Timbers
Timbers
by Greywolf
TITLE: Timbers
AUTHOR: Greywolf
EMAIL: Greywolf06@hotmail.com
CATEGORY: actionadventure
SPOILERS:
SEASON / SEQUEL: 3rd season
RATING: PG13
CONTENT WARNINGS: character death
SUMMARY:
STATUS: Complete
ARCHIVE: Heliopolis
DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. We have written this story 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 authors.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
January 23rd, 2000. 8:00am(earth time)
Sg1 are on P... X ... whatever ... a new planet to explore.
While camp is being set up, O'Neill goes further out to probe the area, savoring this solitary moment. He much enjoys the company of his kind and has actually bonded intensely with each member of his team, but to be alone, embraced by the serenity of the forest is always a regale. Alas, the degree of the forest's purity very much depends on the beings that inhabit it and to what extent it has been tampered with.
Although aware of these potential treacheries, O'Neill never sees the camouflaged trap and before he knows it, he's swooped up in the air, trapped in a net, hanging from a tree. His P90 having flown out of his hand is lying in the moss underneath. He manages to spurt out a "What the...?" but then is knocked unconscious by a cudgel
Camp is set, Daniel and Carter are technobabbling while munching on army distributed snacks. Although not as phlegmatic as O'Neill when such topics are engaged in, Teal'c has chosen to do some reconnoitering in the close vicinity of camp. Having found disturbing tracks in a nearby path he calls his friends to attention.
"What is it Teal'c?" questions Carter, stuffing the empty wrapper in her pocket.
"I am not sure, " the brawny man answers, "but they very closely resemble those of an Unas.
O'Neill wakes up, groaning, holding the back of his head. As his vision gets less blurry, he focuses on two big round eyes staring at him from the other side of the bars adorning his present dwelling. He attempts to rise up, but bangs his head on the top of the cage …ouch again, making it clear to him that he is in fact, in a cage.
After noticing that his revolver and knife have been confiscated, he throws a coup d'oeil at the small village with little creatures going about their business. These are two-legged, furry, big-eyed, little people. O'Neill can't decide whether they remind him of his old teddy bear or Carter's cat. Let's call them Timbers.
Most of the village is built up in the large red oak trees as rope and wooden bridges link from branch to branch, tree to tree. Several small huts are also built on the ground, at the base of the trees where many of the Timbers are absorbed in their daily routine.
The smaller Timber staring at O'Neill seems to be younger, a child ... about 6 years old relatively speaking. His fur is a chestnut brown and like the other Timbers, this thick coat is the only clothing worn. He is studying O'Neill from head to boot.
Jack gently moves closer to him. They're face to face as the youg on's inquisitive eyes search O'Neill's. There is a silent pause…then…"Boo!" jokes O'Neill.
The startled little guy jumps back with a gasp landing on his butt, causing O'Neill to let out a glorified giggle.
An adult Timber seeming to be a female, walks over, takes the small Timber's hand and leads him away frowning disapprovingly at O'Neill.
An older male escorted by younger ones bearing crude weapons such as clubs and spears, approaches the cage. His fur is a grayish one, having maybe once been black, he appears to be the leader. He starts to speak, unfortunately, no language O'Neill comprehends.
Aware of the communication barrier , the old leader scribbles something in the earth. O'Neill deciphers the drawing of a Timber and next to the Timber, a much larger being.
"Would that be me?" asks O'Neill pointing at the picture and then to himself.
The Timber grunts negatively. He then draws another being a size between the two others and points to O'Neill.
"Oh...that's me." confirms O'Neill. "So who's the big guy?"
The rest of the team, still at camp, is starting to get worried. Jack should have been back.
After a short reconnaissance of the area, they find nothing and decide to follow the Unas' tracks, as it's their only present lead. They leave a written message at base camp would O'Neill return.
The footmarks, leading them to higher grounds are getting a little more difficult to follow as the surface is getting drier and rockier.
Teal'c walks towards a bush growing against a cliff's stone wall. He pushes it apart and behind it you can see an opening. "There is a cave back here. Maybe the lodgings of an Unas." he whispers as he starts to slide in.
"Is it reasonable to go in there?" asks a prudent Daniel.
"If O'Neill is in there, there is not much time to waste." answers the Jaffa.
Daniel acquiesces as the three enter carefully.
O'Neill is exchanging with the little Timber whom is slowly regaining the courage to approach him.
"Jack" says O'Neill pointing to himself, "and you are?"
The little guy coos happily and slowly reaches for O'Neill's extended hand. They touch. Contact has been made. The Timber curiously examines the peculiar, yet gentle hand.
Their familiarity is suddenly interrupted as alarming cries are heard all through the small village. Children are rushed away. In no time, the area is deserted except for one courageous adult Timber who is struggling with the latch on O'Neill's cage.
Unfortunately, before he can open it, he is propelled into the air. "O'Neill looks up to see ... an Unas. "Oye!" he mumbles. The Unas, grunting and growling, rips the cage top off and flings it away. He reaches in and pulls out its struggling occupant.
