Chapter 14: Waiting is the Hardest Part
Disclaimer: Only my stuff is mine.
A/N: Sorry for the long absence! I was working on some other stuff.
This one is sorta similar to the plant and Russian one, if only for the fact that it eludes to the same kind of thing. Situation and words are different.
Warning stands and my advised age is 16. Read at own risk! LOL. Just kidding. If you're reading this story and actually find it somewhat humorous…you're minds are too far in the gutter to even contemplate pulling out. LOL.
ENJOY!!!
The young Cadet braced himself against the wall, leaning heavily against it. His mouth was dry and his fingers felt stiff with adrenaline. His eyes darted left and right and sweat dripped from his forehead, dampening his flushed cheeks and tickling his neck as it fell.
'This isn't fair.' He thought despairingly, trying to block out the glassy eyes of the dead bodies he had passed while he ran. He had passed Sergeant Harriman first, then Siler, then Teal'c.
That had stopped the young man in his tracks. If the large, resilient Jaffa hadn't made it…how did he possibly have a chance to survive? Squeezing his eyes shut, he had sprinted down the hall again…only to trip over the lifeless body of Dr. Jackson. Damn staff blast had caught him right in the chest. His eyes were wide and grey, glasses askew, and blood trailing from the corner of his mouth.
The Cadet had let out a half-muffled cry of disbelief before running again. 'It's only my first day!' he had screamed in his shock-stifled mind. 'This can't be happening! It's only my first day!' He had vaulted into the elevator and headed down to the embarkation level.
Maybe there were some survivors there.
He had run from the elevator and turned the corner…only to be hit again with pained shock. Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter were both on their stomachs, blank faces staring at each other. Their arms were outstretched as though they had reached for each other before death, their fingertips barely brushing.
"No!" This time the Cadet did scream. Quickly though, instinct took over and his mouth snapped shut. He carefully stepped over their almost-joined hands and bolted to the control room.
'No one survived.' The young man thought desolately as he pushed himself from the wall. He had watched as the rest of the officers on his team were taken down, leaving him all alone. They had all been taken by surprise when Anubis had sent a large contingent of Jaffa through the gate, first making sure the iris would stay open. He knew most of the Jaffa were dead; having seen that when he was in the monitor room earlier. There was still a small group running around the base.
With a steadying breath, the Cadet pushed off the wall and ran back into the control room.
The self-destruct.
It was the only way.
Entering in his just-memorized code, he flinched as the klaxons blared and a cool female voice echoed over the base. "Ten seconds to self-destruct."
The Cadet stared at the monitor in horror. 'Ten seconds! I thought I had more time…'
"3…2…" The voice counted impassively. The man closed his eyes and prayed that he had done the right thing. The entire safety of the planet rested on this young, fresh-faced Cadet's decision. "1…"
The Cadet winced, expecting…something. He certainly wasn't ready for the nothing that actually happened. Fearing the worst (that the Jaffa had tampered with the base systems) the Cadet plowed up the stairs into the briefing room. The sight before him stopped him in his tracks.
General Hammond, SG-1, and various SGC and Pentagon personnel were standing there, smiling at him. He knew he should grin back and give a smart-ass remark worthy of O'Neill, but what actually came out of his mouth was a very intelligent, "Huh?"
That got a few laughs. "Congratulations, son." Hammond stepped forward and shook the flabbergasted man's hand. "You handled yourself well. Welcome to the SGC."
"Th-thank you." The Cadet, Rainey, stuttered, his body frozen in place.
"Loosen up, son." A Pentagon official waved a hand at him, gesturing for him to follow him. "Let's go get the paperwork done."
"Y-yes, sir." Rainey stammered again, still in shock.
When he had left, Jack turned to his team. "I think we scared the poor kid."
"Imagine that." Daniel replied sarcastically.
"You all performed well in your roles of the deceased." Teal'c intoned, smiling slightly. "One might say…it was like second nature?" Innocent question, my ass.
"You died first!" Jack pointed out, shaking his head.
"I died last." Sam said with a slightly triumphant voice.
"Did not." Jack said, looking at his 2IC with narrowed eyes.
"Did too." Sam flung back, grinning mischievously.
Jack opened his mouth to reply back, but Daniel cut him off. "You died at the same time!"
