A hand with an iron grip clamped onto Daniel's arm and dragged him two steps; he saw that it was Sam. "C'mon!" she cried, and he stumbled to keep up with her frantic dash.
As they neared the quivering iris of the stargate, he felt the earth tremble beneath his feet. He paused for a moment, and Sam's hand nearly wrenched his arm out of its socket when she kept moving. "Daniel, forget them!" He then relented, and felt very guilty as they entered the wall of nahqahdah.
A few hours later, the four members of SG-1 sat around the briefing room table. The general was late, so they waited in an uncomfortable silence. Daniel took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He heard Jack sigh.
"Hey, Danny, there was nothing any of us could do. They didn't want our help. They made that quite clear, actually." He gingerly touched the bruise forming on his cheek where Adrere had punched him for asking if she wanted to evacuate the village.
"Jack, they're all dead now. We could have saved the entire Ri'is viIlage." Replacing his glasses, Daniel clenched his fist in frustration.
"Daniel Jackson, the Ri'is have never left their world. They fear outsiders," said Teal'c.
"Didn't seem that way to me," mumbled Jack, rubbing his cheek.
"The thought of abandoning simply their village is considered a great crime," Teal'c continued, and Sam piped up.
"We can't just ignore a people's customs because we think they should change."
"But they're dead!" Pounding his fist in exasperation on the table, Daniel sighed angrily. A door thumped closed and General Hammond seated himself at the head of the table.
"I apologize for making you wait. Let's get started."
The de-briefing took much longer than anyone expected. Sam kept herself from shifting in her seat as Jack recalled the earthquake on PSX038. She recalled it herself in her mind.
*****
Adrere's fist made contact with Jack's face, making a wet thwack. Pale blue lips pressed into a thin line, Adrere said calmly, "We do not leave. Not homes, not villages, and certainly not planets. We have survived shifts in the earth before, and we shall do it once more."
Daniel spoke up, urgency weaved into his voice. "We've found that this earthquake will come with extreme force. There's almost no certain way to survive it." The team had rode through one small quake a few days ago, and according to Sam's instruments, the tetonic plates were under an extreme amount of pressure. "You have to come with us."
"Jack O'Neill, Samantha Carter, Daniel Jackson, Teal'c," The Ri'isian's snow-white face was hard as she looked directly at them as she named them. "You have come through the stargate, a crime in itself on this world, intruded in our homes and attempted to change our customs and opinions. For this, it is with a hard heart that I do send you from this planet and bid you to never return, lest you face our laws in judgement for your crimes." Extending a long fingered hand palm up and turning her cerulean-crested face to the side, Adrere made a sign that in no way left for translation. She wanted them to leave. Now.
"Okay, kids. Let's get a move on." Jack turned and walked out of the carefully made plaster hut with no looks back. Sam took one last look at the stone-faced Ri'isian, who still made the sign, and followed the colonel out.
They packed up their camp quickly, which stood a short walk from the village. The Ri'isians had made it clear they didn't want SG-1 anywhere within sight range of their homes. The task flew by, and when they had finished they started to the gate, standing a kilometre into rough plains.
The walk was relatively easy, but once the gate was in view, she felt a vibration in the ground beneath her. "You guys, I think we miscalculated!" Sam said, eyes wide. Teal'c nodded.
"I believe you are correct, Captain Carter." Jack glanced from Sam to Teal'c to Daniel, then nodded vigorously.
"Go!" They all started for the gate at a run. Jack and Teal'c went through first, and Sam paused before entering. Daniel was standing a few paces away, staring back at the village. She ran back and clamped onto his arm and dragged him in the direction of the open iris.
"C'mon!" she cried, and pulled his arm harder. "Daniel, forget them!" He finally turned and they ran together through the ever-patient, waiting stargate.
*****
"And that is essentially the way it happened, sir." Jack concluded.
They all filed from the briefing room and headed straight for the coffee machine. Jack poured three cups, one for himself, one for Sam and one for Daniel. Teal'c had yet to pick up that habit. Sitting in silence, sipping their hot, bitter drinks, it suddenly occurred to Jack.
