haggard

Haggard on the Home Front

by Travelling One

email: travelling_one@yahoo.ca

website: http://www.travellingone.com/

Season: 7

Summary: These are missing scenes for Enemy Mine. As Daniel risks his life to negotiate with unpredictable Unas, Jack is forced to watch from the sidelines.

Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of MGM Global Holdings Inc, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Film Corp. I have written this story for entertainment purposes and no copyright infringement is intended. Any original characters, situations, and storylines are the property of the author.
Note: This story was written for the zine Stargate SG-1: Fragments, published by PyramidsPress and Stargatefan.com, May 2005.

Written December 2004

"He what?" O'Neill made no attempt to mask his anger, his body taut and stiff, succumbing to the frustrations of being replaced at command with his team dangerously at risk.

But Teal'c knew O'Neill had heard him the first time. He'd even anticipated this reaction, prepared for the emotions of a leader unable to carry out his command. Teal'c contemplated remaining silent, but was aware that silence over the MALP radio could be mistaken for incomprehension.

"Daniel Jackson has not yet returned from his meeting with the Unas," Teal'c calmly reworded his previous statement.

"I got that part, Teal'c. Why did you let him go alone? Why did Edwards let him go alone?" Jack snarled. "Put him on."

"Colonel Edwards is unavailable at present, O'Neill."

"No, he's not unavailable! He's avoiding me. He's the damn CO of this operation and he let Daniel go alone into a gang of primitive Unas? What's that, revenge?" Jack was fuming, and Hammond was preparing to intervene in the man's tirade. The general wasn't certain himself why in tarnation the archeologist had gone unescorted into the middle of nowhere on an unfriendly planet when the entire situation reeked of danger.

"Daniel Jackson insisted, O'Neill."

"Did he now. I don't care, Teal'c. Someone should be watching his back. We don't know that these Unas will accept Chaka as one of them! I would not have let him go alone!" Jack was glaring at the screen as though wishing Teal'c could see his anger. Of course Daniel would have asked to go alone, but there was no logical reason to have let him have his way this time. No sane reason except that maybe Edwards was afraid to risk his own men. Or the obvious fact that he preferred war to Daniel's attempts at peace. Daniel might trust Chaka, but the other creatures might very well prefer to attack before asking questions and Daniel's body would be the next to be pulled off a stake.

Jack turned to Hammond. "I have to go back, Sir."

"I'm afraid not, Jack. You're a liability in the field with that damaged arm."

"General, I can talk, and I can walk!"

"I'm sorry, Colonel."

"O'Neill. There is something else I think you must know."

Jack swung around. That sounded ominous. Teal'c had a definite gift for understatement. "What else?"

"Daniel Jackson took no weapons."

"What?" Jack's mounting fury turned livid. "He's unarmed? Completely? Zat?"

"No zatneukatel, O'Neill. Chaka objected to the carrying of any destructive devices."

"Damn it. He has his radio?"

"Indeed. However, as you are aware, the electromagnetic properties of this planet restrict the range of such equipment."

Jack turned to look beseechingly at Hammond. "Sir, you have to let me…"

"No, Jack. Trust Colonel Edwards to take care of this."

"The only one I trust to take care of this is Daniel, Sir, and he has no backup. One word - one word that's misunderstood, and he'll be ripped apart before he can even say Chaka."

"Teal'c," Hammond leaned into the microphone, "Keep us informed."

"I will, General Hammond." Teal'c nodded and was gone.

"General - "

"Colonel, you are not the only one on this base capable of looking out for your team. Teal'c will do all he can to protect Doctor Jackson, and -"

"How can he, when he doesn't even know where Daniel is?"

"Nor would you, Jack, if you were to go back now."

For a single moment Jack was silent, and that was exactly what the general had been counting on. He had made his point.

"When you, Major Carter, and Teal'c were fighting the replicators on Thor's ship," Hammond's words flowed slowly as he studied the colonel's face, "and Doctor Jackson was here recovering from his appendectomy, he told me that he wished he was out there with his team. I told him that's how I feel most of the time. Jack, you've been injured and you have to heal. You also have to trust the others to make the correct decisions." Hammond nodded to the CO of SG-1, and then turned to leave the control room. "Get some rest, son. I'll keep you apprised of any further communications."

Jack watched Hammond disappear up the stairs. Get some rest. Like hell he would. Could.

_____

Again he was pacing, this time around his temporary quarters on base. No way in hell was Jack going home, and he still couldn't see why a bit of tissue damage in his arm should keep him hostage on Earth. His mouth and brain were working just fine. By overseeing operations on P3X 403 he could at least order the teams to search for Daniel and keep a distant eye on the proceedings. If Daniel was still alive, that is.

Damn you, Daniel.

Yes, he trusted Daniel to deal with Chaka. Yes, he trusted Daniel to work things out. No, he didn't trust unpredictable animals that ate humans as snacks and strung them from poles as warnings. What made Edwards' teams so sure that Daniel would not serve as another signal to stay away? And why was Daniel allowed to go without backup? Damn you, Edwards.

