And Now I present to you...the conclusion of the three part chapter...
Happy reading and reviews are always welcome!
Chapter 20: Celsius Zero (Part 3)
N7M-321
The engine hummed silently as Witkowski turned his head towards his Russian commanding officer and sighed.
"Here's the most pressing question I've been asking myself ever since I found out you were in charge."
Alexeyeva raised an eyebrow as the Major steered the ARGO four degrees north-west. The ocean made little noise under the amphibious vehicle, aside from the mild splash against the hull.
"I'm listening," She replied.
The Englishman sighed again, unsure of how to inquire about his curiosity.
"You say you are FSB…or were, given the circumstances, before Stargate Command brought you in."
"And your point is?"
"But word goes around that you were Spetsnaz…and yet you constantly say you weren't. No way would the SGC pick you if you didn't do some 'extraordinary' wetwork."
The Russian, out of impulse, began to rub both of her scarred cheeks, maybe looking for more blood leaking out.
"Eh," She groaned, carbon dioxide escaping her mouth in a foggy mist. "I guess I was never honest with you."
"Bloody hell," The Major coughed, crossing his arms. "How much didn't you tell me…or the others?"
"Not too much, fortunately,"
"So you are Spetsnaz?"
The ocean splashed against the metallic casing of the ARGO once more, swinging the two soldiers side to side.
"Was, Major Witkowski, I was," The Russian replied. "Only for one operation,"
"What happened?"
"Nothing you haven't faced before, I'm assuming,"
"Every experience is a new one,"
Alexeyeva looked away, towards the light blue sky, reflected by the seemingly still ocean.
"Bog blagoslovil ikh dushi," She mumbled. 'God Bless their souls'. "Have you watched your men die right before you and there wasn't a damn thing you could do about it?"
The Russian asked the Major.
"You…can say that," Was the man's reply.
"Then we both understand the price of battle…and that not everyone was meant to survive,"
4 Years Earlier
South Ossetia, Georgian-Russian Border, Earth
Major Alexeyeva could feel her body pull up as she descended rapidly towards the Earth below.
"Remember everyone," Colonel Mikhail Volkov said to his team, as he fell, passing the Major. "Fight anyone who resists but do not kill the High Value Target,"
Everyone acknowledged at the command and continued their fall.
"We're close enough, deploy parachutes!" Lieutenant Colonel Roman Antipov's voice barked into Alexeyeva's headset.
The Major pulled her ripcord and the parachute exploded open from her back. The intense jolt pulled the Major up, then back down.
Looking up, the younger Major found that her chute was intact and her decent had slowed. Upon reaching the treeline, the Major was preparing to do the landing she was training half of her life for. However, before reaching the ground, her chute was entangled onto several branches. Trapped above the ground, the Major struggled to get her harness to loosen so that she could slip through. Before she could, one of her men came out of the bushes. It was Sergeant Ivashov.
"Well…" His exposed face gave off a smirk. "Look who decided to…hang around,"
"This isn't funny, Sergeant!" The Major replied in a risen tone. "For the love of god, help me down,"
Others began to show up.
"Oh, will you keep your voice down, lady?" Balashov asked. "We'll help you down."
He and Warrant Officer Vitsin began to climb the trees as Colonel Volkov entered the scene.
"Bosa moy," He coughed. "How did this happen?" His voice sarcastic.
"I'm sorry sir," The Major began. "I wasn't really looking where I was going,"
The Colonel shook his head. Vitsin and Balashov began to cut at the wires that held the Major to the entangled parachute. Once the final wire was cut, the Major fell to the ground. With a forward roll, she was able to land on her back, breathing heavily. Looking up, Warrant Officer Zhukov knelt next to her.
"Not your typical hostage situation from your Vympel days, eh Major?" He asked.
The Major shook her head before standing up.
"No…it's not,"
The Colonel rounded up everyone and we gathered in a circle.
"Pay attention, Gentlemen…and lady," He began. "Mistletoe was reported to be located at grid 9450728…satellite surveillance showed that it might be a residence, such as an estate, but we can't be too sure."
He then pointed to the beacon.
"We'll use the beacon to lure out as many of his private forces as we can before we go after the man…in which we will proceed as planned."
They group acknowledged and began to check their weapons, ammunition and equipment. Ivashov glanced at the Major as she took off her mask and armed her AK-200. He approached the Major, laughing, before grabbing the rifle out of her hands. "I think this gun is a bit too big for you, Major." He commented. The Major grunted, clearly pissed off from the Sergeant's personal attacks on her.
