Chapter 42
"Receiving SG-1's transmission signal," the technician reported.
"Open the iris," General Hammond ordered and headed down to the gate room.
The event horizon rippled slightly as first Major Carter and Teal'c then O'Neill and Methos passed through. A moment later, Daniel stepped onto the ramp and stared like the rest of them at the familiar gate room.
Below, Hammond stood open mouthed, taking in the sight of his team. "What the hell happened to you?!" he asked, dumbfounded.
The five looked at each other as if seeing themselves for the first time in months. Carter, Daniel and O'Neill were a dusky shade of bronze with hair and brows dyed black as coal. Hair which was far too long to be remotely considered regulation. Beside them, Methos was pale, thin and very hairless, dressed in a blue caftan robe with matching slippers. Only Teal'c looked relatively normal. Though like the others, his uniform appeared worn and a bit frayed at the edges.
"I certainly hope you have a good explanation for this, Colonel." the general said, shaking his head slowly as they made their way down the ramp.
"First," O'Neill said. "What day is it, sir?"
"What day?" Hammond looked stunned. "It's Friday."
"No, the date, sir." The general told him and O'Neill looked equally baffled. "That means we haven't left yet," he said to Carter.
"Actually, sir, it means we just got back," she responded.
"Well, duh!"
"No, sir. I mean we just got back from our last mission. The one before the concert. Before Egypt."
"What concert? What about Egypt?" the general wanted to know.
"Springsteen," Jack supplied. "Great show. We were on our way to dinner, then you ordered us back to the base. There's a Goa'uld ship out in the desert. We were sent to check it out. Or," he amended. "We will be sent to check it out."
"No, we won't," Daniel interjected and everyone turned to him.
"What do you mean we won't?" O'Neill asked.
"What I kept trying to tell you back there," Daniel said. "We parked in a construction zone."
"What?!"
"We landed near Aswan."
"Oh no!" Methos groaned. "The dam!"
"What dam?" O'Neill demanded. "There was no dam there."
"But there is now," Methos pointed out.
Daniel nodded. "Since the sixties that whole area's been underwater. The Aswan dam is what keeps the Nile from flooding every year. So, there's no ship for the satellites to spot and no mission to go on. The end result. We're right back where we started."
O'Neill looked furious. "God damn it! Tok'ra!"
General Hammond cleared his throat. He wasn't sure what was going on. This was supposed to have been a simple recon mission to a primitive planet. Now they were back, looking as if they'd been gone for years and babbling about Egypt, Goa'uld ships and the Tok'ra?
"All right, people, settle down. You," he pointed to Methos, who looked ready to collapse, "obviously belong in the infirmary."
"Nah," O'Neill shook his head. "He's not radioactive anymore. A nice nap, a few good meals and he'll be fine."
"Radioactive?!" The general exclaimed. "All right, that's it," he ordered. "I want all of you checked out. Now!"
With grimaces and grumbles they headed for Dr. Fraiser's domain as Hammond took a deep breath and sighed.
"Aspirin first," he muttered with a shake of his head. "I can already tell this debriefing's going to be a doozy!"
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