Across the Divide
Across the Divide
by seesaw
Summary: Jack and Sam are on different side, but can they bridge the divide to survive.
Category: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe
Season: any Season
Pairing: Jack/Sam
Rating: GEN
Warnings: minor language
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story was created for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author(s).
Archived on: 12/11/05
Across the Divide
By Se/Seesaw
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DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This was written for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the authors. Not to be archived without permission of the author.
RATING: PG-13, little bit of swearing
AUTHORS NOTES: This is an AU basically because I like to play around with things. It hasn't been beta-ed so I am sorry for any mistakes. I previously posted this on fanfiction in parts so I decided to put the lot up here. Anyway I hope you enjoy and please let me know if you think I should keep going with the fic.
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"Have you any idea what this could be?" Jack speared the anonymous grey lump and waved it under Daniel's nose.
Daniel hastily pushed Jack's hand away.
"You asked for it Jack you should know."
Jack lowered his fork and gazed curiously at his plate.
"Well I was told it was stew but it doesn't taste like it."
"You ate some of that." Daniel said appalled, his stomach turning at the thought of it.
"Well no." Jack admitted, "I was waiting for Teal'c to come and be a guinea pig."
"I don't think Teal'c would even try that Jack." Daniel sensibly pointed out.
Jack abandoned his fork and pushed his plate away and focusing on his coffee instead.
"If the Gould don't kill me, the catering staff will." He muttered.
Daniel snorted and added a lump of sugar to his own drink. His attention was drawn to two suited men who spoke hurriedly as they swept from the room.
"So what exactly is going on Jack?" Daniel queried.
"Huh." Jack looked up and blinked at him just as Teal'c arrived.
"Hey T." Jack redirected his attention away from Daniel and his question.
"You want some stew?" he asked hopefully.
"I do not O'Neill." He stated as he dropped his fruit and Jell-O laden tray onto the table and pulled up a chair.
Jack looked disappointed but before he could cajole Teal'c into eating his excuse of a dinner, Daniel reiterated his question.
"So what's going on Jack? All the men in suits." He expanded when Jack's face remained blank.
"The NID or someone or another is trying to get their own team sent off world. Hammond's not too big on the idea."
"It would be most unwise to allow an inexperienced team through the gate." Teal'c added.
"Yeah well it won't stop them trying." Jack said disinterestedly.
"So do you think they'll be allowed, I mean surely Hammond has the last say."
Jack shrugged, "He's under some pretty nasty pressure to let them."
"And what is your opinion on the matter O'Neill?" Teal'c asked his head cocked to one side.
"I say let them go. The less NID agents on this planet the better." He said flippantly.
"Surely you can't believe that Jack." Daniel exploded.
Why was it, Jack thought, that Daniel nearly always sounded, exasperated when talking to him.
"Doesn't really matter if I do Daniel, I don't have any say in the matter." Jack finished the conversation, adding a glare for good measure.
"So they're going forward with it." Colonel O'Neill's gruff voice asked, as the man himself appeared beside him.
"Backed us into a corner on this one, had to let them go through." The General's displeasure seeped into his voice.
Another chevron glowed red in the room below them.
"You reckin' they'll stay on PX-3901?" Jack voiced the General's own thoughts.
"There's nothing of value on that planet, what ever they're after its not there."
"And I don't suppose we've any idea what they're after."
The general didn't answer his question; he turned away from the window as the 7th chevron locked bringing the gate to life.
"Should we worry about this?" Jack still faced the window but the General could see his displeasure reflected on the surface.
"Maybe." The General answered as he sat in his chair and flicked open one of the numerous folders on the table.
Jack turned and watched him with curious eyes.
"The team they've put together are highly trained and have more then a couple of years of experience under their belt. I get the feeling one or two of them might even have some experience at Stargate travel."
Jack nodded to himself at the General's implication. These men may be the same as those involved with the second Stargate fiasco.
"I can't be certain on that. All I've been given on this team are names and some sketchy backgrounds."
Jack took a seat opposite the General.
"But.." he asked knowing there had to be more.
The General closed the file and looked up at the younger man.
"I recognise one of the names. Sam Carter, then Captain now Major."
"And the problem sir?"
"Captain Carter was responsible for creating our dial up program and most of the technology we use in relation to the Stargate on this base."
"Seriously, all the blinky light things in the control room."
General Hammond pressed his lips into a thin line at the Colonels comment but continued on.
"Yes, Colonel."
"I think I might be missing the point here sir."
"If the NID are bring the leading scientist on Stargate technology through the Stargate I doubt it's to go look at an uninhabited planet."
"The leading scientist." Jack sounded puzzled. "Shouldn't the leading scientist on the Stargate technology be working for us?"
"In theory, yes. But there was some disagreement and Carter never worked here again. The details are unclear, it all happened before I was assigned here."
"So what do we do now?" Jack got down to business.
"Nothing else to do but continue as normal and see what they come back with."
"Don't you mean if they come back?"
"Either way you're still scheduled for a mission at 11 hundred tomorrow." The General stood, their meeting completed. Jack mimicked him and they both departed, while down below them an unknown team left through the Stargate.
&&&&
Daniel glanced up from his notes as the red light above his door flash and the all too familiar announcement shattered the quiet of his lab.
"Unauthorised off world activity."
Bored with what he was doing Daniel decided to make his way to the control room to see what was going on.
The iris was sliding over the gate as Daniel reached the room. Glancing down below him he could make out a lone solider seated at the base of the ramp. He was quickly engulfed by medical staff and then whisked from the room. Turning to Siler he asked,
"What was that about?"
