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).
Daniel was asleep before dinner was ready. The combination of exhaustion and the mild painkillers easing him into much-needed rest. Jack was reluctant to wake the younger man, but realized that Daniel needed food every bit as much as he needed rest. Jack decided to give him a few more minutes as he separated the stew into equal portions.
Suddenly, Jack was gripped by a vision of hot, sandy desert stretching as far as the eye could see. As his point of view shifted, he could see the outline of three moons above a pyramid and a figure wrapped in burgundy robes approached. This vision was accompanied by a feeling of loneliness so intense that Jack dropped the spoon in his hands into the pot with a loud rattle. Jack blinked in confusion as the vision faded, leaving a lingering desolation. Within moments, Daniel stirred and awoke.
"Jack? What's wrong?" he asked, sitting up carefully.
Jack shook his head briefly, inclined to let it pass. "Nothing...nothing. You ready to eat?"
Daniel nodded and accepted the bowl he was given with a nod of thanks.
Jack smiled a moment at that. Daniel must really be tired if he wasn't talking. Jack was generally inclined to think that speech was as vital as breathing to the young scientist. Jack called for Sam and Teal'c and they all ate dinner in companionable silence.
Once again Jack studied his team. Sam looked much more rested and alert now; the paleness from earlier was gone. Teal'c had meditated and seemed positively revitalized. Daniel, though, still looked bone tired and Jack noticed the swelling of his injured hand around its wrapping.
Not wishing to cause alarm, Jack said casually,"Carter after you eat, why don't you play medic change everybody's bandages?" He looked significantly at Daniel and Carter understood the words he wasn't saying.
"Yes, Sir!" she said in her best chipper Airman''s tone.
Daniel started to protest, but Jack treated him to his C.O. 'look' that said he would accept no arguments on this one. Daniel had learned the hard way that this was one look his best arguments couldn't defeat.
When Carter finished eating, she retrieved her medkit from her pack and sat down next to Daniel who held out his hand to her. Jack could see the swelling more clearly now and wondered if maybe they'd been mistaken about it only being sprained. But as Carter unwound the last layer of the bandages, something dropped out of them onto the ground.
"Whoa, what is that?" Jack moved closer and saw that it was a small beetle-like insect, emerald green in color with nasty looking pincers protruding from its moutrh. It appeared to be dead.
Carter pulled the rest of Daniel's bandages off quickly, confirming their fears. There on Daniel's wrist, directly over the large vein was a bite mark with red-purple streaks radiating several inches around it.
Carter looked at Jack in alarm, reaching for the small bottle of alcohol in the medkit. Daniel had gone a few shades paler at the sight of his arm, but just watched Carter work on his arm with a kind of detached fascination.
Out of reflex, Jack reached out to check Daniel's forehead and discovered the young man was burning up with fever. "Dammit, Daniel! Why didn't you tell somebody you weren't feeling well?"
Daniel looked at Jack with a look of sheepish confusion, " I don't know, Jack...It just came on all of a sudden...." Daniel swayed a little bit as Carter poured on the alcohol and Jack cursed and moved to support his friend. Carter finished quickly and re bandaged the arm.
"Sir, he needs to stay off his feet to keep the poison from spreading any faster."
Teal'c moved to help Daniel to his tent and laid him down. Jack could hear the young man weakly apologizing for causing them trouble. Jack smiled ruefully to himself. Whatever happened, he could always be sure that Daniel would find a way to assume the blame. Jack had often wondered if it was because Daniel was so smart; did he think he was duty bound to foresee all possibilities?
Carter looked at him with concern shining out of her eyes. Jack knew she could anticipate his next question, so he didn't ask it.
"It's an unknown, Sir. We don't know if this 'bug' is fatally venomous or will just make him ill. Either way, with that fever, he's going to need water and soon..." Carter's voice trailed off as she looked off in the distance as if she could see the mountains...still two days distant.
Teal'c had walked up behind them quietly. "Daniel Jackson sleeps. If you will permit it, O'Neill, I will go and retrieve water for us all."
Jack knew from experience that Teal'c possessed strength and endurance that exceeded that of his teammates. But it was so far to send anyone alone....
As if reading his thoughts again, Carter chimed in, "I'll go with him, Sir. None of us should go it alone in this place."
Jack hated the thought of splitting his team, but he also knew that Daniel couldn't make it to the mountains and the water they hoped was there. He knew his kids, he knew they would do it or die trying, he knew he didn't have to tell them to be careful... but he did it anyway.
Teal'c poured their meager supply of water into two canteens, leaving the larger portion for O'Neill and Daniel, then gathered every empty container he could find and put them into his pack. While he was doing that, Carter emptied her pack of everything except meals for three days and a minimal medkit. The two of them rolled up their sleeping bags, not even bothering to pack up the tents. When they were ready, they looked towards Daniel's tent and then at their commanding officer.
Jack felt an odd mixture of pride, concern and impatience.
Carter pointed out the obvious; the sooner they left, the sooner they'd be back. Jack nodded agreement.
"Just be careful and remember you won't do anybody any good if you get hurt out there. Radio check every two hours."
Jack did something then that he rarely did with this particular team, he stepped back and saluted, trying in his own awkward way to express the feelings he could never vocalize.
Carter nodded as if she understood. "We'll hurry, Sir. Take care of him..."
Teal'c echoed her sentiments, saying, "We will return soon, O'Neill." His glance toward the tent spoke louder than words of his concern for the young man he had taken on as a personal responsibility.
Jack watched them until they faded into the darkness then turned back to the tent and Daniel.