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Chapter 3: Earth Side Story

In the two days it took to fly to Ravenna, Sam had finally figured out what to write to her father. It was a short note that no one could really get any information from except her father. Her father would have to explain the note to them if they took it to him. Chances were he wouldn't. It was personal.

Dad,

Remember my favorite song growing up. From Pink. These words stick with me. 'I'll never be your perfect girl. I've got to run away. I might have nowhere left to go. But I know I cannot go home. And I will try to stay alive. Maybe the world will know one day. Why won't you help me run away?'

Love you,

Sammie

It called back to a time when Sam as acting out after her mother's death. Mark was too busy ignoring Jacob or blaming him.

But Sam wanted all the attention. For a year, Sam was the perfect daughter. She got straight A's. She participated in every sport and several after school activities. Jacob was gone more than he was home. Sam felt ignored.

One day, Sam just left. Took her mother's debit card and left. If being perfect couldn't get his attention, then maybe running away would. Jacob finally found her three weeks and two states later. She was fourteen.

They had a long talk and spent a week getting home. A long slow week. It was one of the best times Sam could remember having with her father after her mother's death. It was that week that drove her to decide to join the Air Force and follow in her father's footsteps.

Yes, Jacob had pushed and tried to manipulate her career. But Sam could always see that he had the best of intentions. He wanted the best for his daughter. He was proud of her. He loved her. He just had a hard time saying it. He had a hard time showing it. But deep down, Sam knew it.

When they finally landed on Ravenna, they waited awhile to make sure the Al'kesh was not detecting entering orbit. After waiting a few hours, Sam decided to risk it.

"Alright," Sam told Jack. "I have my note. You have me in your line of sight. We should be clear."

"Roger that," Jack said on the bridge of the Al'kesh. "Well, make dinner when you get back."

"Sounds like a plan," Sam said with a smile. She armed up and walked to the outer door.

Sam walked the short distance to the Stargate. She took in the surrounding area and found spot by the base to the Stargate base. It was well out of the way of any foot traffic. Even a MALP would miss it or drive past it based on its angle between the wall of the base and the ramp.

Sam walked over to the area and started to collect round rocks until she had a neat pile. She took the largest round rock and put her note under it. Then she stacked the rocks in little towers from largest to smallest until her pile of rocks disappeared.

Sam grinned. The biggest tower was the one with the note, but it was surrounded by several other towers. All done in the same format as the Blair Witch movie. It was a stupid horror movie. But it had an easy way to identify a rock stack hiding place.

Okay. Sam conceded that Tau'ri were weird.

Sam moved back to the Al'kesh her mission complete. Now they just had to wait for a response. Hopefully, it wouldn't take too long. They only brought enough food for two months. Surely, the SGC wouldn't wait that long?

SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG

Daniel and Teal'c trudged up the hill to the Stargate. They had spent the last two weeks wandering around the night of the city trying to find Sam or Jack. After their bad encounter with the militia, Jack had been hit with a stun weapon and taken by the militia. Teal'c and Daniel had provide cover fire for Sam to escape into the surrounding woods.

The militia had not even tried to pursue. Instead, they had just taken Jack and left. Sam had radioed that she would follow them. That was the last they had seen or heard of either of their teammates.

What little intel Teal'c and Daniel had been able to gather, the local militia was not popular. They had stuck to after dark because Teal'c did not even remotely look like a local. What they had found was that the city was just too damn big. They had no idea where to go or who to talk to without getting locked up.

They had decided to check in at the SGC first before making another attempt. This time trying to contact a local.

The clearing around the Stargate looked exactly as they had left it. The MALP was still positioned in the exact same spot. Daniel wandered over to the DHD and dialed Earth.

Daniel clicked his radio, "SGC, this is Daniel of SG-1."

"Go ahead SG-1," the SGC replied.

