Grabbing clumsily for his glasses and the required sidearm laying next to his sleeping bag, Daniel stumbled from the tent in confusion as the resounding noise of gunshots filled the early morning air only slightly aware that Jack was already outside. Somewhere in his sleep befuddled brain, he noted that this wasn't the sound of Air Force issued weapons or even the noisy bursts of staff weapons, rather that of single shot rifles.

Pain ripped through his body as an unseen force slammed into his side, throwing him back against the tent, causing it to collapse into a canvas heap under him. Fague awareness returned with the sound of unfamiliar voices. What were they saying? Think. Translate. God his head was pounding. It sounded like a mixture of earth English and Abydonian.

"Leave them....lesson....others not to cook...." No that wasn't it...didn't make any sense. "Our territory....Herd moving." The voices faded as the darkness once again claimed him.

He lay staring up at the lavender sky, letting the pain wash over his body as the darkness receded. He listened carefully for the voices but the only sounds were the leaves rustling in the breeze and the birds once again singing from their nests as if the world hadn't gone totally insane recently. Forcing the pain aside, he slowly pulled himself into a sitting position. The world tilted crazily and he pressed a hand to his head taking several deep breaths as his surroundings spun out of control.

Daniel stared at his hand, fascinated by the blood. Not trusting his legs to hold him, he crawled around the destroyed campsite. The members of SG-6 lay where they had fallen, cut down by the bullets ripping through their bodies, their blood turning the rose tinted grass a deep red.

Daniel carefully picked his way through the camp rubble checking each of the team to see if there was anything he could do. Why? What had they done to cause this? Nothing. These men had done nothing. It was only a routine mission. Check out the planet, get to know each other and learn to work as a team. It was only a routine mission for God's Sake! Jack! Pushing back the darkness creeping at the edge of his vision, Daniel frantically searched the campsite again. Where was Jack? What had happened to him?

"With any luck, we'll have fresh fish for breakfast." As the thought flashed through his mind, Daniel painfully climbed to his feet and stumbled toward the stream, frantically searching the bank for any sign of his friend. He skidded to a stop, the world now spinning crazily out of control at the sight before him. Jack's motionless body lay face down, one hand dangling limply in the water.

His physical pain forgotten, Daniel stumbled forward, crumbling to the ground beside Jack suddenly afraid to touch him. Terrified the pulse he searched for wouldn't be there, verifying the fact that he was once again alone in the universe. Horror, at the blood covering the front of Jack's shirt, was replaced by relief as a barely audible groan escaped Jack's lips when Daniel gently eased him onto his back.

"Easy Jack...shh...it's going to be alright." He murmured. Think Daniel. Think. Don't let your emotions, your fears take control. Jack needs your help. Tearing open Jack's shirt, he gently wiped at the blood wanting to gag at the gaping hole in Jack's upper chest just below the right shoulder. Ripping the tail from his shirt Daniel desperately pressed the material against the wound attempting to stem the flow of blood. Jack groaned trying to twist away.

"It's okay Jack...You're gonna be okay..."

"Dan...Danny?....Hap...happened?" Jack's eyes fluttered open, biting his lip against the pain.

"I think it was hunters." Ripping another piece from the shirt he added it to the material already covering the wound.

"Others?..."

"Don't try to talk Jack. You need to conserve your strength."

"Danny?" Jack gripped his arm forcing Daniel to meet his blurry gaze, determined to have an answer to his question. "What...about...others?"

"They're dead...everyone else is dead."

"Oh God!"

"Lay still damnit!" Daniel gently pushed him back as Jack struggled to sit up. His strength gone, Jack lay still, slipping once more into painless darkness.

Think Daniel. They couldn't stay here. The men who did this might return and there was always the thought of wild animals drawn by the smell of blood. Leaving him behind was out of the question. They were almost a two day walk from the Stargate and Jack would either bleed to death or die of infection before Daniel could get home and return with help. They weren't due to return for another two days and if General Hammond followed his usual procedure he wouldn't start to worry until they hadn't been heard from for twelve hours after that and wouldn't send anyone to look for them until they were at least twenty-four hours overdue. Either way it didn't matter. There was no way in hell he was leaving without Jack. Think Daniel. He fought the fuzziness at the edge of his vision and shook his head to help clear his mind. Removing his shirt, he quickly tore it into strips, ignoring the sight of his own blood on the material.

"Sorry Jack but it'll have to do until I can get to the med kits." He apologized, thankful his friend remained unconscious while he tightly bandaged the wound. "I have to go back to the camp Jack but I'll be back as soon as I can. You just lay here and rest." He hoped that Jack could hear him or at least sense what he was saying. Easing the handgun from the holster on Jack's hip, he gently placed it in his hand wrapping Jack's fingers around the handle...just in case.

Pain seized him, trapping the breath in his lungs and forcing him to his knees as Daniel tried to stand. He was surprised at the large gash in his side that oozed blood down his leg. When had that happened? It didn't matter. It wasn't serious and Jack needed him. Forcing slow deep breaths, Daniel climbed to his feet and made his way back to what had become the site of a massacre.

With a groan, Daniel slowly opened his eyes, more than a little shocked to find himself laying in the grass next to the ashes of last night's campfire. When had he passed out? Feeling cold metal against his palm, Daniel blinked to clear his vision, discovering the travois he'd fashioned with their collapsed tent.

Daniel carefully dragged the bodies into the only tent that remained standing, gently laying the team members side by side, promising they would be brought home for burial before saying a silent prayer and tightly fastening the opening. He couldn't carry Jack to the Stargate but he could use a travois to pull him. How many times had Jack, Teal'c and Sam done just that for him. Feeling like a thief, he searched through the other's packs, filling his and Jack's with med kits, matches, food and any other undamaged supplies he thought might be essential. Apologizing, Daniel replaced his shirt with Sergeant Johnson's extra one, looking like a child playing soldier in the larger man's clothes. Tossing the packs , a sleeping bag and an extra blanket onto the travois he had reached for a canteen when the world came crashing down upon him.

Agony seared through him as he rolled over and gazed upward. Oh God! From the position of the sun, the day was half gone. JACK!