Chapter Text
6 Years Previously
“Dr. Jackson, Teal’c, where are Colonel O’Neill and Major Carter?” General Hammond had rushed down to the Gate room when notified that Sg1 was coming in.
Sg1 had been gone for over ten days - six longer than their mission had been scheduled for. The General always worried when one of his teams was late, but the fact that it was Sg1 was especially hard. He would never say it - or act in a way that showed it - but the fact was, they were his best and favorite team. Although he made sure to maintain proper protocol and relations with each member of Sg1, he felt as if they were friends and honored them for all they had done to – repeatedly - save Earth and other planets.
“We don’t know, sir,” Daniel said. He looked and sounded exhausted and deeply troubled. “Two days after we arrived, a Ha’tak appeared and thousands of troops descended on the planet. We tried to make it back to the Gate, but it was surrounded. Jack and Sam went to reconnoiter, and that’s the last we saw of them.”
“We looked for many days,” Teal’c added, “but were unable to locate them.”
“How did you get back if the Gate was surrounded?” asked Hammond, although he was still processing the information about O’Neill and Carter.
“The Jaffa just left,” Daniel said. “We don’t know why. We had to hide out for over a week - moving constantly as well as looking for Jack and Sam, and trying not to be captured by roving bands of Jaffa. We were worried we’d never make it back, but suddenly the Jaffa left, and we were alone.”
“We looked again for O’Neill and Major Carter after they had left,” Teal’c explained, “but there was no evidence of them anywhere. We finally decided to return. I would recommend that we send more teams to try and locate them.”
Hammond nodded. “Okay - the two of you make your way to the Infirmary to get checked out and cleaned up. We’ll debrief in two hours. I’ll invite Colonels Reynolds and Dixon, and we’ll discuss sending rescue teams. I’m glad you’re both safe - and we will find Colonel O’Neill and Major Carter!”
Of course, they didn’t. Over the next week, Hammond sent a number of teams back to the planet to search, but no one found the slightest clue as to where their missing officers could be.
Teal’c and Daniel demanded to return immediately, but Hammond made them take 24 hours to rest and recuperate after their ordeal. After that, they joined the search teams, but again, with no luck.
The mood at the SGC was somber. It was always sad when people went missing or were killed - but for many, it seemed worse that it was Carter and O’Neill. They were two of the most liked and respected officers in the program. For many, Sg1 had always seemed invincible - the team, more than any, that kept Earth safe. Their loss affected people deeply.
Eventually, General Hammond had to return the base to normal. As hard as it was for him, he knew that they couldn’t keep looking for their lost officers. If it had been him personally, he would have kept going for years - but he had a responsibility to the rest of his people, to the country, and, in fact, to the world.
“We’re not giving up, Dr. Jackson,” he explained wearily, “but I can’t justify spending more money or more personnel on what is obviously a wild goose chase. The fact is, they are not on that planet. You know, as well as I, that the most likely scenario is that they were captured and taken by the Goa’uld.”
“Okay - then we have to find the damned Goa’uld and get them back!”
“You said that your research showed that the symbols on the Jaffa were of the god Montu. He’s one I haven’t heard of,” the General said. “What do you know about him?”
“Not much,” sighed Daniel, rubbing his hands through his hair. “He’s known as a warrior god who was aligned with Ra. Have you heard anything about him, Teal’c?”
“I have not,” their resident Jaffa answered. “I have heard his name mentioned, but always in association with Ra. After Ra was killed, I heard nothing more. It could be that he has stayed quiet since then.”
“Any ideas as to what he was doing on PXK 3Y7?”
“Other than the bands of Jaffa, we didn’t really see anything,” Daniel explained. “It could be he was looking for a new base of operations or that he was looking for Naquadah.”
“Was there any indication of Naquadah on the planet?”
“Not according to Sam,” Daniel replied. “She was able to do some testing the first couple of days and said there didn’t look to be anything of significance.”
“What about Colonel O’Neill? Did he have any thoughts on the planet?”
“That there were too many trees,” Teal’c answered. “He also indicated it was boring, and he did not know why we had to stay so long.”
Hammond nodded. That sounded just like O’Neill. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “We’re going to have to return to standard operating protocols,” he said. He held up his hand when Jackson went to speak. “That doesn’t mean we’ll stop looking. Dr. Jackson, find out as much as you can about this Montu. I’ll reach out again to the Tok’ra and see if they have any information. I’ve been unable to reach them, but once Jacob knows his daughter is missing I’m sure we’ll hear. He’ll want to help look for her.”
