jack's voice seemed to be coming from a great distance. He was giving an order but Daniel didn't seem to be able to obey. The hands, Jack's, were still holding him and he felt as if his mind were being torn in two. With a wrench, Daniel tore himself free from Jack and started to crawl away.
XOXO
"Carter, take Teal'c and have a look around," Jack ordered.
To his relief, she didn't question his order. She tapped Teal'c on the shoulder and the two of them left the hanger. Jack approached Daniel carefully, wary of the creature inside of him, worried that it might try to fight. His friend was curled up in the gap between one of the ships and the wall. It was amazing that he'd managed to squeeze himself into the small space.
"Daniel?" Jack questioned.
"I… I think so," the other man replied.
"Here."
Jack handed over his water bottle, looking on while Daniel took a hesitant sip.
"I can't get rid of it," he said. "It has to make a conscious choice to leave… just like it did with Sam."
"Maybe we can force it."
"No, it's telling us what we need."
Daniel was right about that, but Jack wasn't sure about the price they may have to pay. What effect was this thing having on his friend? Even at a distance, Jack could tell Daniel's heart rate was up. He was displaying all the signs of a full-blown panic attack.
"Daniel…" Jack began.
"I can do it. You just have to trust me."
That, if nothing else, proved to Jack that Daniel was back in control. Playing the trust card was a low blow and prelude to a Danny tantrum if he didn't get his own way. If they'd been at the SGC, there would have been no way Jack would have agreed, but out here, it wasn't as if he had much choice in the matter.
"Okay," he said, "but if you endanger the rest of the team…"
"You'll shoot me?"
"Yes, I will."
Jack had no doubt in his mind he'd do it, if necessary, he only hoped that Daniel understood that. Even after seven years together… well six if you counted the whole ascension thing, he wasn't certain that Daniel really understood the way Jack had to think. He had to look for the worst-case scenario. The difficult decisions were his to make however hard they might be on a personal level; he always had to put the safety of Earth first. If that meant losing his friend, then so be it. After all, he'd had no trouble shooting Carter.
XOXO
Sam hadn't wanted to leave, but the tone of the Colonel's voice had left little room for argument. When she actually thought about it, he probably knew just as much about field medicine as she did, even though he usually practised on himself. She really hoped Daniel was going to be okay. Surely, O'Neill would have called them back if the other man had been in any danger.
Trying to distract herself from her friend's predicament, Sam started to take a little more interest in her surroundings. They were in a long corridor and Sam guessed it connected the hanger with the rest of the base. The surface she and Teal'c were walking on was unlike that of the planet below, it was smooth and firm. The walls were decorated in soft colours, designed to be pleasing to the eye. This place had definitely been built for humans and not machines.
Yet the signs of war were everywhere.
Sam didn't know how long it had been since the hostilities had broken out but the years had done little to soften the carbon scoring on the walls, or erase the holes in the floor. As they moved deeper into the facility, they started to find the bodies. Sam forced herself to examine them, even though her stomach threatened to empty itself. Every single corpse showed signs of vacuum exposure. Some of them had other wounds, but not all had been dead when the air had run out. They'd had ten seconds to realise what was happening, ninety seconds after that they would have been dead.
The preservation was remarkable. If Daniel had been on his feet, he would have been able to tell her more. He was the expert on dead things. Sam now understood his earlier comment. This place had been preserved in a vacuum. Their arrival had prompted the return of the life support systems.
Not knowing exactly what they were looking for, Sam and Teal'c moved through the base with some care. The area they had arrived at wasn't that different from an airport terminal. Closing her eyes to the long dead bodies, Sam realised there was little of any value here. They had to go further. She wondered if it was okay to use her radio. The Entity was housed in Daniel and it was safe even if he wasn't.
"Sir?" she tried.
"Carter? Is that you?" his voice replied.
"How's Daniel?"
"Okay for now. Where are you?"
"There's a corridor, go to the end and take a right."
"We're on our way."
It wasn't a particularly nice place to wait. Sam turned to Teal'c.
"How are you feeling, Teal'c?" she said.
"My hearing is returning," he replied.
"That's good."
