*~*~*~*
Colonel Jack O'Neill stumbled slightly as he exited the Stargate several thousand light years from Earth. He had a habit of hopping through the event horizon, which occasionally made for a less-than-smooth landing when the 'gate spit him out on the other side of the galaxy
Daniel Jackson came through next, on the tail end of a sneeze. A few seconds later Major Samantha Carter appeared, a "Bless you" out of her mouth before she'd even come to a complete stop. Jack raised his eyebrows in question. "He started back on Earth," she explained as Teal'c joined them and the 'gate closed. Nodding in understanding, Jack had to smile. How many people started sneezing on one planet, finished on another, and treated it as an everyday occurrence? What a job.
"So, Daniel, we've got two abandoned settlements to choose from. Which one do you want?" This mission was really just a chance for the SGC's flagship team to relax after a number of rough missions. They weren't officially due for any significant amount of downtime for a while yet, so General Hammond had assigned them this particular planet -- no signs of recent inhabitation by Goa'uld or otherwise, but two ancient cities close enough to the Stargate to warrant investigation.
"There." Daniel pointed to some crumbling buildings barely visible in the distance; it would be at least half a day's hike to get there. Jack took the lead and began wading through the waist-high grass.
"At least it's not a forest," he said under his breath. Sam heard him and shot a smile in his direction.
"You might be wishing for trees in a couple of hours, sir. The probe's data indicates that it will get pretty warm later."
"I'll take my chances."
About three hours later, he understood what Sam had been getting at. The sun had peaked an hour earlier and with little cloud cover, the temperature was significantly warmer than it had been when they'd arrived. Reaching a small copse of trees, he decided it was time to break for lunch, and the team dropped into the shade. As Jack pulled off his jacket, Sam gave him a knowing grin.
After eating, the team once again moved towards the dilapidated city, reaching it shortly before sundown. Despite Daniel's desire to start investigating immediately, they first set up camp. Daniel cleared an area for a fire and Sam pitched the tents, while Jack and Teal'c scrounged for enough wood for a fire. By the time the fire was built and they'd eaten, the sun had set. Tired from their day-long hike they went to bed early, Teal'c taking first watch.
* * *
Sam woke abruptly some hours later breathing heavily, eyes wide in the near-total darkness. It took her just a second or two to remember where she was, and another second for her to realize that someone was calling her name. "Sam?"
She sat up to see her CO sitting nearby, leaning against a fallen tree trunk. "I'm fine, sir, just a nightmare," she said, scrubbing her hands over her face in an attempt to rid her mind of the images. "Or... a memory, I guess."
"Jolinar?" he guessed quietly. She nodded. "I thought that you rarely had these dreams?" Jack sounded concerned.
"I've only ever had a few memories come to me while I'm sleeping, but the past several nights...." Her voice trailed off and she shrugged slightly.
"Have you talked to anyone? Doc Fraiser?"
She got up and moved next to him, leaning back and staring into the glowing embers of the dying fire. "I told you," she evaded the question. He gave her a "you know what I mean" look and she sighed. "I'm pretty sure it will pass soon." She paused for a moment, still not looking at Jack. "Next week will be two years since... since Jolinar," she finally admitted softly. "Last year we were so busy that the date didn't register, but now...." She shrugged again and left it at that.
Jack didn't know what to say. They'd talked about Jolinar's possession of Sam's mind before, late at night around the campfire, much like tonight, but no matter how open she might be about the experience he just couldn't understand what it was like to be trapped in your own body and not be able to do a thing about it. He settled for squeezing her shoulder.
Sam finally looked at him, giving him a small smile for his offer of support. She shifted a little closer and changed the topic to something lighter, and they stayed up quietly talking the rest of the night. Sam didn't even realize how much time had passed until she noticed the sky brightening in the distance.
Daniel was up before the sun had even risen above the horizon, excited at the prospect of exploring the abandoned city. He barely took the time to eat before grabbing his video camera, pad of paper, and a pen, and taking off. Sam followed him, keeping an eye out for the member of their team who ended up in the most trouble. Besides, she was content to look around while Daniel explored, whereas Jack would be bored out of his mind.
Somehow, Sam managed to convince Daniel to return for lunch. After they'd eaten, Teal'c was charged with looking after the errant archaeologist while Sam and Jack moved deeper into the city.
