Sergeant Harriman's voice was barely loud enough to be heard over the shrieking of the klaxons. "Sir, we're getting a radio signal from SG-1."

"Thank you, Sergeant," Hammond said as he paused in his headlong charge, noting that the Stargate's iris was still closed and locked down tight. Leaning down he keyed the microphone. "This is Hammond. SG-1 come in."

The voice he heard nearly made his heart stop. Teal'c was never the one who called home.

"General Hammond, I require additional assistance in the form of men and equipment."

Hammond's eyes narrowed and for a brief second he caught the Sergeant's confused gaze. "Teal'c, what's going on?"

"The remainder of SG-1 is missing. I require additional back-up to search the city more thoroughly."

"Missing?" One thing was certain; the Jaffa had a hell of a knack for understatement. "What happened?"

"I am uncertain as to the specifics of the events that led to their disappearance. I was conducting a final perimeter survey as per O'Neill's orders when I received O'Neill's message that Daniel Jackson was missing and that he and Captain Carter were proceeding to Daniel Jackson's last known position to investigate. When I finally reached the outskirts of the once inhabited area, Captain Carter reported that Daniel Jackson had accidentally encountered a trap. When I arrived, they had vanished."

"There was a trap?"

"According to Captain Carter, yes."

"Teal'c, I think it would be better if you came home now and we can send out additional teams once they've been properly debriefed. Why don't you—"

"I plan on continuing the search while the teams assemble. When should I expect them to arrive?"

"Teal'c—" Hammond began, but was cut off by the Jaffa's dark voice.

"General Hammond, I will not leave my friends and teammates to die on this planet if it is within my ability to find and rescue them. I also have a blood sample that needs to be analyzed by Doctor Frasier. I am sending the iris code. If you will open the iris I will send it back with the MALP."

"Whose blood?"

"Of that, I am uncertain. I require Doctor Frasier to make that determination. Are you prepared to receive the MALP?"

Hammond knew the Jaffa was not going to budge. Who was he kidding? Teal'c still responded best to orders issued by O'Neill.

Harriman looked up, a half-smile on his face as if he knew the very thoughts running through Hammond's mind. "I have SG-1's iris code now, Sir."

Hammond sighed, nodding once, decisively. "Open the iris, Sergeant."

"Yes, Sir," Harriman nodded as he keyed in the code to open the barrier. The sound of metal on metal echoed throughout the Gate room as the blue of the open event horizon shimmered before them.

"Teal'c, the iris is open and we are awaiting the MALP," Hammond said, his voice transmitting through the wormhole.

"Very well, General Hammond. I shall endeavor to remain in radio range until the search parties come through."

"The MALP is in route," Harriman said quietly and the General nodded, acknowledging the report.

"The first team will be through within the hour."

Hammond could picture Teal'c's physical response in his mind, the tall Jaffa's head tipping downward in a gesture of respect and thanks.

"Hammond out."

Pursing his lips, he paused, waiting as the MALP lumbered down the ramp, the Stargate shutting down with a snap-hiss.

"Sergeant, have SG-3 report to the briefing room immediately. I have to tell them what little information I have before I send them out. And make sure the sample Teal'c sent gets down to Doctor Frasier."

"Yes, Sir," Harriman said, his hand already reaching for the microphone to order the team to report in.

Hammond sighed. It was going to be one of those days.

Sam Carter woke with a start.

It was dark, darker than it should have been given the fact that her last memory involved bright sunshine and light breezes.

Her trembling arms barely held when she pushed against the cold, smooth floor and slowly rolled her body into a sitting position. Her head spun, bright lights flickering in her mind, as her body tried to compensate for her movements.

It took a few seconds for the room and her stomach to settle and her narrowed eyes to adjust to the dim illumination. The black, spartan, cavernous room surged out before her, its edges lost in the darkness. A few feet from where she sat stood a single raised platform, only about six inches or so in height, stark in the darkness, a solitary light shining down from above.

As she gazed around, trying to take in as much detail as possible, her eyes caught a glimpse of fabric, a pile of drab green cloth and she instinctively began to move toward it, crawling slowly, her muscles aching, her head pounding.

