"I'm sorry sir, but right now I can't say for sure if Lt. Peterson will survive or not. I can tell you if he lives, he'll more than likely spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair." Janet flipped open her report, passing them each a copy. "He suffered severe internal injuries, and a broken back resulting in severe spinal damage." She rubbed her eyes, wearily wanting nothing more than to sink into a soft bed and sleep to make up for the ten hours she'd just spent in surgery. "There is something you should know, sir. According to the colonel's initial report, Lt. Peterson fell a distance comparatively to falling from the roof of a two story house."

"And?"

"These injuries aren't consistant with that type of fall, sir. Most of the damage was done to his back and the right side of his body. For example his right leg was fractured in three places, his right arm in two. In both cases the bones punctured the skin, causing profuse bleed-"

"We get the picture." Jack muttered with a grimace.

"I'm sorry to say doctor but that sounds consistant with a two story fall onto rocks," Hammond commented.

"Exactly, sir. However, his left arm was broken just above the wrist....a sharp clean fracture. He also has severe bruising about the face, chest and abdomen. Bruises that aren't consistant with the other injuries."

Hammond studied the woman intently, "So what are you saying, Dr. Fraiser?"

"I'm not saying anything, sir. I'm simply wondering why if he landed on his back and right side as the evidence indicates, he has so many bruises on the front of his body and how his left arm was fractured?"

"Sir, there's-" Jack stopped, his expression clearly saying he wished to speak to the general alone. What he was about to say could possibly ruin a man's career and without proof positive, O'Neill didn't want to voice his beliefs to anyone but his commanding officer.

"Thank you, Dr. Fraiser. I suggest you get some rest and please inform me of any changes in Lt. Peterson's condition." Hammond gave her a small smile of dismissal.

As soon as the door closed behind Janet, O'Neill voiced his request. "Permission to go through the gate to P3J7795 and investigate exactly what happened to Lt. Peterson, sir."

"May I remind you, Colonel, you are on stand down until further notice due to a medical condition?"

"My knee is fine, sir. Janet, herself told me she's just being extra cautious." Without revealing his source, Jack proceeded to inform the general of what Carter had told him earlier. "If the information was coming from one disgruntled airman, I'd be inclined to dismiss it without a second thought, but I trust the person who came to me with this and it's not only intell they've heard from others, but first hand experience."

General Hammond sat for several moments in silence, his hands folded on the table in front of him. Jack knew it bothered him the people under his command hadn't come forward with this information. Unlike most senior officers, the general kept his professional distance without appearing aloof or unfeeling. It was a well known fact the man knew the name of each person in his command as well as their service records and names of family members. There was an air about Hammond which made a person feel they could go to him for help whether the problem was personal or professonal.

After several long moments, Hammond finally nodded. "I told Colonel Thorp I would inform him of Lt. Peterson's condition. Clear it with Dr. Fraiser and you have a go. Take Major Carter with you."

*****

Carter moved up beside the Colonel as they neared the temple. The majority of the hike had been completed in silence. Her commanding officer seemingly lost in thought. "Sir, I hope our discussion in the briefing room didn't cause undue influence regarding your-"

"Major have you ever known Daniel to say exactly how long it's gonna take for him complete an excavation or translation.?"

Sam shook her head negatively. "No, sir."

"Well, according to Thorp, Daniel assured him he would be done by the end of the week." Ever alert, his assault weapon seemingly resting casually in his hands, Jack stopped, turning to face the blonde major.

"That's possible, sir, if there's nothing Daniel considers important." She shrugged smiling slightly as she added. "I mean...we know Daniel considers every artifact important but there may not be as much as the recon team originally thought."

"Also, according to Thorp, Daniel reported the translations describing a weapon he thinks may still be hidden in the temple."

Her blue eyes flared wide at his words. "There's no way Daniel would give him an exact completion date if that's the case!"

"My point exactly." The colonel smiled smugly, picking up the pace.

Thorp had ordered the camp set up in a clearing a quarter mile from the ruins. Huge boulders made a wall behind the tents and dense forest blocked the wind on either side, leaving only the trail to the temple open. "Do you see a cliff anywhere in the vincinty?"

"No, sir."

At her negative response, Jack felt a sudden sickening in the pit of his stomach as he continued to scan the area.

"After we report to Thorp, we'll split up. You check things out while I talk to Daniel and Teal'c." The order was given quietly as they nodded to Mason standing sentry outside the temple. "Keep it casual."

Colonel Thorp's assessment of the building's condition had been right on the money. "I hope the big bad wolf doesn't decide to visit while we're inside. One good huff and puff is all it would take." Pasting a smile on his handsome face, O'Neill crossed to where the colonel was supervising the packing of several crates.

