The story is set in Stargate’s second season, not long after Thor’s Chariot, and will make much more sense if Parts One & Two are read first.

The Control Room at the SGC was almost back to its normal state when General George Hammond entered and went straight to where the on-duty Controller sat at the restored main control keyboard.

"How are we doing?" Hammond inquired.

The Sergeant, sporting a beautiful black eye and with several bits of sticking plaster very much in evidence, glanced up and announced, "We've checked and rechecked everything, General. It should hold for us to retrieve SG-2 and SG-3 on schedule." He paused momentarily, then added, "Hopefully any malfunctions that result thereafter will be rectified well before SG-1 is ready to return."

"I hope so too, Sergeant. I already have one man stranded out there, I don't want to be adding any more to the list," Hammond snorted. He studied the personnel who were busy in the Gate Room and noticed one in particular whose sun-bleached hair was anything but regulation length. "How long has Mr. MacGyver been down there?" He wanted to know.

"Came in about an hour ago, sir," the Sergeant answered. "Said there were a few things he wanted to see to personally."

Hammond 'harrumphed' then left the Sergeant to continue with the systems checks in the Control Room and made his way down to the Gate Room. He stood inside the doorway just observing the Phoenix operative for several moments before advancing on him.

MacGyver looked up from the piece of hardware he was working on. "Mornin', General," he said with grim cheerfulness. He indicated his handiwork and asked, "Well? Whaddya' think?"

"I think M.I.T. would throw a fit if they saw what you were doing to this equipment," the General answered honestly as he eyed what had once been a standard M.A.L.P. probe. It now sported two arrays of tubing along each side, which made it look like some sort of strange, demented, metallic porcupine.

MacGyver grinned and started loading smoke canisters into the contraption he had designed. While the base engineers had hurriedly thrown it together for him, he had taken the time to try and grab some much-needed sleep. He could see the thought foremost in Hammond's mind - What the hell is it? "Can't have smoke and mirrors without a little smoke, General," the Phoenix-fixer explained helpfully.

"Uh-huh..." Hammond continued to eye the contraption dubiously.

"This goes through and while it's telling the guys up there," MacGyver jerked a thumb in the general direction of the control room, "what's what out there," he gestured in the direction of the Gate, "it'll be throwin' enough smoke clear enough of our people to give them cover and confuse the bad guys."

"I thought we were going to do that with the U.A.V....?" Hammond began.

"Oh yeah, that too." MacGyver threw a nod towards the equipment in question.

Hammond turned to look at the contraption that had been used before by the SGC to send airborne probe units through the Stargate. He stared as he saw it too had received the 'MacGyver' treatment. Rather than being just a standard arial surveillance device, the craft now bore a strong resemblance to a miniature B-52 bomber. Unable to believe his eyes, Hammond went for a closer look. Yep... more smoke canisters.

"Will this fly like this?" He asked dubiously, thinking that the craft looked somewhat overloaded.

"Uh-huh," MacGyver nodded. "Should do if the technicians stuck with the spec revisions I gave 'em."

The General shook his head, incredulously. He looked back at MacGyver. The Phoenix man was busily loading more smoke canisters into the tube-arrangement on the M.A.L.P.. Hammond found he was beginning to appreciate the unusual and quite unique arrangement the military - Special Forces in particular - had with the civilian and why they had it. And why Peter Thornton was so inclined to sing the man's praises. He walked back over to the Phoenix trouble-shooter.

"Colonel..." He kept his voice pitched deliberately low so that none of the technicians working elsewhere in the chamber would overhear. "Are you sure you're up to this, son?" He tactfully indicated MacGyver's right leg.

"Wouldn't've volunteered if I wasn't, General," MacGyver answered. On his way down to the Gate Room he had stopped by the infirmary to pick up a few things he figured might come in useful in the not-too-distant future. While he had been there, he had had them supply him with a strong knee-support which he now wore on the injured joint. It would hold him together for the duration of the task ahead. He'd worked with worse distractions. He could work with this one.

He saw the look Hammond was giving him and stopped what he was doing to regard the older man steadily in return and assure him. "I'll be fine, General."

*************************

Halfway across the galaxy on P4X-994, Jack O'Neill was feeling anything but fine right about then. He was cold, tired, and hurting.

The Ha'gell had wanted answers to a variety of interesting questions and had been extremely un-amused by his smartass responses. After the first few poundings they had given him he had resorted to name, rank and serial number and had uttered virtually nothing else - except curses and cries of pain - as things had gone steadily downhill from thereon in.

Finally, after he had passed out for the third time, the Ha’gell hadn’t bothered trying to revive him again and, when consciousness had eventually returned to him, he had discovered that darkness had fallen and that he had been tossed into a small cage. Much weakened by his injuries and the brutal treatment meted out by his captors, it had taken him a little while to gather together enough strength to investigate his prison; the bars were metal, the door was securely locked, and he had quickly realised that he wasn’t getting out anytime soon unless he was let out.

He had also discovered how cramped the dimensions of the cage were. Even had he had the energy, it was not tall enough to allow him to do more than sit up, nor was it wide enough or long enough to allow him to fully lie down. He could either try to sit up, hunched up, or try to lie down curled up. Given his injuries, neither option was comfortable, but he found that sitting up as squashed into a corner as he could get, with his knees partially drawn up and his broken arm cradled against his chest, was the slightly less painful position.

The cage was located near enough to one of the campfires to be reasonably well illuminated by it, but just far enough away that it didn’t get any real benefit from its tantalizing warmth. A Ha’gell guard strolled past with fairly regular monotony but paid him little heed - something which the battered Colonel was grateful for.

As the night had progressed and O’Neill had started to shiver from chills which he knew from hard-earned experience heralded the onset of an infection somewhere, he had also discovered the purpose of the collar that had been affixed to his neck when he had initially been taken captive. At random intervals it activated and sent sudden bursts of excruciating pain coursing through every nerve in his body.

Shifting slightly in the vain hope of somehow managing to ease his abused body into a fractionally less painful position, a distant part his mind absently noted the pre-dawn light starting to appear in the far distance. As he shivered feverishly for the umpteenth time and tried to burrow further into the meagre warmth of the remnants of his much torn clothing, that same distant part of his mind longed for the warmth that would come with the rising of the sun. Another part of him mentally recoiled in horror at the same thought; the rising of the sun would undoubtedly mean his captors would pick up from where they had left off the previous night and he knew only too well what that would mean.

As he watched the sky continue to lighten, the device around his neck activated once again. The pain wrenched an agonised cry from him as he writhed with it. This time however, it was more than his over-loaded, raw nerves could handle and, mercifully, he passed out after only a few moments.

*************************

The tension in both the Control Room and the Gate Room at the SGC was quite tangible as the system controller started the process that would fire up the Stargate.

As the three SG teams chosen to take part in the rescue mission to P4X-994 had assembled in the Gate Room, General Hammond had paused to wish them all well before adjourning to the Control Room. He was now doing his best to maintain an aura of cool but grim military detachment, whilst his stomach and guts churned and tied themselves in knots.

Down in the Gate Room itself, the SG teams awaiting deployment arranged themselves in readiness for departure.

"Sir..." Samantha Carter addressed MacGyver quietly as she moved to stand at his right elbow, careful of where she was pointing the business end of the MP-5 she carried.

"Yes, Sam?" MacGyver had given up on trying to stop her from 'sir-ing' him.

"Excuse my presumption, sir, but I think the Colonel is not quite in proper uniform," she said softly, keeping her voice pitched deliberately low so as not to be easily overheard.

"Captain?" MacGyver frowned at her as the inner circle of the Stargate began to move in response to the signals being transmitted to it from the repaired equipment in the Control Room above. He was a little distracted by the fascinating activity of the Gate.

"Sam's right..." Daniel Jackson agreed, coming up close on MacGyver's other side.

MacGyver was totally bewildered by this point. Like everyone else waiting to depart on the rescue mission, he was clad in standard military issue camouflage battledress and had a small pack strapped to his back. Of course he wasn't wearing a side-arm and he most certainly wasn't carrying an Air Force-issue MP-5, but aside from those minor little details which he was hoping no-one - especially General Hammond - would notice, he had no idea what the twosome could be talking about.

"If you'll allow us, sir...?" Carter said and pressed an SG-1 patch into place on his upper right arm. On his other side at the same moment, Jackson slapped an SGC patch into proper place on his upper left arm.

"Much better," Jackson approved. "Right, guys?" He inquired of his SG-1 colleagues.

MacGyver looked from Carter to Jackson, then to Teal'c who stood just in front of him. The big Jaffa nodded slightly in approval and, MacGyver wasn't sure, but he thought he detected the beginnings of a slight smile on the normally taciturn features of the man.

Before the Phoenix operative had a chance to offer any kind of a comment on the actions of the SG-1 team however, he was distracted by the Stargate as the seventh symbol locked into place and the blast of energy that heralded the successful establishment of the wormhole roared into being.

"Whoa..." MacGyver exclaimed softly, his eyes glittering in awe and wonderment as he stared at the phenomenon. He had been warned of what to expect, but somehow all that he had been told was woefully inadequate in comparison to the actual reality and the scientist in him marvelled at the spectacle.

"Yeah... Gets you like that the first time and every time," Carter confided. No matter how many times she witnessed the spectacle herself, it never failed to raise a sense of awe in her too.

"Wormhole established. Deploying U.A.V.." The crisp announcement came from Sergeant Davis in the Control Room.

The airborne probe launched seconds later.

"Deploying modified M.A.L.P." Davis continued. The vehicle in question shot off up the ramp with a rather unusual turn of speed.

"Hey... Look at that thing go," Daniel Jackson exclaimed in astonishment as SG-3 hurried up the ramp in the vehicle's wake, a little caught out by the probe's sudden turn of speed themselves. SG-2 hurried after them. "I didn't know one of those things could move that fast... " A thought dawned. He looked questioningly at MacGyver.

The Phoenix trouble-shooter caught the Egyptologist's look. "So I tweaked it a little... " he shrugged with expressive innocence.

"We definitely have hostiles on the other side." The announcement came from the Control Room.

MacGyver turned to look at the monitors that had been set up in the Gate Room. Images from the U.A.V. were coming in. The second screen was still blank.

"C'mon... C'mon... " The trouble-shooter muttered impatiently as SG-3 and SG-2 waited on the ramp for final deployment instructions from him.

"The M.A.L.P. is there - now." Davis announced from the Control Room.

The second screen suddenly lit up, displaying fast-panning images.

"Deploy all smoke!" MacGyver ordered, his attention never straying from the two monitors as he constantly scanned each in rapid succession, assessing the information they were relaying to him. He knew the same images were being viewed by those up in the Control Room, but it was his game-plan, his decision as to how things would go down.

"Smoke deploying," came the calm response from the Control Room.

MacGyver scanned the images on the screens one last time and made his decision. "Deployment plan Delta!" He yelled over his shoulder to the two SG teams waiting anxiously on the ramp. "Repeat; deployment Delta!"

Colonel Makepeace, leader of SG-3, signalled acknowledgment, turned and stepped into the glistening event horizon. His team of marines followed him without hesitation. Major Ferretti also signalled acknowledgment and moved his team right up to the brink where he waited for a count of five before stepping through after SG-3. Displaying the same lack of hesitation as the marines had done, SG-2 followed in their commander's wake.

MacGyver and SG-1 abandoned the monitors as SG-2 disappeared through the Gate to hurry up the ramp.

"Mister MacGyver, why aren't you carrying a weapon?" General Hammond's outraged roar erupted from the Control Room as SG-1 and its new temporary commander reached the top of the ramp. "Someone give that man a weapon!"

"Never use 'em, General," MacGyver half-turned to call helpfully over his shoulder, knowing full well that the two-way com-system between the Gate Room and the Control Room would readily convey his words to the irate base commander. "Maybe you shoulda' taken a closer look at the small print in my government contract, huh?"

With that, he turned, braced himself and stepped boldly through the doorway into what was, for him at least, the unknown.

Carter, Jackson and Teal'c, all taken by surprise by the sudden realisation that MacGyver wasn't actually carrying a weapon, exchanged stunned glances before hurriedly stepping through the Gate in his wake.

*************************

O’Neill’s Ha’gell tormentors returned to start work on him again just as the sun started to creep up over the far distant horizon. Undeterred by the fact that he was unconscious, his Chief Interrogator had him dragged from his cage. At a signal from the interrogator one of the other Ha’gell dropped to a knee beside O’Neill and pressed a small device to the human’s chest. The device glowed brightly as it was held in place for several moments. Presently the prisoner began to stir, groaning softly. The alien removed the device, rose, and stepped back a few paces.

O’Neill reluctantly blinked his way back to consciousness. A soft groan of disappointment escaped him as he realised that although he was no longer in his cage, he was now lying in a sprawled heap at the feet of several Ha’gell.

"Hey... guys... Still all here... huh?" He managed to observe hoarsely while making no attempt to move. Two of the Ha’gell stepped forward, grabbed him, and hauled him to his knees. He attempted a weakly cocky remark. "Thanks... for the... help there... "

His Chief Interrogator stepped forward, reached out, and gripped his bruised jaw tightly. "I can keep you alive for as long as it takes to persuade you to co-operate," the alien promised. It smiled a fiercely feral smile that sent chills through the already half-frozen O'Neill. "I could keep you alive even longer," the Ha'gell threatened. "You could provide a lot of sport for a long time." It released his jaw and rested its large, six-digited hand on his shoulder, extending long sharp claws as it did so. O'Neill flinched, unable to prevent the reaction. "Or I could grant you a quick death. Tell me what I wish to know and you will die quickly and cleanly. Continue to defy me and you will suffer beyond anything you could possibly imagine." The Ha’gell slowly drew a claw across O’Neill’s throat as it uttered that last threat, the pressure of the claw raising a red welt without actually breaking the skin.

Hoping to provoke the Ha’gell into killing him out of sheer frustration and anger, O’Neill met alien’s gaze with as much stubborn resolution has he could muster and invited it to go and do something to itself which was probably anatomically impossible - even for a snakehead.

Instead of slashing its claws across his throat at O’Neill had hoped, the Ha’gell slashed its claws down his chest. An involuntary cry of pain escaped the unfortunate Colonel, and blood welled up from the newly inflicted wounds. O’Neill sagged in the grasp of the Ha’gell holding him on his knees. As his head swam and consciousness threatened to desert him, he heard his Chief Tormentor snap something in what sounded like Goa’uld. Some quirky part of his mind decided he really would have to get Daniel to teach him the lingo one of these days.

His head spinning, and nausea washing over him, he was aware of being hauled to his feet.

"Move!"

O’Neill heard the command as his two ‘guards’ released their hold on him. Somehow he managed to stay upright, but actual walking proved to be beyond him. He valiantly attempted a step, but his legs gave way under him. He crumpled to the ground with a pained expletive as the impact with the solid surface jarred his various hurts.

His two ‘guards’ hauled him up off the ground and began to half-carry, half-drag him somewhere; he was too nauseous to care where. Only half-conscious and after what seemed like an eternity, he found himself being rapidly divested of the tattered remains of his clothing and the bandaging protecting his wounded side and tied spread-eagled to some sort of frame-work.

Memories suddenly flared within him of the atrocity site he and SG-1 had found on the planet and, spurred by the knowledge of what those unfortunate prisoners had to have endured before death had finally released them, he somehow found the strength to try to fight his captors. The Ha’gell were not gentle about subduing him and, as he teetered precariously on the brink of unconsciousness again, they finished tying him down.

It was at that precise moment that the Stargate some distance way in its earthwork enclosure above the meadow area that O’Neill had been taken to, started to rumble to life...

*************************

MacGyver was rather disorientated as the wormhole spat him out onto the surface of P4X-994. He didn't fight the loss of balance as gravity kicked in, but instead went with it into a forward roll that took him down the crumbling stone ramp. Coming up on his left knee near the bottom, he took a few seconds to get his bearings and scan the chaos his planning of the rescue mission had orchestrated.

A wall of smoke partially encircled the area, but there was - as he had expected - a clear area between it and the actual Gate itself. Some still forms lay on the ground in the open area, but they were not human, MacGyver noted. He wasn't sure just what they were, but they were definitely not human. SG-3 had clearly been every bit as efficient as rampaging marines tended to be when path clearing.

Two SG-2 men were in position by an object which MacGyver took to be the D-H-D and a couple more unmoving alien forms lay nearby. Camouflaged figures were scattered around the edges of the smoke wall, laying down covering fire according to plan and keeping the aliens busy. One of the SG-3 marines had brought along a flamethrower - just to liven up the party.

The Phoenix trouble-shooter took the whole scene in rapidly and knew, even as SG-1 stepped through the Gate behind him, that things - so far at least - appeared to be going according to plan. He was aware of the wormhole disengaging almost immediately SG-1 had stepped clear and had started to hurry down the ramp.

"Get ready to start dialling!" MacGyver yelled to the SG-2 duo who were guarding the D-H-D. Into the radio unit he carried in his equipment vest, he reported. "Okay, guys, SG-1 is through. We're on the move." He rose to his feet as SG-1 reached him and signalled them to move out.

They started running for the earthworks surrounding the Gate, MacGyver taking point; much to the consternation of his colleagues since they were all armed and he wasn't. A Ha'gell emerged from the smog, discernibly disorientated, just as the Phoenix operative reached it. MacGyver's reaction was swift. There was no time to do anything else so he just ducked and launched himself at the alien's midriff. It was like hitting a brick wall, but it was a move that took the confused Ha'gell totally by surprise and also threw it off balance enough to prevent it from firing its staff weapon at any of the rest of SG-1.

Teal'c, who was closest on MacGyver's heels, took the opportunity provided by the Phoenix operative to use his own staff weapon, swinging the 'paddle' end up and around to clobber the Ha'gell squarely on the side of the head. The alien and MacGyver hit the ground in a tangled heap.

"Are you unharmed, MacGyver?" Teal'c enquired solicitously as the human hurriedly extricated himself from the unconscious Ha'gell.

"Think I just broke my shoulder but I'll live," MacGyver answered, flexing his bruised shoulder. He'd taken some hard hits in his time playing ice-hockey, but that one just about beat 'em all. He saw the genuine anxiety that entered the Jaffa's eyes. "Just an expression, Teal'c. I'm okay. Really." He amended, realising the other had taken his remark about the broken shoulder literally. Teal'c raised an eyebrow and extended a hand to help him to his feet. He accepted the help. "Thanks." He inclined his head at the downed Ha'gell. "Remind me not to try that again in a hurry."

"Colonel, we should keep moving." Carter spoke urgently, hovering watchfully, MP-5 at the ready.

"Yeah." MacGyver nodded. "Get going."

They plunged into the smoke, sticking to the heading that would keep them well clear of any 'friendly' fire and moments later hit the bottom of the earthworks.

"Go!" MacGyver ordered the team. Teal'c and Carter scrambled up the mound. MacGyver dropped to a knee and Daniel dropped to a watchful crouch beside him as the Phoenix operative used his radio again. "SG-3, SG-2, get yourselves the heck outta' here. SG-1 is deployed. Repeat, SG-1 is deployed. And thanks for the smooth delivery guys."

"Copy that, MacGyver. You throw a fun party. See ya' at the next one." Colonel Makepeace's voice came back swiftly. "Good luck, SG-1."

"Your taxi'll be ready and waiting, MacGyver. Go bring Colonel O’Neill home for us. The SGC's kinda' dull without him around. Good hunting, SG-1." Major Ferretti's voice followed on an instant later.

"You bet," MacGyver returned. He looked at the hovering Jackson. "Well c'mon, Daniel, we got us a lost, stolen, or strayed Colonel to find."

Turning, he started to scramble up the earthwork as the SG-3 and SG-2 team-leaders began to make a great deal of noise about ordering everyone to fall back to the Stargate.

*************************

"Off-world activation!" The Gate Controller at the SGC announced as the Stargate began to come to life. "Security teams stand by!"

"Lower the blast doors!" General Hammond ordered as the security teams gathered in the Gate Room below all bristled expectantly. He wasn't having a repeat performance of what had happened the last time they'd had incoming travellers from P4X-994. He had too many people off-world to risk the system being blown apart again.

"Lowering blast doors. Cameras running." Sergeant Davis stated crisply. He glanced at one of his recently 'MacGyvered' screens, ignoring the duct tape that was holding it together. "SG-3 and SG-2 codes are recognised," he added.

"Bring them on home," Hammond ordered, turning his attention to a couple of screens that were displaying images of the activated Gate.

A few moments later the first of his people began to emerge from the wormhole in a distinct hurry, quickly clearing the ramp to allow those who followed plenty of room for manoeuvre as the Gate spat them out in rapid succession. The two team leaders were the last to emerge.

"Close the iris! Close it down! NOW!" Colonel Makepeace roared, spinning and backing down the ramp, MP-5 ready for action.

The iris was no sooner closed than several sickening thuds could be heard impacting on the other side of it.

Hammond didn't wait for the blast doors to be lifted, he hurried down to the Gate Room. Relief washed over him as, entering the room, he saw that everyone appeared to have returned unscathed apart from a few minor scrapes and abrasions.

