SNATCH BACK, GOT YA, YOU LIKE MINKY

~ Σ Δ ψ ≈ ≡ ± µ   ~

ℷ

"Now!! Now!! Now!!"

General O'Neill ran down the grid ramp whilst pointing up at Colonel Carter. Shock, horror and determination were eating at him. The StarGate shut down behind him and immediately stirred up again. He brushed passed Major Fielding who was coming to check he was alright. He got to the Gate Room corridor and shouted loudly.

"Griff!! Lets go!!"

Guns and boots sounded down the corridor, quickly getting louder.

"Reynolds, Pierce, Fielding, you're going with your Teams to the pyramid."

"Sir?"

"Reynolds as quick as it is they've got to go extra-galactic. Its got to take at least some amount of time, even if we're just talking Dial time. Those.. ..things have got to Dial the StarGate to get back to the pyramid. We're gonna get there before them!"

"Chevron Two locked!"

"As soon as they come through the Gate I want them down. I want them contained. And I want their gad damn heads filled with that solution stuff.

We're laying a trap at the 377 StarGate. Reynolds you're SG-1s six. They're going into the pyramid, setting timers, C4. I'm doubling their six so you're on with SG-4. Pierce, Major, you're at the Gate. Pierce look, I want you behind the Gate. For heavens sake be careful but if your Team is at the back of the Gate as soon as the Nifla connection disengages you come through from behind, you take them from behind, understand?"

"Understand perfectly General Sir!!"

"Okay, you're with Griff. Griff will hold the Gate and man the D.H.D."

"Chevron Three Sir!"

The General looked up at the Control Room and pointed his finger at his aide, Lieutenant Bowkervale. The aide hurried down to the Gate Room.

"Fielding you're going. Oh err, Kim, SG-18, ready to go, one minute. Walsh, Bryce, Doiyee, you're with SG-18 for this one."

"Sir!!"

"Kim you're at the Gate with Griff. Medical, Fielding, you've got those helmets?"

"In the annex Sir."

"You're leaving in thirty seconds!"

Major Fielding and Sergeant James legged it into the annex and picked up five Griff devices.

General O'Neill said something to his aide who then ran off as quick as he could.

"Okay everybody. Keep your goggles tight. You know what you're doing. They'll be coming through from Nifla. As soon as they come through just take them down. Yeah, grab 'em and bag 'em. Colonel Carter, Griff and Jaspers know the procedure from there. That's it. Two groups, one in the pyramid one at the Gate. I want my people back.. ..got it?"

"Yes Sir!!"

"Chevron Four locked!"

Colonel Carter was in the Gate Room now. She was finalising with Daniel. General O'Neill pulled them to one side.

"Carter, you and Daniel, C4, in the pyramid. They're not coming at us again!! I want that place levelling Carter. Raised! In fact, I'm coming with you!"

"Jack we can do this."

"No Sir! No absolutely not. Sir your condition.. ..General. Sir we can do it."

"Jack can you imagine the pain Teal'c must have been in to resist that Nebulium so he could tell you not to follow."

"I know but.. .."

"General I really don't think you should come with.. ..Sir.."

"Jack let us do it."

"Okay. Go get 'em. Watch your backs I want you all back."

"Chevron Five engaged. Chevron Five locked!"

The called up Units were ready, revved up and waiting to embark.

"If they so much as go near any one of you, shot them! 9 mils, legs are better. Even if you have to shot yourself do it, that's an order, not bullets, a zat gun. I want this finished today, is that understood??"

"Yes Sir!!"

"Chevron Six Locked!"

They were all doing a quick weapons check at the bottom of the grid ramp. Lieutenant Bowkervale came running into the Gate Room. He handed something to General O'Neill.

"Daniel just a minute, before you go, here take this with you."

"What is it?"

"This."

"Really? Really Jack?"

"Yeah really."

"Well where am I going to put it?"

"Stick it on your back."

"Oookay. But what do I need it for? Are you giving it back to them?"

"Daniel.. ..just take it with you, who knows, a quick get away, take it."

"Okay. Thanks Jack."

"Chevron Seven locked and established!"

Whooosh!

~ Σ Δ ψ ≈ ≡ ± µ   ~

It was Daytime on P7X 377. It was warm, dry, the sun was high and there was no sign of the tornado winds experienced on the north side of the pyramid. There hadn't been time to organise tanks of oxygen. The Teams came through with the usual munitions plus the explosives.

There was no time for conference. Even before the wormhole disengaged SG-1, SG-3 and SG-4 began running as fast as they could along the causeway to the pyramid entrance. They wanted to get clear before there was incoming from Nifla. Anything out of the ordinary would be bound to tip off the Nebulium shells as they come through the Gate.

There was basically nowhere to hide. As soon as the wormhole disengaged SG-15 took up position on the back side of the StarGate. There was no room to manoeuvre and they needed to be extremely careful in relation to both the wind and the sheer drop down to.. ..Xibalbah.

SG-15 perched down low behind the StarGate, it served to ensure they were not shaken off the narrow plinth when the Nifla Gate Dialled in.

SGs 1, 3, and 4 made it to the pyramid entrance. Colonel Carter and Daniel didn't stop to make arrangements with SG-3 or 4 they just continued running straight into the pyramid. SG-3 and SG-4 took up positions, but out of sight from anyone coming through the StarGate.

