Adam was waiting for her when she returned to her quarters.
"So?" He asked.
"It was awesome, an alien planet Adam!" He grinned and shook his head.
"You really got shot up?" She gestured at her clothes.
"Energy weapons, hurt like a bitch but no one else got hurt." He nodded.
"Adam why don't you come with us?"
"No thanks Max, its not only energy weapons out there, there are plenty of explosives as well."
"Okay then what are you going to do?"
"Wait for now, appreciate the fact that the only other immortal in the area has no interest in me." Adam said and shrugged. He would also he decided see how much information about the two of them he could eradicate from the base computer. There would be hard copies as well somewhere but those would keep.
"So what do we tell Mac and Joe?"
"I wouldn't sweat it; immortals wander off and start new lives all the time. Mac shouldn't mind too much. I'd keep Joe apprised though, well as much as possible; nothing protected anyway but if you try to shut him out the Council will try to assign you a Watcher."
"Yeah, and that would be bad." Max agreed. She sat down and stretched yawning.
"Tired?"
"I guess getting shot at on an alien planet is a little exhausting." She said and grinned.
"General I'd like to keep her on, at least for one more mission, especially since we know her immortality isn't affected by the gate."
"Major?"
"Well, she did get us out of a sticky situation sir, I mean we could have gotten to the DHD eventually but it would have taken a lot of time and ammo and it still would've been risky. I can't guarantee we would've gotten away without some injuries."
"Colonel I don't like this. We don't know enough about her to have her on permanently. I'd like to classify her as a specialist." Landry said.
"Suicide missions only?" Jack asked tightly.
"It's not my decision Colonel, the president has refused to give her permanent status as a member of the SGC. If you want her she's going to have to be held on as a contracted Specialist only. Her clearance is up in the air as well, so you tell her only what she absolutely has to know."
"This sucks sir."
"Dismissed Colonel."
"Sir, I understand your reticence to trust her but how is it okay to give her a bare minimum of information and assign her impossible missions?" Daniel objected.
"Dr. Jackson I suspect that if you ask her whether she would like to go free this afternoon or stay here and work with us wearing blinders she would agree to stay here."
"That doesn't make it right." Daniel grumbled.
"I agree but for now it's out of our hands."
"What about Adam?" Daniel pushed.
"Dr. Pierson is a subject for another day Dr. Jackson." Daniel sighed ceding the point for the moment he retreated and rejoined the rest of SG-1 in the hallway.
"It's not right Jack. She deserves to know what she's getting involved in."
"It's not our call, and trust me Danny the General meant it when he said she'd rather be with us.
"Why?" Jack frowned. Holloway's file was confidential.
"Daniel, we can't do anything about it either way now, let's get cleaned up and get some chow." Carter suggested.
"A wise suggestion." Teal'c concurred. Daniel shook his head, it was wrong.
Max was sleeping soundly. Adam quietly closed her door and stood in the hallway thinking. He knew from Max that the circle she had found was some kind of transportation device, presumably the Chapa'ai. He wondered if the demons who had stolen his family lurked somewhere beyond that wall of water. He shuddered.
"Dr. Pierson?" It was Daniel.
"Oh, up late Dr." Adam said and forced a yawn.
"How is she?"
"Surprisingly well. She enjoyed your little trip."
"Yeah about that. Look Gen. Hammond can't give her permanent standing as SGC personnel. So he wants to classify her as a contracted specialist."
"Meaning?"
"She's on a need to know basis and gets the . . . interesting jobs."
Adam shrugged.
"Doesn't that bother you?"
"Max is one of the toughest, most resilient, and determined people I've ever met. She'll handle it, probably enjoy it."
"Why?"
"Ask her." Adam said and headed for his quarters.
"Wait." Daniel said and grabbed Adam's arm. Adam gazed at the contact and allowed his eyes to slowly drift up and meet Jackson's. Adam noted that the younger man did not flinch, drop his gaze, or break contact.
"I have a job offer for you, come by my office when you get a chance tomorrow, I'll have the details for you." Daniel released Adam and continued on his way.
