Stargate SG-1: Lost and Found

The Rescue

     After sending in the message to General Hammond, it was decided that the rest of the team would go looking for Carter on their own. It had been hard to convince Hammond at first, but Jack wanted to be sure that no one else got hurt.

     They started walking in the same direction that they had been going before the attack, but it wasn't long before they realized that this place was like a maze. They continuously tried different routes, but they always ended up back at the Gate, and Jack was getting frustrated fast. After about two tries, they decided to see if there was more than one Stargate on the planet, but they always seemed to end up at the same one.

     Then, Daniel suggested that they lay down markers. "That way, we'll know where we've been," he reasoned. Jack took his suggestion and all three men started laying down markers using sticks, rocks, and other objects they found on their way. Still, they kept coming back to the same place they started, and their hopes of finding Carter where continuously bashed.

                                                                                             ***

     The beast laid Carter down in the dip of the cave, releasing it's sharp claws from her skin. The Major cried out in pain. She looked around to see piles of rocks surrounding her, making a dark, cosy lair for the creature that had captured her. The silvery animal laid nearby, staring at her, as if sizing her up to determine whether or not to eat her.

     "What are you staring at?" she asked, glaring angrily at the beast. It responded with an ear-splitting shriek, before laying down and leaving Sam to think up a plan.

     She imagined that the rest of SG-1 were probably planning a rescue themselves, but she figured that it would be a while before they made an appearance. The team would not only have to arm themselves with the proper equipment, but they would also have to send reinforcements through the Gate, which would take a while. Until then, she would just have to do her best to survive, and maybe find a way to get herself out.

     The cave seemed to be protected by a sort of force-shield, which Sam was all too familiar with. She noticed, however, that there seemed to be no hidden compartments, no odd devices and no holograms. She was shocked at first, then realized that this beast had to be real. She could only assume that it created the force-shield itself, no matter how crazy that sounded. She couldn't seem to come up with any other solution; that this beast was real was the most plausible one. She watched as it's chest rose and fell with each breath, and how it covered itself with feathers as it slept.

     After exploring the cave little by little, she found that the only way out was the way they came in. She tapped the force-shield a few times as if testing it's strength; she doubted that she'd be able to get through without waking the beast. She sighed, wondering what in the world she was going to do to get herself out of here. The cave was completely empty, aside from herself and the creature. She imagined the chances of any weapon she had being able to kill or even wound the animal. It was too tight of a space in the cave to use any explosive, and Sam figured that it would take more than a simple grenade to kill the beast.

     She sighed. She knew that she couldn't give up; she had to find a way out of here, because she wasn't guaranteed a rescue. But at the moment, her plight seemed slightly overwhelming. If she tried to attack the creature, she might as well commit suicide, because there was nowhere to run. There was no contraption that could be rigged to bring the force-shield down; the animal would have to be killed first. So now what?

     "Psst...pssst!"

     Carter jumped back, then realized what she was hearing. "Colonel?"

     "Carter, are you alright?"

     Sam glanced at the beast, making sure that it was still fast alsleep. "I'm fine, Sir. The creature's asleep, but the cave's surrounded by some sort of force-shield. I think the beast is generating it, but I'm too close for an attack."

     Everyone was silent for a moment before Jack responded, "So, basically you're telling me there's no way of getting you out of here."

     Sam paused. "I don't know. I'm not too sure, yet."

     Again, there was silence, then O'Neill replied, "I'm going to try some mild explosives near the cave. Maybe that'll bring the shield down."

     "It's too risky, Sir."

     "What?!"

     "It's awake."

     The large beast loomed over Carter, making a great shadow where she stood. She slid down the wall of the cave and sat, waiting, to see what it would do. It looked at her, then towards the outside of the cave. The force-shield collapsed, and Colonel O'Neill immediately ran in, guns blazing, firing at the creature.

     Sam ran outside the cave, grabbing her gun and firing all the way. The bullets merely bounced off the animal's body, making it impossible to get a shot, and making the animal angry. It's massive head swung back and forth and it gave a shriek before snapping at Carter again. The Major let out a cry of pain as it's beak grabbed her, dragging her into the cave past the rest of her team.

     The force-shield went up before they could think of what to do. "Sam, are you alright?!" Daniel shouted, hoping for a reply.

     "I'm fine, I've just got a few bruises."

     The Colonel let out a sigh of relief.

     "Sir, I doubt that our weapons are going to do anything to hurt this- thing-"

     "What are you saying, Carter?"

     "I might have to find out what it wants, Sir."

Author's Note: I was going to publish this part last night, but I had a long day yesterday and was tired. If you're reading this, that means you've gotten this far! Yay! I have a lot in store for SG-1 during this fanfic, and I hope anyone who reads it enjoys.