Turning the Tide

 

 

 

by Travelling One

 

email: travelling_one@yahoo.ca

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

Summary: After three years, SG1 returns to Argos.

Season: 4

Related Episodes: Brief Candle

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.

 

November./05

 

 

---

 

They'd been anticipating this mission for days, entertaining a growing enthusiasm at the thought of seeing those wonderful people on Argos again. Not to mention the pleasant scenery and sense of peacefulness that emanated from those who had had such a love for living every day as it came. Every moment to them was a gift, a true treasure to be savored and enjoyed.

 

And now SG1, after all their struggles and battles, teammates lost then returned, was finally stepping once again onto Argosian soil.

 

Jack couldn't help but feel the trembling in the pit of his abdomen; this was where he'd first faced the thought of growing old, of losing all that he'd hoped for his future, the place where death had been imminent and even his dependable team had been forced to give up, leaving him to die alone. This was where he'd opened his heart for a single moment; could have savored the experience, if he'd not been so concerned with actually staying alive. This was one of the very first planets they'd ever visited, so long ago, and it still held a special place in his heart.

 

He had promised to return. Now, three years later, he was keeping his word. Hopefully Kynthia and her people had not seen this length of time as abandonment.

 

So as his team stepped out of the gate, his pulse betrayed his feigned lack of excitement. Heaven on Ear… Heaven in Earth's galaxy.

 

"This is oddly…unfamiliar."

 

The temple complex was empty; no trace of Pelops and no people. The center where the statue had once stood now boasted a mosaic floor bordered by piles of dried flowers.

 

"Let's go find these folks, kids, make sure they're okay."

 

"They probably don't need to use this place much any more," Daniel rationalized, skirting the edge of the tiled composition, trying to decipher the scene. "As a temple, anyway. This looks like a representation of the destruction of Pelops." That would make sense. Daniel frowned, squinting. That figure almost looked like Jack, helping to tug the ropes. But the hair wasn't long and white and the man wasn't old.

 

The teammates made their way out towards the beach, their forms casting long shadows on the sand. Dusk was soon to be falling.

 

The setting had changed. Along the beach rose several more structures like the Goa'uld-created temple where the inhabitants had all formerly lived and slept… not exactly alike, but smaller replicas, poorly constructed in the manner of unskilled workmanship, an imitation of the only manmade creation these folks had ever known. Other than that, the golden-blue waters reflected the same fading sunlight, and people were going about their business in a seemingly more purposeful, hasty manner. But perhaps that was only Jack's imagination; it was he who was in a hurry, pretending to himself and his teammates that he was not really so eager to see Kynthia.

 

"O'Neill." Teal'c's voice broke the team leader from his reverie. There, approaching from the direction of the buildings, now more quickly than before, were several inhabitants, pointing at them, speaking, gaining speed and growing in numbers the nearer they came, like the Pied Piper in reverse.

 

"Jack!" from within the oncoming crowd a woman burst forth, her radiant smile brilliantly illuminating flawless features, her flowing robes giving the apparition of a butterfly testing its silken wings. "Have you really returned? It is wonderful to see you well!"

 

Three teammates turned hesitantly towards their CO, noting his grin, his eyes twinkling in reminiscences.

 

"Kynthia."

 

She was in his arms before the crowd descended upon them, beautiful strangers - men and women both - touching their shoulders and arms, grinning, laughing, welcoming.

 

Daniel was caught up in the festivities, finding himself pulled towards a seat, offerings of fruit and delicacies presented to him. Remembering the customs of this society, he was hesitant to partake. "None of these mean I'm marrying anyone, do they?" he cautiously queried.

 

Chuckles merrily rang out as berries were pressed to his lips. With a quick glance towards Carter, he noted that she, too, was being offered such fruits, and he decided all would be safe.

 

"What's all this?" Jack questioned, his grin remaining but wariness in evidence. He had his own eye upon his teammates, knowing that at least now there would be no danger of unnaturally rapid aging overcoming them. The statue had been downed, the machine broken, the battle had been won, and all was well.

 

Kynthia smiled, her sweet face still as young-looking as he remembered. "You are the ones who gave us many more days, Jack. Thousands of days is the same as forever."

 

Before Jack could think up a suitable reply, a teenager pushed through to the front of the crowd, a taller, slightly older man following at his heels. SG1 recognized the 15-year-old as Danelle, the birthmark an unmistakable give-away.

 

"Danelle," Kynthia laid her arm around the boy's shoulders. "Do you remember the one who aided your birth?" she indicated Daniel. "It is he whose name you bear."

 

Danelle inclined his head towards Daniel. "It would be hard not to remember. I was twelve when you left. My parents speak of you frequently."

 

"They do?" Daniel frowned. He had done nothing, really.

 

"All of you." The other man interrupted. "They all speak of you often. As does the boy."

 

"Everyone from this town speaks of the travellers who extended the lives of all."

 

"We really didn't - wait; everyone from this town?" Daniel inquired. "Are there more towns nearby?"

 

"Some of us began to travel," explained Kynthia. "I was among the first, as well as Alekos. For many hours we walked, where none before us were permitted to venture. When I became frightened or weary I remembered you, Jack, and you gave me strength. Finally, we came upon villages beyond the near mountains that had not known of our existence. There were others who had been ruled by Pelops, but we were able to free them."

 

Daniel felt a greedy pleasure and pride; more lives had been saved because of what his team had done, and he couldn't help smiling. "That's… that's great."

 

"Yes… because of us, you say." Like a window opening, Jack nursed a realization that his ordeal had accomplished more than he'd known. His gaze wandered around the milling crowd, watching the people whose lives had been extended by his team, hesitating upon Danelle, the boy's parents behind him, Kynthia, and the tall muscular man beside her.

 

Realizing where his eyes were focussed, Kynthia's next words caught SG1 offguard. "Forgive me," she smiled shyly at Jack and the others, her eyes bright and round. "I must introduce my husband, Myrto. He is a builder from one of the nearest villages."

 

Shooting a quick glance towards a surprised Jack, Daniel stood in respect as Myrto bowed his head, his arms placed protectively around Kynthia's shoulders.

 

Jack knew his disappointment was irrational; as beautiful and gentle as he remembered this woman, as accepting of him as she had been even in his weakness and fading looks, he knew he could never do her the injustice of bringing her back to the imperfect world of Earth. For her sake, there could never have been anything between them. And he had known that three years was a long time, in the lives of people who had once had less than a hundred days.

 

Still, his heart felt a sadness for which he chastized himself.

 

"I'm happy for you," he forced himself to say with a smile, knowing the words were sincere. Kynthia deserved the best. But Jack was well aware of his teammates observing him, and intentionally he did not meet their eyes.

 

"Have you found one to take care of you, Jack?" Kynthia looked upon him with hope, sincerely wishing for him a world of goodness and happiness.

 

"We all take care of him," Daniel broke in, then changed the subject, nodding towards the beach. "I see you've been learning how to build. Are those homes?"

 

Jack bestowed a relieved look upon Daniel, who was thankfully diverting the attention elsewhere. His awkwardness had been put to rest by the teammate who knew just when to speak - usually - and just what to say.

 

"Homes?"

 

"Where families live."

 

"Oh, no, we sleep in the rooms of the temple, as one. These are where we prepare food and make our clothing. The three at the far end are where our craftspeople trade their wares."

 

Craftspeople. SG1 had seen no evidence of the normal aspects of daily living or work three years ago, but it was understandable that people who had only weeks to live would not have spent their time in trivial pursuits. Even at the time, however, they would still have sewn their own aesthetic clothing, crafted their sandals and bowls.

 

"We'd like to see what your people have accomplished," Daniel stated hopefully. He gazed around at the townsfolk, so many of them stopping to listen, crowding around SG1 and offering fruits and sweets, welcoming them home. Some faces were familiar, some not.

 

"Of course. There are many here who would enjoy showing you around." Kynthia turned, the tapping on her arm vying for their attention.

 

The boy Danelle was standing close, shyly holding out an item, offering it. An item that was not food. "What do you have there?" Daniel nodded at what looked like a notebook in Danelle's hand. Was there education now? Were these people writing, reading?

 

With a curious glance and then a frown of puzzlement, Daniel's eyebrows lifted and a chortle sounded from behind him. Carter stuck her hand from her position behind Teal'c and Daniel, and steadied the booklet. "Let me see that."

 

"Daniel, is that what I think it is?" Jack maneuvered his head over Daniel's shoulder. "A comic book?"

 

As Daniel flipped through the pages, roughly colored drawings on paper-thin filaments of bound fabric, his teammates looked over his shoulder. "It does indeed appear to be a comic book, Daniel Jackson. Of yourself and O'Neill."

 

Daniel was already blushing. That was definitely him; he could tell by the glasses and green camo cape with SG1 emblazoned in gold lettering. "Uh, I'm sure you and Sam are in here too, Teal'c."

 

Danelle agreed. "Yes. It is of all of you." And yet, the pictures were mostly of Jack, who had destroyed the life and death hold on their people, and Daniel, who had aided in the birth of the author himself.

