Yes, indeed—that was way too easy!
56
An activating stargate is always an attention getter, especially when it is unexpected! Colonel Sharp and Airman Klein are in the lead as the group emerges from the woods into the gate's clearing, and they see the sixth chevron locking, and the gate beginning its turn toward the seventh.
Sharp immediately wheels around, signaling those behind him and calling a warning, "Incoming! Take cover!"
They scatter off the path and disappear into the darkness and undergrowth. By the time the kawhoosh lights up the surrounding area there is no one to be seen.
Jack moves quickly forward to crouch at Sharp's shoulder, glancing around to make certain everyone is concealed. Teal'c is at his other side, barely visible in the dimness. They watch the event horizon form and duck lower into the shadows cast by its light.
For several seconds nothing happens, and then the surface ripples and two Jaffa emerge, marching side by side. They are followed by three more pairs of guards. They scan the clearing quickly, the leader barks an order, and they take positions, four on either side of the gate.
One more Jaffa emerges, stepping immediately to the side. He is tall and powerful, and on his forehead he carries a tattoo identical to Teal'c's. He is obviously Apopis' present First Prime.
Then Apophis himself steps through the gate.
Jack feels Teal'c tense beside him.
After a small hesitation, the Goa'uld proceeds down the steps, the First Prime two steps behind. Next come a dozen servants, guiding two large wheeled transports in a rather rough passage down the steps. Finally comes another squad of Jaffa. Behind them, the event horizon dissolves, plunging the clearing into darkness. The First Prime barks an order, and several of the servants produce torches which are lit to illuminate the path.
Apophis pauses to look around the clearing, and then speaks to the First Prime. "Did I not order guards placed at the chappa'ai?"
"You did, My Lord." The First Prime bows. "I assigned them myself. They were on duty when we departed."
He turns and snaps more orders to the Jaffa. Six of them break away in different directions toward the surrounding woods.
"He has ordered them to find the missing guards," Teal'c murmurs in Jack's ear.
Jack nods. He touches Sharp's arm and signals for them to ease backwards. One of the Jaffa is headed in their direction, but is still some distance away. Jack hopes the rest of his people are well concealed.
Sam and Bra'tac have taken cover about five meters behind, and several meters to the side of Jack's position, on the opposite side of the pathway. They ease Jacob and Leara to the ground. To'kel and Daniel have moved up toward them and are positioned in the trees to their left. Austin and Winters are beyond them.
Daniel eases over to the left toward the two members of SG5, in order to spread out the targets for the Jaffa to home in on, and to give themselves more advantage.
From the far side of the stargate, there is a shout. They have found the guards!
Colonel Sharp glances at Jack, and Jack nods, gives some rapid hand signals. Now, while we have some surprise advantage. On three!
Sharp opens the channel on his radio, gives three quick taps on the mike. He receives four taps in acknowledgement—from Sam, Daniel, Austin and Winters—Ready! Jack signals go, and Sharp gives three more taps, one second apart.
On the third tap, the woods around them erupt as the SG teams open fire on Apophis and his guards. Jack is standing behind a nearby tree, and Sharp and Klein have taken prone positions front of him. To their left Sam, To'kel and Bra'tac in one spot, and Austin, Winters and Daniel further over, all open up on the enemy.
Five Jaffa go down in the first onslaught. The servants run screaming in all directions, some of them directly into the fire of Apophis' guards. The guards who are still standing rush to find cover or to protect their god. Apophis has moved quickly aside; however, he has his personal shield raised, so he is essentially safe from the attack.
Teal'c is crouching a few feet from O'Neill, firing his staff weapon steadily, taking care to make each blast count. He himself has already taken down three more of the guards. Those left have now found cover, except for the First Prime, who stands stalwartly in front of his master, his protective armor closed. Teal'c's blast staggers him, but he does not go down.
"Give me your sidearm!" Jacob demands from beside Sam.
"Dad..." she starts to object.
"I'm fine," he says. "Selmak is getting stronger."
She hands him the Beretta, and he comes up to a crouch beside her, joining the fight.
To their left, Bra'tac shelters beside a tree, and beyond him crouches To'kel, both firing steadily.
From the spot where she knows Daniel is, alongside Austin and Winters, Sam hears a cry of pain, and winces. A staff blast hits the tree to her right and she refocuses quickly.