She took a step towards him and something crunched under her boot. Sam didn't look down, not wanting to know what she'd stepped on. When she heard footsteps approaching, she didn't think she ever been so pleased to see the Colonel. He looked as sick as she felt… but Daniel looked worse. Sam thought that they should turn tail and get him home, but she quickly realised he was unlikely to agree.
Without another word, O'Neill took point, led them through another set of doors and they all stopped and stared.
The room had a dome shaped roof. That wasn't what was unusual. The roof was transparent and they found themselves bathed in the light of the planet above. Sam had never seen anything like it. The globe was completely smooth. There was no sign of clouds, seas, continents… all of the features she'd learnt to associate with a habitable world. It was as if they'd paved over their entire planet. Sam had never seen anything like it. What kind of technology had these people possessed?
She didn't know how long they stood there, hypnotised by the view until looking into the darkness beyond the planet, something else caught her eye. It wasn't a star. She reached into her pack for her binoculars, but the Colonel had beaten her to it.
"Is that a space station?" he asked.
Sam took the binoculars from him. They were too far away for her to make much sense of what she saw. It was definitely artificial. Metallic, given the way it was catching the sunlight.
"I can't make it out," she said.
"Daniel?" O'Neill demanded.
"How should I know?" the other man replied.
"Not even…?"
"No."
Either the Entity didn't know, or Daniel didn't want to risk another flood of unpleasant memories. If it was the latter, Sam couldn't find it in her heart to blame him.
"It's this way," Daniel said.
He led them to the centre of the room. Sam was about to ask what he was doing when the floor suddenly dropped away. She heard the Colonel grunt as he was forced to shift his balance to compensate. Although the platform was large enough for twenty or thirty people, it was still disconcerting to sink into the darkness. Despite the lack of light, Sam had the impression they were descending through a large open space. When the platform halted, she had no idea if they were on the ground or not. She was nervous about stepping out in case she found herself falling into the abyss.
The lights from their P90s made little impression on the darkness and even the beams from the flashlights were quickly swallowed up in the gloom.
"Hello?" O'Neill called out again.
This time his voice wasn't enough to switch on the lights.
"Carter, Teal'c," he gestured in one direction whilst he and Daniel set off in the other.
The Colonel obviously wanted to keep Daniel close by. Their friend's behaviour was becoming erratic, through no fault of his own. Sam hoped that, when the time came the Entity would be willing to leave its human host.
XOXO
Teal'c obediently followed Major Carter as she stepped carefully from the platform. O'Neill, he noted, left a lighted torch to mark the spot.
Although he had spoken the truth concerning the impediment of once of his senses, Teal'c still felt compromised. He was having trouble following the flow of conversation. Daniel Jackson, in particular, seemed prone to mumbling. Here, in the dark, he was particularly aware of the need to listen for an enemy's approach. Just because this place appeared to be dead, there was no reason to drop his guard.
The light quickly faded from view, leaving Teal'c and Major Carter alone.
"Spooky," Major Carter muttered with a faint grin.
"Jaffa do not believe in ghosts," Teal'c replied, his voice echoing strangely in his ears.
"Right, I forgot."
The further they walked, the more Teal'c started to question his belief. He could understand why the dead might walk here. During his time on Earth, he had watched many horror films. It was in places like this, that aliens appeared from the ventilation shafts and sucked your brains out.
"I wonder if there's another way out," Major Carter questioned.
"Indeed."
She was talking to take comfort from hearing her own voice. It was a sentiment Teal'c could understand.
"I mean we have no idea how to get up again," she went on.
"Will not Daniel Jackson know the way?"
"I hope so."
"Are you afraid of the dark, Major Carter?"
"No!"
Her reply was a little too rapid and she quickly amended her statement.
"Not since I was a little girl."
"These events are making children of us all."
"You can say that ag… ow!"
"Major Carter?"
"I just walked into the wall."
The wall was matt black and, from what Teal'c could feel, was completely featureless.
"Let's walk around and see if we can find a door," Major Carter suggested.
To Teal'c's surprise, she took a lipstick from her vest pocket and drew a cross on the wall.
