Title: Friend or Foe
Author: Fluffie
Feedback: c_aeberhard48@hotmail.com
Rating: PG
Category: Action/Adventure
Summary: SG-1 gets called up for a Search and Rescue mission on a planet with two stranded alien pilots and an angry mob of Jaffa.
Archive: Heliopolis
Spoilers: none
Disclaimer: SG-1, the SGC and anything taken from "Stargate SG-1" is not my work, anything else is ?
Notes: feedback is needed seeing this is my first Stargate fanfic send to c_aeberhard48@hotmail.com . Beta read by tigermoth26.

7000ft AGL
PX1 974
0750 EST
Annum banked right as a fiery orange ball of fire whizzed passed his fighter, "Red Flight break off!" he ordered as the Death Gliders continued to fire their weapons at them, the other three fighters in his command broke off, moving to attack the gliders from different angles as Annum kept their attention.
It had been a while ago since his flight had moved away from the main battle group. Chasing a group of Death gliders headed towards a protected planet. They had destroyed most of them, but the two chasing him at the moment had evaded his team, not for long however, as his speakers started buzzing with reports that his fighters were in position.
"Go, go, go!" He yelled, as he pulled his fighter into a sharp turn, ignoring the fire coming from the Gliders. Three of the shots missed him, but the fourth exploded on his shield. "Shield integrity, seventy three percent." the command module said. The previous battle was beginning to show its toll. He pulled on the controls, bringing the Death Gliders into aim, he fired - causing one to buckle under the strain of the weapon's blast, making it pull down slightly.
The rest of his flight also fired. Taking both of the gliders down with two blazing balls of flame, "Regroup" Annum ordered. His flight moved back into position but quickly scattered again as blazes of fire came down upon them, he looked to his threat board. A dozen Death Gliders. Annum sighed, it was going to be a long day.
His flight didn't need his order to engage, as heavy fire from the Goa'uld took out Annum's wingman. The aircraft's shields providing little help as they lost full integrity from the blows which they encountered. All Annum saw was the reflection of the explosion in his cockpit. He yelled in rage and swung his fighter into the fray, taking out two of the gliders but leaving himself vulnerable as he flew over them.
"Shit!" He yelled, as he felt vibrations and saw his shield ripple as shots hit home. "Shield integrity twenty percent." His command module said, adding "Structural Damage, left wing." Like an ominous afterthought, as Annum's fighter suffered even more blows he felt more vibrations. He ordered his flight to cover him as he pulled his fighter into a spin, dodging incoming fire.
Annum heard explosions as two Gliders made their fiery way back down to the earth. He laughed out loud. but stopped as his headset announced "Red Three taking heavy damage", Red Four added "Red Three going down". Annum pulled out of his spin just at one thousand feet and looked up, Red Four was valiantly fighting as Red Three made a dramatic exit into the side of a mountain.
Annum pulled up and opened fire with his cannon, scattering the Gliders without causing any damage. Seeing his chance Red Four took out one glider and damaged another, forcing it to pull out of battle. Annum yelled "Red Four I got your six". As he took up his position as Red Four's wingman he looked down to his command module and selected flight status, Red Four was flown by a fledging pilot by the name of Iranem, and his fighter was heavily damaged.
"Red Leader let's pull out", Iranem said into his headset.
"Negative four, we gotta finish this!" Came the response as the Gliders swung around and opened fire.
Annum dodged the shots, but several smashed into Iranem's fighter. Iranem's nose went up and pulled back down as the fighter's engines failed, putting him into a perilous position.
"I got you covered." Said Annum as he fired at the remaining two Gliders, taking them both out, but not before the gliders managed to get a few shots at the vulnerable underbelly of his fighter. Alarm runes flashed all over as his readings went into the red. He pushed all the system runes and backup runes up into full and pushed down on the controls, putting him into a smooth forty-five degree dive towards Iranem's badly landed Fighter.
He was in the clear as he sighted the downed fighter, but as he prepared to land his engine stopped and exploded, pushing his nose straight down. With quick reflexes he pulled up, but not quite enough, causing his plane to plough its way through thick forestland. His left wing tore off with a shriek of metal under strain, causing the battered fighter to move into a side-on slide. As the craft continued on its perilous path, the right wing ploughed its way into a tree. Annum's pulse raced inside his chest as the solid brown trunk drew nearer. His ears were filled with the scream of twisting metal as the right wing tore its way through the already mangled fuselage. The last thing the pilot saw as his fighter slowly tore itself apart was the flash of metal careening towards his forehead and then the fiery sting of pain, followed closely by an all -encompassing blackness.

