Title: Starting Fresh, Part 1

Author: sgtat

Season: One

Related Episodes/Spoilers: None

Disclaimer: I have no ownership in the Stargate franchise. If I did, I would not be writing fan fiction.

Characters: Jack O'Neill

Pairings: None

Category: Light Adventure

Rating: T

Summary: Jack leads the team in search of Daniel.

Author's Note: This series of stories was written in response to a challenge to use the first and last sentences provided for each character.

Jack looked down at the tangled and bloodied scraps of material he had clutched tightly in one hand. They were the only evidence of his missing team member, and they'd searched the area thoroughly. Even Teal'c couldn't find footprints to follow on the solid rock slabs, and the blood where they had found the scraps did not continue to form a trail. It was like he had just vanished. Jack shook his head. He should have known Daniel wouldn't stay in sight like he was ordered. The impetuous archeologist had probably caught a glimpse of something old-looking and was gone before the others could notice. This was becoming a habit.

"Carter!"

Jack didn't need to turn around to know his second in command had stopped short in her search and twisted around to look at him.

"From now on, one of us is staying with Daniel at all times."

"Yes sir," was the brisk reply and Jack knew she was already back to her task. That was one driven woman. It didn't matter what she was doing, she went at it full-throttle. Like Daniel, but different. Daniel was swept away by the mysteries of the universe, following wherever they led him . . . including away from the safety of his teammates. Carter's style was more intense and purposeful. This much Jack had already figured out about his two scientists. And Teal'c? Jack glanced at the buff man with the snake in his gut, scanning the horizon suspiciously, and couldn't help grinning. Teal'c was all man. Silent, focused, serious, deadly, detached . . . the guy had the military bearing down pat, and then some. As if sensing Jack's regard, Teal'c turned to look at him, raising his eyebrow. Jack looked away hastily, and the material he still held in his hand sobered him quickly.

"Daniel, where the heck are you?" He muttered to himself, continuing his own search of the area. Of course, he knew what had happened. Daniel had wandered away and gotten himself in trouble and injured. Probably attacked by the locals, if there were any, or the wildlife if there weren't. They would eventually find him, they'd get him out of whatever mess he'd gotten into, and they'd all go home. Only problem was, there was a rogue factor in that nice, clean equation, namely that Daniel had disappeared pretty much without a trace.

"O'Neill!"

Teal'c's voice pulled Jack from his thoughts. He loped over to the big man, vaguely registering that Carter had taken a knee and was alert, holding her weapon at low-ready. Maybe she had more experience in ground missions than he thought.

Teal'c waited for O'Neill to reach him, keeping perfectly still but not taking cover. Jack pulled up even with him.

"What've you got?"

Teal'c pointed across the rock-covered area toward the woods. "There is smoke rising just beyond that hill."

Jack squinted into the distance. He looked at Teal'c. Teal'c looked at him. Jack grabbed his binoculars and scanned the hill's outline. Then he saw it. A steady, but very thin stream of smoke. Jack lowered his binoculars and found that once he knew where it was, he could see it without the device. Barely.

"Good eye, Teal'c," he said, replacing his binoculars. He waved Carter over and she responded promptly, looking around as she approached them. Huh. Yep, definitely more experienced than he'd thought. Certainly not conversant in field work – her actions weren't fluid or natural – but she basically knew what to do and she was doing it, which was more than he had expected, even after their recent mission to Chulak. He noticed Teal'c watching him watch Carter and gave the man a pat on the shoulder. Teal'c looked at his shoulder with a deep frown before returning his gaze to Jack. Apparently a friendly slap on the shoulder was not normal in Jaffa culture. Jack met the man's gaze with a blank expression. Somehow this seemed to satisfy Teal'c, who blinked several times as he returned his gaze to the column of smoke, his frown lifting a bit into a more thoughtful expression.

"Sir?" Carter quietly alerted Jack to her proximity just before reaching the two men. Jack pointed off toward the hillside carelessly.

"Teal'c spotted some smoke. Let's check it out." The three teammates moved out in single file, Jack in the lead, tucking the scraps of Daniel's uniform into a vest pocket. Teal'c and Carter fumbled a bit before Carter stubbornly stood her ground, Teal'c finally going before her, one eyebrow raised and head tilted slightly. Jack glanced over his shoulder and felt a prick of amusement. Of course as a brand new team it was probably best for the newest member of SG-1 to be flanked by the two USAF officers; they could keep a better eye on him while they were still figuring out how he reacted in various situations. Teal'c, though, probably felt that, as the stronger, more experienced warrior, he should take the rear, the better to protect the young, relatively inexperienced Captain. Jack had to hand it to her. If she could stand up to Teal'c and have the big man back down, she was no pussy cat.

Jack glanced back again a few minutes later, as they neared the tree-line. Teal'c walked just a few paces behind him, looking very alert but not glancing around much. Carter had fallen a little ways behind Teal'c but was keeping pace, weapon still at the low ready, tense eyes everywhere but the trail in front of her. She was nervous. So, maybe not as experienced in the field as he had begun to think. Jack turned his attention back to where he was going. He'd only glanced at the Captain's service record between the Chulak mission and this one. That whole fiasco with Kowalski had kept him from a good study of all his teammates' pasts. He'd have to take a good thorough look at Carter's personnel file when they got back from this mission, not to mention sit down for a long chat with Daniel and Teal'c. No more guessing, no more surprises.

