Author: spacejunkie82
Rating: T
Summary: An AU SG-1 goes on a routine mission, but they are not prepared for what they will find. A ghost from the past comes back to haunt them and has a major impact on their life
Season: season 4 up to future
Spoiler: Spoilers up to Season 8
Pairing: S/J, Sam/Other, Daniel/Other
Type: Angst, AU, Adventure/ Action, Romance, Drama
Warning: Language; Major Character Death; Mention of Torture
Archive: SJDyes, FF, my sites, Gateworld, Helio
Author's Note: This story is not mine. It is the work of several people and it wouldn't be what it is, if it wasn't for each and every one of them. Here's to you, Lori. The monster wouldn't have been created if you hadn't planted the bugger into my brain. We both know that without you, none of this would have been written. I couldn't have done it without your constant support and input. I hope it is as Star Wars-y as you always wanted it to be. Second, I want to thank my fabulous beta reader Kelley2, who had a major influence on the story and never fails to point out weaknesses. Thank you. I really appreciate all your work. Final thank goes to those of you who I forced to test-read this. You know who you are. Thanks guys. You are the best.
Feedback is always welcome. In fact, I live on it. Think Daniel and coffee.
Disclaimer: Not mine, sadly not. I promise to be good and hand 'em back after I'm done playing with them, even if it'll break my heart. No one ever gave money to me. Title goes to Guns N'Roses. No copyright infringement intended. You guys own everything, I own nothing. Ahh, despite the original characters. They're all mine.
'And it's hard to hold a candle
In the cold November rain.'
It had been six years. Six years to the day. Still, time didn't help much to make it go away. Time didn't help at all. It had never worked for him. Not after Charlie, not now. Sometimes, he was able to forget, but it worked only so long and, when he came up from this delusion, reality hit him like a truck. Today, things were even worse. Strangely enough, it wasn't because of the past; though this particular event starred in this parody that was called his life, seemed to dominate it sometimes.
Today, it was all about the present. They'd just lost a team member. He'd long ago given up on counting the newbies as they only seemed to last a couple of missions, so why should he bother? Never let yourself get too attached to those under your command or you'd pay the price. He'd had to learn this particular lesson the hard way. Anytime someone got closer to him, he'd lose them, one way or the other. And it was always his fault. It was his gun, his... whatever, it always came down to one thing. Everyone around him got hurt.
So, deliberate loneliness was now his course of action. It would've been better for all of them if he had never returned to duty after Charlie. But he had forgotten one simple rule. Don't let them get close. Better be safe than sorry, right? Daniel had broken his shield on Abydos and, by the time he had met the rest of the team that became SG-1, it had been in pieces. He'd allowed them to get under his skin, all of them, and had forgotten that this was unacceptable.
Hammond had already given him a piece of his mind, telling him that he would no longer bear with Jack's behavior. Apparently, no one wanted to be assigned to SG-1. Not that he really cared, mind you. He could understand them. Really.
Settling on the couch, he tightened the grip on his bottle of scotch, clinging to it for dear life. He didn't even bother to pour the golden liquid in a glass; he simply took a huge sip from the bottle. Maybe, tonight, he could forget. It would only be a couple of hours and, tomorrow, it would hurt so much more but anything was worth those few hours of oblivion. Taking another swig, he hoped that darkness was coming soon. Today it was just too much to bear. Even for Jack O'Neill. Losing a member of his team, whether they'd been friends or not, hit just too close to home.
"Daniel? You can't go. You've been to that mission and this report doesn't make sense without someone who has actually been there. Please."
Those big blue eyes looked at him and he tried very hard to remind himself that it was time to go. If she'd only stopped looking at him like that.
"Sorry. I already have to hurry. We wouldn't want to keep Jack waiting, would we?"
Jack's name wiped his friend's begging expression off her face immediately and she stepped back.
"Oh. Of course not. The Colonel won't be happy if you're late."
With that, he smiled at her one last time and hurried down towards the locker room. He'd just reached the corner when she called after him.
"You'll help me with this when you come back, right?"
"Sure."
He watched her walk back to her lab before he turned around. A look at his watch told him that there was no way he'd make it in time. Jack would probably tear him apart. Or, even more disturbing, he might not bother at all. Gearing up as quickly as he could, Daniel pulled his vest on when he turned the last corner and stepped two minutes late into the embarkation room.
A glare reached him from where SG-1's team leader hovered in front of the open Gate. At least he showed some kind of reaction. That was more than Daniel had anticipated.
"Sorry, Jack. There was an emergency in the lab. Hailey obviously had some problems and she needed some of Sam's old reports..."
A quick hand movement cut Daniel short. Stupid, stupid, he chastised himself. How could he have forgotten the first rule? Never talk about her within Jack's earshot. One would've thought that, by now, Daniel had gotten this rule into his head but, obviously, a PhD. didn't mean he was actually smart.
"Daniel. Teal'c."
Daniel's attention switched back to Jack, who was ready to go through the Gate, and Daniel hurried up the ramp, Teal'c following on his heels. Just seconds after their team leader, they stepped through the event horizon and coldness claimed the team, swallowed by the darkness that tore their bodies into molecules.
When they stumbled through the Gate on the other side, they were greeted by the ever-present trees. Like on most planets, the Stargate was positioned in the center of a clearing. Earth's MALP was sitting on the foot of the Stargate but, apart from that no sign of human life was visible, not that he had expected to find any. Jack didn't know it and would probably kill Daniel, if he ever found out, but Hammond had assigned this planet to them because of, not despite, the obvious lack of natives.