"We received Sg-5's IDC but only one of them came through."
"Were they over due?" Daniel asked worriedly.
"They're not scheduled to be back for another 4 hours."
"Where's the General?" Daniel knew he would be somewhere near by.
"He was in the gate room, he's probably following on to the infirmary."
"Thanks." Daniel said fleetingly as he hurried from the room.
By the time he reached the infirmary the solider he had previously seen was laid out on a bed with an IV in his arm. He was bleeding from a cut above his left eye and looked a little worse for wear but he was lucid and talking to General Hammond and Jack.
"A minor Gould sir, not sure which, I say it was opportunistic if nothing else."
"Any idea where the remainder of your team were taken son?" General Hammond asked a touch of worry in his voice.
"Yes sir, I managed to get the address as they went through."
"Good work son, get some rest."
A pen and paper was thrust at the injured man and General Hammond turned to speak to Jack.
"Take Sg-13 and gate out in 30." The General ordered without hesitation before exiting the room, an airmen with the relevant gate address scurrying after him.
"Come on Danny boy, no time to lose." Jack slapped him on the back and nodded at the Doctor. "Take care of him Doc."
&&&&
The ground beneath their feet shook again and Jack glanced at the team beside him.
"Did you do this?" he demanded.
"We're a covert team." Colonel Klein spat at him, "We don't do grand exits, that's more your style O'Neill."
"It was all going fine until we bumped into you."
Of course that really should have tipped Jack off that something was amiss. Sg-1 with the help of Sg-13 had quite easily entered the Goul'd facility, in which they now stood, and liberated the remaining members of Sg-5. It turned out this particular Goul'd brought new meaning to the term minor and it was surprising some other power hungry snakehead hadn't killed him by now.
"I could say the same about you lot." Klein growled back.
Jack couldn't even hazard a guess as to why the NID were on this planet and in this facility. All that really mattered at that moment was the fact that they were in the way and slowing him down. Lucky Jack had numbers on his side and had quickly unarmed all four soldiers.
Jack squared his shoulders and was about to bite off a sharp retort when he was interrupted.
"The structure is losing its integrity sir. I don't think its safe to stay here."
Jack took his gaze off the leader of the NID team and stared in open surprise at the woman who spoke. She was blond with blue eyes that were focused on a large crack forming in the ceiling.
"Typical." Jack hissed, "You send a women to do a mans job."
Her blond's head snapped around and narrowed eyes, simmering with hate was suddenly focused on him.
The ground moved again this time knocking the two groups of people to the ground. The roof above them fractured with a loud crack and debris began to rain from the damage.
Jack quickly rolled to his left and caught a glimpse of the blond woman scrambling in his direction before that portion of the roof above them completely gave in. Jack covered his head and hoped for the best.
It was several long moments later before the noise died down and Jack looked up. The air was heavy with dust and he could feel raindrops on his skin from the chasm were once the roof was. He watched as a glider flew overhead and released volley of fire on a target he couldn't see. He was quick to his feet pulling his radio to his mouth.
"Daniel, Teal'c, come in." he ordered in a harsh voice.
Static filled his ears as he waited for a response. He pulled his radio to his mouth again when the static died and his ears were assaulted with spluttering. Gasping for breath Daniel spoke,
"We're all ok, Jack." He coughed loudly again before continuing, "Nothing more then some cuts and bruises."
Jack examined the large mound of debris barring him from his team-mates.
"Don't think I have time to get through this. I'll have to find another way out of here." He summarised quickly.
He watched as another glider flew.
"You go on to the gate and send re-enforcements if needs be." He ordered.
"What'll we do with the others?" Colonel Spade, leader of g-13 asked.
"Take them with you. Hammond will have them locked up."
"We're short one Jack. There's only three of them on this side." Daniel said sounding worried.
Jack's attention was drawn to slowly moving piles of rubble and watched, as a hand appeared, followed by a body covered in dirt.
"I've got the fourth Daniel, go."
Jack marched over and hauled the blonde solider to her feet. She was coughing heavily but seemed largely unhurt. Jack kept a firm grip on her.
"But Jack..."
"Just go Daniel," he barked as another explosion sounded in the distance.
Pushing his captor forward he raised his P-90. The light above him flickered and died plunging them into semi-darkness. Advancing down the corridor Jack kept one hand on his weapon and the other clamped down on the arm of the NID agent. In the distance Jack could hear shouting and very faintly the clank of metal armour. He pushed himself and his captive into a nearby crevice as group of Jaffa guards ran by shouting at each other.
Jack peered carefully up and down the corridor they had just run through.
"We should take a right if you wanna get out of her." A disgruntled voice spoke to him from the darkness. Jack stepped back and the angry face of the young woman appear.
"Yeah right cos you're a trustful source." Jack bit back.
"I would like to get out of here alive as well you know."
The two locked gazes for a moment and a brief battle of wills took place.
"What the hell have you got to lose?" She threw her hands up in the air.
"If you fall behind I ain't coming back for you." He said abruptly and jogged quickly down the corridor to the right.
Most of the battle seemed to be taking place at the other end of the building, the sounds of fighting growing fainter as they progressed.
Jack felt apprehensive. This was not the way Sg-1 had entered the building, he had gone completely on the word of his enemy.
"Are you sure we're going the right way." He hurled at the women.
She stepped from behind him and pushed open a heavyset door to Jack's left. Light flooded in causing Jack to blink rapidly and a light breeze to caress his face.
"Yes." She stated looking smug.