“Thank you, General,” Daniel replied. He knew how hard this was on Hammond and was going to try not to harass the man. Still, he knew Jack wouldn’t give up looking if it was any of them and be damned if he’d stop looking until he found his friends - even if it took years.
Jacob turned up a couple of days later, with two other Tok’ra in tow. He was clearly upset and didn’t waste time on niceties but rather asked to meet with Hammond and the remainder of SG1. Dixon and Reynolds also attended.
“Okay, Teal’c, Daniel, tell me exactly what happened,” he said, the moment everyone was seated.
“Could you have missed anything?” he asked, after all of the humans had gone over everything - from the time they landed on PXK 3Y7 to the present day.
“It’s always possible,” Reynolds replied. “It’s a big planet. But we checked everywhere they could possibly be and found nothing. There was no sign of them at all.”
“Could the Tok’ra send a Tel’tak and—”
“Being done as we speak,” Jacob interrupted Hammond. “If there’s anyone on that planet, we’ll find them.”
“What do you know about Montu?” Daniel asked.
It was Ray’mar, one of the Tok’ra who had accompanied Jacob, who answered. “He is a minor System Lord,” he explained. “He was a close and trusted ally of Ra. When Ra was killed, he fled to one of his outpost planets. We heard little about him for a number of years, but recently he left his planet with his Jaffa.”
“Do we know why?” Daniel wanted to know.
“We believe that he may be looking for a new planet as his base. The one he is on is experiencing volcanic activity and is increasingly unsafe.”
“So, you don’t think he’s trying to gain power or partner with any of the other System Lords?”
“We do not believe so,” answered Bo’Lar, the remaining Tok’ra. “We have an operative placed in his ranks, and he has reported nothing.”
“Have they heard anything about him capturing two humans?” Hammond asked.
“No,” Bo’Lar replied. “There has been no discussion of any Tau’ri having been captured.”
“Then where the hell are they?” Jacob demanded. “If they’re not on the planet, and Montu doesn’t have them, then what happened to them?”
Everyone looked uncomfortable, but it was Hammond who finally spoke. “They could be gone, Jacob,” he said gently. “They may have been found by the Jaffa and - killed.”
There was silence in the room. Jacob looked angry, but as Daniel peered at him, he could see that there was a level of acceptance in the former General and Tok’ra’s eyes. It was a horrible moment, but it wasn’t anything that Daniel hadn’t already thought.
“I can’t believe that, George,” Jacob said finally. “I know – logically - that it could be true, but something in me just doesn’t believe it. And I’m not just speaking as a father who doesn’t want to lose his only daughter. The fact is, that as irritating as O’Neill can be, there is no one I’d trust more than him to get the two of them out of trouble. If there was any way he could have gotten them to safety, he would have. I know you think it’s just wishful thinking - but I believe they’re alive.”
“As do I, Jacob Carter,” Teal’c answered. “I believe I would feel it if they were gone.”
Daniel sighed. “So, we agree that they’re out there somewhere, but where? And how could they have gotten off the planet - if, in fact, they did?”
“Tel’tak,” Ray’mar said succinctly. “They could have stolen a Tel’tak.”
“Yes,” Jacob narrowed his eyes. “That is a possibility. If they were trapped with no other way out, they could have flown out of there.”
“But wouldn’t the Ha’tak have spotted them?” Reynolds asked.
“Not if they cloaked quickly.”
“But - if they stole a Tel’tak, why didn’t they make it back to Earth? They could have used the hyperdrive,” Dixon spoke for the first time. “And would they have left Dr. Jackson and Teal’c?”
“No - unless they planned to get help and go back for them,” Jacob replied. “That sounds like what they would have done.”
“I concur,” nodded Teal’c. “They would not have left us if they could have helped. Something must have happened.”
“But what?” Jacob frowned, biting his lip. “The only thing I can think of is that they planned to return to get Daniel and Teal’c, and something went wrong with the Tel’tak. If they engaged the hyperdrive, then they could be anywhere. I wouldn’t even begin to know where to look.”
“Wouldn’t they have tried to head to Earth?” Dixon asked. “I mean - maybe they hoped to get more help and then return. If that’s the case, can we plot a course between PXK 3Y7 and Earth and look for habitable planets? They could be on one of those.”
“We need Sam,” Daniel muttered. “She’d know where to look.”
That caused everyone to go quiet, thinking of the brilliant scientist and lovely human that was Sam Carter. After a few seconds, Jacob straightened up.