"Colonel... Major... How did it go?" He wanted to know, heading straight up the ramp to where the two team leaders were still standing and were in the process of taking their helmets off.

"Like clockwork, sir," Colonel Makepeace answered. "We took out several hostiles in the immediate vicinity and confused the hell outta' the rest. SG-1 deployed free an' clear."

"Good, good," Hammond nodded his relieved approval. "You and your men get cleaned up. We'll debrief in 20 minutes."

"Sir." The two team commanders responded in virtual unison.

"Good work, people!" Hammond announced loudly enough for all the returnees to hear as he headed back down the ramp and made for the exit.

*************************

Clearing the crest of the earthworks, SG-1 bolted down the other side and went immediately to ground in the forest to wait, quite literally, for the smoke to clear. Carter wasted no time in pulling a small device from her equipment vest and starting to fiddle with it.

"Well, Sam?" MacGyver asked, his attention on the surrounding woodlands, but still fully aware of what the woman was doing.

"Nothing," Carter announced grimly, her disappointment quite obvious. "No sign at all of an emergency tracer signal."

"Which doesn't necessarily mean bad things...Right?" Daniel ventured. "Could just be a dead battery, right?"

"Not likely," Carter shook her head. "You know how the Colonel is about pre-mission equipment checks."

"Maybe it just got damaged?" Daniel offered. He saw Carter's expression. "Well, it is possible, isn't it?"

"Hey, c'mon you two," MacGyver chided gently. "Jack's around here somewhere, we'll find him. Think about it. If we can scan for a locator signal, then maybe the bad guys can too. He may simply have had to switch it off to keep them from finding him first." He looked to Carter. "Try your radio, Sam."

"Yes, sir," Carter responded.

As the Captain tried to raise the missing O'Neill on her radio, Daniel spoke quietly to MacGyver.

"Okay... So why hasn't Jack switched his beacon back on now? I mean, he must've seen... " The archaeologist gestured at the smoke clouds that were still slowly rising high above the Gate area. "And heard the gunfire. And when that Gate activates here, the ground really shakes... "

"O'Neill may have had to seek refuge some distance from here," Teal’c answered the question on MacGyver's behalf. "The woodland is thick."

"Meaning so maybe he doesn't actually know it was us that came through..." Daniel conceded with a heavy sigh.

"Colonel... I can't raise Colonel O'Neill at all. I'm getting nothing but static."

"Just means we're going to have to do this the hard way, that's all," MacGyver said with a calm assurance he most certainly did not feel. He saw the woman's expression. "It'll take a little longer is all, but we will find Jack."

"Sir..." Carter nodded, finding some degree of comfort in the Phoenix operative's aura of quiet confidence and determination.

"First things first, okay? We need to find out if Jack's a prisoner in that camp or not. I didn't see anything obvious before we lost the pictures from the U.A.V., but that means nothing," MacGyver said. "Sam, you and Daniel stay here and keep your heads down. Keep scanning for Jack's beacon, just in case. Teal'c an' I'll go take a look around. Smokescreen shoulda' lifted enough by now."

"Sir..." Carter was about to object at not being included in the scouting trip.

"Ah-ah, Captain," MacGyver said. "Just 'cos I prefer being a civilian doesn't mean I won't pull rank if I have to."

"Yes, sir... "Carter subsided, military discipline automatically kicking in at the gentle reminder that she was actually addressing a superior officer. She drew her sidearm and held it out, butt first. "You'd better take this, Colonel... "

MacGyver held his hands defensively up in front of him. "Ah... No, thanks... I do much better without those things. They're dangerous."

As Carter's jaw dropped and she stared at the Special Forces Reservist with stunned incredulity, the man turned away, leaving the gun still in her hand.

"C'mon, Teal'c. Let's go take that look-see."

Carter was still gawping at the extremely novel idea that a man involved with Special Forces could actually refuse to carry a gun - for whatever reason - as MacGyver melted into the forest with an ease that came only with much experience, Teal'c following closely and just as easily in his wake.

*************************

"I think we annoyed them just a little," MacGyver remarked, scanning the Ha'gell encampment through a set of requisitioned Air Force issue field glasses.

He and Teal'c had found themselves a suitable spot on the crest of the earthworks from which they could survey the opposition. Guards seemed to be sadly lacking, but Teal’c kept watch for signs of any while MacGyver busied himself with the binoculars.

In the midst of the clearing up operation that was beginning to get underway within the enemy encampment, MacGyver had spotted a group of the aliens being quite clearly and vigorously berated by some others who were more elaborately attired.

"Whoa... You got one nasty temper there..." the Phoenix operative exclaimed softly as he saw one of the berators suddenly raise a hand from which a bolt of energy erupted. The bolt struck one of the beratees, who was flung violently backwards to land in a sprawled and limp heap a good distance away from its compatriots.

"Goa'uld do not tolerate failure from those who serve them," Teal'c observed matter-of-factly as another beratee got the same treatment as the first.

"Yeah... Right... " Distaste was clearly etched on MacGyver's features as he lowered the field glasses. "Real nice guys, huh?"

Teal'c merely raised an eyebrow as he decided MacGyver didn't require a reply to that particular remark.

"I don't see any sign Jack's down there," MacGyver said. He handed the field glasses to his companion. "Unless I'm missing something. You wanta' take a look?" Teal'c inclined his head slightly and took the binoculars.

As Teal'c scanned the encampment, MacGyver wiped a hand over his face and pondered on his and SG-1's next move. If Jack wasn't in the encampment, if he was still on the loose somewhere, where would he have gone to ground? Especially if - heaven forbid - he were injured...

MacGyver tried not to think about the possibility that O'Neill was either dead or had been taken off-world to who-knew-where by the aliens. The thoughts were there at the back of his mind, but he resolutely quashed them, concentrating on the more positive thought that O'Neill was alive and was on the planet somewhere and that he would find him.

"I concur," Teal'c solemnly announced. "O'Neill is not in this encampment."

"So he's probably gone to ground somewhere," MacGyver decided. "We just gotta' figure out where." He saw the look in the big Jaffa's eyes as the alien handed back the field glasses. "Yeah, Teal'c, I know," he sighed grimly, "but let's think positive here, huh?" He tucked the glasses inside his combat jacket. "C'mon, let's get back to the others."

**************************

"So," Carter wanted to know once MacGyver and Teal'c had rejoined Jackson and herself and had related what they had found, or rather hadn't found. "Where do we start looking? Colonel O'Neill could be anywhere around here; assuming he's still here and he's still alive."

"We fan out and start searching this area here," MacGyver indicated away from the Gate. "We go slow and we go careful. Jack's good at covert movement, he won't have left many traces for anyone to find." If we do find a lot of sign, then Jack's in big trouble... Probably hurt real bad somewhere. "If we turn up nothing here, then we swing around the other side and search the woods there."

"And if we don't find anything there either?" It was Daniel who asked the question. "What then?"

"Then we move on to plan B," MacGyver answered helpfully.

"Plan B?" Carter enquired, an odd shiver running up her spine. An unwelcome flashback memory surfaced of an ice-cavern in Antarctica and another 'Plan B'. She hadn't liked that one much. She hoped MacGyver's idea of a 'Plan B' was a vast improvement.

"Let's just try plan A first, shall we, guys?" MacGyver smiled. "No point in gettin' ahead of ourselves."

Carter looked as if she were about to say something, but clearly thought better of it at the last moment and just nodded silently instead.

*************************

In accordance with MacGyver's instructions, the group fanned out. Teal'c took the line furthest from the earthworks, Carter took the nearest. MacGyver and Daniel Jackson ranged themselves in the middle.

"MacGyver." Teal'c's voice presently came over MacGyver's radio.

"Yeah, Teal'c, what?"

"I have found something."

"Be right there," MacGyver instructed and hurriedly changed course. "Sam, Daniel, hold your positions."

"But, sir..." Carter’s protest was almost automatic.

"Hold your position, Captain," MacGyver repeated, his tone making it an order and not just a request.

Moments later he located Teal'c.

"O'Neill has been this way," the Jaffa announced, indicating a boot track he had found. "He appears to have gone in that direction." He gestured appropriately.

MacGyver crouched, ignoring a minor twinge from his bad knee and studied the print. It had definitely been made by a military issue boot of the size O'Neill wore. It was also several hours old at the very least. Rising to his feet, MacGyver used his radio.

"Sam... Daniel... Teal'c found a footprint. Looks like Jack's been through here a while ago, but it also looks like we're headed in the right direction. Move out nice an' easy, guys."

MacGyver was worried and it showed on his face as he looked down at the boot print again. He knew just how good O'Neill was at covert activity and at going to ground when required. That the man had left such a clear sign of his passage concerned him. If O'Neill wasn't paying enough attention to detail that he left such a clear mark in his wake as that - and in hostile territory too - then something was wrong.

A cold shiver suddenly shot up MacGyver's spine and he shuddered with it.

"MacGyver?" Teal'c questioned, frowning slightly as he regarded the tall human who was so remarkably like his missing friend that even he found it a little eerie.

"Jack's in trouble, Teal'c," MacGyver said distantly, the odd conviction growing rapidly within him now that he had finally acknowledged it. It had been there, niggling quietly at the back of his mind since before he had even set foot into the Stargate. It wasn't entirely rational he knew, but he just hadn't been able to fully shake it no matter how much he had tried ignoring it. "We need to find him and we need to do it fast."

Teal'c raised an eyebrow and tilted his head slightly.

"I know, I know..." MacGyver sighed, catching the look being levelled at him. "Just call it a gut feeling."

"O'Neill has those," Teal'c announced solemnly.

"Yeah?"

"They are often correct," the Jaffa stated. MacGyver blinked at him. Whatever he had been expecting the other man to say, that most definitely wasn't it.

"Thanks, Teal’c... That’s a big comfort," the Phoenix operative responded a little dryly as he started to move off in the direction the boot-print suggested O’Neill had gone.

*************************

It was a little while later that they all heard a bloodcurdling sound that chilled them all to the very bone; MacGyver especially.

"Colonel! Did you hear that?" Carter's voice came almost immediately over the radio.

"I heard it," MacGyver responded grimly, his gut knotting. It was the type of sound he had heard only a couple of times before but had hoped he would never, ever, have to hear again; the sound of someone being ruthlessly tortured.

The sound came on the wind through the trees a second time.

"God, that is awful. What do you suppose it is?" The somewhat naive question came over the airwaves from Jackson. "It almost sounds like some animal caught in a trap or something."

MacGyver looked at Teal'c. The big Jaffa's face was as inscrutable as ever, but his eyes spoke volumes. Like MacGyver he had recognised the nature of the sound.

"The Ha'gell are experts at torture," Teal'c stated flatly. "It can take a long time for a human to die at their hands."

"SG-1, re-group on my position. Now," MacGyver instructed bleakly into his radio. The look on his face as he looked up at Teal'c communicated his feelings far more adequately than any words could ever have come close to doing.

Reading MacGyver's eyes, the Jaffa nodded, silently communicating a promise. If they couldn't rescue Jack O'Neill, then one way or another, the man would have a quick end. He wouldn't be left to suffer. Teal'c would see to it even if it were the last thing he ever did.

*************************

"Steady, Captain," MacGyver cautioned, blocking the young woman with an arm as she made to rashly break cover.

"We need to do something and we need to do it now!" Carter blazed.

"I know, but getting ourselves killed in the process isn't going to help anyone, least of all Jack," MacGyver warned, his dark eyes flashing angrily.

They had followed the ghastly, heart-rending sounds and had discovered that the Ha'gell had set up several wooden frameworks at the bottom end of the meadow area that was opposite the cobbled entrance to the earthworks housing the Stargate. Sam, Teal'c and Daniel had all recognised the frameworks instantly. They were almost identical to those they and O'Neill had discovered at the massacre site deep in the woods on their previous visit to P4X-994. Three of the frames were 'occupied'. Two of the three forms were still and unmoving. From where SG-1 lurked, it was impossible to tell whether the unmoving forms were alive or dead. The third...

The third was most definitely alive and was being tormented by two Ha'gell who were clearly enjoying themselves as they succeeded in extracting a scream of agony from their helpless captive.

"Oh, God... That's Jack... " Jackson breathed, just realising what the others had already figured out. He looked away sickened. "Mac, we’ve got to do something... We’ve got to stop this. We've got to get him out of there!"

"We need to take out those two... aliens... and that guard over there," MacGyver indicated a third, heavily armed Ha’gell whom he had spotted lurking in some shadows at the edge of the woodlands, "without bringing their buddies to the party first."

"Indeed," Teal’c agreed. He too had spotted the lurking guard.

"Not a problem, Colonel," Carter stated grimly, producing her military issue combat knife and looking quite prepared to march out and gut all three aliens all by herself if necessary.

"Whoa... " MacGyver's eyes widened momentarily. "I was thinking of something a little more subtle and a lot less risky to us." He rummaged briefly in a pocket of his equipment vest and produced a small box which he opened to reveal what looked suspiciously like a set of hypodermic darts, but they had a distinctly home-made, ‘MacGyvered’ appearance to them. "Borrowed a few things from the infirmary..." he offered by way of explanation. "Should be enough stuff in one of these to quietly knock out an elephant for a month."

SG-1 stared as MacGyver smiled confidently and told them.

"I got an idea... "

*************************

The Ha’gell guard standing in the shadows turned and peered into the woodland as it heard something rustle in an oddly persistent manner. Seeing some shrubbery moving in a manner that was in no way consistent with the very gentle breeze that was wafting across the meadow, the guard hefted its staff weapon and went to investigate. Reaching the suspect bush, the alien poked at it with the business end of its staff weapon. It uncovered nothing out of the ordinary.

Another bush started to rustle. With a low growl the Ha’gell stomped over to the bush to subject it to the same investigative poking that the previous one had received. Something glimpsed out of the corner of its eye distracted the alien from its scrutiny of the shrubbery. It was just seconds too slow to react though. A tautly bent, sapling-like branch whipped around out of nowhere. Attached to the branch were a couple of hypodermic darts. Said darts caught the alien right in the neck.

With a startled growl the Ha’gell staggered back a couple of paces, a hand going automatically to the stinging sensation in its neck. Seconds later it fell flat on its face in a pile of forest detritus.

"Ooo-kay... " Angus MacGyver observed, a slightly surprised ‘Hey-it-actually-worked!’ look on his face as he stepped out from behind the tree belonging to the branch he had taken the Ha’gell out with. "One down, two to go."

"Indeed," agreed Teal’c, emerging from behind another tree where he had been lurking as back-up in case Mac’s plan hadn’t worked. The Jaffa regarded the fallen Ha’gell with a look that bordered on bemused approval.

"You wanna’ maybe tie it up or something?" MacGyver suggested as he carefully stepped around the prostrate Ha’gell. "While I go get set up for the next one. Don’t know how long that stuff’ll keep it quiet."

Teal’c inclined his head slightly as MacGyver slipped almost soundlessly into the surrounding woodland.

******************************

Carter swung abruptly around, her MP-5 at the ready as she heard the faintest of sounds somewhere behind her.

"Relax, Captain. It’s only me," MacGyver hissed softly before emerging from cover. Carter blew out a relieved breath and relaxed - as did Daniel. As MacGyver advanced to where he had left the pair to keep an eye on what the Ha’gell torture team were up to, the archaeologist began to ask.

"Did it - ?"

"Yeah. Snorin’ peacefully. Teal’c’s makin’ sure it stays put. What’s happenin’ here?" MacGyver responded just as an ear-shattering shriek rent the air. His gut twisted and his attention went instantly towards the framework to which his cousin was tied. A deep sense of almost guilty relief washed over him as he saw that it wasn’t O’Neill who was on the receiving end of the Ha’gells’ un-tender attentions, but one of the other two captives instead.

"They’ve been leaving the Colonel alone," Carter reported grimly. "But... " She made a slightly helpless, yet angry gesture towards the unfortunate prisoner who was currently being tormented.

"Better get a move in with Phase Two then," MacGyver stated with grim determination. "Daniel, I’m gonna’ need your radio."

"My ah, radio?" The slightly pale-faced archaeologist blinked confusedly at the older man.

"Yeah. Oh, and your wrist-watch."

"My wrist-watch?" Daniel blinked again, even more confused. Carter looked equally bewildered.

"Sir?" The woman questioned.

"I just had another idea," the Phoenix operative smiled as if that explained everything.

******************************

Duly armed with Daniel’s radio and wrist-watch, MacGyver melted back into the woods with a quietly muttered, "I’ll explain later." Daniel and Carter stared after him, non-the-wiser as to what his intentions were since he hadn’t taken time out to voice them. Instead he had simply told them to stay put no matter what, and had added that he needed Carter to switch off her radio - without arguing about it - when he so instructed her.

"Okay, Teal’c," Mac said as he met up with the big Jaffa again, and noted that the still unconscious Ha’gell guard was trussed up like a chicken. "We need to set another trap, and we need to do it fast."

Teal’c followed the Mac to another part of the woods away from where the fallen guard lay, and then listened intently as the human rapidly outlined his latest off-the-cuff plan. The Jaffa looked a little bemused once again, but nodded with apparent approval before setting to work with swift efficiency.

A few minutes later MacGyver was tying the final knot securing Daniel’s radio to a length of string he had tossed over a low-hanging branch.

"You done there yet, Teal’c?" He hissed towards his Jaffa companion, who was busy amongst some adjacent bushes.

"I am," the Jaffa responded quietly.

"Okay. Let’s get this show on the road then," MacGyver said. As Teal’c moved away deeper into the forest, MacGyver used his radio. "Sam, you there?"

"Sir." Carter’s response was almost immediate.

"Radio off - now."

"Roger that."

Switching his own radio off, MacGyver reached for the one hanging in mid-air. Switching it on, he set it to broadcast any incoming transmissions and turned the volume up as high as it would go. Swiftly retreating to drop onto his good knee behind some shrubbery several yards away, he unclipped his own radio from his equipment vest and set it down on the ground. Retrieving Daniel’s wrist-watch from a pocket, he fiddled with it for a moment before setting it down beside his radio. He then unstrapped his own wrist-watch, fiddled with it, and laid it down beside the radio as well. Then fervently praying that his plan would work, he switched the radio back on, set it to ‘transmit’, rose quietly to his feet, and moved just as quietly away to take cover behind a tree.

A few seconds later the sound of wrist-watch alarms going off permeated the air from two slightly differing locations.

******************************

Jack’s eyes were closed and he was drifting in a slightly feverish sea of residual pain from his last round of fun and games with his Ha’gell tormentors. He could hear the desperate begging and pleading coming from one of his fellow captives; begging and pleading which was punctuated by screams. Part of him felt sympathy for his companion in misfortune, but the self-preserving part of him could only muster relief that whatever torture was currently being inflicted by the Ha’gell, it was being inflicted on someone other than himself.

They had been slightly pissed by his efforts at resistance when they had first secured him to the torture frame. By the time they were done, he had been teetering on the brink of unconsciousness. Just before that very welcome oblivion had successfully claimed him, he had had a vague notion that he could hear automatic weapon fire mixed with a lot of staff-weapon fire, and what had sounded like some serious explosions. Since he was still a prisoner he was assuming that that vague notion had been nothing more than a hopeful hallucination brought on by pain and fever.

Jack wasn’t too sure of how long he was out, but from the angle of the sun when the Ha’gell had revived him, it couldn’t have been all that long. The duo that had dragged him into the meadow area and tied him down had been joined by his Chief Interrogator of the previous day, who had been in one hell of a furious temper. The Ha’gell had screamed and raged at him and had beaten him almost senseless again before leaving the other two aliens with instructions to enjoy themselves freely, but not to actually kill him on pain of death themselves. His two tormentors had taken their instructions very seriously.

They had caused him a considerable amount of discomfort when they hadn’t been amusing themselves with another prisoner who had already been in residence on another torture frame and who hadn’t lasted long before expiring. Shortly after that, the arrival of another prisoner had distracted the duo from inflicting more abuse on him for a little while. The fact that the new prisoner was terrified and could be easily induced into begging and pleading for mercy in between screams of agony, seemed to please the Ha’gell immensely.

Jack grimaced slightly as he heard a particularly ear-shattering shriek emanate from his fellow captive. A shriek that ended abruptly. Jack groaned inwardly. Either the other man had just passed out again, or had died. Either way it meant the Ha’gell would likely be back to torment him some more, sooner rather than later.

He wasn’t wrong.

Jack flinched, unable to prevent the reaction as he felt what was unmistakably a set of Ha’gell claws come into contact with his bare thigh. Forcing his eyes open, he tried to focus on the owner of said claws and muster a defiant, ‘Hey-keep-your-damn-hands-to-yourself’ glare.

*******************************

"Oh God, Sam... " Daniel hissed at his team-mate, his manner one of acute distress as he saw the two Ha’gell return to the framework to which his best friend was secured. The young archaeologist was ashen-faced, courtesy of having just witnessed the disembowelling of one of the other prisoners. From where he and Carter lurked they hadn’t exactly had a grandstand view of the act itself, but the results had been visible enough; were still visible.