Max woke eager for her next trial. She dressed in the plain jump suit she had worn since arriving at the mountain and slipped on her boots. She stretched and limbered up before leaving her room. On the way to the chow hall she encountered Major Carter.
"Morning Major." Max said. Carter smiled.
"Hi, how are you feeling?"
"Fine, generally after coming back I'm just tired, sometimes thirsty and occasionally sore. But, I'm fine now."
"Thirsty?"
"Blood loss I guess. Any action today?"
"Not that I know of although around here who knows?"
"Heh, yeah, wait, what?" Max asked but Carter was all ready well past her and nearly to the elevators. Max shrugged and kept walking.
Max was practicing in the gym using a dull weighted sword in lieu of her own weapon which had been lost god only knew where in the previous months. She didn't think she would need a replacement any time soon. To the best of her knowledge immortals only existed on earth and none of them including Adam could attack her on the SGC installation, partly because it would take an act of god to allow a hostile immortal to infiltrate the SGC but also the whole mountain was holy ground, twice holy actually. A little research revealed that the local tribes had considered the mountain a centerpiece of some of their myths and the installation had become holy ground by the laying of a blessed cornerstone when construction on the facility began. According to Adam that was the standard procedure, it made him a big fan of mothballed military facilities.
So she ran through her repertoire a few times and then spent some time improvising. Teal'c arrived and began practicing with his own staff.
"Hey Teal'c!" Max called to the big Jaffa.
Max realized that Teal'c was probably not human. He was huge, didn't seem to have a sense of humor and practiced a martial arts style wholly foreign to her. Still, she didn't want to pry and honestly didn't care too much, he was part of the exalted SG-1 and a pretty decent guy from what she could see.
"Greetings Max Holloway." Teal'c replied in a quieter tone.
"Want to spar?" She offered.
"I am unsure if that would be wise."
"Come, on, I'll even let you kill me if I suck too much." She said with a grin. Teal'c looked nonplussed.
"That will not be necessary." He said. He faced her and saluted her with his practice staff. She returned the honor and readied her dull heavy blade. The practice sword could break bones and skulls but would be hard pressed to break skin.
Silently the two combatants joined. There was a blur of movement and Teal'c was on the ground. He regained his feet and the two warriors touched again, this time Max ended up on her back. They continued the exchange, keyed up on adrenaline and enjoying the challenge of the other's skill. Teal'c was huge but fast as well as strong, his use of the staff was artful and effective, while Max was small and lightning quick she was also very strong for her size and a master with the blade. After a few passes the two had collected a small crowd. Again they touched and blurred into a rapid exchange of blows this time they both ended up weaponless and grappling like gladiators.
Max was being pinned by Teal'c's huge hands, she wriggled and fought and sought out pressure points but the big Jaffa held on. Finally she levered herself against the ground with enough force to break the arm Teal'c was gripping. She used her new angle to lever the big man off her. She rolled away from him straightened her broken arm with a sick crunch and picked up her blade. Teal'c was one step ahead having retrieved his staff he brought it whistling towards her. She jumped backwards and brought her blade up to block Teal'c's powerhouse blow. The impact dropped her to her knees, she took the opportunity to knock Teal'c's feet loose and slam the butt of her blade into his belly. He let out a low noise and struggled to regain his breath. Max took the chance to step back and wipe her face. She was panting with effort. Teal'c got to his feet and saluted her. The crowd began applauding and whistling. Aware of them for the first time the two combatants looked equally embarrassed and uncomfortable.
"That was amazing Teal'c thanks."
"You are an accomplished warrior Max Holloway."
"Just Max Teal'c I got Holloway out of a phone book after my first death." Max said walking to the edge of the padded mat they had been sparring on. She handed Teal'c a sports drink and helped herself from the same cooler. She wiped her face clean of perspiration and glared at the straggling crowd. Most discovered business they had elsewhere.
"Indeed." Teal'c said intrigued. Max gave him a wan smile.
