A Long Walk
A Long Walk
by J. Colgan
TITLE: A Long Walk
AUTHOR: J. Colgan
EMAIL: jcolgan@usamailbox.com
CATEGORY: SJR, humor?
SPOILERS: Bane, Season Four
SEASON / SEQUEL: Fourth season
RATING: PG
CONTENT WARNINGS: mild language, mild male/female relationship
SUMMARY: Stranded on a jungle planet, Sam and Jack get a chance to be themselves for awhile.
STATUS: Complete
ARCHIVE: Heliopolis
DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG1 and its characters are the property of Showtime, Double Secret Productions, Gekko Productions, MGM/UA. No copyright infringement intended. This is for entertainment only.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Written for shippers, by a shipper.
ONE
"It's not the heat that gets you, it's the humidity," Colonel Jack O'Neill commented as he became aware of the sharp transition from the icy cold of subspace to the sultry, cloying heat of P587R6. The MALP readings had warned them about the conditions but the only concession SG-1 could make to comfort was to stow their heavy jackets in their packs and make the trip in short sleeves. Jack could already feel the dampness on his forehead as he and his teammates, Major Samantha Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson, and Teal'c, fanned out across the highly polished floor of the opulent temple-like structure that held this planet's stargate.
Daniel sighed a little as he dropped his pack next to the gate. He pulled out his video camera, intent on recording as much of the intricate carvings and hieroglyphics that decorated the seamless temple walls, so that he could study them in a comfortable, air-conditioned lab back at the SGC.
"Someone has to say it, so it might as well be me," he intoned, "It's like a sauna in here."
"Not just in here. From what I can tell, most of the planet is probably like this," Sam commented while she finished checking the MALP systems and preparing the little robot for its return trip to Earth. "We're probably in a temperate zone. Two suns, a whole lot of plant life and a lot of water this is the greenhouse effect at its best."
"Or worst," countered Jack. He'd been around the temple room once, noting the lack of exits from the opulent room. He'd checked all the corners and the huge altar that sat opposite the stargate and had found, to his satisfaction, no signs of recent use. There was no one here but SG-1 and that suited him just fine. It also left him with little to do but remain officially vigilant until Sam and Daniel finished their data collection.
"This place at all familiar to you, Teal'c?" he asked the Jaffa idly as the two of them loitered near the gate.
"I don't recall ever coming to such a place," answered Teal'c flatly, "With no indigenous people, the System Lords likely had little use for it."
"But someone went to the trouble of leaving this amazing temple," Daniel mused. He'd already ascertained the hieroglyphics were similar to Egyptian but not identical. There was another cultural influence that he couldn't quite place.
A low whistle from Jack drew their collective attention. He was looking out one of the waist-high, rectangular windows that occupied the western wall of the temple. All the other walls were solid and there seemed to be no other way out of the room other than the half-dozen narrow windows.
Sam was the first to join him, her work with MALP complete.
"Some view," he said.
"Wow," Sam agreed. The vista before them was breathtaking. Below the temple stretched a jungle valley, a dense sea of deep green, dotted here and there with brilliant blotches of pink, orange and yellow where enormous flowering trees grew taller than their neighbors. Occasionally, what appeared to be huge birds the size of condors but the color of parrots, soared above the trees only to dive swiftly below the foliage again like gulls over the surface of an ocean.
In the distance, set against the deep, cloudless blue of the sky, they could see another temple poised at the top of a narrow peak that rose probably a thousand feet above the tree line.
"I wonder what's over there," Daniel said as he joined them.
Jack shot him a withering glance. "Don't even think about it."
"It's probably identical to this one anyway," Daniel conceded with a slight pout, "No point in "
"Dr. Jackson, there seems to be a device here beneath the altar," Teal'c announced suddenly distracting them from the magnificent jungle scenery.
As a group they crossed the temple to where the Jaffa was standing near a recessed shelf set deeply into the back of the ornately carved altar. Within the tiny shelf there appeared to be a collection of multicolored crystals, seemingly jammed together haphazardly into a faintly spherical shape. It glowed faintly from within its jagged depths.
"It seems to be humming," Teal'c told them as they approached.
"It's beautiful ... in a sloppy kind of way," mused Sam as she knelt down for a closer look. "It looks like it was put together wrong."
"Oh, I hope it's not another repository for a dying race," Daniel muttered producing a quick glance from Sam.
"I'm not getting any radiation readings," she countered, "That's a good sign, I guess."
Daniel moved in to get a shot with his video camera and Jack and Sam moved out of his way, each pushing off the altar near the recess at the same time. As they both shifted position, the humming crystal began to glow brightly and before Daniel or Teal'c could react, the two disappeared in a shimmering cascade of light.
TWO
"Oh, fer cryin' out loud!" Jack exclaimed as he spun around defensively. The bright light that had clouded his vision for an instant, faded revealing the temple room and the altar. Sam stood about two feet away looking just as confused as he felt. Conspicuously missing were Daniel, Teal'c and the odd crystal object. The recessed shelf was now empty and Jack and Sam were alone in the temple.
"What happened?" Sam asked blinking the blind spots out of her vision.
"What did you touch, Carter?"
"I didn't touch anything," she looked around quickly, "except the altar, and so did you."
Jack crouched down and scanned the surface of the altar. Just visible at the two opposing corners were very slight depressions in the marble-like material from which it had been carved.
"Over there," he directed Sam, "Touch that spot again and I'll touch this one. Let's see if we can bring them back."
"Bring who back?"
"Daniel and Teal'c, remember them?"
"I yes, sir, but I don't think they disappeared," countered Sam, "I think we did."
"Well then, let's bring ourselves back..."
"Look," Sam had stepped away from the altar and moved toward one of the eastward facing windows. She was checking her compass as she walked. "That's east," she told him pointing to the other temple visible across the deep valley.