"I know, Daniel," Carter responded grimly, trying to hide her own emotions behind a mask of military neutrality as she tightened her grip on the MP-5 she had levelled in the general direction of the aliens.

"We can’t just sit here and let them to that to - " Daniel began to protest angrily, only to break off as the unmistakable sound of more than one wrist-watch alarm began to emanate from somewhere in another part of the woods.

*******************************

Jack was in the midst of letting rip with a colourful expletive when suddenly the claws that had just started to leave yet another bloody trail down his leg lifted away from him and his newly returned tormentors seemed to focus their interest elsewhere.

He was unsure as to the exact nature of whatever had distracted the Ha’gell; frankly, he didn’t really care. Any respite was welcome, however brief it might be. He concentrated on trying to suppress the waves of pain that were rippling through him from his leg, tried to ignore the sensation of blood welling from his newest injuries and trickling slowly down the limb.

Closing his eyes as pain and fever-induced nausea washed over him, Jack didn’t notice one of the Ha’gell start off towards the woodlands. The other Ha’gell regained his attention however by poking at his newly lacerated leg and drawing a pained curse from him.

******************************

"Sam...?" Daniel questioned, almost panic-stricken when only one of the two Ha’gell went to investigate the odd sounds coming from the woods.

"The Colonel said to stay put no matter what until he tells us otherwise," Sam tersely reminded her team-mate, no happier about the way the situation appeared to be unfolding than Daniel was.

"I know, but - "

" - We’ll give it a few more minutes," Sam decided grimly as she switched her MP-5 to single shot mode and shifted slightly as she tried to establish a direct bead on the head of the Ha’gell still with O’Neill. She flinched as she heard a cry of pain that unmistakably came from the captive Colonel, and cursed under her breath as the Ha’gell responsible moved around to the other side of the torture frame and she found any potential head shot was, for the moment at least, effectively blocked.

******************************

From where he was hiding, MacGyver saw the Ha’gell enter the tree-line. His heart sank as he realised the alien was alone; a fact which a pained cry from his cousin succinctly confirmed. He forced himself to look on the bright side of the situation. At least this Ha’gell’s curiosity had been piqued enough for it to be coming to investigate the irritating sound-show he had arranged. If this one could be taken out with the minimum of fuss, it would leave only one more to be dealt with - somehow.

He tensed as he saw the Ha’gell halt and stare across the small clearing at the dangling radio which was merrily blasting out and amplifying the persistent beeping of the watch-alarms. He tensed even more when he heard the alien yell out something that was totally incomprehensible to him. Silently praying that his entire plan was not all going completely pear-shaped, MacGyver resolutely stayed put as the Ha’gell he was watching advanced towards the dangling bait.

******************************

Sam and Daniel both tensed as they heard the yell from the Ha’gell that had been lured into the woods.

"I think it just said ‘Come see this.’ or ‘Come take a look at this’," Daniel hissed to his companion. "It’s Goa’uld, but I’m not familiar with the dialect," he added, almost reflexively translating what he had heard from a linguist’s viewpoint.

The Ha’gell they were watching didn’t appear unduly alarmed by the call from its comrade. If anything, it seemed more irritated than anything. After inflicting a bad-tempered parting blow on the prisoner it had been torturing, it began to stomp towards the woods.

******************************

MacGyver waited tensely as the Ha’gell he was watching reached the dangling radio. It reached a massive hand out to the device and yanked at it. The string broke easily. The Ha’gell stood examining its prize, clearly puzzled by it. Then the creature began to turn. MacGyver knew he couldn’t wait any longer. If he delayed taking action, the alien would move out of range of the trap he and Teal’c had set up. He had hoped to get both Ha’gell at the same time, but one was better than none. Just as the alien made to walk away, MacGyver tugged sharply at a length of string he had been anxiously toying with.

The trap was similar to the one that had earlier taken out the Ha’gell guard - whom the two torture-enthusiasts seemed to have somehow totally failed to realise was missing. A branch whipped free of the slip-knot that had been holding it in place. Four ‘MacGyvered’ knock-out darts were ranged along it. One of the darts caught the Ha’gell in neck, a second stuck into part of the leather-like garb the alien was wearing, the remaining darts totally failed to find a target at all.

The Ha’gell let out an irritable growl as it turned to fight off the attacking shrubbery. Its compatriot arrived at the other side of the clearing, bellowing something that MacGyver guessed was probably a demand to know what was going on. The first Ha’gell growled something in return, then spotted the darts still attached to the shrubbery that had had the audacity to attack it. It let out a disconcerted sounding bellow. The second Ha’gell, clearly more astute than its fellow, reached for a control on a device which was strapped to its left forearm. Just as it did so, Teal’c stepped silently out from cover behind it.

MacGyver didn’t wait to see what Teal’c was about to do since the first Ha’gell, although beginning to look a little shaky on its feet, didn’t appear to be about to obligingly collapse in a nice neat heap any time soon. Exploding out from his hiding-place, MacGyver snatched at one of the darts still lodged in the branch that had struck the alien, and launched himself at the creature. The Ha’gell spun around towards the sudden unexpected threat and, with an enraged bellow, swiped wildly at the human, sending the man flying through the air, but not before Mac had managed to stab it in the throat with the dart he had snagged.

Impacting heavily with a tree-trunk left MacGyver stunned and seeing numerous uncharted stars. As he shook his head, trying frantically to clear it, he became aware of something big looming over him. Instinctively he tried to scrabble away from the perceived threat. As he did so, his hand closed over a length of what felt unmistakably like a bit of fallen branch. He grabbed it and swung blindly with it.

"MacGyver, it is I, Teal’c." A familiar voice rumbled.

The trouble-shooter finally succeeded in getting his vision cleared enough to find Teal’c standing over him with a calmly composed expression on his face that belied the concern he had heard in the Jaffa’s voice. Glancing worriedly past the Jaffa, MacGyver’s pounding heart settled a little as he saw two prostrate and unmoving Ha’gell littering the forest floor. He blew out a breath of deep relief and reached for the hand which Teal’c was holding out to him.

******************************

O’Neill flinched and choked back a despairing groan as his drifting senses registered sudden activity close by and something touched his neck.

"He's alive," MacGyver announced with terse relief upon finding the pulse his gently probing fingers so desperately sought. "Teal'c, ease his weight off his arms while I cut him loose."

Teal'c obliged, trying desperately to find some way of getting a hold of the battered, bleeding O'Neill without adding to the severe pain his friend was quite clearly already in.

"God... " came the rasping, barely audible protest from the injured man. "God... No... "

"Jack! Jack, listen to me. It's me; MacGyver. And Teal'c. We'll have ya' down off of this thing in just a moment. Hold on, Jack. Just hold on a little longer." MacGyver already had his Swiss Army Knife out and was sawing frantically at the bindings securing his cousin’s right arm to the wooden frame. "Sam, stay back!" He warned as he saw, out of the corner of his eye, Carter coming forward with the clear intention of trying to help. "Stay there and keep us covered!" He told her before demanding of Daniel. "Daniel, where's that blanket?"

"Right here, Mac," Daniel advanced quickly with the blanket he'd pulled from the pack MacGyver had shrugged off just moments before. "Oh God... " he gasped as he got his first close look at some of the physical damage that had been done to his friend. Hurriedly he spread the blanket as gently as he could over the injured man and around Teal'c's carefully supportive hold on him.

"Go check those other two," MacGyver instructed, aware that the young archaeologist looked like he was about to throw up at any moment. He strongly felt like throwing up himself having seen the state his cousin was in, but it would have to wait until he had the time for it. The bindings he was working on finally gave way and he caught hold of O'Neill's arm as gently as he could, but even so the man still cried out in pain and struggled weakly in Teal'c's grip.

"Easy, big guy. Easy... " MacGyver carefully lowered O'Neill's arm, careful of damaging it further than it quite visibly already was, before hurriedly turning his attention to the bonds on the man’s left wrist. He noticed Daniel was still standing there, looking distinctly green. "Daniel!" He snapped. "Check those other two!"

"I'll do it," Carter volunteered. MacGyver offered no objection this time to her coming further forward; O'Neill was decently covered.

The second set of bindings gave way under the merciless onslaught of Mac’s knife. He lowered the affected limb carefully. O'Neill moaned softly.

"I have him," Teal'c assured the Phoenix operative, who promptly set to work on the ties binding O'Neill's ankles. As soon as O’Neill had been freed Teal’c picked him up bodily from the frame as gently as he could and as mindful of his numerous visible injuries as he could be. Even so the soldier cursed volubly at the pain that came with being moved.

"Those two have had it," Carter reported, returning from checking out the other two naked and very dead prisoners. She looked a little pale-faced. "How's the Colonel?"

"Not good," MacGyver said. "C'mon, Teal'c, we need to get to cover."

The big Jaffa nodded and headed for the woodland with his blanket-covered burden. Having already folded and pocketed his Swiss Army Knife, MacGyver bent to quickly retrieve both his pack and Teal’c’s staff weapon. To Carter he said. "Better bring, Daniel. I think he's in shock."

Carter nodded. Daniel did indeed look as if he'd gone into shock. He was pale and was still standing dumbly as if unable to move of his own volition. As MacGyver hurried after Teal'c and O'Neill, Sam took Daniel firmly by the arm and pulled him after them.

"C'mon, Daniel. Time to go."

*************************

As soon as they reached a suitable spot, Teal'c gently set down his softly protesting cargo, aided by MacGyver who adjusted the blanket so that O'Neill could be laid down on it but still be kept decently wrapped up. Reflexively the injured man drew his broken right arm up across his battered, bleeding chest, cradling it with the other and began to curl up into a protective ball. It was clear that it had not yet registered with him that he was safe and among friends.

"Easy, Jack," MacGyver tried to soothe as he rummaged in his pack. He pulled out a military med-kit. "Sam, keep watch!" He instructed as he produced a pre-loaded hypo, which he quickly pressed to O'Neill's left arm. "It'll take a few moments to kick in," MacGyver told Teal’c as he safely disposed of the spent hypo, "but it'll help him when it does."

The Jaffa nodded solemnly.

"We need to get this bleeding stopped," MacGyver went on, yanking heavy-duty field dressings from the med-kit. "And that arm’s a mess. All we can do for now is try to stabilize and immobilize it. The rest we can worry about later when we’ve got a bit more time." O'Neill's body was starting to relax as the painkiller he'd been given began taking effect.

MacGyver adjusted the blanket to expose the several vicious, oozing, and bloody slashes which ran the length of his cousin’s left thigh. The expression that crossed his face spoke volumes and he looked pale despite his slightly faded suntan. He gave himself a mental shake and went rapidly to work. Once the leg had been dealt with, MacGyver turned his attention to some of the slashes adorning his cousin’s torso. Teal’c helped him to uncurl the relaxing O’Neill a little so that it was easier for him to get the dressings in place. More dressings followed as MacGyver discovered the inflamed and weeping damage to the man’s left side.

"Easy, Jack," MacGyver soothed as his cousin moaned softly and shifted restlessly in response to his actions. The emergency dressings swiftly in place, MacGyver looked at Teal'c. "I'm gonna' need you to keep him still while I see to his arm now. You’ll need to be careful though, I think some of his ribs may be gone."

The Jaffa nodded. MacGyver spoke to his cousin again. He was unsure whether O'Neill would understand him or not - or indeed if he even recognised him yet - but he needed to warn the injured man of his intentions..

"Jack... Jack, can you hear me? It's me; MacGyver. Teal'c an' I need to do something about your arm; okay? I'll be as quick about this as I can, but you need to keep still for me; okay?"

O'Neill just emitted a quiet sound, his eyes still tightly closed. MacGyver nodded at Teal'c and between them they manoeuvred the injured man into a position that made it easier for Mac to attend to his broken arm.

MacGyver examined the limb as gently and carefully as he could, but even so O'Neill made little sounds of distress and weakly tried to draw it away. Mac's expression spoke volumes about his concern regarding the state of the limb, but he kept up a stream of soothing talk as he worked.

"Mac... ?" The whispered question came so quietly that MacGyver nearly missed it.

"Yeah, Jack, it's me." Rats! I really hoped he'd stay under 'til this was done. "You just hang in there. I’m almost done here. Have ya' fixed up in no time." MacGyver soothed as he carefully strapped an immobilising splint to the damaged arm.

"Mac... the collar... Get it... off me... " The tone of the softly whispered plea nearly broke MacGyver's heart. His feelings showed clearly on his face.

"I will, Jack," he promised. "I will. Just gotta' finish takin’ care of your arm first. Just relax an’ let me get this done." He advised, as he secured the last of the binding he’d been applying. Glancing over his shoulder, he called. "Sam!"

"Yes, sir?" The young woman responded briskly. She was monitoring their surroundings alertly, her MP-5 at the ready should anything nasty try to sneak up on them without an invitation.

"Catch!" MacGyver tossed her a roll of duct tape from a pocket of his equipment vest. As the young woman caught it and gave him a bewildered look, the Phoenix operative told her. "Take Daniel and go pull one of those frames apart. You should be able to whip up a half-decent stretcher from the pieces."

"Yes, sir!" Carter's face brightened as she nodded with enthusiasm at the idea.

"But watch yourselves. Daniel doesn't look like he's quite back with us yet," MacGyver cautioned. "And if the bad guys appear, drop everything and high-tail it back here." He saw Carter nod before she began to move off, dragging the still very shocky-looking Jackson with her. Turning his attention to Teal’c, he asked. "You know what that collar thing is, Teal’c?"

"I believe it to be a slave-control device much favoured by the Ha’gell Goa'uld," the Jaffa answered matter-of-factly. "When activated it can cause much pain." He paused before adding sombrely. "It will not be easily removed."

"Can you do it?" MacGyver asked. Teal'c shook his head.

"I regret I cannot."

"Can it be used as a tracking device?" Was MacGyver's next question.

"I do not know for certain," the Jaffa answered, his manner pensive, "but it would seem likely,"

"Don't suppose you'd know what sorta' range these things have?" MacGyver asked as he began to examine the metal device affixed around his cousin's neck.

"I regret I do not."

MacGyver sighed and rubbed at his jaw with the back of a bloodstained hand.

"Well, tryin to get back through the Gate by ourselves with Jack in this condition doesn’t strike me as the smartest move we could make; two of us to carry him leavin’ the other two to keep the bad guys off our backs and dial out..." He shook his head at the odds against them. "Not with the number of bad guys we’d have to get past. That means we’re gonna’ have to go to ground until the SGC initiates the pre-planned retrieval op, unless we can come up with a viable alternative. But... I don’t much fancy playing hide’n’seek if the bad guys can track our every move."

"Indeed," Teal’c rumbled his agreement.

"Soooo..." MacGyver turned his attention back to his cousin and the alien device about the man's neck. "I guess that means we’re gonna’ have to do somethin’ about this."

O'Neill had started to curl up again, but neither Teal'c nor MacGyver attempted to stop him. Teal'c just adjusted the blanket around him in an almost paternal manner whilst MacGyver began to gently manipulate the metal collar until he found where it fastened. The trouble-shooter frowned pensively as he studied the problem. Swiss Army Knife ain't gonna' do it...

As an idea occurred to him MacGyver began to rapidly frisk himself and, after a few moments, he produced a paperclip which he swiftly began to straighten. Teal'c watched the performance with an expression that bordered on the bemused, whilst also keeping a wary eye on their surroundings.

"Oh-kaay... Let's see if this'll do the trick," MacGyver said, talking more to himself than to Teal'c or O'Neill. "Easy, Jack... Easy now... It's just me, big guy," he soothed when O'Neill discernibly flinched in response to his touch on the other's neck as he slipped a couple of fingers carefully inside the collar in order to get a better grip on it.

"Mac... ?" The hoarse whisper was again so quiet as to be almost inaudible.

"Yeah, Jack, I'm still right here. I'm just gonna' see what I can do about this collar thing for ya'." MacGyver spoke gently as he bent close and started to work on the device's locking mechanism with an end of the straightened paperclip. "Try an' hold still for me here, huh... ?"

"Mac... " O'Neill's eyes remained closed, but his left hand began to emerge slowly from under the blanket.

"I'm right here, Jack. You're gonna' be fine. We'll get ya' home real soon. Ya' just need to hang in there for a little while longer, okay?"

"Yeeah... " the injured man sighed softly. He seemed to relax a little as Teal'c reached over him and intercepted the hand he'd been weakly trying to find MacGyver with. O'Neill's hand fastened tightly onto Teal'c's. "Mac... ?"

"Uh-huh?" MacGyver responded, concentrating on the task in hand.

"Think... ya’ could... hurry it up... a little... ?"

"Doin' my best, big guy," MacGyver assured as he continued to work. The lock was proving more difficult than he'd hoped.

For some several minutes the trouble-shooter worked intently. Then, suddenly and without any warning, the device emitted a loud buzz. At the same instant O’Neill screamed and convulsed as searing agony ripped through him. MacGyver himself also cried out, snatching his hand away and falling back on his butt as a lancing pain shot up through the fingers he’d had hooked around the collar, burned through his hand and up his arm like a fireball. Teal’c grabbed for O’Neill, quickly using his superior strength and weight to restrain him and keep his wild thrashing to a minimum before he could do himself more damage than had already been done to him, whilst at the same time clamping a hand over the man’s mouth to try to muffle his cries of pain.

Carter and Jackson came crashing through the undergrowth in time to witness O’Neill’s Jaffa-muffled cries and his spasms of agony subsiding, though Teal'c was still carefully restraining him. A very pale-faced MacGyver was struggling to his knees whilst frantically shaking his left hand and rubbing at his arm as if he'd just suffered some sort of severe electric shock.

"What happened?" Carter demanded frantically, as she dropped to a knee beside MacGyver. "Sir? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" MacGyver's response was distinctly snappish as he gathered himself together and swiftly turned his attention to O'Neill who had gone suddenly very still and very quiet. "JACK?" His tone broadcast anguish, as did his expression as he reached a little shakily to check his cousin for a pulse even as Teal’c released his restraining hold on the man. "Jack?" His probing fingers found what they sought and the flood of relief that washed through him was mirrored on his face. "Oh thank God... " He blew out a long breath.

"What happened?" Carter tried again, her tone still urgently demanding. She looked to Teal'c in the hope of an explanation from him since MacGyver didn't seem to be about to provide one.

"The Ha'gell pain device activated," Teal'c stated. "MacGyver was trying to remove it. It affected him also."

*************************

"There has to be some way of removing that thing without setting it off like that again," Carter said logically, peering at the offending item affixed to O'Neill's neck.

"It may not have been MacGyver’s actions that triggered it," Teal’c announced. "It is my understanding that some of these devices are capable of being set to activate at random intervals. It is a favoured method among the Ha’gell Goa’uld of punishing disobedient slaves." He paused, then added solemnly. "Or it may be used for inflicting pain simply for their amusement."

"Amusement?" This outraged utterance erupted from Daniel, who was looking a little green again. The therapy of tearing one of the torture frames apart with his bare hands and reassembling some of the bits into something more useful and constructive - the stretcher - had brought him out of the numbed state of shock the sight of O'Neill's physically tortured condition had sent him into. "Amusement?" He sputtered. "Oh God that is just sick!" He shook his head in indignant disbelief at such barbarism.

"Yeeaah... Well, I think maybe we should start putting some distance between us an' the bad guys," MacGyver said tautly. He had stopped rubbing at his arm - which was tingling like it had a major dose of pins and needles running up and down it - but was still shaking his hand, albeit not as furiously as before. "Then I'll take another look at that thing. If there is a tracker in it - which Teal’c seems to think is a good possibility - hopefully we can stay ahead of the bad guys long enough for one of us to figure a way of gettin' it off of him. Preferably before it fires up again. I don't think Jack can take another jolt like that one - Special Ops training or not." Looking round he spotted the heavily duct-taped object that lay on the ground a short distance away. "You guys wanna’ fetch your handiwork over here so we can get outta’ here?" He inquired of Carter and Daniel.

"Yes, sir," Carter nodded, handing him back a rather depleted roll of duct tape, which he took and returned to a pocket of his equipment vest.

"Okay, throw another blanket on there and we'll get Jack loaded up," MacGyver said, pushing himself to his feet as Carter and Daniel manoeuvred the makeshift stretcher into position alongside the prone Colonel.

*************************

As soon as they had the unconscious O'Neill securely housed on the makeshift stretcher and MacGyver had packed up his field medical kit, SG-1 moved out, heading into the forest. They had no destination in mind, they just wanted to get well clear of the aliens for a while and hopefully out of range of any tracking unit that might be incorporated into the nasty device around the injured Colonel's neck.

Carter took point. Teal'c and Daniel carried the stretcher and MacGyver brought up the rear, carefully erasing as much sign of SG-1's passage as he could and pausing every so often to rig a surprise or two for any hostiles who might pick up on their trail.

Daniel found it a little disconcerting to glance over his shoulder and one minute have MacGyver right there behind him, only to have completely vanished the next and then a short while later step out from behind a tree as the team passed it, or emerge soundlessly from shrubbery and fall in behind him again.

