Chapter 5

The terrain was unforgiving. Roots and branches reached up to trip SG1 as the team ascended the hills toward the first peak. It took longer than Carter would have liked. Her mind worked automatically, timing their passage between checkpoints. The air was thin, and they struggled against it. Even though accustomed to higher altitudes of Colorado, Beman's atmosphere gave no solace to them as they moved.

The mountains were surprisingly warm, which Carter attributed to the semi-tropical atmosphere that surrounded the planet. Signs of a greenhouse effect were evident. She could only wonder what Neja had done to help that along. Socar had changed an entire moon into a lava pit. There was no reason Neja couldn't have engineered the skies of Beman to his own liking. At least the rain had stopped, she noted with a slight comfort.

Teal'c had taken point on O'Neill's order. She smiled inwardly as she realized the value of the command. Teal'c was probably the most capable of leading them because of his physical conditioning, providing adequate warning of danger. Daniel was walking next to O'Neill, the two keeping a steady pace. No one spoke, everyone maintaining a vigilant silence as they moved. Carter found herself walking a happy medium between them all. Her calf muscles burned with the exercise, but it felt good to work her legs after being in the shuttle for so long.

They neared the ridge. Teal'c scouted ahead of them. O'Neill had moved up in front of Carter as they approached their first major destination. The night was chilled, but a break in the clouds had let the moon slip into view overhead, lighting their way. O'Neill held up his hand, signaling for the group to hold up in an area just under the ridge. He waited for Teal'c to return with a report.

Teal'c's large form appeared as a dark shadow moving down their side of the ridge. He joined the team a few moments later.

"What's it look like up there?" O'Neill asked, still breathing heavy from their trek.

Teal'c sat down on a rock, his breath coming in quiet puffs. Even the Jaffa was subject to the stresses of hiking mountains on this planet. "The area is secure until halfway down the other side of the ridge. We must move with great speed and stealth if we are to remain undetected. I saw at least one patrol securing the easiest pathway down the other side."

The colonel nodded. "Figures," O'Neill droned. "Okay, we'll rest here for another ten then move on and try to find a quieter way down there. Secure your packs for any loose pieces. Check your canteens and watch your usage. They don't have water fountains here."

Carter took the opportunity to slip out of her pack, with Jackson and O'Neill following suit. She knew that Daniel found them cumbersome, and she could not argue. Forty pounds took a toll on the back after a while, especially when climbing mountains. After an ammunition check, she opened her canteen and took a measured drink. The water was cool and soothing down her parched throat. Fortunately, the air was cool on the skin, keep all of them from overheating in the dense and humid forest highlands.

She wished she could take a deeper breath, but the thin air was not permitting it. The idea of ascending even further up the mountain was not enticing. She knew it would only get worse before it got better. Fortunately, they'd have an easier go of things once they got across the ridge. Neja's base of operations was in the valley below, giving them the chance to get to lower ground before attempting to free Avedra.

A vision of Avedra flashed in Sam's mind. She could not help but liken him to Julius Caesar. His hair was pushed forward, his nose stately with pronounced cheekbones. The color of his skin had an anemic pallor that she was beginning to attribute to the Tok'ra's underground existence. Freya had taken the liberty of bringing some picture device of Tok'ra design to familiarize SG-1 with Avedra's appearance. They could only hope that the ravages of capture had not rendered him unrecognizable.

O'Neill's allotted ten-minute break passed faster than Sam had hoped. She longed to give her lungs a little more rest, but the team knew it had to move in order to take full advantage of the darkness. More rain lay in heavy clouds off to the west. They had weathered one storm already, which didn't make climbing the terrain any easier. Now, they would weather yet another that looked even fiercer than the first.

The Colonel got to his feet, followed by the rest of his team. They geared up, grudgingly pulling on their packs once more. Teal'c took point again. Sam followed close behind, eager to see what lay beyond the ridge. Daniel lagged behind with Jack, in no position to fend off a surprise attack.

They reached the ridge within a few minutes. Using the forest as cover, they took up belly positions to survey the land below them. The patrols could be clearly seen. They did not see a need for stealth, since they lit their way with electrical torches. Carter counted at least twelve of them, moving at a hard clip through the forest on established paths.