"Hey, you know, they all might be alive. It's not like they lived in ten storey buildings made out of rail-thin aluminum."
Daniel grimaced. "With the force of that earthquake that we measured, about a nine or so on the Richter scale, they wouldn't have survived. Trust me. Besides, didn't Teal'c find that chasm right next to the village? If it was caused by an earthquake, it's most likely that the area is very unstable."
"So a huge canyon could have appeared and swallowed them whole." Jack said with a bit of his usual sarcasm present.
"Yeah."
"Look, these are all 'could haves' and 'might bes.' I know we want to be optimistic, but it's not like we can go back for a check. The Ri'isians did banish us from their planet, if you've forgotten," Sam told them. Jack raised his eyebrows and touched his cheek again.
"I don't think I'll be forgetting for a few days at the least," he looked up at the clock hanging above the coffee machine and sighed. "I'm heading off to bed. I feel like I've just been up for the past 48 hours."
"No kidding. G'night, everyone," Sam threw her half-emptied cup of day-old coffee in the plastic bag hanging beside the cart and waved a small good-bye. Once she was gone, Jack took off in the same general direction; barracks were always in the "same general direction," no matter what base you were on. Daniel sighed and watched them leave, stifling a yawn himself.
*****
The darkness of the room was calming although sleep seemed miles away. Sam lay awake, staring up at the ceiling and wishing her eyes would stay closed. Tired and wanting very badly to be able to sleep, she threw the blankets off of her and swung her legs out, hissing with shock as her bare feet touched the cold floor. Her hands found the sandals she used for slippers under the bed, and once they were on her feet she opened the door and went for a walk.
Jack sat on the floor of the gate room and stared. Not at anything in particular, really, but just staring as his eyes focused and unfocused at their will. So there he sat, at three o'clock in the morning, no one else around except for the lightly sleeping tech up in the control room, and stared. "Hi," came a soft voice, and he was surprised to see Sam sit down next to him.
"What are you doing up? " he asked quietly. He never felt right about talking louder than a murmur when there was no one else in the gate room. Besides, the echo was annoying.
"I could ask you the same thing," she rested her elbow on her knees and placed her chin in her hand. Glancing up at the idle gate, she sighed, then returned her gaze on him.
"Couldn't sleep," Shrugging his shoulders, he ran a hand through his hair.
"Join the club," Daniel hunkered down beside Sam, and sighed deeply. "I'm glad I'm not the only one," he passed his stare around the room, and gave Jack a questioning look. "Aren't there supposed to people up during the night shift?"
"I made the three of them go on a coffee break. The tech upstairs is sleeping with one eye half-open." Jack smiled a bit, and Sam grinned despite her wanting to lie down right there and try to sleep.
"Gives you a real feeling of security, doesn't it? " Daniel snorted.
"I guess we only need--"
"I could not meditate." Teal'c's voice was quiet. Jack shrugged again.
"Speak of the Devil."
"I am not this 'Devil,' Colonel O’Neill." Teal'c was almost indignant. Almost.
"Never mind, Teal'c. Have a seat," Jack pointed to the open spot next to Daniel. Teal'c paused, as if weighing his options, and decided to sit down. "So."
"So," Sam echoed. "Now what?"
"We sit," said Daniel, "and the first to fall asleep gets their ass kicked tomorrow morning."
"Good plan, Danny. Good plan," Jack commented. So they sat, staring at the gate, and wishing sleep would come into their grasp.
Daniel wouldn't have to kick anyone's ass in the morning.
*****
The next day produced another mission, to the neighboring system to the Ri'is home world. Daniel stood in the gate room, holding his gear and unknowingly leaning to one side. He got to the point where not noticing would cause him to fall over, so he quickly righted himself and glanced around to see if anyone had seen him. Sam was grinning from ear to ear, but luckily Jack didn't notice, or else he would never hear the end of it. She sidled over and whispered "Can't take a wild night?" The four of them had played a silent card game for three hours, and surprisingly, Teal'c had technically won.