Because of the speed at which the shells moved they decided SG-18 would line the top row of the StarGate platform. SG-2 would be right flank on level with the StarGate itself. SG-6 would be left flank. Parallel forces. SG-8 and SG-19 would block the causeway six meters from the bottom of the StarGate platform, if anyone came leaping out of the Gate the distance would give the Units run in time to catch the shell on the rebound.

Ideally as the shells came out of the event horizon they would walk in to Kim Green's group who would then, with the assistance of SG-15, jump the infected and take them down. SG-8 would then move in with the helmets and this time with legs shackles too.

The entrapment at the StarGate was taking slightly longer than anticipated. There seemed to be somewhat of a delay with the Nebulium shells returning to P7X 377 from the extra-galactic address. The StarGate started to activate

The flanks pulled as far back as they could away from the sides of the Gate. SG-18 dropped down a few steps and hit the deck close, out of the way of the vortex's path of obliteration. Just to be on the safe side 8 and 19 did the same.

Whooosh!

The flanks were lurching. SG-15 were up and ready to race. SG-18 braced for personal impact, and near perimeter SGs 8 and 19 jumped up ready to rumble. It wouldn't have much mattered if SG-3 and 4 were still in view. There was no stealth to be had with this ambush.

~ Σ Δ ψ ≈ ≡ ± µ   ~

Walter was the first one out of the 377 horizon. He sprang out while at the same time looking as if back to where he'd just come from, Nifla. He turned his face and planned to spot the pyramid straight ahead, instead, before he could even focus his view, a hand closed in on his face and grabbed him. Major Kim Green had hold of Walter's face and waist. He stumbled down the steps dragging Walter with him. Sergeant Manners and also Sergeant James from Medical jumped on him as well. They had him down good.

The Nebulium in Sergeant Harriman had been well ambushed.

Lieutenant Bryce from SG-19 ran over, picking up a pair of shackles as he passed Medical's position. Bryce practically sat on Walter's legs as he and Sergeant James put a leg iron round each of Walter's ankles. Major Fielding joined in with a Griff device. He hooded Harriman whilst Sergeant James attached the canister and flooded the hood. Walter was down.

Five of them had successfully grabbed and bagged him. Major Green was back up now on the steps inches from the event horizon. Sergeant Manners and Sergeant James remained sitting on Walter. They didn't let him move. He was struggling but they didn't let him move. Lieutenant Bryce dashed back in to position on the causeway.

Major Able helped Major Fielding administer the fast working sedative. It was essential to knock the infected out otherwise if their Nebulium jumped shell they would be subject to an almost lethal amount of pain. General O'Neill had assigned Major Able and Captain Evans to the Medical Team. Both Teams were temporarily shy of two persons. Thompson of Field Medical had been dually speared. Zimmerman and Dunn of SG-17 had been blown to broken pieces. Lieutenant Berry, Field Medical, although on this Mission, was not there in a friendly capacity. Walter was out cold. One down and accounted for. Grabbed and bagged! Captain Evans changed places with Sergeant Manners. Manners ran back up the StarGate platform steps.

Major Green's Team, not Byda though, he was injured, were all lined up and facing the horizon. Colonel Pearson, Major Furness and Nurse Berry came through the Gate together at a running pace. Major Pierce gave the silent order, SG-15 leapt through the back of the StarGate onto the backs of the infected personnel. It was the strangest site. From the front it looked as though SG-15 had just come through the event horizon, but everybody knew they really hadn't. They hadn't even been in the wormhole.

It was a real muddle and tangle of legs and arms, squelches and squeals. Major Green had hold of Nurse Berry. Marks and Whitworth also had hold of Lieutenant Nurse Berry from behind. Berry had basically run into Kim Green's arms. He'd been braced for the impact and managed to remain upright. However he'd not been braced for Marks and Whitworth as well. All four of them tottered to the bottom of the steps, all still upright and clutching Berry.

Still at a run Colonel Pearson was jumped by Manners and De Santis, he was also attacked from behind by Major Pierce. Tiller and Cook, SG-6, jumped in from the left side of the StarGate. Major Pierce had a head lock hold on Pearson's neck and shoulder's. The shell was still in momentum and began to topple as did Manners, De Santis, Tiller and Cook. All six of them teetered off the top step and crash landed down at the bottom step. Major Pierce had had the easiest ride down, Manners and De Santis, the landing pad. All of them wrestling for a hold on Colonel Pearson. He weren't goin' nowhere, but he was still putting up a good fight.

Major Furness discovered the ambush, but way to late. Major Griff, who specifically had been waiting for shell of Teal'c, the one infected person who stood a good chance of escaping capture, stepped in with the butt of his P90. He smacked Furness on the jaw. Furness wobbled and fell and jittered down the steps on his knees, extra sore.

The rest of SG-2, Dickers and Frank, and Smallfoot from SG-6, arrested Major Furness. They had him good. He seemed unconscious. They dragged him away from the StarGate platform towards Major Fielding, Major Able, James, Evans and the downed Master Sergeant Harriman.

Major Griff held his position, as did Lieutenant Benson, who was behind the StarGate. Major Yardly, SG-6 was still left flank across from Griff. Major Pierce had extricated himself from the Pearson bundle and taken up position in front of the horizon, ready to tackle Teal'c.

The four of them were totally hyped up and ready to jump Teal'c. Although it was a confrontation none of them were looking forward to, at the same time they were all very anxious to get him back. SG-19 seeing that only Teal'c was left to come through the Gate moved up their position to just outside the jumping range of a shell.