Down in the valley, there was a complex that bathed the hills around it in a dim yellow light. Only, it wasn't a complex. It was a palace. A giant stone fortress solidly on the valley floor, a centerpiece to the construction efforts around it. To the east sat what Carter could only surmise was the grid that had brought them there in the first place. It was oblong, like a blue teardrop with a surface as smooth as glass. The pointed end of the teardrop faced Beman's Stargate. She thought the surface looked translucent and found she was right once she stared at it long enough. Inside, she could see workers moving about from point to point, possibly constructing more of the weapon with each passing moment. It was the palace that bothered her the most, though.

"Uh-oh, he's got a house," she said to no one in particular.

O'Neill stirred next to her. He peered through his night vision goggles at the guards that dotted the facility and the ones on the slope. "Oh, that's pretty," he mumbled. "Now, how do you suppose the Tok'ra missed that little detail?"

He handed the night vision over to Carter. She had been right in her estimate of twelve guards on the slopes away from them. Serpents, to be exact. The palace was another matter, though not hopeless. It seemed to be lightly guarded considering its importance. No matter, the guards were fully armed and protected, making SG-1's prospect of sneaking past not a good one. "What do you want to do, sir?" she asked, turning to him slightly.

"I suppose going home is out of the question," he muttered.

"I'm sorry, sir. I don't think that's one of the options General Hammond gave us. And with the patrols running around here, we're going to have a difficult time even getting near that thing."

"Well, there goes Plan A," O'Neill said, adjusting his position. "Looks like we have a bit of a problem. We're penned in here unless we come up with a better solution."

Daniel turned his head toward O'Neill. "Any idea how we're going to do that?"

O'Neill shrugged. "I'm open to suggestions."

"Perhaps we can circumvent the patrols," Teal'c offered. "We can retrace our steps and take a different route down the other side of this ridge."

O'Neill grimaced. "Yeah, that thought had crossed my mind, but there's no telling how many patrols are out there. We're not seeing the main act with these guys. There's bound to be more guards no matter which way we go. Besides, we'll lose too much time in order to make it back for the Tok'ra to give us a lift home."

"A diversionary tactic will only draw the attention of the patrols to our location," Teal'c continued.

"Teal'c's right," O'Neill conceded. "We're just going to have to pick our way down there and make sure we're quiet about it. Daniel and I will split off from you two and make a run for Neja's pad. God forbid we break any of his toys before the Tok'ra get a look at them."

Daniel cleared his throat quietly. "I don't mean to put a damper on all this enthusiasm, but exactly how are we going to rendezvous after we split up if there are guards on the ridge and guards around the fort? We're going to be searching for a needle in a haystack just finding Avedra. How are we supposed to find Teal'c and Sam once we're ready to go home? And why the hell weren't these hill patrols and that, uh, fort," he said, pointing to the giant stone walls in the valley, "mentioned in Freya's briefing?"

O'Neill took hold of the night vision again, taking another look down below. "Because Freya's a damned Tok'ra, that's why. They don't have to mention things like that." He set the goggles on the ground in front of him again. "Okay, here's what we're going to do. We're going to split up right here. Daniel and I will try to thread between these patrols and down to the work area. We'll wait there until the work shifts start, then find a way to grab our boy and make it back up this way. Carter, you and Teal'c hang back and see what you can see about this grid. If Daniel and I don't make it to the valley, it's up to you two to proceed on mission to find Avedra."

"Sir, Teal'c and I can increase firepower if we all stay together."

"And you and Teal'c will make a lot more noise than just Daniel tripping and sneezing." O'Neill admonished, glancing at Jackson's head whipping around once he'd caught the barb. "I need you two to be there with the firepower if we need it. Besides, I want an overall view of what we're dealing with when it comes to the grid. You'll have a better chance to check it out from up high."

O'Neill looked directly at Carter again. "If you see us get into trouble, come see what you can do - quietly. Otherwise, observe and evade until we can rendezvous again. And if there's no solution, you and Teal'c make a line for the shuttle and take it." He checked his watch. "It's zero-fifteen hours local time. That gives us roughly four hours to pull this off. We'll use the rock ledges and darkness as we go for cover. That should give us enough spaces to hide if we need it."