"Very funny, Sam. I just work better on at least one hour of sleep." Daniel told her, and she threw up her hands.
"Well, it's not like we can do anything about it now, so I suggest we just concentrate on making nice with the natives."
"Chevron two, locked in." The tech's voice was tinny through the speaker, and they waited with a bit of eager impatience for the gate to finish locking in all of the seven chevrons. Finally, the iris opened with its usual vigour, and SG-1 made their way to the other side of the galaxy.
Stumbling out of the gate, the team watched the natives look up from their tasks in the fields and stare at the travelers. Jack took a glance at the nearest alien and widened his eyes a touch. "Uh, guys, I thought we'd had our last encounters with the Ri'is...." The closest white-faced man approached them, his light blue hair cropped short and a smudge of dirt marring his nose.
"You are travelers?" he asked in a soft, hesitant voice. Jack nodded.
"Yeah. I'm Jack O'Neill. This is Sam Carter, Daniel Jackson and Teal'c. Who are you?"
"I am Na'peri. Please follow me, travelers must see Sol'ah." Beckoning them to follow him, Na'peri scrambled down the steps and SG-1 did as they were bade. Jack caught up with the slightly astonished native and tried to start a conversation.
"Who is Sol'ah?" Na'peri stared at him as if he were mad.
"Sol'ah i s the Wise One of the village, and Teller of the Histories."
"Oh," he said, "okay," The alien didn't seem much for talking, so he left him alone and retreated to his friends. "Well, that was helpful," Turning to Daniel, he frowned, "Any theories to why these people look exactly like the Ri'is, but are much nicer?"
Daniel appeared slightly bewildered. "There could be a number of reasons, but definitely don't think they evolved separately. The odds of two separate planets producing a physically identical species are pretty out there. It's most likely impossible."
The men all glanced at Sam. "What? I’m not going to calculate those odds in my head, thank you very much," she told them indignantly. "What if these people... ah, never mind." Sam waved it off, but Daniel's interest was perked.
"Sam? If you have an idea, please tell us."
"Well, what if these people are Ri'isians? Maybe they were exiled from P5X038, and sent here through the stargate. It's just a thought, but, it could have happened."
"If that had happened, it was after the reign of the Goa'uld in this system. I know nothing of an event of that sort," Teal'c informed them calmly, his face showing as much emotion as a rock.
"We'll be getting our chance to ask in about thirty seconds, kids," Jack said as they approached a hut built in the same simple style as the Ri'is. Na'peri motioned them to wait outside, and the four of them did so patiently as he silently slipped into the hut. A few long moments later, Na'peri stuck his head out the door and waved them inside.
The plaster hut seemed larger inside then the eye accounted for outside. Feather-laden masks lined the wal1 in a continuous line that made its way all around the circular room. There was an absence of windows, however, so candles clumped in little groups gave off a mysterious, shadowy light. Except for a colourful woven area rug, the well-swept floor was bare, and in the centre of the rug sat a middle aged woman. Her long sky-blue hair was arranged in many tiny braids, and painted clay beads hung on to the ends. Robes in navy and dark red swathed her body, and made a startling contrast with her snow-white skin. She looked up at them and smiled, creases appearing at the corners of her black eyes. "Many welcomes, travelers." Her voice was clear and musical.
"Hello. You must be Sol'ah." Daniel said, much to Jack's slight irritation.
"You must be Daniel Jackson." A wry twist etched itself into her smile.
"How--" Bemusement lined Daniel 's face. Sol'ah laughed softly.
"I am the Wise One, am I not? It is easier if you accept and do not question."
"Alright," Jack interjected. "May we ask you a question? We'll accept the answer."
"Of course, Jonathan O’Neill."
"Jack, please."
"Jack."
"Are you related to a race called the Ri'is?" A tiny, almost unnoticeable flash of anger crossed Sol'ah's eyes, but it soon disappeared.