The StarGate disengaged! The wormhole shutdown! The shimmering and glowing horizion stopped shimmering and stopped glowing, disappearing to leave only 377 space and sky. No Teal'c.. ..no shell of Teal'c!

All the Operatives became uneasy. They were looking round. Looking at the StarGate. Looking at each other. Shrugging. Shaking their heads. Major Griff gave a general order.

"Get away from the Gate! Everyone get away from the Gate!"

Seems Griff was expecting the StarGate to initialise again. Seems everybody was expecting the Gate to initialise again. Everybody was expecting Teal'c, shell of Teal'c to come through the StarGate. Everybody was expecting to get bruised. But more than that everybody was counting on being able grab him and bag him and then take him with the others to the Beta Site and eventually back home to The SGC.

Dragging their quarry they all moved away from the Gate, away from the vortex pathway. Suddenly with unexpected strength Nurse Berry bucked her way out of the arms of her captures, her colleagues, and went to make a run from it. SG-19 had already re-established their blockade across the causeway some meters away from the bottom of the StarGate platform.

Already exhausted from prolonged exposure to an alien atmosphere usually described as good clean oxygenated air, she was faced with having to battle passed SG-19 while also being pursued by whomever. She bolted up the StarGate platform. Major Green followed immediately behind. Lieutenant Benson still waiting for Teal'c behind the StarGate formed a lively solid obstruction, Berry went right on towards him, springing and hoping up the StarGate platform. She pushed Major Pierce with a great deal of strength, he lost his balance and stumbled two or three steps down. He corrected himself and followed Kim Green.

There was nowhere to go. The StarGate was shut down and of course even if it wasn't so what, there was nowhere to go. The flanks were to slow off the bone, Berry leapt passed Griff and Yardly and into Jerry Benson's crotch. There was a look of serene something on his face and tears were fogging up his goggles. She trampled over Benson, pretty much slowed down now, and made for the platform back wall. There was nowhere to go, nowhere but down, down to hell.

Major Green jumped over Lieutenant Benson and dived at the wall, at Nurse Berry. He hit himself nastily against the wall leaving six stitches worth of chin on it's ledge. Like runny ice-cream on a hot summers day he just let it drip. It would stop by itself. He'd had injuries like this before, painful and bloody messy, but in no way a hindrance to the job at hand. He couldn't believe it, where the hell was Berry going, hell yeah. He had her, her legs, no her leg, he'd grabbed one of her legs as she'd tipped herself over the wall. The force of him grabbing her while she was in the midst of falling over the edge, broke her leg. She'd gone over the wall but just then, at that hot second, she was going no further.

She wasn't screaming in pain. Nurse Berry wasn't doing any of the normal things you'd expect. Major Pierce was on her too now and Jerry had a lot of deeply personal pain but nevertheless, he was there to help haul Berry back over the wall. Majors Green and Pierce were pulling on Berry's broken leg. Benson leaned in to get a grip of one of her arms.

Major griff had indicated to Major Yardly to hold tight, Teal'c would have to come through the Gate any minute now, any second now actually. They needed to get the upper hand with him from the outset otherwise they'd have little chance of capturing him. No! A P90 assault was most certainly out of the question. 9 mils, like it or not would probably not stop him escaping. Only man power and upper hand would do it.

They began to haul Nurse Berry back up. She started violently thwacking and jerking. The Major's thought her leg was going to come off in their hands. They felt sick. They could feel the break in her leg. It was so awful but there was nothing else to do, they had to hold on. Lieutenant Benson lost his grip on her arms as she waywardly thrashed about. The convulsing Nurse Berry began banging her back against the cold stone wall. Unfortunately, more unfortunate, was that each time she did so she also whacked her head agianst that same stone cold wall. Blood and bravery abound they still hadn't gotten her back up to safety, not from herself or the infection, just from the fall, she was dangling. It was disgusting. It was vile to see.

Teal'c still hadn't arrived to P7X 377.

Whilst the dirigible Nurse Berry thwacked and dangled over the wall behind the StarGate at the edge of a truly hellward drop down, the infection in her began to exit her organic systems. Now she began screaming, silently at first. Lieutenant Benson got another grip on her upper body. Major Griff had run through the StarGate, stretched over the wall and with Pierce grabbed her other leg. Once Major Pierce had a good grip Major Griff ran back to his station.

They started to pull her up. A smoky cloud discharge began gushing and expanding out of Nurse Berry's eye. Major Green was picturing Nurse Berry from two weeks ago when she'd taken his temperature during a training exercise on the Beta Site. She didn't deserve this, nobody deserved this, but she didn't deserve it. He didn't want to pull on her broken leg any longer than completely necessary. He also wanted to make sure she was sedated. He shouted at the top of his voice.

"Fielding!! Sedation!!"

On hand, Major Fielding snatched up his kit and ran up to Major Green's position.

She popped! They all expected the Nebulium to drop down to hell, instead, somehow, it somersaulted and came back up on itself, jumping onto Nurse Berry now totally out of it and safely pulled onto the StarGate platform. They all felt the force of it jumping on the Nurse. As Pierce and Benson tried to punch it, it leapt into the air and coming down at speed nutted Major Green on the head to send him flying down to just within the StarGate. Both of the Nebulium feet landed on the sprawled out Major Green. It stood on the Major then with out stopping jumped off him, springing down the steps of the platform. It raced onto the causeway. SG-19, being dreadfully careful to avoid friendly fire tried to nail the creature with their P90s. They didn't miss, but they didn't nail it either. It accelerated off to the pyramid. SGs 1, 3 and 4 were alerted to the sound of gun fire, hopefully they would see it and take it down. They didn't, it was gone.