A gliders filled the sky and Jack saw even more troops running this way and that. 200 meters ahead was a heavily wooded area. If they got that far they could avoid the Jaffa attacking the facility, hopefully they were none the wiser to their presence.
"Gonna make a break for the tree line." He grunted not taking his eyes from the scene in front of him.
"It would be better if I had a weapon." His companion pointed out.
Jack turned to look at her and gave a brief, insincere smile.
"Right." He said before sprinting to the cover of a stack of crates.
He watched as the blond glanced briefly around before following him. They continued ducking and diving their way across the open space. Upon reaching the tree line Jack threw himself into the undergrowth. The woman soon joined him.
"Daniel." Jack spoke quietly into his radio.
Loud static followed by Daniel's voice, "Jack..."
"Daniel, what's your position?" he queried.
"We're holding the gate. Not sure how much longer we can hold out." Jack could hear the sound of gunfire in the background.
"We're on the opposite side of the compound in the tree line. I don't think I can make it back to the gate. Head through and get re-enforcements.: He spoke decisively.
"Jack, we can't leave you behind." Daniel automatically responded.
"Go Daniel, you can't do any more at the moment." Jack was annoyed; this wasn't the time for a discussion with Daniel.
"Jack.."
"Go Daniel, I'll stay in the tree line, they don't know I'm here." Jack's voice allowed for no argument.
"We'll radio when we come through, we won't leave you behind."
"Yeah, yeah Daniel. Just go." Jack dismissed his words but he appreciated them all the same.
The sound of fighting was drawing nearer and then a very familiar sound pierced the air. The loud horn of the tracking Jaffa sent a chill through Jack.
"Aww crap." Jack muttered.
"What was that?"
"We have to move." Jack pulled himself up into a crouching position ignoring her question.
She didn't question him any more, her training obviously kicking in, as they moved further into the woods trying to stay as low as possible.
&&&&
Jack's senses were on high alert. For the past two hours he had ducked and dived through the woodland and still the Jaffa seemed always at his back. He paused, crouching behind a tree trunk, watching as the blond did the same at a neighbouring tree. He tried to control his breathing, his lungs burning. By his estimation nightfall was fast approaching and with a bit of luck they would shake their pursuers in the dark.
He was still hopeful that that the Jaffa were unaware of their identity. With a bit of luck, and he figured he was owed a little, they were simply tracking down any escaped prisoners with the hope that they were of value. It just happened to be their scent that the Jaffa picked up.
"These guys are pretty hard to lose." A soft female voice spoke into the thick air.
"Yeah. They're like that." Jack glanced around him, his field of vision hugely reduced by the foliage around them.
"I lost track of them. They've been due west of us for the last 10 minutes."
"Yeah." She was good, Jack would give her that. "I've lost them too."
This wasn't really something he was proud to admit, particularly since Jaffa tended towards the large and clanking kind of armour, making them much easier to spot. Since there was a good inch of leaf coverage on the ground it helped to muffle any clanking like sounds. He glanced around him again. The orange glow of the dying sun filtered through the treetops here and there making the trees glow and dappling the ground with bright spots.
"We can't stay here." He spoke more to himself then his companion. It would help if he knew what direction was away from the Jaffa but life, especially Jack's life, was never that simple. Moving was better then sitting around like ducks.
"Right."
He began to move forward again, doing his best to avoid making noise. He sensed the blond behind him and had learnt by now she had the sense to copy his actions. He caught a brief movement to his left before pain erupted through his head. He fell heavily as his vision swam. He blinked and pressed his palm to his left temple, his fingers came away sticky with blood. His brain registered that there was a low throbbing in his knee but it was soon forgotten when he opened his eyes.
The end of the staff weapon lit up ominously above him and Jack slowly raised his hands into the air. The Jaffa holding it let off a harsh volley of incomprehensible words and gestured angrily at Jack's P-90.
Presuming that the Jaffa wanted him to drop his gun Jack did just that, slowly unclipping the gun and dropping the P-90 a short distance away. Quickly he glanced around but there was no sign of the blond. Probably took the opportunity to escape he surmised. The Jaffa advanced slowly towards Jack's gun and Jack himself.
Adrenaline pumped through Jack's body as his fight or flight instinct kicked in. The Jaffa was eyeing the gun now, deciding wheatear to retrieve it or not. The staff weapon was inches from Jack's chest. As the Jaffa's eyes shifted once more to the P-90, Jack moved. He grabbed the end of the staff weapon and threw his weight forward.
The Jaffa stepped back to regain his balance and Jack threw himself to his right. He felt the heat off the staff weapon on his face before a pain spasmed in his shoulder. A second shot flew into the trees above as Jack scrambled for cover. Leaves and wood rained down from above but Jack didn't notice them.
The Jaffa covered his head to shield himself from debris and Jack took the chance to go on the offence. Again he grabbed the butt of the staff weapon and stepped forward forcing the opposite end into the Jaffa's stomach. As he doubled over in pain Jack delivered a swift knee to the Jaffa's head causing him to drop to the ground. Jack took a step towards his P-90 but he never made it. The Jaffa on the ground swept Jack's legs from under him in a swift kick. Jack fell heavily forcing all the air from his lungs.. Quickly getting his bearings he rolled over and tried to crawl to his gun.
He heard the Jaffa grunt behind him as he pulled himself to his feet. Jack pushed himself forward and scrambled through the leafy ground. He desperately felt for the cold bite of metal against his skin but to no avail. He heard heavy footfalls behind him and the snap of a staff weapon engaging.
Jack turned to face his murder. A cruel smile twisted at the Jaffa's mouth and disappointment briefly swept through Jack at the thought that this would be the last face he ever saw.