No, he couldn't rest. And there had been no further word from Hammond, meaning that Teal'c was still due to call in at any time. Jack would be ready and waiting when the call came in.

Heading to the control room at a pace energized enough to release a justifiable amount of anger, he pulled up to a room empty save for a single technician. Bryers, on night duty.

"No word from P3X 403?" Jack's eyes blazed as though the silence was Bryer's fault.

"Uh, no sir."

Jack sat down to wait.

_____

Sounds of the gate activating sent a jolt of adrenaline straight into his heart. Disturbed from his daydream, Jack had been half-dozing in the swivel chair. Immediately Hammond was at his side, the general obviously having been doing some waiting of his own up in his office above. Jack was suddenly wide-awake and alert.

"It's SG-1's IDC sir."

"Open the iris."

Within moments the face of Teal'c appeared as a distorted image on the monitor. "General Hammond."

"Here, Teal'c," Jack interrupted the general's response. "What's going on?" He could see the black sky of a dark night behind his teammate. How many hours had it been?

"I am checking in as requested, O'Neill."

"Is Daniel back?"

"He is not."

The response stung. Words and thoughts that began to invade O'Neill's mind were unfit for utterance. In the blackness of an alien night, no one could send out a search party. And that meant that Daniel, no matter where he was or what was happening to him, would have to spend the night in the hands of potential enemies. At the very least, the man would be awake through the long chilly hours, trying to keep his thoughts alert and focussed enough to communicate with aggressive aliens in a language he could barely speak or understand. "Have you heard from him?" Jack inquired with feigned repose.

"We have not."

"Go after him." If anyone could track Daniel in the dark, it was Teal'c.

"When the sky is once again light, I will endeavor to do so, O'Neill. You have my word." Jack could tell that Teal'c was not completely able to disguise his own reservations and misgivings.

All Jack could do was nod.

_____

"Sir, please." The waiting was killing him.

Hammond was used to dealing with his officers, although none were quite as adamant and determined as Colonel O'Neill, nor as bold in the face of authority and superior command. All of SG-1 seemed to have the same trait, he realized. "For the last time, Colonel, I will not authorize you to go to P3X 403 until Dr. Frasier deems you fit to travel offworld. Not another word, Jack." And with that, Hammond looked away. His façade of strength was not long to be tested, however, for at that very moment the stargate again came to life.

"It's SG-1's IDC, sir."

"Open the iris." The order was automatic but still needed to be given.

"Teal'c?" Hammond spoke up quickly. "Report."

"Daniel Jackson has returned…" the release of breaths in the control room was audible. "And he is once again requesting to return to the Unas."

"Put him on." Hammond looked up as General Vidrine walked into the room, an air of haughtiness trailing him. Jack moved to give the officer fair space at the controls. "Doctor Jackson," Hammond's simple greeting seemed tinged with relief.

"Dr. Jackson." Vidrine began to speak the moment Daniel's face appeared onscreen. "How many of them are there?"

"We saw a medium sized clan; I can't be sure. Why?" To Jack, the archeologist already looked drained, distraught. The man had clearly been up all night, knowing the stakes. He knew how many individuals were counting on him, and not solely those of Earth.

"We need to know if we're going to relocate them."

"They'll never accept relocation, Sir. They won't understand it." Jack could sense Daniel's frustrations and tension. The man was a diplomat, would never say outright to this General what was really on his mind. But he certainly can grovel when he has to, Jack recalled fondly. And that skill had come in handy more than once.

"Then it's your job to make them understand. If you don't we'll have to go in there with tranquilizers and capture them."

Sitting inconspicuously off to the side, Jack looked up sharply at the order… or was it a threat? The task Vidrine was dropping on Daniel was monumental, not to mention dangerous. One man, in the middle of an unhappy and unwilling group of Unas, their existence and homeland being threatened by strangers. Jack opened his mouth to protest, when Daniel's words silenced him.

"They're not animals. Look, I'm pretty sure Chaka and I can accomplish something. Just, let me go talk to them again."

Not alone, Daniel….and not unarmed. Jack moved to intervene.

"You have twenty-four hours to convince the Unas to come peacefully or they'll be forcibly removed." The words had left the lips of General Hammond this time. Daniel's hands were tied; Jack realized his teammate had no choice.

_____

More waiting. At least Daniel had returned to the camp unharmed after his initial - and seemingly successful - contact. That was something. But he had not yet attempted the dauntingly unsavory task of telling the creatures that humans were moving into their territory to dig up a sacred site, and were determined to force them out. Even humans would go to war with each other over such an outrageous demand. If Jackson couldn't convince the Unas to give up their land - and this was the least that Vidrine and the Pentagon were willing to accept - then there could very well be an all-out war, and the Unas would undoubtedly come out victorious. And Jack was well aware that the first casualty would be Daniel.