She was unarmed, she vaguely realized as her scattered thoughts slowly coalesced in her mind. Her weapons were gone in the blink of an eye along with her backpack and its entire store of contents. Just one aspirin would do wonders right now. But that was something she could think about later. Right now, the pile of cloth wasn't moving.

Inch by inch she crawled, the spots growing before her, forcing her to rest every few feet. That energy wave—whatever it was—packed quite a wallop.

Her hands reached out before her, finally touching the warmth of flesh and skin. Sliding closer, she rolled the body over onto its back, Daniel's unconscious form pliable.

Moving again, Sam stretched out her shaking hand until her fingers grazed his neck searching out the telltale sign of life, the thump-thumping of his pulse.

The fluttering beneath her fingers only meant one thing: he was alive.

"Daniel?" she said, her voice barely a whisper. She gently shook him once, her cry nearly lost to the darkness. "Daniel?"

The silence, however, was deep.

Glancing up from Daniel's unmoving form, Sam's gaze came to rest on another body several yards away at the edge of the halo of light, nearly hidden in the darkness. Its head was turned away, the dark red patch amidst salt-and-pepper strands making her stomach lurch.

She remembered the sound, that sickening thud as moving bodies had hit that stone wall.

Bodies in motion…

She shook her head, trying to clear it, to rid herself of the memory and the sound, but only managed to increase the pounding from within.

Aspirin would be lovely right about now.

Scrambling around the archeologist, her trembling arms barely held her upright, her booted feet squeaking on the floor. She inched closer to her commanding officer.

The bloody gash was no better close up.

She was pleased when the light touch of her fingers on the artery at the side of his neck found a strong pulse. The breath she'd been holding came out in a rush.

Thank God.

Unconsciousness was something she could deal with. Death was not an option.

"Sir?" she called, her hand on O'Neill's shoulder, shaking him gently. His color was off, but it appeared as if the wound on the back of his head had stopped bleeding. If only she had a cloth and some water to clean it.

She sighed and chuckled humorlessly. Add it to the wish list.

The rustle of fabric and a groan whipped her head around, the nauseous feeling returning momentarily with her sudden movement, but vanishing as quickly as it came.

Daniel was waking, his hands pressed against his head, the palms grinding into his eyes, his spectacles held between two trembling fingers.

"Daniel?" she called out, her voice nearly drowning in the expanse. She was reluctant to leave her commanding officer's side. The first rule of first aid was vigilance against a condition that could worsen without warning. But Daniel was coming around in a seemingly befuddled awareness.

After sending a brief but apologetic glance to O'Neill, she slid to the archeologist, her arms steadier now. Sam touched him gently, trying not to startle him.

"Daniel?"

A groan was her only reply.

She squeezed his shoulder, trying with her touch and her words to help him past the initial confusion and pain that she'd experienced. "Take it easy."

But even with her reassurances, Sam could feel the tension grow beneath her hand.

"Sam?" His voice was hesitant, his tone perplexed, but he was speaking. So far, so good—and he knew who she was.

"I'm right here," she said, leaning down, her blonde hair shifting to graze her cheek. She absently reached up with her free hand, tucking the strands behind her ear, absently making a mental note to get a haircut. It was way past time. "Are you okay?"

"Head hurts."

"I know," she nodded even though the archeologist had yet to open his eyes. "It'll get better, just take it easy."

A few beats later Daniel pulled his hands away from his face, his blue eyes bloodshot and showing every bit of concern that she knew they would. "How do you know?"

Sam smiled. "You weren't the only one knocked out by whatever that crystal was."

It took a few seconds for her comment to process, but he was up in a shot as soon as it registered. His hands immediately followed, holding his head tight as he groaned.

"You have to be careful, Daniel," she chided, sympathizing with him, the memories of her own awakening still fresh in her mind. "Move slowly. It'll pass."

"I know, I know…stupid," he said, his words mumbled. A few moments passed before he was able to look up again, his face holding a certain innocence and reverence she hadn't seen in a long time. It wasn't the expression she was expecting—at all.

"Daniel? What is it?"

He shook his head slightly, carefully, narrowing his eyes a little as he slid his glasses back into place, settling them on the bridge of his nose. "The crystal. I was thinking about that crystal and the device..." His words trailing off a little, but he continued a beat later. "Did you see it too? Wasn't it beautiful?"