The General was worried. He'd asked Daniel and Teal'c to stay after their last mission debrief, over two weeks ago. They'd lost Captain Smithers on that mission, a promising young woman with a shining career ahead of her. Hammond had told them that he wanted SG-1, or rather, to be more precise, Jack O'Neill, to step down but at the same time had had to acknowledge the fact that nothing would keep Jack from going through the Stargate.
They'd barely had any free time since... the mission, six years ago. New enemies had risen and closed in on them and Jack was driving his team on, as if he was afraid to relax. Daniel guessed that it was easier for Jack this way though it didn't change the fact that his friend hadn't been himself in a long time. Sure, he was still a good soldier, the best they had to offer in face of various threats, which was one of the reasons Hammond was reluctant to give him up, but he was far from his old self. Sometimes, Daniel just wanted to shake Jack and make him see reason. Shout in his face that he was not the only one who had lost her, who had loved her. But, then, they had always had different ways of grieving.
The sun was shining brightly while Daniel felt like sobbing. He was angry at the world, angry at himself, angry at everyone. How dare the sun shine when all he wanted was rain? How come he saw people smiling on the street when everything fell apart around him? Why had he allowed Jack to get him through the Gate first? Something flashed, blinding Daniel and he found it was the golden hinges on the white wood, reflecting the rays of the all-too-shiny-bright sun. Muffled sobs next to him shook him out of his reverie and he fastened his grip on the woman's shoulder while his other hand gently squeezed the hand of the girl standing in front of him. He watched as they lowered the coffin, unable to cry tears anymore. He felt as if his body had run empty of tears, as if he'd cried all the oceans in the world and there simply wasn't anything left but the endless dry sands of a desert. Over the hole in the ground that was now occupied by the empty wooden hull, he saw Jacob's broken figure. The buttons and medals on his dress blues sparkled in the sun, bearing an odd resemblance to the hinges on her coffin. The older man had aged visibly in just a couple of days and Daniel's eyes fell to where Jacob was clinging to the folded flag, his knuckles white. Suddenly Jacob's eyes flashed angry and Daniel felt something move next to him. He'd missed Jack all day and the anger in Jacob's eyes was enough to make Daniel understand why. But, now, Jack was here, standing against the accusations in his dress blues like a rock in the rough sea. The commission that had been called into life after the accident declared it to be just that. An accident. There was nothing Jack could've done to prevent it. But that didn't mean that Jack actually forgave himself. And, apparently, neither did Jacob. At first, Daniel had felt the same anger at Jack. Then, gradually, he had seen what this did to his friend which helped to make the anger he had felt at her loss dissipate and ratio take over. It had been an accident. Nothing that Jack could have changed and he knew that Jack would have given everything to go back and make it right. But he couldn't. Daniel might have lost one friend, but he still had another that he needed to worry about. Despite everything, that was still what Jack was. His friend. A friend whom Daniel wouldn't, couldn't let down. When the first shovel of earth fell on the white coffin, Daniel closed his eyes. He knew it wouldn't shut out the sound but he couldn't stand it anymore. Letting out a sigh as the ceremony drew to an end, he squeezed Janet's shoulder and led her and Cassie away from the empty grave. When he turned around at the exit, he saw that most of the mourners had already left. Only Jack and Jacob stood there. Teal'c eyed the pair with just as much suspicion as Daniel but turned slowly when Daniel told him to. Recalling the deadly glare in Jacob's eyes, Daniel decided to take Teal'c and visit Jack later that day. Preferably after buying some alcohol. God knew they could need it.
Jack had changed after that. Whatever Jacob had said to him that day, it must have hit hard, eventually leading to where they were now. By the time they had gotten around to Jack's, he'd already constructed a wall between him and everyone else and never let it down after that.
Although Hammond wasn't convinced that Jack would let his defenses down now, he was still willing to take this last straw that Daniel and Teal'c offered him. They had been able to convince Hammond to give SG-1 some easy missions, just taking a look around on some nice planets with minimum risk. Though all of them knew that they were racing against time, time that Earth might not have, it seemed like the only plausible solution. Probably they would be able to get through to Jack. Make him see reason. Otherwise, Hammond was considering relieving him of command, a step that all of them knew would be militarily unthinkable if the emotional circumstances were any different.
Oblivious to all these things, Jack quickly checked the perimeter before he walked off into the dark wood, followed by his teammates. The thick canopy hardly allowed any light to break through its branches and they had to watch their step. Daniel had hoped that this planet would, at least, force some sort of reaction from Jack. He wasn't asking for any sarcastic comments or a flippant remark. He'd already be satisfied with a bit of complaining. It was cold, nearly dark, and they were constantly tripping over one of those darned roots. Even so, Jack stayed silent and Daniel sighed slightly. Who would've thought he'd wish for the day he'd hear Jack O'Neill complain about trees?
Suddenly the sound of a breaking branch was heard from behind them and Daniel spun around to find himself nose to nose with a rifle of sorts. A smeared face appeared behind the weapon. They were surrounded by ten men, all tarnished like Daniel's captor. A quick glance told Daniel that Teal'c and Jack were aiming their weapons at the men, not that there was any point in doing so. They were hopelessly outnumbered. Not bad for a planet that was famous for its lack of human life.
"Lay down your weapons."
A tall man stepped out of the group, his weapon aimed at Teal'c.
"After you."
The man smirked at Jack's comment and pointed in Teal'c's direction, the green cape around his shoulders rustling slightly.