"I stayed out of sight so long someone filed a missing persons report. They found a witness to my kidnapping, and the place where he . . . killed me. There was so much blood that they assumed I had been killed and moved. So I couldn't use my name or bank accounts, credit cards, car, I.D. anything without having to answer a lot of questions. So I grabbed a phone book. The name I was born with was Sara Lock, but my fiends always called me Max. So I just picked a last name and voila Max Holloway at your service."
"Are Colonel O'Neil and General Hammond aware of your name change?"
"Sure I mean they've got some great investigators and they had plenty of time to look me up." She said shrugging and sitting on a bench next to the cooler.
They made small talk and Teal'c excused himself. She remained seated thinking and resting. Her battle with Teal'c had been exhilarating. She was amazed he had not suffered further injury. Whatever he was he was definitely a formidable warrior. She stood up and retrieved her practice sword.
She began running through her katas again warming down and relaxing her body and mind with the familiar meditative movements. She felt deeply calm and relax as she finished. She strode to the weapons locker and pulled out a cleaning cloth. She wiped down the sword and replaced it in its niche.
"Holloway!" She looked up from the locker and spotted O'Neill. She replaced the cleaning cloth and smiled at the Colonel.
"Afternoon Colonel." She said.
"Howdy, heard you and Teal'c put on a quite a show."
"Yeah I guess we got a little out of hand."
"I heard that it was . . . 'quite impressive' I believe the term was."
"Teal'c is very, very good."
"You are no slouch yourself." Teal'c said re-entering the gym. She inclined her head in unconscious mimicry of the big Jaffa. O'Neill smirked.
"So you're good with a sword is Adam also as skilled?"
"I couldn't say sir. He taught me as did others but he's older than me and could be hiding some skills."
"Okay when you spar is he better?"
"Well, yes and no sir, if I had to say I'd guess we're about equal."
"Cool." O'Neill said.
"He won't join your team sir."
"Why not? You think its fun."
"Uh, well, sir with all due respect, I have issues. And he's a survivor it's his basic function in life and he has a healthy respect for explosives. He won't agree to it."
"Well, the bad news is neither of you is going to receive clearance to leave the base."
"I don't think he'll mind."
"Really?" Jack asked intrigued.
"He likes holy ground, the SGC is holy ground surrounded by state of the art security and well armed guards none of which are aimed at him, plus the only immortal who even knows about this joint is me."
"Huh you think he'll work with us? In a non-explosive combat way?"
"Well he's smart and probably just as bored as me. Sure, why not?" Far off a soft whining and muffled P.A. announcement rang out. Max twisted and tried to hear better Teal'c and the Colonel began jogging toward the room the circle was kept in. She made a mental note to ask for a more thorough briefing about what the hell was going on at the SGC, or for that matter what the SGC stood for.
"Unscheduled off world activation, security teams to the gate room." The P.A. blared the same klaxon and flashing lights that had been going off on Max's ill fated venture were once again active.
"What's up?" She asked the Colonel as they jogged.
"Don't know, grab a weapon." He said gesturing at an open locker on the wall. She snatched an MP5 racked a round and killed the safety. She hurried after the Colonel and snapped the safety back on as she rejoined the group.
"Orders?" She asked relishing the word. She wondered if before, when she was mortal she would have enjoyed this so much.
"Keep your head down and for once listen to me."
"K." She said and thumbed the safety off.
O'Neill and Teal'c entered with weapons ready; each stood to one side of the door and took a knee targeting the circle's metal surface.
"Hey where'd the water-"she was interrupted when a team of Marines arrived and formed a perimeter in front of the circle.
"Receiving SG-12's GDO." The P. A. announced with a low scraping sound the metal shield twisted away from the circle's center. Max grunted and adjusted her grip on the MP5.
Five harried uniformed personnel tumbled out of the watery circle shots rang out and a giant man with a steel animal head charged after holding a staff and firing blasts of energy after the six men. Max recognized the energy blasts as the ones she and SG-1 had encountered. The Marines opened fire with careful three shot bursts missing the newly arrived team and dropping the metal man. Silence reigned for a moment and then the circle whined and vanished. The klaxons and lights ceased and the Marine team stood up. Slowly O'Neill and Teal'c stood as well.
