Under the Ice - 1998
A few hours later, lying against the wall, Jack continued to survey their surroundings. "We might be able to climb out of here." He paused. "You might, anyway."
"What?" Sam asked, lifting her head from her search for the DHD, not having heard what he said.
"I said, you might be able to climb out of here."
But Sam didn't pay attention to what he said. "Colonel!" she called out, moving closer. "I found it!"
"Found what?" Jack asked, turning towards her.
"The DHD," she explained, trying to remove the ice covering the device. "I think the glacial flow must have separated the Stargate from its dial-home device. But it looks like it might be intact."
Jack tried his best to climb towards her but suddenly fell forward with a groan of pain. "Oh god," he moaned, clutching his ribs. He caught his breath and lifted his head to look at Sam's discovery. "Can we dig it out?" he finally asked.
Sam nodded. "Even if it doesn't work, we can use the chopped ice to make drinking water," she replied, starting to dig. However, as Jack twisted in pain again, she suddenly stopped. "What's wrong with your chest?" she asked, concerned.
"I think I cracked a rib too," Jack replied with another pained sigh.
"Why didn't you say something?!" Sam immediately reprimanded him.
"I was afraid you'd try to put a splint on it," he defended himself, inhaling slowly. "I'll be fine."
Sam resumed digging, channeling her anger into strikes against the ice rather than verbalizing it. "I've been thinking about where Daniel and Teal'c might be," she said after a while.
"Yeah?" Jack asked, appreciating the change of subject.
"So far, I count three possible explanations," she calculated, slowing her movements. "One: Daniel misdialed, and they're here. Somewhere we haven't found."
"I don't see 'em," Jack observed, scanning the area.
"Right." Sam inhaled slowly. "Two: Daniel didn't misdial, but for some reason, the Stargate malfunctioned during transit." She paused. "Don't ask me how; I haven't figured that part out yet." She gave Jack an apologetic smile. "Anyway, they got sent back to Earth, but for some reason, we got sent here."
Jack stopped digging and studied her face. "What's three?"
"Three," she sighed, "the Stargate malfunctioned. We got sent to this planet. Daniel and Teal'c got sent to another one."
"What's four?" Jack asked, frowning.
"There is no four," Sam replied.
"It's after three," he responded as if it was the most logical thing in the world.
Sam shook her head. "Not this time, Colonel."
"All right," he responded immediately. The fact that she kept using his rank hurt more than anything else, but if that's the path she wanted to take, he would adapt. "We'll assume they made it back to Earth," he finally offered, returning to his leadership role. "They'll start sending search parties."
Sam frowned, immediately thinking about Cassie and her father, who must be worried sick by now. "To where?" she asked, skeptical.
"Here, I hope."
"But where would they even begin?" Sam said, frustrated. "They have no idea where we are!" She sighed. "With all the possible Stargates, a random search could easily take ten years."
"Not if they look here first," Jack said, looking at her.
Sam sighed in frustration. "But even if all SG teams started searching right now, the mathematical probability of them even..."
"Carter!" Jack interrupted her. "We. Are. Going. Home." He emphasized each word.
Sam looked down. "Yeah," she sighed. "We both have someone waiting for us this time," she murmured softly.
She started digging again, channeling all her frustration into each knife strike into the ice.
SGC - 1998
General Jacob Carter arrived in the control room, dressed in his uniform with a stern expression. "Where's my daughter, George?" he asked as he stopped next to Hammond, staring at the Stargate.
"Charging circuit MX-43 at 20 percent," announced a technician from the control room.
Daniel and Teal'c arrived at the same time, nodding to Jacob. Everyone remained silent, waiting for the technician to confirm they could use the gate.
"You heard the man," George said, turning towards Harriman. The gate activation process was immediately initiated, and SG-3 prepared in the embarkation room.
"SG-3 and I are ready and awaiting your orders, Generals," Teal'c announced, turning to the two men.
"I won't authorize this rescue unless the probe sends back the right pictures," George explained.
Jacob clenched his jaw, staying silent as he watched the probe move up the ramp.
"The probe should reach the Stargate of P4H-771 in five seconds," Harriman announced.
But as the robot faced Jaffa fire, George was forced to cancel the mission. "The rescue mission is scrubbed," he said, turning to Daniel and Teal'c.
"General!" Daniel shouted, but he stopped when he saw Jacob's grim expression.
General Carter knew full well that George's decision was the best one for their teams. Yet the thought of going home to tell Cassandra that her mother probably wasn't coming back wasn't what he had envisioned when he arrived at the SGC a few hours earlier. The only thing that reassured him was knowing she was with Jack, and if there were two people crazy enough to bring each other home no matter the cost, it was them.