Two additional guards and several of the servants are now lying in the clearing in front of the stargate. By Vic Sharp's count, that leaves six guards, plus the First Prime still on their feet. Much better odds. However, he knows it is a mistake to totally discount the surviving servants; they may be even now on their way to the valley for reinforcements. He scoots backward to O'Neill's position, to mention this to him.
"Yeah," Jack agrees. "We need to get through the gate." He crouches beside Sharp. "Concentrate fire on the guards beside the steps."
Sharp nods, signaling for Klein to do the same.
Jack remains on one knee behind the tree, firing at the Jaffa who have taken shelter beyond the steps of the gate platform.
Two more Jaffa fall to the assault.
Jack thumbs his radio. "Daniel, Sam, focus on the gate guards. Vic, try to take out the First Prime." He hears another cry from his left and hopes that the shot has not been fatal.
"Sir," Sam says on the radio. "To'kel has been wounded."
Teal'c and Sharp are focusing on Apophis and the First Prime. Despite his protective armor, the Jaffa has finally been injured, but he responds when his master gives him an order. The two of them fade into the woods, leaving the few guards still standing on their own.
"Watch the trees," Jack says. "They may not have gone far."
Another Jaffa falls at the stargate steps. Three others bolt from the cover of the steps and make for the trees.
There is a lull in the fire from the guards.
Teal'c steps from his cover, and stands carefully scanning the darkened clearing.
"Teal'c?" Jack says.
"I shall attempt to dial the gate, O'Neill."
"We'll cover you."
Teal'c moves forward quickly toward the DHD. There is no response from the Jaffa. He crouches beside the dialing device and presses the symbols in rapid succession. The wormhole opens and he sends his IDC.
"Daniel! Sam! Bra'tak!" Jack calls. "Take Jacob and Leara through the gate!"
"Austin is wounded!" Daniel replies.
"As is To'kel!" adds Bra'tak!
"Winters!" Vic shouts.
"I'm good, sir. I've got Austin."
"Go!"
There are a few staff shots from the woods as they break cover and run for the gate, crouching low. Bra'tak is first through, carrying Leara, and close behind him comes Sam, her arm around Jacob's waist. Jack breathes a sigh of relief when he sees her vanish into the event horizon. Daniel follows, supporting To'kel. Winters, with Austin in a fireman's carry over his shoulders, is only a step behind Daniel
"Sharp! Klein! Go!" Jack yells.
They run headlong into the blue wormhole.
"Teal'c!"
"I will cover you, O'Neill!" responds the big Jaffa.
Neither of sees the single Jaffa guard crouching at the edge of the clearing to the side of the gate.
"Together, Teal'c!" Jack calls, as he charges from the trees.
At the same time Teal'c starts to run for the gate. He is only a handful of steps behind Jack when the guard rises from his crouch and aims his weapon. From the corner of his eye, Teal'c catches the movement. He turns. Too late. The blast hits O'Neill solidly in the back, and propels him forward to sprawl on the steps a meter short of the event horizon. Teal's shot, taking down the guard, comes only a second later.
"O'Neill!" he shouts, as he sweeps up Jack's body and plunges through the gate.
57
Sam hits the ramp at a run, breathing hard, Jacob beside her. He is moving more easily by now, and her arm around his waist is almost unnecessary for his support. She stops at the bottom of the ramp, feeling sick suddenly and weak. Jacob turns toward her and tightens his arm around her shoulders. "Sam?" she hears him say.
Daniel and To'kel are almost on their heels, following them down the ramp and moving to the side to clear space for Winters with Austin.
Medical personnel immediately descend on Jacob, Austin and To'kel. Bra'tac has already placed Leara on a gurney.
Colonel Sharp and Airman Klein are only a few moments behind Daniel, the sound of their boots on the metal grill pounding in Sam's head.
Time slows down around Sam; it seems as if long minutes pass before the event horizon ripples once more. Jack! she thinks. Where are you?
When they finally emerge, Teal'c carrying Jack.
Omigod! Sam's mind freezes. She cannot think. Omigod...
She watches, silent and unmoving, as Teal'c runs down the ramp and the iris cycles shut behind them. He places Jack on a gurney at the end of the ramp. Janet bends over him and then she is shouting something and one of the corpsmen jumps onto the gurney, straddles Jack's body and begins CPR.
Sam realizes then that Jack's heart has stopped; the world around her turns gray and she hears her father's voice calling her name...