"He's a Jaffa. Even if we would trust you, we won't trust him."
Daniel had to fight down the urge to roll his eyes at the age old discussion. How many times had they already tried to convince the indigenous people of a planet that Teal'c wasn't a threat to them? Slowly, Daniel started to lower his Beretta. There was no way they could overthrow the other men and they needed to prove that they were trustworthy.
"Daniel!"
Jack's sharp command stopped the descent of Daniel's gun.
"Lower your weapons."
This time, Jack's order had been directed at the man who had spoken to them, apparently the leader of the group of natives. In this case, though, the harsh tone in Jack's voice had no effect whatsoever on the men. They all kept glaring at each other and Daniel was starting to get worried. He knew neither Jack nor Teal'c would back down and the natives' leader certainly didn't look like he was going to call it a day any time soon. Tension filled the air, it was nearly palpable, and Daniel held his breath, afraid of what might happen next.
All they had asked for was a simple and calm mission. Nothing special. Still, standing there with his gun in his hand, Daniel couldn't help but to wonder whether they had royally pissed off someone up there. There had to be a reason why they were always running into trouble, even on an uninhabited planet.
"Maarlin, tell your men to lower their weapons."
A soft, disembodied voice had spoken from somewhere before them, the speaker hidden in the wood's shadows. The voice sounded like the person, judging from the sound a woman, was used to giving orders. It was strangely familiar but Daniel couldn't place it no matter how hard he tried.
"These men came through the Stargate, Lovarra. This one is a Jaffa."
"I know, Maarlin. Lower your weapons."
As soon as the words had left the arrival's mouth, the natives stepped hesitantly down, following the order. Daniel exhaled deeply while lowering his own gun in reply to their display of trust.
"Daniel, did I tell you to stand down?"
Turning to face Jack, Daniel saw that Jack's weapon was still pointed at the natives' leader as was Teal'c's. He was about to make his friends see reason but stopped when the hooded figure spoke again.
"Lower your weapons, Jack, Teal'c. They won't hurt you."
With that, the woman stepped out of the shadows, the cowl of her green cape, similar to the ones the men wore, pulled deep over her face. In the twilight, Daniel was only able to see her mouth, turning now into a smile, when she brushed past him stepping closer to Jack. The upper half was hidden in darkness.
"Who the..."
Whatever it was Jack had wanted to say, the words caught in his throat when the woman that was now standing in the middle of their group and directly next to Jack brushed off her hood.
Her hands were trembling as she reached up to brush back the hood, revealing her face. This was it. The moment she had been dreading, and, at the same time, longing for, for such a long time. Jack's mouth opened and shut. He was the very image of a fish out of the water.
"Jack, what...?"
She stopped Daniel's question short by turning around, allowing him to see her face. The harsh intake of breath and the look of shock on his face was enough proof of his recognition. It took him just a couple of seconds to recover, faster than Jack, and his face morphed from shock to relief.
"Sam? Is that really you?"
Sam. The name sounded strange to her ears. No one had called her that in a very long time and she relished the feeling of hearing it again. Daniel had already stepped closer to her, his eyes still wide in disbelief. Even Teal'c's stoic face mirrored Daniel's expression as he stepped towards her as well.
"Hi, Daniel."
She wasn't sure what had happened as from one second to the other she had been scooped up by Daniel who spun her around. Out of the corner of her eye she could see that Maarlin had tensed up again, but a quick hand signal by her told him to stand down. Slightly breathless, Daniel set her down on the ground again, his eyes beaming with joy and thousand unspoken questions.
"But how...? I mean, we... you... How?"
"That's a long story, Daniel."
He nodded and hugged her again. It had been such a long time since anyone had held her like that. Within the Nicrea, the free ones, she had never been equal. No one would have dared such an open display of affection. She hugged Daniel in return, holding him close as if to convince herself that he was really here. When he released her from his grip, she could see Teal'c, grinning wide from ear to ear. That was something she hadn't anticipated.
"I am overjoyed to see you are well, Major Carter."
Major. Another thing she hadn't heard in a long time and that reminded her awfully of her old life. The one she had left behind so long ago. Or that had left her behind, depending on the point of view. At first, she had been angry at them, hoping they would come for her, rescue her. Especially hoping he, the Colonel, would come. She wasn't angry at him for what he had done. At first she had been, but it had only taken her a day to realize that it was probably her fault. How was he supposed to know? So, she had waited, clinging to a single truth, that her team would bring her home.
Days melted into weeks, and weeks melted to months, and doubt had started to tickle at the back of her mind. No matter how difficult the situation, she had always known that her team wouldn't leave her behind; that he wouldn't leave her behind. Had they left her behind? She had felt badly for mistrusting them, as if she were betraying them somehow, but, in the end, the one truth that had always been the foundation of her life broke down.
It had taken her time to come to terms with this; Ilfreane had helped her a lot. Obviously, they had thought her to be dead. Maybe she had been dead; for all she knew, it was most likely. Memories of that dark place crushed her mind and she struggled to keep her thoughts in the present. Nothing of these things were important now. This was all in the past. All that mattered was now. And, now, they were finally here.
"Hi, Teal'c. You've grown hair."
There wasn't anything profound she could have said, so she simply enjoyed the feeling of being engulfed in his strong arms. Now that they were here, she started to realize just how much she had missed them all. After all, during the four years on SG-1, they had grown to be a family. When Teal'c stepped back, she squeezed his shoulder one last time and blinked a tear away.
Turning around, she faced the one person that hadn't said a word until now. Jack had, by now, regained his composure and had schooled his face to show no emotion at all.