Jack heard the click of a safely being flicked off before the Jaffa did, more accustomed to the sound. Confusion, rather then pain, was the first emotion across the Jaffa's face as the first bullet passed through his body. He didn't have time to register any other emotions as the first bullet was followed in quick succession by a second and third.
As the lifeless body of the Jaffa fell to the ground a tall slim figure was revealed. The blond stepped forward and kicked the staff weapon into the undergrowth. She nudged the body with the toe of her boot, the barrel of the P-90 still trained on the unmoving figure. When she was sure he was not breathing her eyes moved towards Jack, as did the barrel of the gun.
Slowly, without taking her eyes from him, she bent down and unhooked the zak from the Jaffa's belt. She raised herself back up to her full height and took a step towards Jack.
He studied her face intently but could read nothing there. The gun was trained on his chest and the hard look in her eyes lead Jack to believe she was deciding weather to kill him or not.
Jack dropped fully onto his back and closed his eyes. At least, he thought bitterly, he was going to be killed by a prettier person. A few seconds passed and no shots came. Jack opened his eyes. The green foliage above him still glowed as the last rays of the sun hit it and somewhere in the distance a bird was singing.
He looked up into sky blue eyes above the of a barrel of his own gun. A brief smile touched her lips and in one swift movement she replaced the safety and dropped the gun so that it dangled from her right hand.
Cautiously, Jack raised himself to his feet and dusted himself down. He did a mental damage report and found himself a little worse for wear but still intact. He was aware of being watched by the woman before him but took those few moments to compose himself, he was definitely getting to old for one to one combat.
Her step forward swiftly drew his attention back to her. He watched as, with practiced ease, she flicked the gun in her hand, offering the butt to him. He queried her with is eyes but she refrained from answering. He took the gun from her, the familiar weight of the weapon instantly calming him.
"What a bout that?" Jack indicated the zat with a nod of his head.
"I'll keep it. This way I won't run out of bullets."
Jacked nodded once, not really in a position to argue, as he now technically owed her his life.
"We need to find shelter."
&&&&
"You know I could help you with that."
Jack looked up sharply, he hadn't realised he was being watched so closely.
"With what?" he snarled.
She stared at him, unwilling to accept his act of ignorance. Jack ignored her in return and tried to rearrange himself into a more comfortable position against the cold rock face behind him.
"I have some medical supplies." Jack looked up at her again.
"It's not much but it might help."
Jack was torn, he was nearly sure he didn't want anything from this woman but he couldn't deny that the offer of medical attention was tempting. His leg protested again and he nodded, barely.
She was careful to securely place her weapon out of his reach while still within her own. She pulled his leg out straight, ignoring his sharp inhalation of pain, pushed two fingers into the small jagged hole in his BDU's and began to rip them.
"Hey!" He grumbled.
"What?" She glanced up from the growing hole in the fabric.
"These are my favourite pair."
"Would you preferre to strip?" She asked deadpan.
Jack, for once, was caught off guard and was left momentarily speechless. By now is thigh was bare, exposing skin that was already turning a purplish colour where he had the misfortune to land on a jagged rock during his tussle with the Jaffa. There was a gash smack bang in the middle of the increasing purple bruise that was causing most of the pain.
From somewhere among the thousands of pockets on her jacket the woman pulled a sterile wipe.
"I don't think you'll need stitches." She rubbed around the wound, the stinging of the antiseptic making Jack's eyes water.
"There's no major damage done, just some bruising."
"And a cut." Jack childishly pointed out.
"And a cut." She conceded, and if Jack didn't know better there was a smile in her voice.
Next she whipped a tube out of another pocket and started to smear cream onto the purple area. To take his mind off his leg Jack wondered where he could get a jacket like that.
"This should keep the swelling and bruising down, help you to move around a bit more easily." She sat back on her heels and began rooting around her remaining pockets.
"Right." Jack couldn't really bring himself to thank her.
"Swallow these." She held out her hand, two small tablets nestled in her palm.
Jack eyed the tablets, and then the woman before him suspiciously.
"It's a mild painkiller " Her words didn't comfort him. "Look, the only way I can get back to earth is if you're with me, which means it's not in my interest to kill you." She calmly pointed out.
Jack eyed the tablets again, she did have a point. Reluctantly he swallowed them while she continued rummaging through her pockets.
"What else do you have hidden on you, a needle and thread perhaps?"
She locked eyes with him, a naughty glint in her eye, "Better."
"Better?" he asked somewhat sceptically.
She grinned and with a flourish pulled a small roll of electrical tape from a pocket. She pulled out a length, tore it off with her teeth and taped his BDU's back together.
He couldn't help it; he smiled at her and at the ridiculousness of the scene playing out before.
"Electrical tape. You always carry that around with you?"
She moved back from him to lean against a neighbouring bolder, the zat once again cradled to her chest.
"I was working on something just before we left. I shoved the tape in my pocket, forgot it was there."
"Working on something?" Jack was curious.
"A reactor." She closed her eyes and leant her head back against the rough bark.
"A reactor." Jack was a bit surprised; it wasn't exactly the answer he was expecting.
"What kind of reactor?"
"You don't honestly expect me to answer that do you?"
He didn't really but it was worth asking all the same. The sun was nearly down and Jack was becoming aware of the chill in the air now that they had stopped moving. He longed to light a fire but he knew better then that. He should be glad to have found shelter that would keep the relatively dry. Even if the shelter did consist of a large pile of rocks at the base of a cliff face.
With nothing else to do he pursued conversation.
"I take it you're not just a standard evil hence man if you play around with reactors."