"Teal'c, Daniel? Do you read me?" Jack got the picture. Somehow he and Sam had been transported across the valley to the other temple.
"Jack?" Daniel's voice reached them a second later over the radio. "Are you all right? Is Sam with you?"
"Affirmative on both counts, Daniel."
"Where are you?"
"Look out the window."
There was a brief pause and Jack pulled the mirror out of his compass case and flashed it in the sunlight. A few seconds later they could see an answering sparkle from the other temple.
"Incredible!" Daniel's voice crackled over the com. "So this crystal must be some sort of a transportation device! We'll be right over "
"Negative, Daniel. We've got a problem."
"What?"
"A problem."
"What?"
"A prob-lem."
"Jack! What's the problem?!"
"Oh, well. We don't have a crystal over here."
"Oh."
"Or a stargate for that matter."
"Oh."
"Or a door..."
"Ohhh."
"Yeah."
There was a long silence, no doubt while Daniel and Teal'c conferred and Sam and Jack regarded each other skeptically. Finally Teal'c's voice came over the com.
"O'Neill, we will contact General Hammond and procure a means to transport you back to this temple."
"What means would that be, Teal'c?"
"I do not know."
Jack nodded, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"We'll wait here for a while. Why don't you - get back to us?"
"We will, O'Neill. Are you otherwise unharmed?"
"Except for lack of air conditioning we're fine. Did I mention lack of air conditioning?"
"We'll get back ASAP, Jack," came Daniel's voice again, "I'm dialing now."
"Gotcha."
Sam sighed as she looked around the temple room. It did seem identical in every way except for the big empty space where the stargate sat in the other temple and the little empty space behind the altar where the strange crystal device should have been. She noticed a very slight indentation on the lower surface of the recess and ran her hand along it. Nothing happened except her fingers came away with a fine layer of crystalline dust.
"Hmm."
"Carter?"
"I think there's supposed to be a crystal here, maybe it was stolen or destroyed."
"Vandalism," Jack shook his head in mock indignation, "It's just everywhere these days."
"How exactly do you think they'll be able to get us out of here?" Sam asked.
"How exactly? I'm exactly stumped. It's not like they could send an ATV for us, there's no way out of the temple."
"I get the feeling we're in for a long walk."
"Yes, Major, a very long walk."
THREE
Sam was sitting on the sill of one of the window openings gazing down into the jungle below and trying to catch the faint breeze that wafted above the dense trees. Her hair was already plastered to her head and her T-shirt was damp with sweat. Jack sat on the floor near the window playing out the ropes from their packs and tying them together in preparation for their descent down the temple wall to the steep rocky slope that disappeared below the jungle canopy.
"I just saw a flash," Sam reported suddenly, "I bet it's the stargate."
Sure enough Daniel's voice reached them a few seconds later.
"Come in, Jack. Do you read me?"
"Right here, Daniel. What's the verdict?"
"Well, we can't transport you out. We can't fly anything out of the temple, we can't drive anything "
"Daniel, cut to the good news."
"The good news is... Teal'c estimates it will take you only about four days to cross the valley on foot."
"That's good news?" Sam rolled her eyes.
"Thanks, Daniel. Really, that's just great."
"If we come up with anything else, we'll let you know. Teal'c has offered to come over there using the crystal here, and walk with you."
"No need. Tell him we'll be fine. We're going to need him to help us up the side of the temple when we get there anyway, so tell him to stay put."
"Okay, Jack. Listen, we're going to set up shifts over here, so it may not be me or Teal'c but there will always be someone here in the temple until you get here. If you run into any trouble just call. If we have to, we'll send a team out to meet you if you need help."
"Roger that Daniel. We appreciate it. Keep in touch."
"Will do, Jack."
"Well?" Jack looked up at Sam. "You ready to go?"
Sam wiped sweat from her eyes and tried to look enthusiastic. "Yeah, sureyoubetcha!"
"Okay, Major. You want to go over the side first, or shall I?"
FOUR
When they reached the ground below the temple windows they were breathless from the exertion in the heavy air and slightly battered from contact with the jagged stone mortar of the wall. Apparently the temple had been constructed in such a way as to discourage just such a journey in or out.
Jack cut a long section of the rope and coiled it to take with them leaving the rest dangling above them. Now they were faced with the long descent across the barren, rocky slope that led to the jungle. Both suns were visible above, one nearer the horizon than the other, but the heat was still intense.
"Hot as it is," Sam commented as she braced herself for what would prove to be a bone-jarring descent, "We probably don't have to worry about sunburn. The ozone layer here must be amazing."
"Yeah, amazing," Jack echoed glumly as he started down the slope behind her.
"Jack, do you copy?" Daniel's voice crackled over the com several hours later as they sat on moss-covered rocks on the jungle floor. Sam was brushing futilely at the back of her dirt-encrusted pants, having slid down a good portion of the slope on her backside. Jack replaced the boot he'd been dumping pebbles out of before answering.
"Copy, Daniel. We're on the jungle floor. We have our heading and we'll see you in four days." He looked up at the distant canopy of leaves above which blocked most of the sunlight but only some of the heat. "We'll do a radio check, oh, let's say every four hours. Over."
"Roger, Jack. I'm going back to Earth again but Teal'c and SG-2 are here for now. I'll talk to you in four."
"Roger, Daniel. And have a nice day."
FIVE
"How long have we been here, Carter?" Jack asked shortly after their next radio check in with Teal'c. The jungle vista around them had changed little as they trudged through the dense underbrush. The tree trunks were huge and covered with moss or vines. The leaves of the low-growing plants were often five or six feet wide and held a multitude of unpleasantly large insects. The heat was oppressive.
"In the jungle or on the planet, sir?" Sam panted, struggling to keep moving. She was beginning to feel completely wrung out and hoped he was about to suggest they take a break.
"Planet."