"Carter."
There it was and the coldness in his voice made her shiver. She scolded herself for being so stupid to expect more than that. So she answered with a tight, "Sir."
Though Sam wasn't sure, she thought she saw him flinch, but Jack O'Neill had always been a master of suppressing his emotions. Determined, she stepped away from her old friends to talk to Maarlin. There was still enough time to talk to them later that day no matter how much she wanted to stay with them. For now, there were more pressing issues that asked for her attention. The council had been rather upset when she had left but the news of a strange piece of technology, what turned out to be a MALP, that had arrived through the Gate had driven her to go and see it for herself.
"They're friends. Take them around; show them the place. I need to go back to the council meeting. When they're done, bring them to my quarters. They are my guests, understood?"
Maarlin nodded and she turned one last time to speak to her former team.
"I'm sorry, but I have to leave. I'll see you after the council meeting. Maarlin here will show you the area and answer at least some of your questions."
She didn't give them time to respond. If she did, she might have been tempted to talk to them, to explain everything. That was one thing she couldn't allow herself now. This would have to wait until later that day.
Deep in thought, she rushed towards the great hall. Well, great hall was maybe a bit exaggerated but they couldn't risk revealing their position to anyone who might take a look at the planet. So, the great hall, meeting place of the Nicrea council, was in fact a hut made of wood, no larger than any other building in their camp.
As expected, the council wasn't too pleased with her departure, but they kept their resentment at bay. After all, she was the Lovarra and, even though she wished them not to, they still treated her different from the other council members. So, upon her return, the discussion went on like before. Suddenly, the door to the great hall was pushed open and a messenger entered the room. He moved past the astonished council members and military leaders and approached Sam, who was sitting at the head of a wooden table.
"Lovarra, our spies have made out movement of Cronus' troops. Several ships have left their home world just a couple of hours ago."
The distinct feeling of foreboding rushed through her and she kept her voice deliberately low, so that her words would only reach the messenger.
"Do we know their destination?"
"Their course leads them directly into our solar system. Our intelligence thinks they'll arrive here in two days."
Sam nodded and the messenger stepped back, letting the council discuss their next course of action. As expected, all hell broke loose as soon as Sam had broken the news to her comrades. Immediate evacuation was begun, but Sam knew that she couldn't leave now. She'd go as soon as possible, but she couldn't waste the chance that presented itself here. After all, she'd just stumbled over her lost friends. Maybe, this was her chance to keep her promise, to get Emily to safety.
"Sam!"
Hands pushed her down and a heavy weight pressed her to the ground. She realized quickly that the staff weapon blast must have missed her. The footfalls of several Jaffa were already within earshot and she crawled out from her position under Ilfreane, who had pushed her down, out of the way of the enemy fire. When she got on her knees, the stench of burned flesh in her nose made her stomach twist painfully.
Fear shot through her as she checked Ilfreane for injuries and found a massive wound on his chest, where the staff energy had made contact with his body. She had seen far too many such injuries not to know that this one was fatal. Still, she hoped beyond hope that maybe she could get him through the already opened Stargate.
His green eyes found her blue ones and his look pleaded with her to go though he held fast to her hand. A small river of blood trickled from his mouth as he coughed violently. His grip on her hand lessened and their entwined hands fell down to her stomach, Ilfreane holding them fiercely in place.
"Bring our child home. Take it to safety and raise it to become a good leader. Please, Sam."
Tears quelled up in her eyes as she watched the light fading in the sparkling ones which had been her only light back in that dark prison. Giving his hand one last squeeze even though she knew he couldn't feel it anymore, she slowly got up to her feet. Brushing the tears away, she made her way to the Stargate and dove through just as the first Jaffa reached the clearing.
Fortunately, the Gate disengaged before any Jaffa were able to make it through and Sam found herself in the rock-covered clearing where she had seen her old team the last time. Her eyes fell on her barely bulging stomach. The life she carried was now the only thing left. Everything else had fallen apart around her, her life shattered in pieces.
She took only one moment to regain her equilibrium before she set out on the path that, as Ilfreane had told her, would lead to the capital. If the city was still there. The last time she had only seen it from the distance, a burning red spot against the darkened sky.
The day had been more eventful than it had promised to be. They had found Samantha Carter, quite alive as it seemed. Though Teal'c had been overjoyed to see her again, a constant feeling of guilt was already starting to gnaw at his insides. He had been the one who had left her behind. He had felt the damp skin for any hint of the flutter that would announce she was still alive. He had turned his back on her when he had felt none.
While they were walking through the village, he heard Daniel Jackson asking all kinds of questions regarding their lost teammate. Though Maarlin was willing to explain general circumstances, he refused to elaborate on how the 'Lovarra' got here or anything else regarding her.
"So, what is this Nicrea? Are you the Nicrea?"
Daniel Jackson was as persistent as O'Neill was silent and Teal'c listened carefully to Maarlin's words.
"The Nicrea are the free ones. We are the Nicrea. A few turns ago, our planet was overrun by the Goa'uld and our Chief as well as his son were killed. The new ruler, the Chief's second son, Korfreane, was able to make a treaty. He rules over our planet in place of the Goa'uld. He makes the people work like slaves, no better than Cronus. We try to free our people. Unfortunately, we had to seek shelter on another planet. Our position on our home world had been compromised by one of our own. This is why we hide in the woods. Since then, Cronus has honored Korfreane with even more planets to watch over, while he is busy fighting his war."
