Jack's Fangtastic Adventure – Part Twelve
They stepped from the wormhole into a confusion of limbs and teeth. They had found the Colonel, but what his state of health was had become a mote point under the circumstances.
Teal'c was the first to react, his staff weapon blasting into the creatures, devastating the ranks of those at the back. In the centre of the melee, Colonel O'Neill was a blur of pounding fists and kicking legs, moving like a man demented, or rather, a man fighting for his life.
There was no time for subtlety.
Teal'c blasted a path to his commander, leaving a trail of body parts and the smell of burnt flesh, until there were only a few animals between him and his objective. He was dimly aware of the sound of Tau'ri weapons, but ignored it, focusing all his attention on his goal.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Jack knew his team had come back for him, the wormhole's burst of energy had nearly taken his head off, and had completely engulfed several of the larger beasts. The pack had leapt back, even the leader cringing down and retreating a few feet. The resulting confusion given him the time he desperately needed to gain his feet and take the initiative before the creatures had leapt at him again, but now he was standing, more able to defend himself, and hopefully inflict some damage. All he needed was to hold his own for the few minutes it would take for SG-1 to ride to the rescue like the Seventh Cavalry.
Unfortunately holding his own was becoming more difficult by the second.
The leader's massive jaw was clamped around his arm, and something in the back of Jack's mind was thankful it was the left one. There wasn't much more that could be done to that one, he had been unable to use it for hours now.
But he still had his right arm.
He reached out, instinctively seeking his goal without needing to look. His thumb hooked into the corner of the large eye socket and he pressed, feeling the squish as it sunk down.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
The yelp was loud, even over the sound of battle.
It heralded an eerie silence.
Teal'c looked about him in confusion, his enemy suddenly gone. The only movement was from the humans, standing with equally astonished looks on their faces.
There was a low cry, and the sound of a body falling.
O'Neill!
The Colonel was on his knees, head down, chin sunken into his chest. One arm was wrapped tightly around the other as if hugging himself, the white fingers standing out in sharp contrast to the red running freely from between them.
"Jack!"
A figure ran past, beating Teal'c to O'Neill's side, and Daniel Jackson launched himself to his knees, gripping the slumped shoulders.
There was no point in asking if O'Neill was injured, Teal'c could see that for himself, the question was rather, how badly. Major Carter was the one best able assess his condition, and he tore his gaze from the two men kneeling in front of him, looking up, searching for his remaining teammate.
She was standing, shoulder to shoulder with Major Lawrence, the rest of SG-3 ranged in a loose circle around Colonel O'Neill, their weapons raised, and, when he looked beyond them, Teal'c realised that the pack hadn't vanished at all.
They were all there, watching.
In the front sat the largest animal, blood and fluid dripping from a sightless eye, its remaining one fixed on O'Neill.
"How is he?" Major Lawrence's voice broke the silence. There was no need to ask who he meant, and Teal'c waited with the rest for Daniel Jackson's reply.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Daniel could feel the fine tremors running through Jack's body.
"Jack?"
The reaction was slight, but there. His friend's breath caught for a moment, before his head came slowly up, and his eyes opened to meet Daniel's.
He tried to hold back a gasp, but was unable to.
It was Jack. Against all odds they had found him.
But were they in time?
He looked dead, only his harsh laboured breathing giving a lie to deathly paleness of his face.
"Sam!" Daniel knew she was busy, he had seen the watching animals only a few feet away, but he needed her there, now. He needed someone else to come and tell him he was wrong, that they were in time, that Jack was fine, that he wasn't dying right before their eyes.
"Christ!" Daniel barely registered Sam's reaction as she dropped beside him. "What the hell has happened to him?"
Jack's shoulders heaved and Daniel tightened his grip on them. Then he heard it. Jack was laughing, the sound strained, but there none the less. His eyes came up and held Daniel's before flicking to Sam's, dark black pools sunken deep into their sockets.
"Hell. That's exactly it – Hell." Daniel felt fingers graze lightly along his arm. "Can we go home now?"
It wasn't a question. It was a plea, and that was almost more frightening than his appearance.
Daniel looked at Sam. She shook her head, indicating the waiting pack, and Daniel finally realised the full extent of their predicament.
The animals were between them and the Gate.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
It was real. They were here.
So why weren't they taking him home?
He was so tired.
So deathly tired.
Daniel had that expression on his face that meant there was something seriously wrong, and Carter…
Jack straightened his shoulders, finally taking in the scene.
Oh crap! They were still there. Still waiting for him.
Wouldn't they ever let him go?
He stared into the leader's eyes. Eye. He couldn't help it, feeling his face break into a wide grin, his vindictive streak coming to the fore. At least he would be remembered.
A small paw pushed against his abdomen.
Shit!
He loosened his grip on his arm, letting it drop to hang at his side, barely hearing the horrified gasp from his teammates. Reaching inside his shirt he pulled the pup free, holding it up to examine it for injuries. It seemed fine, none the worse for its adventure.
With a smile, he set it down, giving it a small push towards its family. There was no need for it to be hurt.
The Marines stepped back, and everyone watched as the tiny creature staggered away from them, reaching the pack within minutes. A thin female pushed its way through the others to meet it, bending down to sniff its fur, then taking it up, holding it firmly in its jaws.
Then it vanished.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
The leader gave his pack the signal to follow the pup's mother home.
He watched the strange creatures clustering around the prey, the pain from his damaged eye warning him not to interfere.
They could leave.
The pup was safe. The prey was dry anyway, and would be of no further use.
He turned his back contemptuously, the scene not worthy of his attention, disappearing into a fold of light.
xoxoxoxoxoxo