"Just give me my fucking gun back," She spat, snatching her rifle from the Sergeant. Ivashov placed his hands up in defense.
"Alright, alright, lady," He replied, still smiling. "If you're so desperate to get yourself killed, be my guest,"
He then walked away.
Volkov assigned Balashov, Glazkov, Alexeyeva, and himself as team one and the others as team two. Glazkov and Antipov activated the beacon and the team began to move out.
The plan went into motion as the teams advanced through the woods, quickly and quietly.
"Crap," One of the men coughed, pointing down the hill. "Enemy patrol, get down."
Everyone quickly dropped to the ground, weapons at the ready. The patrol slowly walked their way past the team, oblivious to their presence.
"We'll have to take them down," Volkov finally stated.
"We shouldn't," The Major replied. "We don't have suppressed weapons, not that it would help anyway,"
"Surprising that we didn't get any for a mission like this," Balashov commented.
"Inaccurate and does not truly make a weapon silent," Alexeyeva added.
"Both of you shut up," Antipov snapped quietly.
He then turned his to his commanding officer lying next to him.
"Your call, Colonel."
Volkov thought for a moment, mostly because the Major, a woman, had a decent point.
He knew that using unsuppressed weaponry would give them away. But he also knew that the patrol would alert the others anyway so now, he knew, they were practically boxed in. The only way to stay elusive was to allow the patrol to pass…the Major is right.
"No…we'll let them pass…for now," He finally replied.
"Understood, Colonel," Antipov nodded.
The five-man patrol passed the team above them, still unaware of their presence. Just before they were about to continue forward, one of the men stopped and looked up at the hill.
"Shit," Glazkov sighed. "Think we've been made?"
"Shut your pie hole and we won't be," Ivashov commented.
The Major couldn't help but giggle that despite being one of the best Special Forces operators…no one could keep quiet.
Arrogance…most likely.
The man decided to climb up the hill, just for the hell of it.
"What the hell…" The Major thought.
"Hey, Vasili, what are you doing?" One of the patrolmen asked their friend.
"I thought I heard something," The man replied.
His eyes scanned the hill before him, looking for suspicious activity. Alexeyeva could fell her heart rate increase.
"Are you sure?" The patrolman asked.
The man's eyes, as Alexeyeva would later swear, came into contact with hers.
"We're on a tight schedule, Aliyev needs everyone back at base for the incoming shipment,"
The man sighed, shaking his head.
"Fine…I'll be there."
He turned around, yet he kept his head turned over his shoulder…he knew he saw something.
The patrol moved on, cautiously of course, and was out of sight.
"Alright," Volkov said. "Move."
The team got back on their feet and continued to advance in their original path.
"Did you hear what he said?" Zhukov asked. "He said something about a shipment."
"We have ears too Captain Obvious," Ivashov replied. "Question is: Where is the shipment going to go?"
"When we find 'mistletoe', we can ask him." Alexeyeva answered.
"Exactly," Volkov commented. "Let's go,"
Present Day
N7M-321
"So what happened?" Witkowski asked, curious about his commander. "Did you guys manage to get the bastard?"
The Colonel looked at him funny.
"You know…that wanker…'mistletoe' was it?"
Alexeyeva didn't answer.
Too many bad memories, as she remembered.
Then the GPS she set up before they left began to beep, signaling them that they had reached their location. The Russian climbed over to the back, dropped her spear gun, strapped the air tank over her back, and placed the hood over her head, the goggles over her eyes and the spear gun back over the tank.
"So?" Witkowski asked again. "Aren't you going to tell me?"
The Lieutenant Colonel checked her gear.
"Maybe later," She replied.
Witkowski simply shrugged.
"I'll hold you to it," He added before also putting on his equipment.
The two sat at the edge of the ARGO before placing their mouthpieces in.
"Stay close to me," Alexeyeva told the Major.
"And who's the expert in scuba diving?" Witkowski retorted.
"Good Point,"
Then with a single push, both divers fell backwards into the water.
The water was ice cold; had it not been for their suits, both soldiers would have frozen to death almost instantly.
"While we're looking for this…cache," Witkowski radioed his commander. "Let's talk about how we ended up working for the SGC."
Alexeyeva shook her head.