Major Green was still down. He was conscious but he was dazed. The sodding minky had really hurt. The creature wasn't that heavy when it had jumped down and stood on him, but when it nutted him on the forehead it had knocked him for six. It was very strong, possibly made more so by the speed of the thing.

Major Pierce and Lieutenant Benson pulled Major Green to his feet.

"Are you alright Kim?"

"I'm fine, thanks. Did we get it?"

"Its gone. Gone. Into the pyramid. I've not heard shots up there so they didn't get it either. Its alright anyway, its alright at least we've got most of our people. Teal'c's not here yet. As soon as he comes we can go."

"Hey we'd better get clear right now!"

"Can you give me a hand with the Lieutenant?"

"Lets do it."

"Jerry you stay here he can't be much longer. I don't understand what the hells wrong, whats keeping him."

"Did you see how badly he was back at Base?"

"He could hardly breathe."

"Hey listen you two, if Teal'c doesn't come through we're gonna go and get him."

"With you Griff."

"To right."

As incredibly gross as it was, broken leg or no, Major Fielding, who had successfully sedated Berry, now, with the help of Lieutenant Benson put leg irons on her. Majors Pierce and Green carried her down to the makeshift Field Medical area. They put her next to the hooded Walter. Sergeant James started to put a helmet on her.

"It came out of her!"

"I know Sir, we saw it, even so Sir we need to bag her."

"Yeah, go ahead Sergeant, do your job."

Two grabbed and bagged!

Griff came on Comms.

"Watch your places. He should be coming through any minute now, standby on that."

There was a sense of slight relief. Having already taken two shells out of play it allowed more concentration on Pearson and Furness. And better than that, it gave them a stronger defence against the shell of Teal'c, who was due any second now to attack the Ops with warrior might.

Furness had been out cold. He'd definitely been unconscious. Everybody had heard the crack Major Griff had swung on him with the butt of his P90. He'd been out without a doubt. He was up now though. He was scrapping with SG-2 and Smallfoot. He was trying his damnedest to get away from them. He fought down and dirty. Despite the Ops, Furness had managed to drag himself up to his feet. His knees must have been nobbled and badly bruised, didn't stop him. He was dredging himself onto the causeway, trying to get loose to dash to the 377 pyramid entrance.

SG-19 were in place and still blockading the way with guns, 9 mils now, drawn and cocked. Making a run for it Furness would be taken down, softly but surely!

"Shackles Now!! Hes making a break! Get them on him!"

Major Able rather than throwing the shackles ran over with them and started fitting them on Furness's feet, ankles. The good thing about the leg irons, not only did they slow the shell down tremendously, they could also be used as a grounding peg. The chain of the leg irons could be used to station the shell, stop it from trying to break away. Run off.

~ Σ Δ ψ ≈ ≡ ± µ   ~

Sergeant Jaspers was standing at the entrance to the pyramid waving down towards the Gate and speaking on open broadcast.

"Colonel Carter wants to know if you have him?"

"No! Hes not come through yet."

"Err.. ..what do you mean?"

"Teal'c's not come through. Everybody else is through, we've got them. Teal'c's not come through, we've standing by, we're waiting for him to come through, hes still on Nifla."

"Oh, shes not gonna like that."

"Hey none of us like it. Em, tell her we're standing by. We can't contact Base because we can't use the Gate, not until he gets here. Tell Colonel Carter as soon as theres anything I'll send someone up. I'll send someone up to let yous know. Em, tell her if the worst comes to the worst we'll go and fetch him."

"Okay."

"Hows it going in there?"

"They're err, setting timers Griff, its err.. ..its going alright. Its going alright."

"Okay, see ya."

"Roger Major."

~ Σ Δ ψ ≈ ≡ ± µ   ~

Sergeant Doiyee ran over with a containment helmet for Furness. They got it on him and started to carry him over to Walter and Berry. He needed to be sedated, they'd do that at the Medical station, an unmarked piece of sandy ground with shells, the Griff devices, leg irons, needles, containment helmet solution and sedatives all neatly resting against the ground. You wouldn't think it but Field Medical was extremely well organised and proficient.

Major Fielding finished taking Nurse Berry's pulse. He moved over to Major Furness, to sedate him. Before Major Fielding had a chance to sedate him Furness became quieted, for a moment or two. Furness began screaming. It sounded so weird, like he was under water. The sounds were coming out of the air vents at the front of the helmet. The screams turned into low tones. It wasn't Furness doing the shouting, of course not, it must have been the Nebulium inside him. The sounds were very very low now, very sickening. All coming out of Furness's helmet. They didn't feel it at the Gate and they didn't feel it down the causeway, but all around the Field Medical post they all felt sickly. They couldn't stop it either.

"Sir hes gonna pop! Hes gonna pop Sir!"

Furness's body was still jumping and hopping around. It was madness, he couldn't actually get very far. Dickers and Frank had hold of his leg chains. Like a young palm tree in a terrible storm he was jerking every which way whilst still rooted to the same spot. They were trying to sedate him which was an intravenous effort so they held back on that until they got him a little more stationary. He was definitely beginning to pop, despite the fact he was wearing a containment helmet.