"What happened to your arm?" Sam asked her CO, motioning to a large welt on his left forearm. He'd been scratching it constantly as they'd picked their way through the debris littering the streets; it was red and swollen now.
He glanced down absently. "I think I got bit yesterday."
Sam was concerned; they often took for granted that the SG teams were naturally immune to many of the insect bites and viruses found on other planets, but occasionally someone had a severe allergic reaction to something harmless to the natives. It drove home the point that no matter how Earth-like these planets all looked, they weren't Earth. "Did you see what bit you?" she asked. If possible, she wanted to get a specimen to take back with them -- just in case.
"I didn't see anything. I didn't even know that I'd been bitten until my arm started itching."
"You should take one of Daniel's antihistamines when we get back," she advised. "It should help with the itching."
"Whatever you say, Doctor," he replied, gently sarcastic.
They came across a building that was in remarkably good shape and decided to investigate. Inside, Sam found a number of gadgets that still appeared to be functional hidden in a back room. With the colonel's okay, she slipped the devices into her backpack for further study once they had returned to the SGC. They poked around a little longer before returning to camp. Once there, Daniel shared what he'd learned.
"From what I can tell, a Goa'uld by the name of Neith ruled here for thousands of years. Several hundred years ago, she left for no apparent reason and never returned. No longer under Neith's control, the population flourished and they advanced remarkably quickly. They never had a single war; compared to, say, the United States, their criminal rate was incredibly low."
"So what killed them?" Jack asked impatiently.
"Apparently, about a hundred and fifty years ago a viral infection with a ninety percent mortality rate and a high resistance to antibodies began sweeping through the local population. Their biochemists used genetic engineering in an attempt to find a cure or vaccine, but instead, they made it one hundred percent deadly. It wiped out their entire culture."
"Are we at risk, Daniel Jackson?"
"The first symptoms included severe stomach cramps and blurred vision, six hours or less after initial infection. That was followed by difficulty breathing, coughing up blood, loss of muscle control, and complete loss of eyesight. Death occurred eighteen to twenty-four hours after the virus' incubation." Daniel looked grim. "If we were infected, we'd be showing symptoms by now."
Sam agreed. "The odds of a virus surviving without a host are practically zero. As long as we avoid contact with any bodily remains or the native wildlife, the risk should be negligible."
"Daniel, I want you to wear latex gloves and a filter while you're working tomorrow; there's no use putting yourself at risk." The archaeologist looked less than thrilled with the idea of working in the dusty heat wearing gloves and a mask, but he recognized the necessity. Besides, he'd spent many miserable hours in deserts around the world in much worse conditions before he'd learned of the Stargate's existence.
Daniel continued to work on his notes and Sam fiddled with one of the gadgets she'd taken from the building while Jack played cards with Teal'c. As the sun set and it became too dark to see, they held a chess tournament by firelight using a travel-sized board. That night, Daniel took first watch, trying vainly to decipher his notes by the light of the campfire.
For the first time in nearly a week, Sam wasn't wakened by a nightmare; instead, Teal'c's hand on her shoulder and gentle voice calling her name brought her out of sleep. She knew instantly that something was wrong; her watch was supposed to be last -- after Jack's. "Teal'c? What is it?"
"I am unable to wake O'Neill."
Those six words caused Sam immediate concern. After so many years in the military the colonel was usually alert within seconds. In the four or so years that SG-1 had been together, not once had any of them had a problem awakening the leader of their team.
Sam slipped out of her sleeping bag and shrugged into her jacket to protect her from the cool night air as she moved to Jack's side. "Sir?" She shook his shoulder gently. "Colonel? It's your watch." Still not getting a response, she called for Teal'c to bring her a flashlight; she could hardly see by the light of the dying fire.
Daniel was awakened by her voice and reached her side just as she flicked on the flashlight. Waiting for her eyes to adjust to the sudden brightness, Sam explained the problem. Directing the beam on her CO's chest so as not to blind him should he open his eyes, Sam was struck instantly by the paleness of his face. Reaching out to take his pulse she found it to be sluggish, his skin burning to the touch. Unzipping his sleeping bag, she caught sight of something on his left arm. She redirected the light and swore as she realized what had happened.