Max walked up to the dead man and leaned over his face. With a whine the metal head retracted and melded into a torque like collar around his broad shoulders. The man was certainly dead. She poked at him just to be sure.
"Holloway, knock it off." O' Neill said and began helping the battered members of SG-12 to their feet.
"Okay, he's not human." Max said and shot the Colonel a questioning look. He gave her a blank face and escorted SG-12 out of the room and down to the infirmary. Max dogged along.
"Colonel I appreciate that you guys have concerns about me and my clearance but hey I'm tagged, I'm locked down and I'm on your side, can you at least throw me a bone?"
"He was Jaffa." Teal'c said from his position further ahead.
"Like you?"
"Yes."
"Where's your helmet?" She asked. He reverted to stoic silent guy. She groaned and threw her hands up.
"Okay I'm going to the range." She grumbled and stomped off.
She ran a couple boxes of ammo through the MP5 before Adam found her.
"They offered me a position as a translator." He said handing her a clip. She glanced up at him.
"And? You gonna take it? You know they aren't going to clear us to leave."
"Yes, I'll take it. There are secrets here that I'd like to know more about."
"You know the Colonel wants you on a combat team." She said inserting the clip and racking a round.
"Yes, but I'd rather not."
"You don't want to see an alien planet?"
"I don't want to see an alien planet where the inhabitants are trying to kill me."
"You are so boring." She said and hit her target with a rapid burst dead center mass. Adam took the weapon and still standing stippled the target with a perfect cross section.
"I'll see you later." He said handing it back. Suitably cowed she accepted the weapon and loaded another clip. She kept practicing hoping the Colonel's spies hadn't seen Adam's shots. Adam was a formidable warrior, well beyond Max's abilities but they didn't need to know that. She was fairly certain that if pushed Adam could wreak enough havoc to bust out and vanish into the throngs of mortals on the planet. Of course she hoped he would take her with him but if she was off world. . . she frowned. Collecting her gear and turning it into the armory she went in search of Adam.
"Are you staying here because of me?" She demanded. He was sitting at his desk going through a few SGC training manuals that had been heavily edited for content and then released to him as a primer on his future work.
"What?"
"Are you staying here because you don't want to leave me with these guys?" She asked.
"No, I'm staying here because the battalion of armed men and women above my head want me to stay here."
"Sure. Look, if you don't want to stay here then don't. We both know you don't have to. I'm fine now and this is something I can be good at, and will be good for me. I don't have to worry anymore." Neither voiced that the worry was that she would loose control of her urges and kill an innocent.
"Max relax I'm fine, you are not imposing on me in any way. I'm content to be here, working with a quarter of the information I need to do a proper translation- look Max, seriously take it easy I'm not unhappy. Just, take care of yourself and keep your head attached." She didn't believe him.
"Adam-"
"Max let it go. You can believe me or not either way I'm staying here." She grunted and stomped off.
"Hey got a mission, you wanna come?" Jack asked. Max was bent over her desk going through a book on hieroglyphics Adam had given her. She cocked her head.
"No I wanna know what that thing is, what a Jaffa is and why it wants to kill us, and-"
"Ah, ah, ah, enough, look I can't tell you all that."
"Why? Because I'm a threat? What have I done to you? I was a victim remember?"
"Yeah well that whole thing with Akna left a bad taste in a lot of mouths."
"If I knew what she knew don't you think I would have shown it by now? That thing she did with the lightning? How could I hide that?" O'Neill just stared at her.
"Okay tell you what, Adam tells me you guys ran all kinds of tests on me when we first got here, why don't you rerun those tests and see if anything has changed? Hmm?"
"Okay, I'm not arguing with you I'm just saying that I don't know that doing that would help your case." He pointed out.
She groaned.
"So, coming?"
She sighed and closed her book.
"Yeah I'm coming." She stood up and followed the Colonel out. They got to the departure room as she had come to think of it and Teal'c handed her an MP5 and a sword complete with a flat black Velcro easy carry scabbard. She grinned and strapped on the blade. She drew it and checked the edge and balance satisfied she replaced it and checked over her assault rifle. Jack gave her a raised eyebrow she nodded and stepped into line.