Everything after the name Korfreane was lost on Teal'c. He knew the name. He knew the planet.
"SG-2, Teal'c, you have a go. Bring her home."
The voice of General Hammond boomed through the embarkation room and they stepped through the Stargate immediately, all eager to find answers. They were prepared for an attack, but as far as they were able to see the enemy was gone. Though the clearing still showed signs of the previous week's battle, the corpses seemed to have vanished as well as any other living Jaffa.
Soon Teal'c found the area where Major Carter had gone down. He would have known the place blindfolded. A red spot still marked where he had last seen her. Kneeling down, he touched the ground lightly. Though he had lived through the loss of many friends, it was always hard. Sudden rustle in the underground made him spin around in a matter of seconds.
The child that came tumbling out of the woods looked at him with big eyes. Fear was written all over its face. The crusted clothes were torn at some places and Teal'c could see some badly healed wounds on the boy's body. When Teal'c lowered his weapon, the eyes of the boy followed it. It was not the first time that the child had seen a Jaffa and, judging from his wounds, not the first time that he saw a staff weapon.
They soon found out that the boy had been hiding in the woods, since the deaths of his whole family in the attack one week ago. Reluctantly, the child showed them the way to the capital but refused to come along, adamant about staying in the woods. They were finally able to convince him to come home with them instead where they could deal with him later. Now they had to fulfill another mission goal. After sending the boy, Welan as he had introduced himself, to the SGC, they set off in the direction of the capital.
It was already late when they finally reached the outer parts of the city. Progress was slow as some buildings were still smoking, others collapsed and blocking the way, but the people seemed to rebuild their homes quickly. Fearful eyes followed Teal'c on his way to the inner parts the city. No other Jaffa crossed their way and Teal'c wondered why the Goa'uld had left this place. This culture obviously did not have the means to defend themselves, let alone win a battle against a mother ship. Apparently there had been something on this planet that Cronus, judging from the marks on the Jaffas' foreheads a week ago, had wanted. He would not discard the planet without having gotten what he had come here for, be it raw material or slaves.
They were already deep in the city when suddenly a man stepped in their way. His black hair fell in his green eyes and he watched Teal'c carefully, then scanned the other members of the small group. Finally, he shrugged slightly, making the thick brocade of his clothing rustle.
"My name is Korfreane. I'm the Chief of this land."
His thoughts were disturbed when they stopped in front of a hut, not unlike the others.
"This is the Lovarra's home. She will join you after the council meeting."
With that, Maarlin left them alone. Inside the hut, the silence was pressing down on them like a blanket. Every one of them had their problems in coming to terms with Samantha Carter's sudden resurrection. Teal'c still wondered how she could be alive. He had seen her dead on the ground and they had found her indication marks, the dog tags, in the ashes.
"I am sorry, but we always burn our dead. Your friend must have been among them."
Teal'c had felt the heavy weight of the small pieces of disfigured metal tearing at his arm as he stood up, the rolled edges still pliant from the heat of the cinders. Carter, Samantha 36-6-349. The words were still legible and he closed his eyes for a second. He did not want to be the one to tell O'Neill. Unto this point, the other man had still harbored hopes, had thought that she might still be alive and everything had just been a mistake. He would be devastated when he learned otherwise. As difficult as it would be, Teal'c knew that he would not want anyone else to tell his friend either. Turning to the Chief, Teal'c saw nervousness flicker across the face of the man. He thought it to be fear of being punished.
"It is not your fault."
The chief nodded absently. Next to him he felt the young Captain of SG-2 shift uneasily. He seemed to feel it as well. Something was odd, though Teal'c did not dare to say what. It just did not feel right. The explanation the Chief had given them, that the Goa'uld had simply stopped their attack and had left the planet, did not sound plausible and Teal'c wanted to stay no longer than absolutely necessary on this planet where his friend had found death.
Tightening his grip on the metal plates in his hand, they soon started towards home.
General Hammond had agreed that the Chief's story was rather unlikely but had been unwilling to risk more lives. The planet had been under survey for two years, but they had found nothing that had been enough to justify their suspicion.
Today, Teal'c had learned that his feelings had been right. These people here were the natural inhabitants of the planet on which Major Carter had been shot. Was it his fault? Had she still been alive when they had left the planet? What other reason was there to explain her presence in such a place?
The silence that reigned in the hut was enough to show him that every person in it was likely pondering similar thoughts.
