A/N: Sorry it's taken a while since the last update. Thank you to those that have reviewed, followed and reading my story.
Enjoy :)
It didn't take long to drive back to the SGC. Traffic was virtually next to nothing, zilch, nada, the sweltering heat was another matter. They could have had another fun hike, another picnic, or even fishing! Anything would have been better than being under Cheyenne Mountain.
Checking in was quick, Jack didn't want to hear the latest gripe vine- rumour mill that surely will be spreading like wild fire. Given the shared car journey, it being no secret where General O'Neill spent his downtime. Quickly they managed to park, being the head of the base certainly had its perks. After another brief check in they headed to the lift, Jack swiped his key card and pressed the button for level 28.
"So what's the plan of action here sir?" Carter asked.
"You know while we are somewhat alone, could we revert back to Jack?"
"Actually, I think it would be better going back to sir. I wouldn't want to slip up." Carter mused.
"Well." Jack held his head down, looking at the floor shuffling his feet.
"It won't be for long Jack. So... What's the plan here? Send out a UAV, scout the area, send a team through, find the guys, de-brief, go back on downtime and check out this no-fish-fishing thing you've got going on?"
"Now see, that sounds like a plan Carter." Jack said sarcastically.
Carter turned her head round, looking back at the door she crossed her arms, swayed on the balls of her feet and starting humming. (Stargate theme)
"Humming?" Jack stated.
"I was, Didn't notice." Sam toyed.
"What's his name?"
"Now why would you assume..."
"Humming?"
"Can't tell you sir, need to know." Sam joked.
"Don't forget to tell him that if he doesn't look after you, your team will be after him."
"I will sir, I'm sure it won't be necessary... He's the perfect gentlemen." Sam could hardly contain her laughter.
"Is that so, well he's a lucky man Carter."
"Yes sir." Carter replied with her mega watt smile.
As the elevator doors opened, Walter was there to welcome in ready with two cups of coffee and a file under his arm.
"Why thank you Walter, why don't you give that to Carter and fill me in what trouble Daniel has caused now." Jack said winking at Carter as they both walked to the gate room.
"Yes sir, Dr Jackson missed his scheduled check in. Colonel Reynolds ordered to make contact, we dialled the gate and radioed, there was no answer. A few minutes of trying the computer received a signal from Teal'c, he sent an SOS though using the GDO. Sir he entered the do not send a rescue signal."
"Damn it."
"Sir, we can't ignore Teal'c' message." Carter Queried seriously.
"No Carter that's exactly what we are not going to do." Jack though for a moment. "Right Carter I want a UCAV prepped and ready in 5 minutes. I want to see what's going on."
"Yes sir." Carter started to run down to bay.
"Carter, full set up." Jack shouted after him.
"Sir, with all due respect, protocol states..." Walter started.
"I know Walter, I need to see what the situation is before I lock the Gate address out for good. I need to be sure."
"Yes sir, sorry sir... Preparing to dial the gate." Walter chimed, sitting down pressing the necessary controls to start dialling.
Within minutes, the gate had been prepared to dial with the dialling address, Siler was setting the last bits in place for the UCAV and Carter was in the control room monitoring the UCAVs data, while Jack hovered over her looking at the screen. Within an instant the gate sprang into action. The hissing of the UCAV shot through the gate. Walter started the countdown until they'd see picture coming through.
"Three, two, one receiving UCAV images sir." Walter stated.
The screen bounced into life as images started to flutter across the screen.
"Oh, God what happened here!" Carter gasped holding her hands to her mouth.
"I don't know Carter. But we are going to find out." O'Neill claimed.
The screen was filled thick with smoke, debris, and soot as far as the eye could see. There was nothing there, no ruins no, trees, no life, nothing was visible. The drone circled around for another flyover.
"Carter, switch to thermal" O'Neill ordered.
Sam typed the computer sending the commands to the UCAV for thermal imaging. Within a short few seconds the UCAV responded, sending though the first images.
The images on the screen were quite bizarre. There were a few heated plumes of smoke, small flashes of heat radiating off debris still on fire. The most unusual thing must have been from the strange spider like- what could only be presumed as tunnels. They seem to be warm but not burning as though a flash fire as pushed its way through leaving only a molten mess; but not through all the tunnels, some of them, not all. Some still remained blue indicating it was cold.
"Daniel, Teal'c come in... Do you read?" O'Neill called.
There was no answer only radio static. Determined that his friends were still alive, Jack tried again. still too no avail.
"Sir, What are you thinking." Carter wondered. She looked up at him to try and read his thoughts.
"I don't know- something just seems odd -with the blast."
"Your gut, feeling is usually right sir." Carter reminded.
"My 'spidey' senses are tingling, Carter." He smirked.
"Why is the blast off sir" Walter queried.
"Okay you see that..." Jack pointed to the screen, a selected moment where every time the UCAV changes direction, an exact point on the destroyed ruins. "There you see it."
"See what sir?"
"There Carter look, Its like a fizzle." Jack motioned.
"A fizzle?"
"Yeah Carter, like when you drive on a hot road and you see that shimmer thing."
"A mirage?"
"Yeah shimmer thingy. Look its gunna do it again, it's in the wrong place for the heat." Jack reiterated pointing his finger at the spot on the screen.
"I see it! Your right sir, the heat distribution from a blast wouldn't cause that." Carter said excitedly. It's been a while since she had a puzzling science problem to solve.
Sam started to type once more giving the computer endless commands.
"Carter?" Jack said questionably.
"Sorry sir, Im writing an algorithm... To monitor the frequencies within the exact time the fluctuations appears. You see the..."
"Aghhh. Just tell me." Jack hissed.
"Well do you remember that guy...?" Seeing Jack's face she changed her mind on her response. "The one that cloned us into robots - the MALP detected minuscule fluctuations when it passed through the event horizon, Im hoping... Ah ha that's it!" Sam's face beamed with excitement.
"Found something." Jack jived.
"Yes sir... Just give me a sec...There." Sam entered a few more calculations. Her face lit up as she solved the problem.
Meanwhile, Jack was looking at the screen; it started to falter as though someone was flicking through TV channels too fast. Within a moment the screen changed, the Scene before them completely different to the one moment ago. The temple was still standing, the vicinity free from smoke and debris from a blast. Luscious green trees and flowers filled far into the reaches of the horizon. Daniel's excavation tent could be seen clearly. A fire pit was raging, and around it was two men rescue- waving at the UCAV drone.
Teal'c frantically waving his arms in the air, and Daniel seemed to be holding something. A make shift placard, made with material from the tent. It had writing on it, but it wasn't readable.
Walter zoomed in, closer, closer until the writing could be read.
SET OFF TRAP
CAN'T DIAL OUT!
RADIOS BROKEN DHD BROKEN
"It's no good Daniel Jackson." Teal'c claimed.
"We have to do something, Teal'c! We can't sit here for the rest of our lives." Daniel shouted.
"Indeed we cannot. But the device prevents them from seeing us Daniel Jackson."
"I know that, I can't turn the damn thing off. If you hadn't sent the cut off code, we'd be home by now."
"I disagree Daniel Jackson." Teal'c lowered his head. "I have complete trust in General O'Neill. He will not leave is behind."
"You know where and who he is with right." Daniel shouted exasperated.
"Of that I am aware."
"So..." Daniel started to argue.
The UCAV started to move flying up and down like a person nodding enthusiastically.
"They see us!" Daniel shouted with excitement.
Well, it seems like Daniel and Teal'c needed a rescue after all! Who's going to be saving the day? I wonder who it will be.