The Cost of Honor Read online

  The sly twitch of the man's mouth was followed by a slow nod. "Yes," he agreed. "Yes, he will." Kinsey stayed by the window, staring out over the icy water of the Potomac. "Time's up, General," he said quietly. And this time, victory is mine."

  And mine, Crawford added, with a smile of his own. But he kept the thought to himself He was playing a longer game, and playing to win.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  his is amazing," Sam breathed, staring out at the massive twist in space-time that was curling the universe all around her. "I mean, think about it... No one in the history of our species has ever witnessed this." It was a phenomenal thought, and did much to push aside the nagging doubts and fears that had haunted her since they'd left the inferno of Baal's stronghold.

  "Yeah, it's pretty cool." The Colonel was struggling for indifference, but couldn't hide his own awe. There was a reason he had a telescope on his roof, and it had nothing to do with spying on the neighbors.

  Beneath the looming black hole, a small gray planet came into view. From this distance it looked distorted, stretching out into an egg shape as the enormous gravitational forces sucked it towards oblivion. And somewhere down there, frozen in an endless moment of time, were SG10. She wondered if they could-

  The ship juddered, throwing her sideways in her chair. Behind her, Daniel muttered. "Ow!"

  "Carter?"

  "Not sure, sir." She scanned the data streaming across the screen. It had felt as if their shield had slipped, as if an enormous fist had taken hold of the ship and yanked. "Looks like the power dropped out for a moment."

  The Colonel didn't answer, but she heard him shift uneasily where he stood behind Teal'c. "Let's step on it, huh?"

  No one else spoke. There was little to say, here in the midst of a cosmic maelstrom that could rip them apart in seconds. Its presence was overpowering and oppressive, as if the gravity well were slowly crushing their minds, if not their ship. They descended in silence until Sam could see red fissures cracking the planet's surface like open wounds. It reminded her of another world she'd seen rip itself apart, turning molten beneath her feet. She shivered, and dismissed the memory.

  Teal'c spoke. "I have located the Stargate," he reported. "It appears intact."

  "Yes!" O'Neill's voice was determinedly bright, as if he could force back the tension by willpower alone. He almost succeeded.

  "Ah...just out of curiosity," Daniel chimed in, "what would happen if, you know, the shield failed?"

  "Daniel!" The Colonel warned.

  "I'm just curious."

  "I believe we would all die a slow and unpleasant death," Teal'c replied shortly. "Let us speculate no further."

  Sam glanced at him. Was he afraid? "Actually," she said, watching gray shreds of cloud whip past the window as they dropped into the atmosphere, "multiverse theory speculates that black holes are gateways to new universes. Or, rather, that they create new universes from the matter sucked through from this one. So, theoretically, we could end up seeding a new universe."

  "Bits of us," the Colonel corrected. "Bits of us could, Carter."

  She glanced over her shoulder and smiled. "Yes, sir. Subatomic bits."

  "As I said," interrupted Teal'c, "let us speculate no further!"

  Sam's smile was cut short by a hand on her arm. "Ah, guys?" It was Daniel. "I think we've found them."

  They were beneath the clouds now, skimming across gray sands. Ahead of them she could see the Stargate rising up from the wasteland, steely and dark. Before it, growing closer with each moment, was the team they'd left behind.

  "Do they know we're here?" Daniel murmured, his voice thick with compassion.

  SG-10 were motionless, like a tableau. Sam could make out one figure crouched before the MALP, another at the DHD and two more staring up at the sky in fear.

  "No," Sam replied. "Until we drop the shield, we'll be moving too fast for them to see."

  She glanced at the Colonel, waiting for his order, and saw a fierce sense of vindication in his eyes. She shared it - seeing SG10 right there in front of them, terrified and waiting for death, erased all doubt from her mind. Despite what they'd suffered, despite the dire consequences waiting for them at home, she knew they'd done the right thing.

  "Teal'c," O'Neill ordered, "take us into position. Get ready to transport the two by the gate first, then Watts at the DHD and Boyd by the MALP. Daniel, with me." He turned, striding toward the transport rings and-

  The ship bucked forward. Someone yelled. Sam was in freef- all, forward and upward. Her face smashed against the control panel, crunching into broken glass, then snapped back against the chair. Vision dark, mind dizzy, she yelled, "Teal'c!"

  "The shield has failed!"

