"He's a tool sir. The bastard never had anything to begin with." Cam tossed his pen down on the briefing room table.
Sam glanced to the general and straightened in her seat, "We may have another option."
Landry shook his head, "I'm going to stop you right there. I can't authorize a search of nearly a hundred planets, not only do we not have the resources but I can't risk inciting an all out war with the Lucian Alliance."
"Did they not already instigate war with us by kidnapping one of our leaders?" Teal'c raised his eyebrow.
Landry sighed, "We don't even know for sure they are the ones who did. We've been working off of supposition so far."
"General," Daniel leaned forward, "Saturday you were the one reinforcing how important it is that we find Jack."
Landry nodded, "Yes, I still think it's important but if he were here right now he wouldn't authorize this either and you know that."
"Yes well if we always acted based upon whether or not Jack would save himself he would have been dead a long time ago." Daniel muttered, shoving his glasses up his nose.
Landry sighed and pursed his lips, weighing his words.
"What if we could narrow down the planets?" Sam interjected before Landry could push Daniel's buttons further.
All eyes turned to her. She planted her arms on the table, "We can send UAVs through the gate, get pictures and see if there is any suspicious structure or activity."
Cam rubbed the back of his neck, "Unless UAVs suddenly have developed the ability to use a DHD someone still needs to go through to collect it."
Daniel sat up eagerly, "Yes, but it only would take a couple of people to do so and we could land the UAV back by the gate and not risk starting any altercations."
"Well, minimal risk of altercation." Sam amended with a quick glance to the General. Seeing him still quiet she leaned forward on her elbows, "We could conduct a much larger search much faster and less intrusively this way."
The General nodded slowly. "Okay. One UAV."
Teal'c stood, "In that case I shall return to Da'karaa. I believe some of the Free Jaffa may be willing to assist with a search."
Landry leaned back in his chair, eyebrows raised, "Are you sure?"
"There is great respect for O'Neill and disdain for the Lucians who have taken what should have been Jaffa property after the fall of the system lords." He stood resolutely.
Hank nodded slowly, "You may go, but just be careful. We don't need a war between the Lucian and the Jaffa either."
"Indeed." He inclined his head, "ColonelCarter, I shall depart as soon as you can provide me a list of planets."
Sam nodded, "Absolutely. Right away."
Landry regarded the tense faces of the people around the table, "Look, folks, I know you are disappointed this is taking so long but you know better than anyone; General O'Neill is a fighter. He'll be holding his own for however long it takes."
Sam's lips thinned into a tight line, "He shouldn't have to."
"You're sure?"
"Yes Jack." Michael was getting annoyed. "For the thousandth time, I can be trusted to aim and push a button."
Jack released a barely concealed growl as he pushed himself up to once again survey the area around the ship. "Okay. Just don't shoot me by accident."
Michael glared, "You do the same. At least my weapon is accurate." He gestured to the rough bow and arrow Jack held.
"I'll try to do my best." Jack mocked.
Michael smirked. "Are you always this cocky?"
Jack returned the smirk. "I find it helps when against impossible odds."
"Okay." Michael smirked and shook his head. "Why don't you go through it again?"
Jack drew out a circle in the dirt with a stick. "They have a pretty loose perimeter around the edge of the clearing. As soon as we use any weapon that makes noise they'll be on to us so I'm going to start here and work my way clockwise taking out the sentry. If I'm successful you won't hear or see me for about 20 to 30 minutes. Do NOT get antsy and trigger happy."
Michael nodded. "What's the longest I should wait? When should I be concerned?"
"You'll know it. If one of those bastards gets the upper hand they will shout for the others and you'll be able to see what happens from here. If that happens head up the mountain until you find a big stone circle held upright. Dig in and hide. The rescue team will be coming through there eventually and you'll want to be close."
"Rescue team?" Michael sat back on his heels, "If we're expecting a rescue team why are we risking our necks now?"
Jack sighed, "I'm just assuming there will be a rescue team eventually. Carter will see to it. But there's no saying how long it will take for them to figure out we're here and it's important for me to brief my people on what these folks are up to."
"The technology they can use." Michael recalled.
"Exactly." Jack nodded. "Between that and the chances of being discovered while we wait...we need to go now."
"Okay." Michael agreed, "So what's my cue?"
"I'm going to grab one of the weapons from the guards I take out. When you see and hear the guy here," He marked an area across the circle "Go down, that's your cue to take care of the guys here, here and here." He made more marks, "Don't worry about what's going on back here, they will be my problem. If you can take care of these 3 we should be good to go."