"Welcome to P3X-590. This is your Colonel speaking. We hope you enjoyed your journey with Stargate Intergalactic Airlines. Please leave the seat belts on and take a look around. Ohhhhh, trees." Jack was barely able to make out the snort from Daniel. Even without turning around, he knew that Carter would try to suppress a smile; she'd done that a lot lately, seldom smiling full heartedly at his awful jokes. Ever since the... incident… with that damn Tok'ra lie detector thingy, they'd been only too aware of the watching eyes, waiting silently in each corridor, behind each tree, for them to show any sign of 'unusual' affection. He wondered whether it would always have to be like this, whether there would ever be a time where she could laugh at his jokes like she had done before. Tossing these thoughts back into the 'don't touch' box of his mind, he turned slowly around to scan their surrounding. Next to him, he saw Teal'c raise an eyebrow at him. Most likely questioning Jack's mental state. Jaffa humor simply didn't fit with O'Neill humor. This mixture was too obscure like the Seth guard joke one year ago had proved. Probably deciding that Jack wasn't worth the worry, Teal'c walked over to the DHD and quickly checked it, his eyes hardly leaving the woods. Jack followed the example and they went to check the perimeter while Carter knelt down to retrieve some dirt from the ground. Why did she always do that, anyway? Jack knew she was running some tests, but what the heck could she possibly gain from looking at dirt? It was, well, dirt, for Pete's sake! A squeal from Daniel brought Jack back from Carter-watching to reality. Damn Daniel and his timing. Sighing, Jack looked over to where Daniel bounced, dreading what he knew would come next. "This is… oh my gosh." "Daniel?" The younger man looked at him like a kid on Christmas. Obviously, he had found something utterly fascinating, something that had to do with the rock his friend was currently holding in his hands. God knew, there were plenty of rocks around here; hell, the whole clearing was covered in rocks. This was why Jack had struggled with Hammond to get assigned to another destination. "It's a rock, Daniel." "This is Old English, Jack. Look at it… Ne dearr ic for mines hlāfordes ege. I can't believe it. Maybe Sokar took more people through the Stargate than we had estimated. He must have abducted these people far earlier than the ones we met on P9X-3971. Remember, the planet with the demons and the Unas?" "Those guys who tried to drown Teal'c." "That's them." Somehow the revelation did nothing to calm Jack. That had been close. If it hadn't been for junior, Teal'c would be dead by now. Who would've thought that Jack O'Neill would ever be thankful for one of those damned snakes? Just as he was about to find out what exactly Daniel was implying, the chevrons on the Gate started to glow red one by one. They were hardly able to find shelter behind some of the low-growing bushes before the puddle sprang into life and Jaffa after Jaffa marched out of the Gate. A roar filled the air and Jack looked around to find a mother ship hovering in the distance. It descended in the general direction the Jaffa were marching, probably a city. Sun was already hanging pretty low over the horizon, effectively blinding him so that he couldn't see anything but the silhouette of the ship. Figuring the best course of action was to wait, Jack told his team to stand down. They were helpless against such a force. So far, over a hundred Jaffa had marched through the Gate. It seemed as if this particular Goa'uld didn't want to, or couldn't, involve too many ships in this invasion, as the distant mothership was still the only visible sign of air attack. A couple of times, Jack thought he'd seen the reflection of some death gliders in the setting sun but the light gradually faded, the red sun sparkling every now and then, so he couldn't be sure whether he'd actually seen gliders. Sounds of a far battle war filled the air as the ship started to fire and he hated being stuck here. Slowly, the stream of Jaffa ebbed away and the wormhole shut down. Night had already fallen over the land but, even though the darkness would cover them, Jack waited some time before he was sure that the Jaffa were gone. Then he signaled for Daniel to dial up the Gate. Daniel moved quickly, punching in the coordinates to safety. He was just a split-second too late. The trap snapped shut the second the Gate engaged. They were sending through SG-1's IDC when above the distant roar the first shot ripped through the air, hitting the ground next to Daniel. Jack had no idea how the Jaffa could've known that they were there. He and Daniel delved for cover behind the DHD, waiting for earth's iris to be opened. Carter had found cover some yards away behind a stone and Teal'c was crouched behind the steps of the Gate. Hidden within the underbrush and behind rocks, the enemy Jaffa were hardly to be spotted and Jack fired blindly in the general direction of the attack. There was a short silence in which he ushered Daniel towards the gate. Though the Jaffa started firing again, his friend made it through the event horizon and relief washed over Jack. One safe, two to go. Teal'c was crouching in front of the Gate, no doubt waiting to cover Jack's six when it was time for him to leave as well. He knew Carter was the nearest to the enemy though he couldn't see her. The DHD and several bigger rocks, though providing excellent shelter, blocked his sight and the encroaching darkness didn't help much either. "Carter! Go, we'll cover you." He was screaming in his radio above the roar of weapons all around him. The sound of an explosion filled the air and Jack saw something burning in the distance, its red glow only visible because of the all surrounding darkness. A part of him wondered how the Jaffa were still able to see their targets; he most definitely had problems. Suddenly he heard a sound behind him. He spun around, pointing his weapon in the direction the sound had come from. In the dim light of the Stargate he barely saw the outlines of someone to his right, pointing a staff weapon at him. The business end of the staff opened and Jack's finger pulled the trigger out of his own volition, before his enemy had a chance to discharge the weapon. He watched the enemy fall to the ground and turned around to grab his radio once again to order Carter to get going. "O'Neill!" Teal'c's call above the noise of battle was distant, but it saved Jack from being toasted by the Jaffa who had approached on his left. Those guys were good, that much he had to admit. He hadn't noticed the second; he was still distracted by the first. In no time, he had taken out the Jaffa and grabbed his radio again. "Carter, come in!" She didn't answer his second call, like she hadn't answered the first. He hurriedly moved from his position behind the DHD to a rock on his left. She had to be just a couple of yards away but he wasn't able to see her. On his right, a death glider approached, its blasts setting some of the trees on fire. And then he saw it. Golden hair mixed with red. She was lying with her face in the dirt, a red pool forming around her. Horror filled him as he realized that her position was the same where he had taken down the first Jaffa. The staff weapon was still in her pale hands. He froze on the spot, oblivious to the approaching Jaffa. After what seemed like an eternity, he shook himself out of his stasis and ran over to her. He'd just left his shelter when a blast hit his leg, sending him to the ground in the process. Ignoring the pain, he struggled to get up but a second blast hit him, this time on the shoulder. His eyes were still fixed on her when the world slipped away into darkness.