"About 12 hours, sir."
"So it should be getting dark sometime soon?"
"No, sir."
"No, sir?"
"No, sir, two suns depending on the planet's rotation, it may never get dark."
"Great."
"Well, sir, if you think about it, it may be to our advantage. With a regular circadian cycle, there would probably be a lot of nocturnal predators, especially in a rich ecosystem like this one."
"Lions and tigers and bears, oh my."
Sam sighed. If he calls me Dorothy again, I swear I'll
"Hey, Carter?"
"Yes, sir?"
In response Jack let out a weary sigh, "Aw nuthin.'"
"Yes, sir."
"Cut it out already."
"What, sir?"
"That, 'sir'!"
"What?"
"The 'sir,' the 'colonel.' It's starting to really get on my nerves, you know."
She walked silently for a few minutes watching his back and trying to figure out if he had lost his mind completely or was just suffering from heat stroke.
"Sorry, sir."
"Aaaah!" He whirled around yelling and she stopped in her tracks. "That's it! I'm ordering you not to call me 'sir' or 'colonel' for the next four days."
"Oh-kay," she answered slowly. She squinted at him as sweat threatened to drip in her eyes. "How about a break then, Jack?"
"That's better. Sure, Carter, let's take a break."
"Are you feeling okay?"
"Oh yeah, great."
"What's wrong?"
"Aside from this place, nuthin.' I just - I'm sick of protocols. I'm sick of regulations. I'm tired of having to be who we are and what we are. We never talk to each other. Carter talks to O'Neill, the Major talks to the Colonel, but sometimes Sam and Jack used to talk. I miss that."
"Me too, but a lot has happened and "
"So what?"
"What?"
"So what? So a lot has happened. We're still friends, right? We're stuck here for four days with nothing to do but walk and talk. I'll jump into a ravine if I have to hear 'sir' or 'colonel' one more time. I can't spend four days with you 'yes sirring' me to death. I'll lose it."
"Okay. So. What? It's just us then? No protocols, no titles. It's Sam and Jack?"
"Sam and Jack. Just talk. Don't 'yes sir' me. Let's argue, let's debate, let's tell jokes, whatever oh no scientific mumbo jumbo either and no military niceties."
Sam smiled in spite of her physical discomfort and she raised one eyebrow reminding Jack of one of Teal'c's statements.
"Do you know what you're getting yourself into?"
Jack squinted back at her. "I think so."
"With all due respect, sir "
"Aaaahhh!"
"Okay, okay. Hmmm. This is going to be hard." She took out her canteen and gratefully sipped the tepid water.
This time Jack raised an eyebrow. "What? You mean you don't have anything to say? I'm stunned."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Just that I know you've got a lot of opinions. You always want to say something, but you don't because you can't."
"So what do you want me to say?"
"Anything you want. Let's just talk. This place is too quiet."
With that one of the giant birds that wheeled overhead let out a screech and Sam laughed. " Apparently he thinks so, too."
SIX
"I didn't say I thought you were wrong, I just think you weren't very diplomatic," Sam explained as they trudged on through the jungle. They'd spent the last hour after checking in with Teal'c looking for a relatively dry place to set up camp and get some sleep. It wouldn't be easy in the still golden green twilight but it was the best they could hope for. Now all they needed was a comfortable place to spread out their packs.
While they searched, their conversation turned to their most recent mission, during which Jack had had a bit of a run-in with a local chieftain in a primitive village. Fortunately Daniel had calmly explained that human custom did not permit an immediate exchange of weapons and persuaded the leader that while Jack was truly impressed with the foot-long ceremonial dagger he'd been given, he was not at liberty to turn over his gun, nor Teal'c his staff weapon in exchange.
Secretly Sam had felt Jack could have been a little calmer about the whole thing and he'd sensed her disapproval.
"Diplomacy isn't my specialty," he muttered.
"I know."
"You were supposed to disagree with me."
"You mean lie?"
"Hey, I can be very tactful when I want to be."
"I'd like to see that," she smirked.
"I'm very well liked in some diplomatic circles."
"Sure you are."
"The Asgard love me."
"The Asgard don't understand sarcasm."
"Neither do most humans."
"How about here?"
"What?"
"Set up camp here?" Sam blinked at him. She was exhausted.
"On this patch of squishy mud or that giant rotting log?" he asked earnestly.
"I was pointing to this patch of brownish fungus."
"Oh. That'll do fine. Good choice."
At least the sterno lit, so they had a small fire and a palatable dinner of beef stew and saltines. The high oxygen content in the atmosphere made the small fuel disk burn hot so it only lasted about 2/3 as long as it should have. The first smattering of raindrops helped put out the dying embers after they had finished their meal.
"Oh good. I needed a shower," Jack mused as the downpour began.
Sam closed her eyes and let the relatively cool rain wash over her flat hair, smudged face and tired, sweaty limbs. "It feels good."
After a few minutes though, the downpour intensified until they could barely see each other through the driving rain and the ground on which they sat began to liquefy.
"C'mon up here." Jack reached out to Sam and together they climbed up on the huge log and settled into a niche where a giant limb had been torn away. He pulled the rain ponchos from their packs and snapped them together creating a small, protected, if still damp, resting place.
"How are you doing?" he asked her after they'd listened to the driving rain for a while.
"Just great, sir Jack. I'm having a ball."
"Me too! We've got to do this more often, don't you think?"
SEVEN
Daniel's voice interrupted their fitful sleep at the next radio check-in. Jack roused himself and answered sleepily, faintly aware that it was no longer raining.
"Reading you, Daniel."
"How are you two?"
"Oh, damp. Muddy. It's cooled down a lot actually." Jack became aware that Sam was shivering next to him and it was much darker now. The golden light was gone and everything around them had a blue-green cast.
"Samuels has been doing some calculations," Daniel continued. "And as you might have guessed, we've got nightfall."