 

"This is, uh, very good," Daniel said. "Did you make it?" Why? Those were definitely lightning bolts charging out from his and Jack's fingers… downing a swarming mob of monstrously giant Pelops statues. And was that… Jack, sucking up the water of the flooded temple?

 

Danelle was vigorously nodding his head. "I have more."

 

Daniel cleared his throat. "More?"

 

"Would you like to see?"

 

"Sure we would," the agreement came from Sam, her tone humorous, as Jack did nothing to hide a good-natured scowl. Ah, Daniel could hear the ribbing now, and winced, as Danelle ran off towards the temple.

 

"My boy has been drawing and writing since you left, Daniel," the woman smiled, and Daniel recognized the boy's mother. "You have given him much inspiration."

 

Daniel enveloped her in a quick hug. "I'm glad he's putting his talents to use."

 

"Oh yes," she nodded vigorously. "He makes the books, and they trade well. We have mostly all learned to read them. Those who cannot still enjoy the drawings."

 

"Uh, the whole town sees them?" That meant Danelle must have invented the system of writing on Argos. And now, through his books, he was teaching others to read.

 

"Of course," she answered proudly. "Come," she took Daniel's arm, guiding him between the onlookers as they cleared a path. "Let me show you."

 

With a curious expression aimed at his teammates, all of them trailing behind, Daniel was led through the village square to the fountain, behind which had been erected a mud-brick wall decorated with seashells. On this were drawings and signs, messages for the townsfolk… and large, poster-sized pages of an SG1 comic book.

 

"This is his newest. They are posted here first, for all to see."

 

"Oy." Jack paused, looking up at the massive drawings of himself in SG1 combat cape, BDUs, and boots. Daniel was in most of those pictures, and a few had smaller representations of Teal'c and Carter.

 

Daniel stared, wide-eyed, at the unfamiliar script created by Danelle himself. An entirely new alphabet, representing the English language.

 

A moment later a pile of booklets was thrust into his hands, and Danelle was standing there, grinning shyly. "Are you pleased?"

 

"Um, pleased. Pleased, uh, sure. Sure. You'll have to teach me these symbols." Daniel nodded. He caught Jack staring at him, and all he could think was, Oy.

 

_____

 

"So. Superheroes." Jack flipped through more pages, as the rest of SG1 lounged by their campfire farther along the beach. They had insisted on making camp instead of taking up room in the temple or courtyard.

 

"Well, it's understandable, Jack. We did give them thousands of days. It must seem like immortality to them."

 

Jack's eyes went wide, and he whistled. "Well well well, Daniel. Looks like you can battle fire-breathing dragons."

 

"As can you, I'm sure."

 

"You're pulling a breathtakingly beautiful young woman from its mouth."

 

"Let me see that!" Daniel dropped his own booklet, in the middle of watching himself save fourteen people from a forest of live angry trees.

 

Jack pulled the magazine away as Daniel grabbed for it. "Wait your turn."

 

"It is my turn; Danelle handed them to me."

 

"You've got one."

 

"So?"

 

"Look, Sir; is that you lifting the Stargate over your head?" Carter interrupted, squinting down at the picture book she was skimming by the low light of the fire, and held it out for him to see. "There's someone under it."

 

"You. That's you under it. You're unconscious." He shrugged up at Carter apologetically. "Sorry."

 

"You look good in a cape, Sir."

 

"That's not a cape, it's a…" Jack turned his own picture sideways, "a long jacket. The weather gets cold in some of those places we have to -"

 

"Fly to?" Carter bit back a chuckle and stood up, booklet in hand. "Bedtime, Sir. See you in the morning."

 

"'Night, Sam." Daniel watched her rise.

 

Teal'c stood as well; his watch would be second, just after Daniel's.

 

Jack had last watch, and reluctantly put down the comic book. "Get a good sleep, Carter. If your dreams give you any trouble, just give a shout. I'll rescue you in a jiffy."

 

"That's okay, Sir," Sam called now from inside the tent. "You get your rest. I can call Daniel."

 

Jack lingered for a moment, watching the sparks dance off the flames. "I guess these people are doing alright."

 

Daniel hesitated, nodding. "They are. And are you okay with knowing Kynthia is married?"

 

Narrowing his eyes, Jack huffed. "Fine, Daniel. Hell, the kid's barely over three years old. Gotta admit, that's a bit too creepy."

 

_____

 

Jack strolled down to the water's edge, a short distance from where his teammates slept. The moonlights glistened on the slightly moving current, small waves hissing in the quiet of night. In the distance the buildings stood proudly, dark and unoccupied, all the villagers asleep inside the temple rooms. Old habits died hard, and most people went to sleep with the moons.

 

All but one; a figure was in shadows, approaching, and Jack strained to see who it might be. Not Kynthia; the form was male, and he let out a relieved breath.

 

Within minutes Myrto was standing by his side, quietly gazing out into the waters.

 

"It's beautiful here," Jack volunteered in a quiet voice. Has always been.

 

"Yes, it is." Myrto stood shoulder to shoulder, and Jack couldn't help but wonder what the man was doing out here. Just for the company? Or to make sure a rival hadn't come back for Kynthia?

 

"I wish you and Kynthia all the best," Jack offered, hoping to put the man's mind at ease.

 

"Thank you."

 

Not a talkative one. "So you're not from this village."

 

"No. I am from another, one also formerly under the rule of Pelops."

 

Jack nodded, gazing into the sea. A wave slid towards his boots teasingly, withdrawing in its playfulness, just in time.

 

"They talk about you always. My new people. Kynthia. Her friends."

 

"That's surprising to us, Myrto."

 

"They believe you are heroes. That you can do anything."

 

"We're not, and we can't."

 

"I know that. Kynthia does not."

 

Jack raised his eyebrows questioningly. "She does, Myrto."

 

"No. When anything goes wrong, she wishes for Jack O'Neill. When she is angry with me, she speaks of your kindness. When a new book by Danelle is ready, the whole town rushes to see."

 

It was difficult for Jack to imagine sweet Kynthia ever getting angry, but these people had had three years to explore new emotions. And you're the one who introduced them to anger, Jack. "I'm sorry, Myrto. We helped these people, but we're not superheroes."

 

"There is not even a child for us yet, and it has been hundreds of days."

 

Two years. Ah, there was a lot for these people still to learn. "You have many years, Myrto, thousands more days. Your bodies are back to normal. Having a child may take a while." And nine months would seem like multiple lifetimes to a woman here; she would not understand what was taking so long. Perhaps there were a few things Carter would have to teach them. Or Daniel.

 

"Why have you returned?"

 

Not to steal Kynthia. "To see how they've been managing. To help, if we were needed. I can see we're not."

 

Myrto gazed down at his bare feet, toeing the sand in contemplation. Then he reached into his pocket, fiddling around before pulling out a handful of tiny coloured balls. "Pastry? They are from fruit and seeds, baked by Kynthia." He dropped a candy into his mouth, offering another to Jack.

 

A treaty; a token of friendship. Eyeing the candy warily and contemplating a refusal, Jack hesitated. Clearly a peace offering, declining might erect a barrier between this man and himself, perhaps even between his team and these people. "Thank you."

 

 Myrto just nodded, stared out towards the water, and waited.

 

Waited only moments, until Jack slipped to the ground, deeply asleep.

 

Thank goodness his people still knew ways to use the ingredients from the marriage cake.

 

_____

 

His arms under Jack's, crossed against his chest, Myrto dragged his load through the low water, moving out to where it was deeper, knowing the water movement would erase all footprints and trails and buoyancy would ease the weight.

 

Let me see you save yourself this time, Jack O'Neill. Let them all understand that you are not a superhero. Let them see you can die like all other men, like my people used to do after one hundred days. Let the foolishness end, and let Kynthia desire no one but me.

 

It took some time - well over an hour - as he struggled to arrive at his destination, but the water had lifted the burden and Myrto finally reached the cove. The water was already beginning to rise again, but would not be at its full height for a few more hours. Now, the little bay harboured only two or three feet of water, and Myrto had a tougher time dragging Jack into the gaping hole in the rocks, a tiny cave jutting out below the craggy bank where the shoreline dropped down into the inlet, partly submerged even at low tide. A long thick overhang covered the hole in the low rugged cliff, hiding it from all eyes that were not looking for treasures along the natural seawall.

 

Myrto paused, reminiscing. He had not been here since his marriage to Kynthia two years before. While this place was out of the way, off the main track, by the land route it was nearly halfway to his own village beyond the first mountain. Here in the murky interior, the bamboo posts remained in place, their bases cleverly splayed and secured deep in the bed of rock and mud, the small hammock seat still nestled between the two.

 

Myrto eased Jack into a seated position against one pole in the low flood waters; the man wouldn't wake until long after sun-up. By then the waters would have risen to nearly half their potential, above the man's head. He did not desire to cause pain or terror; the man would drown peacefully in his sleep. He had made the drug potent for a reason.