"I saw it, but it didn't have the same effect on the Colonel and me as it did on you."

"Huh?" he said, his forehead creasing. "What do you mean?"

"When the Colonel found you in that building, you were unresponsive. He tried everything to get you out of that room, but we didn't make it."

"We?" Daniel paused for a moment and Sam could almost see the wheels in his head spinning, trying to make sense of whatever memories he had. "Jack? Jack's here?"

Daniel's head turned, surveying the room, his eyes narrowing even further as he scanned the artificial twilight. His gaze finally settled on the still figure behind her.

"Oh, God, Jack…" his voice faded as he turned back to Sam, his blue eyes glassy."What happened?"

Daniel, like the rest of SG-1, knew that the Colonel was always the first one to come around. For him to still be unconscious was not a good sign.

Sam sighed, the memory replaying in her mind. "He was trying to stop you from touching the crystal. He'd ordered me to leave, but—"

Daniel's eyes knowing. "You delayed."

Sam nodded, grimacing slightly as she looked down at her hands, watching as they picked at the edge of her BDUs. "We didn't know what would happen. We thought that the energy in the device was building up for some kind of gigantic explosion. He was trying to give me time to get away."

"And then?"

"And then you touched the crystal. There was a wave of energy that sent you and the Colonel flying across the room—"

When she didn't immediately continue, Daniel touched her hands, stilling her fingers. She raised her head, looking into his eyes. His tone was sympathetic. "And then?"

"You hit the wall. The Colonel first. Come to think of it, I think he might have cushioned your impact."

"Damn."

His comment, nearly silent, expressed the full depth of his emotions. Even unintentionally, the Colonel protected his team, taking the full brunt of whatever the universe threw at them—and getting injured in the process.

The silence stretched out between them, their own thoughts providing the dialogue.

"How is he?" Daniel finally said, his words quiet and tinged with meaning.

Sam shrugged, tipping her head to the side. "Unconscious. I was checking on him when you started coming around. I should get back to that."

Daniel briefly rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, his fingers drifting under the collar of his shirt, his eyes drifting over to the Colonel. The archeologist started moving toward the silent figure a moment later, easily sliding across the short distance. As soon as he was close enough, Daniel reached out, his hand automatically feeling for the Colonel's pulse, his fingers resting lightly against the Colonel's pale skin.

A few seconds later, Daniel shrugged himself out of his long-sleeved drab green shirt, folding it several times before sliding it gently under the Colonel's head.

After a quick but thorough examination, Daniel glanced over his shoulder toward Sam, his blue eyes as deep as the ocean, the message clear. He was concerned—as was Sam—about the blood and O'Neill's unconscious state.

"Are you sure he's okay?"

Sam moved closer once again, maneuvering to the Colonel's other side. Her hand came to rest on the Colonel's shoulder, his constant inhalations and exhalations comforting.

Glancing up from her broken nails, harsh against the rough material of his BDUs, Sam nodded once, slowly. "The gash looks worse than it is. Head wounds always bleed a lot. I just wish we had something to clean it with."

"I know." He paused, his eyes dropping to rest on his friend's pale face before continuing. "No sign of Teal'c?"

Sam shook her head. "None." Her eyes tracked away from her teammates for a few seconds, scanning as much of the darkness as she was able, but nothing had changed. "And I have no idea where we are or how we got here."

"That could be a problem."

Her lip twitched in an unintentional half-smile as she caught Daniel's gaze. "You could say that. I think I'm going to scout a little. Are you going to be—"

"Fine," Daniel nodded, his response cutting her question short. "I'll stay with Jack."

"Okay," she said, rising slowly to her feet, careful not to set the room spinning, but pleasantly surprised when it remained stationary—at least the part she could see.

"Sam, what happens if you find something?" Daniel's voice was tentative, as if he really didn't want to know the answer.

"It depends on what I find."

"And if there's nothing…"

"Then I'm in for a rather boring investigation."

"That's not what I meant."

Sam sighed. "I know. Let's see what I find before we go trying to make up worst case scenarios. Something or someone transported us here, so there has to be some way to get back to where we were."

"And if there's not?"

"Then we're in for one hell of a long wait."