Nobody wanted to see that happen while he was still conscious. They jumped him again and pulled him down, pinned him down. Dickers had his feet pressed against the Major's helmet. He was leaning back with Furness's arm, stretching it out. He had his arm stretched out vice tight. Major Fielding went in with the needle and pumped him full of a fast activating heavy sedation.

Furness went down, not quietly though, he was still flipping and jerking, tossing around the floor. It was a bad do. Furness's head was going like a telegraph signaller. He was tapping out the Nebulium anthem. Furness's head stopped rattling and banging on the floor just as a milky white Nebulium started to stand up out of Major Furness's right ocular cavity.

It penetrated the hood to the outside. Oozing at a slow magma pace. Nobody touched it. Dickers, Frank, Samllfoot and Fielding backed away and crouched down. SG-19 cradled the 9 mils and went for the P90s. Furness was now away from Medical and off to the westside of the causeway, left flank. They had a good clear shot. They just needed to see its toes coming clean out of the helmet. The creature was slow and gasping. Barking, silently. Choking. Asphyxiating. Breathing, shallowly.

That was that. It was clear. They open fired, Walsh, Bryce, Doiyee and Able, relentless, dispersing the smoky clouding. It was like a punctured balloon. Flipping up, down, around, off the floor, on the floor, spinning and then finally bleeding and stopping. Popped and popped again, Furness's Nebulium.. ..was dead.

SG-19 and Able changed guns again. Housing the machine guns round their backs. 9 mils in hand, just in case they had to slow Teal'c down. What was actually going through their minds was rather than shoot him they would jump him, only then, if that didn't work they would shot him in the legs. Who knew how many bullets that would take. It was a bad do.

They pulled Furness away from his infection. Dickers, Frank and Smallfoot lined him up with Walter and Nurse Berry. He was hooded, chained, sedated and empty. Seven Chevron traveller, like Nurse Berry.

Walter was still ever so still on the floor, hopefully sleeping. No sign of his infection anywhere, outside his body. Colonel Pearson, perhaps frightened by the noise, perhaps frightened by the knowledge that Furness's infection was no longer contagious, he became live and wild. Bronco Berty, Bronco Berty on the causeway.

He was fighting again. Fighting for the Nebulium survival. They grabbed his legs, his arms. Major Fielding and Sergeant Smallfoot ran over to help, they all fell down on top of Colonel Pearson. Deliberately squashing him down to the ground. They had knees in his neck, knees in his ribs, knees on his legs, they we're pinning him down, and choking him.. ..gently though.

Major Fielding had had such a bad few days of it. Though it was so much nicer being on the 377 pyramid causeway in the warm shinny sun. So much nicer than being inside that pyramid. Being inside those tunnels. So much more nicer and safer than being dragged to who knows where by devils from the deep. The sooner this was over, the sooner they could leave P7X 377. Major Fielding was dancing round the group, looking for a way in, looking for a vein. Sedation, he just needed to sedate him.

Somebody punched the Colonel in his mouth, it was unclear who and the desired result wasn't acquired. Pearson was still trying to charge about, but was getting nowhere except bruised and battered. Major Fielding saw his chance and took it. He saw a clenched fist banging on the floor. He stood on it as hard as he could. The wrist and rest of the arm became rigid. It was Pearson's arm.

"Hold him!! Hold him tight!!"

Major Fielding shot off the sedative. It flowed straight into his veins and began to spread out. Colonel Pearson was becoming sedated and was becoming quiet, quieter. The Ops didn't ease off. They'd seen Pearson in the Gate Room. He'd seemed to be the one who had some kind of authority amongst the others. They weren't taking any risks, this was the cleaver one. They kept on him, squashing him down.

James threw a helmet to Major Fielding. Major Fielding passed the helmet to Tiller and Cook. They opened it and rested Colonel Pearson's head into the ground of the helmet. Just then they both jumped back with shock and disgust. Quick as you like a cloudy white thing started bleeding out of Pearson. Oxygen would have worked a treat if they had any.

"Leave it open! Leave it open!"

Major Fielding and Sergeant Manners shouted at the same time. They just wanted the creature out. Containment on P7X 377 was not desired and really, absolutely really, was not necessary. Major Walsh was shouting at the group from the causeway blockade.

"Keep out of range!! Keep low!! Stay down!!"

Oh yes, stay down! SG-19 had switched guns again. They had P90s in hand, as did Griff, Yardly and Benson, all aiming down on the Pearson group, all waiting for a clear shot.

Low tones, popping ears, popping Pearson. The creature was barking and presumably screaming. It was sickening to listen to. Well actually it was sickening to feel. You could feel it's noises. You could feel it's noises in your head, low tones, low down and awful. They weren't going to let Pearson go, no way. The Operatives were very confident with the goggles, they'd seen them working, being effective. The Nebulium, luckily, unlike the Goa'uld, could not infect through the mouth, through the neck or through anywhere else. Eyes only. As long as they were wearing their goggles they'd be safe.

Like Furness minutes ago, Pearson's head started banging, tapping, uncontrollably shaking. The helmet was light and unlocked. Each time Pearson moved his head the back of it came out of the helmet. Tiller grabbed hold of Colonel Pearson's hair and tried to steady his head. He didn't like what he was doing. He was way to near the creature for comfort, still though he kept a firm grip on the Colonel's head. He wasn't moving as much now, not injuring himself as much.

