Okay, here's chapter 3! I spent some time trying to get through the writers block. I had the images in my head, but I had a hard time describing and getting it out on paper! Please review!
Chapter 3
They had walked for over an hour. The trees weren't far away now, which meant that once they'd entered the woods, they were on their last stretch before reaching the Stargate. The sun had dipped even further, creating harsh shadows out of SG-1.
Every few moments, Jack lifted his binoculars and scoped the area. He'd be damned if anything would sneak up on them. If he spotted anything alien in enough time, they could outrun whatever it was. He worried about entering the trees and he could tell by the worried looks on his team that they felt the same way. Traveling with Ba'al didn't make things any easier.
Ba'al was their common enemy. Though he didn't have the army or the power that other system lords such as Apophis or Anubis had, he was definitely a threat to Earth in many ways. But unlike Apophis or Anubis, SG-1 and Ba'al often fell on the same side of the fence. Though Ba'al's motives obviously differed, he no doubt faced threats from many of the same enemies that threatened Earth. They'd had many opportunities to take each other out, but always hesitated. Though Jack was sure Teal'c would be happy to end this chase, he wasn't so sure why the rest of them were more likely to give Ba'al another free ride. They hadn't been this easy-going with the other System Lords. So why Ba'al?
Jack shook his head as if shaking those thoughts from his mind. If Ba'al so much as glanced wrong at one of his teammates, he'd stick a bullet through his head so fast that...well...Ba'al would be dead before he could do anything to them. He wouldn't hesitate this time.
They'd been walking in silence because none of them wanted to alert anything near by to their presence. When Daniel sneezed once, they all shushed him as if he could help himself. Time dragged on, and the silence was getting to them. Daniel decided to risk it and asked Ba'al how he managed to survive when his army of Jaffa had been killed.
Ba'al's laugh was more snide than amused. "Every time I find myself face to face with a member of SG-1, I am reminded of how little intelligence the Tau'ri possess." He paused for effect, "excluding Major Carter of course."
"You know, we could kill him and no one would ever know." Jack said.
"I would be honored to accommodate that request, O'Neill." Teal'c said, bowing his head slightly.
Flustered, Daniel exclaimed, but not too loudly. "Guys-guys! It's a valid question."
Jack raised a hand as if to say, go on then.
"It's simple. If you noticed, they aren't very bright. They are attracted to the senses, tend to travel in groups; they're hungry I think. But otherwise, they walk around as if they have no agenda, no specific place to go. If you remove yourself from the senses, you can become invisible to them."
"If you smell like them, you don't smell like yourself, and they won't know you're any different from them."
"Good observation, Daniel Jackson. I am impressed. Don't use your weapons, your light sources, don't make any quick movements, don't go near them," Ba'al continued, looking pointedly at Carter with his last remark.
Carter and Jack shared a look and she shrugged. "So, Ba'al and I are the safest. So how do we get one of these things by themselves-"
"Carter, don't say it!" Jack hissed, looking as if he would turn green at the mere thought of bathing in the bloodied remains of these zombie-like people.
"We have not seen anything else for over an hour, Major Carter. Perhaps we will make it through the Stargate without incidence." Teal said.
"I'm with T." Jack said. "But, just in case...let's make ourselves as invisible as we can-" he held up a finger to Carter as if warning her not to say a word, "without getting ourselves dirty. So, as much as it pains me to admit it, let's take Ba'al's advice." Jack grimaced.
The sun was still bright, but seemed to be racing to meet with the horizon. With the trees looming ever closer, the sun behind them, and the shadows growing longer, SG-1 and Ba'al found themselves hesitating to continue.
As commander of SG-1, Jack stated his orders. "We stay together, single file, and watch each other's backs. Ba'al first, then myself, Daniel, Carter, Teal'c. Maybe the stench from these two will be enough." He pointed to Ba'al and Carter. "We'll use our knives if he can, but do whatever is necessary."
They hurried as quickly and as silently as they could into the canopy of trees. Thankful now for the silence from birds or animals, Jack's dislike of trees grew ten-fold.
Jack didn't really dislike trees. They were beautiful when everything was at peace. He loved the trees that surrounded his cabin and pond. He just grew tired of the same landscape when they hopped from planet to planet. It was hard enough to remember the letters and numbers the dialing system assigned to each planet, but having such similar landscapes, Jack had a hard time remembering which was which.
He often played dumb when it came to Daniel's archeology-babble or Carterspeak. He understood more than he let on; though it wasn't hard to feign ignorance when he listened to Daniel go on excitedly for what seemed like hours. The blank look on Jack's face often stood for boredom, but could easily pass for I don't understand. Carter's techno-babble was usually lost on Jack because, while he understood more than she thought he did, he tended to find himself lost in thought listening to the sound of her voice.
They had reached the trees, the last leg of their journey. Less sunlight filtered through the trees, leaving shadows and doubts as to what lay within. They hoped that they were just as hidden from the zombie people as the zombie people were from them.
They'd been traveling for about fifteen minutes when they heard rustle in the overgrowth some distance away. Instinctively SG-1 and Ba'al all stopped, ears and eyes straining towards the sound. None of them dared to breathe in case they missed something. After a moment, the sound had not returned. As soon as they started walking again, a twig snapped, and then from a different location opposite the team, they heard a low guttural sound.
Accustomed to entering unforeseen territories, being captured by an array of peoples, escaping death by the skin of their teeth, they were never the less, a bit scared. Their hearts were pounding, their breaths coming in quick, short spurts. Though SG-1 appeared fearless and unstoppable, they were only human.
Half the team turned towards the guttural sound and the rest turned towards the snapped twig. They crept forward.
Daniel whispered, "how far to the 'Gate?"
"Farther than I'd like." Jack replied.
"It can't be very far. Teal'c's the fastest. He could dial the DHD and be the 'Gate would be ready by the time the rest of us catch up. We can out run those things."
Jack considered this for a moment. Usually a good decision maker, having gotten his team out of many close calls, he found himself hesitating to make any decision. His stomach muscles felt tight.
"It can't be much more than a mile, Sir." Carter whispered. "I don't think those people can run that fast."
Jack let out a breath. He was their commanding officer. He had to step up to the plate. It was his responsibility to make sure he got his team back through the Stargate alive. He carefully weighed their options: He agreed with Daniel and Carter. Those things didn't have weapons of their own and wouldn't know where SG-1 was headed. Running a mile wasn't far and would put distance behind them quickly. They weren't that much slower than Teal'c, but he would be more sure-footed running through the woods in the relative darkness. If they continued at their current pace, the sun would set and leave them in total darkness. He didn't know if those people, as Carter still referred to them, could see in the dark, but Jack knew SG-1 would be at a disadvantage there. He wished they had their night-vision goggles, but they hadn't seemed necessary from their preliminary check of the planet.
"Okay. Teal'c, head towards the DHD, dial us home, and we'll be right behind you."
Teal'c merely bowed his head, turned, and took off. The rest of the team, including Ba'al who was unusually silent, followed suit.
They'd been running for about ten minutes when they heard the noises. Those guttural sounds, twigs snapping, leaves crunching, all sorts of movement. It was only a moment later that they pulled up short next to Teal'c who stood still. In the dim light that remained from the setting sun, they could make out forms of people. Too many of them. Jack thought.
It was hard to tell, but Jack estimated at least a hundred. The Stargate was a few hundred yards away yet, but these things were blocking their path. And they had noticed SG-1's arrival.
"Oh crap." Jack said.
"Oh crap, indeed." Teal'c replied.