Author's Notes: Many thanks to Tanya. She made this better. This is my first. Hope you like it. Let me know....
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable 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 purposes 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. Not to be archived without permission of the author(s).
General Hammond rushed to the Gateroom. The sign of incoming travellers had gone off; and he really hoped it would be SG1. They were overdue. As usual.
Only 6 hours, but he was worried. Again. Like always, when they didn't return in time. He had not ordered a second team out after them yet, though. The planet SG1 was on, was inhabited, according to the MALP. They wanted to disturb the indigenous population as little as possible.
He almost ran into a petite doctor, with exactly the same worried expression on her face. Janet Fraiser hated this waiting. She just knew there was something wrong. Again. As usual. "Please, let it be them. Let them be in one piece for a change," she thought, as she ran with the General towards the gateroom.
When they entered the Gateroom, they heard "It is SG1's code, Sir. But we detect only two people," from the control room. "Open the iris!" the General ordered. "Yes, Sir!" Lieutenant Graham Simmons responded.
Everybody stared at the establishing wormhole. Suddenly, two people stepped through. Janet sighed in relief. At least they appeared to be in one piece. Major Carter's hair was all dust and sand, as was her uniform. Teal'c was soaking wet and his clothes were torn in several places. He was shivering heavily, obviously from the cold. There were some bloodspots, but nothing looked too serious.
The General approached the ramp and asked the obvious question. "Major, what happened? Where are Colonel O'Neill and Doctor Jackson?"
Major Carter quickly saluted. "Sir! We were surprised by some kind of earthquake. The Colonel and Doctor Jackson are trapped. They can not reach the Stargate without help."
"Alright. Doctor Fraiser, run a check on them then join me in the briefing in 20 minutes," the General instructed.
"Yes, Sir! Okay, follow me," Janet said to Sam and Teal'c. Behind them, the wormhole disappeared.
Exactly 20 minutes later, Sam and Teal'c arrived at the debriefing room all dry and cleaned up. The General and Doctor Fraiser were already present. "Okay people, glad you both are unharmed. Now, give me a detailed report. Major?"
"Yes, Sir. We arrived on PX4211 and found ourselves on a beach. Behind the Stargate lays an ocean, water as far as the eye can see. In front, woods. We took off north, like planned, to scan the planet. There was really nothing. Woods. Trees. Lots of trees, as the Colonel would say." Sam started. Janet smiled inwardly at the reference to Jack's way of putting things into perspective.
"No signs of intelligent life. There were signs of animals. We spotted birds, butterflies and tracks of what could have been wolves. Nothing different to the east and south. We headed back to the Stargate. Teal'c and I arrived on the beach first as we were walking a little bit faster. Daniel fell over something in the woods and the Colonel was just helping him up, when the ground started to shake. We hardly had time to find cover, when the earthquake hit with such force that the ground just split open between us and the Colonel and Daniel." Sam shivered, the memory of the earthquake still fresh in her mind. The General waited patiently for her to continue.
"The result of the earthquake was a huge canyon. Then somehow the ocean broke its way into the canyon, and filled it up with water. The result was that a part of the land is now divided from the rest. The Stargate, the DHD and us," she gestured at Teal'c, "were located on this part. The Colonel and Daniel are still on the other side..."
"You mean the Stargate is now located on some kind of island?" the General asked in disbelief.
"Yes, Sir. It is still drifting away from shore by the force of the earthquake and the force of the water. There was at least a distance of 300 yards when we left." Sam shook her head. She still couldn't believe what had happened herself. She remembered how lucky they had been that the Stargate didn't fall down on them.
"What about Colonel O'Neill and Doctor Jackson? Did they survive the earthquake?" Janet asked.
"Yes. Teal'c managed to get radio-contact for a while. Daniel was alright, but the Colonel was trapped under some trees. According to Daniel, the Colonel was out cold. Then we lost contact. Teal'c dove into the water in an attempt to reach the Colonel and Daniel, but the water was freezing cold and he barely made it back. Since there was no way we could reach them, we gated home to get help."
The General didn't waste any more time. He grabbed the phone and dialled. "Lieutenant, this is General Hammond. Find Major Ferreti and send him to the briefing room A.S.A.P.!" He laid down the phone and murmured to himself, "an island... just our luck..."
Daniel was glad that Sam and Teal'c were walking faster than they were. He was talking with Jack about Sha're, and while he had no secrets about that in front of his other friends, he just liked sharing his thoughts with Jack alone. Somehow he felt that Jack understood him when he was feeling down and his friend always managed to cheer him up with one of his stupid remarks. He was so distracted by his thoughts, that he didn't notice the roots of some trees sticking out of the ground. His right foot slid under them and he tripped. Jack was able to catch him a little and saved him an undignified fall to the ground. 'Stupid, Daniel, real stupid', Daniel thought. "Thanks, Jack," he said, accepting a helping hand to get up. He was trembling all over, thinking it was a reaction until he realised that the world around him was also moving. Daniel suddenly knew that something was wrong, very wrong. "Eh, Jack, do you feel that?"
Jack's instinct already warned him. He felt the trembling of the ground. He immediately scanned the area for a safer place, but found nothing. The shaking increased and the trees around them started to break like toothpicks. "Daniel! Look out! Move!" Jack screamed as some trees fell in Daniel's direction. Jack dove towards him and pushed Daniel away....
Daniel was knocked down hard. His head came in contact with a piece of wood. "Oh my God, Jack!" he thought and then it all went black.
Both men were unaware of the rest of the earthquake. They didn't witness the way the ground split open, creating a huge crevasse along the way, nor the rush of water afterwards, which filled it up. About 10 minutes later, it was all over.
"O'Neill, come in. Daniel Jackson, come in, please," the radio came to life. Daniel woke up with a groan. Men, did his head hurt! He could already feel the bump on his temple. What had hit him? "O'Neill, come in, Daniel Jackson, are you alright?"
Daniel suddenly recognised Teal'c's voice. With that, his memory came back at once and he jumped up. "Jack!" he called out to his friend and immediately dropped on his knees beside him. "Jack, oh my God, Jack, wake up, please." His friend lay on his stomach, covered by two trees. He was breathing, but not responding. Daniel grabbed the radio and frantically felt for a pulse at the same time. He found one. Weak, but steady.