"Okay, guys, let's take a time-out," MacGyver presently announced, emerging from the forest in Daniel's wake for the umpteenth time. "Small clearing just up ahead, Sam!"

"Copy that, Colonel!" Carter called back from up front.

"How do you know that? About the clearing... ?" Daniel asked the Phoenix operative. He knew the man had never set foot on P4X-994 before and therefore couldn't possibly be familiar with the territory.

"I took a look," MacGyver answered a little absently, moving up past Daniel to the approximate mid-point of the stretcher where he looked anxiously down at O'Neill.

"But I thought you were down our back-trail?"

"I was," MacGyver acknowledged glancing round at the younger man. He saw Daniel's surprised stare. "I swung around a-ways," he explained. "Catch up with you again shortly," he then announced before disappearing silently back into the forest.

*************************

Teal'c and Daniel presently set the stretcher carefully down in the small clearing that had indeed been ahead of them.

"Where's the Colonel?" Carter looked around for MacGyver. Despite the man's insistence that he was technically a civilian, the more she was seeing of him 'in the field' the more she was coming to think of him as she did O'Neill - a warrior, a Special Forces soldier... And her superior officer.

"No idea... Back there somewhere. He disappeared again after saying we should stop here," Daniel indicated their back-trail. "You know, I'd hate to have to put money on who's better at sneaking around out here; Jack, Teal'c or MacGyver."

Carter sighed and dropped to a crouch beside Teal'c who was down on one knee at O'Neill's side, checking that the Air Force Colonel was still with them. O'Neill was stirring slightly.

"You want to keep watch, Teal'c?" The Captain suggested. "I'll take a look at that Goa'uld device."

Teal'c nodded, retrieved his staff weapon from beside the stretcher and moved a few paces away to stand guard.

O'Neill's dark eyes blinked open as Sam Carter touched the pain-device and for an instant she saw a flare of panic in them before it was replaced by relieved recognition.

"Hello, Colonel," she smiled at him. "Welcome back. How're you doing?"

O'Neill's eyes closed again as he admitted softly. "Had... better days... "

"I know," Carter said sympathetically, not missing the pain in the man's voice.

"Where's... Mac... ?" Came the hoarsely whispered question.

"Checking our back-trail is clear," Carter answered, fishing out her water bottle and unscrewing the cap. She slipped her hand under the back of O'Neill's head. "Here, sir... Drink a little of this," she encouraged and held the water bottle to his lips as she eased his head up slightly. He took a little, then indicated he'd had enough. Carter gently settled his head back down again and recapped her water bottle, which she returned to its place on her belt. "Listen, Colonel," she went on. "I’m going to take a look at this Goa’uld device of yours... Is that okay with you?"

"Knock... yourself out... " O'Neill invited weakly. "Tell Mac... not his fault... last time... He didn't do... anything... to set it... off... It's a random... trigger... "

Carter had to lean closer to catch what the Colonel was trying to tell her, for the words were uttered so quietly and with such a great effort as to be almost inaudible.

"We sort of suspected as much," Carter said. "Now I really don't think you should talk any more just now, Colonel. You should save your strength."

"Doctor's orders... again... huh, Captain?"

"Yeah... Something like that, Colonel," Carter said with a smile of her own in response to the faint one O'Neill had tried to muster with his comment. She shuddered inwardly as another flashback memory suddenly surfaced of events in the ice-cavern in Antarctica.

"Yeeaah... " O'Neill murmured softly before going quiet again, his eyes closing.

Sam Carter turned her attention to the innocuous-looking alien contraption that was the potentially deadly piece of technology fastened to her superior's neck.

*************************

Carter was so absorbed in trying to find some way of freeing O'Neill from the Goa'uld pain device that she only vaguely registered MacGyver suddenly emerge from the forest and into the clearing. Teal'c and Daniel, however, were much more alert and both had weapons lined up on the man in an instant.

"Hey, guys... " MacGyver said, raising his hands in the universal gesture that said: 'Hey-I'm-friendly'. Teal'c and Daniel relaxed. MacGyver lowered his hands. "Back trail's still clear," he announced. "I left a few surprises back out there in case anyone tries to show up uninvited." He looked at the Jaffa. "Teal'c, think maybe you could scout ahead a-ways?" He asked.

Teal'c nodded and melted into the forest as soundlessly as MacGyver had emerged from it.

"Mac..." Daniel intercepted MacGyver as the Phoenix trouble-shooter began to head to where Carter and O'Neill were.

"Yeah?" MacGyver noted the contrite expression that was on the younger man's face. He frowned. "What's up, Daniel?"

"About back there... " Daniel began awkwardly as he gestured vaguely in the direction from which they had come. "When we found Jack... I guess I kinda' lost it... I ... I just - "

"Don't worry about it, Daniel," MacGyver shook his head. "No harm done."

"But I froze. I let you down. I let Jack down."

"You didn't let anyone down, Daniel, you just weren't... prepared, that's all," MacGyver told him.

"And you were? How could anyone be?"

"Let's just say I've been around the block a few more times than you have, Daniel," MacGyver told the younger man. He saw Daniel's unconvinced expression and the unspoken question it contained. "Yeah... I've seen victims of torture before, Daniel. Rescued a few in my time. It's never pretty. And you never get used to it." He didn't say he had never seen anyone in as bad a state as O'Neill currently was and still be breathing. It was information the younger man really didn't need. "Now, I think we better see if we can't get that Goa'uld pain device off of Jack before he has to go through any more. Don't you?"

Daniel just nodded.

"So... How we doin' here?" MacGyver endeavoured to be cheerful to cover the depth of the anxiety he was actually feeling as he knelt down beside his badly injured cousin. He saw O'Neill respond slightly to the sound of his voice. "Hey, Jack. Thought I'd come take another look at that fancy hardware you're sportin'. Ya' mind?"

O'Neill's eyes remained closed, but his head moved in the slightest of shakes as MacGyver shrugged off his backpack and set it down near to hand.

"I've been trying to remove it, but I've been getting nowhere fast," Carter answered, sitting back on her heels, her anger and frustration at the situation showing quite plainly on her face and in her eyes.

"Hey, Jack... Don't want to worry ya', big guy, but you're not lookin' so good," MacGyver observed, touching the back of his hand to his cousin's forehead. He didn't like the clamminess of the other man's skin. "Sam, ya' think maybe we could have another blanket here?" He asked, glancing at the woman as he moved his hand to check O'Neill's pulse. He didn't like what he found there either as Carter nodded and started to rummage in her pack. "Jack... Ya' still with me, huh? How're ya' doin'?"

"Godawful..." came the quietly whispered, but honest response.

"Yeeaah... " MacGyver said. O'Neill looked a mess from the beatings he'd endured, but there was more to it than that and that was what had MacGyver seriously worried. "I think we need to get some fluids into you, Jack. Okay?" MacGyver started to rummage in his own pack and pulled out the military field med-kit again and also a saline bag, while Carter carefully spread her blanket over O'Neill. Looking from Carter to Jackson and back, MacGyver asked. "Either of you two know how to set up a saline I.V.?"

"Er... I do." Daniel stated, stepping quickly forward, anxious to make himself useful. He saw the surprised look Carter shot him. "A nun in Peru showed me once," he offered by way of an explanation. Carter decided not to pursue that one.

"Okay, Daniel. All yours," MacGyver handed him the saline bag and the med-kit. He would have done the job himself - he knew how - but there was no telling how long they had left before the pain-device activated again and he wanted to get to work on removing it ASAP. "Sam, you want to watch our backs for us 'til Teal'c gets back?"

Carter nodded, picked up her MP-5 and rose to her feet to stand guard while MacGyver and Daniel set about their respective tasks.

"Mac... "

"Right here, Jack," MacGyver responded, working on the collar device with another paperclip that he'd fished out of a pocket. "Just take it easy. Soon as we get some fluid into ya', I'll give ya' another shot. Okay?"

There was no response.

"Jack? Ya' still with me, big guy?" MacGyver questioned worriedly. He checked for a pulse and was relieved to find one, weak and thready though it was. He went back to work. O'Neill definitely wouldn't survive another jolt from the alien device, of that MacGyver was convinced. "Daniel, ya' got that drip goin' yet?"

"I'm trying to find a vein," Daniel responded absently, as he concentrated on his task. "There's so much bruising here, it's difficult... "

"You can do it, Daniel. Just take your time," MacGyver encouraged with a calm he didn't feel, as he continued his own work without so much as glancing up from it.

"Got it! It's in!" Daniel suddenly announced triumphantly a moment or two later as he finally succeeded in tracking down a suitable section of vein in O'Neill's heavily bruised left arm and getting a needle into it. Quickly he had the drip set up and running and sat back on his heels, holding the saline bag up so that gravity would do the work of quickly delivering the much-needed fluid into the injured man.

"Good work, Daniel," MacGyver congratulated, but again without so much as glancing up from his own task which he was concentrating intensely on.

"Mac... ?" O'Neill murmured softly, questioningly.

"Easy, Jack, I'm right here," MacGyver said as O'Neill shifted slightly. "Try an' hold still a little bit longer, I'm workin' fast as I can here."

"I... know... "

MacGyver was aware of O'Neill's dark eyes flickering open and blinking at him as if checking that he really was there. He also saw the pain that was contained in them before they closed again.

As the Phoenix operative continued working on the pain device, it suddenly activated again. This time MacGyver didn’t even pause, he just hung on grimly and kept right on working even as pain surged through him and his cousin writhed and cried out with it.

"Daniel; hold him down and keep him quiet!" MacGyver snapped sharply at the startled archaeologist. The pain he was experiencing combined with his cousin’s frenzied jerking around was making his job twice as difficult as it already was. "Do it now!" He rasped through gritted teeth as he struggled to keep working at his now desperate task. "Ah god... "

Jackson reacted swiftly, transferring the saline bag so that he had the top end between his teeth and grabbed at the panicking, colourfully swearing O'Neill, to try to restrain him, whilst simultaneously clamping a hand over the man’s mouth. At the same time Carter, who had been standing guard only a couple of paces away, reacted by throwing herself across O'Neill's legs, using her weight to try to help minimise his frantic shifting around.

Suddenly O’Neill went completely still, staring wide-eyed at MacGyver, who had also suddenly frozen and was meeting that stare with a stunned one of his own. Carter and Daniel exchanged bewildered looks, uncertain as to what exactly was happening.

"Easy, kiddo... We're all done here," MacGyver announced shakily as he gently but swiftly pulled the unfastened and now de-activated pain device from his cousin's neck. He held it up for the still staring O'Neill to see, his hand visibly trembling in reaction to what they had just both been through. "Not gonna' hurt ya' any more, Jack."

Daniel and Carter carefully shifted themselves off the injured man, amazement and relief written all over their faces.

"Oh, God... " O'Neill breathed, his eyes closing and his body relaxing as much as the nagging residual pain he was in would allow.

"Yeeaah... " MacGyver agreed, blowing out a long, deeply relieved breath. He tossed the Goa'uld device far into the surrounding forest and slumped back on his heels, eyes closed, to wait for a sudden chronic dose of the shakes to pass and his heart-rate to slow back down to something bordering on a normal high-stress rate.

*************************

As he scouted around in accordance with MacGyver's instructions, Teal'c came across some stonework ruins. He circled carefully around them, checking for any obvious signs of activity of any sort - Ha'gell or otherwise - then emerged from the forest for a closer look. The ruins might provide them with a place to shelter with the injured O'Neill for a while whilst they considered their next move.

The ruins appeared to be the remains of what had once been several small stone buildings clustered around a central one that had been much larger. The whole site sat on an area which had once been totally paved with great flat slabs of stone. As he made his way through the area, Teal'c had the oddest feeling of being observed, but by whom - or what - he could not tell. It made him uneasy.

The faintest hint of movement behind him caused him to spin around, staff weapon at the ready. He stared in confused surprise. Standing before him was the blind woman whom he and the rest of SG-1 had encountered on their previous visit to P4X-994. He glanced rapidly, searchingly around, trying to determine where the woman had so suddenly and mysteriously appeared from. She had not been there seconds earlier. He knew that.

"Greetings, Jaffa," Seeba announced in a friendly, welcoming fashion. "I have been awaiting your return."

*************************

His dose of the reactive shakes having subsided a bit, MacGyver opened his eyes to find Daniel sitting by O’Neill’s side, holding the saline bag up again, but watching him with concerned eyes.

"You okay?" The archaeologist asked quietly.

"Yeah," MacGyver nodded. He looked round and saw that Carter was at his back, standing watchful guard over all of them. His attention returning to Daniel, he frowned pensively.

"What?" Daniel questioned, seeing the look.

"We need to do something about that," MacGyver said, rising a little unsteadily to his feet. He heard a concerned, "Colonel?" from Carter, and felt a slightly tentative touch on his arm.

"I’m fine, Sam," he assured, sucking in a steadying breath as the momentary dizziness passed. "I’ll be right back," he went on. "Keep watch," he instructed before disappearing into the woods only to return a few minutes later with a modest length of fairly straight, fallen branch which he was methodically stripping of side-shoots.

A smile crossed his face and his eyes twinkled as he took in the curious looks which Sam and Daniel bestowed on him. Pulling his depleted roll of duct tape from his vest pocket as he went over to the stretcher and dropped down to kneel beside Daniel, he answered the duo’s unvoiced question.

"Unless you’re planning on holding that saline bag in your teeth again when we move out, Daniel, we’re going to need something to suspend it from."

Daniel and Sam exchanged ‘Of course. Why didn’t we think of that?’ looks as MacGyver swiftly set about his self-appointed task. Within a matter of minutes the job was done. The branch, ’V’-shaped at one end, was securely duct-taped in place. A couple of smaller, finer bits of branch were acting as support struts. Producing a piece of string only about five or six inches in length from a pocket, MacGyver handed it to Daniel.

"Wanna’ give it a try?"

Taking the string, Daniel looped it through the appropriate reinforced hole at the top of the saline bag he was holding and, a little awkwardly tied a suitable knot in it. Then, a little tentatively, he looped the string over one branch of the ’V’ at the top of the makeshift pole. MacGyver grinned at him and laid an approving hand briefly on the younger man’s shoulder before turning his attention to the field-medic’s kit and starting to rummage in it for one of the pre-loaded hypos. He was thus occupied when Teal'c's voice came over the radio.

"MacGyver."

"Sam, get that willya'?" The Phoenix operative delegated as he found the hypo he wanted and turned to administer its contents to the ailing O'Neill.

"Ah, he's a little busy right now, Teal'c," Carter operated her radio. "What's up?"

"I have encountered the blind woman whom we assisted on our previous visit to this world," Teal'c's voice came back. "She claims to know of a safe place where we may take O'Neill to tend his injuries."

O'Neill was drifting, but he was still aware enough to overhear Teal'c's voice. "Caverns... " he murmured, blinking at his cousin as the other man disposed of the hypo he'd just used.

"What's that, Jack?" MacGyver had become attuned to his cousin's quiet murmurings and picked up on this latest one.

"Stand by, Teal'c," Carter told the absent Jaffa as she looked to MacGyver for guidance on what to tell him.

"Caverns...Whole complex...under Stargate...Seeba took me there...before," O'Neill concentrated on getting the words out clearly enough to be understood at the first attempt. He didn't have the energy to repeat himself. "Safer there... than... out here... Helped me... before... "

MacGyver got on his radio. "Teal'c, Jack's sayin' somethin' about a system of caverns underneath the Stargate."

"The woman speaks of them also," came the succinct response from the Jaffa.

A sound like a small explosion erupted in the forest, sending birds squawking noisily into the air. The commotion originated from somewhere down SG-1's back-trail.

"What was - ?" Daniel began in alarm.

"Aw nuts... " MacGyver observed. He knew what the noise was. "Company's comin'." Into his radio he questioned. "Teal'c, where are you?" Even as he listened to the Jaffa's response, MacGyver was starting to pack up the med-kit and stuff it back into his pack while instructing Jackson and Carter to grab their stuff. As Teal'c finished speaking, MacGyver used his radio again. "Okay, Teal'c, we're comin' your way in a hurry. We got visitors at the back door, an' we might need some help."

"Mac... " Jackson and Carter both missed O'Neill's quiet utterance, but MacGyver did not.

"It's okay, Jack. No way they're gonna' get their hands on ya' again. I promise ya' that," MacGyver responded, meeting the dark eyes that regarded him as he put a hand briefly but gently to his cousin's battered shoulder. "Now hang on, this could get a little rough here, okay."

O'Neill nodded and closed his eyes, steeling himself for what was to come as MacGyver quickly hauled his pack onto his back.

"C'mon, Daniel, grab the other end," MacGyver instructed as he hurriedly moved to the front end of the stretcher and prepared to lift it. Jackson dove for the other end. "On two, Daniel. One... Two."

The two men lifted the stretcher as smoothly as speed would allow in an effort to try and minimise jolting the injured man who lay on it and then moved off, Carter bringing up the rear as something down their back-trail triggered another of the noisier of the 'surprises' MacGyver had left scattered in the team's wake.

*************************

Teal'c intercepted his companions en route and directed them on where to head.

"Sir, Teal'c and I should wait here while you and Daniel go on ahead with the Colonel," Carter addressed MacGyver as he and Jackson were about to set off again. "If the Ha'gell catch up we can delay and decoy them. We can move faster than you and Daniel can right now."

MacGyver didn't like the idea of splitting the team up, but Carter was making sound military sense. "Alright, Captain, but be careful and if you can avoid a fight, do so," MacGyver instructed. "And catch up ASAP."

"Yes, sir," Carter nodded.

"Okay, Daniel," MacGyver called over his shoulder. "Let's get going."

*************************

Following the directions Teal'c had provided, MacGyver and Daniel found the site of the ruins without difficulty and went straight to the part that had once been the largest of the structures.

They found Seeba waiting for them.

"Is that - ?" MacGyver began to question over his shoulder.

"Yeah, that's her," Daniel responded.

"This way. Quickly," Seeba urged as the two men drew near with the stretcher. She gestured to a large stone slab that backed onto a large mound of rubble.

"Excuse me?" MacGyver began, eying the woman as if he was suddenly having second thoughts about having gone anywhere near the ruins instead of going to ground out in the forest.

"This way," the woman repeated.

To both MacGyver's and Jackson's astonishment, she turned and stepped into the solid stone wall... disappearing through it.

"Whoa... " they chorused, staring.

"Did you see that?" Jackson questioned.

"Saw it. Don't know as I believe it," MacGyver responded.

A hand emerged from the wall and beckoned.

"Come," Seeba's voice floated out of the structure.

"Mac... ?" Jackson was dubious.

"Don't think we got much of a choice here, Daniel," MacGyver threw over his shoulder as the sound of grenades going off in the woods rather made his mind up for him. "C'mon."

He stepped forward.

And found himself inside the mouth of a tunnel. He moved further in and moments later he and Jackson were setting the stretcher down on a flat area of slabs just inside the mouth of the tunnel. Further in, it descended - by means of steep stone steps - into the bowels of the earth. The tunnel was dark, but there was enough light filtering into the mouth area from outside for them to be able to see their immediate surroundings well enough.

"Wow... " Daniel commented, looking around as MacGyver moved quickly to the side of the stretcher to check on his cousin's condition.

"Jack? How're ya' doin'?"

"Peachy... Jus' peachy... " came the quietly murmured, slightly dry response.

MacGyver didn't miss the note of pain in the other's voice however. "Hang in there, Jack," he encouraged as he quickly checked the drip was still securely in place in his cousin's arm. "Daniel, keep a look-out for Sam and Teal'c."

"Huh? Oh...Right," Jackson responded, snapping out of the slightly distracted state he'd been in while staring around at their surroundings.

"I told him you would come for him."

MacGyver looked up and found Seeba standing beside him. "Right... " he said vaguely. "Ah look, could you stay with Jack a moment for me. Please?"

"Of course," Seeba nodded.

"Be right back, Jack," MacGyver assured his cousin before rising to his feet and joining Jackson at the concealed tunnel mouth.

"No sign yet," Daniel said, glancing round at the tall Phoenix operative. MacGyver nodded and used his radio.

"Sam... Teal'c... We made it to cover. Where are you guys?"

"Just laying a false trail, sir. We'll be with you shortly," Carter's voice came back. She sounded a little breathless.

"Okay, but watch yourselves," MacGyver responded. He chewed his lip, fretting at not being able to do anything to help the absent duo.

"They'll make it," Daniel said, reading the other man's anxiety.

"They better. I don't wanta' have to explain it to Jack if they don't," MacGyver said. He glanced around and saw that Seeba was kneeling by O'Neill's side and noted that she was talking quietly to the injured man and was also holding his hand. "Keep watch, huh?" He said to Jackson, who nodded.

MacGyver returned to his injured cousin and the woman who knelt beside him. "Hi... Name's MacGyver," he introduced himself.

"I am known here as Seeba," the woman answered. "I told this one his people would return for him and that you would come also. He did not believe you or they would be permitted. I tried to persuade him to remain with us until you came, but he would not."

