Darts and Other Pleasures
The deafening echo of Jack’s weapon died suddenly as he detected the welcome sound of the spinning stargate. His voice rose above the noise of battle, calling out with an all too familiar urgency.
“Teal’c! Let’s go!”
Teal’c turned to obey without hesitation and both men moved towards salvation as a single unit, their years of fighting side by side reflected in their natural synchronization.
The day had, a few minutes ago, been bright and clear but was now filled with the heavy smoke of weapons fire and a few bodies scattered across the field, lying as they had fallen when the bullet from a P-90 rocketed home. The alien army was impressive; hundreds of warriors stormed the field, forming a half circle around the star gate. There was an occasional war cry as they brazenly charged the field intent on defeating the intruding SG team. Elaborate headdresses and tribal symbols adorned every warrior as they attacked with a fevered passion; their piercing cries overshadowed only by the eerie sound of staff weapon fire as it seared the tall, dry grass and ejected fiery death from its crackling barrel.
Teal’c continued to fire his weapon, skin glistening with perspiration and strong arms straining to hold the weapon level at his side as he ran. Matching him stride for stride and bullet for blast, Jack ran alongside him, both firing well above the opposing natives as they moved steadily towards the gate and attempted to escape with as few casualties as possible.
The native’s weapons whistled through the air around them; long handled, sharp spears falling to the ground as their trajectory lost momentum and failed. At times the sky had been blackened from the onslaught and the team had to simply evade the attack, moving again as soon as the weapons had fallen. A second rank of natives was lofting rocks tirelessly into the air, pelting SG-1 with an endless barrage of scathing but non-lethal blows while yet another group attacked with blowpipes and darts.
They were scratched and bleeding as they pulled back, the primitive assault having cut and bruised their skin but their vests and tactics defeating the spears so that they were mostly unharmed as they neared the gate.
Daniel was already at the DHD, glancing nervously over his shoulder as he dialed the coordinates that would take them back to the safety of the SGC. Carter stood a few feet behind him firing off short bursts of covering fire, protecting him, as well as O’Neill and Teal’c as they ran towards the Stargate.
Several huntsmen surged to the front of the battle line and hurled large rocks from a crudely made sling shot. Carter’s eyes opened wide in surprise as she momentarily froze and watched the primitive weapons hurtling toward her team.
“Lookout, Sir!” She yelled and then returned to firing her weapon, stepping easily aside as more rocks pelted the ground around her.
At first sight, Daniel had remarked on the possible African tribal ancestry of the natives and as their attackers drew closer, she could certainly see the resemblance. The leader appeared, for all intents and purposes, to be a medicine man and was decked out in a spectacularly feathered headdress, bright red clothing and had miscellaneous talisman dangling from his belt. It made him a tragically easy target and Carter wondered at the reasoning behind his attire before firing into the air above his head. He turned towards her angrily and shouted what sounded like curses, although she couldn’t understand his words, the tone was unmistakable.
Their faces were streaked with brightly colored paint and some also wore paint on their bodies. It was unsettling and intimidating, absolutely intended to bring fear to their enemies and Sam grimaced as she realized it was definitely working. While their weapons were no match for those of SG-1, she had no desire to be captured by these primitives.
As if Jack had read her thoughts he called out to her. “We going home, Carter? Or you staying for the party?”
“Going home, Sir!” She yelled in return.
“Then move! Now!”
The gate kawooshed behind her and she turned to run towards it as Jack took up her position of protection. Daniel followed quickly behind her and they leapt through the event horizon together, landing seconds later in a tumbled heap on the platform inside the gate room at the SGC.
Teal’c and Jack backed steadily towards the gate, firing as they moved to hold the attackers at bay. As they neared the gate the natives became agitated at their imminent escape and commenced a full fledged assault. Jack and Teal’c were pelted mercilessly with a new volley of rocks, pebbles and broken clay pots shards. Spears, already thrown and fallen, were lifted again and tossed once more with the propulsion of fear and hatred.
Darts were forced from their tubes with the breath of vengeance and crossed the space like a flock of avenging angels.
“Go, Teal’c!”
Jack and Teal’c backed through the event horizon just as a volley of darts spattered against their vests. Jack expelled a strangled cry as a lone dart penetrated the fabric of his uniform, piercing his skin. His hand was moving to grasp it when he fell backwards into the stargate.
“O’Neill!”
Teal’c’s surprised cry shattered the silence of the gate room as he and Jack tumbled to the ramp, rolling away from the gate as their momentum carried them forward.
“Lock it up!” Sam quickly ordered and then stood motionless until the iris had closed.
Teal’c was on his feet immediately and rolled Jack onto his back. His hand was still clutching the dart that was lodged in his chest, deeply impaled now from contact with the ramp and his face was drawn into a tight grimace.
“Are you all right, Colonel?”
“O’Neill has been impaled with a native dart, General Hammond.” Teal’c’s calm voice belied his concern.
“It might be poison, Sir.” Carter added.
O’Neill chuckled softly.
“I don’t think so, Carter…it’s more like…like the ’60’s.”
The contorting faces above him suddenly displayed mass confusion but he just chuckled again and continued.
“…but not nearly as much fun as Carnival. Ow.”
Confusion transformed to amusement as the team assisted their leader to his feet, holding him erect as he staggered and grinned shamelessly.
“All right people, let’s get him to the infirmary…and…welcome home, SG-1!”
The End
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