The Nebulium head, arms and torso had inflated. Gawd what an awful sight. A thing you could never imagine seeing. It looked so.. ..so different. So not real. So heinous and disgusting. Pearson just lay there and took it. The Operatives, brave, still had hands on Colonel Pearson, they were determined not to let him go. They had hold of his legs, his arms, his head, his hair, his jacket. But at the same time they were all crouching low practically lying on the ground with the Colonel, out of harms way. Out of the P90's range. It would all be over in just another Nebulium leg and a foot. This one was very slow. It wasn't ejecting fast like the others. Colonel Pearson had been subjected to an awful lot of oxygen in the Gate Room. Perhaps that in itself was the decelerator. Who the hell cares, just a few more seconds. Pop! Pop goes the Nebulium.

"Clear!"

"Clear!"

"Clear!!"

Undoubtingly clear. SG-19 let rip. The shell of Teal'c StarGate assault group let rip. Bullets were flying high. High and aimed. Instead of doing like the other Nebulium, making a break for the pyramid, making a break for the Gate, this Nebulium leapt up and back flipped over the causeway wall, down, down on to the ground, on to the rock surface.

It ran. It was weird, it ran, not leaping and jumping but running, hobbling, slowly. Of course it was hit. It must have been hit a lot. It got to the end of the StarGate platform wall running along the ground, to the edge of hell. It jumped down Jeezzass! It jumped off the edge, gone. Nice! Lieutenant Benson rushed to the edge of the Wall from up on the Gate platform, he looked over.

"Clear!! Can't see it. Its gone. Clear!"

Okay. Nice. Major Fielding slammed the helmet Shut and tightened it up. Sergeant James ran over with the canister and flooded the hood and all of them, all six of them picked Pearson up and ferried him over to Medical. They dropped him down and none to carefully.

Without daddling they took up positions. Cook and Tiller ran over to the Gate's left flank to stand with Major Yardly. De-Santis and Manners stood with Major Green on the top step of the StarGate platform, on level with the StarGate itself. At a safe distance from the StarGate SG-19 and Major Able were kneeling down, reloading, changing magazines and fixing their aim for a leaping heavy object out of the StarGate.

They all regrouped. Refreshed, repositioned, they were confident they would capture Teal'c, any second now. Major Griff said something to Major Pierce who had retaken position behind the StarGate, he then shouted across to the Medical station.

"Whitworth run up to the pyramid, tell them we've got them all apart from Teal'c. Tell them Teal'c still hasn't come through yet."

They wanted to Dial The SGC to update on the situation, its just that if Teal'c Dialled through from Nifla and got a busy signal he'd know there was something amiss. It really wasn't easy for the people back at Base. Not knowing the situation, but then, that was always the situation with the off world Missions, they didn't know anything until they did know, um, yah.

Whitworth, SG-15, came running down the causeway and onto the StarGate platform steps. He was a little out of breath after his quick sprint.

"Sir Colonel Carter said to take Sergeant Harriman's containment helmet off, she said try and flush the Nebulium out."

"You heard the lady! Let it loose!"

Captain Evans and Sergeant James took Walter's helmet off. They all understood the significance of this. If all the causalities were Seven Chevron travellers they wouldn't need to be hauled to Nifla when they went to track Teal'c down, all good!

Walter was out of it. Sleeping it seemed. They didn't hear it, they felt it! The low tones. The silent sounds, they felt it. They felt it in their legs, in their arms, in their bones. Was it coming from Walter, it didn't seem to be. But they could feel it. Even SG-19 down the causeway.

Suddenly milky feet came out from Walter. A Nebulium started to materialise feet first out of Walter's eye socket. Captain Evans and Sergeant James were crouching down, more or less sitting on Walter and were cautiously watch the Nebulium unfold.

"Jeezas!!"

"Jeeezass!!"

Majors Walsh and Able from behind and Major Griff and Pierce from in front were screaming at SG-18.

"Watch out!! Watch you backs!!"

A tall, narrow Nebulium dressed in a slinky all in one and standing at the bottom of the StarGate platform was pointing up at Major Green, Manners, De-Santis and the others at the StarGate. Hell not pointing, aiming!!

Evans, James, Fielding and Marks hammered it with a running P90 torent from side on. At first there was no reaction but then it just fell down, gook. Everyone on the StarGate platform was paralysed with fear. Nobody dared to breathe or move. Major Fielding still running over to them proclaimed..

"I don't think it shot! I don't think it got a shot off! It looked like it didn't have time."

It should have been but it really wasn't any consolation. They were still all there frozen, wondering if they took their last breath a few moments ago. They could still all feel the noise, low tones. Captain Evans who was at the platform now, put a few more rounds into the felled Nebulium. The sounds didn't stop.

Another one appeared, not out of the StarGate, that wasn't activated, it just appeared ground level with the StarGate, feet away from SGs 15, 2 and 6. They couldn't shoot it. If they shot at it they'd shoot themselves as well. It had its back to the wall and was facing the pyramid. It was aiming, it raised its arm to fire at SG-18, no time to act char boiled, they jumped it.

Griff grabbed hold of its right arm. Green and De-Santis grabbed hold of it's right arm too, it was really strong. They were struggling to keep it's arm raised about the heads of all the Operatives. Benson and Pierce got it from behind and Yardly and Smallfoot got it from the left flank. Cook managed to get down there and grab its legs. Oh yeah, boy o boy they had it, they had it in a shell of Teal'c grapple hold.

Griff, Green and De-Santis didn't let go. It's arm seemed to recoil every other second. Shoot! It must have been firing. They could see nothing. They could feel no shot but even still it must have been firing, at the pyramid.