"You can go first, Major," She replied.
"Alright," Witkowski began. "You remember I was with the 22nd SAS regiment, correct?"
The Colonel gave a thumb up.
"Da, then you went on to tell us how much you hate the Russian Federation."
"That's not the point," The Englishman continued. "I was in Afghanistan before the Americans decided to pull me out…and place me here,"
There was a pause.
The two divers reached a wall of ice, forcing the two to stop.
"A wall?" Alexeyeva asked. "Another iceberg perhaps,"
Witkowski shrugged.
"I'm not sure…it could be," He replied.
Before he could examine further, something caught his eye.
"Oi," He said, pointing below him.
The Colonel, also looking at what Witkowski saw, swam down to investigate, the Major in tow. What they found was a tunnel and, because there was no light coming in, it was pitch black. The two couldn't help but look in awe at what could lay ahead. The Major looked at the Russian and vise versa.
"Ladies first," He said to her.
"And who is the expert at scuba diving?"
"You're the one with the spear gun."
Without saying anything more, Alexeyeva turned on her shoulder mounted flashlight and swam into the tunnel. Keeping the spear gun aimed forward, the Colonel advanced further through the tunnel.
"This place scares me," She commented.
"It's just a tunnel," Witkowski replied. "Besides, I got your back,"
"What were you going to say about your time in Afghanistan?"
"Ah yes," Witkowski added. "What I did there isn't important…save for the fact that I almost died there…the point is it's that I joined the SGC a year ago…served in SG-2 for most of that time."
"Leading them, da?"
"No, I was a subordinate to Colonel Griff before he took an arrow to the knee on one of our missions – no…don't poke fun at that crap – so for that one month before you arrived, I was left to lead SG-2. Best fun I've ever had."
"Well…now that we're alone," Alexeyeva added. "What do you think of the other two?"
Witkowski shrugged, even though the Russian couldn't see.
"I've known Ortega for a while when General Carter agreed to the U.N's request of allowing foreign personnel to participate in the Stargate Program last year…needless to say, about the U.N, most of the people were military since most science and technological personnel were already working at Atlantis."
"Which was what, exactly?"
"No one told you?"
"Nyet,"
"The actual city of Atlantis…built by the same guys who built the Stargates."
"The Ancients, da?"
"Yeah…"
"I find it hard to believe that a civilization predating humanity had built a city that was capitalized on in fiction over during the existence of our society."
"Believe it…and a whole lot of other wacky shit that you would otherwise only find in Sci-fi books."
"Name one."
"Time-Travel,"
"Liar,"
"Prepare to have your mind blown wide open,"
"Only when I'm dead,"
"Cheeky,"
Light began to come into view as the two continued to advance. Once they had reached the threshold, the surfaced.
"Didn't expect to find air in here," Witkowski commented.
Alexeyeva pulled out her mouth piece, scanning the immediate area as she waved her flashlight around.
"Or a cavern at all."
Witkowski also removed his mouth piece.
"Let's go find some solid ground." He added, swimming in one direction. "As for Williams…"
There was hesitation in his voice and the pause made it obvious. After learning more about the Canadian, he was careful to not step on fragile toes.
"I'll be honest; I have met plenty of female E.O.D experts overseas…but not someone like Williams. Hell, I don't know how she was able to compete with others in her state of mind…"
He eventually found a solid platform to stand on.
"I'm not trying to say that she's terrible," The Major continued. "But you have to admit…she gonna be a loose cannon if isn't already,"
"Somehow she acts calm, if not bravely, under pressure." The Russian replied.
"Exactly..."
"But?"
"Of all the things I can come up with that I have a problem with her…it won't be because of her gender, I have respect for a woman who diffuses bombs for a living…her…fragile psyche however…"
"Will most likely be the downfall of her,"
"And given the amount of time you spend with her…I worry that if she does falter…you'll somehow follow suit."
"I didn't think you'd care about me that much, Major." Alexeyeva replied, climbing up with the Englishman.
Witkowski scoffed, and then crossed his arms.
"Yeah well…a group of elite soldiers will end up being a bunch of crappy ones if their leader isn't at her 110 percent ma'am…you'd do well to remember that,"
"Words to live by,"
The two looked around the cavern and began to explore…what little there was.
"Tell me more about you and Ortega," Alexeyeva inquired further.
"He's been in the SGC longer than I,"
A sigh.