"It is a long story, Jack O’Neill. I will tell it if you take care to listen and accept."
"Sure." Sol'ah nodded, and indicated them to sit down on the free rug in front of her.
"Teal'c, you may remain standing if it is wished," Sol'ah told hi m without even looking up at him as she moved a stack of books from the rug onto the floor. "The story of how my people, now called the Rai'naar, ended up on this planet, is a detailed one, but I shall try not to bore. One thousand years ago, the Rai'naar were not the Rai'naar, but the Ri'is. The Ri'is were, and most likely still are arrogant, and considered the thought of abandoning something a crime. One day, a trembling of the earth came upon a village, and all but the village leader left before they all died. The deserting village traveled long and hard until they came upon a town. The town knew of the villagers' flight, for the leader left behind had sent a message- bird detailing their crime. So the town judged and sentenced them to go through the stargate to the neighbouring world, never to return.
"The exiled Ri 'is disowned the ideals of their ancestors and created their own civilisation. Leaving of their own free will was not considered a crime, and this to their children they taught." Sol'ah rested her hands on her knees, and Daniel was completely engrossed in the story.
"Wow. Hey, Carter, you were right." Jack said aloud, and she shrugged.
"Lucky guess."
"That is fascinating, Sol'ah. Might I hear more about your culture?" Daniel's eyes were wide with interest. Sol'ah laughed again.
"Certainly, Daniel Jackson. invite all of you to stay with us for as long as you wish. If you go now, my apprentice Ada will show you to your lodgings," A young woman emerged silently from the shadows, and glanced expectantly at Sol'ah. "Ada, show them to the guest hut." The girl nodded, and moved to the doorway, motioning them to follow her. Daniel looked up at Jack, asking the silent question with his eyes. Jack shrugged.
"Fine, we'll take your stuff with us."
"Thanks, Jack."
"No problem." He retreated with Sam and Teal'c, and followed Ada to a large hut about one hundred metres away from Sol'ah's home.
It had a thatched roof, however, and Jack hoped to God it wouldn't rain. Ada held the strings of beads covering the doorway back for them, and the trio entered.
"Cozy," Sam remarked, and peeked into the three adjoining rooms placed around the main circular room. "Only three bedrooms." Seeing the evil grin on Jack's face, she said quickly, "Not it!"
"Not it," Jack echoed. "Teal'c, say 'not it."'
"Why--"
"Never mind why, just say it!"
"Not... it,"
"Good. Excellent." Grabbing up his luggage, Jack made a beeline for one of the tiny rooms that lacked doors. He heard Sam say they really shouldn't gang up an Daniel like that, and he yelled out, "He didn't say 'not it."'
"But Doctor Jackson is not present to do so." Teal'c pointed out from the doorway.
"Ah, details, details," he then realised Ada was still standing in the entrance, her long, graceful hands twitching towards her shorn head "Thank you very much, Ada. Can I call you Ada?"
"Yes." The whisper was soft and surprised in tone. Nodding, Jack continued to prattle.
"Okay, Ada. You can call me Jack. How do you like being an apprentice? Betcha get to learn all sorts of neat stuff..." Trailing off at seeing the open stare from Sam and the puzzled look from Teal'c, Jack became annoyed "What?"
"Nothing... It's just..." Sam's gaze faltered.
"Well? Spit it out, Captain!"
"You're babbling, sir. You usually don't do that." Hastily she added, "sir."
"I'm sorry I messed up my predictability factor, Captain--"
"End this, O'Neill. Captain Carter was simply pointing out an unusual event." Teal'c interrupted, coming to Sam's defence.
"Ugh, I'm outta here. See ya later." Pushing past a saucer-eyed Ada, Jack stalked away.
Whirling to face Teal'c, Sam said as calmly as possible, "Thank you Teal'c, but I'm a big girl. I can fight my own battles." Turning on her heel, she walked out the door, leaving a confused Jaffa in her wake.