"Yes, sir," she answered, though not thrilled with the plan.

He backed away from the ridge on his stomach, prompting the others to follow suit. "Major, you take the high road and I'll take the low, and maintain radio silence until zero-four-fifteen. Hopefully, we'll be back in time for dinner."

SG-1 then split into two teams. Carter and Teal'c stayed back a few moments, watching O'Neill and Jackson weave their way down the ridge. As he had said, he was taking Daniel with him toward the left, a trajectory that would bring them closest to the complex without exposing them to wide-open spaces.

Carter looked at Teal'c and nodded. Together, they set off toward the right, taking a moment to scan ahead for any evidence of patrols. The air was getting thicker the more progress they made down the other side. A drop in altitude brought heavier air, with an impending storm bearing down on them. Sam could feel the air getting thick with moisture as they descended.

As usual, Teal'c did not seem to show any signs of strain under the atmospheric changes. He seemed too busy scouting ahead to notice the temperature change. Off in the distance, the incoming storm rumbled with a preamble of its intensity. The sky continued to light up with flashes as Teal'c and she picked their way down the slope. It would begin to rain soon. She could smell it in the air as the lightning kicked up the scent of ozone.

The two continued to pick their steps carefully down the mountainside, managing to catch a distant glimpse of O'Neill and Jackson every now and then. It was only through the night vision that Carter could even see their moving forms.Breathing was becoming less of a chore for Sam, although she would be glad to return to the comforting heights of Colorado and the SGC.

It was then that the first few pellets of rain could be felt. They hit against the leaves of the trees and the ground in tiny explosions of water. A thought flashed through Carter's mind the moment she felt the first drops. If the water on Beman was a biohazard, what would happen if they all got drenched in a downpour? Freya had assured them that the hazards existed only in water that collected on the land, since the virus was in the soil. Unfortunately, no one had been placing a lot of trust in her lately. SG-1 was no exception. All Sam could do was pray no one had any open cuts when the storm hit and that the buggers were killed in the atmosphere during daily evaporation intervals. In a way, she was almost glad she hadn't had the chance to mention this to O'Neill. She didn't think he would have taken it well under the circumstances. In any case, there would be nothing they could do in the event she was wrong in her instincts.

Before she could contemplate the dangers of the rain any further, she saw Teal'c crouch down quickly, motioning for her to do the same. Then she heard the footsteps of a patrol approaching. They were coming from the side, only this patrol carried no torches to light their way or warn of their approach. There was no place to go but ahead. That was when she saw it – an outcropping of rocks that jutted out above a fifty-foot ravine. They would have to chance it if they were going to evade the patrol. With any luck, the rocks would provide cover, enough to hide them from the searching eyes of the approaching guards.

Teal'c silently told her to proceed. As usual, he would guard her back and face their threat head-on while she scoped out ahead. Carter tried to move as quietly as possible, but loose dirt and stones made that nearly impossible. More than once, her feet slipped as she tried to navigate the steep incline too quickly. Teal'c was not faring much better as he followed. The increasing winds did nothing but batter against them as they tried to duck out of sight.

Carter saw it first – a rock ledge underneath the outcropping that was not visible to the approaching patrol. She and Teal'c could hide underneath it if they could reach it in time. The rain had picked up considerably now, steadily turning the soil into soft mud that caked in the cleats of their boots. Teal'c followed her lead toward the ledge, understanding that the outcropping would shield them from view.

The patrol was close. Sam could hear the clanking of boots against solid rock as the guards neared. Teal'c needed to get under the ledge more if he was to remain hidden. Carter began carefully sidestepping the narrow outcropping under the ledge, cautious not to send rocks or dirt tumbling that would raise an alarm. They had merely a width of a boot's distance from the wall to their deaths in the ravine below. Teal'c moved in unison with her small steps, fully appreciating the precarious lifeline of rock they shared.

The rain was beginning to roar against the land, sending streams of water down the mountainside. Carter could feel the small springs of water burst out from the rocks of the ledge, drenching her in icy cold water that made her shiver, even though the air was still warm and humid. She heard the patrol approach then stop near them. If she had to guess, she would have said that they were standing on top of the boulder above them, searching their patrol path for intruders.