  "We're goin' in!" The Colonel shouted, far away. "Daniel! Hold on to-"

  The impact catapulted her into darkness and she was gone.

  "Damn it!" Watts yelled from the DHD. "This is pointless, sir! It won't stay open!"

  Standing up slowly, Major Henry Boyd glanced up at the twisting nightmare in the sky. It looked like some hideous creature come to tear them to pieces. "Keep trying," he told the Captain.

  "Sir?" Lieutenant Jessica McLeod ripped her gaze from the sky, voice shaking. "I've been thinking about why the gate won't activate. The gravitational force of the-" She stammered over the word. "Of the black hole would create a massive time distortion effect."

  He stalked toward her, frowning. "A what?"

  "Time here will be moving much slower than back on Earth, sir. Much slower. The gate was probably open for half an hour at the SGC, but here.. .just a second."

  Boyd felt his heart clench tight. "What are you saying, Lieutenant?"

  She looked bleak. "I don't think we're getting out of this one, sir."

  Lucy. His daughter was the first thought in his head. Sweet, innocent, adoring Lucy. Her little arms around his neck, her delighted smile when he came home. Daddy! He swallowed hard. "I won't accept that, Lieutenant." Lucy, barely old enough to understand. Heather, having to explain why he was never coming home again. "They'll find a way to come get us. They won't leave us here."

  McLeod nodded, but he saw despair in her eyes. Behind them the gate started to spin again. How many times now? Ten? Twenty? Grimly, he turned to watch as the final chevron locked into place. Work. Work, you sonofabitch. "Get ready to run for it!"

  The wormhole spilled out onto the doomed planet, silver-blue with hope and- Then it died. "Dial again!" he ordered.

  Captain Watts just stared at him over the heads of McLeod and Reed.

  "Do it!" Boyd barked. "We are not gonna die here! You hear me? We're not-"

  "Sir!" McLeod screamed the word, her voice drowned out by another, louder scream. An unnatural scream.

  Involuntarily Boyd ducked as a small Goa'uld ship came hurtling out of nowhere, lurching wildly as it skimmed above the dunes behind them. "What the hell...?"

  "It's gonna crash!" Reed shouted. "Get down!"

  Boyd hit the ground as an explosion of dust and dirt funneled up into the sky. Sand pattered down like rain, clogging his eyes and mouth. He spat, and heard Lieutenant Reed coughing at his side.

  "What the hell are the Goa'uld doing here?"

  "I don't care," Boyd growled, scrambling to his feet. He spat out another mouthful of sand. "They could be our way off this rock." Turning back to the DHD, he yelled, "Watts, keep dialing. McLeod, Reed - with me." He clicked the safety off his MP-5. "And stay sharp."

  Consciousness came slowly and painfully. His head was pounding, his left shoulder felt torn and wrenched where he'd been hanging onto the bulkhead, and he was unbelievably tired. Peeling open his eyes, Jack found himself staring at someone else's back. Cautiously, he sat and waited for the world to stop spinning. He glanced down and saw Daniel lying on his side with his left arm... Ouch.

  "Daniel?" He gave him a gentle shake.

  His friend stirred. "I-Ugh. Oh. Ow."

  Jack sucked air between his teeth. "You should have let go," he murmu
red, pushing himself to his feet, testing his weight on his legs. No damage, beyond the usual. "Don't move," he said. "I'll be back."

  Stepping over Daniel's legs, Jack picked his way into the cockpit. Teal'c was slumped over the controls, blood seeping from beneath his head. Carter was draped like a rag doll, half in and half out of the co-pilot's chair. Her nose was bleeding heavily, face white.

  Cursing softly, Jack touched his fingers to her neck and found a pulse. A little slow, but it beat strongly. Thank God. But he dared not move her until he could check for breaks. First things first. He turned to Teal'c; he could hear him breathing and touched his shoulder. "Teal'c. Wake up."

  Eyes opened, disoriented for an instant. Then Teal'c sat up, sharp as a knife. "O'Neill."

  "How you doing, buddy?"

  Teal'c considered the question and reached up to touch the bleeding gash on his forehead. "Well enough, O'Neill."

  Jack nodded. "Carter's out. I don't know how bad. Daniel's dislocated his shoulder."

  "Our injuries," Teal'c observed, glancing out at the wall of sand covering the nose of the tel'tak, "are immaterial. We cannot escape this world."