"Did not!" Jack and Sam insisted at the same time.
"Did so!" Daniel refused to give in.
"Did n—Oh, for crying out loud." Sam shook her head in exasperation. Jack straightened up and looked at her incredulously while Daniel raised his eyebrows at her and Teal'c cocked his head.
As though feeling their eyes on her, Sam glanced up. "What?" she asked. When no one responded, Sam opened her mouth to repeat herself, but stopped abruptly. "Oh."
"Oh?" Jack questioned, amusement obvious in his tone.
"Oh, brother. You guys, it's a simple phrase that…that…" she trailed when they were all looking at her unconvinced.
"You've been spending too much time with Jack, Sam." Daniel smiled sweetly.
"I do not believe they view any time spent together as too much, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c agreed, inclining his head.
Sam blushed and Jack studiously avoided their eyes. "I've gotta go." Sam said hurriedly, heading for the stairs.
"Me too." Jack said, moving in the opposite direction.
"See you guys for lunch?" Daniel called after them. "Remember, we've got to set up the next training scenario! It starts at…at 0-something…30?" Daniel frowned, knowing that definitely wasn't right. "At 8:30!" he yelled, hoping they heard him.
……………………………………………………………………………………………
"Golden." Jack said proudly as he leaned back in his commissary chair, pushing his now empty pie plate away.
"The pie? Or the plan?" Daniel asked, glancing questioningly at the older man over the tops of his glasses.
"Both." Jack replied, smiling contentedly. He opened his eyes and they immediately locked with Sam's. She quickly glanced away when he smirked at her.
"Okay." Daniel sighed. "So, we've got Cadets Fuller, Mailer, Cameron, and Holly."
"From their recommendations they all seem pretty bright. They might have a chance." Sam spooned some more jell-o into her mouth. Blue, of course.
"Puh-shaw." Jack grinned. "They're going up against SG-1. The famous SG-1! They won't know what hit 'em."
Sam chuckled. "Yes, sir."
Daniel looked between the two officers, trying to ignore the silent "moment." "Right, so, yeah." He cleared his throat.
Jack jumped slightly and averted his eyes. "So, here's the bottom line kids." He tried to regain some of the badass Colonel exterior. "Carter, you and I are gonna be snaked."
"Fun." Sam deadpanned.
"Always." Jack continued. "Danny, you and T are gonna be eating some concrete again. Sorry."
"No worries. I love dying." Daniel said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.
"You do it often enough." Jack shot back. "Anyway, Carter and I will set explosives around the base. I want to see how they react to high pressure situations."
"And why do you and Sam have to be Goa'uld?" Daniel frowned slightly.
"We want to see how they'll react to the chain of command being compromised. Whether or not they'll react on their own instincts or follow orders even with the possibility of hostile takeover." Sam answered, scraping the last few blobs of jell-o from her glass.
"Isn't the whole point of a chain of command to follow orders?" Daniel questioned.
"The military requires a certain amount of instinct, Daniel." Jack eyed Daniel's half eaten piece of pie. "Especially in the SGC. We have to know if these Cadets possess the right amount of gumption to go against a CO's orders if they have a valid reason to believe they've been compromised. You gonna finish that?"
"No." Daniel said and pushed his plate to Jack. "So, what are we going to use for explosives this time? The molding clay gets a bit old after awhile."
"Actually, I've been working on that." Sam broke in before Jack could say anything, her eyes alight with excitement. "I developed a new training tool. Explosives that simulate the sound, visuals, and concussion of a real explosion without all the damage."
"And you made them?" Daniel blinked at her.
"That is indeed most impressive, Major Carter." Teal'c said, speaking for the first time since they had finished eating.
Sam blushed and tapped her fingers softly on the table. "It wasn't just me. A whole team of scientist help--," Sam started, but Jack cut her off.
"Just accept the compliment, Carter." He smirked at her. "If I remember correctly it was your idea. And it was you who drew up the diagram things."
"Yes, sir." Sam smiled back, but ducked her head in embarrassment.
"Right, well." Jack clapped his hands together and stood up. "Ready to show 'em what SG-1 is all about?"
………………………………………………………………………………………..
A few hours later found the base on full "lockdown." Daniel was sprawled on the floor of the briefing room, blood pouring from his nose, mouth, and various burn wounds on his body. Teal'c was flung over several chairs in the control room, eyes staring vacantly at the ceiling.