MacGyver frowned slightly as he absorbed that information. "This was after the others went through the Stargate. And Jack got left behind?"

"Yes," Seeba nodded. "After he was wounded by the Dark Souled Ones, he found his way to us and we tended him. Had he stayed with us, he would have been spared much. He would have been safe with us."

MacGyver was just about to ask more questions when Daniel called out. "Here they come!"

The Phoenix operative was on his feet and by the younger man's side in an instant.

Teal'c and Carter came hurtling into view among the ruins like a pair of bats out of hell. The Jaffa headed straight for the disguised tunnel entrance, Carter on his heels.

Without hesitating, Teal'c dove straight through the stone-wall illusion. Carter hesitated for about half a second before she dove after him. The duo skidded to a halt inside the tunnel mouth and turned, weapons at the ready, to defend the hidey-hole if necessary.

"You guys okay?" MacGyver asked, a quick glance over the pair assuring him that they at least appeared to be unharmed.

"Fine, sir," Carter answered as she tried to get her breath back.

"Teal'c?"

"I am uninjured also," Teal'c responded. He didn't seem quite as puffed as Carter, but he was breathing hard too. "I believe we were successful in our efforts to lay a false trail away from this place," he reported.

"Good," MacGyver looked relieved. Turning, he went back to where Seeba still knelt at O'Neill's side. At his quiet approach she unhurriedly ceased her hand-holding and gestured to the steps that descended into the pitch darkness.

"That leads down to the passageways that will take us to the caverns."

"Okay, guys, better break out the torches," MacGyver decided, eying the blackness. "A broken neck can really kinda' ruin your day."

"Colonel...Someone should keep watch here for a while." The recommendation came from Carter.

"I will remain," Teal'c solemnly volunteered.

"There is no need. The Dark-Souled Ones will not find this entrance," Seeba sounded confident.

MacGyver, however, was not so confident. He had no idea what technology the Ha'gell possessed, but it was conceivable that they had the ability to detect and disable what he assumed was a clever holographic illusion concealing the tunnel.

He also had no idea how going underground on this alien world might effect their radio communications. No point leaving someone on guard to provide a warning of a hostile incursion if that guard had no way to raise the alarm.

The trouble-shooter made his decision. "Okay, guys. Radio check," he instructed. "There's no telling what minerals and so on might be in these rock walls that could interfere with our communications. If we’re goin’ to have a comms problem I’d rather know about it now."

The radio check was carried out swiftly, and no immediate problems were apparent.

"Okay, Teal'c, I want a radio check every five minutes," MacGyver instructed as he and the others prepared to head underground.

The Jaffa nodded with solemn approval.

MacGyver looked at Carter and Jackson, who had already fished out flashlights and clipped them to the fronts of their equipment vests.

"Okay, guys... Guess this is where we get to play 'Indiana Jones'." He turned, fishing out his own torch. "Just hope it isn't a re-run of the 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' scenario..." he muttered under his breath.

Carter and Jackson exchanged looks. They'd caught the muttered remark and it reminded them strongly of Jack O'Neill. It was the type of thing he was prone to come out with in such a situation. It was eerie how different yet how so alike the two cousins were at times.

**************************

The descent down the stone steps was long and steep enough that it made the task of carrying the stretcher awkward. When they reached the bottom they all stopped so that MacGyver and Daniel could take a breather.

"You alright, sir?" Carter questioned, noticing MacGyver rubbing at his right knee and grimacing a little as he did so. "Maybe I should take a turn with the stretcher?"

"No, I'm okay," MacGyver responded. "How's Jack doin'?"

"He's out of it again," Daniel reported. He had moved to check the injured man as soon as he and MacGyver had put the makeshift stretcher down.

MacGyver nodded and rubbed at his knee again. He was glad they'd reached a flat area; the descent had been a little rough on the recently healed joint and it was aching a little.

"Seeba... How far is it from here to the caverns?" The Phoenix operative asked.

"It is some way yet," the woman answered as Teal'c made one of his scheduled check-in calls.

Carter acknowledged the call.

"Okay, kids, let's get goin' again," MacGyver said and moved to pick up the front end of the stretcher again. "Ready, Daniel?"

"Er... yeah... " the younger man responded, moving to the other end of the stretcher.

*************************

They followed the twisting tunnel for some considerable distance, stopping several more times en route for Daniel and MacGyver to take a break and also to check how O'Neill was doing.

"Sir... Teal'c's signal's beginning to break up," Carter reported.

"Tell him if everything's still clear just to start following us now," MacGyver instructed. Carter nodded.

"It is not far now," Seeba announced.

*****************************

Presently the human contingent of SG-1 found themselves in the first of several caverns. Seeba led the way unerringly through these and into the main cavern where the group of wagons were housed.

"Wow... would you look at this..." Daniel enthused, looking about with the eager eyes of the archaeologist that he was.

"You can explore later, Daniel, let's just get Colonel O'Neill taken care of first," Carter said, casting a watchful eye over the cavern's assorted occupants; several of whom were regarding the new arrivals with open curiosity.

"Bring Jack to my wagon. You can make him comfortable and tend to him there," Seeba said, leading the way.

"How does she do that?" Carter enquired quietly of MacGyver. "I mean... she doesn't even use a cane but she seems to navigate as well as we do."

"I don't know, Sam, but I'm just glad she does," the Phoenix operative answered equally quietly.

"And what was she doing up there on the surface anyhow?" Carter went on.

"Right now, Sam, let's not go looking the gift horse in the mouth," MacGyver said as Seeba reached her wagon and led the way to the rear of it where she opened up the door and stepped back down and to one side.

"You should put Jack in the bed at the front end," Seeba instructed.

"Sam, maybe you should go see Teal'c doesn't get turned around coming through some of those smaller caverns back there," MacGyver suggested. "Then take a look around while we get Jack cleaned up and settled."

Carter nodded. She had not missed the underlying instruction in the suggestion - Check around and see just how safe we are here. She gave MacGyver and Daniel a hand to get the stretcher into the wagon before she left them to it and went to find Teal'c.

*************************

It was a little cramped inside the wagon, but between them Daniel and MacGyver got O'Neill manoeuvred off the stretcher and onto the bed, blankets and all. The injured man groaned softly as he was moved.

"You want to get that outta' the way?" MacGyver indicated the stretcher as he shrugged off his backpack. "And see if ya' can rustle up some warm water, Daniel."

"Yeah, okay, sure," the younger man nodded.

Perching on the edge of the generously proportioned wood-frame bed, MacGyver set his pack on the floor and pulled out the field medic's kit once again, which he opened up and rested on top of the pack. He then began to carefully unwrap O'Neill from the blankets he was cocooned in. The other man moaned softly again and stirred.

"Easy, Jack," MacGyver's tone was one of gentle reassurance. "Just need to get ya' cleaned up a bit, then ya' can sleep in peace for a while. No more bouncin' around."

"Good... Was startin' ta get... a little... seasick... there... " O'Neill winced discernibly as MacGyver carefully peeled the heavy-duty field dressings away from his damaged side. The Phoenix operative grimaced at the mess that was revealed and at the amount of blood that had soaked into the dressings.

"Yeah?" MacGyver said conversationally. "Guess that's why ya' joined the Air Force instead of the Navy, huh?"

"Oh yeeaah... " came the quiet reply with the faintest hint of an exhausted smile.

"Mac, I got the water you wanted," Daniel arrived back at that point, carefully carrying a largish basin.

"Thanks, Daniel. Put it down here, willya'?" MacGyver indicated the floor beside his pack.

"Okay," Daniel set the bowl down as instructed and, crouching down, watched as MacGyver pulled a small bottle of antiseptic solution from the med-kit and added a generous amount to the water. "What can I do to help?" The young archaeologist asked. He had turned a little pale at the sight of O'Neill's injuries again, but resolutely determined that he would not give into squeamishness this time.

"Why don't ya' go talk to Seeba? See what ya' can find out from her about what's goin' on around here?" MacGyver suggested. "See what ya' can find out about this cavern system, how far it stretches, the layout and so on. If the bad guys come calling we'll need that information."

"Can you... ?" Daniel began to ask, indicating the injured O'Neill.

"Yeah, I'll manage. Now scoot," MacGyver said, extracting some sterile wadding from the med-kit and soaking it in the warm, antiseptic water.

"You sure?" Daniel was hesitant.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Besides, it's a bit cramped for both of us to work in here," MacGyver nodded. "Just don't go too far, I may need you in a little while."

Daniel met MacGyver's dark-eyed gaze for a moment, read the reassurance in it, nodded acceptance and left him to it.

"Okay now, Jack, this is probably gonna' sting a bit, but I need to clean these wounds out properly," MacGyver warned his cousin.

"S'okay, Mac... Do what you need to... " came the quietly murmured response, which turned into a sharp hiss of pain as MacGyver set to work as gently and carefully as he knew how.

*************************

Daniel found himself made welcome at Seeba's campfire and, as he sat sipping at the hot drink he was given, he talked with her, endeavouring to extract from her the information MacGyver had requested. It was thus that he presently found out just how Jack had come to learn of the existence of the underground cavern system.

"And you just let him leave?" Anger flared within the archaeologist when Seeba had finished telling him about it. "A broken arm and - "

"It was his choice," Seeba responded calmly. "I warned him it was dangerous for him to leave this place until you returned for him."

"You could have stopped him!" Daniel protested angrily.

"No," Seeba shook her head. A slight smile appeared on her face. "No-one stops that one when his mind is made up."

Something in the woman's smile and in her voice took the edge off Daniel's temper. He sighed. "Yes... You're right. I'm sorry. I apologise. What happened to Jack wasn't your fault. He's just too stubborn for his own good sometimes."

"As is the other," Seeba observed. As she and Daniel had been talking, she had been busily mixing some powders in a small bowl. She now tipped these into a small cup and added some liquid from a stoppered earthenware bottle.

"The other?" Daniel frowned, a little confused.

"They are Old Souls both and both warriors in their own ways. Where there is one, there is always the other - sooner or later," Seeba responded a little cryptically.

"Old Souls?" Daniel continued to frown. He waved a hand pensively in the direction of the woman's wagon. "Do you mean Jack and MacGyver?"

"They are what they are," Seeba remained cryptic. She held out the cup she was holding. "Take this to Jack. It will help him to sleep and to regain some of his strength."

Daniel eyed the cup, then Seeba, curiosity vying with caution in his expression. "May I ask, are you a healer or a... Shaman?"

"I have been called so," the woman answered, cryptic as ever. "Now please... Take this to Jack." She proffered the cup again. "He should drink all of it."

Daniel moved from his cross-legged sitting position to his knees beside the woman and reverently took the cup with both hands. "Thank you," he told her in tones that were respectful. If there was one thing he had learned in his albeit relatively short life as an archaeologist-come-anthropologist, it was that you respected shamans. They could cause you a load of grief - one way or another - if you crossed them; whether you believed or not in whatever 'powers' they might lay claim to possessing.

Seeba inclined her head slightly and turned her attention to mixing some more assorted powders into another bowl.

Recognising dismissal, Daniel rose to his feet, being careful not to spill any of the contents of the cup as he made his way to the woman's wagon.

*************************

MacGyver had almost finished attending to his cousin's various hurts when he felt the wagon rock gently. He glanced over his shoulder, saw it was Daniel returning and went back to securing the bandage he had been applying to O'Neill's left wrist, which had been rubbed raw by the bonds that had held it to the Ha'gell torture frame.

"Seeba said we should get Jack to drink this," Daniel said quietly as he advanced to the front end of the wagon. He wasn't sure if O'Neill was unconscious again or merely asleep, for the man's eyes were closed and he lay pale and still. He did not miss the pile of bloodstained absorbent lints and cotton wads that were scattered on the floor beside the water basin at MacGyver's feet. The water in the basin was an unpleasant shade of red too. "How's he doing?" He asked as he tried to avoid standing on the debris.

"Drifting in and out; more out than in to tell ya' the truth," MacGyver answered quietly as he laid O'Neill's arm gently down and adjusted the blankets more warmly about the injured man. He regarded the cup Daniel was holding. "What's that?"

"Actually, I have no idea," Daniel admitted, letting MacGyver take the cup from him. "Seeba mixed it up. She's ah... some sort of local shaman I think," he went on. "Shamans often know a lot about healing herbs and cures... She ah, said it would help Jack." He watched as MacGyver sniffed dubiously at the brew, then took an experimental sip at it and pulled an expressive face.

"Oh Jack's just gonna' love this stuff," MacGyver remarked. "Can't quite place it, but it kinda' reminds me of somethin' a gypsy healer gave me in Hungary once, way waay back - oh, must've been around '82, maybe '83... "

"Yeah?" Jackson looked intrigued.

MacGyver's attention had returned to O'Neill however and the young archaeologist watched patiently as the Phoenix trouble-shooter endeavoured to persuade the injured O'Neill to swallow down the concoction; which proved to be a somewhat slow and laborious job and provoked some rather colourful mutterings from the patient.

As MacGyver settled O'Neill comfortably again and rearranged the blankets about him once more, Daniel gave in to his curiosity. "So... What happened in Hungary?"

"Huh?" MacGyver looked a little blankly at him.

"You said a gypsy healer in Hungary once gave you something like that." Daniel indicated the empty cup the older man had discarded on the floor along with everything else.

"Little mishap with a Russian bayonet," MacGyver said with a little shrug as if it were the sort of everyday misfortune that could happen to anyone. He changed the subject before the curious archaeologist could enquire further. "Any sign of the others yet?" He asked, bending to start gathering up some of the mess on the floor.

"Not yet," Daniel answered, moving to help.

"Carter? Teal'c? You guys still with us?" MacGyver used his radio.

"Yes, sir," Carter’s voice came back through a fair bit of static. MacGyver rose to his feet and moved towards the rear of the wagon, hiding a little grimace as he discovered his right knee had stiffened up a little.

"How you guys doin'? Found anythin' interesting yet?"

"No, sir, not yet. This cave complex is like a rabbit warren... It must stretch for miles." Carter's voice crackled through more static.

"That would tally with what Seeba told me," Daniel piped up. He was continuing with the tidying-up operation.

"Okay, c'mon back in an' we'll sit tight here while we decide on our next move," MacGyver instructed.

"Copy that, sir," came the static-ridden response.

"Daniel... "

When the archaeologist looked up at the sound of his name, he saw MacGyver gesture to him to join him in the rear section of the wagon. Setting down the debris he'd just gathered together, Daniel rose and stepped over to where the Phoenix operative stood gently flexing his right knee. He frowned at the slightly troubled expression he saw on the older man's face. "What's up, Mac?"

"Jack's lost a lot of blood," MacGyver responded. "Seems he managed to get himself shot up as well as break his arm before those aliens got their hands on him."

"I know," Daniel nodded. He saw the quizzical tilt of MacGyver's head and went on to explain. "Seeba told me he broke his arm when the Gate shut down on him and then he got shot by the Ha'gell when he tried to take a dive off the cliff into the lake to get away from them right after. One of the boys - Tir, I think she said his name was - fished him out of the water... " He fell silent as he realised MacGyver seemed to already know most of what he was being told and guessed that Jack had probably been telling him some of it whilst MacGyver had been patching him up.

"Yeah, well he's lost a lot more since then. That bag of saline we got into him has helped, but what he really needs is a transfusion," MacGyver said grimly. "And I don't think it can wait 'til we get him home."

"Er... what are you saying, Mac? That we've got a problem here?" Daniel regarded the older man worriedly.

"Could have if we don't do something about it," MacGyver responded. "And soon."

"I ah, hate to have to point this out, but the nearest blood bank is half a galaxy away, Mac... And there's an awful lot of Goa'uld between us and the Stargate and we don't get any more smoke and mirrors until early tomorrow."

"Not a problem if you'll help me," MacGyver responded steadily.

"Help you? How?" Daniel frowned, eying the Phoenix operative with a sudden wariness. He suddenly had a nasty feeling about where the conversation was heading and he wasn't sure he liked it. "With what?"

"Jack and I are the same blood group and type."

"Damn it! I just knew you were going to say that!" Daniel threw his arms up in a gesture of agitation. "MacGyver, you can't!" He protested. "It's crazy!"

"I don't see I have much of a choice," MacGyver responded with grim determination.

"But, Mac, we don't even have the proper equipment," Daniel pointed out.

"I can jury-rig what I need from the med-kit," MacGyver dismissed the objection.

"It's far too risky. There's no way of safely monitoring just how much you would be giving," Daniel objected strenuously.

"I know. That's why I need you, or one of the others, to supervise; just in case I misjudge when to pull the plug," MacGyver's determination showed no sign whatever of wavering.

Daniel sighed, looked at MacGyver, then at the still form occupying the wood-frame bed at the other end of the wagon. After a moment or two he looked back to the determined MacGyver, exasperation quite clearly visible on his face.

"I don't know about the 'Old Souls' bit, but she's right... you are as stubborn as each other when you've made your mind up to do something, aren't you?"

MacGyver's eyebrows rose slightly.

"Seeba... " Daniel gestured vaguely in the general direction of the blind woman's campfire. "She said... Oh never mind, forget it... You're going to do this anyway, aren't you? Whether I agree or not?" He met the Phoenix operative's determined gaze. "Alright," he sighed. "I'll help, but on one condition."

"Being?"

"When I say to stop, you stop. No arguments." A steely, determined glint had entered the archaeologist's eyes. It matched the one in MacGyver's. MacGyver saw it, smiled a grim, but appreciative smile and said flatly.

"Deal."

*************************

Carter and Teal'c found their way to the cavern where the wagons resided and Carter led the way towards Seeba's wagon.

"Guess they must still be inside with Colonel O'Neill," the Captain observed as, looking around the general vicinity, she failed to see any sign of either Jackson or MacGyver. She also noted that there was no sign of the blind woman either. As they reached the back end of the wagon, Carter said to Teal'c. "I'll take a look."

The Jaffa nodded and surveyed the other wagons and the various scattered groups of people with a certain amount of interest - as they indeed were eying him - whilst Carter mounted the steps leading into the wagon. "Hello?" She called and knocked on the door. "Daniel? Colonel? You in there?"

"Ah, yeah, Sam." She heard Daniel's voice; he sounded a little pre-occupied. "Be right with you."

Frowning slightly, Carter opened the door and stuck her head inside. "What the - ?" She began in some surprise and a certain amount of alarmed concern as she set eyes on the scene inside the wagon. Daniel was up at the other end, perched on the edge of the bed upon which O'Neill lay. In the rear section a rather pale-looking MacGyver was sitting, slightly sideways, on a section of padded bench, his eyes closed and his head resting back against a floor to roof storage cupboard. He had his right leg up on the padded bench, his left arm bent tightly up across his chest and a cup of something from which steam gently wafted in his right hand. Seeba was standing close beside him and was reinforcing his hold on the steaming cup.

"Sir? Are you alright?" Carter was inside the wagon in an instant and beside the bench upon which MacGyver was sitting. "What happened?"

"I'm fine, Sam. Relax," MacGyver answered without moving. "Jack just needed some blood is all."

"Don't talk; drink," Seeba chided gently.

"Yes, ma'am," MacGyver’s eyes opened and he obeyed Seeba's instruction.

"What?" Carter stared at the Phoenix operative as he swallowed down some of the brew. Then, rising from the crouch she had dropped into, she eased past Seeba and headed for the other end of the wagon, where Daniel was still busy with O'Neill. "Daniel...? What is going on? Is Colonel O'Neill - ?"

"Like Mac said, Jack needed blood, so we rigged a transfusion between them," Daniel offered, gently laying O'Neill's left arm down at the injured man's side. O'Neill didn't so much as stir. "They, ah, have the same blood group and type."

"You did what?" Carter stared. "But that's - "

"Risky? Especially without the right equipment? Yes, I know," Daniel said, looking round and up at the young woman. "But Mac insisted and hey... it seems to have worked. Mac’s a little woozy right now," he added, casting a glance towards the rear of the wagon then regarding Carter again, "but Jack's starting to look a better colour already."

"I don't believe I'm hearing this," Carter shook her head, but she had to admit to herself as she looked at O'Neill that the Colonel did indeed look a slightly better colour.

"You want to go stick a plaster on Mac's arm?" Daniel asked, holding out a small bit of cotton wool and a couple of bits of sticking plaster.

Carter stared at the items, then, sighing, took them and retreated back to the rear of the wagon. "I've heard of some crazy stunts... " she muttered as she reached MacGyver. "Sir, can you give me your arm, please?" MacGyver, who was in the process of swallowing down some more of Seeba's brew, obliged by extending his left arm. "But this about beats all... " Carter went on. "Have you any idea how much blood you gave?"

"Enough I hope," MacGyver answered with a slightly wan smile as Carter efficiently dealt with applying the cotton and the plasters to his arm over the puncture wound in the crook of his elbow. "Told ya' I don't go by the book, Captain... " As he finished speaking, his eyes slowly closed and the hand in which he was holding his cup relaxed, but Seeba caught hold of it before he could actually drop it.

"Colonel?" Carter exclaimed in sudden alarm.