Suspended in the air, O'Neill succeeds at kicking the brute in the gut. He is temporarily released but barely back on his feet when the Unas charges again. Throwing himself on the ground, O'Neill rolls into the Unas' feet knocking him down. He picks up a piece of wood from the fragmented cage and strikes the Unas at the side of the head. This ineffective blow has simply angered the rogue who slowly rises back up, this time, spiked club in hand.
O'Neill braces himself for the next assault but an ill-fated trip into cage debris throws him off balance as the Unas grabs for his throat and slams him down overpowering him with his own body weight.
The rough hand, if you can call it that, tightens firmly around O'Neill's throat. As bearings are gradually being lost, O'Neill desperately reaches out for something, anything. Fortunately, his hand falls upon a small but sharp piece of wood that he swiftly jams into the Unas' flank. The enraged beast roars and with all its wrath, plunges its teeth into O'Neill's shoulder. It's now O'Neill's turn to vocalize his pain as he clutches onto the large head desperately trying to pull it away, but the angry Unas won't budge.
Left with only one arm to fight with, O'Neill is no match for the Unas and all seems hopeless when out of nowhere a staff comes slamming down on the Unas' head. Annoyed but not injured by this, the Unas yanks out his teeth gnarling at the source. Jack's body arches in agony as more flesh is torn from his shoulder.
Club in hand, the young Timber stands as David against Goliath coming to the rescue of his new found friend. The Unas slaps O'Neill with the back of his hand, rendering him unconscious, setting him aside for later. He then gets up taking a short glance at the wound on his side before advancing towards his next victim.
However, before he can launch his attack, out of the woods a slow moving mass has been formed as the other Timbers have built up the courage to defy the beast once and for all.
The Unas, surprised by this unusual audacity and enfeebled by his wound chooses to retreat slowly yet without neglecting to voice his anger. He disappears in the foliage as the Timbers slowly amass around an inert O'Neill.
Deja-vu, O'Neill slowly regains consciousness to see two eyes looking down over him. This time, the eyes belong to an older female Timber. White fur orns her bluish/gray eyes. She gently tilts O'Neill's head forward prodding him to drink a fetid brew from a small wooden bowl. He weakly rebuffs the offer, grimacing in disgust, but the insisting elder disregards his pleas as she pours the repugnant mixture down her defenseless captive. O'Neill moans a complaint as she smiles knowingly.
Daniel is examining the remains of some small animal as Teal'c returns from a quick survey of the cave. "There are no other exits, the only opening is the one we used to enter." "Well the Colonel isn't here." states Carter, "Maybe we shouldn't stick around too long?" "I second that!" motions Daniel. They proceed towards the orifice.
As Teal'c pushes the branches out of his way to clear the exit, he doesn't have time to see the spiked club hammering down hard on the side of his head. The strong Jaffa collapses in an instant. Sam, who was on Teal'c's tail leaps back into the cave pointing her P90 towards the opening as Daniel grabs onto Tealc's foot pulling him back towards them, leaving a trail of blood on the rocky surface. A disgruntled Unas fumes at the exit, his domain has been violated but unable to see the usurpers, he dares not enter.
Sam quickly applies pressure to the unconscious Jaffa's head. The wound is not a clean cut and the lacerated skin is bleeding heavily.
"I can hardly patch him up with our safety kit!" exclaims Carter, "We need to get him home now!"
Daniel, also aware of the urgency of the situation, picks up his P90 and discharges blindly towards the exit. He then continues to move towards the opening without stopping, praying that the Unas will have been intimidated or even eliminated by the volley.
Fortuitously, the Unas is no longer there when Daniel peers out of the hole. Exiting completely to better assess the situation, he sighs of relief calling upon Carter to come out. They slide the inert Jaffa through and laboriously carry him off back towards the gate.
The upset ruffian looks from afar, hidden behind a heap of boulders.
Jack is regaining his strength. He is no longer in a cage, but still a prisoner, for the Timbers have tied his hands down with rope. These short ropes lead to spikes that have been set by his sides, allowing for movement, yet both hands cannot join, therefore disabling him from untying the knots. He gives it a try with his teeth, but to no avail, ropes and knots seem to be the Timbers' specialty as rope is the whole basis of the village's construction.
He eases himself to a sitting position, cringing at the sudden tang from his shoulder. "Pokin' holes!" he laments to himself, "Always pokin' holes…"
The young Timber interrupts his commemorating with an invitation to play. A tightly strapped ball of fur comes rolling to Jack's feet.
"You want to play?" he asks his courageous friend, "I think I owe you that much, don't I?"
Jack rolls the small ball towards the young Timber whom in turn picks it up and rolls it back. Jack tries for a fly ball as he tosses the small object high up in the air. Surprised, but amused by this, the Timber runs back to catch it and succeeds at first try.
"Impressive!" laughs a playful Jack as the female Timber glances over, wondering which of the two is having more fun.
"We need a bat now." Jack suggests. "Get me that stick." As he points to a stout branch out of his reach.
The young Timber naively picks up the branch with intent on giving it to his new buddy, but the female Timber intercepts and reprimands him for his innocence. The young Timber, frustrated by this distrust that only adults are afflicted with whines a discouraged complaint.