Colonel Jack O'Neill's room
SGC Cheyenne Mountain Complex
0810 EST
Jack yawned as he got up, walking to his bathroom, he thought of what he and his team were going to do today. Oh that's right, recon of PX1 974. He sighed. What he needed was some action. Not some pansy-assed recon mission to a forest world with shrubs and trees and plants, totally devoid of any Goa'uld civilisation! Ah well. At least he got paid. Besides, he and his team always did have a knack for finding more trouble than they had to.

Major Samantha Carter's Laboratory
SGC Cheyenne Mountain Complex
0812 EST
Sam woke up with a start, blinking away the remnants of a dream about Goa'uld torture. Looking around, she heard a 'clank' as the pen that had been stabbing her in the cheek fell down. She had fallen asleep at her desk again. The Major smiled, thinking of the nice peaceful rec' mission they had today. Standing up, she walked to the cafeteria to get herself a nice steaming cup of military strength coffee. That should be enough to wake her up.
As the Major wandered down the hallway, she came across the Jaffa Teal'c. Walking down a hallway Sam saw Teal'c, "Hey Teal'c how's it going?"
Teal'c looked at her, "Major Carter. Good morning. I hope you slept well"
"Yeah but I need coffee to really give me a boost"
Teal'c looked at her in his usual way, his eyebrow climbing high above his forehead. "Forget it" She sighed, it was too early in the morning for her to teach Teal'c the art of early morning caffeine intake.

Doctor Daniel Jackson's Office
SGC Cheyenne Mountain Complex
0814 EST
Daniel woke up rubbing his forehead, just like Sam, he fell asleep at work. He woke up with his head lying on the keyboard. 'Greeeat' he thought, now he had the letters D,F,G,H,J, and K imbedded into his forehead, stupid military, they had to get keyboards with the letters sticking out. Walking to the cafeteria, he spotted Teal'c. "Hey Teal'c how d'ya sleep?"
"Very well Daniel Jackson." He answered as he joined Daniel on his way into the cafeteria, "Daniel Jackson?"
"Yeah Teal'c?"
"Are you aware that you have the word DFGHJK imbedded on your forehead?"

Iranem's Crash site
PX1 974
0830 EST
Iranem pulled himself out of his cockpit, he jumped to the ground and winced as he felt the deep gash on his leg. He reached into his cockpit and pulled out his backpack, looking inside it for a medi-rune.
Ah, there we go. Iranem pulled one out and examined it, hoping that it hadn't been damaged in the crash. He placed it on the bloody gash and winced, gritting his teeth as he bore the pain. The rune shone a white light, Iranem closed his eyes as he let the Rune do its work.
Upon opening them he saw his gash cleaned and disinfected with a clear film over it..
He sighed as he got up, and started walking west as the command module showed Annum to be alive but rapidly deteriorating. He would have to perform first aid and get him back to the Stargate, which was some one hundred and ninety miles east, or two days march away.
Iranem groaned. He knew that he should've stayed in bed.

Briefing Room
SGC Cheyenne Mountain Complex
0900 EST

"Ahhh that was nice" Jack said walking into the Briefing Room, "now I just need to go back to bed"
"Yeah you're right, Sir" agreed Sam with a yawn.
"At ease people" General Hammond said as he walked into the room.
"Sooo General, what's the mission today, Rec as usual?" asked Jack with his usual disregard for authority that everyone had grown to know and love.
"Search and Rescue by the looks of the UAV, Colonel"
The whole of SG-1 sat up in surprise as the General continued, "Readings show an air battle taking place there, there seem to be a number of downed aircraft, meaning fourteen death gliders and four other aircraft"
"Any survivors?" Sam questioned.
Jack coughed, "Would we be looking if there wasn't?"
Teal'c looked at him in his usual raised eyebrow way, "If four of those fighters destroyed fourteen death gliders, there is a chance we could scavenge some technology that would be of great use O'Neill."
Jack gave Teal'c a greaser before looking back to the report. "So there are survivors" Daniel affirmed.
"That's correct Doctor Jackson, the readings suggest that there are two survivors of non-Goa'uld origin. If they were the pilots of the other aircraft, they could be of great use in getting us an alliance"
"Does that mean we can get rid of the Tok'ra?" Jack asked with obvious interest, General Hammond gave him a look before saying "The two survivors are approximately two days walk away from the Stargate, you leave in an hour, get ready"
Upon dismissal SG-1 prepared for their mission, taking all their usual gear, plus extra food and medical supplies just in case. "What do you think about all this Colonel?" Sam asked.
"Oh nothing much apart from there's trouble coming up" Came the not-so-surprising reply from Jack, who had obviously woken up too early, "And one other thing," he added, turning to Daniel.
"Yeah Jack?"
"Why the hell do you have a faint 'DFGHJK' on your forehead?"

