Sudden Impact
by dinkydow
"Pull up Teal'c! Teal'c, pull up!"
He isn't pulling up. Crap! That was one BIG honking explosion, and we just busted right through the middle of it. Better give my team a heads up on this one.
"Mayday, mayday. We are so going in." Now, that's the understatement of the year. Yep, good old Jack is going to turn into a bug splat on the canopy of this damn glider.
In the background I vaguely hear a voice answering my frantic radio warning, but I'm just too busy getting ready for the splat to really pay any attention to what they said. I just hope SOMEONE heard me. My pucker factor just went to 99.9, and I swear I can feel my skivvies being sucked right up my ass! Where's a landing field when you need one? At least we won't hit any damn trees.
"Oh God, Teal'c, we're coming in way too fast! Pull up! For God's sakes, pull up!" Oh shit, oh shit, oh shi...
***
I can see gray blobs now, so I guess I'm not dead. Well, what do you know, Jack, you cheated the grim reaper again. Must be the luck of the Irish! I wonder how long I've been out. Let me do the math. It can't have been for long, I hope. Huh? I can hear someone talking, but I can barely make out the words.
"O'Neill, Are you well?"
I still can't think straight. Am I alright? Umm, let's see, legs are a little sore, but they move. Arms, ditto. I try to nod my head.
"Ow!" Now that hurt! Aww, for crying out loud! Another nail in my head. Must have hit it on something. Got to stop doing that. Still, it's better than doing the bug splat thing.
Got to get out of this glider. Need to get off this planet before it goes BOOM. Did I mention the nail in my head? It's still there, and I can feel something wet running into my eye. I put my hand to my eye, and it comes away sticky and red. Crap. Yep, definitely a nail in my head with a hole to match. Where is that damn aspirin? I could use it right about now.
"Are you in need of assistance, O'Neill?"
Naw, I can handle it. I move my head around to look at Teal'c. Ooh, that was a mistake, make that two nails in my head... stomach isn't feeling too great either. Let's see, nail in my head, blood in my eye, want to puke, trouble concentrating. Hmmm, put that all together and what do you got? Can you say concussion? I knew you could. Great, ole Doc Fraiser is going to love this. On second thought, maybe a little help from the big guy wouldn't hurt.
"Yeah, that would be nice." I give him my best tough guy smile.
Well, that didn't hurt... much. Wonder if they stock aspirin in these gliders? Note to self: send out a memo about that. Betcha Doc Fraiser would agree to it. Her supply has got to be running low. Oh yeah, she probably buys in bulk. Probably gets them from the same place she gets those big needles of hers.
"O'Neill, Your eye is bleeding. I believe you are in need of my aid."
"Well, come to think of it, your help would be nice," I reply with a faint smile. "But first, would you please just get me the hell out of this death trap!"
Oooh, yelling is not a good thing to do. Those guys pounding the nails in my head are working overtime now.
"Allow me to assist you, O'Neill" prompts Teal'c.
OK, sit, up, bend your knees, and climb on out of this thing. Easy, done it a million times. Oooh, still a little dizzy there. Definitely got a good knock on the head. I should know all the signs by now. That power monger in charge of the infirmary will want to keep me there for at least a week. Guess I'll just have to let Teal'c get me out of here. After all, I'd do it for him, right?
Once I'm out of the glider and on my feet, I take a look around. Nothing but sand for miles. No sign of that Goa'uld bomber we shot down, or Tanith, that slimy snake head, for that matter.
Teal'c has found the med kit and is helping me wipe the blood off my face. It stings, but being the macho guy that I am, I take it. He puts a butterfly strip on it and stands back to view his work.
"Still got my good looks?" I ask with a smirk.
Teal'c merely raises an eyebrow and states, "Indeed."
"So, Teal'c, just how long do we have on this god-forsaken hunk of sand before it blows up?" I figure I might as well get all the good news all at once.
"According to my calculations, we have approximately 50 minutes before the sun explodes. It would be wise to find the rings as quickly as possible. It is likely that we will also find Tanith there," Teal's somberly states. With that he turns and starts walking around the glider.