"Okay kids let's go." Jack said. She hated knowing nothing but wouldn't give up the chance to see what was beyond this room. Biting back an acerbic comment she followed the other four into the watery circle.
This time the planet was far more arid, more high plains and irrigated fields than trees and there wasn't a hostile force waiting for them. She smiled but stayed alert. Getting hit by that energy weapon had hurt far more than she'd let on, she was glad to avoid it again.
"So what gives boss?" She asked.
"This is a first contact situation. We'll do the talking." Jack said. Daniel looked peeved but didn't add anything. Carter and Teal'c took point Carter held some kind of hand held doo-dad that she referred to frequently. Max slipped the safety off her rifle and kept close. There were very few trees, what there were appeared to be deciduous, judging by their coloring and the ambient temperature it seemed like high summer, but who knew, on an alien world this could be a balmy spring afternoon. Still the place seemed too quiet, no animals, no birds, no people in the well cared for fields.
"Sir I'm not getting any readings, the recon team reported a moderately advanced society, with electricity. I'm not reading any E.M. signatures."
"Okay proceed with caution gang this doesn't feel right."
"Jack." Daniel said and nodded. A settlement had become visible. It was a charming cluster of homes and larger buildings framed by large deciduous trees. A small brook trickled through the center of the settlement. It was quite pretty. Very picturesque post card, ye olde cottage stuff.
"Nice." Max said.
"Okay, Teal'c you and Max take point." Jack grunted. Max and Teal'c moved to the front of the group and headed in.
She was hyper alert but the settlement was freakishly silent. The only sound was the incongruously cheerful brook trickling and singing along. They crossed a crude footbridge and spread out. Doctrine dictated at least ten feet between them in case one triggered an explosive or booby trap.
Max paused before a modest home. She ignored Teal'c and walked onto the crude but sturdy porch and tried the door. It wasn't locked.
"Max-" Teal'c objected. She ignored him and entered cautiously. A blood curdling cry rent the air. Max staggered out of the door and down the porch. A massive butcher's knife protruded from her chest. She grunted, dropped to one knee and pulled the blade free. Thanks to her Kevlar the blade had struck the edge of the vest and dug in just below her collarbone, it was fully submerged but hadn't cause much damage, the tip was hung up in the rear of the vest so it took a little effort to free it.
She gasped softly as the blade came free. She tossed it behind her in the dirt. Teal'c appeared next to her weapon ready. Max held one hand to the wound attempting to staunch the blood flow until it healed, the other held her weapon.
"It's just a kid." She said wincing. The rest of the team came running.
"Okay new record Max well done. Teal'c?" Jack said annoyed.
"Max says it was a child."
"You gonna be okay?"
"Heh, I'll live." She said checking the movement of her arm on the injured side.
"Why is it taking you longer to heal from that than the staff blasts?" Carter asked. Max shrugged.
"Don't know, I don't like sit around damaging myself and timing the healing Major, I'm not that curious." Max said standing up and flexing her shoulders.
"So, a kid?" Daniel asked.
"Yeah she was hiding in the rafters."
"Well it looks like the rest of this place is deserted."
"No bodies huh? Guess this kid is our only witness." Max said.
"Colonel I'm still not reading any E.M. signatures but even if all their electronics were turned off and the power source for this settlement had been disabled there should be residual readings."
"Okay, so . . .?"
"She's right Jack, this doesn't look like the settlement from the mission briefing." Daniel added carefully not listing the planet's catalogue designation.
"So . . . what, wrong planet?" Jack asked.
"Hey Colonel." Max interrupted and gestured toward the house. The girl was peering out at them from the doorway. She had shoulder length hair of an indeterminate color, it was matted and stringy. She was dressed in threadbare home spun, bare foot she peered at them with feral eyes.
"Hey sweetheart its okay, we aren't going to hurt you." Jack said crouching and moving his weapon so it hung from his back.