Jack glanced sidelong at Sam who was now fully awake. "Carter said that wouldn't happen."
"I said it might not," she corrected. "How long?"
"The alpha sun will set in about an hour and the beta sun won't rise again for another four. Then you should have daylight for ... about ... 75 hours."
"So it's about time for the nocturnal predators to get busy," Jack noted wryly.
"Comforting thought," Sam added.
"But there's some good news," Daniel went on cheerfully. "I've been working on the hieroglyphics and I think I've figured out the purpose of the temples."
"Oh! Tell us!" Jack grinned ruefully and Sam elbowed him slightly.
"Ow," he complained.
"This planet seems to be a retreat for philosophers and holy men. According to what I've deciphered so far there's a network of temples arrayed around the planet in sets of two. Those seeking enlightenment apparently arrive through the stargate and travel from temple to temple in sequence to study the sacred writings. On certain days the rays of the setting suns illuminate certain passages of glyphs leading the seekers on the path to perfect knowledge. You're actually probably lucky there was no crystal in that second temple. I'm guessing by this that if there had been, it would have lead you to another set of temples on a different part of the planet. You could spend months here cycling through all the 'chapters' of the sacred texts until you ended up back at the one temple that holds the stargate."
"Hmm," Jack had dosed a little. "Fascinating."
"So what you're saying, Daniel, is we still have to walk back?" Sam cut in.
"Well, yeah ... but can you imagine how much knowledge must be stored in the array of temples? If only we had that missing crystal."
"Good night, Daniel," said Jack.
"Good night, Daniel," said Sam.
"Well, I think it's interesting."
"You get to sleep in a bed tonight. We're sleeping in a rotting log," Jack countered.
"Well, I'm sorry about that but this time it wasn't me who touched something."
"Carter's sorry and I've forgiven her," Jack whispered. "Ow!"
"Jack, you okay?"
"Fine," Jack coughed. She'd elbowed him very hard this time.
"Sorry, sir."
"You're gonna' pay for that one, Carter. You know that don't you?"
"Oh, yes I do, sir. I do."
It was pitch black when they awoke next. Now they were both shivering.
"This is a change," Jack noted as he shifted against the soft bed of rotting wood beneath him.
"At least...we know it ... will warm up soon." Sam chattered as she stretched uncomfortably as well. It just seemed natural to cling together in the cold and they found themselves huddled in each other's arms, their breath warming their faces as the brief, pre-dawn chill attacked their damp bodies.
"Why don't we light another fire?" Jack suggested.
"We should conserve the sternos," answered Sam. "Sunrise is in 30 minutes. We'll make it. Then we'll warm up fast enough."
"I was thinking of you, you're freezing."
"I'm fine, just " she stopped herself.
"Just what?"
"I was going to say, hold me tighter."
"No problem. I was going to do that anyway."
EIGHT
"There once was a man from Nantucket-"
"That's enough, Jack!" Sam yelled as she struggled to pull her left boot out of the sucking mud and take another step. Their jungle trek was taking a meandering path around boggy expanses and wet sinkholes in the jungle floor. The suns had been up for six hours and there was actually steam rising in places from the sodden ground. Both Sam and Jack were covered in mud and a few unfortunate splotches from the giant Technicolor birds that roosted above them in such numbers that their cawing cries were almost deafening. The only good thing about the birds was that there were barely any insects left alive at ground level in this area of the jungle. The huge avians swooped down now and then, grabbing the few enormous bugs that happened to wander too close to the nesting site.
To keep their minds occupied after a meager protein bar and water breakfast, Jack had taken to reciting all the poetry he knew, which consisted mainly of the old Irish standby, the dirty limerick.
"Don't you know any Keats? cummings? Longfellow?" Sam complained.
"Who?"
"Oh, come on."
"I know that stuff. It's just not any fun. You remember fun, don't you, Carter? Hockey games, parades, tackle football, Naquadah reactors..."
"I happen to find intellectual challenges enjoyable," she defended.
"Now you sound like Teal'c."
"And Teal'c is interested in reactor technology."
"Teal'c would let me tell my limericks. I'd have to explain them, but ..."
"Oh, fer cryin' out loud!" Sam's exclamation stopped Jack in his tracks.
"You okay?"
"I walked out of my boot. This damn mud!"
"Here, let me help you," he offered his hand.
"I got it," she insisted.
"Come on, give me your hand."
Sam was knee deep in the mud now, one arm invisible in the boggy soil, fishing for her lost boot.
"No...I don't need...help just ugh." She toppled over as her other leg sank into the mud. With nothing to brace herself against, she could do nothing but flounder as she waded toward firmer ground.
Jack fought valiantly not to grin as he watched her. "Are you sure you don't need "
"I don't ... need ... help!"
"Okay, okay. Dorothy has teeth!"
"Oh, that does it. Right there that does it!" Sam yelled as she struggled on her stomach through the mud, her errant boot clutched in one hand. She pulled herself to her feet dropping the boot which splattered some of its contents onto Jack. "Do you have any idea how much I hate it when you call me that?"
"Not until now," Jack answered, wiping splattered mud from his face.
"Well, I hate it."
"Noted," Jack said solemnly. He knew he dared not laugh but he was thoroughly enjoying this.
"And another thing "
"O'Neill, do you read?"
"Hey, Teal'c!" Jack made a concentrated effort to tend to his radio leaving Sam to fume silently as she scooped mud out of her boot and put it back on her foot. It squelched loudly as she did so.
"If you wish," Teal'c was saying, "I will begin to walk out to meet you."
"No, Teal'c, really. You stay put. We're fine out here. I'd say we're about halfway there, so "
"Daniel Jackson is reading me the inscriptions from the temple walls," the Jaffa reported.
"That's nice," answered Jack with a shrug.
"Constantly."