*****
Daniel was having the time of his life. How much knowledge Sol'ah possessed was amazing, and more than a few times he wondered if she was reading his mind. Of course, he believed she would never reveal a fact such as that to an Off-Worlder. She was discreet in some matters, vague in others and then shockingly blunt.
"So you keep all the history of your people in your memory?"
"Correct, Daniel. It requires a very finely trained mind. My apprentice, Ada, is the only child of age possessing the capability for this. Unfortunately, she is partly deaf."
"Can she read lips? "
"There are many things a person can read," Daniel thought this might be a subtle hint about whether she was telepathic. "And yes, lips she can read," Raising her eyebrows, she said, "Your Jaffa friend Teal'c wishes to speak with you."
Craning his neck to see the doorway, he found Teal'c standing on the threshold. "What's up, Teal'c?"
"I must speak with you." Giving a small glance at the Wise One, he conveyed the message 'alone' quite clearly.
"Okay," Rising and brushing some dirt off the back of his regulation cargo pants, he followed Teal'c out, promising Sol'ah he'd be right back. "What is it? " asked Daniel, squinting at the sunlight.
"It is Colonel O’Neill and Captain Carter. They had a very unusual dispute and then left in their own separate directions. I believe there is something strange happening,"
"Ah, Teal'c, you're so paranoid! You interrupt me simply because Jack's being an ass again and taking it out on Sam?! Why can't you just hold your own for once?" Daniel was a sliver away from shouting, "Go back to our hut and - I don't know - make conversation with Ada. Not that you can carry on a conversation," he muttered under his breath. "Yeah, that would work. A Jaffa and a deaf girl. That works." Ducking back into the hut, Teal'c watched him go with a raised eyebrow. But there was no one to see it.
*****
As the sun made two arcs in the sky and the moons appeared twice, Sol'ah was taken aback (as taken aback as a Wise One could be) at the hostilities between the Off-Worlders. Upon arrival, they seemed comfortable around each other, but now when they were in the same room the tension could be cut with a knife.
Gathering up the heavy leather-bound books scattered beside her mother's mother's woven mat, Sol'ah grunted a bit at the weight and wished for Ada's presence. She had sent the girl on an errand a few moments ago. She would have to make do by herself.
Carrying the books over to the shelf, she placed them one by one to their proper places. As she straightened them with her leathery palm, she recalled how she liked order, order in chaos...that's how she styled her haven, The world was chaos--
Hands flying to her mouth, she drew a sharp breath of realisation. She grabbed the green volume of a set and flipped through the yellowed pages. Reading a passage then slamming the dusty book shut, Sol'ah raised the hem of her robes off the floor and rushed out of the empty hut.
The team was eating their supper in an uncomfortable, hostile silence. Sam suddenly blurted, "We should get out of here tomorrow." She wanted to go home and catch up on the three lost nights of sleep.
"We'll go when I say we'll go." Jack grumbled, not even looking up at her.
"I just thought since we've learned everything we need to, we can go home and--" Before she could register it, Jack had sprung up on his feet and drawn his gun. The barrel was aimed directly at her head.
"We're not going anywhere, Captain, and neither are you." The word 'you' was just barely out of his mouth when he felt the deadly cold edge of a knife pressed up against his throat.
"Drop the gun, Jack." Daniel said harshly. Suddenly, he felt the butt of a Jaffa hand weapon jabbing his spine.
"Unless we resolve this by dropping our weapons or killing each other, I am the one who will walk away free."
"Who are you looking out for, Teal'c? Yourself or Sam?" Jack demanded. "'Cause if you are trying to save yourself, just shoot Daniel. Then his knife will slit my throat and my finger will pull the trigger in my last dying moments."
"I think we all get the chain reaction of death thing." Sam said dryly.
"You know, I think you're pretty cheeky for a woman at the business end of a gun." Daniel said just as dryly. The echoing click of Jack cocking the gun was loud In all of their ears.
