Chapter 1
It was another mission botched and another Daniel substitute rejected. An exasperated Hammond watched O'Neill hobbled down the gate ramp while shouting "Next". So off O'Neill limped to the infirmary for the post mission exam. Well, all of SG-1 went but poor whats-his-name had to be carried.
Colonel Dawson and his team were exiting the infirmary as O'Neill hobbled in, his leg bloody.
"Hey Jack, what happened?"
"Don't ask."
A gurney carrying Captain Hagman passes between the two.
O'Neill shook his head and said again "Don't ask. Going rock collecting, Pat?"
"Yeah, a geological study. I hear the locals are peaceful."
"Don't let your guard down."
Doc Fraiser took special care of the injured Colonel with X-rays and MRI's and CAT scans. She frowned and hmmed. And she poked and prodded at his knee until he was ready to scream.
"I'll give you something for the swelling and the pain." He begged off the injection to dull the pain for the next one. He hated needles, one was more than enough. Out came the big needle driving directly into his knee. While he was still catching his breath from the excruciating pain she said "I think it's time to call an orthopedic surgeon in for a consult."
Janet knew he was in pain, even if he attempted to deny it. It just wasn't his knee. He, like the rest of his team, still suffered from the loss of Daniel Jackson. They all tried to mask it and got on with the never ending stream of crises confronting the SGC.
As she walked into her office to the phone, nattering on about sending charts and films to determine if a quick fix was in order or was it time for a total knee replacement, Jack heard nothing but the end of his career in the field.
The minute Doctor Fraiser was engaged on the phone to make arrangements for the consult, he escaped. He limped toward something that might distract him while waiting for the shot to kick in. He escaped the clutches of the doc only to face a Russian colonel in Hammond's office demanding that a Russian be placed on SG-1. Only over his rotting corpse.
Jack's grandmother always said bad things came in threes so he was awaiting for the drop of yet more footwear. That's when the Stargate engaged, started heating up and at every attempt, failed to shut down. Jack noted it reminded him of Sokar's attack a few years ago. Sam was amazed, the Colonel was more or less correct and by her estimate they had a limited amount of time until the Stargate absorbed so much energy that it would blow taking planet Earth with it. Number three sure was a doozy.
Jack thought of Dawson and SG-7, last team to leave Earth before the shit hit the fan.
All the eggheads got together to discuss and hopefully solve the problem. Their best bet so far was to try to contact their Alien allies for help. First was a trip to the infirmary where O'Neill got topped up on pain meds. Jack insisted he'd need a clear head for this mission and did not want to be distracted by his knee. Doctor adjusted the dosage and O'Neill and Carter trooped off to take the not quite finished X-302 for a spin.
Although he had the utmost confidence in Carter, there were other hands in the creation of the X-302. Earlier this very week SG-1 had visited Area 51 to examine this vehicle. O'Neill had been assured it was human built, top to bottom, four nifty engines, one of which was a hyperdrive engine courtesy of Jonas Quinn and his gift of Naquadria. Of course this week they also were informed the ship wasn't quite ready. Right now it was ready enough and their only option.
At the SGC Jonas Quinn told Hammond and McKay their best option wouldn't work. And interestingly enough he was right. The hyperspace engine formed an unstable window and the auto-abort caused the X-302 to veer off course. The ship barreled away from the unstable wormhole causing the pilots to be jolted around the cockpit as far as their restraint would allow.
They failed and the clock was ticking.