Jack tactfully finished laughing before replying to Teal'c.
"I read you, Teal'c, but really. We're going to be dog tired when we get there and we're really going to need some help climbing up to the temple. You rest up."
There was a long silence.
"If you are certain you do not want my assistance."
"Poor Teal'c," Sam grinned, her ire forgotten.
"Certain, Teal'c. But I appreciate the offer. O'Neill out." He turned to Sam, "Okay, now what were you going to tell me off about?" He looked around and realized she was gone.
"Carter?" Jack scanned the surrounding bog nervously. "Carter?"
"Here! Over here!" her voice reached him from a distance and then he noticed her standing several yards away, her sweat-darkened khakis neatly camouflaged against the dense jungle foliage.
"Don't do that!" he admonished as he slogged over to where she stood. As he approached she pointed down a gentle slope that cut sharply into a ravine where a waterfall splashed cheerfully into a bubbling pool.
"A pond," she sighed wistfully.
"Aw, Carter, we're already behind schedule."
"If you don't stop calling me 'Carter' I'll start calling you 'Colonel' again," she warned.
"Point taken, Sam. No, we can't stop."
"We have to stop to eat anyway. Come on, Jack. I've got to get this mud off me. If it hardens I'll have to crack it off with a sledge hammer."
"Think of the wonders it's doing for your skin. Some women pay hundred of dollars for this treatment."
"Don't give me that 'Spa Day' speech again. You want to boost morale, let me take a bath."
He rolled his eyes. It was a long way down to the pool but it looked cool and inviting and since they needed to refill their canteens anyway...
"All right, let's go."
She was already halfway down the slope.
"I feel bad for them," Daniel lamented as he stared out one of the temple windows. He was trying to eyeball where Sam and Jack might be in the dense jungle below. Even though their position could be pinpointed by the scanners brought in by SG-2, the archeologist still tried to imagine which tree it was that rose above them and what hardships they were facing with little food and supplies and no respite from the relentless heat.
"They are more than halfway across the valley," Teal'c said reassuringly, "And they have both survived under much harsher conditions."
"I know, Teal'c, but never having been through boot camp, I can't imagine being covered in mud in this kind of heat for days on end. I've been on digs where the conditions were pretty bad but I never had to hike around carrying full survival gear in this kind of heat."
"They will endure."
"I know. I just feel bad."
"Oh, God, this feels good!" Sam exclaimed, to Jack's distraction. He was sitting on the muddy bank of the pool boiling water to make soup while she waded, waist deep, into the water, fully dressed save for her boots and her weapons. The pool wasn't more than three feet deep and the water was clear and cold. There seemed to be small fish darting in the shallows but nothing that looked dangerous or hungry, so after a quick recon Jack had allowed Sam her bath. He watched her while trying not to watch her as she trudged over to where the waterfall spilled over the rocks about ten feet above and let the cool shower wash over her. In a few minutes most of the mud was gone and her hair returned to its normal striking blond rather than the dingy brown it had become. When she emerged from the waterfall she was soaked to the skin but clean and she looked utterly refreshed.
"Looks like fun," he commented.
"Oh! I feel so much better. Come on, you know you want to," she taunted him.
"It's cold."
"Mmmm. Come on. You know you need it!" She grinned.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"You're getting moldy, Jack."
"Oh, okay permission to speak freely is hereby revoked, Major!" he shouted in mock indignation.
"Come over here and revoke it, Colonel!"
He hesitated only for an instant before splashing into the pool after her and racing her to the waterfall. He caught her and dragged her under the crystalline cascade with him, the cold water shocking them both into breathlessness. Under the waterfall they found a small, rocky niche full of purple lichen and tiny white flowers. They stood there for a moment entranced by the beauty of the spot and the soothing sound of the rushing water as it pounded the rocks a few feet beyond their protected hiding place.
"It's beautiful," Sam sighed. She caught her breath when Jack turned his suddenly serious gaze on her. Her damp hair hung in ringlets above her wide blue eyes and her skin sparkled with droplets of water. Entranced, Jack brushed his fingers gently against her cheek.
"So are you. I don't care whether or not it's appropriate to tell you that."
Sam bit her lower lip nervously. She wanted to say something but she knew if she met his gaze she wouldn't be able to look away.
"Sam..."
"Jack, we have to maintain "
"I know. I know. But it's not easy."
"What should we do about it?"
Jack shrugged, "Part of me says live for the moment, but I know if we do that that's all we'll ever have. I want more."
"You do?"
"Oh, yeah."
Sam tried not to smile too broadly. "Let's go make lunch."
"Lunch?"
She grinned before she ducked back through the waterfall.
"Spa Day includes lunch, you know."
Jack shook his head as he followed her, "Women. Give 'em romance and they want lunch."
NINE
At the next radio check in a concerned Daniel asked them how they were holding up and with a mischievous glance at Sam, Jack answered in his weariest voice.
"Oh... we're okay. After a while you get used to the heat ... the mud ... the leeches."
"Leeches!"
"Oh, yeah, BIG ones, with fangs and "
"Jack, don't put me on."
"No, really, and they fly and "
"Good night, Jack."
"Good night, Daniel."
"He's just concerned," Sam admonished fighting off the giggles.
"I know. I just can't help myself. Hey, Sam, you're glowing."
"What?" Sam turned around to face Jack and knew immediately what he meant. In the golden green sunlight their skin and clothes, their hair and their packs, had taken on a bright yellow cast. There seemed to be a fine yellow mist floating around them.
"Uh oh," Sam said before she started sneezing violently.
"What oh?" Jack looked up where Sam was pointing and realized they had wandered into a grove of the huge flowing trees. Giant orange blossoms hung above their heads, none smaller than an umbrella. The faint breeze that swayed the enormous blooms was dislodging a rain of pollen on them that would have sent Daniel into a coma.
