DISCLAIMER: All characters and property of Stargate SG-1 belong to MGM/UA, World Gekko Corp. and Double Secret Productions. This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment and no money was made from it. Also, no copyright or trademark infringement was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Any other characters, the storyline and the actual story are the property of the author.
Pry bar. He'd sell his soul for a pry ... or a table. There'd been a table here somewhere. Better than a pry bar. If it was sturdy enough to get the damn sarcophagus open, he could also use it for a splint. Perfect. Now where?
As Daniel mentally retraced his steps, his subconscious tickled the edges of his thoughts. Why had this town been abandoned? What could have happened that was so catastrophic that the inhabitants fled, yet gave them enough time to take most of their possessions? In all the buildings he'd peeked into so far, only the bulkier, heavy items remained ... and not many of those. Even the table ... Oh, my. Yes. The table that he was looking for was in the third room to the right. "I'm coming, Jack. Won't be long now!" 'I hope.'
They'd been traveling at a rapid pace for the better part of an hour when Sam could take it no longer. Her comrades ... friends ... needed help, and she knew that she had to do something.
"Listen, please." She danced around in front of the Euloean leader, causing him to halt in his tracks. "We're not Goa'uld."
"So you say, but appearances can be deceiving. And your friend is a Jaffa. Pledged in service to Apophis himself."
"Okay, yes, he is a Jaffa, but he abandoned Apophis a long time ago. And Apo..."
"A traitor to one is often a traitor to another."
'Shit!' "Not this time. Teal'c would never betray us."
"Really."
The quiet smug tones of the man infuriated the young Major. "Yes, really!"
Steel gray eyes stared unblinkingly into her own. "I am inclined to believe you."
"Finally!" Sam was practically bursting with relief.
"But my beliefs are of no consequence."
"W..What?"
"Word of your coming has reached the High Council. You are to be presented to them at first light."
"First light. You mean tomorrow morning? But our friends, one of them is badly hurt. We can't just ..."
Once again Sam found her lips covered with his forefinger. "I am sorry, little one, but had the Council not been alerted, your fate would have remained in my hands. Now..." He shrugged.
"Now what?"
"The High Council will interview you and your ... Jaffa."
"Teal'c. His name is Teal'c."
"As you wish. As I was saying, they will interview you to determine if you could possibly bear any guilt for the massacre of our people one hundred years ago."
"And if they decide against us, we'll be killed."
"No!" He appeared truly shocked. "You will go on trial. Now, please, we must be behind walls before last light." He gently turned her around, and pushed her forward. As she once again fell into step beside him, her thoughts were racing. 'Great. We go on trial. Then they kill us. Shit. ... Last light? Walls? Huh?'
"Whoever these people were, they ...
could ...
really ...
buil... ohhhhhhhh.
... ouch!" Daniel rose painfully from the floor, rubbing the seat of his pants with one hand and clutching the now-free table leg with the other. "Okay, I know it's strong enough. Ought to hold together as a pry bar. ... Why am I talking to myself? Because Jack's hurt, and there's no one else around. ... Great, now I'm answering myself. McKensey will have a field day if he finds out. ... So, don't tell him, Daniel. And stop dawdling, you've got a sarcophagus to break into."
'I do not like this. The separation of Major Carter and myself was most wise on the part of the Euloeans, however, it is most disconcerting. I was concerned for her safety as she forced this leader to stop for a moment. Apparently, there was no need for concern at this time. The Major can be most persuasive when there is need, and the need to go to the aide of our friends increases with each passing moment.
The sun falls lower in the sky as we march northward. It has only been in the last quarter hour that I have become aware of a growing anxiety among the Euloeans. Some watch the sky, anxiously noting the passing of the sun. Others watch the lands around us. But it is more than the watchful behavior of an armed guard. No, this watchfulness appears to be in anticipation of some form of attack. I do not like this.'
The stairwell was fortunately clear, but even so Daniel took great care taking the steps to the cellar. He'd be of no use to Jack if he slipped and knocked himself senseless in a frantic rush to reach his friend. The sole remaining obstacle between Jack and him was a very solid looking door, which fortunately was neither locked nor blocked. The ancient wood scraped badly as he forced the door open, reminding Daniel of fingernails on a blackboard. But the cold chill that raced up his spine had nothing to do with the unpleasant noise. Jack looked, well, Jack looked perfectly dreadful, but at least he was breathing, and to Daniel's infinite surprise, he was too.
Concerned blue eyes took in everything as Daniel knelt beside the older man and did a visual scan of his injuries. The broken leg was an obvious, and obviously painful, injury. Daniel knew he'd have to do something about it, and soon. The bruise near his temple caused the young man to think concussion, but at least Jack's rhythmic breathing was not labored, seeming to indicate that if his ribs were broken, they had not punctured a lung.
Daniel gently ran his hands down each of Jack's apparently uninjured limbs, gratefully verifying them to be intact. The young man then winced, and took a deep breath before testing Jack's ribs. To his infinite delight, nothing moved that wasn't supposed to. This was much better than he'd expected. The unconscious man flinched slightly away from the pressure as Daniel checked the suspect shoulder. It didn't feel broken, but he knew from painful experience that a break in the collar bone was not often obvious. He still remembered being shoved into the gym wall as a child, and spending the remainder of the school day in pain because his shoulder 'couldn't possibly be hurt.'
He finished his cursory examination, and sat back on his heals. The leg needed to be set, and the shoulder immobilized. But first things first. Morphine. Even with Jack unconscious, Daniel was not about to try straightening that leg without some professional strength knock-out drugs in Jack's system.
Someone was coming. He could hear the footsteps. Oh God! Not again, please not again. No ... more ... drugs! Be still. Let him think you're unconscious. It's the best way. You can take him, Jack. No problem. It took all the willpower he possessed not to tense his muscles as his shirtsleeve was pushed up his arm. Soon. Very soon. He timed his assault well. He was caught completely off guard. Ring his fucking neck. That's what ... Huh? Doesn't sound like ... then who? So dark. Can't see. And the pain is sooo bad!