"Be careful Colonel, you won't heal." Max said. He ignored her. The girl blinked at him and vanished back into the house. O'Neill sighed and gestured for Max to take point. She loosened her sword in the scabbard and slung her weapon behind her back.
She entered and moved with an obscene silence that was bizarre to watch. The air almost didn't move around her. Max was afraid of spooking the girl before she spotted her again. So she relied on all the training Adam had given her in stealth. She spotted the girl, hiding under a table another weapon in hand. She waved behind her gesturing for the team to come in. She nodded toward the table and waited while O'Neill and Teal'c circled around and blocked the girl's escape route. Max moved closer but left space.
"Hey." Carter said. She took her weapon off and fished around in a pocket pulling out a candy bar she unwrapped it and held it out. The girl looked terrified.
"It's okay, it's food." Carter said.
"We don't know that they speak English." Daniel pointed out.
"Come on sweetie." Sam crooned. The smell of the chocolate began to permeate the hot stale air. Max's stomach growled loudly.
The girl tested the air like a hound and shifted in her hiding place. Carter took a bite of the bar and set it down a few feet from the table. The girl shifted again her eyes darting between the team and the food and the door. She lingered briefly on Max and then focused on the bar again.
She darted out like a snake and snatched up the bar. She whipped around Max and went for the door. Max snagged the girl's ragged shirt/dress and pulled her close. The child was all teeth and nails. Teal'c moved in and pinned the girl gently but firmly. Max's face was bleeding from a dozen rents and gouges from the girl's filthy nails. While the team watched soft blue light crawled over the wounds knitting the flesh together. Soon Max was bloodied but whole.
The girl was making a low keening noise and avoiding all contact. She wriggled and fought like a landed fish. Wild desperate tugs and jerks, her limbs were pinned but she had a lunatic strength that she used to rock Teal'c. The Jaffa frowned.
"Be calm we will not injure you." He rumbled. The girl continued to fight Carter got to her feet and retrieved the bar, the girl had dropped it once Max nabbed her. She held it out to the girl. She ate it from Carter's hand wolfishly.
"She's starving." Carter said concerned. Mollified the child settled down. Teal'c shifted his grip and cradled the girl against his broad chest. She was not happy but secure. Max dug around in her various pockets until she found a wet wipe and cleaned some of the blood off her face, enough to at least let her see clearly.
"Orders?" She asked securing her blade and checking her gun.
"If we dial home will we end up there?"
"Hard to say sir, we don't know where here is or if we're on the wrong planet, its possible the dialing computer made an error and dialed the incorrect address, if that's the case the DHD will send us back."
"Okay, how about we dial in and see who's home?"
"Daniel, any idea what happened here?"
"I don't know Jack, if we could find some kind of records or archive maybe I could find out more."
"Okay, Carter you and Teal'c see if you can get General Hammond on the phone, take the kid with you she seems to like Teal'c. The rest of us will see what there is to see. Check in every ten minutes." The group split up.
Daniel and Jack took the lead. Max was feeling a little worn from healing her wounds. She kept a sharp ear and eye but was content to take the rear.
They did a methodical search finally reaching the largest building in the settlement.
"So its here or nothing?" Max asked rhetorically.
"Yeah- Sam?" Daniel said keying his radio.
"Dialing out seems to be working. Syler says they've been running diagnostics on the dialing computer, nothing so far, but we should be able to get home fine."
"We're at the last building we should be able to leave in the hour."
"Copy." Sam replied. Jack was looking over the façade. It was a two story wooden clapboard construct. Fairly durable and a little more sophisticated than the rest of the settlement.
"Colonel?" Max called.
"In we go kids." He replied.
Max sighed and stepped into the entrance. The foyer was grand and dusty, very dusty. Little plumes of dust drifted into the air with every step, it was like footage of the moon landing. She waved a hand in front of her face and coughed. Dim sunlight filtered down from large windows on the upper floor casting deep shadows and filling the spaces with murky light. The dust was almost wholly undisturbed. Small tracks, probably rodents ran along the walls, it looked like birds had been nesting in some of the higher decorative sections of the walls.
