Chapter 4
O'Neill looked out the cockpit window of the shuttle, watching pinpoint streaks of lightning rip across the cloud deck blanketing Beman's dark side. Having endured his share of planes in storms, Jack's stomach lurched at the thought of what lay ahead. It wasn't that he hated flying, but he despised anything thing in nature that took control of the vehicle he was in out of the operator's hands.
He moved toward Car'met's seat, the pilot assigned to fly the shuttle into the drop zone on Beman. O'Neill bent over, resting his arm on the older man's high backed chair. He kept a watchful eye on the storm they seemed to be aiming for some two-hundred thirty miles below.
"That's a pretty big storm you're steering us into there," he said, casually pointing out the window in front of them.
Car'met's hands moved about the controls in a graceful orchestra of movement. "It is our best chance of entering the atmosphere undetected. Neja's sensors are not adequate enough to negotiate atmospheric disturbances."
"Ah," Jack said, nodding. "So," he said slowly, "what can expect when we land?"
Car'met turned slightly. "From what we can ascertain from our scans at this altitude, there are tremendous storms building just to the west of where I intend to land the shuttle. It is my hope that the storms will mask our ship, allowing you to embark upon the mission as scheduled."
"Swell," he muttered. He stood back up straight, still looking out the window at the storms. Car'met was, indeed, aiming for a spot just to the right of the wall of storms. O'Neill knew perfectly well what that meant – rain and lots of it. He wasn't thrilled with the prospect of hiking over high terrain in torrential downpours in the dark, but Car'met seemed so sincere that this was how it had to be. Who was O'Neill to argue with the great Tok'ra?
The only good point of the trip had been that there was time to brief the team on tactical options and instructions. Teal'c and Carter would take to the hills above Neja's complex while he and Daniel went down for a closer look, whatever that entailed. With any luck, Carter would be able to decipher what was going on with the grid while Teal'c provided cover fire, if necessary, in retrieving Avedra. That, of course, depended upon if the man was still alive.
Teal'c had taken the liberty of assisting with the piloting of the ship. Car'met had his hands full with the controls, fighting the frequent bucking of the ship as it fought its way through the initial layers of the atmosphere.
O'Neill looked over at Carter, watching her with her eyes closed as she tried to catch a few moments of sleep. He couldn't help but recall the look on her face just before they entered the gate. As in the locker room, he didn't doubt her abilities as an officer or scientist or soldier; but he did care whether or not her ability to cope with recent events would impact the success of their mission. He couldn't afford for her to freeze in the middle of a combat situation. The loss of Martouf had taken a toll on her, he knew, as well as certain revelations he had no intention of expounding upon any time soon with her. He had the option of sending her for psychological counseling after Martouf's death, but he had been that route himself. It wasn't pleasant, and it hadn't really helped him in the long run. It showed up as a mark on his record, and that was something Carter didn't need to have hanging over her head for the rest of her career.
Daniel was busy securing his equipment belts for the umpteenth time, taking an inventory of the contents as a measure to pass the time. The members of O'Neill's team knew the contents of their belts and packs. He had made sure of that. Daniel, though, was nearly obnoxious with his fidgeting. He could never sit still and just wait. He had to be dissecting something in order to keep himself occupied. Jack had learned to let it go, even though it annoyed him almost to distraction.
Daniel was a good man and an accomplished scientist. He understood people far better than Jack could ever have hoped in a lifetime. Daniel made society his art. Jack was merely a participant in the doctor's sketch of an anthropological masterpiece. In fact, the entire SGC and all the planets they encountered were somehow drawn into this massive collage only Daniel could see at times. Jack's frustration had mounted more than once when his friend would see the bigger picture instead of the important issues at hand. Sometimes, it was just necessary to take care of immediate needs before looking in the long run of events.
Then there was Teal'c, the man to whom Jack owed his life on more than one account.The times were too numerous to count that Teal'c's perseverance had paid off huge dividends for both SG-1 and Earth as a planet. He was truly a hero that received no large-scale recognition. It was impossible for anyone to know that an alien was protecting them within a mountain that housed a program that didn't exist. The people would only see an alien and not the man who had redeemed his life with good deed after good deed.
