Just another day at the office

Just another day at the office. Yeah right! Strolling into the SGC at 7am isn't exactly on a normal persons agenda, yet here I am, doing just that. After 28 levels, some pie and an encounter with an airman that we won't go into I walk into the gate room, ready to depart. I'm not too sure where we're going. I was awake for the first part of the briefing, but as soon as I heard the words 'mineral survey' my mind wandered a little.  
  
I stare into the event horizon for a second. Then, I snap out of my daydream and look at my team, before looking over my shoulder to where General Hammond is standing, looking through the window near the top of the wall.   
  
"Onwards and upwards," I say and I walk up the ramp and through the stargate. I take in my surroundings as soon as I arrive. The MALP over by the DHD, the grass and a nice forest spreading out over the horizon. After a few seconds, a doctor, a major and a Jaffa appear one after the other, and with a familiar 'woosh' the stargate shuts down.  
  
"OK let's go," and we begin to walk. I still don't know why we bother to go anywhere. Surely the soil by the gate is exactly the same as the rest of the soil. I think it's to keep Daniel happy. He likes to be absolutely sure there's no one there before we leave.  
  
We head up and over a large hill, but as we descend, I hear voices. They seem to be coming from all around us. I click the safety off my P90, and look around at my teammates, just to check I'm not going nuts. I can see a slightly worried look on Carter's face, an excited one on Daniels and Teal'c, well, he looks like he heard something. Satisfied that my remaining sanity is in tact, I carry on walking alongside the others.   
  
After we've gone a few yards, I feel myself falling, followed by a large thud, and quite a lot of pain. I open my eyes, even though I don't remember shutting them, and see a rope ladder in front of me, and when I turn round, I see a tunnel leading into the hillside.   
  
"Sir?" a concerned voice says from somewhere about 10 feet above my head.   
  
"I'm ok, I think. You guys should probably come down here, but you might want to use the ladder. I wouldn't recommend falling without a parachute." Presently, two feet appear on the ladder, and in minutes all of my team are down, though there was a hairy moment when Daniel threatened to fall on top of me but somehow managed to cling on with one hand. We walk forwards, using the torches on the wall for light. Obviously electricity doesn't exist here, judging by the pain in my finger after I accidentally burnt it on one of the flames. We reach a large 'room' eventually, and I call out to no one in particular.  
  
"Hello? Anyone home?" The only reply I get is an echo. Daniel walks into the room and starts picking up pots and stuff. I hear a muffled footstep from somewhere behind me, and before I can do anything about it, I hear a dull thud, and the world goes even blacker than it was in the dim light of the cave.  
  
It's cold and dark. The air smells damp and opening my eyes seems to make little difference. I slowly sit up, groaning as I realise I have a sore back and a very large headache.  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Carter?"  
  
"Yes sir, how are you feeling?"  
  
"Not too great."  
  
"You've been unconscious for two hours. I was starting to get worried."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"After they hit you, Daniel managed to convince them that we were friendly. They apologised and put you here to recover Daniel and Teal'c are trying to learn more about them." I lean back against the wall.  
  
"Why is it so dark in here?"  
  
"They thought the light might hurt your eyes when you came round."   
  
"How long have you been here?" Things are slowly starting to make sense. Unfortunately this race prefers to shoot first and ask questions later. I would like to know why Carter is in here, instead of trying to work out how technologically advanced they are.  
  
" I thought you'd want some company." She replies quietly, staring at the floor.  
  
"Thanks."  
Just then, I hear the sound of footsteps walking this way. Daniel, Teal'c and a few of the natives walk in carrying torches. They put the torches in the brackets on the sides of the room and the difference is startling. I blink, trying to get my eyes adjusted to the light.  
  
"Are you well O'Neill," Teal'c asks, impassive as ever.  
  
"Fine, great, couldn't be better," my voice dripping with sarcasm, "Anyone got any aspirin?"  
  
"Errr no. Sorry," Daniel replies. We sit, or at least me and Carter sit, the others remain standing, while Daniel explains how the people are hiding from the Goa'uld. Apparently, this was one of Apophis' planets, and the people are too scared to live out in the open. I feel a bit better about not seeing a dirty great hole when I learn that they concealed the entrance using leaves and nets and stuff. That's how they knew we were in there, the entrance was open. They seem very happy about Apophis getting blown up. Daniel is fascinated by their culture. They came from Ireland, and I realise that this means they don't speak English when one of them says something in what must be Gaelic.  
  
"So," I say when Daniel finally stops rambling, "When can we move out?" Daniel looks distraught at the idea of leaving and I let myself get talked into staying a bit longer. That means we'll have to get a message to General Hammond.   
  
"I'll go," I hear myself volunteer. "I could use some fresh air."  
  
"I'll go too, Sir." I nod my agreement and try to stand up. I finally let Carter give me a hand and follow Daniel and Teal'c towards the entrance.   
  
Up on the surface, everything seems a lot brighter than I remember. After adjusting to the change in light gradient, we begin to retrace our steps towards the stargate.   
  
"So Carter."  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"What do you think of our new friends?"  
  
"Oh I don't know. They seem all right to me.2  
  
"Not as nice as me then?"  
"Not quite."  
  
"How long do you think we'll be here?"  
  
"A few days I suppose, why, anxious to get back?" I smile and look at the ground. We both know why I'm looking forward to get back. We have some leave coming up.  
  
"What are you doing on your stand down?"  
  
"Actually I was going to do some work on that thing SG9 brought back from P4C 328."  
  
"So I don't suppose you feel like coming with me on a nice week by the lake?"  
  
"Actually I'd love to."  
  
"Come on, you need... WHAT?!" She smiles and looks at the floor. "Great, we'll have a great time. Fishing, walks round the lake..." I let my voice trail off as we arrive at the Stargate.  
  
I watch Carter dial up the DHD and watch the gate activate before using my radio to tell the general all about our new friends. After promising to check in every 24 hours, the gate closes. I look into my girlfriend's eyes, and ask her why she stayed with me when I was unconscious, not because I didn't know the answer, but because I wanted to hear it. Instead of answering in words, she answers with a kiss.  
  
"I thought we agreed to keep this away from work," I say gently. She nods, but a smile stays put on her face. We turn and start to walk back to the tunnels at a leisurely pace, not wanting to waste such a beautiful day underground. 


End file.