"Always be prepared, Teal'c" she grinned.
Following her example, he placed his hand on the wall, using it to guide his path. They hadn't travelled far before the texture changed. Instead of warmth, Teal'c felt the coolness of metal.
Major Carter stepped away, shining her torch across the metal.
"Teal'c," she breathed, "I think this is Naquadah."
XOXO
There was little doubt in Jack's mind that the ship would never fly. Even if it could have taken off, the gaping holes in the hull meant it never would have been space worthy. He didn't even want to guess how many people the vessel could have held, but it had to be a good percentage of the population.
"Looks like they had quite a fight," he said.
"One got away," Daniel replied.
"Excuse me?"
It looked as if the thing in Daniel's head was back in control. Jack didn't really like talking to it. Daniel but not Daniel… it was freaking him out.
"There were three vessels but two became contaminated. They took measures to make sure the infection couldn't spread."
Shining his torch over the bulkhead Jack could see that the metal surrounding the blast holes was bent outwards.
"What was it contaminated with?" he asked.
"Us."
"I'm going to call Carter. She'll want to take a look at this."
Wherever she and Teal'c had gotten to, it was clear they'd managed to travel some distance. Jack and Daniel waited in silence. His friend was becoming more and more withdrawn, Jack realised, and it was causing him some concern. The old Daniel would have needed restraining to stop him clambering into the ship through the nearest hole. He certainly wouldn't have been content to sit down and stare into space.
Unable to sit still, Jack walked a distance away, trying to get a better idea of the size of the vessel. It was as large as a cruise ship, not including the chemical rockets that took up most of the tail end. He could have been wrong about their function but Jack didn't think so. In his travels across the galaxy, he'd noticed that many technologies ran parallel to their own. A wheel was a wheel whether you were on Earth or P6X… whatever. He also found himself wondering if they had any other form of propulsion. If the ship wasn't FTL capable then they hadn't been planning to go very far.
"Wow!"
Turning, Jack waved at the approaching forms of Carter and Teal'c.
"This is amazing," Carter breathed.
"I thought you'd like it," Jack grinned.
"Can we go inside?"
"After you."
Jack realised it was the first time in a while that he'd seen her excited about anything. Now if Daniel would catch some of her enthusiasm… but he did get up and follow.
As they moved through the ship, Jack realised his cruise ship analogy probably hadn't been that far off. The interior was pleasantly decorated and there seemed to be areas set aside for all of life's necessities. They even passed an area that seemed to have been dedicated to hydroponics. It would take days, maybe weeks, to explore the ship properly but there was one thing that immediately stood out. Unlike other areas of the base, there were no bodies.
Jack led the way towards the front area of the ship, guessing they'd find the flight deck eventually. He was hoping there would be some kind of record… a computer system that Carter could use. It became evident they were heading in the right direction as they entered an area of the ship that was far more functional in appearance. The corridors were narrower and the rooms Jack glanced into were reminiscent of Carter's lab. At least they would have been if the lights had been flashing.
"This is it," Daniel said, stopping before a large armoured door.
It wasn't locked but without power, it took all of Teal'c's strength to create a gap wide enough to squeeze through. Carter went first and Jack was about to follow when he noticed that Daniel was hanging back.
"Care to join us?" Jack offered.
Daniel shook his head.
"It's telling me not to."
"It is, is it?"
"Jack…"
"All right, all right…"
Jack wondered if he was giving in too easily but he had to admit that 'it' had been right about a lot of things.
The flight deck was similar in size to that of a Goa'uld mothership … or it would have been if half the equipment had been taken out. There was a certain sense of claustrophobia as you entered the room. It didn't help that the wide expanse of windows afforded a view of the darkness outside.
"Don't suppose you can switch the lights on?" Jack asked Carter.
"I might blow something up," she warned.
"At least we'd be able to see."
"Do you think Daniel might know?"
"I'll ask him."
Jack moved back and yelled through the partially open door.
"Daniel?"
"Jack?" his friend replied.
"You know how to switch the lights on?"
"No."
"Okay."
After a few moments of what seemed like random torch flashing, Carter pointed to a large green switch.
"What do you think?" she said.
