Till We Run Out of Road
Chapter Three
There wasn't any time to dwell in the next week. Sam spent most of her time after the quick memorial service on the Odyssey, and only returned briefly at the end of the week because Cam came to drag her away for a few hours, luring her with the promise of a view of something other than metal, wires, and crystals.
She realized she'd been ambushed when, after a long, silent walk through the forest around their camp, they ended up by the 'gate, with alcohol that had been 'procured' by Vala and Teal'c, who were trying to look smug but mostly looked hollow, and Jack glaring furiously at anyone who looked his way. Which no one was.
Nevertheless, the alcohol served to loosen their tongues, and even Jack went from looking pissed to looking tired.
"I need to know what happened," Sam said, avoiding Jack's eyes as he tried, frustrated, to get her attention.
Vala lifted her head to regard her with dark eyes. She bit out, "Daniel was murdered." She didn't volunteer anything else.
Teal'c said, "We gave the details to General Landry and O'Neill already, Samantha Carter."
Sam took a breath. "I still need to know. Please." She could have asked anyone else--she knew the details would be all over camp by now--but she needed to hear it herself. A part of her was still hoping it was some kind of mistake, that they hadn't seen what they thought they'd seen.
Cam started. "Seems the Ori have given up on us--as soon as the prior spotted us, he--" Cam rethought what he was going to say. "One minute, Daniel was there. The next, he was just gone."
"We had no choice but to leave immediately, Colonel Carter." Teal'c face was composed, but Sam could tell he was affected.
She reached out. "I'm sure you did everything you could."
Teal'c inclined his head.
Sam kept her hand on his arm and turned to Cam. "You're sure--" she grimaced. "I mean--"
"Daniel's dead, Carter." Jack spoke for the first time, his voice harsh.
"But, sir," she protested, the alcohol making it really easy to forget what she was asking would do no one any good, "he could have been transported out, or--"
"I saw him die, Sam," Vala said flatly. She stood unsteadily. "He's gone." She started walking down the path back to camp. After a minute, Cam followed.
Sam felt like she was going to cry. Her eyes wide, she turned to Teal'c, who shook his head minutely and followed Cam, catching his elbow as he stumbled a little on the path.
With effort, she looked at Jack. "You think he's dead. I mean--really dead."
She didn't need him to say anything; his face confirmed it all. She wanted to sit down. Daniel had always come back before--he was supposed to be immune, supposed to poke his head out of the General's office, or 'gate, or even just walk up one day, whole and maybe a little amnesic, but still Daniel. And Jack had always been the believer between them.
She'd always been a little behind the curve.
Without another word, she stood and dialed the 'gate.
As it whooshed to life and she climbed the steps, Jack said, "Sam, don't--"
She stepped through the event horizon.
Cam came to get her the next day. Sam opened her mouth to apologize for her words, but Cam shook his head. "Don't. We're all upset--and it is Daniel. It's okay, Sam."
Sam closed her mouth and gave a grateful smile. They walked back to the 'gate without speaking, and Cam guided her into a tent while they waited.
"The generals told me they'd send someone for you when they were ready."
Sam hesitated, then asked. "How is Vala doing?"
Cam shook his head. "I honestly don't know. She hasn't said much since we came back, spends a lot of time by herself."
Sam sighed. She hadn't been there, and some part of her couldn't help but think...maybe...
A young scientist, Tricia Lim, poked her head in their tent. "Colonel Carter--they need you."
'They' could only be the generals. She got up slowly, not looking forward to discussing their next move. If she were honest, she wasn't looking forward to dealing with Jack.
Still, she had to face him sometime. She straightened her shoulders, crossed the clearing and entered the other tent. To her surprise, General Landry was nowhere to be found. Jack looked up from a sheet of paper, and for a second, Sam saw every line etched into his face. Then it seemed as if a mask fell into place, and Sam had to swallow the words she wanted to say. She approached the table, but stayed on the other side.
"Sir," she said shortly.
She ignored the vindictive thrill that ran through her as Jack's eyes narrowed. "Sam."
She opened her mouth, but before she could make a retort that would only serve to get her in trouble, Jack had come around the table. He said, "No--You can't just pretend nothing happened, Carter. That's not the way this works."
"Oh, like you, you mean!?" Sam laughed.
"Excuse me? You were the one has been avoiding me--avoiding this for years." Jack thrust a pointed finger at her chest.
"I didn't see you complaining."
"Maybe I should have. A lot of good it did us, in the end."
"Oh, no. You don't get to re-write history." Sam shook her head. "What were we supposed to do--screw each other, get court-martialed--"
"Screw the world and damn the consequences? It's sounding pretty good right about now." Jack, still standing next to her, looked at her intently. His expression changed from hard and unyielding to something else--something a lot more complicated. "Carter, I didn't want to start that. I'm not--"
The tent flap opened. Jack dropped her arm but didn't back away.
General Landry said, "Oh, good. You're here. Colonel Carter, we need to discuss our next move."
Finally, Jack moved around the table. Sam didn't quite feel as relieved as she felt she should.
General Landry continued, "We're going to move everyone to the Odyssey."
Sam was taken aback. "Why? The terrain around the ship is barely habitable, and even if I can get the ship working again--"
"You think you can fix it?" Landry interrupted abruptly.
Taken aback, Sam said, "Well, it's looking like more of a possibility than I originally thought. Why?"
Jack and Landry exchanged a look, but it was Jack who spoke. "We were going to compromise this site--but if you think we can use the Odyssey..."