"So it was a no-brainer for me to look up to him for guidance."
Witkowski looked at the walls before walking once more.
"It's good to know that Williams and Ortega were right on with the location…but no cache," He commented.
"Focus, Major," The Russian replied.
"Oh, right sorry," Witkowski continued. "Given his terrible humor, he is a good medic when I see one, not to mention a good shot with heavy weapons…I just wish he'd stop making an arse of himself and stop it with the jokes."
There was a laugh among them.
"I didn't think you'd be intolerant, given what you must have gone through." The Russian said.
"After all the places I've been," Witkowski replied. "It's a miracle that I'm here…on another planet with a Russian."
"Don't forget a Canadian and a Spaniard." Alexeyeva added.
Witkowski chuckled.
"Those guys too,"
"Well…this is rather interesting." Witkowski commented.
The cavern, as the two later realized, had been deserted. Sign of civilization were present however: Tents, huts, fire pits and human remains. The Russian knelt down next to one of the skeletons and moved the skull left to right.
"You're right, Major," She replied. "This is interesting,"
Witkowski approached the Colonel and the remains.
"Bloody hell…" He coughed.
Alexeyeva retracted her hand from the skull and rested it on her knee.
"Doctor Jackson is going to have a – as you say – field day with all this."
"So will the Lucian Alliance if they get a hold of this area."
The Russian shook her head.
"I doubt a group of space mobsters would be interested in a bunch of trinkets and corpses."
Witkowski shrugged.
"I dunno…I've seen a lot of crazy stuff on the galactic market every now and again when I still was with SG-2,"
"Then trinkets," Alexeyeva replied, standing back up. "But nothing more."
"The cache," The Major added.
"No…it can't be here…this doesn't seem the place." The Colonel replied, shaking her head.
"It could be inside one of these buildings…maybe these guys used to worship it."
"I'm more interested in how they died."
"Yeah…" Witkowski looked away, viewing the desolate area. "So much for getting answers out of these poor bastards."
"Dead population…primitive setting…no sign of our objective…" Witkowski commented as he examined several objects.
The Major shook his head again as he examined the inside of a hut.
"It practically has 'dead end' written all over it." He remarked.
Alexeyeva walked down the land, looking upward. The icy ceiling made her wonder.
"This place is built like a dome," She observed.
"So?" Witkowski asked. "A lot of worlds did that, one planet did it to protect it self from the snow another from poison gas…though the latter was shrinking."
"But this is built underwater…those were on the surface, I'm guessing."
"I'll admit, it's something to sleep on,"
"Yeah, right,"
The two continued to search through the dead 'village', as the two started to call it, hoping to find more clues as to where this 'cache' was.
Witkowski then stumbled upon something.
"Hey, check this out," He called to his commander.
He set his flashlight on the object and examined it. Alexeyeva rushed towards the Major and his discovery.
"What have you found?" She asked.
Witkowski pointed his flashlight on the Colonel's face, who had placed her arm over her eyes to protect them from the light.
"A Gou'ald Sarcophagus," Witkowski reported. "In all it's glory,"
Alexeyeva rested her arms on the device.
"Gou'ald?" She asked.
"The parasitic beings that take over humans and pretend to be gods and be worshiped," The Major tried to explain.
"Much like dictatorship…I'm aware of who these aliens are." The Russian replied. "But why are the Gou'ald here?"
"Maybe it's not them directly…the last world, P3E-610, was most likely the first world our…Salvics…came from and it may have been under Gou'ald occupation…hence the sarcophagus."
"So a Gou'ald alien could be in here, right before us?"
"That's a possibility…" Witkowski replied, personifying his hands. "'You think you can escape…well go on ahead but take our proxy leader with you'."
Alexeyeva laughed a bit, finding this sort of humor rather soothing.
"I don't suppose we could open it," She began. "And see whose inside."
"You sure you want to do that?" Witkowski asked. "I'm not sure we can put the guy back inside,"
"Bullets can,"
"Good point," Witkowski proceeded to attempt the retraction of the cover, nothing worked.
"Batteries must be dead or something…" He reported.
The Russian looked around the sarcophagus.
"Maybe we can bring it back with us."
Witkowski scoffed.
"Are you crazy?" He asked. "We're looking at 3 meters of solid gold; do you have any idea how heavy that is?"
"Anything in water is weightless," Alexeyeva replied.
Witkowski face palmed.