"No ones been in here in years." Max said stepping aside and allowing the others to enter.
"Daniel?"
"Uh, well I think we should at least finish looking around." Daniel argued. Jack gestured for him to go ahead. Daniel ventured into the dust and filth. Max and Jack began exploring on their own.
A large staircase loomed in front of Max. If the condition of the rest of the structure was any indication the stairs would likely collapse and kill her. Still, Daniel's archive might be up there. The people who had lived here and that feral girl needed a voice. She sighed and put one boot on the first step. It whined and groaned disturbingly. She allowed the step to take her weight waited for the inevitable collapse and then continued up. The going didn't get easier, and twice a step collapsed under her, weirdly the banister was made of sturdier stuff than the steps so she managed to catch herself. Finally she made it to the top. A thin sheen of cold sweat had beaded on her brow. She wiped it away and keyed her radio.
"Colonel I'm on the second floor. I wouldn't recommend taking the stairs; they're a little hazardous for your health. I'll take a look around, see if there's anything worthwhile up here."
"Max, do you remember me telling you to go up there?"
"Ah, no Colonel but-"
"That's because it was too dangerous. Have you even heard of a chain of command?"
"Sorry Colonel I'm going to have to get back to you." Max said distractedly.
Max stood before a dozen armed youths, all were nearly naked, sex and age almost impossible to determine through the grime coating them. They were armed with blades and clubs.
"Hi guys, I'm Max and you are?" One of the youths a little taller and fiercer looking than the others raised his blade.
"O-kay, we can skip the introductions." She said still smiling. She left her weapon slung on her back and slowly reached for her sword. The boy let out an inhuman screech and charged her. The others followed after. Max managed to draw the sword and disarm a handful of the kids but there were too many and even she wasn't willing to kill them. They overwhelmed her and beat her unconscious.
She woke in a half congealed pool of her own blood. Her face still felt swollen and her head ached horribly. Her eyes were glued shut by clotted blood. She opened her eyes slowly struggling to see. The kids were gone. She slowly sat up.
Her clothing was soaked and stiff; she peeled off her utility vest and dropped it on the ground. She picked up the radio and keyed it but got nothing but static back. She sighed and dropped it. Her sword and MP5 were gone. She checked what gear she had. She drank what water she had and slipped a combat knife into her sleeve.
She had to find the team and get them back to earth. Max headed out into the rest of the second floor. Up here the dust wasn't nearly as thick; it was mostly confined to the edges of the rooms. The first few she entered were packed with books and artwork but otherwise empty. It looked like there was a lot of traffic through the center of the room but the edges and corners were mostly untouched. Max picked up a book from one of the shelves. It was glued shut with dust. She carefully peeled the cover open and tried to read the text. The alphabet wasn't English or the less familiar Cyrillic it didn't even look like Sanskrit. She frowned at it and replaced it.
A soft shuffle caught her ears she turned slowly and spotted a very young boy. He was wearing filthy pants and no shirt. He held what looked like a sharpened trowel. He had an air of purpose to him. He stared at her, blood soaked, left for dead and took off like a bat out of hell.
"Wait!" She shouted to no purpose. Cursing she took off after him hoping to stop him before he rounded up the rest of the horde. She slid into the next room. The floor was slick with a thin grit of dirt and dust. The boy disappeared into the far doorway. She picked up the pace and struggled to grab him. He whipped out of her grasp and took off sprinting. Breathing hard now she struggled to keep up, the boy entered a huge room and whipped left. Max staggered, caught herself and snatched for his bare arm. Again he got away. She paused to catch her breath and looked around.
SG-1 was laid on what looked like a huge banquet table. Only there wasn't any food, just tarnished eating ware and the team. They seemed okay from a distance. She debated pursuing the boy but decided to check the team first. They were unconscious battered but nothing seemed broken. Teal'c stirred as she checked his pulse.
"Hey big guy take it easy, they worked you over pretty good."
"Max, are you injured?"
"Not any more." She grimaced. "The others are here, they're unconscious. Can you sit up?"