"I would not want to be in Doctor Jackson's shoes right now," Hammond confided out loud, voicing Jack's very own thoughts. Realizing the nervous effect his words had on the colonel, he hastily amended his comment by adding, "That boy has nerves of steel and a good head on his shoulders. He is the best man for this job."

Nodding, Jack agreed glumly. "Yes Sir. He is."

_____

Again the unexpected check-in startled them. Both O'Neill and Hammond ran down the stairs from the briefing room, where they had been in discussion with Vidrine, to the control room. Hopefully, this was good news.

"General Hammond. There has been an unfortunate incident." As emotionless as he sometimes appeared, Teal'c could get to the point when he needed to, by beating around the bush.

For a single moment, Jack O'Neill went pale. Expecting to hear that Daniel had been attacked and was no longer alive - leave it to Teal'c to misrepresent a news flash - his fingers tightly gripped the back of a chair while he waited to hear more.

"An Unas has been fatally wounded in a misunderstanding. It appears that the Unas are now preparing to attack. Daniel Jackson cautions that there are a great many more tribes than were first anticipated."

"Teal'c? What's the situation?" Even the normally placid features of General Hammond seemed to be showing signs of strain. Putting men at risk in a war provoked by his own people had not been his intention; he would have conisdered backing out of this completely if not for the dragons breathing down his back.

"Colonel Edwards wishes to engage the Unas in battle, General Hammond."

"Daniel?" Jack breathed. "Where is he?"

"Daniel Jackson is presently attempting to advise Colonel Edwards that entering into battle will be an unwise course of action. I believe that time is short, O'Neill." Loud, angry noises in the near distance indicated that Teal'c was right.

"They'll be in an awkward position to get all those men back through the gate if the Unas decide to attack," Hammond stated for the benefit of Vidrine. "I suggest we recall all our men immediately."

"For the time being, we seem to have no other choice," Vidrine slowly agreed.

"I will I inform them, General Hammond." Teal'c bowed his head and shut down transmission.

_____

That was the last contact from the site.

It had been several hours, and no teams had yet returned. An attempt to open the gate and gather news from the MALP had revealed only silence. No movement was apparent and no one was responding to radio transmissions. Teal'c had made no further contact with the SGC, and nerves in the control room were ready to detonate. Even Carter had left her enormous task of overhauling the gate's diagnostic system to take up residence by O'Neill's agitated pacing side.

Through more long hours of restless and impatient waiting, Jack could not cap his growing resentment and anger. This was a situation that had been started by his side; they'd invaded a peaceful world and stuck Daniel in the middle, wanting miracles. Even though peaceful negotiation had been Daniel's idea, he knew the man had done it to avoid an all-out war. Daniel was taken for granted far too often by all of them; there would come a time when even his skills would reach their limit. And the hours passed, convincing Jack that such a time had finally arrived.

They would give it two more hours, and then try to ascertain if the war had happened too soon.

_____

Relief finally came with the news that Daniel had done it once again, defusing an unstable situation and reaching a mutually beneficial compromise. Yet nerves did not totally relax until Daniel and the SG teams were safely through the wormhole and home, ready to be welcomed by the friendly faces of colleagues. From the sidelines, Jack had stared mutely at the disembarking teams, watching as the noisy crowd headed to the showers.

Now he stood outside the door of his teammate's office and workroom, deciding which gut reaction to go with first; that of utter disbelief at the stupidity of heading alone and unarmed into the middle of a gang of man-eating alien creatures, or the fascination and pride of knowing that his teammate could actually pull off a treaty with a tribe of aggressive Unas. His decision was clear; it revealed itself in pure and total silence.

Daniel looked up from his report. "Jack?"

"Daniel."

"Come in…"

Jack slowly sauntered into the room, looking at everything but Daniel.

By now Daniel knew Jack's moods. This was his 'not sure what to yell at you about first' demeanor. Daniel decided to make it easy on his CO and break the ice, get this over with. "Yes, I know. I'm a pain in the ass. Edwards told me."

Jack's gaze shot towards his friend, locking on Daniel's face. Familiar words; he'd said that, to Edwards before the mission. Damn you, Edwards. That was not meant to be repeated. Never did know when to stop shooting your mouth off and be a little tactful. "Hey, don't I keep telling you that myself?"

Daniel attempted to stifle a smirk. "But you've never told me I'm worth it."

"Well I - " Jack halted abruptly. "What?"

Daniel's expression changed, growing darker, more serious. Maybe that sentiment had been added by Edwards himself as a direct result of this mission, and not by Jack? "Not your words?" he asked hesitantly, feeling his face heat up.

Damn that Edwards. "Well,…" Ambushed, by his best friend. Jack had to grin. "No, not my words, Daniel. Thought I'd said well worth it, if you want to be exact. If you're going to quote me, then get it right."

Hearing his teammate chuckle sounded like a blessing right at that moment. Too many moments, hours, of praying that Daniel would return home alive and well, with no teeth marks and all his limbs intact, made hearing him laugh worth the compliment.

"Thanks, Jack." And well worth the grateful look in his best friend's eyes. Very well worth it, indeed.

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