Jack put his fingers in his ears and stood well back as she flipped the switch. The response was immediate. As the flight deck hummed with power, the ship was flooded with light inside and out. Unable to help himself, Jack stepped up to the windows, eager to catch a glimpse of the world outside.
Embedded in the wall opposite was a metal ring, larger than any Stargate he'd ever seen, big enough for the ship to pass through. Unlike the 'gates it was smooth, with no moving parts.
"Is that a Stargate?" he asked.
"I don't think so… not as we know it," she replied, "Teal'c and I got close to it and I think it's made of Naquadah. It might be capable of forming a wormhole but it could only go one place."
"I guess that explains where the other ship went to."
"There was more than one?"
"According to Daniel."
"O'Neill," Teal'c called out and they went to join him.
"What have you got?" Jack asked.
"I believe this is a recording device."
The three of them were gathered around a large square pillar in the centre of the room. A flat panel screen was positioned on each face. It was showing the current view of the flight deck. Carter looked tired, Jack realised … and Teal'c should start cutting down on the donuts.
Teal'c wiped his hand across the screen and the view changed. People were walking around the flight deck, going about what appeared to be their normal order of business. Jack guessed they were preparing to leave.
"Can you fast forward?" Jack asked.
He repeated the movement and they found themselves looking at a blank screen. It seemed the alien technology required a little more finesse. Teal'c's next attempt had them viewing a couple of technicians in what could only be described as a compromising position. Jack felt his cheeks start to burn as he signalled for Teal'c to fast wind again. He wasn't against porn per se, but not while he was on duty and certainly not while Carter was standing next to him.
Jack found himself growing bored. Even though the ship had never been anywhere there seemed to be hours and hours of recorded footage. He was tempted to order Carter and Teal'c to keep watching while he went and found something more interesting to look at.
But he sat it out, for almost an hour before the events on the screen suddenly became interesting… very interesting.
The woman on the screen was in her mid forties, Jack guessed. Her red hair, streaked with grey, was dragged back from her forehead in a severe style that did nothing for her.
Jack guessed she was the commanding officer.
"All hands abandon ship! All hands abandon ship!"
The sounds of battle almost drowned out her calm words. Behind her, Jack could see the exterior view. The area within the metal ring was glowing with power and he could believe it housed the wormhole Carter had hypothesized. What he couldn't believe were the people who were streaming towards it.
"Carter," he began, "if they were planning to go through there in a ship, what do you think is on the other side?"
"I don't know, sir."
"Carter."
The look she gave him was enough. They knew what those people were doing. Jack felt sick to his stomach.
"Turn it off," he ordered.
"O'Neill?" Teal'c questioned.
"Off!"
He felt Carter's hand brush his own, just for a second. The contact was probably accidental but Jack wanted to think otherwise. He realised his chest was tight. This was no time for a panic attack.
"Sir?"
Carter's breathing was also laboured, she was gasping. The door, Jack noticed, was now shut.
"Must have set off some kind of defence mechanism," Carter panted.
"Teal'c," Jack ordered.
The two of them crossed to the door, putting all their weight behind it as they tried to force it to open again. What good it would do, Jack wasn't sure. He had no idea whether this was affecting the flight deck or the entire base. The master switch had stopped working and Carter was hitting controls, trying to disable the power. Out of the corner of his eye, Jack saw her start to crumple.
How he got to her side in time to stop her hitting the floor, Jack couldn't tell. His aching shins told him he'd made contact with at least one sharp edge on the way, but he caught Carter. Her head was a hell of a lot more valuable than his dignity. Teal'c still hadn't managed to shift the door and it was clear they couldn't get out of here by themselves.
"Daniel!" Jack called into his radio.
"Jack!" Daniel's voice sounded confused, as if he'd just woken up.
"Get your ass in here. We're in trouble."
"What?"
"We can't get the door open."
Teal'c had now resorted to blasting the door with his staff weapon. It made no impact and Jack found himself having to duck out of the way of the ricochet. When he went down, he found he couldn't get back up again. He couldn't breathe; his muscles seemed to have lost their strength. Jack realised he was going to pass out… so he did.