Extending from the welt she'd noticed earlier that day was an angry red line, stretching from his wrist to nearly his shoulder. It looked to her as though Jack was experiencing a severe reaction to the insect bite from the day before, and his prone position had allowed the poison to move through his system quickly. The fact that the insect's venom originated in his left arm -- that much closer to his heart -- scared her.
"Daniel, Teal'c, pack only what we'll need to get back to the 'gate -- water, rations, the GDO -- and throw the rest of it in the tents. We'll come back for it. We need to get the colonel to the infirmary as soon as we possibly can." As the guys packed what was needed into a single backpack, Sam doused the fire. Hearing a faint moan behind her, she turned to find Jack's eyes half open. "Sir?"
"Carter?" he managed to whisper.
"I'm here, sir." Moving to his side, she gently took his right hand in her own and used the other to take his pulse. "You remember that insect bite? Well, it appears to contain a poison that's spreading through your system. We're taking you back to Earth." She slid the hand taking his pulse to the base of his throat and let it rest there. "Sir, I just need you to hold on until we get back to the SGC. I'm sure Janet will be able to fix you up in no time." He squeezed her hand weakly in acknowledgment, no longer having the strength to speak, and she returned the gesture. "Just hold on," she repeated softly as his eyes slid shut.
Listening to Sam talk to Jack, Daniel idly wondered if she knew that when she spoke to and touched her commanding officer like that, she could probably convince him to do just about anything. Coming up behind his friend, he put a hand on her shoulder to alert her to his presence. "We're ready to go, Sam."
She looked up at him. "He's unconscious," she told Daniel as she stood. "Daniel, you take a flashlight and lead. Teal'c, follow Daniel; I'll take the pack and follow with another flashlight. It's going to be tough in the dark, so watch where you're walking. The last thing we need right now is a twisted ankle." She shrugged on the pack and Teal'c gently lifted the colonel. "Let's move."
The trip back to the Stargate seemed to take forever. They moved slowly through the blackness of night with only the two flashlights to aid them; this planet had no moons to reflect the sunlight. They were able to pick up their pace as the sun rose, but it was still early afternoon before the exhausted trio made it to their destination. Daniel dialed home as Sam dug the GDO out of her pack, and they finally reached home.
"We need a doctor!" Sam shouted the instant she materialized on the ramp, but Janet was already there -- when a team arrived back from a mission early, it was usually because something had gone wrong.
Teal'c deposited the unconscious colonel on the waiting gurney and Janet began looking him over as Sam quickly related everything she knew. Then the doctor rushed to the infirmary with her patient, leaving the remaining, uninjured members of SG-1 to follow more slowly. As they moved out of the 'gate room, General Hammond reminded them to report for a debriefing as soon as they were cleared in the infirmary.
* * *
Sam sat on the edge of the bed, her feet swinging slightly as the nurse completed her examination. Hopping down, she grabbed the edge of the gurney as the room began swaying and managed to stay upright as she fought off the exhaustion that threatened to take her over. She called to Teal'c and Daniel, who were ready to go, and dragged herself to the meeting with Hammond. Janet was still working on Jack.
Once at the debriefing, Teal'c did most of the talking; Daniel and Sam were trying their best to simply stay awake. General Hammond promised to send through SG-6 to search for the insect that bit Jack and pick up the equipment they'd abandoned; man down or no, what they'd left behind was expensive.
Afterwards, the three teammates made their way back to the infirmary to get the latest on their stricken friend. The look on Janet's face was not encouraging.
"I've tried everything I can think of, but there's been no change. Of course, it's only been a few hours, but still...." Her voice trailed off, sounding frustrated at her inability to help. After more than three years of dangerous missions, SG-1 was the only team who had yet to lose someone. They'd almost become an icon at Stargate Command: as long as SG-1 remained, there was every reason to believe that in the end, everything would turn out okay. Now, the commander of that team was dying -- from an insect bite, no less.
Sam moved to her colonel's bedside and looked down at his pale face. Just the other night he'd sat up with her simply because she'd needed it, and now.... Something skittered through her sleep-deprived mind and she struggled to focus on the elusive thought. "The healing device," she mumbled. Janet looked at her blankly. "The Goa'uld healing device! I can make it work, Janet. I have to try."
"Sam, we don't know much about that thing. There could be side effects to your health that we don't know about."