 

Removing the man's vest and going through his pockets, Myrto found plastic binding, perfect for his purposes; it would reinforce the netting which was probably well-worn and water-logged by now. Best to remove whatever that black device was from the pocket as well, along with the knife and other oddities. He would toss those into the sea.

 

Securing Jack's hands behind the sturdy post, he then covered the so-called superhero's mouth tightly with a strip of fabric from the man's own jacket; it would not do for someone to hear him shouting. The water was only yet up to the man's waist as he perched there sitting on the ground. Then Myrto removed that hammock seat and wrapped it snugly around O'Neill's torso and the pole.

 

There was one more idea in his head. Bringing in two small heavy boulders from the waters outside the cave, he placed them on the loose ends of the tied netting. Now even a true superhero would clearly be weighed down and unable to rise… right? Myrto shook the doubts from his thoughts. No such thing as a superhero. Even Daniel Jackson and the woman and Teal'c would prove this, by never coming to the rescue.

 

"I'm sorry, Jack O'Neill. But for me, it is a good thing you have returned."

 

And then Myrto left, without a second look back. He would swim back to the village after the birds had begun to sing, just in time for Kynthia to rouse.

 

But first he had one thing left to do.

 

Hopping on top of the rocky outcrop above Jack's hideaway to fling the man's possessions far into the sea, he listened. All was silent, only the gentle lapping of waves upon rock. Looking towards the water creeping up the edges of the boulders, he knew it would fill the cave within hours. By midday, all would be submerged.

 

He had often stopped here that first year, on the way back from visiting Kynthia. Curious as to why the water was so low at times and so high at others, seemingly following a mostly consistent path, he had erected the first pole - protected by the natural shelter - to investigate the changing water levels. Stringing dough at various heights around the pole, he had seen it all disintegrate by the following day. But why did the water keep losing and gaining itself? That was a mystery he had never been able to solve. Perhaps in the cool air of early morning, water shrank.

 

While his first meager pole had been washed away, the present ones were imbedded deep into the bedrock underground, and reached up high until they fit tightly to the ceiling. The second had been erected as an afterthought, a curious researcher choosing to sit for a while on a netted seat, and watch from above as the seawater rose within the aperture. But he had never had the nerve to wait an entire evening; his people were not known to venture into the sea, and he was still afraid of its powerful mysteries. And so he'd sit on the outer rise, watching, waiting, and dreaming of finding answers to nature's secrets.

 

He studied the cracked worn overhang and the boulders scattered around the bank ready to tumble, knowing this was not a safe place to be. It seemed as though any weight might send the debris scattering and rolling, and for just a moment he entertained the thought of sealing the entrance to the cave. But that idea was discarded; he did not want anything to interfere with the flow of the sea into the lair. Later, once the water had again receded, he could seal the place off. He wouldn't risk anyone stumbling upon his secret, no matter how far into the future. He would untie the man after the Earth teams had gone, and close off the hole. It would look like an accident, if ever the cave was discovered.

 

And yet… the thought was tempting, gnawing, for a sealed cave would be that much harder for a superhero to escape.

 

Or for another to find.

 

No; no such thing as superheroes. Myrto again shook the doubt from his brain. The bonds and high rising waters would be enough. He had no more minutes to fool around; he had to get back in time for his absence not to be questioned.

 

Myrto headed back through the water, the tide erasing all footprints in the sand where he waded.

 

_____

 

"Jack?" Daniel looked for the second time in the temple complex, finding only the villagers as they woke from their nightly dreams.

 

Retracing his steps outside, he caught up with Sam and Teal'c, his teammates having checked the other buildings. "Any luck?"

 

"He's not in any of them, Daniel," Sam reported worriedly. It wasn't like the colonel not to be around at the conclusion of his watch, and there weren't all that many places he could have gone. They'd given him enough time to return from personal duties, but still he was nowhere in sight and was not responding to their radio calls.

 

The three teammates stood there in silence, pondering the options. The colonel's P90 had been found washed up along the beach at the water's edge, and Jack was most definitely missing.

 

_____

 

 

The water was rising; the tide was coming in. Up to Jack's chest now as he sat, but still he did not wake.

 

_____

 

"Backup's on the way," Carter stood with her teammates, planning the next move. "Teal'c, you head northeast with SG7 as soon as they get here, see if there's a village within walking distance. I'll go with SG6; Myrto says he came from a hamlet not far to the northwest, and one of the villagers is willing to lead the way. Daniel -"

 

"I'll stay here and look around. Or wait." And ask questions.

 

"Right. Let's move out."

 

Daniel watched as they left to meet the two SG teams now exiting the temple and gateroom, the townsfolk wandering in their freely oblivious ways, carrying out daily chores, looking calm and happy.

 

Boy Danelle leaned against one of the structures along the beach, busily drawing. Under better circumstances, this would have been a great time to ask him about his alphabet.

 

"He will return."

 

Daniel turned to find Kynthia only steps away, her hazel-green eyes wide and trusting. The innocence in her features hadn't changed with the passage of time. "How do you know?"

 

"I am certain."

 

"Then where is he?" Knowing the question was almost rhetorical Daniel's attention trailed off, his thoughts unfocussed as he turned away.

 

"Jack likes to think. And he likes to wander by the water. Perhaps he was curious about the villages. You will see; he will soon return from a long walk."

 

But Kynthia didn't know about teamwork, and missions. "He wouldn't leave in the middle of his watch. And not without telling us."

 

"He will be unharmed, Daniel. He is a -"

 

"Superhero." Myrto sidled up to them.

 

"Superhero," Daniel muttered under his breath, looking back out to sea.

 

"I have heard of sea monsters. My people speak of them. If your friend ventured too close to the water at night…"

 

Jack had been on watch, wandering on the beach. "Sea monsters?" Daniel frowned, swivelling abruptly, his pulse accelerating. "Tell me about them."

 

"They are said to be large," Myrto continued, on a roll. "They devour those who venture into the sea after dark. That is the reason my people don't go into the water." No, most thought the water was only for bathing. The rise and fall to them was frightening, a phenomenon still associated with the old warnings of Pelops.

 

Daniel's head was racing with thoughts of sharks, or crocodiles, or alien sharp-toothed amphibians or reptiles. It was possible… and would explain a lot. Way, way too much. He felt his blood chill on its way through his limbs.

 

Damn it, no damn way. Closer to the water he strode, until his boots were edging the waves. Where the hell are you, Jack?

 

"Daniel, don't." Kynthia was by his side, reaching for his sleeve, her eyes filled with concern.

 

"You've seen these sea monsters?"

 

"No. But I do not doubt the word of Myrto. It is true that his people and mine do not venture more than steps into this water."

 

"That's because you've never had the time or necessity to learn to swim."

 

"I don't understand."

 

"Nevermind." Daniel continued to visually search the sea. No crocodile had gotten to Jack. He would have shouted… wouldn't he? But they'd been asleep.

 

Daniel stared silently, buried deep in disturbing thoughts, vaguely listening to the quiet retreat of Kynthia and Myrto. Jack had been in trouble, somehow, from something, otherwise he'd be here, and his team had not responded to his call. We let you down, Jack.

 

Why hadn't he fired off his weapon?

 

God, Jack. Where the hell are you?

 

Dropping his vest and jacket onto the sand, removing his boots and socks, Daniel strode into the water and dove. He'd check the area; hopefully, there would be nothing out there to find.

 

_____

 

 

Whether thankfully or not, Daniel had retreated almost an hour later, with no evidence of a crocodile attack, and sat dripping into the formerly dry sand. Still, no evidence meant nothing, really; not if these crocs ate bone and tore clothing into bits too small to notice. He could think of nowhere else around here Jack could possibly be.

 

Replacing his boots and jacket, Daniel began his stroll west along the beach. If Jack had encountered anything, too far for them to hear his call, too suddenly for him to reach for his radio, then it would have been in the direction of the buildings and not of the tents. Near the tents, they would have heard something. Something.

 

And so he walked, looking for clues, looking for evidence, looking for bits of torn clothing. Looking for something.

 

But hoping for Jack.

 

_____

 

Damnit, what the hell?

 

Wetness, water, tightness in his arms.

 

Jack jerked awake, groggily trying to get his bearings. He'd been on watch, by the water… and couldn't remember how he'd come to be here. The last thing he remembered was talking to Myrto.

 

Accepting a candy.

 

Damnit. What the hell?

 

His mouth was covered, lips pulled tight, and all Jack could manage were some muffled grunts. Struggling to free his arms, his wrists felt like they were connected with crazy glue. Or plastic strips, straight from the military. Whatever he was attached to was sturdy in the ground.

 

And so was he. Unable to slide up or down, he could do nothing but sit there, keeping his head above water.

 

Barely, for the water was lapping at his chin, with the tide coming in.

 

Damnit.

 

What the hell? Was Myrto jealous? Of him?

 

Damn it.