"Colonel O'Neill, Major Carter. Glad to see you. We're behind schedule and could use the extra hands." Jack didn't fail to notice that with his greeting Thorp didn't bother to inquire about his lieutenant's condition.

"Sure thing." Setting their weapons aside, the two officers began to wrap the ancient articles already brought from the temple. Accustomed to the good natured chatter of SG-1 working together, Jack found the silence of this team unnerving. "By the way, General Hammond thought you might like to know Peterson's out of surgery. Dr. Fraiser had upgraded his chances slightly but she's still not saying he'll definately pull through."

"That's a shame." The colonel snapped the locks on the crate and ordered it placed on the F.R.E.D.

"I can tell you're all broke up about it," O'Neill muttered under his breath.

"O'Neill, it is good to see you healthy once again." Teal'c remarked somberly as he approached them, carrying a large urn. "Major Carter."

"Hey, Teal'c. How's it goin'?"

"It goes well. Daniel Jackson is presently in the lower level. I am sure he will be pleased to see you."

Jack, like the rest of his team had learned to read Teal'c's impassive expressions, catching every subtle nuance in his voice. This one clearly screamed, 'Go see Daniel Jackson NOW'.

Jack nodded as he moved toward the temple. "Yeah...I...kinda miss the kid."

"Careful, sir, there's a hole in the floor a few feet from the stairs." Mason warned. "I didn't see it and damn near landed on my six. in the basement."

O'Neill carefully maneuvered over the slabs of broken rock and made his way down the stair well. He smiled as the sound of Daniel's mumbling reached his ears. The kid almost always voiced his thoughts when working through a problem, as if he were bouncing ideas off an imaginary friend. The colonel's heart nearly stopped as his flashlight beam cut through the dark and came to rest on Daniel, crouching on his knees under a precariously balanced large stone slab, the narrow beam of light from his helmet moving back and forth along the wall as he scribbled furiously in his notebook.

"Daniel?" Jack spoke softly not wanting to startle the kid.

Daniel spared him a quick half glance. "Hey Jack. How's the knee?"

"Fine thanks....Daniel, would you please come over here." Jack knew the scientist's familiar, distracted, discovered something absolutely fascinating tone. Inhaling deeply, the older man waited.

Daniel didn't turn as he muttered, "Just a minute, I'm almost finished."

"Daniel..." O'Neill struggled to keep his voice even, "now please."

"In a min...just a little more...Anubus...almost done....there!" Shoving the notebook in his jacket, Daniel wiggled out from under the stone and stretched the kinks from his back before immediately moving to another wall to the left and some distance from where Jack stood waiting.

The colonel blew out a breath of exasperation as he crossed the distance between them. "How's everything goin' Daniel?"

"Oh, hey, Jack!" The linguist tossed him a quick smile as if just realizing the other man was there, then turned quickly back to the wall. "What are you doing here?"

Jack made a disgusted face. "We came to let Colonel Thorp know about Peterson's conditon."

"Sam's here too?....Lt. Peterson?" Pulling out the notebook, he abstractedly searched his jacket pockets for his pen. He suddenly glanced at Jack, his features a picture of puzzlement. "What do you mean, his condition?"

O'Neill's flashlight beam played over the young archaeologist. Jack took in the filthy rumpled clothes, stubbled cheeks and what he was sure were bloodshot eyes before Daniel threw a hand up blocking the bright light. "Daniel, how long since you left this temple?" he queried.

"What?"

"How long since you went outside?....Other then to use the facilities, as it were."

"I don't know....not too long....I'm....What did you mean about Peterson?"

"Evidently he fell off a cliff last night."

"Oh God...." The colonel grabbed Daniel's arm as he swayed, sucking in several deep breaths of air. "Is he...is he...alright?"

"It doesn't look good." Jack was never one for sugar coating bad news. "Come on, let's get some air."

Daniel jerked away from the light a second too late and the soldier saw the discolored bruise along his cheekbone. "Damnit Danny...What did you do to yourself?"

"Nothin'....it's nothing, Jack." O'Neill stubbornly followed the younger man as he flipped open the notebook and moved back to the wall. Gently taking hold of his chin, he tilted Daniel's head toward the light for a better look.

"How'd this happen, Daniel?"

His blue eyed gaze moving past Jack, Daniel pulled away and focused intently on the wall behind them.

"I...fell, Jack okay? It's no big deal....You know me. I'm always tripping over something."

Jack's gaze took in the young scientist's quivering chin and trembling hands. Catching movement out of the corner of his eye, O'Neill saw Thorp standing in the doorway.

Daniel stubbornly moved away from him. "I really need to get back to work.....I'll talk to ya later Jack."

"Oh you bet you will, Danny.....You bet you will!" Rage oozing from every pore, O'Neill brushed past Thorp, almost knocking the man over in disgust.