Sam furrowed her brow. "Why would you--"
The tent flap opened again, and Sam turned her head to see Vala silhouetted against the bright daylight.
"You rang?" She tried for bright, but Sam heard the exhaustion, could see her sway just a little and clutch at the tent flap.
Jack groaned under his breath. Sam narrowed her eyes.
General Landry said, "Vala. Could you wait outside for two minutes?"
Vala flicked a look Sam's way, but only said, "I just wanted to know--"
Jack said, "In a minute, Vala."
"Fine, fine." She ducked back out, and the flap closed behind her.
Sam whirled back to Landry and Jack. "You're going to use her to try to get to the Ori!"
"Officially, she's going to leave on her own, use her previous contacts to try to get an idea of what the Ori are up to." Landry clarified.
"She volunteered, Sam." Jack sounded tired.
"According to Teal'c, that prior killed Daniel without blinking an eye!"
"And yet Vala was the first one through the 'gate," Jack said. "We think Adria's put out the word to capture her, not kill her."
Sam huffed. "There are so many things wrong with this plan--"
Landry said, "Colonel!" He continued in a lower voice, "This is our only shot. We have no ships, no intel. Vala might be able to find something we can use. And that's why we're moving--if she's compromised, she could lead them back to us."
Sam looked back and forth between them. Finally, she sighed. "Fine--but at least give me a shot at theOdyssey."
"It'll mean relocating everyone somewhere else entirely. And we can't afford to wait. We're already far behind," Landry said.
Sam said, "Then leave me there and relocate. If I finish, I can meet up with you."
"There are so many things wrong with that idea--" Jack twisted her words back at her, and Sam flinched at the venom in his voice, but didn't retract her request.
Landry wasn't quite glaring at Jack. He said, "How much time would you need?"
"Three weeks."
Landry nodded. "Fine. You can have three weeks. But I want SG-1 to stay with you."
Jack said, "I'm going, too."
Sam opened her mouth to protest, but thought better of it at Landry's stern expression.
"Yes, sir."
They started getting ready to move the next day, but had to wait for the two teams currently off-world to return. They hadn't told anyone that their move would be temporary, or about the rest of their plan, so the next two days Sam was tense, aching for something to happen and hoping nothing would. She wasn't sure, but she thought that maybe Jack was avoiding her. That suited her just fine.
On the third night, just before dawn, the wormhole opened and the last team ran through, panting as they waited ages for the 'gate to close behind them, the commander gasping out, "Spotted, not close, priors."
They all waited in front of the 'gate, guns at the ready, crouched grimly behind what obstacles they could fine, because they knew they couldn't escape if even one prior stepped through. Sam rested the cold metal against her cheek, feeling Jack's presence behind her, and felt like she was sending out a plea with each breath for more time.
The 'gate whined, and the event horizon disappeared.
Jack stood up, his fingers brushing her arm. It might have been accidental. He stepped forward. "We leave now, people."
Without a word, their people stood and made ready to break camp. While the other officers and scientists dashed to and from the tents, Teal'c and Cam appeared from behind them, with a pack in each hand.
Vala, who was wearing her pigtails again, grabbed a sack from Teal'c. She threw it over her shoulder, turning toward the 'gate and blinking as the sun appeared over the horizon. She'd managed to do something to her BDUs to make them look exotic--something involving a bright scarf that she'd wound around her waist--and she'd obviously managed to bring some sort of leather jacket along. Sam wondered if Vala always prepared to be left off-world.
Vala shifted. "Right, then. I'll be going."
Landry said, "Remember: we won't be here when you get back, and SG-1 will only be staying with theOdyssey for three weeks."
Vala nodded, but she looked distracted.
Sam wondered if she was paying attention, or if the other woman had given up. Sam stepped forward, embraced the other woman. Vala stiffened with surprise. Sam whispered, "There's still hope," and let her go.
When she stepped back, Jack was looking at her with a strange expression, but Sam ignored him. It was something she was getting pretty good at.
Vala blinked, and then adjusted her pack. She reached for the DHD, for the first symbol.
"Vala Mal Doran."
Vala hesitated, her hand poised above the DHD.
Teal'c said, "I would be glad to assist you in your quest."
Sam, Jack and Cam all looked at him in shock. From where Sam stood, she could just see a small smile flit across Vala's face.
Then she turned, and something of her old nature was back in the way she canted her hips, stuck her free hand in one pocket. "No offence, big guy, but you're a little recognizable for me." She jutted a hand toward Sam. "I'd be better off with the blonde wonder, there."
Sam rolled her eyes. Cam made a noise of protest.
Vala turned to him. "Actually, you'd probably do pretty well--you've got that forgettable face going for you."
Cam looked insulted, which just made Vala grin wider. She dialed quickly, approached the steps, her timing perfect as the unstable vortex whooshed out and then settled back into the event horizon as she reached the first one. She turned at the top, gave a jaunty wave, and then disappeared through the wormhole.
After that, their departures were a blur of activity. Sam didn't even look back as they dialed to the Odyssey's site and walked through.
The trek to the Odyssey didn't take them long, but the sun had already risen, and Sam felt the time difference as the area warmed, the sun reflecting off the rocky ground. None of them talked much, and Sam wondered if anyone else was missing Daniel's voice.
Without thinking, she found herself looking to Jack, and in the instant their gazes met, she knew he had been thinking the same thing. She wasn't sure why she felt guilty as she jerked her eyes back to the path, but she was sure that not all the heat in her body was from the sun.