The door to the hut was tossed open, shaking Jack out of his memories and there she was, standing in front of him. Quite alive and well, as it seemed. Still Jack had no idea how she could've survived. Teal'c had brought him home the day she died, well, supposedly died. A week after, Teal'c had headed out to the planet once again. It had been the first time that the MALP had shown no signs of the Goa'uld and they wanted to retrieve her body. Unfortunately, the enemy wasn't the only thing that had disappeared. Behind the stone where she had initially hidden, they'd found her P-90 and her radio, both fried and rendered useless by a staff weapon. She must have been hit and lost the radio and the weapon and had found a staff weapon with which to defend herself with. Jack had thought the whole fight through and through during his long hours in the infirmary. He should have been able to see that she was too small for a Jaffa. He should have waited to fire. Sometimes it helped to blame it on her. But it never worked for long. Sooner or later, it would all boil down to one hard fact. He had killed her. Teal'c had told him that he'd checked on her before they'd left the planet. She had been dead.
How could she still be alive? Why hadn't she tried to contact them? All those questions, combined with an unbearable amount of guilt coursed through him since the moment he had seen her just a couple of hours ago. He should have been relieved, should have been happy, but the relief and happiness lasted only a couple of seconds. Somehow, seeing her made it even worse. He had shot her and then left her behind to rot. How could he ever look her in the eye with this knowledge? He didn't leave his people behind.
Marley had shown them around the place but not even Daniel had been able to work up more than a small amount of enthusiasm. Obviously, Jack wasn't the only one who had questions. She stepped further into the room and shut the door behind her.
Sam quickly shed her green cape as Daniel's eyes followed her through the hut. She had changed so much during the last six years. But then, so had they. Her blond hair was longer, bound back in a ponytail so that it wouldn't get in her way. The cape had hidden clothes, similar to those he had seen around the camp, but instead of the brown and green that had been predominant in the settlement, Sam's were of a dark blue. They seemed to be made from some kind of silk, glistening slightly in the dimming light. Daniel's eyes traveled up to her face. The lines in her face were deeper and her skin tanned. She looked more worn out, more weary, the sparkle in her blue eyes gone.
When he'd met her earlier that day, he had been so happy to see her again. It felt like some part that had been missing for too long had been returned to him. But now that he had had the time to think and despite the joy that still filled his heart, pesky thoughts had started to manifest themselves in his head.
He still had no idea how she could still be alive. Teal'c had seen her dead and that was enough proof to Daniel. He couldn't, wouldn't believe that Teal'c had simply failed to notice a pulse. Was she a Goa'uld? No, Teal'c would've known. The naquadah in Daniel's blood had reacted to her, but surely what he had just felt was the trace left behind by Jolinar. Otherwise he would have said something, wouldn't he?
Still, even though his mind was busy trying to find answers and fit together the pieces of the puzzle, doubts were gnawing at his insides. Why hadn't she tried to return to them? Why was she here when they were still fighting a fight that seemed to be futile? The fronts were closing in on them and Daniel had more than once wished to have her at his side again. All the while she had been here, safe and sound while he had watched good friends and beloved die.
Cassie, Janet... gone. He wasn't even sure how much longer Earth would be able to withstand the powers that were pressing down on it. They had needed her, had needed Jack but he had been too caught up in his pain to notice. Daniel sighed bitterly as he watched her light a fire and sit down on the last chair left.
The light from the flickering red licked her face and Daniel watched her examine her former teammates. He wondered what she saw in their faces. Did she see the losses they had had to bear? Did she see the pain, the torture? Did she see how much he had missed her?
"Doctor Jackson, report!" "I don't know what's taking them so long, General. We found some traces of civilization on the planet that I wanted to look at when the Gate was activated. Obviously we've been running into an invasion. We were able to hide in the woods until the Jaffa left the Gate and Jack waited until it was dark to dial back. When the Gate activated, we were attacked by some Jaffa. We didn't even know they were still there. I went through the Gate first. I don't know what happened then, Sir. They should be here any second." Hammond nodded, a flicker of worry passing his face before turning around to watch the sparkling blue. Daniel's eyes never left the horizon as time ticked away and he found himself praying. He nearly jumped when the horizon was finally disturbed by a huge form walking through, carrying an unconscious man over his shoulder. "Close the iris!" "Medical personnel to the Gate." He barely heard the calls, all his attention fixed on the unconscious man. He only snapped out of his stasis when the iris slipped shut and the Gate disengaged. When Teal'c laid Jack down on the stretcher, Daniel saw the wounds on his shoulder, his knee, and felt fear rising within him. What had happened after he had gone through and where was Sam? "Teal'c, report!" "We were attacked by Jaffa. O'Neill is injured. Major Carter is dead." It took some moments for the words to register with Daniel. His mind went numb as he watched Jack being rolled out of the room and his eyes fell back on Teal'c. Though Daniel wanted to scream at him, calling him a liar, he knew the truth. He could see it in Teal'c's clouded eyes, could see the sorrow and pain. She was dead. How could she be dead? He had talked to her just minutes ago. How could she be dead? The world went black around him and he didn't remember anything until he woke up in the infirmary. Jack lay on the bed next to him, his body awfully pale and still and Daniel just watched his chest until he was satisfied by the steady rising and falling. And then he remembered. She was gone, never to return again. At that moment, he even envied Jack for the mindless sleep he was in. Daniel didn't have that comfort and hot tears ran down his cheeks as he cried for what he had lost.
It was late afternoon and the sun lit the hut poorly. She was barely able to see the three people sitting at the table. The air was filled with awkward silence, the joy she had seen on Daniel and Teal'c's faces gone. Shivering, whether due to the cold that crept up with the shadows outside or from the cool radiation inside her hut, she didn't dare to say.