"Teal'c and I have not gotten any information about either Jack or Sam. The city is just too large. We wanted to check in before making another attempt to contact a local," Daniel said.

"Belay that, Dr. Jackson," General Hammond said. "We have heard from Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter. Return to the SGC immediately."

"You have? Excellent. Open the door and we will send the MALP," Daniel said with excitement.

"Door is open," General Hammond said.

"Teal'c, come on. Jack and Sam are back home already," Daniel said.

"That is good news, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c replied as they walked the MALP through the Stargate.

Once Daniel and Teal'c stepped through the Stargate, they stopped in shock as every gun was pointed at them. The MALP continued down the ramp.

"Dr. Jackson, Teal'c, I would ask you to disarm voluntarily and proceed to medical under armed escort," General Hammond's voice echoed through the Gate Room.

Daniel handed his P-90 and M-9 to the technician who stood to one side. Another technician on the other side took Teal'c's staff weapon and zat. Once the technicians were clear, Daniel and Teal'c exited the ramp and followed their escort to medical.

Anytime Daniel tried to ask a question, he was shushed. The first test they were given was the MRI. Daniel thought that was odd. After that test, the usual exams followed and they were released back to the briefing room.

General Hammond was waiting for them.

"Gentlemen, welcome home. I'm sorry for the precautions," General Hammond started the briefing. "A little over one week ago, we were dialed by that planet. No IDC was sent. Instead we received a radio call from Major Carter asking us to turn on the MALP video. This is what we saw."

General Hammond started the video transmission.

Daniel could see Sam in uniform with vest by the DHD. She looked at the camera and in a very goa'uld voice said, "Very good." Her eyes flashed, "I am leaving this planet with this male. My host seems to like him. Male, tell them why we are leaving this planet."

Daniel watched Sam kick Jack as he knelt in front of her. Jack looked angry and resigned.

"Fine. I'm fine, by the way. It got me out of the hell hole prison this planet decided to send me to. This place is on the brink of civil war. I have not seen Daniel or Teal'c, just Carter. Recommend getting them the hell out of here, because we won't be here."

"Why don't you…" General Hammond's voice said.

Sam the goa'uld, "My host says that the Tok'ra tunnels on Ravenna are no more. That is too bad. If she wanted to leave a message for her father, that is the place it would be. He only has to find the Blair Witch Stones."

The transmission ended.

"I… I didn't see any presence of a goa'uld on the planet," Daniel said stunned.

"Nor did I, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said.

"Can you confirm their intel about that planet?" General Hammond asked.

"Oh definitely, the locals don't know who to trust. The government has put in place a curfew and arrest anyone who is out after dark as a criminal automatically. Teal'c and I only moved after dark because… well… Teal'c just didn't fit in," Daniel said. "I couldn't find any media to investigate, but the street signs were all Gaelic."

"Well, we can scrub that planet from our list of possible allies," General Hammond sighed.

"Did the goa'uld tell you who they were? Maybe we can find Jack and Sam that way," Daniel said.

"No, it didn't. I have locked out Jack and Sam's IDCs. But we have no way of knowing who has taken Sam," General Hammond said with a sigh.

"General Hammond, the goa'uld said it would leave a message for Jacob on Ravenna. Perhaps this would be a way to find more information about this goa'uld," Teal'c stated.

"I've thought of that. The Tok'ra will think it is a trap. It may be a trap. But I want my officers back," General Hammond said.

"What if we trigger the trap instead of the Tok'ra?" Daniel asked.

"I don't want to lose you either, Dr. Jackson," General Hammond said. "But the Tok'ra would go for it. And we might get intel. I won't make it an order."

"You don't have to. I would probably do it without your consent anyway," Daniel said.

General Hammond chuckled, "You probably would. You and Teal'c have a go. Take what you need. Leave for Ravenna tomorrow morning, after you rest."

"Thank you, General Hammond," Daniel said as he stood and hurried to his office Teal'c in his wake.

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