"Teal'c, this is Daniel. I'm OK, but Jack was knocked down by some trees. He is out cold. How are you guys?" he responded to the message. The radio made some funny noises and then went dead. Great. Just great. Now he had no idea if Teal'c had received his answer. He was also worried about Sam Was she alright? 'Please, let them be alright', he thought. Daniel first removed Jack's backpack. The strap was broken and the pack was positioned on Jack's right side. Then he started to lift the first tree off of Jack's legs. It was heavy. 'Come on, Daniel, pull, pull,' he encouraged himself. It cost him a lot of strength, but he managed to remove the first tree from his friend. The second was not as easy though. It wouldn't move an inch, no matter how hard he pulled. Sweat bedded on his forehead and Daniel swept it away with his sleeve. Now what? Think Daniel, think. Lift it, that's it, lift it. Find something to lift it with. Daniel quickly scanned the area. With all this wood around them he should be able to find a piece he could use...
Daniel searched the area and soon found a very solid, thick branch which he could use. He returned to his friend and closely studied the way the tree was covering him. The tree had fallen on Jack, crossing his back from his right side to his left arm. If he would be able to lift it on the left side, which would be the less heavy side, he would have to move the tree over Jack's head, which would be tricky. He studied the roots of the tree. They were not complete loose, so lifting it all the way down Jack's legs was not an option, he figured. Neither was lifting it on the right side. Think, Daniel.... Okay, lift it and put something underneath, then pull Jack away. That has to be it. What do I put underneath? Look around, Daniel... No wait, he dropped by his friend's site and checked his vitals again. Jack was still out cold. Daniel was starting to get real worried. He had no idea of how injured his friend was. He just had to get the damn tree of him, so he could check. He searched for stuff he could use and soon found some huge artifacts, no, wait, just rocks. He carried them over to the tree and positioned everything. Ready? Sure? Don't wanna drop the tree back on Jack, because he forgot something. No, this should do it. He placed the branch on one rock and pushed one end under the tree. 'Please, don't roll away,' he thought, when he started pushing on the other side. Easy, Daniel, easy does it. He didn't notice the sweat that was dripping of his forehead, he just concentrated on his job. There. He was able to lift it just enough to slide a piece of rock under it. Solid. Good. Now reposition the branch. A couple of minutes later he had the tree up as high as he dared to. This should be enough. Jack's shoulder was free, his side not quite yet. He gently tried to push his friend to the left first. He heard a crack and it worked. That's when he saw the blood. No! How come he had not noticed this before? No time to lose. The tree was about to roll of. He grabbed Jack by his shoulders and pulled him forward. Fast. There was no time to be gentle anymore. He managed to pull Jack away just before the tree collapsed back to the ground. That was way too close....
Daniel let go the breath he did not know he was holding. He once again swept his forehead with his sleeve and turned his attention to his friend. He found the source of the blood easily, it was coming from Jack's side. A small branch of the tree must have scratched him. He also noticed the strange form of Jack's left shoulder. His training kicked in. Move the victim in the stable side position. Right. Which side? He could not turn his friend to his left side, because of the visible shoulder-injury. But not to his right side either, or he would not be able to treat the side-wound. Well, he would treat that first. Daniel opened his backpack and grabbed the first aid kit. He quickly rinsed his hands with antiseptic. He shoved Jack's clothes away and flinched at the sight of the wound It was a nasty, huge scratch. He carefully removed all the pieces of wood left in Jack's skin and cleaned it with the antiseptic. After that, he bandaged it the best he could. Then he carefully positioned Jack on his right side. This time, he was rewarded by a deep groan. Jack began to stir. "Easy, Jack. Don't move."
Jack slowly regained consciousness and immediately felt the sharp pain in his left shoulder. He just heard Daniel's voice as he tried to sit up. That was definitely a bad idea. His head started pounding and the pain in his shoulder increased. He quickly lay down again and covered his eyes with his uninjured arm.
"Okay, that hurts. Daniel? What happened?"
"An earthquake, Jack" Daniel responded, while checking his friend for head-injuries. He found a bump on the forehead, but that was about it, thank God.
"Oh, for crying out loud! We are not even on Earth, if my memory is correct. So how could there possibly be an earthquake?"
Daniel looked stunned. "Well, yes, technically you are right, I have never thought of that. So as a matter of speaking, we were caught in a planetquake..."
Now it was Jack's turn to look surprised. But then he smiled. "A planetquake! Great, Danny, only you could come up with that!" He moaned softly while rolling onto his back.
"The trees were falling all over the place and you pushed me away, remember? That's when you were caught under them yourself..." Daniel couldn't help but feeling very, very guilty about that. He should have been the one crushed under those trees, not Jack.
Jack noticed the look in those blue eyes. "Hey, it is not your fault. I'm glad I was able to shove you off. How are you doing?" He had noticed the bump on Daniel's temple.
Daniel touched his temple slightly. "I'm fine, really. Just a minor headache. I think your shoulder is dislocated, though," he added, while checking the misshapen form of Jack's left shoulder.
"Yep. Pretty sure about that. Jeez, Daniel!" Jack flinched when Daniel touched his shoulder.
"Sorry! I just want to make sure nothing is broken. You do have a nice cut on your right side, too, I already bandaged it." Daniel informed his friend, while checking out Jack's ribcage, without touching his right side. "Nothing hurts over here?"
"Nope. Ribs are fine. This has to be my lucky day." Jack quipped.
Daniel finally checked out Jack's legs and was happy to find only some bruising on the calves, where the first tree was positioned. "Well, I better immobilise that shoulder."
"Now wait a minute. Where are Sam and Teal'c?" Jack suddenly got really worried. He mentally kicked himself for not thinking about them earlier.
"They were ahead of us, remember? Teal'c was trying to contact us after the earth... planetquake, but the radio broke down as soon as I answered. Come to think of it, why didn't they come to us?" Daniel panicked. Why hadn't he thought about that before? He should have noticed!
"Something is wrong. Daniel, help me up." Jack already struggled to get up. He could not hide a hiss of pain as he moved his left arm a little. With Daniel's support he got on his feet. He waited for the world to stop spinning and then they started walking over to the Stargate. "What the hell? We were not THAT close to the ocean. Were we?" Jack spotted the water first.
Daniel looked up and his mouth fell open. He scanned the area and soon found the Stargate to the left. "Look at that! The beach is totally gone. So is the Stargate. Incredible!" Daniel stepped into the water to probe possibilities for swimming over to the Stargate, for a minute not thinking about Jack's injured shoulder. He pulled back his leg like he was stung by a bee. "Gee, that almost turned me into an ice cube". Reality struck him. How were they going to reach the Stargate? "We are in trouble" he sighed.
"Ya think?"
Only 5 minutes after the General had made the phone-call, Major Louis Ferreti entered the briefing room. He did not get the chance to say something.
"At ease, Major. Sit down. We have a situation." The General quickly pointed at the seat on the left side of the table. He waited until the Major had taken his seat and continued: "SG1 was surprised by an earthquake on PX4211. The Stargate was located on a beach and that piece of land is now separated from the rest of the team by a rift. Major Carter and Teal'c were close to the Stargate, so they were able to gate home. Colonel O'Neill and Dr. Jackson are still on the planet. Dr. Jackson seems to be alright, but the Colonel is trapped under trees and may be injured. We have to find a way to get them home".