"End this." The calm, yet forceful voice of Sol'ah the Wise One filled the room. No one moved, none willing to give up their position of prisoner and/or executioner, lest someone decide to push the dominoes. "Drop your weapons, travelers!" Sol'ah said forcefully.
Teal'c laid down his weapon, and so did Daniel, if not with as much willful compliance. It was down to Jack and Sam, with the former still wielding his gun and Sam still looking into his eyes, all fear hidden deep down. The thought of him actually shooting her slipped through her mind, and she suppressed a shiver. Finally, Jack holstered the Colt, and Sam breathed an inaudible sigh of relief.
Sol'ah sat down in front of them and spoke in such a way no one could do but listen. "You have been poisoned by the Ri'is. It is a poison that affects the order of the mind, creating a destroying chaos. It will cause you to go insane, killing your self and possibly your companions.
"Left untreated, you will die. I know the cure, but it requires the full aid of the least affected one."
"How do you figure that?" Jack mumbled.
Sol'ah pursed her lips. "Silence, O'Neill. I shall reveal a secret that no traveller has known. All Wise Ones can read minds. I can use my gift to determine the one whose aid I require."
"Please do." Teal'c told her. A few moments passed, and all four felt a slight tingling sensation in between their ears. Sol'ah sighed, and turned to Sam.
"Sam Carter, you are the only chance at life for your friends and self. Do you accept the responsibility? "
"Yes." Nodding, Sam simply hoped this whole ordeal over quickly. But there was fear in her heart, fear at the sympathetic look Sol'ah wore in her eyes. Something bad was going to happen, and she was scared
"You are an honourable woman. Time is not to be wasted. Come." Taking Sam's hand, she led her out of the hut.
The men watched Sol'ah drag Sam out of there. Jumping up, Jack motioned them to follow.
They reached the Wise One's tent, the path lit by the watchful white eyes of the moons. Daniel was about to enter when Ada slipped out and blocked the way.
"You may not be here." She said forming the words carefully.
"Well, what *can* we do?" Jack demanded.
"Wait." Came the reply, resounding in his mind. Her telepathic voice was strong and a bit musical. She whirled and slipped back into the hut as quietly as she had came.
*****
So wait they did. Waited. Waited while Daniel drew little tic-tac-toe boxes in the dirt with his index finger then smoothed it out when no one offered to play. Waited while Jack checked his watch incessantly, even though it was still on Earth time and said it was three o'clock in the afternoon. Waited while Teal'c steepled his fingers and glared at the two of them over his digits.
The moons were high and full in the sky when a sudden piercing scream of pain echoed through the night sky. Jack rose in a flash and rushed into the candle-lit hut from whence the scream came, his companions hot on his heels.
Sol'ah and Ada looked up at them, not much, surprise marking their grim faces. But it was Sam who caught his attention. Wearing an ankle-length robe that stopped above the tops of her breasts, Sam's face was pale and contorted in pain. A slim metal rod was impaled on her bare shoulder. "You were not to see this," Sol'ah said in a low voice. Jack crossed the room and knelt beside Sam, taking her clenched hand.
"We have. It's too late for that," He looked at Sam, whose blue eyes were brimming with tears of pain. "For God's sake, she's conscious!" Groaning, Sam first turned to Sol'ah, her eyelids heavy.
"Go on, before it's too late." She whispered. Nodding gravely, Sol'ah continued the process of pushing the rod clear through the shoulder. Suppressing another shriek of pain, Sam clutched Jack's hand tightly. He squeezed it reassuringly. She was more scared now than when he had been pointing a gun right at her head.
Time seemed to erode. Slowly and painstakingly clear it wouldn't go any faster, the part of SG-1 not under the knife waited and worried. For Sam, time was at an absolute standstill. She could feel hot blood (her blood) running down (her skin) and soaking into her white dress. She could feel the hot metal prodding the inside of her shoulder, severing nameless muscles and causing great pain (a million knives cutting into her).
She was aware of Jack's hand entwined with hers.