She opened one eye, her month forming a wry smile.
"I have a PhD in applied astrophysics if that's what you mean."
Jack was impressed; she hadn't struck him as an egghead. He was surprised that the NID were dragging an egghead around with them on mission. He knew from experience they tended to slow things down a bit and he couldn't imagine NID personnel being all that patient.
Her eyes were shut again but she wasn't sleeping.
"I take it you don't get out in the field much so."
Her eyes snapped open and she glared at him. "And what makes you say that?" she snarled.
"Well when I'm trapped on a hostile planet with only an armed enemy solider for company I don't take a nap."
She snorted at that, "You're not going to hurt me." It was a statement, an assured statement that riled Jack.
"I'm not?" he asked.
"You're bound by a military code which won't let you kill me."
"If I were to kill you, no one would know." He pointed out. "I could claim you were captured by the Jaffa."
"You're an all American Hero O'Neill, you're not going to kill me, you're bound by your morals as much as you are by military code. I, on the other hand, am not bound by either." Her grip on her zat tightened to emphasis her words. "Me being an evil hence man and all."
Jack studied her face choosing his next words carefully. "That's not true though is it?"
She held his stare but refrained from commenting.
"You could very easily have killed me earlier and I'll put money on it that you have a back up plan to get back to earth. The NID are far too slimey to get caught off guard that easily."
Her eyes briefly flickered away proving Jack right.
"So why didn't you kill me? Even you can't be naive enough to think you won't be imprisoned when you get back to Earth."
She drew her knees up to her chest, she too must be feeling the cold air creeping in.
"And how long do you suppose I'll stay in prison." She didn't look at his as she spoke, staring intently at her boots instead. " I'm far too important to the NID to rot away in a prison. I'd be surprised if I was held more then 2 days. The NID know some very powerfully people O'Neill, you of all people know that."
The whole situation left a bitter taste in Jack's mouth. A cruel sneer settled on his face, his anger rushing in like a tidal wave.
"You obviously have a high opinion of yourself and you obviously don't know the NID all that well. Loyalty means nothing to these people, they couldn't care less if you die in prison."
"I've been working for them for nearly 3 years, I know all I want to know about them and a hell of a lot more then you could even image." Her challenging tone irked Jack.
"You can't honestly expect them to care enough about you to..."
She spoke over him in a firm voice, "You don't remember who I am do you? If you did you might know why I know they won't leave me in prison or your custody for very long."
That caught Jack off guard and he frantically searched his memory.
"We met before?"
She chuckled humourlessly, no doubt at the mixture of confusion and surprise on his face.
"I used to work at the SGC."
"What?" Jack snapped.
"I was one of the lead scientists on the Stargate program for 3 years before you ever heard of it and I was there when you went through on your first mission."
Jack had no comment on that, the past rearranging it's self in his mind.
"I provably know more about the Stargate and how it works then all the scientists in that mountain combined and that's how I know the NID will haul my ass out of prison."
Lies, Jack told himself, it had to be lies.
"Right. You mean you couldn't get a job at the SGC so you jumped on the NID band wagon." His words dripping sarcasm.
Once again her bitter laugh broke the silence of the night.
"Believe what you like O'Neill, can't say that I care."
Jack's memory finally gave up a gem of information and a conversation Jack had with General Hammond replayed in his mind's eye.
"You're Sam Carter aren't you."
She made no comment but a muscle twitched in her jaw and told Jack all he needed to know. This was the solider Hammond was worried about. Sam Carter was a woman, a notion Jack hadn't considered. This fact did not lessen his anger or disgust for her.
"Why would anyone go from working at the SGC to working with lying, cheating, underhand, un-trust worthy, dirty dealing..." Once again she spoke over him, obviously unaffected by his stony demeanour.
"What makes you think I had a choice in the matter?"
Managed she managed to shut Jack up mid rant, twice in one hour had to be a record.
"I was told that I would not and would never be authorised for off-world missions and when I made a fuss I was pretty much pushed out of the program. It seems all you big boys in the mountain are scared of a little old woman like me." Her words were dark and bitter and spat at Jack with such venom that he flinched.
"You're telling me that the SGC was willing to sacrifice years of experience and knowledge because of your gender." Now Jack really didn't believe her.
Seconds passed as she stared into the darkness that enveloped them. When she spoke her words were soft but under their gentle veneer Jack could detect a streak of steely determination as she controlled her anger.
"This coming from the man who sneered at my team for allowing a woman to work with them not 8 hours ago. It's men like you and General West that are to blame..." she drifted off obviously revealing more then she intended, of what Jack was unsure.
"General West?" Jack questioned, she had some of her facts right he'd give her that.
"It was his order that lead to me being pushed out of the SCG. His order that led the NID to approach me, and his order that led me into this entire mess." Her words, Jack noted, where no longer bitter but resigned.
There was no doubt in Jack's mind that General West was a piece of work and that such an order, based on gender alone, wasn't past the man.
"He's not there any more. General Hammond runs the place now."
She turned back to him and Jack surprised them both with his next words.
"You could come back. If you're really as good as you say you are, Hammond would take you back."
Jack new it was very unlike him to offer jobs to potential enemies when stranded off-world but Jack's gut told him that this woman was different. Maybe it was the anger in her voice when she spoke of the NID or maybe it was fact that she didn't kill him when she had the opportunity. Hell maybe her pleasant bedside manner might have won him over but something told him that Sam Carter would be invaluable to the SGC, that she could be trust. He was right about Teal'c after all.
She sighed heavily, the weight of the world seemingly descending on her.
"It's too late for that."