A stunned Major Ferreti looked over at Major Carter, who nodded at the explanation. She got up and moved over to the whiteboard. She took a pencil and started to draw the situation.
"This is the shore on PX4211, or rather, was the shore. The ocean is over here" she pointed at the left of her drawing. "The Stargate was positioned here," she placed an X on the map. "We first headed north, where we found nothing but trees, then we moved south-east to scan the area. Next we went south-west, like this," she was drawing the route on the map while she spoke,"and headed back north, back to the Stargate." She paused for a moment.
Major Ferreti took this moment to ask the obvious question: "if there was nothing on this planet, how come you were 6 hours overdue?"
The General nodded. That was exactly what he was thinking.
Teal'c explained. "The south was extremely difficult to explore. Many canyons to cross. That is why we were delayed." He bowed his head slightly to the General.
"Thank you, Teal'c." the General responded.
Sam continued: "Right. The last canyon was between us and the Stargate and we had to head back east a little to cross it, so this is where we came from. Teal'c and I were walking maybe ten yards ahead of the Colonel and Daniel. We reached the beach. Then the earthquake started." She marked their position and placed another mark a little more to the south-east. "This was the position of the Colonel and Daniel at that time. There was not much cover for us on the beach. Except for the Stargate, there was nothing threatening to fall on us. When we got up after the shocks we saw the result of the earthquake. The ground had split open, like a huge canyon somewhat like this" she drew an almost vertical line to the right of the stargate. "That's when the rush of water followed. Probably broke into the canyon on the south, here, and filled it up. The force of the water managed to break it's way to the ocean up north, here," Sam pointed on the map. "And that's when we found ourselves drifting off shore...."
The others looked stunned at her drawing. "Wow!" was all Major Ferreti could respond. He scratched the back of his head.
"It was indeed most terrifying." Teal'c stated.
"How big is this newly formed island anyway?" the General asked.
"Approximately 900 square ft, I think. The ground is not very stable, and neither is the Stargate. The waves were already taking small parts off when we left. According to some calculations I made, the island will be washed away by the end of tomorrow. I also don't think the Stargate will be functional until that time. It was very unstable. I think it will fall over."
Everybody realised the implication of the situation. They had to act real fast.
"How about the Colonel and Dr. Jackson?" Major Ferreti asked.
"We had brief radio contact. Daniel Jackson stated he was alright. Some trees crushed Colonel O'Neill. Unfortunately, the radio broke down. We do not know more." Teal'c answered.
"So, what do we need, a raft? A hover?" Major Ferreti changed the conversation to the solution of the problem at hand.
"Is the ground stable enough for something as big as a boat coming through the wormhole?" the General asked.
Sam shrugged her shoulders. "It is a risk, Sir. The DHD is positioned very close to the Stargate and we don't want to knock that down. It will be difficult to get it there, without it being thrown in the water under our noses by the force of the wormhole."
"So we'll hook it to a steel cable." Major Ferreti offered.
"Well, with the position of PX4211 according to Earth, the length of that cable will have to be approximately..." Sam was already calculating.
"Major Carter! I don't think Major Ferreti was serious!" the General interrupted her.
"No Sir, of course not. Sorry, Sir."
"What about a simple inflatable boat?" Teal'c wondered pragmatically.
"Yeah, sure, and what do we do when Murphy strikes and we sink into that fluid freezer?" Sam wanted to know.
Teal'c frowned: "Where would that guy Murphy come from?"
"Can't we use those flying-belt-things?" Major Ferreti suddenly remembered pictures of one person flying with something on his back.
"Yes. You mean a rocket-belt? That could work!" Sam's face lightened up.
"A rocket-bell? I am not familiar with that kind of technology." Teal'c frowned.
Janet and even the General were looking questionably at Sam.
"A rocket-belt, Teal'c. As in belt. You tie it around your waste. It is a kind of small aircraft, which you carry on your back. They are also referred to as jetpacks." Sam explained.
Teal'c lifted another brow. These humans were indeed amazing.
"There are different kinds of jetpacks. The first aircraft was developed at Bell Aerosystems, I believe. It uses a hydrogen perioxide reaction rocket engine, which sends high-pressure steam to the flight nozzles. That's how it can lift a person up. I think it only runs for about 30 seconds. I don't know if that is enough to reach shore. I also remember that different jetpacks have been developed, using jet turbine engines. They should be able to fly for at least ten minutes, 80 miles per hour. That should be enough. The army did some experiments with them. If it is possible to also carry one spare aircraft, two people should be able to fly over and four people can come home." Sam was getting excited.
"Remember, we don't know if the Colonel is injured. He might not be able to fly such a thing." Janet tempered her.
"Teal'c, do you think you can fly this jetpack thing?" the General asked.
Teal'c nodded. "I shall learn fast."
"Okay people, this is the plan. Teal'c and Major Feretti, get yourself a suitable jetpack and learn how to use it A.S.A.P. Major Carter, assist them. If this is possible, I want Teal'c to fly over first and find out if the others can fly the damn thing back. Major Ferreti, you will be standing by, keeping in radio-contact with Teal'c. Major Carter, in the mean time, I need you to figure out which kind of raft is in our back-up plan and prepare it to gate out if necessary. You will also coordinate the whole rescue operation. Any questions?"
"No Sir" the three answered.
"Let's get our men home then. Good luck, people." with that, the General dismissed them.
Jack and Daniel were silent for a while. Each of them stared at the Stargate, drifted off shore, about 350 yards away, they estimated.
Jack supported his left arm with his right hand. He scanned their surroundings. "Well, this sucks." He muttered. "I don't see Teal'c and Carter anywhere. Do you? Use your binoculars." he ordered Daniel.
Daniel grabbed his binoculars and found the Stargate through them. "The Stargate looks to be intact and the DHD is also there. No sign of Sam and Teal'c though." He looked down shore to the south and than north. "Nope. Can't find them."
Jack sighed. "Okay. We know Teal'c is alright, because he talked to you on the radio. We don't know for sure about Carter. There are a few possibilities. One, they were near the Stargate and they have gated home to get help. Two, they are somewhere up north or south, in who knows what condition, and were not able to reach us yet...."
Daniel nodded. 'God, let them be alright', he thought.
Jack continued: "if they gated home, it would take them about an hour to brief everybody and come up with a plan, another two or three hours at least to gather the right equipment. A boat would be nice, so..." he checked his watch. "How long was I out anyway?" he asked.