None of the guys spoke, not even Daniel. When the fire lit the hut, she was finally able to see their faces. It was the first time she actually looked at them closer. They had changed a lot during the last six years but, then, she had as well. Still she was shocked as she scanned them.
She had noticed the second she saw them that something was different with the uniforms. The vests were somewhat thicker, maybe a protection of sorts. Now they had taken off their vests but still had them directly at hand. They didn't trust her enough to let down their guard but Sam couldn't hold that against them. She was about to take a leap of faith as well, as time was a luxury she couldn't afford right now. Her eyes found Daniel's blue ones and held them for a second, though she had to look down quickly. The sight was too painful to stand.
Her friend's formerly cheerful eyes now held a shade of sadness, like a blanket of pain and worry. Something had broken him and icy fingers ran up her spine at the thought of what must have happened to destroy him like this. A scar ran over his face right under his lower lip. He seemed lost, like the man she had seen back in the Gamekeeper's never-ending dream who had just lost his parents.
Sam's eyes wandered further to Teal'c. It was hard to tell but she thought that his features had become harder; at least, he had visibly aged. Several crinkles marked the face of the unbowing warrior, lines of sorrow if she read his expression correctly. Black hair had grown on the formerly bald head, somehow making him look more human like and weaker, not an attribute she would have associated with her strong friend.
Half dreading to take a closer look at the last member of her former team, she faced the guarded eyes of Jack O'Neill that evaded hers. He was sitting slightly apart from the rest of the group. His hair was now completely gray and the lines on his face had become much deeper. What disturbed her most were his normally so busy hands. She had never seen him like that. He was, for the first time since she had met him so many years ago, completely still. No movement at all, not even a blink.
Breathing was suddenly so much harder as she thought about what must have happened to them. They were not even close to the SG-1 she remembered so vividly. An unspoken question was hanging above them, nearly palpable. The Jack O'Neill or the Daniel Jackson she had known wouldn't have hesitated to ask, but these people were different.
Straightening her shoulders, she began her story with one shuddery breath.
"After you'd left me," she paused and tried to soften the statement, "After you left, the Jaffa brought me to a mothership. The Goa'uld who had attacked the planet used the sarcophagus to revive me.
A bright light greeted her when she opened her eyes. The breathtaking pain that had claimed her mere seconds ago was gone and she took a deep breath, surprised by the ease with which she was able to suck the air in. She lay in a narrow room, a blinding light engulfing her. Quickly Sam checked her clothes which were torn where the staff blast had hit her and bullet holes marked her green shirt. Even so, the skin underneath was smooth and unmarked. Suddenly, the low ceiling above her started to part and realization dawned. She was in a sarcophagus. Starting in alarm, she searched for her combat knife, but any weapon she had carried when she went down was gone. If only she knew who had put her in the sarcophagus. "I see you have woken up, Major Carter." The face that appeared above her was only too familiar. She had hoped that she wouldn't have to see this woman again, at least, not alive. Her black hair fell into her face and she looked rather worn out, not her usual, evil self. Sitting up as soon as the lids allowed it, Sam fixed the woman in front of her with a deadly glare. Niirti walked toward a window at the far end of the room and Sam decided to use the chance for an escape. The Goa'uld certainly didn't expect her to escape mere seconds after her healing. Sam jumped out of the sarcophagus and fled to the closed door. Fortunately, the door split apart as soon as Sam approached. Unfortunately, the guards outside didn't. She was tossed back and made hard contact with the floor. "There is no way for you to escape. You are too valuable to lose. I did not expect Cronus to find someone of your specimen on this planet but I am very pleased that he did." Niirti towered above her and Sam quickly got to her feet. Military training had ingrained her with the knowledge that it was better to stay silent. Sill, the temptation was just too big. "I won't tell you anything. You can as well let me go." A smile twisted the Goa'uld's cold lips as she stepped closer until her face was just inches away from Sam's. "You do not understand. I can't let you go. I'm a mere prisoner working for Cronus, thanks to you. Further, you should know that it is not your knowledge that Cronus wants. It is you." The smile died on the Goa'uld's lips and Niirti called for some Jaffa to take Sam to her cell. She was dragged inside and thrown rather unceremoniously on the ground. Trapped in yet another Goa'uld prison. It took her some time to notice that she wasn't alone in the cell. There was someone else with her. The man was watching her with big green eyes, a sad smile on his lips. He seemed to have taken some beating and he winced at the pain his lip movement caused, the split in his lip cracking open again and a small river of blood tickling down his chin. "So, they took you as well. My name is Ilfreane. Who are you?"
"Later, I found out that Niirti was trying to succeed in her search for a Hak'taur, an advanced human. Cronus allowed her to continue her work as long as she didn't acquire ships or the like and presented all her results. He had attacked the planet because Niirti believed the gene pool there matched her requirements. There were some myths about the people there that drew her attention. They took me for the same cause, an added bonus if you will. Of course, it came in handy that she'd have a host around should the need arise. I was her prisoner for nine months."
Sam hesitated, wondering how much she should tell the three men. Daniel's and Teal'c's eyes had never left her, the Colonel was still determinedly watching the floor, though she had seen him flinch at times. Making her decision, she started again.
"Cronus had given Niirti a fortress. I was able to escape when her fortress was attacked by another Goa'uld. The Nicrea found me and I stayed with them..."
Any further explanation was stopped short by the sound of an explosion in the distance.