"Are you daft?" He asked again. "Gold does not float in water."
The Russian's face suddenly became surprised at the realization…how could she not know this.
"Chyort," She breathed. "You're correct,"
Then her face lit up.
"But there must be air inside, nyet?"
Now it Witkowski's turn to be surprised. He had forgotten about that part.
"Ah blimey…now how the hell did I miss that?"
"No matter, let's go, we're finished here,"
The Major and the Colonel got behind the sarcophagus and began to push it towards the pool they arose from. Strangely enough, they were able to push it with minimal complications and Witkowski commented as such.
"Maybe this one is not made of gold but looks like it?" Alexeyeva speculated as they reached the pool.
"No way…this is gold no doubt about it." Witkowski replied.
"Then the ARGO won't be able to carry it."
"What do you suggest then?"
"We leave the ARGO behind and swim all the way back," Alexeyeva replied. "If I remember correctly it will only take about ten to fifteen minutes to get back."
Witkowski now seemed as if he had been slapped in the face by someone important.
"Have you gone mad woman?" He asked. "Do you know how much those ARGO babies cost?"
He then pointed to the Sarcophagus.
"Hell, I'm not sure you understand how difficult it might be to move one of these things."
"Might?"
"It's never been done by pushing it in water."
"Then we'll be the first."
Witkowski and Alexeyeva shoved the alien stasis pod into the water and dove after it. The two replaced on their mouthpieces and goggles, and began to move the sarcophagus through the submerged tunnel.
"Well, I gotta hand it to you, Colonel," Witkowski radioed as he pulled at the sarcophagus in the water. "You were right about the thing being easy to move…though I still don't know how we're doing it."
"Let's just hope we'll make it back." Alexeyeva replied.
"You and me both."
After swimming through the dark tunnel back to the ocean, the two reached the surface and began to head back. Witkowski, however, decided to swim back to the ARGO instead.
"What are you doing?" The Russian asked.
Witkowski looked back as he climbed back onto the ARGO.
"What does it look like I'm doing?" He replied. "I'm going to guide you back to the gate."
Alexeyeva shook her head.
"Fair enough," She replied.
Just before Witkowski was about to turn the engine back on, he noticed something that he found useful.
"Here," He said to the Russian. "Use this."
He threw a hook with a rope into the water and the Colonel grabbed it.
"Good thinking," She commented.
After hooking up the sarcophagus behind the ARGO, Alexeyeva climbed back onboard and the Major started the engine.
The ride back was slower than usual, and the alien stasis pod towing behind them wasn't the only problem.
"Where did all this ice come from?" The Russian asked the British solider as she looked on.
On the ocean before them, floated several small pieces of snow and ice. Witkowski shrugged.
"Don't know," He replied. "But it won't make driving this thing any easier."
Witkowski attempted to steer clear of the ice debris, only to get the ARGO scratched up.
"Wanker…" The driver coughed.
As the ARGO began to approach the iceberg that carried both the Stargate and the rest of her team, Alexeyeva ordered Witkowski to stop.
"What…what's going on?" He asked.
Alexeyeva looked ahead at the iceberg...and then her hand began to shake as fog began to form.
"Something isn't right," She stated.
Neither of the two could see more than several meters. Not to mention that the snowing began to intensify.
The Russian turned to the Major.
"Stay here," She told him.
At that moment, Witkowski knew what his commander was going to do.
"You can't go on your own…if someone is there…" He paused.
The Russian got on her feet and placed her mouthpiece and goggles on. Before she could dive, however, Witkowski stopped her.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked.
Alexeyeva smiled and placed her hand on his shoulder.
"Why do you worry?" She asked with an assuring smile. "You think I'm Spetsnaz,"
"Are you?"
Witkowski's fear could be seen clearly in his eyes and Alexeyeva could only smile to hide hers.
With a single jump, Alexeyeva went feet first into the ocean, and headed towards the iceberg.
The cold water didn't distract the Colonel's thoughts about what could be happening at the Stargate…and the other members of SG-26. Staying just beneath the surface of the ocean, Alexeyeva quietly swam through the water, hoping to not be spotted if there was an enemy. Realizing that she arrived at her destination, the Russian surfaced and began to climb onto the iceberg. As she reached to get a stable grip, a foot stepped on her arm. Snapping her head up, the Colonel, once more, came face to face with the Lucian Alliance.