Daniel thought for a moment. After the radio went dead, he had been busy moving those stupid trees, how long would that have taken him? "I think about half an hour," he said.
"So it will take at least two hours before we will know whether they have made it or not." Jack calculated. He made his decision easily. "I need you to relocate that shoulder, Daniel".
"Now wait a minute, Jack. Do you think that is wise? Doctor Fraiser is much better in this, you know, so why don't I just...... immobilize it," Daniel argued, not wanting to think about the job Jack wanted him to do. Hell, he had set a couple of broken bones in his lifetime, some memories he did not cherish, but he had no experience with dislocated shoulders and he wasn't about to start building it just now.
"Daniel! Come on. We don't even know for sure if Carter and Teal'c made it home. So if they're not, we have to think of a way getting over there" Jack pointed at the direction of the Stargate with his right arm. "That means we will have to build a raft and I'm gonna need both arms to do that. So let's get this over with. You can do it. Just tug the arm real hard and fast and it will slip back into the socket, okay?" Jack tried to make it sound nice and easy. He knew it was not that simple, but it had to be done, and discouraging Daniel would not help.
Daniel still looked doubtful. He knew Jack was right. If no help was on the way, they would have to find a way out of here on their own. But the idea of tugging that arm just made his stomach turn. 'Okay. Just do it, Daniel. You can do it. Jack needs you to do it. But not without a painkiller,' he thought.
He nodded. "Okay. But first I am going to give you a shot of morphine. And don't argue," he said when he saw Jack was about to protest. "Or I am not gonna do it." He crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking determin at the stubborn Colonel.
Jack shrugged. "Let's go back to our pack's then." He turned around and headed back, with Daniel on his heels.
A couple of minutes later, Jack sat down on the ground against a tree and Daniel approached him with the syringe. This was something he was experienced in, thank God. He gently rubbed the skin of Jack's right arm and inserted the needle. "There. Now we wait a little while," he said, gathering his strength for the next part. 'Leave the sweating to the patient, Daniel, and just get the job done,' he encouraged himself.
Daniel got up. Jack hooked his good arm around the tree. Daniel took Jack's injured arm. He carefully lifted it and flinched in sympathy, as he saw Jack brace himself. "Okay, do I tug this way?"
Jack nodded, his teeth clenched.
Daniel tugged the arm as fast and as hard as he dared. It did not feel good. He didn't even know how it was supposed to feel, but somehow he knew it didn't work. He had failed, damn! Looking at his friend didn't make him feel any better. Jack's eyes were closed and the entire colour seemed to have vanished from his face. He was breathing in short puffs, trying to control the pain.
"I messed up, oh, God, Jack, I 'm sorry..." Daniel stumbled.
"s-okay, just pull a little harder, you can do it," Jack managed to say through clenched teeth. "Again..."
Daniel felt nauseous; did Jack actually want him to try again? Of course he did... The man nodded at him for encouragement. Daniel positioned himself again. This time, he knew better how to tug. He did it again, a little harder and faster than before. Although it had felt better, he knew it wasn't enough. Again no luck. Stupid Daniel, can't you do anything right? He felt sick to his stomach, and feelings of guilt were overwhelming.
Jack looked shockingly pale now and did not respond for a while. Then he opened his eyes and looked at Daniel. "Damnit Danny, come on! You'll have to tug it harder! Can't you just think it is Doc MacKenzie, you're hitting or something?"
This time, Daniel didn't give it a second thought. He was determined to do it right. And fast. For Jack's sake. Resolute, he grabbed the arm again and tugged it in the right direction. He felt it slip back in place, or at least, that's what he thought. Yes! He was just in time to catch Jack, who passed out with a groan and eased him to the ground. Then he hurried away and retched violently behind a tree.
Sam had managed to reach two companies with jetpacks. A military helicopter was on it's way to pick four of each up, along with somebody to instruct Teal'c and Major Ferreti. Soon they would be on their way back to Cheyenne Mountain. Teal'c and the Major had already packed their equipment and were ready for their practise.
She had also figured out that a rescue-hover was the best alternative she could think of as a back-up plan. The hover she had picked was not too heavy, would fit through the gate and should be able to cross that ocean in no time. They would need to get lucky for the raft to pass the DHD without destroying it though. She was now making the necessary phone-calls to arrange one being transported to the mountain as well. After that was done, she would get the MALP ready to gate to PX4211 first, to scan the area, just to be sure.
Daniel was finally done retching. Now THAT was something he wished he would never ever have to do again. He grabbed a piece of cloth, moved over to the shore, and washed his face. Did that cold water ever feel good. He sighed heavily.
He went back and kneeled beside his friend. Jack was still unconscious and Daniel did not like the paleness of his face. He checked for a pulse. A little fast, but that was to be expected. Daniel inspected the shoulder. It looked better, the misshape was gone. Nice job. Too bad it took him so long to get it done. Jack must really hate him by now. Now what? Ice. He needed to put ice on it. Well, Daniel, get a grip, there is no ice around here. Okay. He grabbed another piece of cloth and wedded it in the cold water. There. That's all he could do. He wrapped it as best as he could around the damaged shoulder. Now he needed a sling. He found something in his backpack he could use. He folded it in a triangle and carefully placed it on Jack's left arm. He tied it around his neck, with the knot on the right shoulder. Nice and steady. That should do it.
When he placed his hand on Jack's forehead, he cursed. A fever. Damn! How was that possible? Wait a minute, the scratch on his side, it was probably getting infected. Just what they needed. He checked the bandage. The bleeding had stopped, but he could see the angry red signs of infection. There was nothing more he could do, however. He poured some more antiseptics on the wound and rebound it.
What next? Jack had said something about building a raft. Yes, that's it. They would need a raft to get back to the Stargate. So don't disappoint him, Daniel, get to work. He could start by gathering the right wood, that's a good idea. After carefully positioning Jack on his right side again, Daniel started to collect wood he thought they could use.
The first helicopter arrived at Cheyenne Mountain with 4 rocket belts of the type RB2000. The instructor who came along, immediately began to teach Major Ferreti and Teal'c how to use it. This particular aircraft was indeed powered by a hydrogen perioxide rocket engine.The hydrogen perioxide reacts to samarium nitrate, which creates an extremely high and hot pressure steam to the flight nozzles. The instructor told them the aircraft could fly for 30 seconds at a speed of 60 miles per hour. It is controlled by two hand controls, and both men had no real problem using them. They were impressed by the very loud sound of it, though, and Teal'c was worried about the side effects to the Stargate's stability. He would have to discuss that with Major Carter.