"How many dead?" Cadet Fuller shouted. He was in command of the team.
"I count seven in the control room, sir." Holly called. She moved swiftly to stand by his side, weapon at the ready. Colonel O'Neill had taken their TER's and replaced them with real weapons. This had scared the Cadets more than anything.
This, and the fact that half of SG-1 was dead and the other half was unaccounted for.
"Twelve dead in the briefing room!" Cameron's voice crackled over the radio. The young woman sounded choked up. "General Hammond's been killed, too."
"Sergeant Harriman, too." Mailer's voice also came across the radio. He was in the briefing room with Cameron. "Wait, I think there's…shit!" the last expletive caused Fuller and Holly to look at each other before simultaneously bolting up the stairs and into the briefing room.
"Report, cadet." Fuller whispered harshly.
"Someone's in the General's office." Mailer replied.
All four team members looked at each other anxiously, silent wondering what to do. They had never had a training scenario that even resembled this. What a way to start a career.
Fuller motioned for Cameron and Mailer to flank the office to briefing room door. He and Holly followed swiftly. He mouthed, "On three." He held up one finger…two…he hesitated before swallowing hard and flinging up a third.
Fuller burst into the room, his team flanking him, ready to lay down fire. They froze at what they saw. Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter jumped away from each other looking decidedly guilty. They seemed to have been…making out.
No.
No way.
They wouldn't…?
Not in the middle of a Goa'uld incursion? Where two of their best friends were dead?
"Cadets." O'Neill barked, straightening his jacket. Carter had turned her face away from the groups, but Holly could swear that she saw an unnatural glow burst from her eyes. However, when she turned around the Major's eyes were a normal, shining blue.
"Sir. Ma'am." Fuller replied suspiciously. He eyed the two officers; neither of whom faltered.
"Report?" the Major asked when the heavy silence became too much.
"We count nineteen dead, briefing and control room." Cameron replied. "Dr. Jackson, Teal'c, and General Hammond included."
"We know." Colonel O'Neill replied brusquely. "We watched them go down." He averted his eyes for a moment; the only sign that he was grieving.
Sam glanced away too, but when she looked back at the Cadets her eyes were hard and determined. "Here." She said roughly, handing each young officer an earpiece. "New technology. These are just prototypes, but they'll do."
"What are they for, ma'am?" Fuller asked, accepting his.
"Communication devices." O'Neill cut in. "All you have to do is whisper and these fancy little transmitter things will pick up on…" He trailed, apparently at a loss for they picked up on.
"Sound vibrations." Sam finished hurriedly. "You don't have to run the risk of being discovered because you're radio was too loud or the static too abrupt. Just whisper and you're team will hear you. Each earpiece has a certain frequency, like a radio."
"What are ours set on?" Mailer asked, inserting it.
"They're not. Like I said, they're prototypes. We only have four. You Cadets will be in constant communication at all times."
When they had all nodded, O'Neill straightened up, holding his weapon at the ready. "You four head to level 28. Carter and I will check the labs. We're looking for survivors, got it?' They nodded. "Use deadly force if necessary."
Cameron and Mailer looked at each other and gave an almost comical gulp. They moved out into the briefing room, Fuller and Holly following them.
"Cadets!" the colonel barked. "You're on your own from here on in. Watch your backs and don't trust anyone."
"Does that include you, sir?" Fuller asked.
The older man smiled wryly. "Even me, Fuller."
"Yes, sir." He gave a salute and the four headed down the stairs and, presumably, to the elevators.
Jack turned to Carter and rolled his eyes. "Wonder what they made of our little PDA."
Sam blushed, but met his gaze. "It was hardly PDA, sir. You were "transferring" your second "Goa'uld" to me."
"Yeah, tell me again…explain how I ended up with two snakes?"
Sam shrugged slightly. "We wanted to have a new scenario. Something to throw the Cadets off."
"I don't think they realized that that was what we were doing." Jack smirked slightly as Sam's blush deepened.
"Well, I made my eyes glow and I'm pretty sure Holly saw it. Hopefully, they'll figure it out soon."
"Right. Ready to set up the big finale?" Jack gave a boyish grin and rubbed his hands together.