"Take it out!! Take it down!!"

How. They drew their 9 mils and started shooting the bugger, acute angle and downways. It was weakening, you could tell.

"Shoot it! More!! Get it down!!"

None of them had rounds left. How many bullets was that. It's arm was still recoiling. It's aim was now up towards the sky, back towards the pyramid, back towards the sky, toing and froing with a lethal microwave discharger. They were all rocking with the Nebulium on the platform.

"Get it off him Griff! Get it off him!"

"Can't. It's fingers are stuck in it. It's err, can't. Shoot it for gads sake, shoot it!"

Tiller, SG-6, had reloaded most of the revolvers and handed them back. A few more clips and they took it down.

"Move!! Move!!"

Its legs gave way, it went down. Griff and Green went down with it, still stretching out it's arm, still trying to keep its arm out of line with the Operatives. It's arm wasn't recoiling any more. It wasn't moving any more.

"Get it off it! Pull it off!"

"Hold on, just hold on. Give me a minute, I'll get it!"

Griff was prising and yanking and pulling. Pulling away from himself. He got the thing, the glove off the Nebulium. Major Pierce and Lieutenant Benson and Tiller picked the creature up and dumped it over the back wall, threw it away. Nebuliums away. They threw it from the same place poor Nurse Berry had attempted to jump down from.

Another Nebulium materialised behind SG-19.

"Watch it!! Your back!! Your back!!"

SG-19 were primed. They were quick. They grabbed hold of the Nebulium. This time it was pointing at the StarGate. Everybody on the StarGate platform jumped down, flat on the ground and ever so slightly hysterical.

"Keep it's arm up!!"

They were all panicked and shouting at SG-19.

"Keep it's arm up!! It's firing! Keep it's arm up!!"

Fielding, James and Marks ran to assist SG-19. They launched in helping to tether the creature. They pulled it's arm away. It's arm was waving around but now in the direction of the pyramid. They kept it directed, two pairs of hands had hold of it's arm, another pair had hold of it's recoiling shoulder. Major Able took out his knife and err, well he err, he dealt with the creature! The Nebulium wasn't breathing, oxygen or anything. It went down quickly.

"Get it's glove!! Get the thing off!!"

The Majors at the StarGate were shouting.

"Get the thing off!! Just keep it pointed away!!"

Yeah okay, they got the glove off. It didn't seem to be working, but then who would know that. They kept it pointing outwards, away.

Walter was up! His hood was off. His shackles were on. He was waddling like a geisha girl, running up the causeway. He'd already slipped passed SG-19, they'd not noticed. They couldn't radio into the pyramid, it wouldn't have it. It was funny because although he was chained and shackled he was going fairly fast. Hopperty skipping.

Two Nebulium came out of nowhere, came out of phase, came into phase. They got hold of Walter and disappeared again. Walter started to disappear, and then reappear. Disappear then reappear. The Nebulium reappeared again. This time only one of them got hold of Harriman and disappeared. Walter didn't go anywhere, he just stood there. The Nebulium came back again. The two of them started dragging him towards the pyramid.

SG-4 appeared at the pyramid entrance, no not by phasing, Colonel Carter had sent them to check on the P90 disturbance. They jumped the Nebulium, two a piece. SG-19 were legging at speed up the causeway. They caught up. They were bellowing at SG-4

"Keep their arms out!! The weapon!! The Weapon!!"

They did, in the struggle they kept the Nebulium arms out, aimed up at the pyramid. If that glove was a weapon they didn't seem to be firing it. Although their glove wearing arms were jerking backward every other moment. Evans, James and Fielding had joined the case, they caught up. The two Nebulium were over powered. They disappeared. Damn, they just disappeared.

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"Try the weapon! Griff try the weapon!"

Griff put the glove on.

"I can't feel anything. Theres nothing here."

"Just try it."

"Err, wait, wait. Give me something to shoot at."

"Harriman's helmet!"

Griff aimed at the containment helmet Sergeant Harriman had been wearing. He squeeze his hand. Flexed his fingers. Wiggled them about. He shook his hand like he was granting a wish.

"Theres nothing. Theres nothing, honestly."

"Are you sure?"

"No I'm not sure but I just don't think theres anything. Err better just, okay, just em, well we're having it anyway. Just make sure its not pointing at anyone."

"Sure thing on that Griff. We don't even know if the things are on or off!"

There was complete and utter chaos on the causeway. SG-4 retreated back into the pyramid to take up position on SG-1's six. Fielding, James, Evans and Able carried Walter back down to the Medical area. Walter was still infected. He was still sedated as well. The Nebulium had started to eject but withdrew back into Walter's right eye socket.

"Major Fielding, Sir should we zat him?"

"Only if you want to kill him James."

"Yeah got you there Sir, sorry."

"No we need oxygen, em, we need oxygen."

"Sir theres oxygen in the helmet. That's what Colonel Carter said in the Briefing, theres oxygen in the helmet."

"Err, okay, just get him back down there. Pin him down!"

There was oxygen in the helmet sure, but getting at it would probably combust the gas, fry the helmet and seriously singe whoever had been tampering with it.

The noise, the low tones had stopped. It wasn't the same booming they'd had in the tunnels, jeez nothing like that, but is was a pretty severe bone shaker, whatever it was it had ceased for the time being.

Benson was looking over the back wall.

"Nothing down here Sir, nothing at all."

"Okay, keep your eyes peeled."