The next helicopter arrived only 20 minutes later. With it an instructor and 4 flying jetpacks, powered by a 2-cylinder engine. This aircraft didn't use steam, it used premium unleaded gasoline instead. It had a maximum speed of 50 miles per hour and could carry 3 gallons of fuel. It was controlled by shifting body weight. It was not difficult to control, but it was heavy to carry, even for someone as strong as Teal'c.
After practising both types of aircrafts, they discussed their experiences with Major Carter. Given the situation on PX4211, they decided it was best to use the flying jetpack with the engine.
Another 20 minutes later, Major Ferreti and Teal'c were ready. The MALP had already been sent through the Stargate and had reported no changes in the situation. After all chevrons were locked, the wormhole established and Major Ferreti, Teal'c and 4 flying jetpacks disappeared.
Jack woke up with a groan. His shoulder ached unmercifully. What had hit him? Oh, right. Trees. Falling trees. Falling on him. Daniel. Relocating his shoulder. A couple of times. Geez... Did it work? Jack rolled on his back and briefly touched his shoulder with his right hand. Felt alright, so the kid did it! Good job, Danny-boy... Now he should be able to use his arm within about.... 24 hours. Right. He did not have that long. He sighed heavily. Was he getting too old for this?
Jack sat up and was immediately greeted by a worried Daniel.
"Hey, Jack, how are you feeling?"
"Peachy, Daniel, just peachy." Jack gave him this I-feel-like-shit-but-I'm-not-telling-you look. "You did it, nice job!" he stated, his right hand still on his left shoulder.
"Guess so... " Daniel looked down, ashamed. "Sorry..."
"What for?" Jack looked up, surprised.
"I should have been able to do that at once. It must have hurt, I'm sorry, Jack" Daniel still didn't look up.
"For crying out loud, Danny, look at me! You don't have to be sorry for anything! I'm glad that you did it, I know you are no medic. Besides, the last time a medic relocated my shoulder, it took him four times...."
This time, Daniel looked up, shocked. "You mean this has happened to you before? Oh, my...." He couldn't believe that Jack actually had experienced this before.
"Forget about it, Daniel. Let's worry about other things." Jack got up and looked at the wood Daniel had been collecting. "This is good. We will need a lot of those trees, this size is perfect." Jack put his foot on one of them. "Let's find some more, okay?"
With his right hand, he placed his cap backwards on his head and motioned Daniel to follow him.
Major Ferreti and Teal'c stepped out of the wormhole. They were barely able to stop the jetpacks from falling into the ocean. They immediately scanned the area around the stargate.
"The ground is still remaining." Teal'c stated. He figured only small parts of land were lost the last couple of hours. Teal'c grabbed his radio and tried to make contact with Colonel O'Neill and Daniel Jackson. It didn't work. "Their radio does not function. I will use this machine to reach the other side." With that remark he started to get ready. He was able to lift the heavy aircraft on his back by himself and wrapped the jetpack around his waist and secured it.
Major Louis Ferreti took the time to send a message through the wormhole. "No radio contact established. Teal'c will fly over within five minutes. Major Ferreti, out."
Teal'c lifted the second aircraft on the Major's back. The Major carefully wrapped his own jetpack around his waist. After that, he assisted Teal'c in connecting the spare jetpack. Teal'c did the same with him.
"Jetpack correctly secured to the body, check. Fuel handle open, check. The second pack wrapped safely, check. Radio works, check. I think you are all set, Teal'c. Ready to rock'n-roll?"
Teal'c looked at him in surprise, but before he could say anything, the Major added: "fly Teal'c, I meant fly. It was just a matter of speaking".
Teal'c nodded. Of course it was. Those humans were all the same. "I am ready. I suggest you step aside."
"Yes, Teal'c, I will. Good luck!" Major Ferreti put his thumb up in the air and backed away.
Teal'c started the engine. It made a lot of noise and Major Ferreti looked scared at the ground. It was shaking, but everything miraculously stayed in place. He was definitely glad, they decided to use this jetpack. The other one made much more noise and would have been dangerous to use in this situation. The flight nozzles slowly started to turn and were speeding soon. With an enormous sound and a lot off dust under it, Teal'c was lifted straight up. The Major sighed heavily when Teal'c was safely airborne. Now he just had to wait for a radio message from Teal'c. The Major was ready to fly over too. He followed Teal'c with his eyes and watched him approach the other side.
Daniel and Jack had been able to collect enough trees to make a raft. Although Daniel had tried to do the heaviest work, Jack had been using his left arm more than he should. His face was beaded with sweat and he was breathing heavily. Daniel had more than once tried to convince Jack to rest, but the stubborn Colonel had not given in.
Daniel gathered all the rope they had with them. Now came the difficult job of tying the trees together. He didn't exactly know how to do that and it would be almost impossible for Jack to do. He looked worriedly at Jack. The man was in obvious pain, but wasn't about to give up. He couldn't hide a hiss of pain though, as he tried to show Daniel how to make the knots.
"Easy, Jack, rest for a minute." Daniel tried again and offered his friend a canteen of water.
Jack wiped his face with his right sleeve and gratefully accepted the canteen of water. He took some of it and handed it back to Daniel.
"If Sam and Teal'c made it, they should be here any time now." Jack said after a glance at his watch. He was worried. What if they had not made it? Where were they? If Sam and Teal'c were not able to reach them, how was he supposed to find them? Hell, he couldn't even fix the raft with one arm, so how was he supposed to row? His side was hindering his movements too, although he was not about to admit that.
Daniel sipped some water. He noticed the worried look on his friend's face. Well, he was worried too. He sighed. Then suddenly he heard the noise of what could be an engine. He looked over his shoulder, but didn't see anything yet. He got to his feet and reached over to give Jack a hand. Together, they moved towards the ocean.
Daniel had his binoculars out in no time. He found his target and soon he recognised Teal'c. His mouth fell wide open. Cool!
Jack didn't have binoculars, but it didn't took him long to see what, or rather who was up there in the sky.
"Look Buzz, an alien!" he quipped.
Daniel gave him a filthy look.
"What the heck is that?" Daniel almost couldn't believe his eyes, as they watched Teal'c fly closer and closer.
"I don't care." Jack said. "As long as it gives us a ride home." He turned around and started to walk in the direction where Teal'c was heading.
By this time, Teal'c had spotted them and found a safe place to land. He did so, like a professional and turned the engine off. It took a little while for the nozzles to slow down and Teal'c waited patiently. He was removing the jetpack from his back when Jack and Daniel reached him.
"O'Neill, Daniel Jackson. I am pleased to have found you." Teal'c slightly bowed his head.
"Teal'c! Glad you made it! Is Carter alright?" Jack looked at him.
Teal'c nodded. "She is. We gated home to get help. Major Ferreti is assisting us."