 

_____

 

The sun had risen partway across the sky, and the day was becoming warm. Traipsing slowly across the wet sand, scouring the water's edge, Daniel's eyes were focussed on the ground with intermittent scans of the distant beach and looming mountain, intent on finding a clue, a footprint, a patch of fabric, yet dreading finding anything at all. The lump in his stomach lurched uncomfortably with every glimpse of green seaweed washed ashore; every clump could be a piece of military wear, every strand a shoelace or vest string. And each time the seaweed turned out to be just seaweed, Daniel's nerves trembled and settled, his heart thumped once, and his need to keep on moving grew stronger.

 

How far he would go he had no idea, and he was well aware of being alone here on an alien world. Unafraid of the humans he might encounter, he kept his senses heightened and on the lookout for any sort of animal. Something had to have attacked Jack, he was sure of that, and it could very well have been a large land animal wandering down from the mountains during the night. To his right, the terrain was scattered with boulders as the hills loomed closer, an animal's paradise for hiding its prey. They'd need many more S&R teams to scour the area; all Daniel could do now was concentrate on the water and shoreline.

 

Daniel shivered in the heat, his unwelcome thoughts forlornly taunting with their potential reality.

 

With each passing moment, Daniel felt more and more on edge, and more and more pessimistic about the outcome of his search.

 

_____

 

Struggling and kicking were getting him nowhere, and a sense of oncoming panic was long past setting in. The water continued to rise, and by the looks of the daylight six metres from his face, out that shrinking gap in the outcropping of rock overhead and around him, he knew that mid-day and high tide had not yet passed. This water would get much higher, before he could ever get free. He pulled some more, but nothing gave.

 

Sounds of pattering beyond his visibility grabbed Jack's attention, and he silenced his struggling.

 

In spite of his previous rustling he could have sworn he'd heard movement...and he took the chance that it wasn't an animal.

 

With all his effort he tried to shout, sounds emerging only as muffled grunts and groans. Louder, but by now the outside air was still, and his voice was enveloped in rock.

 

Daniel paused, gingerly holding the item with paralyzed fingers. He'd seen it glinting in the late morning sunlight, sandwiched between three rocks, water sloshing around it. It had sharpened his fears, penetrating bone.

 

The only way Jack could have been parted from this knife was if he'd been attacked… while trying to use it. On…? Daniel's heart pounded, a sick feeling lurking in his abdomen, escalating with every moment of silence and stillness. "JACK!"

 

Jumping onto a nearby outcropping, out of the water, he stared into the sea. The low sound of waves gently hitting rock did little to soothe his nerves. Jack was out there somewhere. Not alive.

 

Odd sounds were whispering through to him, from somewhere. A sound that didn't belong with this peacefulness. Something different, but unplaceable…indistinguishable…

 

Or was it only his hopeful, vivid imagination?

 

"JACK?"

 

Daniel listened closely, unmoving, not daring to breathe, but there was nothing more.

 

Glancing down, he stepped back quickly; that thick slab of rock was threatening to give way any moment with any additional weight or motion, and toss him headfirst onto the surrounding rocks.

 

And then he heard it again, from just below him, and he put his ear to the fissure. Moans, not of the sea, and there were no birds around. Perhaps his mind had just been too deep in concentration, but he hadn't seen gulls or water birds his whole time searching.

 

Nor had he seen evidence of crocodiles. Or any other alien sea creatures, not that he knew really what to look for. No dried bones, not even any discarded crab shells.

 

Would a land animal take refuge in a water cave?

 

Jumping into the hip-deep water, Daniel carefully stepped over and around the rocks, still listening. Turning his flashlight on, he aimed it at the large but partly submerged hollow in the rock before him, prepared to flee, readying his berretta. The last thing he could handle was finding some animal devouring the remains of his best friend, but he needed to know, and there were those sounds again, coming from inside the -

 

"Jack? Christ, Jack!" Daniel rushed into the small opening as quickly as the water would allow, dropping onto his knees at his teammate's side. The water was up to Jack's nose, up to his own chest as he kneeled, and he could vaguely make out a strip of cloth around his friend's lower face.

 

Jack exhaled a gagged sigh of relief. A sight for sore eyes, that Daniel. He could have hugged him, if his hands weren't so tied up.

 

Daniel slid the gag down, then felt around the pole for the bindings. "Who the hell did this to you?"

 

"Myrto." Jack spit out the water bubbles.

 

"What?" the pause was momentary, as Daniel removed his glasses, took a breath, and went under, looking for a way to untie Jack's bonds. The water was too dark, and all he could do was feel around. Surfacing again, he grasped Jack's knife and carefully felt around the other man's wrists.

 

"Hurry it up, Daniel," Jack lifted his chin high. "Five more minutes and I'll be inhaling guppies. Good timing, by the way, but a little earlier would have been appreciated just as much."

 

"I don't want to cut you. I can't see what I'm doing." Daniel felt between the bonds, and slipped the knife through.

 

Jack's hands were free, but he still couldn't move. "Daniel! There's more."

 

"What's wrong?" The panic was escalating as Daniel groped around for whatever was keeping Jack futilely struggling to rise.

 

"I'm still tied."

 

"I feel something like rope. Lots of them." As cautiously as he could manage given the press for time, for these bonds were way too close to Jack's back, Daniel laced a hand gingerly through the netting behind the pole and slit through the strands with only the tip of the blade. Jack was struggling to keep his mouth and nose out of the water. It was a few moments before he realized Daniel had disappeared below.

 

"Daniel?"

 

Daniel grappled with the cords weighed down at their ends, shifting the large rocks one at a time, rolling them out of the way. And then Jack was free.

 

He shot upright, pushing off from the ground and onto his feet, as Daniel fully surfaced -

 

And the crash sent them both back under.

 

_____

 

"What the…" Jack surfaced to near-darkness, lingering daylight having suddenly plunged into nighttime. "What was that?"

 

"Oh oh."

 

"That the same as oh crap?" Jack squinted at… black nothingness. "What the hell happened?"

 

"The rock ledge above us collapsed." Sounds of splashes continued as rocks kept falling beyond their enclosure.

 

As the sounds diminished and their vision adapted, they could make out narrow streams of light filtering in from separations and crevices in the rock, and through ceiling cracks, their eyes growing steadily more used to the gloomy dimness. Only inches of gap on either side of the newly formed barricade allowed a degree of air and daylight to pass through… and heavy streams of water. And their shelter was now a full two meters smaller.

 

"Push!" Leaning all their body weight against the fallen rock, it still would not budge. The water was nearly up to their waists, and the top of the enclosure a mere eight inches above their heads.

 

"The water will be up to the ceiling before the tide starts to recede." Daniel voiced his calculations. "Unless we can block the rest of those gaps," he added doubtfully.

 

"With what?" Jack continued forcing all his strength onto the unmovable object. Then without warning, he dove under the water, disappearing for a long minute as Daniel waited with apprehensive curiosity. Jack finally surfaced with a head shake and a scowl. "Thought we might be able to swim out from the edges underneath. Not gonna happen."

 

Daniel was eyeing the bamboo posts. "Maybe we could use a -"

 

"Lever," Jack finished the sentence, grabbing for the pole at the same moment as Daniel, but the post wouldn't budge.

 

"It's stuck!"

 

"How the hell long is it?"

 

"I think it's buried in the rocks, Jack." Dread was gaining a foothold.

 

Thrusting the knife into Jack's hand and ripping out his own, Daniel started slashing through the base of the bamboo post. They were running out of time, and he had never been more aware of anything in his life. The water was up to their chests when the top five feet of bamboo finally cracked off.

 

Using one of the smaller boulders as a balancing fulcrum, hoping to displace the barrier enough to increase their exit space, both men shoved the pole under the slab and lifted…

 

And the bamboo pole split open.

 

The barrier had rocked forward an inch, and settled back into place.

 

The two men stood motionless, out of options, apprehension succumbing to alarm.

 

"Crap."

_____

 

"Now what?"

 

Daniel stared at the silhouette of Jack, his body numbing with fear. Moving that barrier had proven impossible, and now water gently lapped in and out around their shoulders with the muted wave action. Soon, all their leftover time would be occupied with breathing.

 

Jack knew he had an inch on Daniel. At this moment, every inch counted, and he pulled Daniel over to one of the rocks that had earlier trapped him in place. "Stand on that," he ordered.

 

"No good; it's too high," Daniel stepped down from the small boulder. When it became absolutely necessary he would use it, but he'd have to bend over a few inches. There was still a bit of time before that need became reality.

 

Darkness had set into the cave with the unnatural sealing out of sunlight; the edges of daylight would eventually succumb to dusk before the tide would again recede minutely… if these tides were anything like those on Earth. This planet had two moons, or at least, two that they could see; that might work to their advantage… or against them. Would the gravitational pull be worse? Sam could have theorized. But unless there were more moons on the other side of the planet, in another hour or two the rest of this empty space would fill with water. In less than half of one, it would be above their heads.

 

"We don't know that the water will get much higher."

 

"No, we don't." Jack heard the doubt. "But?" There had to be a but.

 

"But if these tides are semi-diurnal, it should peak somewhere around midday, recede slightly, and rise again." And if not, it'll just keep on rising to its full extent and linger longer, with no reprieve at all.