Annum's Crash Site
PX1 974
0910 EST

"Annum, Annum wake up!" yelled Iranem at the still form of the Flight Leader. His injuries were horrific, but he had repaired most of them as best as he could with the remainder of both their medi-runes. Annum groaned "Ahhh, what happened? Get me outta here" Slowly Iranem pulled Annum out of the cockpit, setting him as carefully as possible against the battered stump of a fallen tree.
After a short rest and plenty of "pick me ups" Annum was back on his feet, putting on his back pack and strapping on his sidearm he asked "What about the rest of the Flight, Iranem?"
"They're all dead Sir"
"And the Stargate, where is it?"
"Two days march from here, we better get started soon". Without a word the two pilots went off in direction of the Stargate.

Stargate
PX1 974
0920 EST

"Carter, send the MALP back" Colonel O'Neill ordered, looking around "Then we'll move out". As the MALP moved through the wormhole Jack took the lead, scanning the horizon for any threats that might pose a problem to their mission. Looking at the printout that was supposed to be their map, the survivors had been detected at one of the two closest downed fighters. The crash sites of the other aircraft were written on the map even though they had little use, going to the nearest one would add a day or so to their time.
"Let's just hope that they don't shoot before asking questions." Daniel said.
"Danny boy you're so optimistic." Jack answered
"Yeah well at least I'll be prepared."
Jack turned around "At least I don't have DFGHJK imbedded on my head."

Stargate
PX1 974
1000 EST

Back at the Stargate, Key'sha led his Jaffa onto the clearing. Looking around he saw SG-1's and the MALP's tracks. He had been ordered to destroy any of the enemy pilots who had survived their crashes, and he had been given twenty soldiers to do it with, and as much time as he needed. Looking at the direction SG-1 had taken, he signalled the Jaffa to start moving and smiled a grim smile. There was blood to be shed on this planet.

PX1 974
Scrubland
1005 EST

Teal'c looked over his shoulder, as the rear guard, it was his job to warn O'Neill of any possible threats, he sensed danger but he could not see or hear any. No matter what, he would keep extra vigilance for the safety of his friends.

PX1 974
Iranem's Crash site
1030 EST

Annum and Iranem had reached Iranem's Fighter. Iranem went into the cockpit and scanned the area, "Sir!" he said loudly "I'm picking up some life forms one hundred kilometers away in that direction." He said, pointing towards the Stargate.
Annum rushed over to him and looked at the command module, there were two groups. One had four people in it, one of them being a Jaffa, while the other was a group of twenty one strong and fully made up of the servants of the Goa'uld.
"We must hurry Iranem, if my instincts are correct, the first group is in great danger" Wordlessly Iranem nodded and jumped up out of the cockpit, he reached back inside and pulled out a short axe with runes on it, "I hope you brought yours Sir." He said as he placed it in its designated slot on his backpack.
"Yeah, I brought it" answered Annum as he pulled out an axe exactly the same as Iranem's and pressed a button, it hummed quietly. Annum could feel its vibration as it turned to a pale blue colour, he swished it around, slicing a branch from a nearby tree. Turning it off, he placed it back in his backpack and set off in the direction of the Stargate with Iranem behind him.

PX1 974
Dense Forest
2000 EST

Teal'c's worries were getting worse, he constantly felt as if there was someone behind him, he turned to Jack, "O'Neill, I sense something."
"You too?" Jack answered surprising Teal'c. "Ah well, we'll have to be even more careful now." Teal'c only nodded, agreeing with his friend.
They arrived at a small clearing, "We'll camp here tonight." Jack said, "I'll take first watch, then you Teal'c, then you Carter and then Daniel." Everyone agreed, either if it was a yes sir, a nod, or the raising of an eyebrow, everyone always agreed with the Colonel, they'd been through so much together that they never doubted him.