"We could protect you if that's what you're worried about."
"It's not me I care about." She paused and Jack let the silence stretch sensing she had more to say.
"I have a brother. He has kids. Two. A boy and a girl."
She didn't elaborate and Jack didn't need her to.
"This isn't how I imaged my life would be. It wasn't like I knew about the NID before I joined. I didn't get a memo telling me that I would, in all likelihood, end up participating in illegal actives and having the lives of my family threatened if I didn't follow orders."
"Oh." Was the best Jack could come up with but she didn't hear or she ignored him.
"Have you any idea how frustrating it is to be refused something that you dedicated years of your life to because of your gender? Have you any idea how angry that can make you? I was furious and the NID approached me and offered me a way of continuing work on the Stargate, even possible Stargate travel. The fact that they were trying to take control of the Stargate program from the SGC was just the cherry on the top. Why should one of the most important discoveries of man kind be under the control of people who still held the views of Victorian society about the role of women."
She did sort of have a point in there somewhere but she didn't give Jack the opportunity to comment.
"I have very few options left in my life and leaving the NID isn't one of them."
Jack picked up a stone and began playing with it. Through the canopy of the trees he could make out the twinkling of stars. With no cloud cover Jack figured it was going to be a cold night.
"Let's call a truce." He decided abruptly. "I'm not saying I believe you but if we want to get out of this mess we're going to have to work together."
She nodded once.
"Right, we'll need to get some shut eye. I'll take first watch and wake you in 4 hours."
Carter stood up, the movement surprising Jack.
"I said I'd take first watch." He snapped.
"I heard." She replied just as harshly.
"Then why..." but he trailed off as she dropped down next to him and looped her arm through his.
"Really I'm flattered and all but I don't think now's the time."
She actually laughed at that. "Shut up O'Neill. It's going to be a cold night and I'll take heat anywhere I can get it, even if it's from you."
She dropped her head onto his shoulder and was asleep within minutes. A feat Jack found quite impressive. The wood was alive with the sounds of insects and scuffling animals but Jack was well used to distinguishing between the sounds of nature and the sounds of man. Jack hoped they had made a clean break from the Jaffa but there was nothing else he could do about it for the time being. He hunched further into his jacket and was quietly grateful for the body heat warming one side of his body. It was going to be an uncomfortable night.
&&&&
The pitch black of night seeped into the woods as the sun set, blotting out the world. An hour or so after they went to ground the rain began to fall. The pitter patter of rain hitting the sodden ground and two people breathing were all that Jack could hear.
After her initial nap neither slept, too much fear and adrenaline coursing through their veins that at any moment Jaffa would appear around the corner. Cold was seeping into Jacks body from the ground beneath him and the rock behind him. Beside him he could near Carter blowing on her hands.
"So." Jack broke the silence, willing to speak to the enemy to take his thoughts off the cold. "What's the pay like in the NID?"
He heard a rustling of cloth as her head turned to face him and he could just about make out the look on her face.
He hadn't expected her to reply but she did,
"Not great, but you get a nice company car."
He had to chuckle at that, finally, an NID officer with a sense of humour.
Silence descended again but Jack was unwilling to let it remain.
"So what are the chances of you telling me what you guys were doing here?"
"We were looking for one of the prisoners."
Jack was momentarily stunned into silence and she continued on.
"We had Intel that he knew where some ancient technology was."
"Should I ask where you got that Intel from?" Jack asked dubiously.
"A Jaffa was captured and brought through the Stargate when it was in possession of the NID."
"And you believed him."
"He didn't really have the choice to lie." She muttered and Jack was surprised by the disgust evident in her voice, telling him all he needed to know about their information retrieval techniques.
Silence fell again, each contemplating the evils of the NID.
Once again the frigid temperature of the night made it's known and it wasn't long before Jack felt Sam's body shaking.
"We're going to die of hypothermia at this rate." He grumbled as he began to shift his body around to get the feeling back into his ass.
"Hmm" was Sam's only reply, her lips pressed into a thin blue line. "So usually I'd buy you dinner first but I hear that Jaffa catering is a little dodgy."
"What are... you talking about?" His breath formed puffs of white smoke in the cold night air.
Carter heaved another sigh and set a determined look on her face. In a swift action that took Jack totally by surprise she unzipped the front of his jacket and slid her hands around his waist. Jack winced at the feel of her cold skin through his shirt and T-shirt.
"Sorry." She muttered into his chest as she rested her head against him, her blond hair tickling his nose.
"It's ok." He shuffled around and pulled her body tighter against his until she was almost sitting in his lap. He held her tightly and felt warmth slowly trickle back into his body. The hands around his waist grew warmer and Carter held him just as tightly.
"So this wasn't how I thought my evening would end." He spoke into her hair trying to ignore the fact that it smelt disturbingly good. He was pleased to feel her laughing a little.
"Could be worse I guess."
"You guess?" Jack added, a touch of consternation to his voice.
Her felt a giggle pass through her body, the vibrations passing from her to him. He tightened his grip on her instinctually and turned a blind eye on the strange intimacy of the situation.
Carter was silent but Jack sense her stillness was only external.
"You think very loudly." He commented after the minutes ticked past.
She blinked as he pulled herself out of her reverie.
"You figuring out general meaning of life stuff or something specific?"
She pulled a face at him and then rested her cheek against his chest again.
"I was trying to work out our position in relation to the Stargate."
Jack instantly felt guiltily that he wasn't doing something useful with his own thoughts rather then reflecting on the oddness of his day so far.