"Do not be concerned, child," Seeba soothed, catching MacGyver easily to keep him from sliding off the bench. "He is only asleep. He will awaken presently with his strength returned and be fine."

"You put something in that drink you gave him, didn't you?" Daniel questioned from the other end of the wagon.

"Nothing that will cause any harm," Seeba answered as she deftly manoeuvred MacGyver so that he wouldn't fall off his perch. "He will sleep only a short while, but his strength will return as if he had rested longer. When you have made him comfortable, come to the fire. You should all eat."

"Er... I think one of us should stay and keep an eye on them... " Daniel began.

"I will send Tir. He will watch them both," Seeba stated. "They will come to no harm here." She began to move towards the door.

"I ah, really think it would be better if one of us were to stay with them," Daniel persisted. "No offence intended... " he added hastily, apologetically.

"I will have Tir bring food here for whichever of you chooses to watch over them," Seeba said before she left.

**************************

MacGyver awoke with a start and for a moment or two wondered where he was. Then memory returned like a tidal wave. "Jack!" He exclaimed softly, throwing off the blanket someone had tucked around him and rising rapidly to his feet. "Whoa... " he said as a momentary wave of dizziness hit him, and he reached a hand out to steady himself against a convenient cabinet.

"MacGyver, are you unwell?"

Mac discovered Teal'c sitting cross-legged on the floor beside the bed O'Neill occupied at the other end of the wagon.

"Ah no, I’m okay. Just a little dizzy for a moment there. Probably just got up a little too quick," MacGyver responded. He took a couple of slow, deep, steadying breaths, then feeling a little steadier on his feet, began to head towards the rear of the wagon. "How’s Jack?"

"He sleeps quietly," Teal'c stated as MacGyver approached.

"Good," MacGyver nodded. "Best thing for him right now," he added, crouching down beside his cousin’s bed. Wary of disturbing the sleeping man, he reached to gently check Jack’s pulse and was relieved to find it was stronger and steadier than the last time he had checked it. He noted the man looked a much better colour too, though he still remained unhealthily pale and there was a damp sheen to his skin that did not bode well.

Looking round and spotting the med-kit, MacGyver reached for it and retrieved a strip thermometer which he gently applied to his cousin’s forehead. A slightly grim expression crossed his face as he absorbed what it told him; the man was still running a temperature. It wasn’t too serious yet, but he knew only too well how quickly that situation could change and, having tended the various injuries the man had suffered, he knew some of the wounds were infected. The antibiotics available from the med-kit were limited and, although he had a fairly decent working knowledge of basic field medicine, he was no doctor. And a doctor was most definitely what his cousin needed. The sooner the better.

"Ya’ know, Teal’c, I think maybe we'd better start givin’ some serious thought to gettin’ ourselves home ahead of schedule," he decided, chewing pensively at his bottom lip

"It will be difficult," Teal'c stated, regarding MacGyver steadily.

"Yeeaah... " MacGyver conceded with a sigh. It would indeed be difficult. "But there's always a way to get a thing done, we just have to find it is all." He rose to his feet. "What say we get Sam or Daniel to baby-sit and you an' me go topside for a look-see. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't there a prime trap-site around here somewhere...? A place where there's a track running through a steep-sided gully?"

"There is," Teal’c agreed, rising to his feet and, after casting a concerned look at O'Neill, following the Phoenix operative to the rear of the wagon. "But it is some distance from here. What do you propose, MacGyver?"

"Divide and conquer," MacGyver threw a smile over his shoulder which strongly reminded Teal'c of the ones O'Neill tended to produce when he'd just had an idea for a plan that was a little... dubious.

"Indeed," Teal’c responded as MacGyver opened the wagon door. The Phoenix operative halted and looked round at him.

"If we can lure at least some of the bad guys away from the Gate and tangle them up in a trap or two, then we've fewer to get past to get home," MacGyver stated pensively, clearly thinking out loud whilst turning, ducking and stepping outside. "Ah, Sam... Daniel... Great timing," he said as he found the other two members of SG-1 just approaching the wagon. He noted that Seeba was with them.

"Sir." Carter looked a little surprised at seeing the Phoenix operative up and about. "You are awake... " She looked round at Daniel and Seeba. Daniel just shrugged.

"Unless I'm sleep-walking and this is all some sort of crazy bad dream brought on by too much of Doc Frasier’s ‘happy juice’," MacGyver responded as he descended the steps. "Listen, kids, I need one of you to keep an eye on Jack while Teal'c and I go up-top for a look around. I kinda' got an idea or two that might get us home ahead of schedule."

"Ah, Mac, Seeba says there's something we need to see," Daniel spoke up as Teal'c followed MacGyver down the wagon steps.

"Can't it wait?"

"Ah... I don't think so."

"Is it important?"

"Yes." Seeba uttered the single word in a quietly commanding tone as she fixed her blind gaze directly on MacGyver.

"Uh huh," MacGyver said, feeling suddenly a little unsettled by the woman. Quite unbidden, vividly clear memories of the nightmares that had plagued him back at the SGC when SG-1 had first come to P4X-994 flashed through his mind. He stared at the woman, a little stunned by the abrupt realisation that she had been in those unsettling dreams; as had the Stargate and several other things that had since happened either to himself or to O'Neill.

"Yes..." Seeba smiled at him, raising and extending a hand to place it flat against his chest in the region of his heart. "You remember now... "

"This is crazy..." MacGyver muttered, shaking his head and still staring at the woman. "There has to be a logical explanation... "

"Colonel?" Sam Carter eyed MacGyver worriedly.

"Mac?" Jackson eyed MacGyver and Seeba anxiously. He remembered the woman having an oddly similar effect on O'Neill only a few days before and that she had touched O'Neill in much the same way as she now touched MacGyver. "Er... excuse me... but what's happening here?"

"Always the sceptic with the open mind," Seeba smiled with almost fond amusement at the Phoenix trouble-shooter.

Totally disconcerted, MacGyver suddenly stepped back a pace, but continued to stare at Seeba. For a moment she did not move, then, slowly, she lowered her hand. All the while her smile never faded. Indeed, if anything, the warmth that was clearly visible in it deepened.

"Come, old friend, and see what I must show you," she said, beginning to walk past the still visibly disconcerted Special Forces Reservist and touching his arm in a gesture of gentle encouragement as she did so. "Those who would come with us had best bring lights."

"Oh-kaay," MacGyver decided before looking round at Teal’c, who easily deciphered the silent request that was in his eyes.

"I will remain here to watch over O’Neill until your return," the Jaffa volunteered.

"Appreciate it, big guy," MacGyver said, genuine gratitude shining in his eyes as he reached out to briefly touch the big alien’s shoulder. Teal’c merely inclined his head slightly in acknowledgement.

********************

As Jack O'Neill had done before them, Carter, Jackson and MacGyver took a few moments to blink and allow their eyes to adjust to the sudden intensity of light in the cavern to which Seeba led them.

"Hey, folks, looks like things are looking up," MacGyver observed as he set eyes on the huge metal ring that sat at the top of the stone steps.

Sam and Daniel, who had both been blinking in other directions, looked round to see what MacGyver sounded so cheerful about all of a sudden.

"A second Stargate!" The slightly astonished exclamation came from Daniel.

"Here's the D-H-D!" Sam Carter was already en route to check the device out.

"So, we can just dial up and go home at our leisure? Right?" MacGyver stood just staring at the Stargate; the whole concept of which was still something of a novelty to him, but which he was still fascinated by.

"Er... Sorry, Colonel... " Carter sounded bitterly disappointed. "Not quite."

"Sam?" MacGyver questioned, Carter's tone instantly grabbing his attention away from the Stargate. He walked over to where she was standing, a crestfallen expression on her face.

"I think I can fix it," she said stated, looking up at the tall Phoenix operative. "It might take a while... " She turned back to the D-H-D and began to carefully delve into the space where its activator dome should have been. "But I can do something with this... "

"Okay," MacGyver nodded. "You better get started then. What can I do to help?"

"Er... Guys... "

The duo looked round at Daniel and discovered he was staring at the Stargate, the uneasy expression on his face mirroring the unease in his voice. "I... ah... don't want to worry anyone, but I don't recognise some of these glyphs... "

"What?" Carter looked at the Gate, then abruptly switched her gaze to the double circle of glyphs on the D-H-D. Her heart sank.

"Oh-kaay... someone want to enlighten me here?" MacGyver questioned, a worried expression appearing on his face as he witnessed Carter's reaction while Daniel just continued to stare at the Gate. The Phoenix operative realised something was amiss, but he wasn't too sure just what exactly.

Carter indicated the sigils on the D-H-D. "These glyphs, when selected in groups of seven and entered in the right order, form the addresses of Gates on other worlds within the Gate-system. Right?" She looked up at MacGyver again. He nodded, having had the 'address system' of the Stargates explained to him at the SGC when he had been helping with the Control Room repairs. "Normally we find the same standard set of symbols on each of the D-H-Ds, usually with a single variant, which is the point-of-origin." Again she saw MacGyver nod. "Only here we have six totally new glyphs and we're missing two of the ones we need to get us home."

"So what you're saying is that even if we get this working again, we can't use this Gate to get home?"

"Basically, yes," Carter nodded unhappily.

"But the Gate up top dials home okay," MacGyver frowned.

"Yes. It has all the standard glyphs, plus the point-of-origin one for this world."

"So why is this one different?" MacGyver asked. "And why is it here?"

"Possibly because the Goa'uld didn't put it here in the first place. And if they didn't put it here, then it may link to other worlds they don't know about," Daniel said. He had a notebook in his hand by this time and was starting to copy down the unfamiliar sigils.

"Which helps us how?" MacGyver asked, his mind spinning with this new information.

"Ah... well... actually, it doesn't," Daniel reluctantly admitted. "At least not here and now. But if it could give us access to worlds the Goa'uld don't know about, it could lead us to technologies and perhaps even allies that could help us against the Goa'uld."

"All well and good, Daniel, but right now I'm more interested in getting us all home," MacGyver said. He could see that what Daniel was saying could be useful intelligence to take back to the SGC, but he had rather more urgent things on his mind. He looked at Carter, who was regarding the D-H-D despondently. "Sam? Are you alright?" He asked with some concern, sensing that there was something more bothering the young woman.

"It's like it's Antarctica all over again..." Carter flared with sudden anger mixed with despair. She turned abruptly away from the man who reminded her so much of O'Neill and strode off towards the Stargate.

MacGyver looked at Daniel for enlightenment. Daniel stepped over to him and quietly obliged him with a much edited version of events relating to the discovery of the second Earth Stargate. When he finished, he watched MacGyver as the other man pondered on the information for a few moments, trying to read the various expressions that flitted through his dark eyes. Then he saw MacGyver nod slowly and then unhurriedly walk over to where Carter was standing with her back to them.

MacGyver came to a halt right beside the young woman and stood there in contemplative silence for a few moments, seemingly staring at the Gate as she appeared to be doing. He knew she wasn't seeing the Gate; at least not that Gate.

"Hindsight is a wonderful thing, Sam," he said quietly, finally turning his head to look at her and recognising she was struggling with inner demons that had come back to haunt her. "Jack would be the first to tell you that, you know."

"I know," Carter's tone was strained. Her gaze remained on the Gate. She didn't dare to look at MacGyver at that moment, he was just too like O'Neill to look at. "It's just... I couldn't get the Colonel home when he needed me to. He was depending on me and I let him down. And now it's happening all over again."

"We all have things that come back to haunt us from time to time, Sam," MacGyver said with quiet honesty. "Things we wish we could have done differently, but we just have to deal with it and move on. It's not easy, but we have to do it or we're no good to ourselves or anyone else."

"I know," Carter conceded with a deep sigh. She knew the man was right, but she still couldn't quite bring herself to look at him yet; the demons still had too strong a hold.

"Hey... c'mon now. All we got ourselves here is a little hiccup."

"A hiccup?" Carter exclaimed. The man's cheerful, confident tone finally made her look at him.

"Yeah," the tall Phoenix operative nodded. "Okay, so this Gate won't take us directly home. What about the scenic route?" He asked. "We've got six glyphs that are unknowns, but that leaves what; thirty-three that aren't? Surely out of those we can dial up some place we can get home from?" He saw the light that came on in her eyes and knew her demons were on the run and she was back in the present, focusing on possibilities for dealing with the current situation.

"I don't know..." she said, frowning. She began to move back to the D-H-D. "Daniel? What do you think? Can we dial up a safe address... ?"

MacGyver smiled as he watched the young Captain and the young archaeologist start conferring over the D-H-D. Then he looked at the Stargate and wiped a hand over his jaw as he contemplated his own anxieties about the whole situation. He looked round and down as he became aware of a quiet figure at his side.

"You walk the right path, old friend," Seeba said quietly and rested a hand on his arm as she spoke.

"I hope so, for Jack's sake," MacGyver said. He saw the blind woman smile up at him. It was a warm smile that exuded confidence and reassurance. She said nothing, but squeezed his arm gently, then she turned and began to move away. As he turned to watch her, Mac felt the ground begin to tremble beneath his feet and heard a deep ominous rumble in the rock around them.

MacGyver's first thought was; Earthquake! Then, as the rumbling grew he heard Daniel's cry of; "Look at the Gate!"

MacGyver spun to look at the Gate, a surge of panic racing through him at the sudden thought that it was about to activate and pour out a load of angry bad guys right into their laps. The chevrons were glowing, but nothing else was happening except the shaking was getting worse and the rumbling was growing louder. Bits of rock were starting to drop from the cavern roof.

"Take cover!" He yelled and automatically launched himself after Seeba to protect her, throwing himself at the woman and knocking her out of the way of a large lump of falling rock. Equally automatically he shielded her with his own body as they hit the ground and debris rained down around them.

Mac heard Daniel and Sam both cry out in fright and alarm, but there was nothing he could do to help them without leaving Seeba vulnerable. He decided she needed his protection more right then than they did and stayed put, continuing to shield her from the falling debris. Then the rumbling stopped and the ground stilled. Debris continued to fall for a further moment or two, then there was nothing but eerie silence.

Cautiously MacGyver raised his head and peered into the dust-filled, inky blackness; the lighting having gone completely out at some point... He was uncertain as to just when that had happened. He coughed as dust caught in the back of his throat. He heard Seeba cough too and felt her moving against him.

"You alright, Seeba?" He asked as he found and switched on the torch that was still securely clipped to the front of his equipment vest.

"Yes... Yes, I am fine... " the woman answered, coughing some more.

"Sam! Daniel!" MacGyver yelled worriedly into the darkness. "You guys alright?" He heard some coughing in the blackness.

"Yeah..." Daniel's voice came back out of the darkness. Then Mac saw a torchlight come on.

"Sam?" MacGyver called, hauling himself to his feet and helping Seeba to rise to hers without falling over the rocky debris scattered around them.

"I'm fine, sir... " Carter's coughed response came back.

"Anyone got any idea why that just happened?" MacGyver questioned as a second torchlight came on and he headed towards the younger SG-1 team members with Seeba close at his side,.

"I'm not sure, but I think it was the Gate up top being activated." The reply came from Carter.

"The Gate at the SGC glowed and vibrated when Sam tried to activate the one in Antarctica," Daniel threw in. "Not as badly as this, but they've got something installed to cut down on the vibrations... The whole mountain used to shake before."

"Whoa!" MacGyver exclaimed, blinking as the chamber suddenly filled with light again. Initially it seemed painfully bright, but as his eyes adjusted, he realised that it wasn't actually as bright as previously. He figured that the power supply - wherever it was - must have been affected by what had just happened and that worried him. If it went out completely before they could get the Gate up and running...

"Sam... Can you get this Gate working?" Mac asked of the dust-covered young woman, who was on her feet and was starting to poke at the D-H-D.

"I think so." She nodded, looking across the alien device at the tall Phoenix operative, who was just as grimy looking as she and Daniel were. "I'll know more once I've had a proper look at the D-H-D."

"Okay," MacGyver said. "You and Daniel make a start."

"What are you going to do, Mac?" Daniel questioned as the older man turned and began to walk away.

"We need to know what happened upstairs," MacGyver halted and looked round. "Maybe we got lucky and the bad guys just packed up and went home. On the other hand maybe we didn't and they've invited a few more friends to the party. Either way, we need to know. Figure I'd go take a quick look."

"Er... Mac... You sure that's such a good idea?" Daniel questioned, taking a couple of anxious steps in the Phoenix operative's direction. "I mean... Isn't it kind of risky? Maybe one of us should go with you."

"Nope, I want you two to stay here and get this Gate working and find us somewhere we can get home from. If you can’t and ‘upstairs’ have called in reinforcements, it could make it too hot up there for our escort home to come get us without getting wiped out the minute they come through the Gate - smoke and mirrors or no smoke and mirrors. I'd kinda' like to avoid that happenin' if I can," MacGyver stated, starting to walk away again. "Don't worry, kids, I'll be careful."

"It always worries me when Jack says that," Daniel observed to no-one in particular as he watched the older man guide Seeba around some fallen debris. "Somehow I don't feel any less worried when Mac says it."

*************************

The shaking of the earth and the rumblings in the very rock itself caused a fair amount of chaos and confusion in the caverns where the various wagons were parked. People panicked. Animals panicked. Lumps of rock crashed down from the cavern roof.

Teal'c had been sitting on the top step of Seeba's wagon with the door open so that he could watch for the return of the rest of SG-1 and keep an eye on things generally, while still being close at hand and able to hear if the injured O'Neill stirred and needed him. Like everyone else he was momentarily taken by surprise when the ruckus started. He was however, one of the first to react. He bawled loudly for everyone to take cover and immediately began to round up Seeba's brood of six terrified youngsters, herding them to the comparative safety of the inside of the back of the wagon. Ordering the kids to stay put, he then attempted to calm the four heavy horses that belonged to Seeba before they either broke loose from their tethers or pulled the wagon over or did themselves a mischief in their panic.

He found himself joined by Tir, the elder of the two boys and by the eldest of the four girls, whose name was Jara. He tried ordering them back inside, but they ignored his instructions and continued to try to help calm the frightened animals with noticeably more success than the Jaffa himself was having.

The ruckus dragged Jack O'Neill reluctantly out of the deep, pain-free, healing sleep that his cousin's ministrations and Seeba's exotic, but foul-tasting potion had allowed him to fall into.

"What the - ?" He began, groggy and confused. Then adrenaline surged as his befuddled brain registered sounds that seemed to suggest that an attack of some sort was in progress. Automatically he tried to sit up - sharply - with the intention of getting up and attempting to do something about the situation. His battered body had other ideas and pain kicked in immediately the moment he attempted to move.

"Ah... God... " he gasped, nearly passing out.

As he struggled to stay conscious, O'Neill was aware of movement close by. He tried to focus as something crawled over his legs. Adrenaline surged again in response as he fought to be more alert.

"Jack... I'm frightened."

O'Neill recognised the voice of little Melia and realised, as she came scurrying up his left side and burrowed into him, that it was she who had crawled over his legs.

"'S'alright, sweetheart," he told her, wincing at the pain in his side as the child huddled up against him, clearly seeking his protection; protection which he very much doubted he could provide in his current condition if a bunch of Goa'uld came busting in. But he would try.

Fighting down the agony in his side and his busted arm and everywhere else for that matter, O'Neill tried again to at least sit up. Through a mist of pain, he saw the other three youngsters huddling together at the other end of the wagon where Teal'c had put them and ordered them to stay.

"Kids... Down this end..." O'Neill called to them as he struggled with one of the blankets that covered him.

The youngsters bolted the short distance.

"Here... " O'Neill pulled at the top blanket. "Take this... Cover yourselves and get down... in the corner... small as you can... "

The three youngsters obeyed, disappearing in a tight huddle in a corner with the blanket over them. O'Neill had to admit that as concealments went, it wasn't very effective, but it was the best he could manage for them right at that moment.

"Melia..." he addressed the youngster cowering at his back. He pulled at another blanket. "Under this... that corner..." he instructed, trying to hide the child in a corner of the bed. His already much-depleted strength was starting to fail rapidly by that point, but he somehow managed to pull a pillow in front of the corner where the child had obediently crawled and hidden, trying to better conceal her. Then, grimly fighting down his rapidly increasing pain, while equally determinedly trying not to give in to his rapidly weakening condition, O'Neill endeavoured to get out of the bed.

His legs wouldn't hold him and he landed in a heap on the floor, entangled in his remaining blanket. He cried out and swore colourfully with the pain as every raw nerve in his body - and particularly in his busted arm and his left side - protested at the sudden jarring impact. It was only sheer, bloody-minded will-power that kept him from passing out right there and then; that enabled him to even begin to attempt to crawl towards the rear of the wagon. He had to keep the Ha'gell Goa'uld away from the kids... He had to protect them... Somehow...

"O'Neill!"

Teal'c's highly alarmed voice reached O'Neill's ears. Dimly he was aware of the big Jaffa's presence at his side.

"Leave me... Save... the kids... " he ordered before his strength finally deserted him and he blacked out.