"Yes, sir. Oh, wait." Sam paused, digging in her vest pocket for a minute. She pulled something out with a triumphant look. "Here." She handed him a small earpiece.
"I thought you said we only had four." Jack asked slyly, putting it in his ear.
Sam followed suit. "Did I? How strange." Sam smirked and moved past him down the stairs and into the gateroom. Jack hurried after her, pulling one of the explosive non-explosives out of his pocket.
Sam bit her lip as she took the device from him. She placed it on one side of the blast doors and, taking another from her vest, put it on the other side. When the Cadets arrived they were gonna get quite the light show.
"So, who else has these?" Jack lightly touched the earpiece. "And why can't they hear us?"
"General Hammond, Daniel, Teal'c, and the reps from the Pentagon." She answered his first question. "Ours are set for one way listening. When we turn them on, as long as we only tap them once, we'll be able to hear them, but they can't hear us."
"And if we tap them twice?" Jack reached up to touch his earpiece again. Before he even knew what was happening, Sam had made a grab for his wrist, but miscalculated the distance between them and ended up lacing her fingers through his. Jack froze and Sam's eyes widened.
Quickly recovering, she cleared her throat and carefully released his hand, acting like she had meant to do that. She gave him a warning look and said, "You already touched yours once. You can hear everything the Cadets say. If you touch it again," she paused for effect, eyes searching his. "They can hear everything you say."
Jack paused and slowly lowered his hand. "Which would be--,"
"Bad." Sam finished, smiling slightly. "Yes, sir."
"Right." Jack smirked at her.
Sam rolled her eyes slightly and touched her own earpiece. She paused, waiting to see if she could hear the Cadets. Cocking her head, she frowned at Jack. "I don't hear anything."
"Me neither." Jack's brow furrowed. "Maybe they're just not…saying anything?" Sam gave him a look that clearly said, 'Gee, ya think?' and Jack silently agreed.
"Maybe they don't work." Sam said, confusion and disappointment evident in her tone.
Jack gave her a long look. "Carter, if you built it…I'm sure that they work. Those Cadets just aren't talking."
"Sir, just because I built it doesn't mean--," Sam started, but Jack waved her off.
He opened his mouth to tell her that she was being too modest when the earpieces crackled to life. "…totally making out! I mean, did you see them?" Cameron's voice echoed clearly over the communication device.
Sam and Jack froze. The Cadets were in a life-threatening situation and they were gossiping? Unless…they knew this was just a training scenario…?
Sam quickly averted her eyes and vainly tried to fight the blush creeping up her cheeks. It was bad enough that they were talking about what they thought they saw…but her team members, the General, and the reps from the Pentagon were all listening too. 'Oh…my career is so over.'
"Well, we've all heard the rumors." Fuller's voice rang through.
Mailers quiet laugh issued next. "Emphasis on the plural. Which one is your favorite?"
"Oh! I like the one where Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter actually met in high school and have been engaged ever since. But they haven't told anyone because they aren't actually married so the regulations still stand." Cameron giggled.
"Don't be stupid, Laurie." Holly joked. "The Colonel is, like, ten years older than her. They couldn't have met in high school!"
"But, it's so romantic!" Cameron gushed. "Besides, it doesn't matter where they met. Have you seen the way they look at each other? I mean, the Colonel always has such a hard ass attitude, but…when he looks at her…he's a totally different person."
"God, Laurie, you're such a girl." They could hear the smile in Fuller's voice.
"I should hope so! Otherwise I've been using the wrong bathroom for years!" Cameron laughed at her bad joke. You could practically hear the other's rolling their eyes.
"Okay, ssshh!" Mailer admonished, still laughing. "There may still be Jaffa here."
"Speaking of here…where are we?" Holly asked.
Jack dropped his face into his hands. "You've got to be kidding me." Sam couldn't bring herself to look at him. She was so gonna kill those Cadets…
"Close to the gateroom. We've walked in a giant circle." Fuller informed her.
"Oh." Holly paused. "Guys, I just remembered something. When we caught the Colonel and Major in the General's office…I thought I saw Major Carter's eyes glow. Do you think it's possible that she's a Goa'uld?"
"Hey! Maybe the Goa'uld in her seduced the Colonel! What a way to infiltrate the base." Cameron sounded wistful.