Teal'c took stock of the situation. He had already noticed the sling around the Colonel's neck, and the stiffness in his movements. Teal'c also noticed the paleness of his face and the feverish patches of colour that burned over his cheekbones.
"I see you are injured, O'Neill. How do you feel?" he inquired.
Jack waved him off. "Fine. Dislocated shoulder. Daniel relocated it. Nothing to worry about. Let's get home..."
Daniel moved to get a better look at the aircraft. "Wow! What is that?"
"This is called a rocket belt. We were supposed to use them to get back to the Stargate." Teal'c started.
"A rocket belt! I know the army experienced with them, but I have never seen one for real!" Jack was starting to get excited.
"It is also very heavy to carry. You will not be able to fly this thing, O'Neill. I believe we will have to go for plan B" Teal'c pointed at the Colonel's shoulder.
"I can do that..."
Teal'c shook his head resolutely. "No. Not with a dislocated shoulder. Not even you. Believe me." Teal'c reached for his things to fetch the radio, when suddenly the ground started shaking again.
"Aftershock!" Daniel yelled as he frantically scanned the area for trees, which were about to fall. There was NO way he would let another tree hit Jack. No way.
This time, they were lucky, though. No trees collapsed around them. The shaking lasted for about two minutes, then it was all over. They all were silent for a moment.
The radio broke that silence. Major Ferreti's voice came through, and it was obvious, that he was controlling his voice. "Teal'c, come in! Did you feel that? Come in, please. The ground is getting very unstable here!"
Teal'c answered quickly. "We are unharmed, Major Ferreti. Unfortunately the Colonel can not fly the aircraft. He is suffering from a dislocated shoulder. "
"Copy that, Teal'c. I will notify Major Carter. You guys be patient. We will get you another ride. We will have to hurry. I don't think this little Bounty island will last very long! Ferreti out!"
Jack had heard the surpressed panic in the Major's voice. "How big is that little piece of land the Stargate is on, anyway?" he asked Teal'c.
"It was about 900 square ft. But the waves are taking parts. Major Carter believes it will vanish within 20 hours. Aftershocks might speed that up."
"Oh, well, that is so reassuring." Daniel sighed. He looked over his shoulder to the Stargate, as if he was afraid it would vanish in front of his eyes.
Jack made his decision easily. "You have a second rocket belt, right?" When Teal'c nodded, he continued. "Then I want you to teach Daniel how to fly A.S.A.P. and get out of here." He was not about to risk the lives of his team on this unstable planet any longer than necessary.
Daniel stood straight. Determination was shown on his face and he crossed his arms in front of his chest. "NO WAY, Jack. Forget it. I am not leaving you behind. No, no, NO! We will find another way. Let's finish that raft."
Teal'c frowned. "I understand that you also gambled for two horses. A wise precaution."
Jack didn't even correct the expression. He was frustrated he could not fly home. Now his team was risking their lives because of him. He clutched at his shoulder and groaned.
"Put your arm back in that sling. Jack, you should not use it yet!" Daniel approached him to help, but Jack would not let him.
"Dammit Daniel! I rather get home with a messed up shoulder than stay here!" Jack couldn't hide his anger. But when he saw the worried look on Daniel's face, he already regretted his outburst. "Oh, for crying out loud, Danny. I'm sorry. I just don't want you guys to have to spent the rest of your lives on this stupid planet because of me."
Blue eyes met brown for a moment. "It is NOT your fault. We will get out of here. Sam will think of something. In the meantime, let's finish that raft, just to be sure, okay?" Daniel spoke softly. He gently took Jack by his good arm and guided him back to where they were building the raft. Teal'c remained silent and followed them.
Major Ferreti was not happy. He took the jetpack off, because it was hindering his movements. He knew Teal'c was right, no one could fly this thing with a dislocated shoulder. He could imagine the frustration of the Colonel all too well. Hell, he was frustrated too! The aftershock had scared him more then he was about to admit. Several pieces of land were lost during that event and the Stargate had been trembling dangerously. He was afraid the huge ring would tip over. They had to get out of here, and fast.
The Major approached the DHD and dialled home. He caught his breath as the wormhole appeared, but luckily the Stargate stayed in place. He soon send his message through.
"This is Major Ferreti. Teal'c has located Colonel O'Neill and Doctor Jackson. The Colonel has a dislocated shoulder and can't fly the jetpack. We need the hover and we need it fast. There has been an aftershock and the ground underneath me is very unstable. I repeat: very unstable. Please, hurry. Major Ferreti out."
Now he just had to wait. He started to imagine how the hover would come through the stargate. He figured the remaining land, about 20 square feet, was still big enough for them to catch it. The DHD was safe, yet. It should work. It would work. It just had to.
Major Carter had received the message. Holy Hannah, she had to hurry. The hover had arrived at the mountain one half hour ago and some people were getting it ready to gate out at the very moment.
Carter looked at the hover. It was not big, that was why she had picked this particular one. It was developed for rescue operations, so it was perfectly equipped for the job. A small but strong engine would be able to get them to the other side of the water in no time. And according to Major Ferreti's description, that was exactly what they had. No time. No time at all.
She one more time checked everything and gave her orders.
"Alright, Lieutenant, dial up." She used the intercom to give this order to Lieutenant Graham Simmons in the control room and was rewarded with a thumb up in the air. She turned to the two airmen behind her. "I will step through the wormhole first, and five seconds later, you two will sent the hover. Understood?"
The two airmen nodded and saluted. "Yes Ma'am".
"Chevron four locked." the Lieutenant spoke through the intercom.
At that moment, the General rushed into the gateroom. He was about to ask something, when the Major quickly filled him in.
"The Colonel has a dislocated shoulder. The situation is getting very unstable, so I am moving in with the hover now. Sir."
"Chevron six locked."
"Yes, Major, you do that. Good luck!" the General wasted no more time. He noticed that the seventh chevron was locked. They both saluted. The wormhole established and Major Carter ran towards it. Then she stepped through.
Daniel and Teal'c were making good progress tying the trees together. Jack was giving his instructions and seemed to have forgotten about his frustration.
They had all agreed in finishing the raft, just in case. When the other two men were busy with the ropes, Jack made himself useful and gathered all their things. He also sipped some more water and wiped his brow. He was SO hot. But most of all, he was worried. This place gave him an unnerving feeling. The earthquake had left the island very unstable and he didn't want to think about another aftershock. The sooner they would be on their way, the better.
He looked over his shoulder again. He had witnessed Major Ferreti sending a message through. Now he was waiting impatiently for an incoming wormhole. What took them so long? Yes, finally. There it was! A figure appeared. 'That must be Carter,' he thought.
And that was when the ground started shaking again.