  Oh no, not going down that route. "Come on," Jack objected. "We've been in tighter spots than this."

  Teal'c raised an eyebrow.

  "Hey!" Jack chided him. "Let's keep a little optimism here." He moved away. "Wake up Carter. We're gonna need her brains."

  As Teal'c moved woozily across the cockpit, Jack stepped back into the cargo hold. Daniel had shifted himself into a sitting position, back against the wall. His left arm was clutched against his chest and he was trying to hide his obvious pain. Jack crouched in front of him. "Hurts like hell, huh?"

  Daniel nodded. "Ah. Yeah." He glanced around. "Teal'c and Sam?"

  "Teal'c's okay. Carter's still out." He paused, considered Daniel's pasty face, then bit the bullet. "If we're gonna get outta here," he said, "we'll need all hands to help fix the ship."

  Looking down at his shoulder, Daniel paled. "You mean...?"

  "I've done it before," Jack assured him. "Just pop it back in the socket. Won't hurt. Much."

  Daniel offered a sickly smile. "Yeah. Okay. Just... Just give me a second."

  He watched as Daniel took a couple of deep breaths, bracing himself "Teal'c?" Jack called.

  The Jaffa appeared in the doorway. He'd dug out a medikit and held a dressing pressed over his gashed head.

  "How's Carter?"

  "Still unconscious, O'Neill. However, I have ascertained that no bones were broken and placed her in the recovery position."

  That was good news, at least. But if she didn't wake up soon... Someone had to fix the anti-gray device. He blew out an anxious breath and beckoned Teal'c. "Gonna need your help, T."

  Teal'c peered at Daniel. "Do you wish me to restrain him, or reset the shoulder?"

  "Restrain?" Daniel echoed faintly.

  "You pull," Jack decided. Moving closer, still facing his friend, he said, "Gonna get cozy for a moment." He slipped an arm under the one Daniel nursed close to his chest, and held him tight. "Okay, Teal'c."

  Teal'c came to kneel at Daniel's side and carefully took hold of his arm. "This will cause considerable pain Daniel Jackson," he announced. "But it will be of short duration."

  Daniel gritted his teeth and screwed his eyes shut. "Just do it."

  Meeting Teal'c's eyes, Jack nodded. Carefully, Teal'c began to pull Daniel's arm out straight. Daniel flinched, tried to go with the flow, but Jack held him back. "Easy."

  "It hurts...!" Daniel hissed.

  "I know." Jack grimaced. "Almost done."

  With a speed clearly born of much experience, Teal'c pulled the arm out straight. Daniel yelled - loudly, and right in Jack's ear - and then Jack heard the pop as the arm settled back into its socket.

  For a moment Daniel slumped against him, eyes still tightly shut and face ashen. Jack gave him a reassuring pat on the back. "You're done," he said quietly. "Teal'c? We got some Tylenol?"

  "Indeed." Teal'c rose to his feet and disappeared toward the engine room, where their gear was stored.

  Easing Daniel against the wall, Jack sat back on his haunches. "Hang in there, buddy."

  Daniel opened his eyes. "Jack?"

  "Yeah?"

  "Thanks. I-"

  Gunfire exploded into the room. Teal'c fell back through the door, sprawling motionless on the floor. Behind him a voice, harsh with desperation, yelled from the corridor beyond. "No one move!"

  Boyd saw the Jaffa creep through the shadows, his fluidity and grace belying his bulk. Identifying him instantly as a threat, the Major opened fire. The Jaffa ducked back through the doorway, but Boyd knew he'd winged him. Reed and McLeod were on his six, and together they stalked along the narrow corridor toward what had to be the cockpit. The ship was small; he'd never seen one before, but there wasn't room for more than a handful of men. "No one move!" he yelled, as they approached the door through which the Jaffa had fallen. There was no time for subtlety. If they were going to get out of here, they had to move fast.

  He braced himself for the electronic fizz of staff weapons engaging, but all that came was silence. And then, "Boyd? You sonofabitch, is that you?"

  Shock stunned him. McLeod's eyes grew wide as saucers and Reed gaped like a goldfish. No one could mistake that voice. But it was impossible. A trick, perhaps? Not taking a chance, Boyd kept his MP-5 raised as he peeked into the room. The Jaffa lay on the floor, and crouching over him was a very familiar - very angry - figure. "Colonel O'Neill?"

  "You shot him!"