Yep, he's definitely still on that Jaffa revenge thing with Tanith. Now don't get me wrong, if it were up to me, that slimy snake-assed son of a bitch would have been dead a long time ago. But, right now, we have to concentrate on getting out of here before we all get blown to hell and back. Wait a minute, we blew up hell, didn't we?
Yep, still not able to focus very well, can you, Jack. Well, you need to get your shit together and figure out how to get out of this one. Concentrate, dammit!
But first, where is that aspirin I packed? Yep, right there next to the extra ammo clips. I dry swallow a couple and grimace. I pick up my P-90, load up some extra clips and climb up the nearest sand dune.
When I'm at the top, I turn back to look at Teal'c, surprised that he isn't already at my side. I spot him climbing off the glider with his staff weapon.
"The propulsion system and communication array have been damaged beyond repair," he reports when he reaches my side.
I take another look around me and grimace, "Ah, that's good, because, according to my calculations, we are roughly in the middle of... nowhere. Give or take."
"The cruiser was on its way to pick up Tanith. Therefore we cannot be far from the Tok'ra base. If we can make it there, Major Carter and Daniel Jackson can ring us aboard the mothership," Teal'c advises as he gives me one of his emotionless stares.
"You're assuming they're assuming we're alive, and they're coming back for us, of course." Did I just say that, and did it make any sense? Not that I'm a pessimist, understand, I just know from experience about Murphy's law and how it affects ANYTHING connected to my team.
Teal'c turns to me and asks, "Care to make a wager, O'Neill?'
"On which part?" I reply. Damn, Teal'c gambling? I guess I'm training the big guy well!
Teal'c turns and walks away before saying, "I believe it is this way."
I move out and announce, "This is so the last time I help someone move!"
Crap! Not only do I have to worry about the paint getting scratched, now I have to wonder if that mothership is even around. I wonder if Hammond got any insurance on that thing. I can see the claim now, Mothership damaged beyond repair due to being in path of exploding sun. The insurance investigators would have a cow No wait, the Joint Chiefs will have a cow.
My headache is back; so much for that aspirin. Those rings can't be that far; at least I hope not. We don't exactly have all day to find them. Course, when we DO find them, Teal'c won't want to leave without killing Tanith first. And if that snake head isn't there... Crap! This was suppose to be so easy, yep, a piece of cake. Just help the Tok'ra move, Jack.
"Ah, this is a bad idea. I said that, remember? Remember I said, General, this is a bad idea," I grumble around my headache. Don't those guys with the nails ever take a break? My head is pounding in time with my pulse and feels like it's going to explode.
"I remember, O'Neill," replies Teal'c. Yeah, he's still not saying a whole lot. At least he doesn't seem to be hurt. Junior takes care of him pretty well.
"Yep, that's what I said," I repeat. Wow, ain't I the talker? At this rate I'll have dibs on Daniel's job as diplomat to the stars, aliens, er... whatever.
Teal'c speaks, startling me out of my dark thoughts. "How much time remains before the sun explodes, O'Neill?"
"Huh? Oh, 45 minutes," I reply after looking at my watch.
"Then, at least we have prevented Tanith from escaping."
"I sigh and reply, "Yes, at least we have that."
Yep, still definitely got his mind on wasting that slimy snake head.
I look around; we've got to be getting close to those rings. We don't have any more time to waste if we're going to make it out of this one in relatively one piece.
"O'Neill, have you located the rings?"
Yep, Teal'c is getting a little nervous now, too. That's not a good sign, is it?
"Yeah, should be around here somewhere."
"Indeed, the rings are centered here," Teal'c points.
I look around and spout the million dollar question, "So, now what?"
As if my remark was a signal, Jaffa spring up all around us. They must have been waiting for us! I hear a staff blast and whirl around, only to catch Teal'c as he falls to the ground. Oh God, the staff blast caught him right in the back! With the combined momentum of the blast and Teal'c falling against me, I can't hold him up. I try to lessen the force of his fall by bracing his body with one shoulder, lowering him to the ground The stench of burnt flesh fills my nostrils, sickening me. I raise my P-90 with my free arm while giving him one last quick look. He hasn't moved or made a sound, just lies there on his stomach.