"The prison was two and a half clicks south east from the gate. The best I can tell we've travelled west at least a click and a half, two at the most. As long as the woods continue, we can continue due north and be within the area of the Stargate by about noon tomorrow."
"Sounds about right to me." Jack didn't even think about it, he knew when he was out smarted.
"That is of course if we don't come across any obstacles."
"Obstacles?" He didn't need to ask but he did all the same.
"Ravines, rivers...."
"Jaffa." Jack supplied for her when she trailed off.
"Yeah, mainly those really."
Jack refrained from commenting further on Jaffa, he knew all he wanted to know about them and didn't really feel up to talking about them.
"You think they'll send reinforcements for you?"
"As soon as they can secure the gate they'll probably send a couple of teams through."
"Right." Her voice was a strange mixture of envy and anger. "That must be nice."
They chatted idly as the night passed about nothing in particular, both careful to avoid an issues of importance and yet both unwilling to remain silent. Jack was very aware that this was not standard procedure when dealing with the enemy but it just didn't seem to bother him all that much. She was not a standard prisoner. For a start she had willingly revealed why the NID were on the planet and what they hoped to achieve there. Plus, she really didn't seem to like the NID.
Slowly dawn seeped in and the darkness that enveloped them for the past couple of hours lifted. The green of the woodland appeared around them and Jack was grateful that they could move soon. Grateful that soon he would be able to stretch his stiff limbs and get the blood running back to his toes.
The harsh hiss of static shattered the gentle sounds of nature and caused both soldiers to tense.
"Colonel O'Neill do you read?" General Hammonds voice erupted from Jack's shoulder.
Jack was alert in seconds and in full Colonel mode. He released his radio from his shoulder and held it to his mouth.
"Loud and clear General, how's life on the other side?" It was Jack's way of asking if everyone was home safe and well.
After working with the man for many years the General knew just what he was asking.
"All safe and well here Colonel, what's your status?"
"Just doing some bonding with nature, General." He quipped.
"And the NID agent."
"She's here with me sir." Jack kept his comments short, unwilling to elaborate.
"We've sent an AV over the area, it looks like the Goul'd have withdrawn their forces. Any activity we've seen seem to be local population or escaped prisoners."
"That's good to hear sir."
"What's your position son and we'll come and get you."
"Well I'm not too sure on that one sir but if the Jaffa patrols have been called off we should be able to make our way to you."
The General paused, obviously thinking over Jack's proposition.
"If you're sure son." He was giving Jack an out.
Jack glanced down to be momentarily caught by a pair of blue eyes gazing up at him.
"We're not that far from the gate sir, may as well save some of the boys a trek."
"I'll send a team through to hold the door for you."
"Thank you General, I'll see you in a couple of hours."
"Report in every hour Colonel, safe journey home."
"Yes sir."
Jack clipped his radio back into place as Carter untangled herself from him and stood.
"You need a hand up old man." She grinned down at him.
"I'm not that old yet." He grumbled as he stood trying not to wince at the sharp pain in his legs.
The day was still grey but they had spent far too much time as it was on this planet.
&&&&
They travelled in silence, scaling rock formations and battling their way through undergrowth. Their progress was slow across the uncompromising terrain. They only spoke when they were forced to come to an abrupt halt.
"Ah crap. You think they could have mentioned this to us."
Carter stared at the swirling river before them a frown creasing her brow.
"I don't remember crossing a river on the way here." Jack went on speaking.
Carter pushed a hand through her hair and closed her eyes.
"There was a small stream with a crude bridge." She spoke, obviously recalling her journey to the prison.
"Yeah but that was a stream, this..." Jack pointed at what he viewed as icy water, "This is a river."
"It must split further inland into a number of smaller tributaries."
"That's just our luck." Jack was disgusted; he really didn't want to get wet, even if they were going to be back on earth in a relatively short number of hours.
"So can't we just follow it down stream to a smaller tributary."
"We could but then we may have to cross a number of smaller rivers."
"So one big one or a couple of small ones." Jack summed up.
"If we go downstream looking for smaller tributaries it could add a couple of hours onto our trip."
Jack wasn't all that keen on that idea.
"Besides this river isn't that big or deep it should be easy enough to cross." She cocked an eyebrow of him, "You're not scared of getting wet are you?"
Jack didn't like being provoked. That didn't mean he didn't response it just meant he didn't like it.
"Fine." He snapped and began to wade into the waters.
He was aware of her eyes on his back and the noise of her moving through the water but he didn't look at her. Instead he kept his eyes focused on his footing, keen to make sure only his feet and lower legs got wet and not the rest of him.
Jack had one foot on the opposite shore and was quietly pleased with himself that the water had not risen to above his knees when he heard the splash. He pivoted on the foot still underwater and barely kept himself from following Carter's lead.
He didn't bother restraining his snort of amusement. Before him Carter was hauling herself back onto both feet. Her entire body was drenched, water dripping from her hair and the ends of her jacket sleeves.
She was muttering some unsavoury words as she dragged herself to join Jack on dry land.
"Not one word." She scowled at him and began to promptly strip off layers of clothes.
She dropped to the ground, efficiently removing her boots discarding her socks and pulling her boots back on. She stood again and unzipped her jacket.
"Give me your shirt." She demanded.
"What?"
She dropped her jacket to the ground to join her wet socks and pulled her shirt over her head to reveal a black tank top. This too was wet.
"I want something dry, you shirt is dry. Give it to me." She stared at him pointedly.
"Say please." He teased, thoroughly amused by her discomfort.