*************************

As O'Neill began to struggle back to consciousness again, he was distantly aware of voices. Familiar voices. Talking quietly. It sounded like Teal'c and...

"Mac... ?" He croaked.

Movement. He blinked in fuzzy bewilderment. If what his blurry vision was telling him was accurate, he was back in the bed in Seeba's wagon. Maybe the Ha'gell attack had been nothing more than a nightmare... But God, he hurt again...

"Mac?" He tried again. A reassuringly familiar figure hove into view and settled on the edge of the bed.

"Easy, big guy. Everybody's okay. Upstairs neighbours got a little noisy is all."

"The kids... ?"

"Kids are fine, Jack." O'Neill relaxed at the reassurance in his cousin's voice. Confusion remained though.

"But... The Goa'uld... ? What... ?"

"It's alright, Jack, it wasn't an attack. We're all still quite safe down here. Sam reckons it was the guys upstairs activating their Stargate. Shook the whole place up a bit, that's all. Nothin' for ya' to get excited about."

"Mac... There's another... Gate... down here."

"Yeah, I know. Seeba showed us. I got Sam an' Daniel workin' on it. Soon as they get it workin', we're all outta' here. Now just try an' relax. Have ya' home soon. Okay?"

"Yeah..." O'Neill felt the darkness sneaking up on him again. He tried to fight it, but his strength was failing rapidly again. His cousin's voice reached him through the mists.

"It's alright, Jack. Go back to sleep and let me handle this one."

"Mac... "

"I know, Jack, I know. Now go back to sleep."

O'Neill felt his cousin's hand gently on his shoulder just before he lost the struggle to stay awake and darkness laid its claim on him again.

For some moments MacGyver did not move. He remained sitting at his cousin's side until he was sure the injured man was out of it again. Teal'c had told him about finding O'Neill on the floor and the children hidden under blankets and Mac had quickly put two and two together.

"Ah, Jack..." he sighed softly, shaking his head. Then awareness of a presence at his back made him look up and round. He found Seeba standing there.

"He has a brave heart," the blind woman announced quietly. "I will watch over him now, old friend. Go and do that which you must."

MacGyver hesitated.

"Go on," Seeba urged gently. "I will keep him safe and take good care of him for you."

"I know," MacGyver sighed, looking back at his cousin again. Then he rose to his feet and moving past Seeba, made his way to the rear of the wagon. Halting at the doorway, he looked round and saw that Seeba had settled on the edge of the bed where he himself had just been sitting.

Mac lingered for a moment longer, then resolutely stepped outside.

"Okay, Teal'c," he said to the waiting Jaffa. "Let's go see what the neighbours are up to."

*************************

MacGyver and Teal'c made their way to the surface by the same route that Jack O'Neill had taken before them. At the exit on the surface they found the small bundle of supplies and the blanket the Colonel had left stashed there. Leaving the bundle where it was, the duo carefully surveyed the area immediately outside the exit before they ventured outside and moved directly to the nearest cover.

"Better make sure we remember where the door is," MacGyver said, carefully scanning the holographically concealed tunnel entrance and its immediate surroundings and imprinting the images in his memory.

"That would be wise," Teal'c agreed, similarly committing the scene to memory.

Moving quickly, but with due caution, the pair made their way towards the earthwork boundaried area where the surface Stargate stood. They dodged a patrol moving along the base of the outer side of the earthworks and managed to worm their way through cover to a vantage point near the rim. Ironically, it was the same spot that O'Neill had selected before them.

"Guess they're nervous. Lotta' guards about this time..." MacGyver murmured softly. Guards were indeed in clear evidence, moving about near the rim of the earthworks.

Teal'c did not answer, assuming correctly that the human was not actually expecting him to. He concentrated instead on keeping watch while MacGyver edged a little further up the slope and peered cautiously, but swiftly over the edge before ducking back, waiting a moment, then peering over the edge a second time, before ducking back down alongside the Jaffa.

Teal'c saw MacGyver blow out a breath and noted the expression on the man's face. The human did not look at all happy. He gave Mac a quizzical look as the other man glanced at him. With a couple of very clear gestures, MacGyver indicated that Teal'c should take a look for himself. The Jaffa did so swiftly, then quickly ducked back beside his human companion.

At a gesture from MacGyver, they both retreated down the slope which, because of the rain that had started shortly after they had left the cavern system, was beginning to get a little slippery.

"There's an awful lot of bad guys back there, Teal'c," MacGyver hissed at the Jaffa as soon as they reached relatively safe cover.

"Many more have come through the Stargate," Teal'c agreed.

"I wouldn't be wrong in thinking they've brought some heavy artillery with them, would I?" MacGyver asked. He had seen some heavily guarded equipment which was unfamiliar, yet which somehow had an unmistakably familiar purpose.

"You would not," Teal'c answered. He watched MacGyver as the Phoenix operative frowned pensively and chewed on his lip.

"If Sam and Daniel can't get the other Gate working, we're gonna' have to take that lot out," MacGyver decided, jerking a thumb in the direction of the Ha'gell encampment. "Or we're not going home." He saw Teal'c raise an eyebrow. "Yeeaah... " Mac sighed in agreement. "C'mon. Let's get back down below. Saw some junk in the Gate cavern. Might find something there we can use if we need to."

Teal'c looked somewhat sceptical, but he followed the Phoenix operative anyway as the latter began to move warily off through the shrubbery.

*************************

Down below in the cavern system, Seeba summoned Tir and issued the youngster with some instructions. As the boy nodded and settled himself on the wagon steps, Seeba closed the wagon door and dropped a bolt into place, effectively locking it. Then she returned to O'Neill's bedside and settling on the edge of it again, she drew back his covering blankets and ran a hand lightly over his splinted right forearm. A deep frown crossed her face.

"The other is right in his concern... " she murmured quietly as she inclined her head slightly to one side. She moved her hand sweeping it slowly over O'Neill's chest, but without actually touching him, then slowly down his right side, across his stomach and over his left side. "There is damage that cannot be seen." Seeba's hand moved back to O'Neill's right arm. "And this is not good. Not good at all." Her frown intensified for a moment, then she extended her hand towards the man's face and gently stroked his forehead. He did not stir. Seeba sighed softly. "You should have stayed with us, old friend... "

Rising to her feet, Seeba moved down the wagon to a storage unit, which she opened up and removed a velvet pouch from. For some moments she stood holding the pouch as if trying to reach a decision about something. Then, turning, she moved back to O'Neill's bedside and placed the pouch on a shelf which she pulled out from a small drawer storage unit. Opening the pouch she withdrew two small cloth bundles. She unwrapped each to reveal that each held what appeared to be a small green crystal.

Picking up one of the crystals she pressed it to her left palm. It glowed briefly and seemed to merge with her flesh. She pressed the second crystal to her right palm. It too glowed briefly and settled into her flesh. For some moments she stood there palms upward, then slowly turned her hands and brought them together and a field of green light seemed to glow in a ball around them. Parting her hands again, Seeba moved to settle on the edge of O'Neill's bed once again.

The man stirred slightly, but did not awaken.

"It is alright, old friend," Seeba spoke softly. "I may be a Seer rather than a Healer but, if you will allow me, I will do what little I am able to lessen the worst of the damage and give you the strength you are soon going to have need of."

Carefully, Seeba placed her right hand on O'Neill's right hand and her left hand on his right arm, just above the elbow. A green glow began to emanate from her hands and spread along O'Neill's forearm, slowly encapsulating the damaged limb...

*************************

Teal'c heard MacGyver's sudden sharp intake of breath as they lay low in some dense undergrowth avoiding a Ha'gell patrol that they'd nearly walked right into. He gave the human a quizzical look and saw that the man was flexing his right hand and rubbing a little absently at his right forearm.

"Slight cramp... " MacGyver mouthed. "I'm fine... "

Teal'c nodded and went back to watching the Ha'gell patrol they were trying to evade.

As the patrol moved off, the two waited a little longer just to be sure the aliens were gone, then resumed making their careful way back to the concealed opening by which they had left the underground cavern system. They endeavoured to leave as little sign of their passage as possible, which wasn't easy given that the increasingly heavy rain was beginning to filter down to the forest floor, soaking the ground and softening it so that footprints sank more easily into it.

Lightning ripped across the sky in spectacular fashion, followed seconds later by a loud crash of thunder. The rain poured down like someone had switched on a pressure shower at full strength. By the time MacGyver and Teal'c drew near to where the concealed entrance lay they were both soaked to the skin and glad to dive through the holographic illusion and into the protection of the tunnel.

"Are you injured, MacGyver?" Teal'c questioned, noticing that the human was rubbing absently at his forearm and flexing his hand again.

"No. It's just... I don't know. Just a kind of an odd feelin' in my arm. Kinda' like an itch ya' can't scratch, if ya' know what I mean," MacGyver answered, frowning as he looked at his hand which, like his arm, tingled with an odd sensation as if dozens of spiders were dancing about on his skin.

"Perhaps a venomous insect bite?" Teal'c suggested, concern visible in his eyes.

"Yeah... Maybe... " MacGyver considered that possibility. It was one he didn't much like. Who knew what sort of venom insects on an alien world might possess or what the effects might be. He moved closer to the concealed opening where the natural light was a bit stronger despite the gloom caused by the raging storm outside and pushed back the sleeve of his combat jacket to peer at his forearm, searching for anything that resembled a possible insect bite.

Teal'c joined him.

"Don't see anything... " MacGyver said, trying to resist the temptation to rub at his forearm again as he examined it himself.

"If you will permit...?" Teal'c asked. Mac glanced at the Jaffa and nodded, allowing the other man to take hold of his wrist and examine his arm closely too. "I can find nothing either." The Jaffa concluded after a moment and released the human's arm.

"It'll probably wear off," MacGyver said, deciding there were more important things to be worrying about. "C'mon, let's go see how the kids are doin' with the Stargate repairs."

As they started to move off there was a brilliant flash of light just outside the concealed entrance and a loud sizzling sound, almost instantaneously followed by a loud crash of thunder.

"Whoa!" MacGyver exclaimed as both he and Teal'c jumped in shock. "That was kinda' close."

"Indeed," the Jaffa agreed.

A sound like a small explosion erupted around the tunnel entrance itself, to the accompaniment of a spectacular display of sparks as bits dropped off the top of the tunnel entrance.

Teal'c and MacGyver both jumped back, but as the sparks died down, MacGyver moved forward to investigate, curiosity winning over caution. A couple of blackened holes were visible in the rock directly above the opening. Mac pulled out his flashlight and shone it up at the holes.

"Oh-oh..." he observed as he found himself looking at what were unmistakably bits of newly-exposed but well-and-truly-fried alien technology.

"What is it, MacGyver?"

"I think we got us a little problem here," Mac answered. He switched off his torch. "Wait there a moment, willya'?" He requested and stepped back out into the torrential rain. Teal'c obligingly remained where he was and watched as the other man went several paces before turning to look back at him. "Yep, we definitely got a problem," MacGyver announced, before hurrying back in out of the deluge. "That lightning strike knocked out the holographic equipment hiding this opening."

"This is not good," Teal'c observed sombrely.

"Let's hope whoever put this here didn't stick everything on the same circuit. We can always block this tunnel off if necessary; a coupla' grenades or a small charge of C4 in the right place'd do it but if everything's out..." MacGyver looked at Teal'c and saw it wasn't necessary to say more on the subject, the Jaffa had clearly reached the same conclusion for himself. "C'mon, we better - " He broke off and emitted a sharp, slightly disconcerted gasp, partially hunching over at the waist as an odd tingling sensation similar to the one he’d earlier been feeling in his right arm seemed to shoot through his chest and down into his belly.

"MacGyver? What is wrong?" Teal’c was by the man’s side in seconds, a supportive hand on his arm.

"I... I’m not sure... " MacGyver confessed, blowing out a breath and straightening again as the sensation faded. "I think so... " He sucked in and blew out another breath. "Whoa, that was the oddest feeling... " He said with much feeling. Another gasp escaped him as the sensation washed through him again, stronger than before, and he blindly reached out to Teal’c, his hand successfully closing on the Jaffa’s water-logged sleeve.

"MacGyver?" The concern in Teal’c’s voice was unmistakable as he remained firmly at the man’s side.

"Maybe it’s a delayed allergic reaction to Gate travel or something," MacGyver joked lightly as he sucked in another breath or two and the odd sensations he had been feeling began to rapidly dissipate.

"I have never heard of such a thing," Teal’c solemnly pronounced, before suggesting an alternative thought. "Perhaps it is a reaction to something on this planet." He then advised. "We should return to the others if you are able."

"Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine now. Whatever it was it seems to have passed."

*************************

Teal'c and MacGyver dripped their way through the main cavern towards Seeba's wagon. They found Melia sitting on the bottom step and Jara - the eldest girl - sitting on the top step. The wagon door was partially ajar.

"You're all wet," Melia observed in the critical manner of the young child she was as she looked at the dripping duo.

"Yeah... Well, that kinda' happens when ya' go out in the rain, sweetheart," MacGyver smiled at her with kindly patience. "I need to speak with Seeba," he then told her as he carefully began to step past her.

"Come in, MacGyver," Seeba's voice emanated from within the wagon.

Jara slid aside out of the man's way as he mounted the steps. Unlike Melia, she offered no comment about his drenched condition.

Ducking and pushing the door further open, MacGyver entered the wagon and found Seeba seated on the bench-like unit just inside the doorway, a thick shawl around her shoulders and a cup of something which steamed gently in her hands.

"Are you alright?" MacGyver was immediately concerned as his sharp eyes observed that she looked a little pale and that there was an odd aura of weariness about her.

"Yes, I am fine," the blind woman nodded with a slight smile. As MacGyver cast a quick glance up the other end of the wagon, she added. "Jack rests quietly."

"Yeah..." Mac responded a little absently before he turned his full attention back to the woman. "Seeba... This is important. How many entrances are there to these caverns?"

"Several that I know of," Seeba stated, then sipped at her drink.

"That you... know of ... ?" MacGyver repeated slowly, not much liking the inference of the answer. "Ah... then there could be some you don't know about?"

"These caverns and tunnels cover much distance. I have not walked them all," Seeba answered. She sipped at her drink again.

"Ahhh, rats..." MacGyver muttered darkly and rubbed at his jaw.

"What is the problem, MacGyver?" Seeba inquired, tilting her head slightly and frowning at him.

"There's a major storm up on the surface. A lightning strike took out the holographic equipment at the exit Teal'c and I were using. It's now clearly visible to anyone who happens by. On the way back down I rigged somethin' to give us some warning if anyone else comes in that way, but I need to know if the other exits are still concealed or not."

Seeba nodded sagely, her expression denoting her understanding of the potentially serious situation that had arisen.

"Jara!" She called. The girl in question appeared in the doorway. MacGyver moved out of the way to allow her to step more easily inside. "Find Lukow. Tell him I said to send runners to check that all entrances to this cavern are secure. Tell him that the second one to the east woods has failed, but that our friend MacGyver has set a trap in it to alert us should the Dark Souled Ones find it. Go quickly, child," Seeba instructed.

"Yes, Seeba," the girl responded and was gone.

"It will not take long," Seeba told MacGyver. She extended a hand in his general direction and encountered his soaked combat jacket. "You are not wet, you are soaked," she accused.

"Yeah, well, like I told Melia, it happens when ya' go out in the rain."

"You and your Jaffa companion must discard your wet clothing," Seeba stated. "You will be no good to anyone with pneumonia."

"Ah..." MacGyver began. "I don't think - "

"There is a large storage chest with a blanket over it beside the campfire. Go to it. You will both find fresh clothing within it and you may come and dry off and change in here," Seeba stated.

"Er... I... " MacGyver began.

"Go on. There will be time enough," Seeba said firmly, her tone denoting that the decision had been made and he should do as he had been told.

*************************

Jack O'Neill surfaced slowly to the awareness of a familiar presence close at hand. Shifting slightly, he blinked, discovered that he was looking at an interior wall of Seeba's wagon and turned his head to discover 'the presence' was perched on the edge of the bed and appeared to be in the process of pulling a vibrant-blue coloured tunic on over its head.

"Ya' going native on me, Mac?" He inquired.

"Hey, Jack. Sorry, didn't mean to disturb ya'." MacGyver looked round at his cousin as he settled into the native garment.

"What’s with the... ah... ?" O'Neill inquired, eying his cousin's garb with open curiosity. He noted Mac's damp hair. "Didn't take a dive off of that cliff too, did ya'?"

"Hey, now ya' know I don't like heights, Jack," MacGyver grimaced at the thought and at the memory that surfaced from his nightmares back at the SGC. He shuddered and dismissed the thoughts. "No. Got caught in a cloudburst up-top," he explained, then looked suddenly sheepish as he tugged at his borrowed attire. "Seeba kinda' insisted... "

O'Neill mustered a slightly weary but clearly innuendo-ridden smile. MacGyver glared at him and changed the subject.

"Hey, you're lookin' a lot brighter than ya’ did the last time I checked ya‘ over," he observed reaching to touch the back of his hand to his cousin’s forehead. Jack’s skin seemed a little cooler and less clammy. "You seem to be breathin’ a little easier too. How're ya' feelin'?" He asked as he reached for the med-kit lying on the floor nearby and pulled out the strip thermometer.

"Better... " O'Neill answered truthfully after considering the question for a moment and offering no objection when Mac applied the strip thermometer to his forehead. He lay still and watched his cousin regard him intently for a moment before the other man turned away again and started lacing up his combat boots. "So... " O'Neill went on. "What's happening? Guess Carter hasn't got the Gate working yet or we wouldn't still be here."

"She says it'll be a little while yet," MacGyver answered. He had checked with her by radio just a short while earlier. "Figure I might see if I can't give her a hand maybe speed things up a little." He heard what sounded like a quiet chuckle. "What?" He asked, looking round at his cousin.

"Nothing..." O'Neill answered, still smiling, albeit a little lopsidedly courtesy of various Ha'gell-inflicted bruises, at the thoughts that had popped into his head of what Sam Carter's reaction to his cousin's somewhat unorthodox methods of 'fixing' things was liable to be.

"Oh-kay, looks like your temperature’s come down a little," MacGyver said, retrieving the strip thermometer and checking its reading. "Which is good. You mind if I take a quick look at you again while I’m here?"

"Knock yourself out."

Easing back the blankets covering his cousin, MacGyver conducted a quick check of the worst of the man’s injuries.

"Mac... " Jack began noticing the slight frown that flickered more than once across the trouble-shooter’s face, and which deepened as the man very gently and carefully checked his right arm. He knew the damage done to it was bad; bad enough that there was a very good chance he was going to lose it.

"Yeah?" MacGyver responded a little distractedly as he continued with his intent scrutiny of his cousin’s arm.

Swallowing, and trying to keep a neutral expression firmly in place, Jack said quietly. "Mac.... It’s not...your fault... " As the other man shot him a questioning look, Jack swallowed again and said as steadily as he could manage. "My arm... Not your fault."

MacGyver realised instantly what his cousin meant. He took a deep breath and released it slowly. Then, regarding the other man, and steadily meeting the dark eyes that were watching him, he said.

"I won’t lie to you, Jack. It doesn’t look good, but - and this may well just be wishful thinkin’ on my part - I’d say there was a slight improvement." He gently replaced the field-dressing he had been peering under. "And your fingers seem to be a slightly better colour." He reached to fish his Swiss Army Knife from his pocket, instructing as he did so. "Close your eyes a moment willya’." He saw the quizzical look his cousin cast him. "Humour me, huh?" He requested. Jack sighed and his eyes closed. MacGyver quickly pulled the tooth-pick from its place on his knife. Very carefully, he reached to lightly prick the fleshy part of one of his cousin’s fingers with the sharp end of the tool.

"Ouww!" Jack’s eyes flew open. "What the hell...?"

"Felt that, huh?"

"Ya’ think?" Jack glowered. Then a ‘light dawning’ look entered his eyes.

"Yeah," MacGyver smiled, seeing that his cousin understood. "You’ve got more feelin’ in your fingers, haven’t ya’?"

"Sure as hell... felt that." Jack agreed.

"I don’t know how or why, but you’ve got a bit more colour in your fingers and your hand than you did before." MacGyver returned the tooth-pick to his knife and the knife to his pocket. He was about to say something further when he was distracted by the sound of Teal’c’s voice.

"MacGyver."

"C'mon in, Teal'c. He's decent!" O'Neill beat MacGyver to answering the Jaffa.

The curtain that served to section off the front end of the wagon from the back end was drawn back and Teal'c appeared. O'Neill's eyebrows rose as he observed that the Jaffa appeared to have 'gone native' too and was clad in dark pants and a dark tunic.

"You seem in good spirits, O'Neill," the Jaffa observed, regarding his injured comrade critically.

"Comes from havin' Mac around... He's always been... a bad influence," O'Neill answered almost cheerfully.

"I see," Teal'c stated. His face gave little away, but the expression in his eyes betrayed that he didn't 'see' at all. He looked to MacGyver. "The runners have returned, MacGyver."

"And?" MacGyver prompted.

