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Chapter 9

- P3X-747

'What's this?' Sam asked. She had been going through the items from Logan's survival-kit.

In her hands she held a large silver sheet. It was made out of a very thin fabric, and felt like it could rip apart if you even looked at it for too long.

'Ah,' Logan grinned, despite the headache.
'I swiped that off NASA.'
'This is NASA technology?' Sam asked surprised.
'It's a blanket.' Logan said.

He took the sheet from her and unfolded it completely. It was very large.

'You know, it's actually quite strong, and it has amazing isolating capability. And because it's so thin, it takes up very little storage room. That's why NASA developed it, and that's why I added it to the kit.'
'Ah.' Sam said.

Logan was collecting wood to keep the fire going. He had ordered Sam to sit tight and warm up a little. He was feeling a little better now.
He had also collected some fresh pine-branches with the needles still on. And had improvised a bed out of them.

'You don't mind sleeping together, do you? It's bound to get cold tonight. And I have the blanket.' Logan said, as he added some last logs to the pile next to the fire.
'I think I'll be able to handle it.' Sam replied.
'So what now?'
'Sit, rest… think about where we're gonna go tomorrow… Perhaps later I can figure out in what direction we should go.' Logan said as he sat down.

They didn't talk during the following minutes.

'So… When were you at NASA?' Sam finally broke the silence.
'Some years ago. After my official Black Ops career.'
'What did you do?'
'I was a pilot.'
'You were a shuttle-pilot?' Sam asked surprised.
'I've seen the ISS a few times.' Logan replied.
'You've been to the ISS several times? Man, there's a lot about you to get to know, isn't there?'

Logan nodded.
Sam rested her head against the log.

'How did you end up at NASA?' She asked.
'I came there as a Naval aviator. I had been training for space-flight, and at one time I had to replace a pilot on a mission. After that, I flew a couple of missions, until I left.' Logan said.
'How did you go from the Navy to the Air Force? And what would someone make quitting NASA?' Sam wondered.
'I entered the United States Army through the Navy. During my Black Ops I became good friends with an Admiral, Jennifer Coates. I quitted Black Ops and joined NASA because I wanted something different. The reason why I left NASA… is classified. But after that, I transferred to the Air Force.'
'Why so complicated?'
'I don't know. I'm usually all for the easy way.' Logan grinned.
'But my military carrier has been all but easy. It began when I transferred to the United States from Europe.'
'I knew you weren't from the U.S.' Sam said.
'I noticed your accent. How did you get into the United States Army from abroad, anyway?'
'Someone pulled some strings for me.' Logan said.
'Like the President did?' Sam asked.
'General Hammond said that your position at the SGC was a direct request from the President.'
'It was?' Logan asked surprised.
'You didn't know?' Sam replied, equally surprised.
'I didn't.' Logan answered.
'Oh, it might have something to do with that thing…' He said after a while.
'What thing?' Sam asked, intrigued.
'I'll tell you all about it.' He said.
'But now I think I'll take some time to see if I can catch anything to eat. Before it gets dark.'
'You think you're up for that?' Sam asked.

He stood up.

'Well, if I'm not back in two hours, I might have collapsed.'

Sam smiled weakly.

'If you think you're going to collapse, just head back. Please.'
'Alright, I promise. Just keep the fire going.'

Logan smiled before he turned and disappeared into the bushes.

----

Sam was sitting closely by the fire, on one of the larger logs. It was dark, and Logan wasn't back yet.

She had gone to the edge of the forest and had filled their single water-bottle with snow. She had tasted a little amount, and if she wouldn't get sick, it was ok to drink. Survival Tactics 101. Since they didn't have anything to boil the water with.
Then she had placed the blanket on the pine-branches and 'made the bed'. The blanket was large enough to function as sheet and blanket at the same time.
It was simply pastime, because she couldn't just sit around and do nothing. All by herself.
When it had gotten dark she turned to the sky. It was so much clearer than back home, no pollution or city-light that interfered.
She thought she recognized some constellations. Lana had shown her a few last night, at the feast.
Thinking of the feast made her hungry. She wished Logan would return soon.
Then she heard something in the bushes. Her hand immediately went to her 9mm Beretta. She had one clip left.

'Logan?' She asked.
'Yeah, it's me' She heard his voice. She relaxed and let go of her gun.

The Colonel appeared from the bushes with an animal the size of a large rabbit.

'What's that?' Sam asked.
'I have no idea. But I'm hoping it's edible.'

He cleaned it rapidly, and placed it next to the fire on a stick to let it roast. Half an hour later he thought it might be done.

'And?' Sam asked cautiously when Logan ripped a piece off and tasted it.
'Could use some salt.' He said after a while.
'And pepper. But basically tastes like chicken.'

After dinner, Logan buried the scraps a while further.
Sam wasn't full, but she wasn't hungry either. And, she wasn't feeling miserable anymore.

'Listen,' She said when Logan returned.
'I was looking at the sky when you were gone, and it might sound stupid, but I think I recognize a few constellations from last night.'

She gestured him to come sit next to her and she pointed at a cluster of stars.

'If I'm right, we're now somewhere west from Largos.'

Logan nodded.

'I think you're right. My compass says the same thing. By the way,'

He pointed his head towards the mountains they were near.

'Do you remember seeing that large mountain-area in the background yesterday? I think we got a whole lot closer to them.'

He looked at Sam.

'So we head out east?' She asked.
'We head out east. First thing tomorrow.'
'Alright. So let's get some sleep.'
'I agree.'

Logan placed some more logs on the fire, so it would keep going.
Sam took off Logan's jacket, which she had been wearing the whole time, and lay down. Logan took place next to her.

'Oh yeah, real comfortable.' She mocked.
'It's better then lying on the bare ground. Slightly.' Logan responded.

They both turned on their sides, and faced each other.

'Goodnight, Major Carter.' Logan said.
'Goodnight.'

Logan repositioned the blanket more comfortably around them, and felt Sam was very cold when he accidentally touched her skin.

'Come here,' He said, and automatically pulled her in his arms.

He felt her stiffen for a moment, and realized that he had only known her for two days. And he was her senior officer. He was already pulling back when he felt her moving closer into his arms. He embraced her back and felt her trembling. But the fire was already warming them, and soon, Sam stopped shivering and fell asleep.