The loud crack that rang out through the quiet of the forest and the flash of fire that broke off a think tree branch ahead of them was certainly a surprise. Jack scrambled at a low run to the nearest tree and took cover. He saw Carter do the same and gave her a quick nod of approval. Teal'c, however, just stood where he was, staff weapon at the ready, out in the open and a relatively easy target. The guy didn't even take a knee.

"Teal'c!" Jack hissed to get the big man's attention. He gestured for the Jaffa to take cover like him and Carter, and Teal'c complied as if a light bulb had gone off. Obviously Jaffa defensive tactics were not quite the same as theirs. Teal'c took up a position behind a tree near Jack's.

"You know what that was?" Jack asked quietly.

"A weapon," Teal'c answered.

Jack glared at him. "I figured that! Do you know what kind of weapon?"

"I do not."

"Great," Jack muttered. The forest was quiet again. "Alright, let's move forward. Use the trees for cover as you go. We'll do something called a buddy rush. Watch me and Carter and do the same."

Teal'c nodded with what may have been curiosity. Jack signaled Carter, who proceeded to run forward and past Jack's position for about 3 second's count before stopping abruptly behind another tree. Jack then leapfrogged her in the same style. Jack gave Teal'c an impatient wave and Teal'c jogged past awkwardly a few seconds later. Jack shook his head. You were supposed to run in a buddy rush, not jog. Carter dashed past him again and they continued like this for several minutes before Jack finally held up a hand to stop. The three teammates quietly caught their breath, watching and listening for signs of danger. There were none. Jack waved his teammates to him.

"Let's proceed normally but with caution," he ordered quietly. "Teal'c, take point. Carter, after Teal'c."

Carter gave him a surprised look but swiftly squelched it, falling in behind Teal'c. She remained several paces back so she could see past the tall, wide Jaffa, and Jack brought up the rear. They were already part-way up the hill, thanks to their buddy rushing adventure, and it was getting steeper. They made it to the top without incident, where Teal'c paused. Jack caught up to him and Carter kept an eye on their surroundings.

"I believe the smoke I witnessed earlier was originating from that structure," Teal'c announced, pointing to a small cabin-like building, almost invisible through the trees. It was located less than half-way down the hill. There was no smoke rising from the building, but Jack could smell it and figured the fire must've been put out recently.

"Alright. Let's go." Jack took the lead and Teal'c followed stiffly. Jack didn't bother checking if Carter was with them. They made it to the cabin, Jack pausing several yards away to let the others catch up with him. Carter again took up a defensive position, turning slightly away from her teammates to keep an eye out for danger.

"Carter, you stay here and keep an eye out. Anything looks suspicious, whistle or something. Teal'c, you and I will go check out the cabin. Just . . . try to do what I do."

Jack saw Carter smile as she looked away, while Teal'c raised an eyebrow again. Hmmm. So the Captain had a sense of humor, after all. Thank goodness. He could use an ally against the ever-earnest archeologist and stoic Jaffa. He shook his head as he and Teal'c crept forward cautiously. At least the Jaffa seemed to be following his lead, crouching a bit as they moved forward. They reached the cabin and Jack pressed his back against the wall, Teal'c quickly imitating him. Jack could just make out Carter's blond head a little ways from him, the rest of her well-hidden. He barely stopped himself from slipping into his old black ops routine. Teal'c wouldn't know what to do. Jack frowned as he crept toward the corner of the building. How the heck had he landed up on another planet with a strange alien and a green Captain as back-up, looking for an even greener archeologist? He turned the corner, sideling up next to what appeared to be a fairly standard door. He could have slapped himself. What had he been thinking? Going out into unknown, possibly very dangerous territory with this rag-tag, rookie team?

Of course, he thought, keeping a sharp eye on the woods as he waited for Teal'c to catch up to him, they'd worked very well together so far, all things considering. He felt Teal'c near him and quickly entered the building, hoping Teal'c would get the hint. Jack swung his weapon up as he entered, moving swiftly to the far corner of the room as his eyes swept around the single-room building looking for enemies. The room was empty. Good thing, too, because Teal'c came in and stood right in the doorway. Jack shook his head again. He should have briefed the Jaffa on how to clear a room before they'd approached the cabin. He moved to the door to signal Carter that they were all right, and saw her break cover to take up a defensive position closer to the cabin. He turned back and re-entered the building. Teal'c was standing in the middle of the room.

"O'Neill, I do not believe Daniel Jackson is here."

Jack stopped. "Yeah, I know. But there might be clues around here. Or the owner of this fine establishment might come home and be able to give us some information. Let's take a look around, see if there's anything interesting."

Jack watched as Teal'c frowned but began puttering around the room . . . if a Jaffa could putter. Jack glanced back out the door to see Carter lying in a prone position behind a shrub just a few yards away. At least he didn't have to teach them all everything. He realized with a sudden clarity that that's what he had been doing the entire mission. Teaching. For all Carter's training and Teal'c's experience and Daniel's expertise, none of them knew the first thing about real covert ground operations. He might as well have been teaching a bunch of raw recruits. He turned back to Teal'c and realized that he had somehow subconsciously planned on it all along, ever since he'd lobbied for Daniel to be on the team, or pushed Carter through the Stargate, or visited Teal'c in his quarters. That he'd have to train his new team practically from the ground up hadn't been a surprise to him and so he almost hadn't noticed he was doing it. Pausing at the doorway the truth of it hit him, this was exactly how he'd always known it would happen.