Everything's happening too fast.
I sprint for cover behind the nearest dune. Taking aim, I fire at the nearest Jaffa. Got him. Take that you son of a bitch!
My adrenalin has kicked in now, and time seems to have slowed. I scan for my next target. I sight another Jaffa and take aim.
Suddenly I feel that all too familiar electrical shock and sizzle that indicate I've been hit by a zat blast. The muscles of my body threaten to convulse, out of control. Not now! Arrgh!
Damn, I can't quit now, have got to help Teal'c, I think as I crumple to the sand. I attempt to turn my collapse into an awkward roll and make it onto my knees. I bring up my P-90 and start shooting at my next targets. Good, got another one!
Teal'c, where are you? Got to get you out of here. Can't think very clearly now. Those damn zats will do it to ya every time. Regular brain scramblers.
I struggle to my feet just in time to see Tanith bathed in the light that means rings are on their way. I can see Teal'c lying at his feet. Can't let him get away, can't let him take Teal'c!
I fire a burst in their direction, but the rings have already taken them. The bullets just bounce off. I'm too late.
Damn those snake heads all to hell! You should have seen it coming. But no, Mr. Special Ops expert, you let your guard down, and look who pays. Teal'c.
God, I let you down, Teal'c!
I realize I'm back lying on the ground half on my side. When did that happen? My gaze is still riveted to the spot where I last saw my friend. I feel awful, my headache's back, but worst of all I have this empty cavity in my gut that threatens to swallow me whole if I let it.
Tanith must be planning to present Teal'c to Apophis on his ship. That damn snake head who just won't stay dead has wanted to get his slimy hands on Teal'c for quite some time. So, even if Teal'c is dead, he won't stay that way, not with a sarcophagus around. I might not be a rocket scientist, like Carter, but even I know that the only thing worse that a Jaffa with a revenge thing, is an over-dressed Snake Head with a revenge thing.
I roll onto my hands and knees and then struggle to my feet, hoping I will see something to tell me this whole sorry mess will turn out OK.
"Jack, come in. Jack, come in," the radio sputters.
That's Daniel, I guess they didn't leave or get blown out of the sky after all.
"Yeah, I'm here." Yeah, just me. "Hey, thanks for checking in." I can't tell him. I just can't do it, not yet. Maybe if I don't say it out loud, it won't be true. I'll wake up to find that this will all be just one honking big mother of all nightmares, and Teal'c will be kel-no-reeming his heart out back in his quarters at SGC.
Daniel breaks into my reverie, "Yeah, we had a little trouble avoiding Apophis' fleet. Are you in position to be ringed up?" he asks.
Dejectedly, I take one last look around. Nope, still no Teal'c in sight. It isn't a dream. Crap.
"Yeah, I guess," I mumble.
"Jack, if you're not in position..."
Might as well blow this joint before it blows me and everyone else up with it. Can't put it off any longer. Damn.
"Daniel, just get me the hell out of here, will ya?" I mutter as I let the rings and the light take me.
The End
Orginal Header Information:
Title: "Sudden Impact"
Author: dinkydow
Email: jd3031@socket.net
Category: Missing Scene, Drama, Angst
Rating:
Season: Four
Spoilers: Exodus
Summary: Takes place between crashing the glider and returning to the mothership in "Exodus." This is all from Jack's POV.
Warnings: Some language, minor Jack whumping, after all, they do crash.
Author's Note: This is my first try at writing fan fiction for SG1. I would like to thank my husband, Jerry, for giving me some good military info and his love. Thanks also go out to my daughters, Faydra and Amber for putting up with me when I'm writing. I also want to thank my beta, Jill, who was willing to look it over and give suggestions to make it "better." Comtrya! ;-) Yes, I would like feed back.
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, Gekko Productions, everyone but me. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement intended. The story is the property of the author and may not be posted without the author's consent.