  It didn't make any sense! "How did you-"

  "Doesn't matter," the Colonel barked. "You got a medikit?"

  "Yes, sir. Reed, give him yours."

  The Jaffa stirred as Reed dropped down at his side. It looked like he was trying to sit up, but O'Neill was holding him flat. "Teal'c, don't move."

  Teal'c? Crap! "I didn't see him, sir. I'm sorry, I thought he was-"

  "It's okay," O'Neill snapped, eyes fixed on his team mate. In the gloom, Boyd could see the Colonel frowning. "Accidents happen. Even to the best of us."

  "He's hit in the arm, sir," Reed reported after a moment. "He'll be okay."

  Relieved, but perplexed as hell, Boyd turned back to O'Neill. "Sir, we have to get outta here. There's a black hole ripping the place apart and the gate won't dial, so-"

  The Colonel rose to his feet and stepped closer. "I know, Major. We can take you home, but you gotta help us - and we gotta hurry." In the faint emergency lighting, Boyd could see him better. He looked strange. There was something different...

  At his side, McLeod gasped softly. "Sir, your hair..."

  O'Neill switched his gaze to her, somehow managing to be gruff and sympathetic at the same time. "Yeah, it's been a while, Lieutenant."

  Boyd's mouth tightened. "How long?" he cut in.

  O'Neill paused briefly but he had never been the sort to sugarcoat his words. "Five years."

  "Five years?" Oh God. Lucy...

  CHAPTER FIVE

  aniel forced himself to his feet, ignoring the sickening pain in his shoulder. It hardly mattered, given the circumstances. If they didn't get out of here soon, they'd be torn to bits along with the planet. And while there was a certain intellectual appeal to having his base elements used to seed a new universe, it wasn't exactly a phenomenon Daniel longed to experience.

  As if to underline the point, the ship started to shake. He saw Jack stagger to stay upright, and only a miracle kept Daniel on his feet. The quake only lasted a couple of seconds, but it was enough. The beginning of the end.

  "We gotta move," Jack snapped. "Boyd, take your men outside. I need a visual on any external damage. Then get the hell back here as fast as you can."

  Boyd, still slack-faced with shock, responded to the order as if it were a lifeline. "Yes, sir. SG-10 - with me." The rest of his team followed, shaken but still functioning. Whatever Daniel might once have thought about the military, seeing them in action was a
humbling experience. They'd just lost five years of their lives, they might lose the rest within hours, and yet they kept doing their job.

  "Daniel." Jack was helping Teal'c to his feet. "Go wake up Carter. We need her. Now."

  Casting a concerned look at Teal'c, whose blood was already seeping through the field-dressing on his arm, Daniel just nodded. Keep doing your job. It was all any of them could do.

  He found Sam on the floor of the cockpit, rolled onto her side and pale as death. For a moment he chilled at the sight. Her white skin was stark against the blood that had seeped from her nose, down over her mouth and into her clothing. She'd stopped bleeding now and the blood was clogging darkly on her face. Wincing at the pain in his shoulder, Daniel hunkered down at her side and gently shook her. "Sam? Can you hear me?"

  Nothing.

  He shook her more firmly. "Come on, Sam. Wake up." Again, nothing. He touched her face, lightly tapping at her cheek. If she didn't wake up... "Sam, come on. We need your help." Slowly, her eyelids started to flutter and her lips moved, sticky with the blood from her nose. "That's it," Daniel encouraged her. "Come on, wake up."

  Behind him, he sensed Jack enter the room, radiating tension in waves. Daniel glanced up and saw his friend staring at Sam with an inscrutable intensity. "Carter." It wasn't a bark, but somehow it sounded like an order. "Come on, Major, snap out of it."

  Her eyes opened suddenly, wide and confused, and she jerked upright as if from a nightmare. "Easy!" Daniel moved to support her, grimacing as she jostled his injured arm. Supporting her against himself, he helped her sit. "It's okay, take it easy."

  "Daniel...?" Sam groaned, putting her hand to her mouth and grimacing when it came away bloody. "What happened?"

  "Kind of hoping you could tell us," Jack answered. He'd pulled out his canteen and was using the water to moisten a gauze dressing from a medikit. "We crashed," he added, and carefully began to dab the blood from her nose and mouth. "The gravity shield failed."

  Sam's eyes closed. "I'm sorry. I don't understand how that happened..."