"Nice of you to join us," The man said to her, keeping his foot on her arm as his crazed smile reflected onto the Russian.
Alexeyeva blinked, her heart beating faster and faster with each second passing, then looked past the enemy and found Ortega and Williams standing, their hands behind their backs – tied no doubt – and another Alliance solider keeping his weapon trained at them. Ortega noticed the Russian's presence and smiled at her.
"Sorry for the inconvenience, Senora,"
Then the solider guarding them shoved the butt end of his weapon into the Spaniard's stomach.
Ortega, in so much pain, leaned forward as he gasped for air.
"Keep your mouth shut, Tau'ri scum," The guard spat at him.
Ortega brought his head up as his labored breathing continued.
"Vete al Diablo!" He muttered. 'Go to hell.'
The guard, clearly clueless of the Spanish tounge, brought his weapon up then back down on Ortega's back, knocking him to the ground.
"I said," The guard replied. "Shut up."
Williams' face was grim, as if upset about some other 'failure' she has done. She kept her head down and looked away as if not to draw attention.
"Get up," The guard said to the Spaniard.
Ortega's head felt strangely cold and painful. He must have cut himself when his head hit the ground.
How much he hated the arctic setting.
Ortega struggled to get back onto his feet, given his tied hands and all.
The guard laughed at this.
"Hah, not as good as SG-1 I see," He commented, a smirk on his lips. "Did they get too old or something…shame Earth gave us a bunch of washouts instead."
Ortega wanted to beat the living crap out the guy…but, given the fact he was beaten and bounded, that was not possible.
The guard was going to beat Ortega again. But before he could even raise his weapon again, Williams struck. Without a single word, or sound for that matter, Williams threw herself at the guard, knocking them both down.
Using this as a distraction, Alexeyeva shot up her free hand and grabbed the Alliance holding her and yanked him into the ocean. Restraining the man underwater, she pulled out her knife and shoved it into his throat, slicing his neck from one side to the other. The once blue water had now become red as it was polluted with the blood of the enemy.
Alexeyeva shoved the body downward and it disappeared into the depths of darkness and hoisted herself up and over. As she did, however, the Russian noticed that the guard Williams bravely tried to stop had shoved the young Canadian off his body and quickly got up on his feet. Arming his weapon, the man pointed it at her.
"You're gonna pay for that you little bitch!" He yelled.
Williams could only close her eyes now, reminiscing a repeat from the previous mission.
All then somehow became slow.
The Lieutenant Colonel, without hesitation, pulled out her Makarov pistol and aimed it at the man. A split second was all it took for the Russian to ready, aim and fire her weapon.
She didn't miss either.
The man fell onto his knees, his gun still in hand, then onto his back and that was where another life seemed to have ended.
Without another moment to waste, the Russian shoved herself upward and onto the iceberg, and rushed to her now liberated teammates.
"Witkowski," She yelled into the radio as she ran. "Get over here now!"
"Roger, on the way!" Witkowski's voice was frantic.
The Russian stumbled as she got closer to the two, where Ortega was already up and standing over Williams. Alexeyeva tripped and fell when she next to the two, outright scared that one of her own might have been hurt.
Her fears were not justified.
"Ma'am?" Williams asked, as she faced the sky above, her tone of voice gave the expression of weariness.
"I'm here, Private Williams," The Russian assured the Canadian, gripping her hand behind the young woman's head. "Are you hurt?"
Williams shook her head.
"I'm fine…" She mumbled. "A little tired."
Alexeyeva smiled as the ARGO came into view.
"What…the…sod!" Witkowski yelled as he stepped off the amphibious vehicle. "What the hell happened here?"
"No time to explain," Alexeyeva said as she pulled out her knife and cut Ortega's and Willaims' restraints off.
"Ortega, help the Major with the Sarcophagus and get it to the Stargate."
The Spaniard was surprised.
"Wait…you guys found a Gou'ald stasis device?" He asked.
"Yes," The Colonel replied, irritated with the anxiety of the situation. "Now go!"
Ortega nodded and ran to Witkowski to help him.
"Willaims," Alexeyeva continued. "Activate the Stargate, tell Stargate Command of the situation."
"Understood Ma'am," Willaims replied before she ran to the gate.
Ortega struggled to help Witkowski pull up the Sarcophagus from the water.
"Cristo!" Ortega moaned. "This thing is heavy!"