"Two other entrances are vulnerable," Teal'c answered. "Also, the illusion concealing the wagon entrance is still functional, but fluctuating. Seeba has instructed that guards be posted."

"Thanks, Teal'c," MacGyver nodded.

"Mac? What's going on?" O'Neill wanted to know.

"Tell Seeba it might be a good idea if she got everyone to start packin' up an' movin' the wagons through to the Gate chamber," MacGyver told Teal'c. "I want everyone to be ready to go the moment the Gate's operational."

Teal'c nodded and turned to leave.

"Mac..." O'Neill said dubiously. "We can't 'Gate' everyone and all these wagons... back to the SGC. There's not enough space... in the Gate Room for one thing. Besides... the General'd throw the biggest fit goin‘... and it wouldn't be a pretty sight, believe me."

"Not goin' to, Jack." MacGyver looked round at his cousin and grinned. "We're takin' the scenic route - hopefully."

"What?" O'Neill stared. "You wanna' elaborate a little bit here...?" He saw MacGyver regard him contemplatively and knew his cousin was weighing up whether or not to oblige him. "C'mon, Mac. Spill it... What's the situation?"

"Okay..." MacGyver said sombrely after another moment or so of studying him before beginning to rapidly outline the situation and also what he intended doing about it.

O'Neill listened intently to everything his cousin told him, then announced. "Okay, Mac... Help me up and find me... some clothes, willya?"

"Hey... whoa... Where d'ya' think you're goin'?" MacGyver wanted to know, moving quickly to restrain O'Neill as the latter struggled to push himself up into a sitting position. "Ya’ might be feelin’ a little bit better than ya’ were, but you’re still in no condition to be - "

"Mac... Maybe we'll get lucky... an' the Goa'uld won't come a-calling... before we can Gate outta' here... but on the other hand... we might not get that lucky... in which case I'll be damned if I'm just gonna' lie here... an' die on my back." Angry determination flared in the Air Force Colonel's eyes. He met his cousin's dark-eyed gaze unwaveringly. He saw the genuine concern in his cousin's eyes. "Please, Mac." MacGyver continued to meet his determined gaze, then O'Neill saw the acknowledgment and understanding that entered the dark eyes.

"Alright, Jack, but no heroics," MacGyver said grimly and shifted to help his cousin sit slowly up.

*************************

"Okay, kids, I want ya' to clear some of these stones away to make a path from here to the foot of that platform over there. It needs to be wide enough for the wagons," MacGyver said, halting at the mouth of the tunnel that opened into the Gate cavern. He had with him an assortment of the older children from the wagons parked in the other chamber. "Think ya' can handle that for me?" In response to the affirmative chorus he received, he told them to get to it and made his way towards the D-H-D where Carter and Jackson were still busily working.

"How're we doin' here?" He asked as he drew near to the duo. "We ready to go yet?"

"Almost." Carter emerged from the bowels of the D-H-D, looked up and found herself totally caught off-guard by some rather distracting stray thoughts that suddenly popped out of nowhere and into her head as she stared at the Phoenix operative in his borrowed native attire. Wow, blue is definitely his colour...

A little unsettled by the distinctly slack-jawed stare Carter was giving him, MacGyver turned to Daniel Jackson. "We do have somewhere to go I hope?"

"Er... yeah," Daniel said. He cast a glance at Carter - not having missed MacGyver's sudden momentary unease - frowned at her as he noted the slightly stunned stare she was aiming at the older man, then addressed the Phoenix operative again. "Actually there are a couple of possibilities." He gave Carter a nudge. "Aren't there, Sam?"

"Huh? Oh - yes," Carter nodded, discernibly giving herself a mental shake.

"Good," Mac said, casting a slightly dubious look at Carter and noting the sudden reddening of her cheeks, which he tactfully decided to ignore. "Think I could have your side-arm, please, Sam?" He asked.

"Er... Sure..." Carter nodded, a surprised look spreading across her face as she reached for her hand-weapon.

"I ah, thought you don't use guns, Mac?" This came from Daniel.

"Oh, I don't, but Jack does and he's complaining about feeling naked without one," MacGyver answered, taking the weapon Carter handed him butt-first.

"Wh-wh-what?" Daniel stuttered, staring at the older man as, with the assurance of someone not totally unfamiliar with such things, MacGyver ejected the gun's clip, checked it, then smoothly slid it back into place. "Jack’s awake?"

"Ah, yeaah. And just as mule-headed as ever." MacGyver nodded, checking that the gun’s safety was on before holding the weapon out to Daniel – butt first. "You want to take this to him, Daniel? I left him sitting in the back of Seeba’s wagon tryin’ to pretend he wasn‘t about to pass out again after we finished gettin’ him into some clothes."

"Oh... " The archaeologist said, a slightly stunned-guppy expression on his face as he took the 9mm from the Phoenix operative.

"But he’s not in any condition to be - " Carter tersely began to point out, alarm spreading across her face.

"Yeah, well, like I said. Stubborn as a mule," MacGyver interjected with a heavy sigh before changing the subject. "Just how much longer is this gonna’ take?" He asked, waving a hand at the D-H-D. "I’m not sure how much time we’ve got to play around with." In an effort to forestall a deluge of questions, he went on. "Lightning strike up top fried the holographic equipment at one of the surface entrances. It's taken out a coupla' others musta' been on the same loop, an' the one at the main entrance by the lake's actin' up." He looked at Carter. "Sooner we're outta' here the better, Sam."

"Yes, sir," Carter took the hint and went back to work.

"Folks are packin' up their stuff ready to move out soon as the Gate's operational," MacGyver addressed Daniel again. "Ya' might want to lend a hand while you're through there. Teal’c’s keepin’ watch at the wagon entrance."

Daniel nodded, not missing MacGyver’s unspoken ’Keep an eye on Jack, willya’?’ request, and headed for the tunnel leading to the cavern housing the wagons.

"If you need any help there, Sam, give me a shout. I want to check out that pile of junk over there in case there's anything that might be useful if company drops in."

Carter nodded, watched the Phoenix operative for a moment as he moved away and started to rummage through the junk-pile that lay to one side of the cavern, then she shook her head at another distracting stray thought that popped into her head and went resolutely back to the task at hand.

*************************

As he made his way through the tunnel, Daniel noticed that a couple of women were busily placing burning torches at intervals along its length. Entering the wagon chamber, he further noted that the place had become a hive of activity, with people busily loading up their wagons and harnessing up their various draught animals.

Dodging his way through this organised chaos, Daniel headed for Seeba's wagon and came to a sudden and slightly startled halt as he rounded the back of it and set eyes on the rather pale-faced, native-garbed figure that was sitting on a ledge beside the wagon steps.

"Jack!" He exclaimed. Although he had been warned that O'Neill had insisted on getting dressed, the discovery took him by surprise; he had, after all, expected the man to be inside the wagon, and still on his sick-bed.

"Daniel."

"Ah... shouldn't you be... er... ?" Daniel began in confusion, gesturing vaguely at the interior of the wagon, where Jara could be seen through the open doorway busily stowing things in storage compartments. The younger children were already inside the wagon, as was the large trunk that had previously been beside the little group's campfire. The inside of the wagon was distinctly crowded.

"Probably," O'Neill answered a little tersely. "You got something for me?" He asked, changing the subject.

"Er... Yeah," Daniel nodded. He produced Sam Carter's side-arm but did not relinquish it right away. "Jack, are you sure this is such a good idea?" He questioned, concern visibly written all over his face. "You can’t be doing yourself any good like this if you’ve got internal injuries as well as - "

"Think you could put one in the chamber for me?" O'Neill pointedly ignored his team-mate‘s concern, instead making a small gesture with his left hand at his splinted arm to indicate the necessity of the request he had just made.

"Jaaack." Daniel gave his friend a deeply exasperated look. O’Neill said nothing; he simply regarded the younger man in a manner Daniel was all too familiar with - stubborn determination. Daniel sighed heavily. "Sure, Jack," he said, reluctantly complying with the older man’s request. Handing the weapon over, he cautioned. "Safety's on."

O'Neill nodded and carefully tucked the weapon inside the sling which supported his badly damaged arm. He saw the critical way the young archaeologist was eying him and knew that the slowness with which he had stowed the gun had betrayed just how much effort that simple action had required. "I'm okay, Daniel," he insisted. "I'm okay... "

Daniel was anything but convinced. To his mind, O'Neill looked anything but alright as he regarded the older man critically. The Colonel was clearly in pain, but trying to hide it.

"Jack, why don’t I help ya’ back inside the wagon?" Daniel offered, making one final attempt at making his friend see reason.

"Why don’t you go give Seeba a hand harnessing up the horses?" O'Neill countered. He saw Daniel's clear hesitation. "Go on. I'm fine here for now."

"Jaaack... " Daniel was openly dubious. O'Neill gave him a look. "Okay, Jack, I'm going."

*************************

"That should do it... " Carter announced, rising to her feet and regarding her handiwork with a certain amount of satisfaction. She looked around for MacGyver and saw that he and some of his rock-clearing team were busy at the stonework steps leading up to the Stargate platform. They appeared to be constructing a makeshift ramp of sorts with some lengths of wood and metal sheeting MacGyver had unearthed from the junk heap.

"Colonel... " she called. The man did not appear to hear her. She tried again. "Colonel MacGyver." This time she got a reaction. The civilian-come-Special Forces Reservist looked round, a quizzical expression on his face. "I think we're ready here, sir," she informed him.

"Good work, Sam," MacGyver approved. He gave some instructions to his band of young helpers, then crossed over to where the Captain was standing beside the D-H-D. As he reached for his radio, which was clipped to the belt around his waist, a familiar voice floated forth from it.

"Mac? You there?"

"Right here, Jack," MacGyver answered.

"Wagons are all ready... to move out... whenever you guys are ready...." O'Neill's voice sounded strained, as if speaking at all was almost too much of an effort for him.

"Great timing," MacGyver grinned at Carter as he spoke into his radio again. "Sam's just finished work on the D-H-D and we're ready to give it a try."

"I'll start... sending them through... Seeba'll be... right with you."

"Copy that, Jack," MacGyver responded. Concern for his cousin was clearly visible in his dark eyes for a moment as he broke radio contact with the other man. Then, visibly endeavouring to keep his anxiety under control, he looked towards his team of young helpers. "Okay, kids, clear away from the Stargate. Well away," he called, gesturing to them to scatter to either side of the cavern. "Join up with your folks as they come through." He saw Carter make a move to start firing up the D-H-D. "Hold it, Sam. Wait 'til Seeba gets here."

"Sir?" Carter regarded the man a little surprisedly.

"We'll send these folk where they want to go first, then dial up where we want to go," MacGyver told her. "Unless we run out of time, in which case we’ll just go with them." He saw her chew her lip and look suddenly a little anxious. "What?" He asked, frowning slightly.

"I don't know if I'll be able to get this to work twice, sir," she answered honestly. "I've done what I can with this equipment, but - "

"Let's try being positive here, Sam," MacGyver told her. "I have every faith in your abilities with this technology." He gestured at the D-H-D. Then giving her one of his best smiles he added. "Besides... I'm running low on duct tape."

Carter stared for a moment, dazzled by the smile, then the infectiousness of it combined with the positive aura he was exuding brought a smile to her own face as she said.

"Yes, sir."

*************************

"Jack, this is crazy!" Daniel complained in tones of outrage. "I can't just leave you here!"

"Yes, you can," O'Neill insisted determinedly. He had ridden in the back of Seeba's wagon to the mouth of the tunnel leading through to the Gate cavern, where Seeba had halted the wagon at his request. "Now help me over there." He indicated the tunnel wall.

"Jack, this is insane!" Daniel protested, glowering at the older man.

"Fine." Jack said flatly, and began to attempt to haul himself to his feet, using the corner of the wagon for support as he did so. He swayed. Daniel was at his side in an instant.

"Jack, please... " Daniel pleaded as he propped the older man up, and realising just how much that support was needed when O’Neill made no attempt to shrug him off.

"Daniel, either help me... or get out of my way." Jack snapped crankily.

"I thought you gave up being suicidal a long time ago," Daniel challenged.

"Look, Daniel... Mac and Sam will need help... to get these people and their wagons... through the Gate. I can't do that... but you can." Jack said wearily. "What I can do... is watch your backs... That’s my job... remember? To make sure you kids... get home safe." As Daniel opened his mouth to protest further, the older man told him. "I’m expendable. The rest of you aren’t."

"Don’t pull that ‘expendable’ crap on me, Jack." Daniel erupted. "You’re every bit as valuable as - "

"We both know... that’s... a crock, Daniel." Jack interjected wearily. His head was spinning, he felt bone-weary and he hurt - despite MacGyver having given him the last shot of pain-killer that had been in the field med-kit after helping him to dress in the dark-coloured native attire he now wore. "Now we’re wasting... time here. Time none of us... probably has. Just let me... do my job, huh? An’ you do... yours." As Daniel opened his mouth to protest further the older man simply said. "Please."

For some moments Daniel neither said, nor did, anything. He simply stood there, keeping his friend upright, and reading the dark eyes that silently spoke volumes to him through an unconcealed curtain of pain. Sighing heavily, Daniel finally capitulated.

"Alright, Jack, but just so long as you know I’m doing this under protest."

"Just so long... as you do it."

Taking as much of his companion’s weight as he could, Daniel helped the injured Colonel over to a rocky outcrop at the entrance to the tunnel, only too well aware of the grunts of pain which escaped the man. As carefully as he could, he manoeuvred O’Neill so that the man could sit on the outcrop and lean back against the rock wall.

"Jack..." Daniel began, chewing anxiously on his lower lip as he noted the beads of sweat that had broken out all over his friend’s face.

"Daniel... Just leave me your radio... and get these people moving."

"We’ll be back for you, Jack," Daniel promised, resting a hand on his friend’s arm. As the dark eyes regarded him, he said. "No-one gets left behind. Right?"

Jack O’Neill mustered an exhausted smile.

"Don’t worry... about me, Danny. Teal’c’ll pick me up... on his way through... Now leave the radio... and go."

Daniel regarded his friend for a few moments longer with a look that spelled out his reluctance quite clearly before he relinquished his radio, putting it where O’Neill could easily reach it. Then, with another brief touch to the man’s good arm, he turned and hurried after Seeba’s wagon which had already started to move off through the burning-torch lit tunnel.

*************************

Tir, who had been among MacGyver's team of young helpers, ran over to Seeba's wagon as it came to a halt a safe distance back from the Stargate platform. The blind woman clambered down from where she'd been sitting up front beside Jara, who had been handling the team of four powerful horses. Daniel Jackson jumped down from the rear of the wagon and made his way round to the front.

MacGyver and Sam waited patiently as Seeba went to each of the four big equines in turn, patted each one and gave it an edible treat and spoke quietly to each. As she turned away from the last of the four, Tir handed her a long staff with an oval-shaped head that bore a large, opaque crystal through its centre, which he had fetched down from a bracket beside the driver's bench of the wagon. The blind woman spoke briefly with the boy then, as he clambered up beside Jara, Seeba turned and began to make her unerring way towards the D-H-D. Daniel accompanied her, expressing concern en route about how the animals would react when the Gate was activated.

"Do not concern yourself, Daniel," Seeba smiled with knowing assurance at him. "I have explained things to them. They will not be frightened. They have done this before."

Daniel floundered and sputtered somewhat, especially as a glance over his shoulder told him that the people from the wagons that had pulled up in line behind Seeba's, were busily covering the eyes of their animals with an assortment of bits of shredded blanket or anything else that would serve.

"You and your people are most welcome to come with us," Seeba addressed MacGyver as she halted beside the man. "I can send you home from where we go."

"Let's just worry about getting the Gate fired up and your people outta' here first," MacGyver answered.

Seeba nodded, then seemed to stare at him in that unnerving way of hers for a moment before she tilted her head slightly and frowned. Then suddenly she announced. "I think we should hurry."

As the woman briskly moved towards the D-H-D Daniel sidled worriedly up to MacGyver.

"Mac... " he began. "Jack’s um... He um, insisted on ah, staying behind at the tunnel mouth to um, watch our backs." The archaeologist rattled out, looking as if he half-expected MacGyver to deck him. The man had, after all, entrusted him to keep an eye on the stubborn Air Force Colonel. "I’m sorry, Mac. I tried to talk him out of it, but - "

"So much for no heroics," MacGyver interjected in a slightly long-suffering manner as if he had been half-expecting something like this. "It’s okay, Daniel. Soon as the Gate’s open I’ll go get him while you an’ Carter get all these good folk outta’ here."

Before either man could say more on the subject, they were distracted by Seeba who had gone around behind the D-H-D and was running a hand lightly over its surface.

"There is no activator dome."

"Er, no... " Carter jumped in quickly. "But I can make it work from one of the side-access ports once the co-ordinates are entered. It's not a problem." I hope, she added silently to herself.

Seeba nodded. With her right hand she began to depress symbols - three out of the first five were from the ones Daniel had pegged as 'unknowns'. Carter fiddled with the innards of the device via the side-access port she had been working at. The inner ring of the Stargate began to rotate in response, but ground to a distinct halt when the fifth chevron failed to lock.

"Sam... why has it stopped like that?" Daniel questioned anxiously as Carter tried depressing the fifth symbol that Seeba had attempted to select.

"I... ah, don't know." Carter ducked down and rummaged in the bowels of the D-H-D for a moment.

"Sam?" MacGyver questioned, shifting a little concernedly.

"Don't think the fault's here, sir. Must be the Gate itself."

"I'll take a look," MacGyver volunteered and began to hurry off towards the Gate to investigate the suspect chevron mechanism. After a few moments of poking about, he called out. "Think I see the problem. Shut it down a minute, willya', Sam?"

"Sir." Sam Carter ducked down again and deactivated the system's power.

"What's he doing?" Daniel inquired puzzledly of Carter as they watched MacGyver standing frowning at the defective chevron for a moment before going to the back edge of the platform within the Gate ring, where he lowered himself to the stone slab surface and slid down from view behind the platform itself.

Sam Carter shrugged in response to her colleague's question. She had no more idea than he did as to what the Phoenix operative was up to. Having seen the man at work at the SGC however, she had become accustomed to his slightly odd ways when it came to fixing things.

"Er... Mac... ?" Daniel began dubiously as he began to walk towards the Gate platform, his curiosity getting the better of him. He halted as he heard Carter's radio crackle with static and Teal'c's voice emerge tersely through that static.

"Yeah, Teal'c?" Carter took the call, leaving MacGyver free to do whatever it was he was doing behind the Gate platform.

"There is movement along the shoreline of the lake," Teal'c's voice crackled back through more static. "Two men. I believe them to be from the encampment. They appear to be approaching in a great hurry."

"Colonel?" Sam called out in the direction of the Gate.

"I heard!" Came the terse response. "Any sign of bad guys?"

"Any sign of the Goa'ulds, Teal'c?" Carter questioned into her radio.

"I can see none at this time," Teal'c's voice crackled back.

"What's anyone doing out there?" Daniel wondered aloud. "Everyone was supposed to be inside the caverns with the wagons."

"Well, these two obviously aren't," Carter said grimly.

"We must leave quickly. The Dark Souled Ones follow them," Seeba announced, her head inclined slightly to one side again and a deep frown on her face.

"Don't want to rush ya' guys..." O’Neill’s weary-sounding voice crackled out of the radios, "But ya' think... ya' could move things... along a little... here? Mac? What's the hold up?"

"Gate malfunction. I'm workin' on it."

MacGyver appeared at the rear of the Gate a moment later, hauling himself up onto the platform.

"There are Ha'gell pursuing the two men." Teal'c's voice crackled through heavy static. "They have energy weapons."

"Daniel, gimmie a hand here!" MacGyver yelled urgently, getting to his feet and moving swiftly back to the malfunctioning chevron side of the Gate.

Jackson ran over and was a bit taken aback to be handed an opened Swiss Army Knife and a partially-shredded heavy-duty elasticated knee support.

"Get another coupla' strips about an inch wide off of that for me, willya'?" MacGyver instructed, turning away and leaving the archaeologist to get on with it whilst he himself, already armed with a couple of such elasticated strips and, pulling his much depleted roll of duct tape from a pocket of his borrowed pants, turned his attention to the mechanics of the malfunctioning chevron.

"What exactly are we doing?" Jackson asked bewilderedly as he carried out the other man's instructions.

"Fixin' this - I hope," was the slightly terse reply. "This should do the trick - I hope. Got those other strips yet?"

"Ah... almost," Daniel answered, setting to with a vengeance to the task he’d been given, and moments later handing over the request strips of elasticated material.

"Great. Thanks," MacGyver went swiftly back to whatever it was he was doing. "Tell Seeba to get ready to start dialling again in a moment. Almost done here."

"Okaaay..." Daniel said, his expression dubious as MacGyver ripped another bit of duct tape and carried on working frantically.

The radios crackled with another burst of static.

"The men have reached the cavern entrance. The Ha'gell are pursuing." Teal'c's voice erupted urgently.

TO BE CONTINUED

In the Next Instalment....

Home