They both hugged the wall underneath the outcropping, begging the land for a handhold to keep them from tumbling. It was a strange comfort for Carter to see even Teal'c struggling to hang on. Their efforts to remain quiet and undetected could not be maintained forever. Sam prayed the patrol would move on soon. Her hands were beginning to cramp as she wedged her fingers into a crack in the ledge wall. The lightning and thunder combined in the skies in full chorus as the storm blew up around them. The wind was howling, and she had no way of knowing if the patrol had moved on. She gave a sidelong glance to Teal'c, questioning with a nod toward the top if he could see that the patrol had moved along.

Teal'c shook his head, indicating that they needed to stay put for a few moments longer until he could be sure it was safe. Sam nodded, but only once until she felt her feet beginning to slip off the narrow ledge. The underground springs had turned into spigots of muddy debris. She was losing her footing fast. Carter tightened her grip to the inside of her handhold, willing to break her fingers if it meant she would not fall.

The lightning flashed wildly, illuminating Teal'c's face in an eerie whiteness. His anxiety was obvious as he tried to move closer to her. He held out a hand for her, but her footing disappeared entirely before she could grasp it.

The report of thunder off the canyon walls masked her brief cry of anguish as her fingers were nearly yanked from their sockets. She was falling, and she would be dead long before her body stopped tumbling against the jagged landscape.

Teal'c moved closer, testing each step on the ledge before placing his full weight. Carter gave a muffled cry that the wind reiterated with a droning sound. Her hands were slipping out of the crevice, her fingers simply unable to support her body weight and a forty pound backpack. She looked at Teal'c, not bothering to mask the panic on her face. His eyes locked to hers as he bent down and slipped his hand under her backpack, using the straps to begin lifting her back to the ledge.

Carter's feet scraped against the slick wall just below the ledge. Her feet could not find a foothold no matter how hard she tried. Teal'c continued to lift her, but it wasn't fast enough. Her hand was slipping out of the crevice, causing her to drop down even more, negating any progress he had made in raising her.

She could see movement through a crack in the overhang above them. Someone was still up there. She could just make out eyes that glowed red. The serpent guard had raised his helmet when the rain began.

Sam tried to get her knee up on the ledge, to help Teal'c to get her on her feet. It worked. Her foot found cavity in the rock which she used to haul herself up to safety with Teal'c's strong hand still on the straps of her pack. Carter put the fingers of her other hand back in the rock crevice, making sure her footing was solid. She could see Teal'c's hard breathing, and her cheeks tingled with stress. She hugged the rock face, happy to feel its muddy surface once more.

The soldier clanked away after a moment, bringing a wave of relief to Sam. Teal'c rounded the corner of the ledge a fraction to watch for the first moment of safety. After about a minute, he nodded to her, and they slipped back into the brush, under the cover of night and the storm.

Her heart was racing, and she fought to control it. Between the patrol and nearly plummeting to her death, it was almost too much to handle. Even Teal'c showed signs of strain. Together, they scanned the woods, watching the progress the patrol made moving away from them.

Once they were in the clear, Teal'c turned to her. "Are you injured, Major Carter?"

She had not considered it until that moment, but it was just possible that a few fingers were broken. The skin had been torn from the top of her hand, and the swelling was apparent as she tried to flex each digit. She was rewarded with a sharp stab of pain from the two middle fingers.

"I think I broke a few fingers," she said, wincing. "When we find good cover, I'll splint them. How about you?"

"I am well. We should find shelter and tend to your hand."

Carter nodded, loving the idea of being out of the cat and mouse game with the guards for at least a few minutes. Her hand was beginning to throb. She cradled it with the other. "Teal'c?" she said, as they began to walk.

He stopped and turned toward her.

"What is it, Major Carter?"

"Thank you."

He nodded without a word and continued forward.

As they moved, Carter got the horrible feeling this was going to be the extent of their role in the mission – evasion. They could only hope that O'Neill and Jackson did their part before the sun came up. If they did not succeed, hiding would be difficult if not impossible. Neja would surely capture them after supplies ran out. No one would come looking for SG-1. This mission, as they had been told, was a one-way ticket.