Finally, Sol'ah pulled the metal out of the girl's back. It was a shame she had to cause the girl such pain. Ada moved in and soaked her clean cloth with blood and tended to her task of wringing it out into a tiny pottery bowl. Placing a bloodied hand over the girl's head, she watched with a bit of relief as the girl closed her eyes and succumbed to the telepathic suggestion that she should close her eyes and rest. She descended into a shallow, painless unconsciousness. Then Sol'ah dressed the wound to the best of her ability. "Now leave. Return in one hour. You may take her with you. Bring her when you return." Sol'ah instructed, pointing to the door.
"So you jam a piece of metal in her then tell us to take her away?!" Daniel cried.
"Come on, Danny, let's get out of here." Gingerly, Jack picked Sam up and walked out the door.
A few wispy clouds had crossed paths with the twin moons, creating eerie shadows that flickered along the ground. Jack tried his best to concentrate on firstly stepping around the camouflaged stones protruding from the dirt and secondly not dropping the lightly sleeping woman in his arms. He was excruciatingly careful as to not jar her injured left shoulder. It took all of his concentration.
They returned in one hour. Sol'ah wasn't surprised at their punctuality; they were disgusted by her methods and wanted to leave through the gate as soon as they could. The Off-Worlders' faces were grim as they entered. "You have come. Here," She ordered, holding a wide, shallow bowl to Jack, "You must all drink from this." "What is it?" Teal'c queried, "That is not important. Drink! You time grows short." Sol'ah's eyes smouldered with authority. Shrugging, Jack tilted the bowl and drank two swallows. The 1iquid, an odd colour (like a motor oil rainbow), burned its way down his throat. Grimacing, he passed it to Sam who remained expressionless save for her original stormy face. The bowl was then given to Daniel and Teal'c, respectively. "Now sleep until morning then leave the Rai'naar. Return to your home."
"Sounds like a plan. Come on, kids."
Both moons had started their shallow descent when SG-1 reached their lodging. When all had settled silently into their own beds, the dark quiet was broken by Daniel's voice. "G'night Sam. G'night Teal'c. G'night--"
"Cut the Walton crap, Daniel, and let us sleep. It's something we haven't done in about four days but it feels like forty."
"Shut up, Colonel." Sam mumbled irritably.
Silence once again blanketed the planet and no one noticed that the sun rose without the bleary-eyed mutterings of the Off-Worlders.
*****
SGC was rather upset by the incidents reported by SG-1, but still relieved in their return.
The infirmary was as quiet as an infirmary could be; whirring of machines and random bleeps did make a considerable amount of noise. It was therefore easy for Sam to hear Jack's footsteps as he approached her room. As best she could, she used her good arm to sit up and watch him enter. When he finally reached her bedside, his left arm swung out from behind his back to produce a large bouquet of wildflowers. "From us." He told her, and placed the blossoms in a pitcher containing water that was previously ice.
She smiled. "Thanks. Now I have something interesting to look at."
"That was the idea. Daniel and I stole them from someone's back yard. Teal'c just signed the card." He grinned, but his face soon grew serious. He sat down on the edge of the bed. "About what you did for us-"
"I was just doing my duty." She said trying to cut that conversation short.
"Oh, for Chrissake, Sam, Janet tells me your shoulder might have been completely disabled. Luckily Sol'ah knew what she was doing!"
"I was just doing what I could to save you. That's duty." Sam insisted
"Maybe. But you saved our lives, and your own, but at a sacrifice. That's friendship and bravery," Jack said softly. He smoothed back her hair and laid his palm on her cheek. "You are a very brave person, Sam. I'm proud to call you my friend. Thank you." Then he stead, and without another word, left her to her thoughts.
*I'm no heroine. Why don't they see me for who I am, a coward who feared for the life of her friends..."
The tears of the sleepless would appear on her cheeks that night.
Story Notes: Author's note: I wrote this before "Amongst the Living." While you read this, remember my goals and that I apologize for any proofing errors I've made. Enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]