"Don't breath it in," Sam warned, "Let's get out of here while we can still see."
"Right behind you." They hurried through the dazzling pollen fall stirring up the layer of golden dust that had already accumulated on the ground. Sneezing and coughing, their eyes watering, they stumbled through the swirling cloud until they finally reached the edge of the grove.
"Close your eyes," Jack ordered Sam and began brushing the sticky golden dust off of her face, hair and clothes. They both sneezed a few more times and in turn, she dusted the offending powder off of him as well.
"Can you believe that?" she coughed, "That would have killed Daniel."
"True, but he would have started sneezing a mile away."
"I'd hate to run into the bees that pollinate those flowers."
"Shh, they might hear you," Jack warned glancing about conspirationally. He couldn't help but smile as he reached up to brush the last of the clinging pollen from her hair. Despite the obvious drawbacks, the golden dust on her skin make her look almost ethereal. Without thinking he let his fingertips linger against her skin for a moment.
"Two more days of this and I'm going to go crazy."
"No, you won't. I won't let you. Come on, let's get as far away from this stuff as possible before we check in with Daniel. He's going to have an asthma attack just hearing about it."
She spun around and headed off into the foliage again and he followed, glad to leave the flower grove behind but reluctant to break the spell that seemed to carry them through the jungle.
TEN
"... and I thought 'ol George was gonna' blow a gasket. You ever notice how thick his Texas drawl gets when he's about to go ballistic?" - Jack, Day 3, early morning.
"...what went through your mind when you first went through the stargate and came out on Abydos?" Sam, day 3, mid-morning.
"Wow, I'm not dead."
"...Daniel was the biggest pain in the ass. But Lord knows he impressed Sha're." Jack, Day 3, late morning.
"Poor Daniel... poor Sha're."
"...I think Janet likes giving injections. Ever see that evil little gleam in her eye..." Jack, Day 3, mid-day.
"... and do you have to refer to quantum physics as 'girl talk?'" Sam, Day 3, early afternoon.
"... hockey is not just a game, it's a spiritual experience..." Jack, Day 3, mid-afternoon
"... ever though of teaching Teal'c to play hockey?" Sam, day 3, late afternoon
"I'd give my left arm to see Teal'c as a goalie. But golf, now that's Teal'c's game."
"Golf? When did Teal'c ever go golfing?"
"Uh...never mind."
"...so I say, 'then the horse says,' and Teal'c stops me and says, 'O'Neill, I was not aware that horses could talk.' It ruined the whole punch line. After that I rented some old Mr. Ed videos for him. It blew his mind." Jack, Day 3, early evening.
ELEVEN
Sam awoke to an uncomfortable crawling sensation on her leg. She lay still for a moment hoping whatever it was would go away. As she held her breath she became aware of Jack's rhythmic breathing. He lay next to her, facing away, sound asleep despite the still cloying heat and the shafts of sunlight piercing the makeshift tent of giant leaves and rain ponchos they'd made for themselves across two large, gnarled tree roots.
She felt it again. The distinct, prickly feeling of something with a lot of legs working its way inside her boot. She shifted slightly and looked down the length of her body, careful to keep her feet completely still.
"Oh, Holy Hannah," she whispered. The insect that sat on her left calf was probably twice the size of her fist. It had a bulbous carapace, like an overweight beetle, and was splotched with irregular orange and black spots. It seemed to be preening itself, running its long front legs over feathery antennae and preparing for the arduous task of digging out whatever juicy morsel it could find in her boot.
"Jack," she whispered urgently, "Wake up."
"Hmm?"
"We have company."
Jack rolled over instantly awake and let out a low whistle when he saw the creature.
"Don't move," he told Sam quietly.
She opened her mouth to reply but decided a snide comment would serve no purpose at the moment. "I could use some help," she said finally when it appeared that Jack seemed more interested in watching the bug than removing it.
"Oh, now you want help?"
"Just get it off me!" She couldn't help think of Teal'c's run-in with a giant insect and apparently that very incident occurred to Jack as well. He grabbed his sidearm and carefully extended the barrel towards the insect which seemed unaware of the movement.
"Are you going to shoot it?"
"No, I'm not going to shoot it." Carefully Jack pushed the barrel of the weapon under the insect's hind legs and in a swift movement flipped it up into the air. Sam pulled her legs under her and rolled out of the way as the bug, annoyed and startled now, spread an enormous set of wings from under its carapace and took flight. It hit the rain ponchos and let out an angry hiss, its wings beating ineffectually against the barrier. A second later the makeshift tent collapsed trapping them all underneath. While Sam and Jack scrambled to get out from under the plastic cloth, the insect hissed and flapped and hissed and flapped like an angry cat.
After a few tense moments, it finally found its way out from under the ponchos and flew at Sam's head, more out of disorientation than any organized desire to attack. She ducked and Jack swatted at the creature as it careened away into the foliage. When he looked around Sam lay in a heap on the ground, her shoulders heaving.
Jack rushed over and grabbed her arms, "Are you all right? Did it sting you?" he demanded, his heart racing in sudden fear.
"No, no, I'm fine," she took a deep, shuddering breath and he realized she was laughing. "I'd give anything to have that on tape! I bet it would win one of those TV video contests." She wiped sweat and tears from her eyes as she stood up, unwittingly leaning against him for a moment and his arms went around her instinctively. He managed a grin at the mental image of the two of them flailing around under the ponchos with the giant bug, but he couldn't help but recall Teal'c's near tragic experience after their visit to BP6Q31, and the image of Sam suffering as Teal'c had, dampened his spirit a little, but only long enough for him to realize Sam hadn't moved out of his embrace yet. She stood with him, her head resting on his chest and her arms comfortably circling his waist. They remained for a long moment listening to the cantankerous sounds of the jungle and breathing together, reveling in the closeness despite the relentless heat.