PX1 974
Dense Forest
2010 EST

Key'sha ordered the halt. He was tired, as were most of his Jaffa. He placed two guards out at the perimeter before retiring next to the fire. He had worked them hard and he would let them rest for now. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

PX1 974
Dense Forest
2020 EST

Annum had walked hard that day, he was very tired and had opened up many wounds. Fortunately not major ones, but still they slowed them down a bit. Iranem looked at him, he had decided to take first watch to let his wounded superior rest, taking part of his watch before swapping over. Tomorrow was going to be a trying day.

PX1 974
Forest
1130 EST

"Can we have lunch now?" Daniel asked, hoping he had not pissed Jack off seeing as this was the twentieth time he had asked...Surprisingly, his friend agreed. "Five minutes only though."
Daniel was happy even with two, they had been walking since dawn and he was famished, seeing they had eaten only a small breakfast. As Sam and Daniel sat down to eat, Teal'c and the Colonel stayed standing and faced the path from where they had come. "Perfect place for an ambush I reckon." Jack muttered.
"I agree O'Neill." Jack could almost swear that there was a smile on Teal'c's face.
After Sam and Daniel had finished, Teal'c and Jack came back, "Where did you two go to?" Daniel asked.
"Placed a couple of Claymores" Jack answered, looking at the two astonished faces of the Daniel and Sam. As if reading their minds, Teal'c answered "We are being followed"
"By who...and how do you know?"
"Teal'c reckons Jaffa." Jack answered "And they're about two kilometres away, remember that flock of birds that flew off a while ago? The Goa'uld walked straight into their nesting ground."
"There is no need to worry, we will be prepared." O'Neill's confidence calmed Daniel slightly.

PX1 974
Dense Forest
1200 EST

Annum stopped in his tracks as he heard the explosion, "Sounds like the two groups have met, come Iranem, we must hurry."

PX1 974
Forest
1200 EST

Key'sha laughed at the splintered piece of wood he had used to trigger the trap, now he knew for sure it was the Tau'ri they were tracking, only they would use such primitive weapons, he gestured to his soldiers to fan out and move forward, they were close. Very close.