 

"Meaning?"

 

"Meaning, meaning ...nothing. Either way, this place will likely be submerged pretty soon. Neither option will buy us much time."

  

Terrific. "Anyone else out looking for us?"

 

"Not near here. They've gone to the neighboring villages."

 

"Damn it. Why would I have gone to another village, in the middle of the night?"

 

"Why would you have disappeared, Jack? Involuntarily, maybe? I thought you'd been mauled by some animal, actually."

 

"Crap. Try your radio anyway; maybe they're back."

 

"I did. It's not working."

 

"Waterlogged?"

 

"I don't know. I get nothing. What about yours?"

 

"Don't have it. I guess Myrto suspected what it was for."

 

Daniel's deep sigh was unintentionally loud. "I don't get it, Jack. What does Myrto have against you? Does he think Kynthia still has feelings for you?"

 

"She has feelings for an apparent superhero, Daniel. Myrto has had to compete with that for three years."

 

"Oh."

 

"Yeah."

 

Daniel's next words resonated with disillusionment, a naîvely innocent trust broken. "These are such peaceful people. How could he even think of taking your life?"

 

"Technically I suppose he doesn't think he did, Daniel. He let the sea take me."

 

"Or... maybe deep down he wants you to escape. Maybe he's looking for proof that Superheroes really do exist."

 

"Why? Kynthia's given him grief over it."

 

"So he can believe too. So he has a reason to put up with it."

 

Jack paused. Daniel might be right, but more likely this man beside him who saw the good in everyone was deluding himself into reasonable doubt. It would get them nowhere. "So. What now?"

 

But this time Daniel had no answer.

 

_____

 

"I am not prepared to drown, Daniel."

 

"Well, if there's a choice I don't know about, I'm all ears."

 

"Think, Daniel! There's always a way out!"

 

"I've been thinking, Jack!"

 

"Daniel - !"

 

"What? I don't want to be in here either, Jack! Why are you so upset with me?"

 

"I'm not…" realizing he'd been losing his perspective, Jack reigned in his composure. He hadn't intended to take out his frustration on Daniel, who wasn't even supposed to be here in the first place, wasn't intended to be a victim here; he was just too used to SG1 always beating the odds. He was not ready to die nor watch his best friend do the same, the man who'd come to rescue him. Nor was he willing for their final discussion to be an argument. "I'm not angry at you. I'm angry at us having to stand here waiting to drown."

 

They were treading water, easier than standing on too-tall rocks, grabbing onto the walls of the enclosure for support, holding onto any protrusions that would partially support their weight.

 

"We're going to drown, Jack." The words were spoken softly. It did no good to deny the inevitable.

 

"Maybe."

 

Daniel sighed. "I can't breathe underwater, contrary to popular belief around Argos."

 

Jack swam across the six feet of cave separating him from Daniel, and got a grip on the narrow submerged bar that was supporting his friend. One hand resting on the wall and the other on Daniel's shoulder, he balanced himself, transferring a palm to Daniel's cheek, then back to the shoulder. About to say something profound, Jack realized he had no words. "I know. Neither can I."

 

"'Then, I guess…" Daniel's voice was barely audible, trailing off as he bit his lip, his nervous stare self-consciously scrutinizing the water. "See you around."

 

"Right." No, no good-byes. There was one thing Jack did have to say, and it was borne of guilt. "This was supposed to be only me. I'm sorry, Daniel. You had nothing to do with Kynthia."

 

"And you had nothing to do with Myrto. This shouldn't be happening to either of us."

 

But it was. And they weren't getting out this time.

 

_____

 

The walk to the village had taken all morning; with no established roads through the overgrown flields and hills, the going had been rough. While these people had been surprised to see the drably-dressed newcomers, they had been welcoming, offering hospitality and food. They knew of Myrto's new homeland by the sea; some of them had even been to visit.

 

But no one had seen O'Neill, and Carter had not been expecting any differently. That nagging feeling told her the colonel was right under their noses. Hurt, perhaps, unable to communicate with them. But where, damn it? Surely her team, or Teal'c's, would have seen some signs along the way?

 

Part of the afternoon had been spent in investigation, but Carter was not willing to waste time on a wild goose chase. "Let's head back. He's not here." Taking point, she led SG6 back the way they'd come, her eyes searching the overgrown fields.

 

_____

 

The water sloshed above their heads, mere inches from the rocky ceiling at its highest point, touching it in others. They had had no choice but to stand on the stepping stones, bending forward or backwards uncomfortably, hands on the ceiling for support, breathing the last few inches of air. Options were negligible; they could not spend the next two or three hours holding their breath, waiting for the tide to recede enough for them to breathe freely again.

 

"At least the water's not cold."

 

"Thank you, Jack. I feel much better noticing that."

 

"I'm just saying."

 

In the artificial darkness, Jack could hear Daniel's heavy, deep breaths, and knew his were the same.

 

As the water reached even closer to the top of the enclosure and air became scarce, a small trickle of light coming in from the ceiling above the fallen slab caught Jack's eye. Floating over to investigate, he found a fissure where the heavy rock overhang had tumbled down at a partially sloping angle. In only a few minutes only this one last pocket of air would remain, the ceiling perhaps four inches higher here, angled into a point, the narrow gap leading into a small airway, or natural shaft, straight up to the sky. This would be their last point of oxygen, until it too would be filled with water, and the cave submerged. Jack estimated they had a half hour left.

 

Daniel struggled to get his nose above water. Bending his head that far forward or backward required a strained balance, but the ceiling was too close to hold the position for more than a few seconds at a time. He felt Jack reaching for him, pulling him forward, from below.

 

"What are you do-?" Daniel's words were cut off as he was dragged underwater, and for a panicked instant he thought Jack had given up. Given the options, would Jack resort to making this quicker by drowning them both?

 

And then he was pulled upright, feet guided to stand on a rock, his nose barely above water again, his hair scraping against the ceiling above.

 

In this spot, he did not have to bend quite so low. Jack had positioned the stepping stones below a higher apex in the ceiling.

 

They had an extra few minutes now, for what it was worth.

 

That was when Daniel realized Jack was still underwater. There was nowhere else for him to go; this was the last pocket of oxygen, and there was only room for one.

 

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale, deeply. Hold.

 

Daniel jumped off the rock, landing on his feet underwater, and shoved Jack onto the twelve-inch boulder.

 

Under water; exhale, slowly.

 

And then Jack's arms were on his again, pulling him forward and up, steadying him on the rock, and with hands on the ceiling for support, Daniel thrust his nose into the tiny space and inhaled another long breath of air. And with a shock Daniel realized that any gulp of air inhaled from this moment on might very well be his last. Enjoy, he thought with jaded humour. Next time, he might stand on this rock only to discover that the air pocket had disappeared. Positive, expected, uncertain death; forewarned, and all that, not really all it's cracked up to be. In the blackness, he grabbed Jack's shoulder and held tightly. Jack's arm folded briefly around his waist, and now it was Jack's turn for a breath of air.

 

Underwater. This is so not fun.

 

Have to breathe... don't panic, don't panic, Jack will be done in a few seconds, calm down; there. See? My turn. Deep inahlation....I so want to stay up here. Can't even think about it, Jack needs air. Underwater, exhale. Slower, don't panic, just a few more seconds, my turn in a moment. That's it, calm, calm, that's it.

 

They'll find us here, Jack… maybe.

 

Sam, and Teal'c.

 

One day, if they keep searching. It'll hit them hard.

 

Sam. I'm sorry Sam.

 

God, Jack. You doing okay? This scaring the crap out of you too?

 

Up and down, and Daniel knew this could not last much longer. Each breath might be their last. He clung to Jack's arm, Jack gripping onto his. Up, and down.

 

Taking turns breathing.

 

_____

 

God. I can't do this any more.

 

It had been a while before both men realized the seawater had not yet filled the peak. Their air pocket was holding, if tenuously; while the water seemed to have stopped rising, the undulating ripple effect repeatedly covered and uncovered their noses and eyes. Except during those moments when the water lapped forward or splashed in from above, waves escaping from the sea with a force from some unseen breezes when the air pocket would momentarily fill and close, the fissure to the outside world was holding fast, saving two lives. Thankfully the barricade blocked most of the heavier wave action.

 

And Daniel realized that the barricade had also allowed the sea to enter their lair more slowly; perhaps that was enough to buy them time until the tide could start working in reverse.

 

Until then… one at a time their mouths were on the ceiling, sucking air from a shaft. It was all they had to work with.

 

If they could hang on, taking turns like this, they would last until that point in the afternoon when the tide would have receded enough for them to stand on the ground, heads above water, offering them time to figure a way out of here.

 

In the meantime, this would be a very long day.