Jack also is quite insulted at the thought that it could be conceived that he'd hurt the little being who selflessly came to his aid against the Unas. "Baseball!" he calls out to the overprotective mother, "Baseball!"
The event horizon once again flows open as the three friends rush through. The medical team is urgently called to the embarkation room at the site of the wounded Jaffa. Doctor Frasier orders the aids to hoist the heavy man onto the gurney and they wheel him off to the infirmary.
"What happened here?" inquires a baffled General Hammond.
Between breaths, Sam and Daniel share the job of narrating the previous events.
After this has been done, in sync they ask, "Permission to go back to PY-653 Sir!"
"Permission granted!" responds the headman. "I'm sending Sg5 with you!"
Orders are given and followed in a flash. The gate rumbles once again and they are off!
A gentle nudge awakens O'Neill, who out of pure boredom had dosed off, leaning against the red oak tree behind him. The Timber leader, this time without his armed escort, sits by Jack's side, ready to draw some more. Again, he sketches the three beings in the earth, but this time, the middle-sized man is positioned over the large one, dominating the latter.
"You got it wrong, there buddy." notes O'Neill, "He hadmepinned down!"
The patient Timber draws what O'Neill has described, but then swiftly draws an X on the picture, grunting negatively.
"Oh! I see! You wantmeto pinhimdown! Well that could be possible if you would just give me back my weapons." concurs O'Neill pointing to his empty holster.
The Timber leans back, pensive for a while and grunts negatively, slapping at O'Neill's palms.
"With my bare hands?" spurts out O'Neill, "You've got to be kidding!"
'Trust me! I won't use the weapons against you!" he alleges, "We make a deal. You cut the ropes," he motions with his hands. "…and I'll help you get rid of this beast!"
The old Timber has understood very clearly the meaning in O'Neill's words, and hears the honesty in this creature's voice. But if he releases him and he leaves, then there will be no more opponent to face the beast that has been terrorizing his kinsmen for ages. They have waited long for a creature larger than themselves to fight the Unas and he is not convinced he can risk losing this sure hand. The only guaranteed way is to force this man into combat when the Unas returns.
The gray eyes look down with regret that he has even attempted to discuss the issue with this creature, when it was he himself that was not ready to compromise.
Jack leans back, sighing heavily. If the Unas does come, there isn't much of a chance he can defeat him, let alone his shoulder is pretty much out of commission.
An angry Unas is ranting and raving while tramping its way along a path, opposite the direction of its cave. The green flow from his flank has stopped, leaving the stage for the new one on his forehead. Disheartened by the volley of lead that caused this new source of pain, he chooses to vent his fury elsewhere. His wrath is excessive, and it needs to be taken out on something, or someone!
The event horizon comes again to disturb the whimsical peace of the grove. The troops burst out, every soldier psyched and ready for the task at hand.
Major Carter and Colonel Makepeace reiterate the planned tactics and the two teams head inside the woodland.
Again the terror-stricken cries resound in the small village while all scurry to safety once more. O'Neill looks up, this time not surprised, but still experiencing the same nauseating feeling the sight of the Unas gave him the previous day. He leaps to his feet ready again for the combat that will no doubt pursue in the near seconds.
The old Timber rushes to O'Neill's side and cuts him free. Looking at the ropes hanging from his wrists confirming this freedom, O'Neill wonders if he shouldn't just run for cover. No time left to muse over it, the angry Unas comes directly for him.
Illusively prepared for the encore, O'Neill grits his teeth and tenses his muscles, ready for impact. To his surprise though, the rogue's course has been altered as a spear hits its head, ricocheting off further away.
O'Neill and the angered Unas turn to see the source. There, the old Timber stands, a serene look in the cerulean eyes, holding the coveted firearm in his hand. The significant distance that separates them in no way undermines the profoundness of his stare into the human's eyes.
From blighted hope to trust, from cautious doubt to faith, forgetting years off teaching that all that is bigger than you is dangerous, the Timber, in a giant leap of faith tosses the gun in O'Neill's direction.
The gun has not yet landed that the Unas is already upon the old Timber. Teeth and claws ripping at the small creature standing there in acceptance of its fate.
Stricken with horror, O'Neill dives for the gun. As he is unlatching the safety, the cacophony of a P90 resounds and the Unas collapses with the heaviness of death.
All is still.
Makepeace lowers his firearm as Carter and the rest of the sg teams stand silently, not quite sure what has just transpired here.
The cavalry has arrived a little late, for the leader is near death. O'Neill slips an arm under the small shoulders easing him up slightly. Old grey eyes look up. O'Neill deciphers something that could be read as a smile.
Indeed, the old Timber's eyes communicate his gratitude for the new hope O'Neill has given his people.Life without fear of the beast.
As the old grey eyes close, O'Neill holds the small body against his chest. This chest heavy with sorrow……………..
January 23rd, 2000. 8:20am(earth time) sgc Infirmary.
Dr Frasier is gently attempting to wake O'Neill who has once again wound up in the infirmary following a blow to the head received on the previous mission. Finally he immerges from his unsettling dream, hugging a teddy bear that Carter had given him as a get-well gift.
FIN
Greywolf
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