Finally Sam looked up at him, her eyes clear and searching.
"What you said before about wanting more than just the moment..."
"Oh. That was the waterfall talking."
She pinched him.
"Ow."
"Seriously, Jack."
"Yeah, seriously."
"What did you mean?"
"I mean more. I want you, Sam. Not just ah this is difficult. You realize I'm not a hearts and flowers kind of guy. I forget birthdays, anniversaries you have to hit me over the head to get me to notice things like a new haircut, a new pair of shoes. I'm a slob. I yell at the TV, I'm moody..."
"You're the one who leaves the wet towels all over the locker room floor. I know. I know you're not perfect "
"That wasn't really where I was goin' with this, and talk to Danny about the towels."
"I know it's you, Jack. Don't blame Daniel."
"Sam, let me finish here because, like I said, I'm not one for mushy declarations. You can do a whole lot better than me and you deserve the best of everything. I don't know if I can give you that, but even if I tried to, it can't be now while we're where we are. I would never want to jeopardize your career or your future, no matter how much I love you."
"You love me?"
"Didn't I mention that?"
"No."
"Well, I do. But I don't expect you to wait around for things to change for us. It might be a long time."
"I'll wait."
"You shouldn't."
"I will."
"You don't have to."
"I want to. I love you, Jack. And I want more, too."
"Ah, all brains and no common sense," he admonished as he tightened his arms around her. He kissed her forehead gently and then, to her utter surprise, slapped her rear end lightly. "Let's go, Major, we're running late."
TWELVE
"Well, Daniel, I'd call this a bit of a problem," Jack said wearily into his radio. It was just after mid-day their time, going on extended twilight for the planet. He and Sam had reached an impasse.
A river, invisible from the temple vantage point of Daniel, Teal'c, and SG-2, cut through the jungle. It wasn't terribly wide but the current was swift and the riverbed was rocky and full of rapids. At their current position there was no safe way across. They might have tried swimming and chancing the rapids, were it not for an interesting phenomenon they observed. Every few feet along the water's surface, there floated a bubble-like object consisting of a fist-sized clear membrane that seemed to encase a small, frog-like animal. Twice since arriving at the river's edge, they had seen the bubble-like objects collide with small, bright colored birds landing in the shallows near the opposite shore. The bubbles, when they came in contact with the birds, exploded violently spewing a clear, viscous gel over the startled animals. Within moments, what must have been a highly acidic digestive secretion of the froglike creatures, began to dissolve the birds' bodies rapidly, leaving them flailing in agony in the mud. The deadly amphibians then proceeded to eat the birds, jumping back into the rushing water and disappearing when they were finished, probably to later create another explosive bubble of acid to help digest their next meal. It was a gruesome spectacle that left Sam wincing in sympathy for the little birds. In light of this, the humans dared not take the chance that the substance secreted by the frogs would not have the same effect on them, should one of the bubbles accidentally touch their skin.
"I think our best option here is to change course, follow the river upstream a bit and see it we can find a way to cross it," Jack told Daniel over the com.
"Jack, SG-2 is due back here in 20 minutes. I can contact the SGC and see if there's anything they can do. Teal'c says you're about 10 hours away from us. A rescue team could reach you before it gets dark again."
"Negative, Daniel. You can apprise them of the situation but give us four hours. If we haven't found a way across by next radio check then we'll sit tight and wait for some help."
"Are you sure, Jack?"
"Roger, Daniel. We could add a whole day onto this fiasco if we sit here and wait without at least having a look around. We'll get back to you in four or sooner if we find a way across."
Sam brushed the dirt from her hands and stood up. "It's sort of reminds me of Frogger," she mused, still eyeing the deadly bubbles as they bobbed innocently along in the rushing white current.
"So that's how old you are," Jack quipped. He was trying to remain cheerful but the delay annoyed him. They'd been out here too long. He was exhausted and he could tell by the circles under Sam's eyes and the paleness of her skin that she was too. It was time to wrap it up and get the team home for a well-deserved rest. He wasn't happy about having to trudge upstream looking for a natural bridge that might not exist.
"You need to rest a minute?" he asked her wearily.
"Nah, I'm good for another five miles at least."
"Show off. Let's go."
They started off to the north hoping the river would narrow near its source or that perhaps one of the huge flowering trees had fallen over the ravine and would afford them a shortcut. After two hours Jack stopped walking. The heat was really taking its toll and he was starting to pant. Time to rest whether Sam needed it or not.
"I don't see as many of those bubbles," she told him as she plopped down next to him on the soft ground. They both drank from their canteens before she continued. "Maybe if we get upstream from where they originate, we can take a chance on crossing."
"The current is too fast. We're too worn out to fight it."
"There's got to be a way across. We can't wait for SG-2 to come build us a bridge."
"At this point, that's starting to sound better and better. But come on, let's keep looking for a little longer."
It was less than an hour later that they found it. Not the giant, sturdy fallen log they were hoping for, but a series of boulders jutting about four feet above the water. The acid bubbles still meandered by every few minutes, bouncing harmlessly against the rock faces. Although the tops of the boulders were damp and mossy, they were as flat as stepping-stones. A few well-orchestrated leaps would be able to get them across.
Jack eyeballed the whole setup skeptically for a few minutes. On a good day it would have been a piece of cake but tired as they were, weakened from the cut rations, constant sweating and lack of restful sleep, it would be chancy that they didn't lose their balance.
He regarded Sam thoughtfully. "Can you do this?"
"If it gets me to sleep in my own bed tonight, I'll carry one of those boulders home in my backpack."
"A simple yes will suffice. All right. They look slippery. I'll go first and test the footing. Don't follow until I tell you."
"Wait, shouldn't we call in so they can map our position in case "
"In case? Yeah, you're right."
Sam made the call, explaining quickly to Teal'c what they were about to do. "We'll check back as soon as we're across."