 

_____

 

Hang on buddy, just hang in there. Jack was tiring; the strain on the neck and back, on the legs and knees, was immeasurable in itself, yet negligible compared to the stress of forced, controlled breathing. Kiss the ceiling; two long inhalations, then back underwater, exhale slowly. God, his headache was agonizing. They must have been at this for forty minutes - seemed more like hours - and he compared it to never-ending yoga on a Step Mill. How many breaths per minute? Per half hour? Too many, and yet not enough. Never enough. The coordination necessary to keep the pace intact was strenuous, almost automatic by now but never enough to allow any degree of relaxation. And those times when the water lapped forward and rose another inch before being released, the pace was upset and one or the other of them ended up with a mouthful of water, choking, swallowing, with nowhere to find relief. They were learning to anticipate the wave action, unpredictable as it was, and time their breaths to the flow. Jack felt his own muscles weakening with the stress, and all he wanted to do was sit down and rest. And breathe, all the air he wanted. Great huge gulps of it.

 

His turn again. Daniel was keeping him focussed. Own hands on the ceiling for support; Daniel's on his lower back and leg.

 

That's it; thanks pal. One, inhale - exhale; two inhale, hold. Up you go. Whoa, careful. One foothold slip breaks the whole pace. Atta boy. My turn. One, two inhale and hold. Down, exhale. Not so fast, not so fast; not my turn yet, let go of that air slo-

 

Whoa, Daniel. Up, get up. My turn, what's wrong? I need air, up; One, inhale, two, Daniel? Get the hell up, don't sit down, c'mon, c'mon, can't rest, can't sleep, Daniel, Daniel… shit, that's it, that's it… Stay. Longer breath for you this time - Stay up there. More, it's okay, I'm okay. Get yourself some air.

 

Daniel felt Jack holding him up more tightly, wouldn't let him down yet. Damn, what had happened? He had to be more in control, take a bigger breath, careful, hold it. But his head was growing dizzy and his stomach nauseous. Can't be sick, underwater. Jack, I've had my two breaths. But that hand was still pressured on his back; Jack wanted him to have more. Three; coming down now. No? Four? Now. Your turn. Slowly, breathe out slowly. Let Jack up there a bit longer.

 

God. We'll never make it.

 

_____

 

Hypoventilation had caused him to zone out more than once, and Daniel had fallen again. Jack's shaking hands retained their weakened grip on Daniel's arms as Daniel's had on his; he'd be damned if he'd let oxygen deprivation get the better of either of them. Not when they were this close. Soon, the water would have to recede. Soon. It had no choice; that was a law of nature, on any planet. What goes up, must come down.

 

Soon. Minutes? Half an hour? An hour? They couldn't die, with only an hour left of these aerobics.

 

Jack was almost certain his chin was out of the water now, standing weakly, wearily, bent over on that rock. Unless it was his imagination, his chin was out of the water… more so than before. One… two inhale and hold. Your turn, buddy.

 

Exhale. Shaky fingers, Daniel? You can do it. Nearly there, I promise. I promise.

 

Daniel felt a pat on his back. Encouragement; did Jack think he was doing good? Except that any minute now I'm going to pass out, Jack. Daniel squeezed Jack's arm, his own fingers weak and trembling. He had to sit down. Had to rest. Had to throw up. Had to pass out.

 

Daniel! Up! That's an order! That's it, good job, once more. One… two. Stay there. Gotta get something.

 

Daniel felt Jack let go for the first time that afternoon, and his jumbled thoughts knew only panic. Jumping off the footstep he felt around, felt the ground, fumbled for Jack, panicked that the man had fallen. Jack? Jack? Where are you? Don't die, don't give up... God, have to breathe, can't hold it… Jack, where -

 

Then a hand was on his back, on his arm, pulling him up, guiding, and Daniel felt a rock, another one, under his foot. Jack had pushed it over to the first, put them side by side. And then the hand helped lift Daniel upright, getting his footing, lifting him taller and back into the air pocket. Daniel gasped heavily, wheezing and breathless.

 

"Daniel!"

 

Jack needed him. Jumping off the rock again he felt around; Jack? The grasp was higher on his back, a hand on his shoulder, urging him back up. Jack, you skipped two turns. You need air! Why was Jack so tall?

 

Two hands, trying to push him back onto the rock.

 

You took your turn? Did I pass out? Disorientation was a likelihood, and Daniel stepped back up - taking three tries this time - onto the rock. One… two, inhale, inhale….

 

A hand was on his face. "Daniel! Daniel, listen to me, open your eyes!"

 

And this time, Daniel realized he'd heard the voice out loud.

 

_____

 

As the waters further receded through the gaps - what came in more slowly went out that way as well - Jack let go of his friend and pulled the rock he was standing on over to the cave wall. He looked at Daniel, head above water to his chin, standing there, eyes closed, trembling, having trouble keeping his balance without the support of his friend, even with hands on the rocky ceiling above. "Okay, Daniel. Come on over here now." And with the suggestion given, Daniel dropped backwards into the water.

 

"Hey!" Rushing over in what was frustratingly slow motion, Jack grabbed out for Daniel, finding him on hands and knees on the ground. Don't breathe. Holding him steady, Jack pulled his friend to the surface, floating with him towards the wall, Daniel coughing up water. "You okay?"

 

Daniel nodded, still coughing. "Think I… got dizz... disoriented."

 

"Here. Stand on this." Jack propped Daniel up, the wall behind him for support.

 

Then he went back for Daniel's rock.

 

Both men stood on their foot-high platforms, bent over, water at neck level, leaning against the wall, arms around each other's waist, holding each other up. "Soon we'll be able to relax. Just a bit longer, buddy."

 

Daniel nodded. Just a bit longer. Two, maybe three more hours before they could actually sit. At least the new supply of oxygen had eased the tight knots in his stomach. A little. But all the seawater he'd swallowed throughout the day was doing its damnedest to counteract that effect. He closed his eyes, and slumped in closer to the wall and Jack.

 

_____

 

"Just lean on me."

 

They hadn't sat down all day, and the previous hours had worn their nerve endings down to jittery nubs. Spent and exhausted, the water now low to their chests, they were numb from stress, lack of sufficient air - which was now coming in from the edges of the barrier - and sore from spending the past ten hours in sea water. One fortunate thing, they'd decided, was Argos had a slightly shorter daily cycle than Earth.

 

Now they leaned against the barrier, feet finally on the ground, inhaling fresh air from the gaps and fissures. "Lean against me. Take off some of the weight."

 

As Jack pressed himself into a corner by the obstructed exit, a small protruding rock supporting his back and butt, he tried to ease some of Daniel's weight. His arms around his friend for support as Daniel sagged against the rock wall, at least one of them at a time could begin to relax strained muscles. And in the meantime, he had to try thinking of a way out of this mess.  

_____

 

The figure traipsed through the sand towards the cove. Looking around in case anyone such as Daniel might be spying, following him or observing his actions, he would just say he had gone in search of clues, were anyone to ask. In search of a very fat, very sluggish, probably smiling sea monster.

 

He had to see what had become of SuperJack. Had to untie him and block up the hole.

 

Myrto slipped along the sand silently, the water tugging at his toes, until finally the cove was in sight. The tide was no longer completely submerging the cave, the water in its partial early evening recession, lapping lower against the cave's rock walls.

 

Myrto stopped several metres away, gaping. Even from here he could tell that the large aperture had already been sealed; that overhang had finally collapsed. No way would Jack have gotten out.

 

And no way would Daniel Jackson ever be able to reach him.

 

_____

 

"Must be around dusk." The water had receded as far as it seemed it would go, and now rippled around their waists while standing. "We made it." But they still had no way out of here. Jack perched on a narrow ledge of wall. Tilting his head back he closed his eyes, shivering. God, so tired. He felt, or heard, Daniel shifting beside him. "We made it."

 

Daniel's body felt heavy, and he couldn't see Jack very well in this dim light. Daniel was silent, knowing his friend was in desperate need of rest. So was he.

 

The sound of waves lapping at their door was lulling, tranquilizing yet disconcerting. A normally soothing effect, the present circumstances of stress and cold, worry and fear, gave it all a surreal quality.

 

The two men remained motionless, balancing side by side, for longer than they could afford. Nerves slipping back into place, muscles uncorking, still shivering partly from stress and partly from the chill; even though the sea water was warm, the evening's air was cooling down, and the enclosed cave let in no heat. The water remained just above their waists, as they sluggishly sagged against the wall of the tiny rock enclosure.

 

"Jack, I think the water's starting to rise again," Daniel's teeth chattered. Semi-diurnal. Damn.

 

 "Already?"

 

"The recession was just the lapse between high tides. I'd say we have about three more hours, four if we're lucky."

 

"I'll take lucky. We'll survive."

 

"We can't go through that again."

 

"We won't," Jack reassured his partner. "We'll be rescued."

 

"No, I mean we can't. This time the water might be lower, but it might rise even higher than before. High tides at mid-day and high tides during the night usually reach different levels."

 

So no air pocket? Crap. "Then we'd damn well better start getting rid of those obstructions in the doorway."

 

"How?"

 

"Don't know."