PX1 974
Forest
1400 EST

Annum had walked so much that he was beginning to hear voices, but when he saw SG-1, he signalled Iranem to take cover. Annum took out his sidearm and walked forward. "Halt!" he yelled making sure his weapon was in view, "Identify yourselves"
"Colonel Jack O'Neill of the United States Air Force, this is my team SG-1, Teal'c once Apophis's first prime now he fights for us, Major Carter and Doctor Jackson" Jack answered as he pointed his team out.
Doctor Jackson stepped forward, slipping into his customary diplomatic scheme. "We're peaceful explorers...We came through the Stargate. Star Gate..." He waved his arms in vague circles to put forward his point, before being abruptly interrupted by the impatient alien.
"Very well." Annum stated. "What are you doing here?"
Sam stepped forward, "We were sent here to help you."
"Prove it."
"We know about the battle that has taken place here, we wish to share technology and information as we are both enemies of the Goa'uld." Teal'c mentioned, this comment considerably calmed Annum. "I am Flight Leader Annum, of the planet Akari."
Teal'c bowed his head in honour as he spoke, "Where is the other Pilot?" he asked, answering his question Iranem jumped up and took aim.
Teal'c saw Iranem and yelled "Take cover!" and jumped down, Jack and Sam also took cover but Daniel was still standing, "Wha?" he said, "where?"
Jack ran up grabbed hold of Daniel and pulled him down just as Iranem fired, the shot whizzed past Sam's head and took out the Goa'uld advance scout just before he shot Teal'c.
The scout screamed as he fell, making SG-1 turn around and take better cover.
Annum and Iranem charged and took their places on either sides of the team next to Daniel and Teal'c. "This is Iranem, a worthy comrade and a close friend."
Jack looked at the force of Jaffa heading in their direction, "Well your friend is my friend, and by the looks of it we need all the help we can get." With this the Colonel opened fire with everyone following suit.
Key'sha howled in rage, they had lost the advantage of surprise and needed to take cover to stay alive. He ordered the nineteen remaining Jaffa to fan out and move forward, he took aim at Annum and fired hoping for a kill, Annum saw him aiming and dodged behind a tree. He saw three Jaffa trying to flank them and opened fire with his sidearm, taking out two and wounding another. He turned his attention to the main group who had begun firing. SG-1 and Iranem had started firing back so Annum joined in, soon the battle was at it's peak with many Jaffa dead, Annum was aiming for a Jaffa targeting Sam when another wounded Jaffa who had tried to flank them fired at him before collapsing.
The shot took Annum in his side, he howled in pain as he felt the raw flesh, his arm was thrown out of aim and he shot Key'sha in the head. Fighting the urge to faint, Annum drew his axe, turned it on and bellowed as he charged. Iranem saw this and joined in. The Goa'uld counter charged them and the battle was met midway
Annum sliced at a Jaffa's chest, the unfortunate warrior screamed as energy dispersed through his body before falling in a senseless heap, Annum turned around and swung at another Jaffa, missing him, he placed his sidearm against his chest and fired, blood splattered against a tree, Annum smiled in grim satisfaction at the gory sight, not noticing the Jaffa sneaking up from behind.
Iranem struck out at the Jaffa with his axe, grazing the seasoned veteran, the Jaffa countered a second blow but fell to a shot from Teal'c's staff weapon. The remainder of SG-1 watched in horror as the two pilots and Teal'c fought hand to hand with the Jaffa warrior but after the initial shock had passed, they sniped at Jaffa posing a threat to the warriors.
Annum took out another Jaffa with his gun and saw another aiming at Teal'c, he threw his axe through the air, impaling the unfortunate Jaffa to a tree through his chest, he stood there for a moment, watching in fascination as the Jaffa gurgled to a slow and painful death.
Teal'c took a warrior out with a swipe to his legs, the Jaffa froze on the spot, the last thing he saw was a flash from Jack's gun. Iranem was fighting tooth and fist with the last two remaining Jaffa, every swing he took with his axe the Goa'uld countered, he swung his sidearm into aim and finished him off, his axe swinging around and slicing into the last Jaffa's weapon, the top half fell down and smacked the unfortunate pilot in the head, knocking him out cold. The Jaffa, now weaponless, took flight but was mowed down by combined fire from SG-1.
Annum looked around, Iranem was out cold. A sense of fatigue swept over him, he looked down to his side and saw the deep gash, oozing out his bright red blood. Placing his sidearm back in its holster he reached into his pocket and took out a red rune, holding it tight he whispered, "Red flight disband."
Far away at the two grounded fighters, the runes began to flash. Each one growing brighter in succession and building in intensity until...

Sam rushed to Annum's aid as he collapsed, Jack went to help her but stopped as two explosions rocked the earth, he turned around and saw a column of fire rise up into the sky, he whistled, "Break out the stretchers kids, we gotta get these guys back home." He looked at the rising smoke column, "They sure love their planes to stop us getting to them." He looked at the two still forms, "K' people let's move out".

PX1 974
Stargate
1200 EST

Upon reaching the Stargate, Iranem woke up, "Where am I?" He asked.
"You're safe now." Sam answered as she watched Colonel O'Neill activate the Stargate. "Do you remember what happened?"
Iranem looked around then tried to get up yelling "Annum, where is Annum?"
Jack handed the GDO to Daniel and turned around, "Whoa buddy, your friend is fine, when 'DFGHJK' Daniel here types in the code, we'll get you both sorted out in the Infirmary." Looking at SG-1, Iranem sensed he could trust them and fell back down on the stretcher, exhausted after all the action he'd been through.
Jack jumped into the Embarkation Room yelling "MEDIC!" He and Sam put their stretcher down and helped Daniel and Teal'c with theirs, but there was no need as two mobile beds were brought in and the two pilots lifted onto them.
Sam and Daniel went to the infirmary while Jack and Teal'c reported to Hammond. "Ran into a bit of trouble Sir." Jack stated, "I can see that Colonel, you should get down to the Infirmary."
"Nah" Jack said "Me and Teal'c are fine"
"We'll debrief later, let's go see how our guests are doing." and without another word General Hammond walked off, followed by Teal'c and Colonel O'Neill.

THE END
TBC