Title: Report 83646
Author: PapayaK

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Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just having fun.

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I entered the coordinates and looked up to tell the Colonel. I was just in time to see the remaining Jaffa pull a knife from the Colonel's side. As he collapsed, I let – more like screamed for Jesha to take over and she used the element of surprise and a double booted kick to knock the Jaffa clear out of the room.

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Report 83646 – Chapter 5

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We grabbed the Colonel and pulled him into the circle just in time to be ringed down to the remotest part of Ba'al's palace.

Once free of the rings I immediately leapt to the control console and transported us to another location, and then again in an effort to confuse our pursuers.

We ended up in an outbuilding; a storage room really. There were the rings and a communications board, but little else. The Colonel was just getting up. "Colonel!" I protested, "Lie still."

"I'm fine." He coughed and wheezed, "Where are we?"

I told him.

"Can you change the radio frequency and code it to SGC channels?"

I frowned.

"Carter, Daniel, Teal'c, they knew where we were;… who Arsay was. It's just possible they're here, or have at least made contact with some friendlies. You've got Tok'ra operatives here don't you?"

My hands, or really, Jesha's (she's much better at this stuff) were already moving over the controls. I did not mention that after his initial effort, he had not risen past his sitting position other than to gingerly slide sideways out of the circle.

Jesha began cautiously trying to hail SG-1. She also sent a message that was coded and could be retrieved by the appropriate operative.

"We cannot stay here long." She warned him.

The Colonel's head drooped; his arm was once again cradled against his chest. "Just give it a minute?"

We gave it three.

A burst of static came from the console, "…SG-1… this is Daniel… Jack? Was that you?"

We had moved to support him, but at the sound. Jesha leapt to the call button. The Colonel slowly laid his head back against the cool stone floor. I wanted so badly to move back to his side, but Jesha was telling Daniel as clearly and quickly as possible that he needed to contact the Tok'ra immediately; that Arsay was already on her way. She then continued by requesting immediate medical assistance for Jack and me.

"And bring a healing device if at all possible."

"Sam and Teal'c are on the planet. I'll contact them, but Jacob tells me we have to move out of orbit to send a message to the Tok'ra." He paused, apparently to listen to something Jacob Carter was telling him. "Stay on this channel if you can, but don't worry - we'll find you. Um… over and out."

I dropped to my knees beside the Colonel. It seemed that Daniel's voice had released everything he had worked so hard to hold back. Then I realized: he had completed his mission. The Tok'ra had been warned; I was okay and would soon be rescued. He was done.

It frightened me.

I tried humor, "You don't look so good, Colonel."

He did try to smile, but it was more of a grimace and he did not open his eyes.

I tried again, "I still need you."

"You'll be fine." He whispered, "You did good."

"I failed."

At that he did open his eyes and look into mine. "You did good." He repeated. "You faced…" he licked dry cracked lips and tried again, "I know a lot of mean old soldiers, fully trained to resist that, they couldn't'a done what you did; and then do what needed to be done after… You did good. Never let me down…" his voice faded.

The speech seemed to exhaust him further so I did not answer. I put pressure on the knife wound as best I could, knowing that I was also putting pressure on broken ribs. He only grunted.

Fifteen minutes later he was either asleep or unconscious. We kept watch as best we could. It was maddening to be so close to help – Ba'al even had a sarcophagus!

– It was not until much later that I learned of the Colonel's feelings toward that idea.

I had just left the window after scanning our surroundings and returned to my place by the Colonel's side, when the door burst open. Jesha whirled, ready to fight off anyone who tried to capture or harm the Colonel. But instead we found ourself face to muzzle with Major Carter's P-90.

"Major!" Jesha cried in relief.

"Colonel!" Major Carter cried in shock.

They spoke at the same time. To her credit, she did not ignore us, just catalogued my injuries and reaffirmed her first impression (and we agreed) that the Colonel needed her more. She dropped to his side and began to pull first aid supplies from her pack.

At the sound of her shout, the Colonel had opened his eyes a bit, and frowned, "Carter?" he whispered.

"Yes, Sir, Teal'c and I are here, Daniel's in the Alkesh with Dad. We're fine; Gina's going to be okay. And so are you." She completed the report she knew he wanted and continued to work quickly. His nod was barely perceptible and he closed his eyes.

Teal'c pulled out his first aid kit and began to tend to my own injuries.

I watched the Major work. She was running her hands over his body. It was difficult to tell where the actual wounds were, there was so much blood. She was considerably paler than she had been when she walked in. She was working as quickly and as gently as possible under the circumstances.

She turned to me, tears barely noticeable in her eyes. "Gina?"

"Knife wound, lower right side," I prompted. And she touched him there, found the wound and began to bandage it. The stump where the Colonel's strong hand and long fingers should have been was not actually bleeding much, and so I was impressed with her ability to ignore it as long as she did.

When she did begin to bandage it, she looked to me for an explanation.

I have to pause here to give Major Carter full marks. If our places had been reversed, I would have been frantic and panicking. As it was, Major Carter assessed what needed to be done and did it, with no regard for her personal feelings.

Teal'c, who had been bandaging my own wounds, spoke before I could answer her: "GinaThelman, do you have a wound here?" He had come to the bloody bulge under my tunic and he was puzzled.

I did not answer, only reached inside and removed the awful bundle and handed it to the Major, "I'm sorry. It was the only way he could get us out. With a healing device…"

She held it for a moment, wide-eyed at the implication of my words. Then she nodded and placed the bundle gently inside her pack. She reached for her radio, "Dad?" her voice shook the tiniest bit, "You back yet?"

"Yes, Sam, we are just coming into range-"

"Dad, we need to get up there fast. The Colonel needs a healing device, now!"

"We'll have you up in a minute. How is he?" The inevitable question came.

Major Carter looked around at each of us before she answered, "We need to get up there now, Dad."

Suddenly, Teal'c, who had been bandaging my wrist, jerked up his head and looked sharply at me. I was about to speak when I realized he wasn't looking at me at all; He was listening intently.

"Majorcarter!"

"Now. Dad!"

The Jaffa were almost at the door. I helped the Major move Colonel O'Neill back into the circle while Teal'c pointed his staff at the door, and moved with us.

The door burst open and Jaffa poured in just as the rings took us.

TBC

One more chapter...