"Sir."

Walter was beginning to pop. Again. He was like a crash dummy without a seat belt. He was throwing himself around the ground. He was sedated so at least that was something. His body was convulsing. Everybody was standing back. They weren't going to engage the Nebulium. But they would if anymore of those clothed ones turned up. Having already seen a fair amount of ejection, James and Fielding had hold of Walter's head and feet, trying to limit the damage caused to his unconscious body.

The Nebulium peaked out, head first this time. Aye, aye, here it comes. It slithered out of him, inch by inch. This one seem to be much smaller sized than the other ones they'd seen. It stepped out of Walter, standing on his head, on Fielding's hand. It sprang up, jumped and landed. Everybody was casing it with their guns drawn, but hey, cease fire, they let it go.

It jiggered about up the causeway. The same two Nebulium, possibly the same two Nebulium that had been up near the pyramid entrance, reappeared in front of SG-19. They were gloved but not aiming. They grabbed Walter's infection and disappeared.

"Pack it up!! Come on!! Lets go!! Lets go!!"

They hurried to pack up. Griff wanted to get to Nifla. He had to get everyone to the Beta Site first.

Major Pierce sent Whitworth back down to the pyramid. Marks and Evans went with him.

"Go and tell them we're ready to pull out."

Withwotrth, Evans and Marks got to the pyramid and went inside. Just then the two gloved Nebulium reappeared. They reappeared exactly where they'd disappeared only moments before.

"Incoming!! Incoming!!"

They were facing the pyramid. Facing SG-19. Both of them raised their arms. It was impossible to tell what they did after that. Walsh, Doiyee, Bryce, Able and Fielding and now Green, De-Santis and Tiller were on them. They grabbed their arms, steering their arms away from the Ops. Holding them up. Their arms were flapping but at the pyramid. Everybody had their 9 mils out. Off loading clips into the sneaky smoky clouds. Repetitive repeaters, firing and firing away, downwards angle. The essential thing was to keep those Nebulium arms up. To keep those gloved hands away from everybody.

Remembering the shortage of 9 mil rounds Griff, Yardly, Dickers and Smallfoot were down the platform steps now blazing up to causeway towards the armed Nebulium. Both creatures went down but it was just so damn impossible to know when they were thoroughly dead though.

"Get those things off them!! Keep out of line with the glove!"

Lieutenant Bryce suddenly began screaming and screaming. They'd seen it before. They'd seen it in the tunnels, in the upper chamber. He was screaming. He was spinning around on the spot. Flailing. Arms swinging everywhere. He was cooking from the inside.

"Shoot him! Shoot him!!"

Griff was shouting at the Doctor. Major Fielding took out his zat gun and shot Bryce. He stopped screaming and went down to the ground. DOA, dead on arrival. Major Able stood there starring at Lieutenant Bryce. He knew he'd been hit. He knew it, he could feel it. He looked truly horrified and despaired. He looked like he was in anticipation of the worst to come. He was starring at his colleagues. He was pleading with them with his eyes. Nobody could see that, his goggles didn't allow it. He held his hands out to them, gesturing for help. Nobody even suspected there was anything wrong with him. Still nothing. He just knew he'd been shot though, he knew it. He could feel it, sort of. He was absolutely certain he'd been sho.. ..he fell down dead. No screaming. No crying out. No zat'nik'atel. He just fell DOA. He was right, he had been shot. He'd been shot in the head. In the brain. Hemispheres cooked, inside out. Major Able, rest in peace.

Jeez this was bad. This was very very bad. They were all moving around. Swinging forwards, swinging backwards. Walking forwards. Walking backwards. walking in circles. They were automatically teaming up in pairs. Walking back to back. Edging back down the causeway.

Whitworth came running out of the pyramid waving his arm. A Nebulium phased not ten meters in front of him.

"Get down!! Get down!!"

Major Walsh was screaming at him.

"Downnnn!!"

Whitworth dived to the floor and hit the deck. He scrambled backwards trying get back in the entrance, behind the stone slabs. Everybody let go, riproar on the Nebulium. At the same time they all knelt down. The Nebulium turned round, he'd have 'em, no, no he didn't, even a Nebulium couldn't resist that much fire power. It keeled and congealed, spilling all over the ground, dead.

Teal'c still hadn't arrived. They were actually all expecting the worst. He'd been having breathing difficulties in The SGC. Once the excess oxygen got into the system, no matter what, it still seemed to have the intoxicating, disintegrating effect. At worst they were hoping the Nebulium had ejected and he was now on Nifla in an empty and weak but live state. They would go to Nifla to get him.

Griff ordered.

"Dial it up. Beta Site. Seven Chevron. Do it Now!!"

It was a gruesome opus of Operatives on the causeway. All dancing around each other. Checking everything. Checking the ground, checking the air. Waiting for another attack. Whitworth came sneaking out of the pyramid. He got the thumbs up from Major Walsh. He started to run. He started to run but stopped and looked up at the pyramid. Something was happening. Ah that was it, it was caving in. Some of the stone blocks were caving. Sand morter and sand stone began to crumble high about on the south wall. The rubble was raining down. It was dangerous. They could hear the wall aching, moving. The south wall of pyramid had taken a good belting from the Nebulium gloves. Parts of the stone had been cooked. Cooked beyond construct. It was crumbling. It was beginning to come down.

"Dialling Sir."

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:: Mission Accounts ::

© Richard Dean Anderson all rights reserved June 2006