Michael nodded and held out his hand, "I suppose I should say good luck?"
Jack smirked and accepted the outstretched hand in a firm grip. "I'd prefer we don't need it."
With a final shake and a jaunty salute with the crude bow Jack turned and dropped down from the rock outcropping they had been perched on and disappeared into the forest.
Michael edged up to what they had determined would be his best position. Jack had hoped the sun would finally set and they could have the cover of darkness. Unfortunately it did not look as if the sun would ever set as it slowly moved across the edge of the sky and it was hot here on the edge of the forest and in the valley away from the mountain winds. Michael fought the urge to wipe the sweat from his hair, not wanting something so insignificant to risk exposing his position.
He thought back to the war games they played in basic training and then the standard recon training he received before starting at the agency. He concentrated on his breathing, low and steady, keeping his heart rate and muscles in control. He tried not to wonder at Jack's progress or what he was actually doing.
Being an engineer Michael had never been on any front lines. He had never killed anyone or been up close when someone had been but he knew enough of the techniques learned by special forces that they were effective and brutal. He sent up a prayer that Jack would be able to manage with the rocks and arrows and not be drawn into a hand to hand situation.
Time seemed to pass far too slowly as he watched the guards move about, appearing almost bored. He calmed himself with Jack's logic that no news was good news. Still he, had to fight the temptation to crawl up further where he might have been able to see one of the men Jack had planned to take out stealthily.
The air was heavy and Michael began to think his ears were playing tricks on him. He wished he had a watch and closed his eyes, trying to fight off the unease he felt as time slowly passed.
When it finally happened it was fast. A sound as if something was being pressurized, an orange ball of fire and suddenly the man across the clearing fell to the ground, a large black burn on his back. Michael turned his head but could not see Jack. As he searched another orange burst felled another man.
The remaining men in the clearing began to rush to where the weapons fire was coming from and shoot in that direction. Michael identified who his targets were, took aim, and fired.
The first one fell and suddenly men were looking in his direction and branches around him cracked and fell as the men shot into the woods. He trusted Jack and ignored the men firing at him, he aimed again at his second target and fired. A blue burst of energy barely missed him and he fired again, his third man falling. There were two men left standing in the clearing, one still shooting in his direction. Michael fired and brought him down. He smiled to himself, back in the day he had been the best marksman in his company and 4 for 4, he still had it!
The smirk slid from his face when he realized what the final man in the clearing was doing. It was Ranorku and he was bent over Jack who was on the ground and pushing back, trying to prevent the beast sized man from crushing his windpipe with one of the long staff weapons.
Michael scrambled from his perch and approached the struggling men, weapon drawn and steady.
"Come no further!" The large man shouted. "Drop your weapon or I will kill your brother!"
"Do it!" Jack tried to shout.
Ranorku smiled, "It is best to listen to your brother. Drop your weapon now."
Michael narrowed his eyes, "I don't think that's what he meant..." he pulled the trigger the large man's eyes went wide in surprise.
As the pressure was released from his throat Jack raised his own zat from where it had fallen in the dirt and quickly hit Ranorku with a second and deadly shot before collapsing himself.
Michael ran over and checked for a pulse. It was there and steady. He tapped Jack's cheek, "C'mon Jack. Wake up." When the older man gave no reaction Michael looked around, one of the fallen guards had what looked like a water bottle. Michael grabbed it and opened it. After checking to make sure it was actually water he turned back and promptly upended it on Jack's face.
"GAH!" The man in question spluttered and coughed as he blinked his eyes open and shot up into a sitting position.
Michael knelt down and put his hand on Jack's shoulder, "You okay?"
Re-oriented Jack squinted at Michael, "I thought I told you not to shoot me."
Michael smiled, "Not quite, you told me not to shoot you by accident. I shot you very much on purpose."
Smiling Jack looked Michael over, "And well done. Thank you."
Michael nodded. Jack had a cut on his lip another across his nose and what looked the beginnings of a bruise on his cheek but otherwise seemed okay. "You too."
Jack glanced around, "We clear?"
Michael nodded. Jack pushed himself up and strode to the side of the ship and pushed some buttons to open a door in the side of the hull.
"C'mon Mikey. Time to go home!"
Michael followed him inside the odd machine.
Jack was leaning over a center console, manipulating lights on what looked like a control panel. "Shut the door behind you, this bird is ready to fly." He ordered.
Michael turned back to the door and froze.
"Not so fast!" Laughed Ventirii from the doorway, arm outstretched, glowing jewel in his palm.