Teal'c managed to sit up and after a moment get to his feet. Max used a little water from Teal'c's pack and managed to rouse O'Neill and Jackson. Carter was out hard. She got the men to their feet.
"Max you seriously need to learn to follow orders."
"So draft me Colonel. What the hell is going on? What is this intergalactic children of the corn?" She asked looking over the Colonel.
"I went upstairs and met this mob of kids, what happened after I went down?"
"We came after you, got there too late. You were . . . well, it was ugly I guess they used up most of their energy on you, they swarmed us before we could really react plus-"
"Yeah they're kids, can't shoot a kid." Max interrupted, satisfied the Colonel would be okay she moved onto Carter. She examined the major carefully.
"What is Major Carter's status?" Teal'c asked.
"Well, she'll be okay for now but we need to get her back to earth."
"What kind of time frame?" Jack asked hiding his concern.
"The sooner the better." Max said succinctly. Jack nodded. Daniel was massaging his neck and looking around for his glasses.
"Sorry Dr. I didn't see them anywhere, hope you carry spares." Max said. Daniel dug around in his vest and pulled out a second pair muttering over the loss of the first.
"Okay, Teal'c take Carter we're getting out of this crazy orphanage." Jack said.
Teal'c shouldered Carter's slight form and stood ready. Unfortunately the team's weapons had also been taken.
"How do we get out of here?" Max asked.
"We came up the same stairs you did." Jack said.
"Okay down it is then I guess." Max said and drew her knife. Whatever crazy shit had gone down on this planet was rapidly losing interest to her; she assumed point and led the team back through the warren of rooms to the dangerous stairs. As they approached the stairs the kids returned.
"Colonel you have to get Carter back to the SGC." Max said brandishing her knife.
"We can't leave you."
"Sir, unless you want me to kill these kids you're going to have to let me be a diversion so you guys can get out of here otherwise . . . well, it'll be ugly." She growled. Jack frowned.
"Teal'c you and Danny get to the gate with Carter we'll be behind you." Max scowled. She lunged at the kids, they backed off awed by the fact that she lived, but they regrouped and began closing in.
"Now!" She snapped.
Daniel and Teal'c began hurrying down the stairs. Jack drew his own knife and stood next to Max facing the feral children. Max kept one eye on Teal'c and Daniel's progress as the children began to attack. She was grabbing and snatching and tossing hurling the children out of the way and away from her, afraid to hurt them but not wanting to fall before the mortals broke free. Once Daniel and Teal'c had reached the ground floor she snatched Jack's collar and belt and hurled him down the stairs. He shouted something unintelligible and bounced down the stairs. The last few steps broke under his weight and he dropped out of sight. His shouts and curses let Max know he was okay. She began to fight the children in earnest as they closed in.
She felt their nails tearing at her and their tiny sharp teeth, pulling prying fingers, sharp knives, and heavy weights driving her to her knees.
"Run!" She shouted hoping the team would obey. As the children closed in and she felt the effects of blood loss dimming her vision and confusing her thoughts she spotted the little girl they had rescued. She was crying. Then it was dark.
A med team met SG-1 as they returned. Teal'c laid Carter onto the stretcher provided and the team followed the medics to the infirmary. Carter was bleeding internally and had suffered a severe blow to the head but after repairing her internal bleeding the prognosis was good.
"Sir if you hadn't gotten back when you did we may not have been able to do anything for her." Dr. Frasier said.
"She disobeyed orders." O'Neill muttered referring to Max.
"Well technically sir you can't give her orders so-"
"We have to go back for her."
"Of course but sir neither you nor your team are in any shape to do that right now." Jack glowered.
"Colonel I've sent the Marines after Holloway. If anyone can get her out of there it'll be them."
"General that's great but there's no guarantee that they'll end up at the same planet we did."
"Colonel?"
"There was a problem with the dialing computer or some damn thing instead of a reasonably developed world with electricity and a stable government we got a turn of the century middle of nowhere town with no electricity and no adults, just feral cannibal kids."
"Max sacrificed herself so we could get out of there, and we can't get to her sir." Daniel interjected.
"She's stranded." O'Neill finished.