"I have to try!" Sam lowered her voice. "Janet, please. We... I can't just stand here and watch him die when I can do something to help." She looked at her friend pleadingly. "Please," she whispered.
"All right," Janet conceded. "But I'll be monitoring you the entire time, and you'll stop when I say. Deal?"
"Deal," Sam agreed, and left for the secured locker where the device was kept. Janet sent a nurse after her; she didn't need Sam collapsing in a hallway somewhere.
* * *
Slipping the Goa'uld technology over her palm, Sam closed her eyes and gathered together the last of her strength. She turned the device towards Jack and focussed her entire being on making it work... on making Jack well. She could feel her frustration rising when nothing had happened after several seconds, but she fought back the urge to give up and gave it another try.
Without warning she felt an energy burst move through her, an intense power with which she was starting to become familiar. Hyperaware now, she could feel her colonel's body healing, his organs repairing themselves, his blood purging itself of the poison that had very nearly claimed his life.
As the energy pulse released her, Sam stumbled. She felt Daniel wrap an arm around her waist to keep her upright long enough for Teal'c to lift her onto a nearby gurney. She tried her hardest to stay awake, but her body had had enough; against her will, she fell asleep.
* * *
"Hey, Doc!"
Sam recognized that voice. It belonged to a man who was bored, restless, and ready to let anyone within shouting distance know it.
"What, Colonel?" This voice was female, exasperated but good-natured.
"When can I get out of here?"
"We're keeping you overnight, sir. Same as I told you ten minutes ago, same as I told you three hours ago. We need to be sure you won't have a relapse."
"C'mon, Doc, is that really necessary?"
"Yes. It is. Now, if you're that bored I'm sure I can find someone to bring you paperwork; or maybe Daniel can enlighten you on the translation of the latest artifacts retrieved by SG-8?" Her thinly veiled threat was obvious: either he stopped annoying her and her staff, or she'd find a way to make his next twelve hours hell.
Sam stretched and finally cracked her eyes open as Janet came in to check on her. She gave her friend a wide smile. "Hey, Janet. The healing device worked?"
"It worked perfectly; there's absolutely no trace of the venom in his blood. The colonel's been trying to get out of here for hours."
"How long have I been asleep?"
Janet glanced at her watch. "Almost seven hours. Right now, you need to eat, and then I want you to get at least another six to eight hours of sleep. SG-1 is on three-days' stand-down, assuming Colonel O'Neill remains healthy; Daniel's sleeping in his quarters and Teal'c left a few hours ago. The colonel will be here until morning." She gave Sam a look. "If you don't eat and sleep, you'll be joining him."
The major smiled. "Understood."
Janet left and Sam slowly slid off the bed -- she may have been rested, but she hadn't eaten in nearly twenty-four hours. Instead of heading straight for the commissary, however, she decided to visit Jack. If nothing else, she could alleviate his boredom for a few minutes.
"How're you feeling, sir?"
"Fine, Major. Just a little insect bite; nothing to worry about."
"Right. And that's why Teal'c had to carry you back to the Stargate."
"I was just catching up on my sleep." He gave her a smile designed solely to elicit one of her grins, and succeeded. He reached out and took her hand. "Seriously though Sam, Doc Fraiser told me what you did. I know that being able to use Goa'uld technology makes you uncomfortable." He squeezed her hand. "Thanks."
She flushed just the slightest bit and averted her gaze. "It was nothing, sir."
To her, it probably was "nothing," he realized. Someone had needed her help and she hadn't given it a second thought. As much as she disliked being reminded of her abilities -- especially now, with that anniversary approaching -- she simply did what she could, when she could.
"Just say, 'You're welcome, sir.'"
She gave him one of her brightest grins. "You're welcome, sir," she repeated dutifully. He couldn't help but smile back.
"You busy, Carter? Doc's keeping me here 'til tomorrow and I've got nothing to do."
"Actually, I've been ordered to eat and get some more sleep." She cast a speculative glance at her CO, then down the hall to Janet's office. "Maybe I could convince Janet to spring you long enough to go to the commissary."
"Carter, if you manage that, I'll definitely owe you one."
"By my count, you owe me more than one. Sir." She took off before he could comment.
"That I do, Major. That I do."
End
Story Notes: AUTHOR'S NOTES: This has been sitting around forever, waiting to be posted, so it's a little out of date. But for better or worse, here it is.
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]