"Nooooo!! " Jack yelled. He backed up, afraid another piece of land would disappear in the ocean. Teal'c and Daniel were bracing themselves near the just about finished raft. The Colonel tried to see what was happening to the Stargate and their rescue-party. He saw two figures diving for cover, at least that was what it looked like. And then he saw something being thrown out of the wormhole, smashing into the DHD and ending up in the water.
Major Sam Carter stepped out the wormhole and hardly had the time to greet Major Ferreti. She immediately felt the trembling of the ground and was being forced down by it roughly. She frantically looked at the Stargate. It was trembling so badly, she thought it would come down on them any minute.
The wormhole was still in tact, however. But it was all too unstable and Carter yelled: "The hover! We have to grab it, if we can!"
Major Ferreti quickly got to his feet and rushed over, trying to keep his balance.
They both reached the gate, but the hover was thrown out too high for them, and too fast, caused by the trembling of the wormhole.
Carter still reached up, but she knew it would make no difference. She followed the hover and in a second, she realized it was gonna hit the DHD. "Nooo!" she yelled, as she tried to reach it, also knowing that there was no way she could stop it.
The hover was smashed against the DHD, thrown to the left by the force of it, landing in the ocean, instead of on land.
Major Ferreti was there in a second, but there was just no way he could reach it, as big waves, created by the aftershock, took the hover away from them faster then he could believe.
And suddenly the trembling of the ground stopped.
The wormhole disappeared after that, leaving the Stargate unstable and still trembling.
Major Carter checked the DHD for visible damage, but couldn't find any. She was still cursing, when Major Ferreti approached her, too shocked to say anything, and also too afraid of what damage would be done to the DHD. He just looked at her questionably.
"Damnit!" was all Carter could say at that moment. She pointed at the DHD now. "That was the hover. I can't tell if the DHD will work, I don't see any damage, but..." she didn't finish her sentence and raised her hands up in the air out of frustration.
They looked around. The island was getting smaller and smaller. Major Ferreti said what she was thinking the same second. "This place is not safe enough to try anymore. I'd say we only get one chance.... " he looked bewildered.
Sam nodded. She ran her hand through her blond hair. This was really, really bad. "I am afraid, the Stargate is going to fall down. It is either that, or the DHD will disappear in the ocean. Let's fill in the others." She sighed heavily.
Teal'c and Daniel got up, after the aftershock faded away. They rushed over to Jack, who was sitting on a fallen tree near the shore. He seemed to be looking at the ocean, but Daniel would have guessed he was not really seeing anything at the moment.
"Jack... you okay?" he asked softly.
"Yes, I'm fine. You two?" Jack looked up at them.
"I'm okay. Teal'c is also fine. What happened?" Daniel remembered the desperate cry.
"I think our rescue-party just got smashed into the ocean..." Jack absently pointed in the direction of the Stargate. At that particular moment, the radio burst into life.
"This is Major Ferreti. Come in please"
Teal'c grabbed it and answered. "We hear you, Major Ferreti. What has transpired?"
"The aftershock hit just as Major Carter was coming through the Stargate with the rescue-hover. It was thrown into the ocean. We lost it. I'm sorry."
They all could hear the frustration in the Major's voice. The Colonel grabbed the radio this time.
"I saw it happen, Major. Are you two alright?" He was worried about their well being.
"Yes. We are fine. But the island is getting very unstable and the hover smashed the DHD. Major Carter can't tell if it is still working. We also believe we can only try it once. The Stargate is in danger of falling down on us, Sir. Any idea's?" It was obvious Major Ferreti was praying for a miracle.
"Well, we managed to make a raft ourselves. But it will take us some time to get there. How long do you think it is safe to wait?" the Colonel was thinking fast for any idea's. It was Daniel however, who suddenly cried out.
"Jack! What if we used the engine of the jetpack on the raft? Then we don't have to row!" he looked anxious at the other two.
This time, Major Carter spoke through the radio.
"Yes, that could work. Good thinking, Daniel! Make sure you tie it up to the raft very tightly. It has a lot of power. And Colonel, please hurry. I have no idea how long we can wait, Sir." she sounded at least a little more hopeful than Ferreti had.
"We're on our way, Major. But don't wait for us any longer than necessary. If it is not safe anymore, I want the two of you to gate out A.S.A.P. THAT's an order." Jack had spoken firmly.
"Yes, Sir." was the short reply.
Teal'c had not wasted any time. He had removed the engine from the jetpack by the time the others were finished with the radio. He moved over to the raft, with a big piece of wood and the leftover rope. He carefully positioned the engine, trying to make sure the flight nozzles would make their turns in the water the right way.
Jack gathered the radio and got up. He gently patted Daniel's shoulder.
"Great idea, Danny. Now let's get the hell out of here."
Together, they rushed after Teal'c, to help him. Daniel held the engine in place, while Teal'c tied it to the raft as tight as he could. The Colonel nodded in approval.
"This should work. It just has to. Let's get it into the water."
The three of them carried the raft to the water and Jack looked back one last time, before climbing on it. "Okay, kids, 'to infinity, and beyond!'"
Daniel sat in front, Jack in the middle and Teal'c in the back, because he had to control the engine. He started the engine. It slowly came to life, and three pairs of eyes were waiting for the flight nozzles to start spinning in the water.
Slowly, they started to move around. And then, when they got a couple of rounds going through the water the raft started drifting.
Daniel looked at Teal'c. The man looked so calm, how did he do that? Daniel was too tense to think about it. As long as Teal'c knew how to navigate the raft, they would be fine and he seemed to be doing that perfectly.
"Hold on. I am increasing power," Teal'c warned them.
Daniel held on tight with two hands to the raft. He lay on his stomach now. He wondered how Jack managed to hold on with that shoulder. The raft bounced on the big waves of the ocean and it took all of Daniel's strength to stay on. The wind and spitting water in his face didn't help either.
Jack was also flat on his stomach. His face was screwed up from the pain, but somehow he managed to hold on too. Forced by the wind, he had his eyes almost closed. His cap was blown off his head, but he didn't care. As long as they made good progress.
Suddenly, Major Carter yelled through the radio.
"Colonel! We see you approaching! Can you speed up? The waves are taking away parts of the island! We have not much longer!"
Jack looked back at Teal'c. "Give me all you got, Teal'c!" he yelled. Somehow he managed to switch the radio from receiving to sending. He calculated how fast they were getting closer and closer....
"Dial it up, Major, now!!! Clear the Gateroom!!!" he yelled through the radio.
Sam and Major Ferreti were watching the raft. Sam didn't even now she was holding her breath. She tried to figure out how long the unstable island would hold and how fast the raft was approaching. When the waves took another big part of the island close to the DHD, she exchanged a look with Major Ferreti. This was it. They had to dial out now.