She pulled her tank top over her head, leaving her standing before him in a modest black bra and nothing else. Jack's eyes were glued to her bare skin but not because of the expanse of milky white skin begging to be touched but because, stretching from her rib cage on the left of her body and travelling diagonally to her right hip was an angry red scar. The wound was barely healed, the viciousness of it still fresh.
It took a minute for him to notice that she was shivering but it was enough to propel him into action, quickly stripping off his shirt and wishing the T-shirt beneath it had sleeves.
"You going to tell me where you got that?" He asked as she quickly buttoned up his shirt.
"No." She snapped before turning away from him.
Jack was confused by the constant swing of their fledgling relationship, one-minute inmate, the next teasing and the next hostile.
"You must have done something fairly drastic to get that as punishment." He tried to pry but hard eyes connected with his when she finally turned back to him.
"It's not the ones that scar that I worry about."
She moved away from him briskly and he could do nothing more but follow.
The terrain finally levelled making their journey that bit easier. Again they travelled in silence, Carter in the lead, Jack following behind. He studied her back noting her tense shoulders. She was apprehensive about their return to earth but by the looks of the scar on her chest it wasn't the SGC's welcome she was worried about but the welcome wagon the NID would have for her.
Jack's radio crackled shortly after 13 hundred hours and Colonel Makepeace's voice erupted from it.
"We're reading activity 300 meters south west of the gate, any chance that's you O'Neill?"
"Roger that, try not to open fire on us when we come out of the tree line."
"We'll do our best O'Neill. Over."
Jack shook his head at the constant jibes between the air force and marines and managed to walk into the back of Carter. She had stopped just as the forest was thinning. Jack could just make out part of the Stargate sitting in the clearing beyond.
"I guess this is where we part ways O'Neill."
"I guess."
"It's been... interesting." She settled on the word carefully and Jack figured he'd been called worse.
"You do realise you're going to get arrested when you step into that clearing." He said as they the muffled voices of SG-3 filtered through to them.
"You do realise it won't stay that way for long." She was mocking him; he could hear it in her voice.
"We'll see."
"O'Neill." Her voiced pulled him up just before he stepped through the cover hiding them from sight. He turned to find Carter standing closer to him then expected. Before he could say a word she had moved and was firmly pressing her lips to him. Jack froze in surprise as her tongue briefly plundered his mouth.
Before he had the time to make up his mind to pull her closer to him or push her away she had stepped back. A dazzling smile was plastered on her face although her cheeks were tinged red with embarrassment.
She shrugged, "I was just curious."
"Eh." Jack's brain was still about two minutes behind and his eyes were glued to those lips and that smile.
"My life isn't conducive to second chances and regrets."
"Right." Jack nodded and tried to look like he knew what she was on about.
"You better lead the way, they might shot me."
"Right." Jack said again and instantly felt idiotic. He marched forward into the clearing to hide his discomfort.
He was greeted by 4 gun barrels but none where pointed at him. They were all aimed at the woman behind him.
"O'Neill glad to see you in one piece." Colonel Makepeace stepped forward and shook his hand.
Two members of SG-3 kept their guns trained on Carter as the third relived her of the zat.
"She cause you much trouble." Makepeace nodded at her.
Jack wasn't all that sure how to answer that one so he made do with a simple "no." He was grateful that the Colonel didn't push him as to why his prisoner had been armed.
Sam Carter was frisked and with a swift kick was knocked to the ground. One marine placed a knee in the small of her back while he secured her hands in cuffs. Jack tried not to wince at the manoeuvre.
"Ready to move out sir." The marine addressed both of them at once and Makepeace turned to the gate. Jack tried to make eye contact with Carter but she wouldn't meet his gaze as she was dragged back to her feet by two sets of rough hands.
"I believe there's a cup of coffee waiting for you on the other side O'Neill. Jackson said something about suicide mission strong." Makepeace informed him with a chuckle.
Jack was warmed by the thought of Daniel's extra strong special brew that he only ever made after particularly arduous missions. At least it was one thing he could look forward to, how to explain what went on over the past 14 hours with Sam Carter was a whole other kettle of fish.
&&&&
Jack felt refreshed. After his briefing on returning from his adventures with NID agents Hammond had allowed Jack to take the remainder of the day off. His wound was minimal enough for Doc Fraiser to allow him to go home. It was amazing what a shower and sleep in a proper bed could do for you.
A shadow fell over the report that Jack was idly flicking through. He looked up to find Daniel standing above him.
"Jack." He greeted succinctly before dropping into the seat opposite him.
"Daniel." Jack returned his greeting cautiously.
"There's been some news."
"What now?" Jack muttered, "Fleet of Goul'd ships here to destroy us, fleet of politicians her to bore us." He asked annoyed.
"Not quite that bad. It's about that NID agent you were trapped off world with."
"Carter."
Daniel frowned, obviously surprised that Jack knew her name. "Yeah, she was being transported to a high security facility yesterday."
"Yesss." Jack had a feeling he knew where this was going.
"Well she never arrived."
It had taken even less time then she had predicted for them to spring her, she must have been in custody for less then 12 hours before she was sprung.
"Let me guess they have no idea where she is or who took her."
Daniel nodded.
"Figures. What about the other agents you brought back with you?"
"They're being held in a high security facility but so far we haven't gotten anything out of them. I'm not sure we ever will."
"So it was only Carter that was taken?"
"Looks like she was the only one they wanted. They must have something big planned for her."
"That's what I'm worried out."
Jack downed the rest of his coffee and stood.
"What ever way you look at it Daniel it's not the last time we'll meet the NID." He picked up his report and headed to General Hammond's office to discuss this latest development. God only knew what the NID would throw at them next.
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