"Geez, Laurie, you sound almost wistful." Mailer laughed.
"I am. He's gorgeous."
"Puh-lease. Major Carter wouldn't have to try very hard to seduce him. She's pretty gorgeous herself." Mailer agreed.
"Their kids would be beautiful." Holly said. "But, guys, something isn't right. If Major Carter's a Goa'uld…who knows how many other people are."
"Guys, shut up. We're almost right outside the gateroom." Fuller ordered.
Jack cleared his throat, determined to forget the Cadet's conversation ever happened. Silently praying that Carter would let it slide too, he nudged her shoulder. "Almost time?"
Sam nodded, her cheeks still flaming. "You have the detonator, sir."
"Right." Jack reached up and fiddled with the earpiece, moving it to a more comfortable position. The Cadets were nearing the door. "Okay, so…I'm just gonna whip it out, you grab it, do your thing, then we'll sit back, relax, and wait for it to blow."
Sam's eyes flew to his, wide and embarrassed. A long silence followed when, suddenly, loud laughter echoed in their ears. Sam's eyes widened further. "You didn't." her voice came out a harsh whisper.
"What?" Jack watched her reaction, confused. Something he said? "All I said was that I was gonna whip it out--," He started, but was cut off when Sam's hand clamped over his mouth.
"Sir, shut up!" Jack blinked. He wasn't angry at her for her insubordination, but he was surprised.
"What?" his indignation was slightly muffled. Moving faster than he'd ever seen her move before, she had pulled the earpiece from his ear and thrown it on the ground, slamming her foot on top of it. "What'd you do that for?" he asked when she removed her hand.
Her reply was cut off when the blast doors behind them slid open. They spun around and came face to face with General Hammond, Daniel, Teal'c, the Pentagon reps, and four very red Cadets. All were either fighting laughs or outright guffawing.
Sam felt the blood rush into her face so fast she got a headache. Daring a quick glance at her commanding officer, she saw he was just as red. Evidently, he realized the double meaning of his words.
"Wait a minute! Hold on!" Jack tried to get the others to quiet down. "Now, that's not fair. I didn't mean…You know that's not what I…oh, for crying out loud!" He threw his hands up in frustration.
"Geez, Jack. Didn't know you liked it like that." Daniel gasped in between bouts of hysterical laughter.
Sam gaped at the archaeologist. That was way out of line.
"Very 'wham, bam, thank you ma'am." Fuller broke into a new round of laughter.
Jack drew himself up to his full height and glared hard at the Cadets. Sam narrowed her eyes threateningly. All four of the Cadets straightened up and cleared their throats, taking a few cautionary steps back. All humor was wiped from their faces.
The reps all cleared their throats as well and turned to the young officers. "Let's head up to the briefing room and see if we can't set up another training scenario for you." Once they were gone, Hammond turned to his two crimson officers.
"Colonel. Major." He had managed to do a bang-up job off halting his laughter.
"Sir, I can explain." They both started at the same time.
"I told him that two taps would make them two way." Sam said.
"I may have accidentally hit mine a second time." Jack said simultaneously.
"The Colonel was talking about the detonator--," she continued.
"It really wasn't what it sounded like." Jack finished.
Hammond glanced back and forth between the two officers. "And the…conversation…the Cadets were having? Was that what it sounded like?"
Both Sam's and Jack's mouths worked like fish out of water. "It—it wasn't…" Jack trailed.
"Extenuating circumstances may have made them…" Sam trailed too.
Hammond shook his head. "I don't want to know." He turned to leave, but stopped and looked at Sam. "Major, why did you destroy the earpiece?"
If Sam hadn't been red before, she would have been now. "I, uh, may have…um…panicked." She paused embarrassedly. "Sir."
"Ah." Hammond turned around to hide his smile and walked out of the gateroom.
Daniel crossed his arms over his chest, puckered his lips, and blew out a breath. Teal'c merely cocked his head, raised an eyebrow, and allowed a small smile to play across his lips. "Perceptive little buggers, huh?" Daniel smirked and gestured for Teal'c to follow him out of the room.
"Indeed." Teal'c agreed.
"What?" Jack and Sam shouted at the same time. They glanced at each other, then glanced away just as quickly.
They were never gonna live this down.
TBC
A/N: Please R&R!