"Come on, Come on!" Witkowski yelled. "The sooner we get this thing back to the SGC, the sooner we can all get some rest."
The two pull the device onto the iceberg as the snowing began to turn into a blizzard. Alexeyeva ran to the two and helped them carry the device towards the gate.
"Wait?" Ortega asked, slowing down. "Why the hell are we in a rush?"
"Getting out of here is a priority," The Russian answered. "So pick up the pace!" Willaims approached the three.
"The gate's dialed and the SGC knows we're coming." She told the others.
Then all of a sudden, a single death glider flew overhead.
"Shit!" The Canadian cursed.
"Let's go!" The Russian yelled as the sound of the Death Glider coming around was heard. "Priyot!" 'Forward.'
"Ah so much for the ARGO," Witkowski commented, looking behind. "We were so close in bringing it home."
"It can be replaced Major!" Alexeyeva replied as the four began to run as they carried the Sarcophagus towards the active gate, its portal visible in the storm.
"Death Glider is coming in for another pass!" Ortega yelled in the run. "I'm pretty sure he isn't going to drop Christmas presents the way he's coming in at us."
"Shut up and run!" Witkowski replied.
The heaviness of the Sarcophagus didn't help the four in the realization that they all might be killed at that moment.
The Glider opened fire.
The first blast's heat could be felt against the Russian's cold face, an irritation at the sudden change of feeling. The closer the team approached the gate, the farther it seemed to be…that is until they reached it. Alexeyeva felt as if her body melted once she passed the event horizon. A natural feeling of someone entering the Stargate.
The wormhole and its roller coaster sensation had lost its grip on the Russian as she didn't feel dizzy or nauseas on the other side, even with the alarms blaring in her ears.
"Close the damn iris!" Witkowski yelled to Harriman, signaling as well.
Just before the titanium barrier could be closed, a single wounded Lucian Alliance solider emerged from the portal, a weapon in hand.
This was quite possibly the first time a man from that faction has stepped foot on that base.
"Behind you!" Willaims yelled, pointing.
Ortega and Alexeyeva turned around as the man raised his weapon and trained it at the Russian.
The guards protecting the gate room quickly raised their weapons, ready to take the shot, but would be unable to fire with the team in the line of sight.
Thankfully, Alexeyeva hadn't bothered to holster her weapon and so she raised hers as well.
Yet the man shot first and the woman hesitated.
The impact of the bullet into her chest threw her off her feet, back into the railing and then onto the ramp itself. Her pistol escaping her hand and sliding across the ramp and onto the floor. She made no sound, before or after.
Ortega, thinking fast, rushed at the man and bashed his head with the butt end of his M27 that he thoughtfully picked up on the way back.
"Not so fun when the guy isn't tied up, is it?" The Spaniard commented to the knocked out enemy. "Alliance scumbag,"
"Colonel!" Willaims yelled as she rushed to the Russian's side.
One of the blast doors opened and a group of medics rushed to the scene. They quickly made their way up the ramp and made the Canadian stay back. As one of the medics tried to check the Russian's pulse, she suddenly gasped for air.
"She's alive," The medic announced.
Williams looked away, breathing heavily, relieved that her commander was alright.
"That vest just saved your ass," The medic added to the Russian with a chuckle.
The Colonel coughed uncontrollably, yet she managed to let out a smile.
"Spaseeba," She coughed again.
Another blast door opened and the members of SG-1 and the General herself rushed into the room as well as the security placed their weapons down.
"My god," General Carter said, approaching the Russian and the medics helping her. "Are you alright?"
Alexeyeva stood up with the help of the medics.
Her head was bleeding slightly.
"I think I'll manage." She said. "Though I feel a little strange."
Carter then noticed a drip of blood falling from the Russian's vest and it wasn't from her head.
Taking notice of the General's dropped mouth and the position of her eyes, Alexeyeva looked down at her chest and proceeded to remove her vest. Underneath the vest was the drysuit she wore.
A bloody hole was visible.
As it turned out, the bullet did in fact penetrate the vest and punctured the center her chest.
Blood was oozing out at this point.
Alexeyeva, confused though not upset, turned her head to the medic behind her.
Everyone began to surround the Colonel.
"I'll be honest with you…doctor," She spoke quietly to the medic.
Carter approached closer to the Russian. Her eyes were now wide and her jaw was dropped.
"So much for the vest saving my life."
Then Alexeyeva collapsed onto the ramp.