“George, I’m going to head back with Ray’mar and Bo’Lar and find out if anything was spotted on the planet. If not, then we’ll look into what planets are between here and PXK 3Y7.”
“We’ll look into it as well, Jacob,” Hammond told him. “Don’t worry - if they’re out there, we’ll find them.”
The two lost officers weren’t found on PXK 3Y7 - and when both the Tok’ra and the SGC looked into the potential planets between there and Earth, it turned out there were literally hundreds of them.
“General?” Daniel started to speak but was interrupted by Hammond.
“Dr. Jackson, we can’t search hundreds of planets. Even if I was allowed to do so, we don’t have the resources. It would literally take decades to visit all of them.” He held up his hand as the younger man went to speak. “What we can do is place many of these planets on our roster. I’ll also make sure that all teams that go out know to keep their eyes open for them. I’m afraid that’s all I can do.”
Later that day, Daniel and Teal’c sat in the commissary, both quiet and just picking at their food.
“I know they’re out there, Teal’c,” Daniel commented.
“I too know that they are alive,” his Jaffa friend answered. “But we may not be able to locate them. We must just hope that they have landed in a good place and that they are well. At least they are together.”
Daniel snorted. “Yeah - maybe they found a planet with really nice people, and they’re living happily ever after.”
“We can only hope, Daniel Jackson.”
“Yeah, I’m afraid that’s all we have. Unfortunately, my mind keeps going to the fact that if there is trouble to be found, Jack will find it.”
“It is not constructive to think that way,” Teal’c reminded him. “We must be positive and keep looking. I believe that one day we will find them.”
Life went on at the SGC. Over the months and then years, Jack and Sam weren’t forgotten, but except for their close friends, most people no longer thought of them on a regular basis. A few of the old-timers would meet once a year and raise a glass to the two officers. Their close friends continued to keep them in their hearts and minds - but for them too, life had to go on.
“So, what do we need to know about the next planet we’re to visit?” Ferretti asked. He’d been promoted to Colonel and now led SG-1-5 with Daniel Jackson, Teal’c, and Jennifer Hailey, their resident geek. It had taken a while for them to bond, but after a couple of years together, they were a tight team.
It had made it easier that Ferretti was a friend of Jack’s and had something of his crazy sense of humor. Hailey had taken a bit of getting used to, but over time she’d mellowed and, after making a few – non-lethal -mistakes, had learned an appropriate sense of humility. Still, she was brilliant - maybe not as brilliant or as personable as Sam Carter, but she grew on the former SG-1 members.
They’d been on many missions together and had managed to save Earth more than once. They’d also continued to look for Jack and Sam, although over time the hope had dimmed that they would ever find their missing friends.
The planet asked about by Colonel Ferretti was one which the Tok’ra had identified to them. It was one their allies had never visited, but they had discovered life on the planet. The problem was, there was no Gate, so they had offered the Tau’ri one of their Tel’taks.
“It appears to have sentient life,” Hailey answered, showing a picture of the planet. “There are numerous towns and cities, with the largest maybe around 200,000 people. Its atmosphere is similar to Earth’s, and it seems to have regular seasons. There are a number of lakes and what look like two or three large seas.”
“And why are the Tok’ra asking us to visit there instead of going themselves?” Daniel wanted to know. Over the years, he’d gained as much trust in their ‘allies’ as had Jack.
“They are short on resources, Colonel,” the General explained. “They also know that this is one of the planets between here and the one where Colonel O’Neill and Major Carter disappeared. I doubt very much that we’ll find them there, but if it’s a well-populated planet, it might be a good place to establish relations.”
Daniel and Teal’c both nodded, although with little hope that Jack and Sam would be found on this planet. Still, it looked like it might be an interesting trip.
In the end, the team was going to P3R 2N6, as it was designated. They’d gate to the planet where the Tok’ra were camped out, pick up a Tel’tak, and head to the planet.
“Do you ever think that one day we might go to a planet and just run into Colonel O’Neill and Major Carter?” Hailey asked her companions that evening. They were all at Daniel’s having pizza before heading out on their mission.
“Yeah - I’ve dreamed that a few times,” Daniel confessed. “I could just picture us walking toward a town and there is Jack, just standing there looking at us.”
“What do you think he’d say?” Hailey asked.
Teal’c regarded her for a moment and then leaned forward to take another slice of pizza. “He would look at us and say, ‘What took you so long, campers?’”