 

_____

 

New comic book pages were already posted. People came and went, stopping at the wall, reading. The story was unfinished, and Danelle knelt on the ground, pages spread out around him, still drawing in the faded light. Villagers were cleaning up after the evening meal, laughing and chatting.

 

Carter stopped by the bulletin board. Several pages of cartoon had Jack battling a huge evil-looking creature, using his P90 as a sword, standing in the middle of the sea. Waves were pounding over them, and a woman - was that Kynthia? - was in his one free arm. Villagers were scattered around, imprisoned in the creature's floating lair.

 

"Have you seen Daniel?" Carter interrupted those who were reading but, just like all the others, no one had any information. Daniel was supposed to have stayed in the area, but she hadn't seen him since she and SG6 had returned an hour ago. No one had seen him at all that day, and she was unsettled and worried. Teal'c's team hadn't yet returned, but were on their way and within contact range. Radio communication had revealed that they, too, had come up empty.

 

And as for the villagers themselves? No one seemed to be taking this seriously; they were more than excited to be participating in an SG1 adventure firsthand, and that had Sam growing increasingly frustrated. That whole trust of the Superhero Syndrome was sending her nerves flaring.

 

"We saw him heading into the water."

 

Sam's head shot up at the information delivered by Kynthia and Myrto, appearing beside her. "When?"

 

"This morning. After you left."

 

"This morning!" Sam didn't fully contain her irritation. And no one had noticed him since? No one had watched to see that he was okay, that he'd arrived back on shore? "Why would he do that?"

 

"We told him not to go." Kynthia appeared unnerved, sensing Sam's reaction. "Myrto warned him of the sea creatures."

 

"Sea creatures?"

 

"That eat people."

 

Carter's eyes widened. "You have sharks here?"

 

"What are 'sharks'?"

 

"Never mind. You've seen these, these, sea creatures?" Her muscles tightened, provoked by tension and anxiety. Something had made off with the colonel, and she'd begun to think it had been a nocturnal animal, or even a sudden, swift heavy undertow, close to shore. But now Daniel? Maybe…

 

Please, no.

 

That would negate all hope.

 

"No. I have heard of them," Myrto lied. "And I did not see Daniel return."

 

It made no difference, Myrto knew, what Sam Carter believed. But sea monsters might get her to take her teams home and never return. By mid morning, the water would have been well above Jack's head. Even if Daniel had gone in search of him, finding him at this point would be way too late. No one would have reason to suspect Myrto, and nonsense talk of these false Superheroes would have to subside. Superheroes don't drown now, do they? And they always reach the victims in time.

 

Yet, if these teams refused to leave by the following day, he would be forced to return to the cave and drag the "superhero" back here, if he could find a way in. He could leave him in the sand, or floating near the shore. Then these people would have no further reason to remain, no need to keep looking, and Danelle would just have to find another hobby.

 

"Damn." Carter faced the blackening waters. There was nothing she could do until morning, except hope that her fears were wrong.

 

_____

 

"Damn it!" The frustration was rising, along with the water. Still they had been unable to push aside the slab; there seemed to be more obstructions behind it, blocking it from budging. Levering it hadn't worked this time either; after finally having freed the second bamboo pole from its imbedded nest deep in the rocky ground where it had been secured on splayed ends, it too had split wide open.

 

Daniel was determined not to give up, although that sense of panic kept inching closer. "We can't stop trying." Won't go through that again. This time, we'll die.

 

"I know that." Jack tossed the pole hard into the water, where it splashed and tried to float. "What's next?"

 

They couldn't push the big slab out of the way. They couldn't lever it up. "I have no idea."

 

"Give me your radio."

 

"It doesn't work."

 

"Just give it. Please." Jack took the communication device, but not even static was emitted. Daniel peered out one more time through the four-inch gap between the rocks, to the unreachable freedom on the other side. Jack's next comment stopped him cold.

 

"The battery's gone."

 

Closing his eyes, Daniel sighed, and let himself slide back to the wall. "Myrto."

 

"Ya think?" Jack was frowning; in the shadows he could almost see the creases on Daniel's face as his friend thought backwards in time. "When could he have done that?"

 

"I went for a swim early in the morning to see if I could find any trace of you." Today? Yesterday? Seemed like half a week ago. "I left my equipment on the sand."

 

"And Myrto made sure you couldn't contact anyone if you did find me."

 

Daniel nodded. "Apparently."

 

"Clever guy."

 

_____

 

The water had risen to their chests. It had been a dozen or more hours since Daniel had found Jack, much longer than that since Jack had been kidnapped, and now both men were furiously digging in the sand and battering the edges of the wall with the remnants of the bamboo poles and their knives. Shots from Daniel's berretta had knocked chips off at the edges, enlarging some cracks and loosening more stone, giving them a place, at least, to start. From now on, Daniel's pack carries C4, Jack had vowed silently.

 

Once again underwater for much of the endeavor, they were determined not to spend any more hours taking turns at the upper breathing facilities. The next time around, the water might rise just that tiny bit higher.

 

The fallen rock slab had dipped nearly three inches, leaving a growing gap between it and the top of the enclosure. It still leaned heavily on the side walls of the cave, but with Jack's chipping away at the softer limestone the fit was less perfect and its hold was weakening.

 

_____

 

"So what now?" Major James of SG6 looked dejected, hoping to carve ideas from thin air. No clues, nothing. Colonel O'Neill and Doctor Jackson had vanished into that same thin air, leaving no forwarding address. Or, as the growing conclusion seemed to allude to, the mouth of some large hungry amphibian.

 

"Go back to the SGC," Carter unenthusiastically ordered. "Inform General Hammond that Teal'c and I are going to spend the night. See if he'll send more teams in the morning - with dogs." She hoped the general would share her obsession to do everything possible to bring the colonel's - and Daniel's - remains home.

 

The members of SG6 and 7 nodded in resignation. At the moment, there was nothing else for them to do.

 

_____

 

"God."

 

Jack looked at his friend; in need of a break, with raw hands and cut fingers, strained and cramped muscles, both of them refused to slow down. The hole around and under the rocks was deepening, in spite of the force of water gently pushing sand back into the cavity, trying to refill it; two steps forward, one step back. But they were making slow progress, and in spite of having to force their bodies to keep moving, Daniel kept digging, Jack kept hammering at the edges of the rock wall with his knife and the berretta, and though the work was harder and less forceful under water they knew they could not afford to rest. They had to get past this barrier before the night crested. Truth was, they had no idea how much longer they had. Once the water had risen too high, they would no longer be able to use the poles to dig with at all, and battering the rim of rock would be hindered immensely. Breathing would be hindered immensely. Even now they were having to dip under water more often than not, rising only for air, using their hands to move stones, and the meagre tools to crack away hardened bedrock and limestone.

 

"Tired?" Stupid question, but he wanted to hear Daniel's voice. The grunting didn't cut it.

 

"Can't tell. My body isn't responding." Numb, one might call it.

 

"Want to take a break?"

 

"No."

 

Squeezing Daniel's arm with his own bruised and roughened fingers, Jack sighed. "A few more inches, Daniel. Then we may be able to squeeze through."

 

"Great. Three inches every two hours… do the math."

 

_____

 

"Major Carter. Is my company acceptable?' Teal'c remained standing until Sam nodded up at him, then lowered himself softly to the sand beside her. Looking out at the sea together, the moons high on two sides of the dark night sky, they both knew that there was nothing more they could do.

 

"Teal'c… " Carter stopped before she could openly lose her composure. Her voice had already given away her state of mind, although she was certain Teal'c already knew. He always knew things like that; what she was thinking, was she was feeling - most of the time. The way Daniel did. The way she thought the colonel did, sometimes, although he seldom let on. Sometimes he'd surprise her, when she least expected it.

 

Where are they?

 

The heaviness within her chest felt like an iron fist, grabbing all it could hold and pulling downward.

 

"Do you believe O'Neill and Daniel Jackson have been devoured by a sea creature?"

 

"I don't know, Teal'c." She caught her breath, and took some slower ones. "It was either an animal, or they were pulled into some undertow. Maybe the Colonel had been sitting by the water during his watch…" her voice trailed off. They both knew that was likely. And Daniel had gone after him.

 

"Would he not have shouted?"

 

"I guess. Everyone was asleep."

 

"Then I believe I must go for a swim, Major Carter, and find what lies below the surface of the water."

 

NO. Not you too. "It's too dark."

 

"I will go at first light."

 

"I can't let you do that. Believe me, I thought of it myself, Teal'c."

 

"It is necessary to put our minds at rest."

 

"What if whatever's out there gets you too? No. If that's what happened, then they're gone. We can't help them."

 

The two teammates sat in further silence, senses alert and weapons readied for the appearance of any nocturnal alien creature, as the moons moved across the sky.

 

_____

 

"Yes! Try now." Jack pushed and supported as Daniel lifted himself to the top of the slab, now nearly completely covered with water, and shoved himself through the gap. It may have been a tight squeeze, but they were out of time, and if Daniel had to lose some skin and rip his shirt to shreds on his way out, he wasn't giving up. The water was already up to their necks.

 

"YES!"

