Fading Memories
By Terri D. Thomas
Part 9
Daniel stumbled in the darkness, trying to keep his feet and not jostle his injured shoulder with the movement. It was difficult, though, when being prodded in the back by a Jaffa carrying a large tree branch like a staff weapon. The two men had been walking for what seemed like an hour in the general direction of the SGC.
Daniel had tried to convince Teal'c that the Stargate was too far away to reasonably reach on foot that night. However the Jaffa ignored his comments and continued to shove him forward.
The doctor's mind spun with possible solutions for resolving the situation. He had to figure out a way to bring Teal'c around. He wasn't a medical doctor, but he had read a few things about brain injuries. The blood on Teal'c's forehead definitely indicated a frontal lobe injury, no doubt occurring when the car hit him. As a result of the impact to the head, his brain must have swollen, causing the memory loss. In humans, amnesia could occur during the period of swelling, and in most cases lost memories would return as the swelling retreated. However, Teal'c was Jaffa, carrying a Goa'uld larva, and therefore his injured condition and subsequent healing process were complete unknowns.
The larva had apparently repaired the exterior tissue damage of the injury. Perhaps it took longer for it to repair the brain cells that had been injured. That gave Daniel hope. If he could stall Teal'c long enough, keep the injured man talking, then perhaps, with the larva's help, he could get Teal'c to remember.
"You will move faster," came the order from behind, interrupting Daniel's thoughts. He turned his head to look over his shoulder at his friend.
"I'm trying, Teal'c, but I'm hurt," Danny responded calmly. "So are you. Let me help you."
Teal'c scowled at the man and prodded him with the branch again. "You will do nothing more than lead me to the Chaapa'ai."
Frustrated, Daniel turned and planted his feet. "Okay, so you want to get to the Chaapa'ai. Listen to what I'm saying, Teal'c. We can't walk there from here. Neither of us is in good enough condition to make that journey. It's at least twenty miles and over rough terrain."
"Miles?"
Daniel closed his eyes, frustrated, too tired to remember the Goa'uld equivalent for the term. "It's a measurement of distance. Look, let's just say it's a long ways away."
Teal'c shook his head. "That does not matter. I must return to my world."
Daniel debated on his response. "This is your world now, Teal'c. If you'd let me. . .," he started to explain, but was cut off when the branch was raised again and poked into his chest. The action caused him to stumble backwards, his shoulder jerking with the movement. "Ow. . .," Daniel moaned, holding his arm tighter against his body.
He took a deep breath and turned his back on his friend, moving forward through the trees once again. "Okay," he muttered. "You don't want to hear the truth." He thought about another option. Help. . .he could get help. "I have a mode of transportation which will allow us to get to the Chaapa'ai faster."
Teal'c stopped walking. Upon hearing the footsteps behind him halt, Daniel turned around. "It's not far from here. It's in the. . .village."
"And you have access to this transportation?"
"Yes."
Teal'c thought about the offer. His eyes narrowed, clearly suspicious of his prisoner's sudden cooperation. Finally, he nodded. "We will find your transportation and you will take me to the Chaapa'ai."
Daniel kept the serious look on his face, not wanting to reveal his relief. He then nodded and turned the other direction. "We'll need to go this way."
As Daniel walked past Teal'c, the large man reached out and grabbed his left arm. "I warn you now, slave, if this is a trap, you will die."
"Damn it, damn it, damn it," Jack O'Neill muttered. The Colonel was tired, in pain and quite simply, furious. He looked into the eastern sky. He could just make out the beginnings of a new day coming over the horizon. Dawn was approaching and he was no closer to finding his friends than he had been an hour before. Sighing, he reached for his cellular phone and punched in a series of numbers. He waited for the computer system to prompt him for another set of numbers. Then a human voice answered. "Cheyenne Mountain Complex."
"This is Colonel O'Neill. Has Teal'c checked in yet today?"
"No Sir," the voice responded obediently. "He checked out with Dr. Jackson at 1350 hours yesterday."
Jack huffed in frustration. "I need to speak with Dr. Frasier."
There was silence for a moment. "I'm sorry, Colonel, but Dr. Frasier signed out at 0100 hours this morning."
"How about Captain Carter. Has she checked out?"
There was silence for a moment. "Uh. . .no."
"Okay, transfer me to the Infirmary."
A series of beeps came across the line and then the phone was answered. "Infirmary, this is Lt. Callahan."
"This is Colonel O'Neill. I need to find Captain Carter. Is she still with you?"
"No Sir. We released her on the condition she stayed here on base. We wanted to be able to keep an eye on her during the night."
"Could you transfer me to her quarters?"
"Yes Sir."
Silence once again, then another series of beeps. A tired voice finally answered. "Carter."
"Sam, it's Jack."
"Oh. . .uh. . .Colonel." The woman's voice became suddenly clearer.
"How's the head?"
"Uh. . .fine, Sir. They wanted me to stay here to make sure there were no complications."
"Good." Jack was silent for a moment.
"Can I help you with something, Sir?" Carter finally cut in to the silence.
"I. . .we have a little problem."
"What?"
"Well, have you heard from either Daniel or Teal'c?"
"When?"
"During the night?"
"No, Sir. Not at all."
A deep sigh was the immediate response, then a whispered curse followed. "Well, our boys have had an interesting evening. They witnessed a murder in the alley next to O'Malley's."
"What?" Sam exclaimed.
"Yeah, go figure," Jack replied flatly. "Of course that's not the worst of it. Teal'c apparently took after the shooters and never came back. Daniel called and told me what was going on. I was to meet him at the bar and together we were going to look for Teal'c. But when I got there. . .."
Sam cut him off. "He was gone."
"Yeah, how'd you know."
"This is Daniel we're talking about, Sir."
"Yeah, well, our Dr. Jackson apparently decided to try to find Teal'c on his own, and now I can't find him."
"How long has this been going on?"
"The shooting happened last evening, around ten o'clock."
"They've been gone all night?"
"Yeah." Jack's worried voice matched Sam's. "I was hoping that maybe Daniel called you."
"No, he didn't."
"Okay, I'm going to call Hammond and fill him in. Do me a favor, Carter. Keep your ears open. If Jackson or Teal'c show up there, let me know."
"I can help you search, Sir."
"No. I need you there. If Teal'c is unable to return to the city, he'll try to make it back to the SGC. I want to know if that happens."
"Yes, Sir," Carter acknowledged obediently, hiding the frustration in her voice as she hung up the phone.
End Part 9
To Part 10