She yelled her message through the radio, and while Major Ferreti grabbed their things, she ran towards the DHD and started dialling.
She pushed the first symbol, when she heard the Colonel yell at her to dial and clear the Gateroom.
As another piece of land disappeared behind her feet, she frantically hit the second symbol. She looked over her shoulder. The raft was getting closer...
The third chevron was locked. The Stargate was trembling dangerously.
"Please, please, hold on a little longer.." she prayed. Fourth chevron locked. Major Ferreti could now see the three men on the raft. He could also almost see the wind blow through Doctor Jackson's hair. Fifth chevron locked. The Major jumped closer to the Stargate, as the ocean took another piece of land.
Sam looked back one more time after she had hit the sixth symbol. Close. They were so close. It should work...
The seventh chevron was locked. The wormhole established, trembling, unstable, but it was there. Major Ferreti and Sam ran towards the trembling Stargate and in the meantime, Sam signalled SG1's code to open the iris. They jumped through. Sam looked over her shoulder while she jumped and she just saw the DHD being smashed by a huge wave.
The alarmbells went off in the Gateroom. The General ran to the control room.
"Incoming travellers, incoming travellers!" Lieutenant Graham Simmons called over the intercom.
The airman behind the control panel was desperately trying to detect a signal. There it was. "It is SG1's code, Sir!" he yelled at the General.
"Open the iris!" the General ordered. "And get a medical team to the Gateroom now!"
"Yes, Sir!"
They opened the iris. The General was watching the Gateroom through the glass from the control room. He saw the door slide open and Doctor Fraiser ran through, with two medics of her staff.
They didn't have to wait very long. First, Major Carter jumped through the wormhole, with Major Ferreti on her heels.
"Clear the ramp, clear the ramp!" Major Carter yelled, waving with her arms to signal everybody to get out of the way. The medical team moved over to the other side of the Gateroom. Both Majors jumped off the ramp too, to their right. Once out of the way, they turned around to look back.
What took them so long? Come on, they were moving fast enough, they had to make it. Sam exchanged a desperate look with Major Ferreti. Major Ferreti helplessly shrugged.
Teal'c had turned up the engine as high as possible. He could barely remain seated, to navigate the raft. To his satisfaction, Daniel Jackson and Colonel O'Neill were holding on. He spotted the wormhole and saw two figures disappearing. Just a couple more yards, they should make it.
The raft was nearly lifted out of the water by the speed of it and the force of the waves. Teal'c was afraid, the ropes wouldn't be able to hold it all together. But somehow, they did.
He saw the DHD disappear under water. There was not much land left in front of the stargate. Well, he didn't need that at this particular moment. He could also see the trembling of the wormhole. Last yard. Almost there. Oh, oh. The stargate seemed to be falling over, in slow motion. He wasn't sure. He navigated the raft straight into the wormhole..
Suddenly something came flying through the wormhole. High, above the heads of Major Carter and Major Ferreti. They had already recognised the raft and had spotted the three people on it.
The first one to be thrown off the raft was Teal'c. He fell backwards and landed on his back just at the beginning of the ramp.
The second was Daniel. Just as the raft crashed against the wall to the opposite of the Stargate, he was thrown off a little to the left. He hit the wall hard and was dropped unceremoniously to the floor, near the doors.
Jack crashed with the raft against the wall and ended up underneath it.
For a moment, everybody was too stunned to move. The General muttered: "What the heck...."
Major Ferreti was the first to respond. He rushed over to the raft and turned its engine off. He started to pull the remaining parts of the raft off the Colonel. Major Carter was already by Teal'c's side, checking for a pulse. A medic also kneeled beside the Jaffa.
The second medic ran towards Daniel and Doctor Fraiser tended to the Colonel. Only a couple of minutes later, the three men were being wheeled to the infirmary.
The infirmary was a busy place. Doctor Friaser was even busier. They had three patients to tend to, but most of all she was relieved. SG1 was home safe, and none of them was in a life-threatening situation this time.
While working on the Colonel, she overheard Sam explain to the General how close this rescue had been. She shook her head in disbelieve.
Jack was still unconscious. His bad shoulder had been dislocated again during his crash against the wall. Janet was able to relocate it at once. She would have to do a X-ray, to make sure nothing was broken. She was also worried about the shoulder-joint, that it would need surgery later on.
She cleaned the wound on his side and put him on some anti-biotics to fight off the infection. With that, his fever would come down, too.
A MRI-scan showed her no real damage to the head, so all in all, the Colonel was fine. He would probably wake up soon.
She checked the records of Daniel and Teal'c. They were both fine too, all things considered. Daniel would have a major headache for the next couple of days and he would have to be careful with his leg. He had landed on it badly, but at least nothing was broken. And Teal'c was already up, with a little help from his symbiote.
A nurse brought her the results of the X-ray's of the Colonel's shoulder and she was pleased to find nothing broken there, too. Amazing. With a huge smile on her face, she walked over to report to the General. The General was waiting for her along with Major Carter, Major Ferreti and Teal'c in Daniel's room. Daniel was awake. Sam had propped him up in his bed and they all looked questioningly at Janet.
"Well, General," Janet said. "I am pleased to inform you that SG1 is fine. Daniel over here probably has a bad headache, but there is no real damage to worry about. He will have to keep his weight off his right leg for the next 24 hours, but that is about it. Teal'c is up already, his symbiote helping him with his sprained back."
Teal'c nodded at her.
"And the Colonel is fine, too," she continued. "His shoulder was dislocated again, due to the crash, but I have fixed that. Nothing is broken and it will heal in time. The wound on his right side is infected and causing a fever, but we are treating that with anti-biotics. There is no further damage. I expect him to wake up any minute. That's it, Sir." She nodded at the General, finished with her short report.
The General looked pleased. Major Ferreti and Sam were also relieved. "Can we go see him?" Sam asked.
"Yes, of course." Janet responded and she helped Daniel out of bed, knowing that he would not stay behind.
Jack slowly opened his eyes. It took him a while to recognise the infirmary and after that, he spotted the people waiting for him.
"We made it," he said, glad that he saw Daniel and Teal'c on his side.
"Yes Sir. It was a close call, however." Sam answered, shivering by the memory of the raft coming through the wormhole.
Jack struggled to sit up. Janet rushed to his side and propped him up with some pillows. "Easy, Colonel, don't hurt that shoulder any more."
"What happened? You guys okay?" Jack asked.
"Well, Jack. After having plane crashes, bad parachute-landings and Goa'uld-implants in your medical file, you just couldn't resist adding a rocket-flight to it, now could you?" Daniel quipped.
Jack looked up at him. "That wasn't flying, that was falling with style...."
Everybody grinned, except Teal'c, who was not familiar with Disney-movies. Yet.