 

Watching the legs disappear, Jack heard the call of freedom from above him, and grinned. "Hey! I'm still down here!" he called out of the exit, shifting onto the rock barrier. His shoulders fit through, but he could definitely use a hand - or a shove - from down below. The voice, however, came from right above him, and in the starlight he saw Daniel's head appear close to his own.

 

Daniel reached down from the rock roof, and grabbed Jack's shoulders. "Push off!" he grunted.

 

Shoving, pulling, groping with his feet, Jack managed to finally climb out of the hole, jumping to the platform of the slight rise. Both men crouched where they'd landed, panting. Then Daniel dropped flat down on top of the huge hollow rock, eyes closed.

 

Jack sat beside him, looking down at his friend. Pale, scraped, torn, worn, soaking wet, exhausted, he knew he looked exactly the same, and had never felt better in his life.

 

Easing himself down beside Daniel, he gazed up at the sky, now black with golden spots of starlight, and two half moons. "Don't fall asleep."

 

There was no answer; Daniel's eyes were closed and his lips were parted.

 

"Hey." Jack gently nudged his friend, startling him awake. "Don't sleep. Carter and Teal'c will be worried. How far are we?"

 

"Uh? Oh. Um, took me over an hour across the beach - I think - but the water's too high now. Probably three if we take the fields; they're overgrown and rocky." Begrudgingly Daniel sat up, every muscle groaning. He knew Jack was right; they couldn't contact the rest of their team and had to get back, asap. He wasn't expecting his CO's next statement.

 

"Then I guess they'll have to worry for a few more hours. We won't find our way in the dark." And we won't have three hours of energy, my friend. The wet clothing added a heaviness and an unpleasant chill. "Get some rest. We'll take the beach the minute the water's low enough; Myrto did it sometime during my watch." Moving ten meters to higher and smoother ground, Jack dropped onto his back. His own eyes closing, he waited until Daniel had made himself as comfortable beside him as he would get this night - but much more so than the last fifteen hours had been - and then he slipped into a dreamless sleep, aware that no one would be keeping watch this time around.

 

_____

 

The ground felt cool and hard beneath his back, and suddenly Jack jerked awake, remembering where he was. His body hurt too much to rise, just yet. Tilting his head to the right, he could see his exhausted teammate had hardly moved a muscle all night. Above him, the sky was navy, a thin line of golden-white outlining the horizon.

 

Turning on his side with a groan, he placed his hand gently on his sleeping friend's shoulder. "Daniel," he half whispered. But he got no reaction, and looking at the prone form beside him and then at the sky above, he decided Daniel could have thirty more minutes of sleep. Carter and Teal'c could hang on that much longer; after all, he'd been lost to them before and they'd managed to survive. And a bit more time would make it that much easier to walk along the beach.

 

Jack lay back down flat, arm resting over his eyes. The previous day had been a nightmare, but they'd made it. Daniel had found him, once again and against all odds. How he did that, Jack was beyond understanding. His team always found him. What they would do without each other, what would happen if one day one of them really didn't come back, he didn't even want to think about. Don't go there. Right now, he felt euphoric. Ecstatic. Elated, and whatever other "e" words fit the bill. Exhausted also came to mind.

 

But if he lay there much longer, he'd fall asleep again.

 

Finally Jack forced himself to turn over one more time, onto his side, and laid his hand on Daniel's shoulder, this time with a bit more pressure. "Daniel." He waited a moment. "Daniel."

 

Daniel's eyes snapped open. "What!?" He thrust himself up onto his elbows as their situation dawned, easing his confusion. "Oh. Ow." His neck hurt, his legs hurt, his back hurt. His chest. His throat. And he was hungry. "We have to move, don't we."

 

"Sometime today. May as well be now."

 

_____

 

"Major Carter!" Teal'c stood abruptly, causing Sam to jump up, weapon ready. Facing Teal'c's direction, she saw what he was looking at.

 

Two figures were hobbling along the sand in the early morning light, side by side, keeping close.

 

"Colonel! Daniel!" Off she ran, Teal'c just steps behind, the villagers sleepily exiting the temple and now gathering in pairs and small groups to witness the welcome.

 

"They return!" The shout rang out, the town crier seemingly spreading the day's news - or gossip.

 

Danelle was busy unfolding sheets of poster pages.

 

"They return! They have conquered the sea monsters!"

 

Jack grabbed Daniel's elbow. "Save me," he muttered, eyeing the surging crowd, all waving and cheering. And leading them - with a bit more reserve - were Carter and Teal'c.

 

Somehow, it suddenly struck him as odd that there was no one over the age of 35. "Shouldn't there be 70-day-olds here?" Jack whispered, pasting a false smile on his face.

 

"Plus three years," Daniel amended. "Look."

 

Myrto was standing beside Kynthia, gripping her shoulder, his face pale and his eyes wide and full of fear. This was impossible; Jack had drowned.

 

There are no Superheroes.

 

Jack had to have drowned.

 

But he hadn't.

 

And he knew.

 

Myrto's eyes locked with O'Neill's, and the emotion was haunted and desperate. The man subconsciously tightened his grip on his wife.

 

"Colonel?" Carter eyed the men's torn clothing and rugged, tired appearance. "What happened?"

 

Jack kept up the stare, matching Myrto's pulse for pulse. "We got trapped in an underwater cave," was all he said, ignoring the questions about slaying sea dragons and battling sharp-toothed one-eyed monsters. People would believe what they wanted to believe, no matter what he said. Danelle was already sticking the last page of his comic onto the wall.

 

Then Jack glanced at Daniel, his friend's questioning gaze curious, and he said, "We need food. Water. Change of clothes. Bandaids. More sleep. Carter, Teal'c, let's go home." Turning to Myrto and Kynthia, he added, "Seems like we won't be needed around here. You two, all the best. Take care of each other."

 

Kynthia smiled, her arm fastened around Myrto's waist. "I'll think of you always, Jack."

 

"No," Jack shook his head. "Don't. You have a new life now. A long one, together."

 

"One with thousands of days."

 

"Yeah," Jack smiled. "Eternity."

 

He faced his team, in time to catch Daniel mouthing to Carter, "Tell you later." "Ready to move on, kids?"

 

"Oh yeah," Daniel nodded, stifling a groan, and slipped his arm through Sam's. "Walk with me?"

 

Sam grinned. "This some Superhero etiquette?"

 

"No, I just don't think I can stay upright on my own." Daniel exhaustedly grinned back. "Need my other arm, Jack?"

 

"Pass on that, Daniel. Had your arm around me enough yesterday, thanks." Walking past Daniel and Carter he, too, grinned, and set off to begin packing up whatever remained of their supplies.

 

_____

 

"Daniel."

 

Daniel finished tying off his pack and turned to see Jack holding out some batteries.

 

"Thanks." Reaching for his radio Daniel paused, pondering his next question. "Shouldn't the villagers know?"

 

Jack scowled softly but his reply was gentle. "You see a jail around here, Daniel?"

 

Build a jail, have the need to fill it. "Kynthia deserves to know."

 

"Why? He's a misguided kid, Daniel. They're all what, three years old? What do they know of death? They've already lived three years more than they expected to. I probably seem ancient to them."

 

"We can teach them. Life, death, planets, medicine, sea creatures...feelings. Superheroes."

 

"They'll figure it out, if they're curious enough. They have whole lifetimes to fill." Jack reached for the radio Daniel had left untouched. "We meddle enough as it is, and our ways aren't so great. Let them learn on their own."

 

Daniel nodded; Jack was right. It was the way cultures grew. "So why did we come?"

 

Jack let out a grunt. "We thought we were supposed to meddle. I've changed my mind. Ready?"

 

"Yeah."

 

"You okay?"

 

Daniel nodded again, wistfully. "Hungry. Tired. Stiff."

 

Patting Daniel on the arm, Jack smiled. "Good thing the gate's only steps away." Handing the now-functioning radio back, Jack turned to leave. "Oh, Danelle wants you to have this." Jack pulled a rolled comic book from his pocket. Daniel was on the cover, delivering a baby - from something that looked vaguely like a turtle with wings, crouching in an enormous nest. "You teach him about reptiles?"

 

"No."

 

"Birds?"

 

"No."

 

"Then he's been observing some."

 

"Not well enough, apparently. Like the fact they lay eggs."

 

"Ah. The sciences of nature, still so young." Let them learn. "Come." Jack pulled at Daniel's sleeve. "Say good-bye."

 

Along the sides of the path leading to the temple were two rows of villagers, allowing passage by outlining the route. In their hands were comic books and drawings of SG1, held almost in reverence - and Myrto was clasping his own. Baskets of fruit and pastries were laid alongside the temple entrance, and a stream of colourful flower petals had been scattered along the path.

 

"Red carpet treatment, kiddo. Just, don't eat anything, okay?" Leading the way for a few moments until the rest of SG1 stepped into stride beside him, Jack smiled at the crowd, at Kynthia, at Myrto.

 

Good-bye, kids.

 

Good luck.

 

---

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