Chapter 1

Earth

"Jack." General Hammond paused a minute to greet the Colonel at his door. "Please come in. And before you even ask" general Hammond continued hoping or rather knowing full well the purpose of this visit, "No, Dr. Jackson has not yet reported back and is now five hours over due." Hammond finished as Jack entered his office and took claim to the chair directly across from his.

"That's late sir" Jack replied trying to mask his concern for Daniel. "But, knowing Daniel, which I do, he probably got tied up in his work, hell he probably didn't even stop to eat if this place is anything, well anything remotely not interesting. To be honest sir it would probably be best to send in an extraction team to get him away." Jack smiled at his own joke imaging what it would look like pulling Daniel away from the ruins of P3X-105.

"On second thought sir better make it two teams, just to ensure the success of their mission". Hammond let a small smile creep past his lips knowing full well Jack was probably right. With the way Dr. Jackson argued to himself just to go was proof enough that getting him away would be the real challenge.

Hammond had been prepared since Monday for an argument with Daniel that was bound to go on for hours about why he should stay, and how two weeks was not enough to study the ruins, and how he would need more time, and how this was important in some way or another.

In fact Hammond had been rather surprised to hear no such argument from Daniel all week. The lack of argument had been rather disturbing to the general, more then he cared to admit, but Jack was probably right. The way Daniel was going on and on about that place even before he set foot on the planet was probably good indications that Daniel was just wrapped up in his work.

Hammond was about to respond to Jack when he was interrupted by the blaring Klaxons notifying the base of an incoming wormhole. "Well speak of the devil" jack said as got up to leave the office and greet Daniel, which he hoped was the one coming back home. "Guess you can scratch that extraction team" Jack stated. "We'll see" Hammond replied as he followed jack to the control room.

"Although sir, if I may suggest, that you form a new team just for that purpose and keep on hand because Daniel can be so stubborn sometimes."

As Jack and General Hammond entered the control room they heard the familiar voice of Walter "No IDC yet sirs….IDC received, its SG11."

"Open the iris "Hammond commanded as he shared a smile with Jack.

The iris opened with that familiar sound of titanium scraping titanium, and a puddle of blue light shone throughout the gate room. No matter how many times he had seen it, or Carter tired to explain it was still such a marvel to Jack.

"Is that Daniel coming back" Jack turned around to find Carter climbing the stairs to enter the gate room.

"Well it's supposed to be, but you know Daniel, and sir I also suggest that you have a little talk to Daniel about a thing called CURFEW". Jack stated as he looked around and took in the smile produced from Carter, and the General, though he tried to hide it.

Hammond only half heard the comment jack made about curfews but he knew well enough that the comment was directed at Daniel. No, Hammond was more focused on something else, something that didn't feel quite right. The iris had been opened for about two minutes now but no one had come through yet.

Hammond looked at Walter who was waiting patiently to complete his job. Jack and Carter were still joking around about the habits of Daniel when Hammond directed his gaze at Walter. "Any travelers on route yet?" Hammond asked "no sir, not yet."

Jack picked up on the edge of Hammond's voice as he too noticed it was taking an awfully long time for sg11 to come through.

Five minutes had passed and still there was no traveler on route. Hammond then grabbed for the radio.

"SG11 this is Hammond, the iris is open, what's the delay, over."

Thirty seconds had gone by and Hammond repeated himself at least three more times and still nothing.

"SG11, please…." But the General was cut off. The wormhole shut down in the middle of transmission.