"I will stand by," Teal'c replied gravely.
"Here goes." Jack studied the first boulder. It was a good three feet away, not a tough jump normally, but under these conditions if he slipped he'd be assured at the very least a few broken bones and perhaps a nice patch of gut rot if one of the acid bubbles hit him.
"Be careful, Jack," Sam said quietly. He gave her a brief grin and leapt for the first rock, landing easily on its damp surface. There were four more to go.
"Okay," he called back. "This one's not too bad." Unfortunately there wasn't room on any of the boulders for both of them so he had to jump to the next one before Sam could start across. He made it to the second one without faltering and turned to watch as Sam jumped, willing her to make it. She did.
"Piece of cake," he mouthed to her before starting off again. Before long he was jumping from the last boulder to the slippery edge of the ravine on the far side. Sam made it to the last boulder and gave him a weary smile.
"Tell Teal'c we'll be home for dinner," she grinned before leaping toward the bank. She made it with only an inch to spare but an inch wasn't enough. The moss of the bank gave way under the pressure and Sam slipped off the muddy slope even as Jack reached out to catch her.
She dug her fingers into the soil and tried to get leverage with her feet but her boots only sliced away layers of mud from the eroding embankment below her. Jack threw himself flat on the soft ground and stretched his hand out trying to get a grip on her muddy, sweat-slicked arm. She slipped away from him a few more inches, getting closer to the water with each movement.
"Jack, I can't ... get a grip on anything!"
"Just lie still, don't move. I'll get the rope."
He fumbled hurriedly in his pack for the coil of rope he'd salvaged from their climb out of the temple and tossed the end toward her.
"Wrap it around your hand a few times and then I'll pull you up," he ordered. He braced himself so her weight wouldn't pull him along the slippery ground and dug his boots into the mud. He held on while Sam struggled to work her way along the rope.
After several agonizing moments Sam managed to scramble over the edge of the embankment landing in Jack's arms. They lay entwined together for a moment, breathing heavily, their eyes locked.
"You okay?" he panted finally, his lips close to hers.
"I've been better," she whispered.
"Me too," he agreed. Neither one of them moved for a long time. They just lay in the mud on the riverbank resting and staring into each other's eyes.
"While I'd otherwise think this was nice..." Jack said finally and Sam laughed nervously, remembering another desperate time when he'd uttered that line as they lay huddled together contemplating their fate. "Aw, what the hell."
He kissed her. Tentatively at first, almost as if he might be afraid of her reaction. Then with more urgency when he realized she was kissing back. A few minutes later they broke apart, breathless and dizzy.
"I guess this gives new meaning to the phrase, 'down and dirty,'" Sam quipped as she slowly sat up.
Jack grinned but his reply was cut off by Teal'c's voice coming over the radio.
"O'Neill, have you and Major Carter succeeded?"
"Oh, yes, Teal'c," Jack answered with a sigh, "We're on our way home."
"I will remain here until you arrive."
"See you soon, Teal'c, over." Jack paused then looked at Sam, "Well, Major, we're not home yet." He offered his hand to help her up and after a futile attempt at cleaning themselves up, they resumed their journey.
THIRTEEN
"Well make it before sunset," Sam told Daniel at their next check in. They had opted to rest for half an hour before walking the final few miles to the temple. Jack had started a fire with their last sterno and was making coffee while Sam unwrapped a couple of MRE candy bars, hoping the sugar high would give them enough energy to finish their trek before collapsing. She handed one to Jack and he took it gratefully.
"Cheers, Carter," he said as he handed her a steaming cup of coffee.
"Cheers," she replied as she took a sip, savoring the aroma more than the flavor of the bitter brew.
"Well," Jack went on as he looked around at the darkening jungle. It was almost nightfall again and everything around them had a deep, bluish tinge. Nearby, a swath of purple lichen began to glow with bioluminescence and the tiny white flowers that grew on it closed up into tight balls while they watched. "This was fun."
"Yeah," Sam sighed. "So is root canal with a good anesthetic."
"I'm wounded, Carter. I see this little excursion as a chance for you and I to spend some quality time together."
"Our next 'quality time' better include a bottle of wine and air conditioning."
"I'll make a note of that," Jack sipped his coffee. "Carter."
"Yes?"
"Sam."
"Yes?"
"Samantha."
"All present, Jack."
"Just trying them out. Samantha. I don't ever get to call you that. I like it."
"It's too formal for me. My father calls me Samantha when I'm in trouble."
"I'll remember that."
"Jonathan," she whispered.
"Oh no. That doesn't work at all."
"You're right. You're Jack."
"You're Sam. Carter. Major."
"Colonel. Sir."
"Back to reality in a few hours," he said quietly.
"Yeah."
"Regrets?"
"None. Well, yeah. One."
"What?" he glanced at her.
"Not getting that whole bug incident on tape," she giggled and he joined her.
"Well, Carter, we better get walking again."
"Yes, sir."
"Before we start that again, I have one more question."
"What, Jack?"
"Are you really sure you want to wait for this? For us?"
"I'm sure."
"You can think about it."
"Done that."
"So then your answer is yes?"
Sam glanced at him, "My answer? What was the question?"
"You want to be tied to a crusty, ornery old pain in the ass like me?"
"Is that a proposal?"
"If it was, what would you say?"
She laughed, "I'd say, I thought you said you weren't a hearts and flowers kind of guy. That was beautiful."
"Smart ass."
"I'd have to be to want a crusty, ornery old pain in the "
"Is that a yes?"
"Yes, it's a yes."
"Really?"
"Yes, yes, yes. What do you say to that, Jack?"
"I'd say I'm the luckiest man on the whole planet."
"Probably the oldest, too."
"Hey "
"I love you, you know."
"I love you, too, Sam."
"Let's go home, Colonel."
"I'm right behind you, Major."
END
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