Jack sat down along the far wall of the ship, reaching up and grasping onto a handhold to steady himself. The cargo shuttle pushed deeper into Beman's atmosphere with a hard shudder, retaliating against the forces that buffeted its hull. O'Neill wished he had a seat to strap himself into to steady his head that shook with the commotion. He hated the Tok'ra's cargo shuttle with a passion. It was cold and impersonal with no comforts to ease the strain of the trip they had undertaken sixteen hours earlier. Moreover, it had that feel of a deathtrap he found distasteful. He was getting cranky, and that was a bad way to start any mission. It didn't endear him to the power of luck by any stroke of the imagination. And luck was something he figured he would need in great abundance for this one.
Carter stirred, waking at the bouncing of the tiny ship. She reached up for a hand hold of her own, managing to rub at her eyes with a free hand. She looked over at O'Neill, catching his stare. He figured she knew what was on his mind but would deny any truth to his fears. Sam was strong. She had to be in order to be in the Stargate program, just like anyone else who had been accepted into the project. She wasn't about to give him any reason to doubt her, especially not at the start of a dangerous assignment.
She let go of the handhold for a moment and pulled on her equipment vest, securing it quickly before she reached for the handhold again. Her eyes drew up to O'Neill's again. Her face was solemn, but she gave him a knowing nod, as if to say things were all right. He knew she would not say it with words, but she understood he would be watching. That much was a given. He would watch her every move when he could to make sure she didn't become a danger to the team or its objectives.
The shuttle was suddenly sent careening off its course, seeming to have taken a direct hit. O'Neill was on his feet immediately. "What is it? We under attack?"
"We are not, O'Neill," Teal'c answered. "We are passing through the heart of the storm. It appears we have been struck by lightning."
"Well," O'Neill said, straightening, "that's a comfort. What happens if we get hit too many times?"
"The ship will disintegrate and we will be consumed in a most painful ball of fire, Colonel. There would be little trace of us left afterwards," Car'met answered.
It took a moment for O'Neill to catch the sly grin on Car'met's face. Teal'c kept his eyes forward, though his eyebrow had raised in a knowing gesture.
The Tok'ra had told a funny. O'Neill rolled his eyes.
The amusement lasted only a moment before the shuttle was buffeted by another strike. "How much longer we have on this roller coaster ride?"
Car'met's face became serious again. "We'll be landing in approximately three minutes. I suggest you prepare to disembark."
With a nod, Teal'c rose from his station and made his way toward the storage area of the shuttle to collect his staff weapon, leaving the piloting of the ship solely in the hands of Car'met. O'Neill stayed up front, watching the descent of the shuttle with one hand clenched on the back of Car'met's chair.
Before long, the shuttle cleared the cloud deck, settling into calmer air. The ground below was lush green forest with varying altitudes. The Tok'ra had laid out the best route of travel for SG-1 in advance, and O'Neill couldn't argue with the plan. There seemed to be only one logical way through the hills. Unfortunately, Neja probably knew this as well. They'd have to be on the lookout for guards the entire way. With any luck, they'd avoid a firefight along the passages.
O'Neill slipped on his vest, checking his weapon. He neared the hatch to the shuttle, surrounded by the rest of his team. On his command, they all slipped on night vision goggles. He made it a point to not look at Carter as they stood waiting for the touchdown of the shuttle, lest he tear down what confidence she had left.
He wanted to, though. He wanted to make sure she was okay, but he knew he couldn't look. He knew that would have just added to the problems. O'Neill trusted her with his life, and she had come through for him more times than he cared to remember. SG-1 as a team had to trust one another implicitly. Be it Daniel, Teal'c or Carter, there could be no doubt of loyalty. They were comrades. Above all else, they were friends, willing to die for one another, never leaving anyone behind no matter the cost.
The shuttle touched down with a jostling thump. The hatch opened, followed immediately by a pelting rain that beat down on them and a wave of humidity that enveloped them like a blanket. O'Neill was the first out of the hatch, followed by Teal'c. Carter and Jackson took up the rear, all members habitually securing the flanks of their position. They moved forward, giving the shuttle proper clearance to take off once more.
O'Neill watched as the shuttle lifted off. As if the howling wind of the storm wasn't enough, the exhaust of the shuttle knocked everyone off balance. The rain stung his face, and he raised his hand to shield his eyes from it. Once the shuttle had cleared them, he took a look around him.
Carter's gun was at the ready, scanning the tree line to the north. Teal'c, likewise, was scanning the line to the west. Daniel had his eyes to the sky, watching until the shuttle disappeared into the clouds. O'Neill walked toward Teal'c, turning up his collar to the wind as it whipped the rain around them. He nodded, his face somber and serious. Whether he liked the assignment or not, they had a job to do. "Let's go find him."
