"Unscheduled off-world activation! I repeat, unscheduled off-world activation! This is not a drill. All available personnel report to the embarkation room." The technical sergeant's voice rang loud and clear throughout the largely silent facility. It was around midnight, and most people on the base had already retired for the night leaving a skeleton crew on duty.

General Hammond burst into the hallway, impeccably dressed as usual. He had been in his office reviewing several mission reports when the warning had boomed through the speakers. Another high-ranking officer joined him in his purposeful march toward the control room as the flurry of activity escalated around them.

"What is it Sergeant?" The General asked calmly, his voice clear and authoritative. Although young and relatively inexperienced, the technical sergeant on duty gave his report in a concise manner.

"Uh, General, there're no SG teams due back for another 48 hours. We haven't received a transmission code yet, Sir."

General Hammond peered down into the embarkation room, where scores of battle ready airmen already stood to engage in hostile fire if necessary.

"How many teams are currently off-world?"

The Sergeant referred back to the computer screen. "Sir, only SG-1 and SG-3 are currently off-world. SG-1 went out approximately one day ago and SG-3 ... about 5 hours ago."

"Right." The fifth chevron activated on the Stargate below them as General Hammond frowned in consternation. "Have we received a code yet?"

The Sergeant once more looked at the monitor before him. "No Sir."

The sixth chevron activated.

"Wait Sir - I'm getting a transmission ..." he paused as the computer took a microsecond to verify the source. "It's SG-1 Sir."

Of course it was. "Open the iris ... And get a medical team down there." Both the technical sergeant and a nearby airman nodded in compliance.

"Yes Sir."

"Right away Sir."

As the Sergeant made the request for a medical team, General Hammond waited with bated breath, hoping against hope that once again, SG-1 would return safely. He sighed inwardly, frustrated at the oppressive safety of the mountain. He really disliked the feeling that it gave to him, to have to wait inside the SGC while he sent others off to dangerous missions. He particularly loathed the feeling since he would be unable to do anything about it if anything went wrong. As the base commander, he would have to deploy others to help those in need.

Well, most of the time. Despite the worry that now tempered his thoughts as he stood awaiting the fate of SG-1, he remembered embarking on a near-suicidal mission to Hathor's lair with only Teal'c to accompany him. Disregarding orders, hopping onto that death glider ... That had been one hell of a ride.

The General's attention was snapped back to reality as the seventh chevron activated to create the artificial wormhole below. It seemed as if time stood still as those in the control room collectively waited for signs of life to emerge from the Stargate's watery depths.

Dr. Jackson tumbled head-first onto the steel ramp and rolled unconsciously towards the waiting medical team, creating a crimson trail behind him. That was a bad sign.

Teal'c emerged next, his normally calm exterior replaced with one of tiredness and exhaustion. He was covered with a mixture of mud, grass and blood as he literally stumbled onto the ramp and collapsed, no longer able to stand. General Hammond could not contain his worry at Teal'c's condition. Teal'c was the strongest member of the team, and for him to have been reduced to this ...

He left the rest unsaid, even in his own mind. He hurried down the spiral staircase towards the gate itself. Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter were still missing.

"Teal'c are you all right?"

"I am ... fine General Hammond." Teal'c stated, his reply tainted with uncharacteristic breathlessness. The tall jaffa's eyes darted around the room, taking in the confusion, the rush of medical personnel, and the still form of his friend Daniel below him.

"Teal'c ... Where are Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter?"

He did not have a chance to reply. Just as the words were out of his mouth, Colonel O'Neill appeared before the event horizon, literally bursting forth with the limp form of his comrade, Major Carter, drawing air into his lungs as if he'd been underwater. The Colonel's face was contorted with a disturbing mixture of anxiety, relief and well-known pain. Somewhere along the way his cap must have flown off, revealing hair that was matted with mud and dust. A blow was evident from the large area of dried blood on his forehead, a deep, crusty hue that was strikingly juxtaposed with the paleness of his face.

He did not speak - he had no energy to. But everyone standing in the room with him got the message that he was trying to convey ... help Sam.

The General's eyes travelled as everyone else's did. First, to the over-exhausted Colonel who was veering unsteadily on his feet. Him looking around, his eyes speaking volumes of unstated relief at finding himself back at the SGC. Then stumbling to his knees, dragging a comatose Major Carter behind him, just as the Stargate disengaged behind her. He maintained his death-like grip on her arm even as he succumbed to his exhaustion and collapsed face down onto the hard steel of the ramp below.

The Colonel's grip was so tight that it took two nearby airman to pry his fingers off the Major. Dr. Fraiser, who had been paged off-base, scooted over to the Major's prone body and took in the scene before her in a glance.

General Hammond felt ill as he watched helplessly. While SG-1 had faced many times before, there had never been so much *blood*. It'd always seemed that SG-1 were immortal, because they never bled. They've died, they've disappeared, hell they've even gone crazy, but ... they've never bled. Now ... they're bleeding, and there's so much blood ... and suddenly they were mortal again.

His military professionalism quickly reasserted itself. "All right. Get them to the infirmary. Dr. Fraiser, report their conditions to me after you've treated them all, and Teal'c -" the General looked over at Teal'c, anticipating his protests, "that includes you."

He watched as the last of the medical team carted the limp form of Colonel O'Neill on a stretcher, Major Carter and Dr. Jackson having already been transferred. Giving one last worried look to Teal'c, he slowly climbed the stairs to the control room.

He straightened his shoulders upon reaching the door to his office. Someone had to tell the President.

***

"Doctor, do you want to tell me what's wrong with them?" General Hammond closed the report he had been writing and gave his undivided attention to the diminutive doctor standing opposite him. Dr. Janet Fraiser was the Chief Medical Officer at the SGC and was one of the most competent officers General Hammond had ever known. Although small in stature, Dr. Fraiser left no one in doubt of her superior medical capabilities and fiery temperament. It was this reason that the General had slowly come to think of her as one of the most trustworthy officers on the base, having no qualms objecting to his orders if she saw it was in the best interests of her patients.

"Well it's not actually as bad as we thought. Dr. Jackson suffered a blow to the head and is suffering from concussion, but he should recover quickly. Teal'c was suffering from shock so I had to put him under a sedative - he should be okay after a night's rest. Colonel O'Neill is out cold due to extreme exhaustion and has a deep cut on his forehead, but it was relatively minor. A couple of days in the infirmary with the right hospital food, he should recover quickly." She gave him a quick smile. "So, with the exception of Major Carter, the rest of the team should be able to go home in couple of days or so."

"What about Major Carter?"

"Well, Sir - Major Carter appears to have suffered the most serious injuries. There was a break on her right fibula, but fortunately it was quite a clean break so with luck, it'll set properly. She also had deep gashes on her arms and legs that we had to put stitches on, but frankly ..." Her eyes reflected intense concern as she looked at the General. "Teal'c told me she suffered a major blow to the head about 8 hours ago and she hasn't regained consciousness. I'm worried General. It's not a good sign that she hasn't regained consciousness for so long. The blow might have done more damage to her than her other injuries."

The General's fatherly faced looked on in concern. "How serious is it?"

"Well, I'm going to keep her in the infirmary and monitor her progress. Hopefully she'll regain consciousness in the next 24 hours, but if not ... complications could arise."

General Hammond captured her ominous meaning. "Well, we'll just have to wait and see then. Thank you Doctor."

Dr. Fraiser nodded in acknowledgment as she headed out of his office. "I'll be in the infirmary if you need me General."

General Hammond fixed his gaze on a puncture in the wall of his office and sighed as the footsteps of the doctor slowly faded away.