Title: Control
Author: PapayaK
Category: Hurt/Comfort, Team, a touch of S/J
Spoilers: None that I can think of
Summary: Jack is definitely not himself and it's bad news for the team.
This is a rewrite of an earlier post. It was never quite what I wanted. Now it's much better; AND it has a new ending!!
Plus - you need something to keep your mind off going back to school!
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just having fun.
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Control – Chapter 1
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"Carter!" Jack's voice was soft, pained, and desperate.
Carter turned from where she had been scrounging through Daniel's pack for any medical supplies she may have missed. She needed more pressure bandages. She thought she had the bleeding stopped, at least for the time being, but he had lost a lot on their retreat as Teal'c had carried him to this apparently abandoned shack in the forest near the stargate. For once, the rest of them were uninjured.
They had been attacked as soon as they left the 'gate by energy weapons and something like MP-5s. The Colonel had directed them to cover and was diving for a large rock himself when he was hit. One shot to the back. It wasn't too close to his spine, but still she worried. She had to get the bleeding stopped. Get him back to Janet. Then she could think. Obviously this planet was on a level with their own, perhaps a bit more advanced. Just the type they needed in their fight against the Goa'uld. But right now, the Colonel needed her full attention.
She scrambled over to where he was lying on his side and bent low to hear him. "Sir?"
"Tie my hands."
"Sir!?"
Jack struggled to speak. The words came out harsh, tight with pain. "Tie my hands and my feet, Carter. Now." He filled his voice with all the command he could muster. How could he make her understand? He couldn't get enough words out to explain. This was why soldiers follow orders without explanations. Carter had to follow his orders – she had to – otherwise...
"Tie 'em! Tight! I can't…" The pain was overwhelming. But it wasn't the injury to his back. That was nothing compared with the pain of fighting to speak. He wished it was the wound – then he could fight it, control it. Instead, this controlled him.
Mind control. He'd had more than his share, for himself and his team, on Earth and out here. They say they can train you to fight it, but they can't, not really, they never know what form it's going to take.
Something had happened when he'd been hit. It hadn't started right away, but gradually he could feel it; swimming through his body; trying to take control. It was like a presence growing in his mind, changing him, eclipsing the pain from his wound.
Suddenly every 'damned distasteful thing' he had ever done had flooded back into his mind from the crevices into which he had spent a lifetime shoving it; Flooded back in full color and 3-D – no glasses required.
The flood overwhelmed him and he lost himself. All he wanted to do was hurt Carter; Hurt her in the worst way – the most efficient way: not kill – hurt. Hurt all of them. Hurt his team – kill them all– Yes! That was it. Kill them; painfully, slowly, very slowly. He knew how. He was even good at it, very good – knew how to make it last.
He'd start with Carter; she was by far the closest to him – both in proximity and – well…otherwise.
She was also military; trained; she'd resist – fight him, and she too, was good at it. Currently, she was the biggest threat to his success. But he knew how to take her. Knew what she'd try…
NO! He had to fight it. Couldn't act on the urges now filling his mind.
Pain.
Intense, searing pain.
Every thought he had that contradicted his plan caused pain like he had never felt before. Never before had his own body tortured him.
The flood continued. Daniel would be easy to slice up. He felt pleasure at the thought and choked on it; Fighting anew against the pain.
He'd take Teal'c by surprise when he returned. If he got the jump on him, Teal'c would be no problem. Images of several different ways to torture the Jaffa filled his red-hazed vision.
Pain.
He couldn't stop the visions. He began to welcome them only because he could still recognize how awful they were, how painful to his heart and soul, and they helped him fight the growing urges that were threatening to overpower him.
He opened his eyes to see Carter studying him and realized that less than seconds had passed. She was weighing her options, measuring his words.
"Follow my order! Please!" he whispered, fighting to speak; each word more painful than the last. He was glad to see her reach for cords with which to tie him, even if she did it slowly.
Just then Sam was momentarily distracted by the door opening behind her. She spun to face it, weapon raised, but it was Teal'c returning to the small shelter from his scouting of the perimeter.
He had someone with him, but that thought had barely registered when something large and hard slammed into her from behind, spinning her around and forcing her back against the wall, pinning her there with his hands around her throat. It was Jack.
She could not breathe. What was he doing?! Her mind flew. This was what he was talking about. He was fighting something and it wasn't her.
Little did she know that he was winning – for the moment, all he was doing was choking her. He would kill her, but it wasn't painful, and she could easily stop him…
She hated to hurt him. She knew how gravely injured he was. He shouldn't even be able to move. But she was beginning to see spots. Vaguely she could hear Daniel shouting at Jack, trying to pry his arms away. Then her eyes locked with Jack's. She saw the desperation there, the fear, horror even. "Stop me. Please." He whispered painfully, begging her to hurt him, to fight him off.
Teal'c had none of her reservations, but came up behind Jack and punched him directly in the wound in his back. Jack froze for a moment, eyes that seemed now to beg forgiveness still locked with hers. Then his legs gave out and he collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath.
Daniel grabbed Sam and helped her sit on a low bench that was against the wall. Teal'c took Jack's shoulders and dragged him across the room where he methodically began to tie his hands and feet.
"Thanks," was all Jack managed to whisper to his friend before he passed out.
"Ohhh-kay, can someone explain to me what just happened? Did Jack just go crazy and try to kill Sam?" Daniel was offering her some water from his canteen.
"You are not far wrong, DanielJackson." Teal'c spoke from where he was finishing the knots on Jack's feet. He gestured at the young man who cringed next to the door, "This is Kell. He wishes to assist us."
"I am sorry," Kell stuttered, as he tentatively crossed the room towards them, "It is not his fault. The technology inside him is very powerful. I have seen men and women turn on their own children. It is truly a terrible thing. It is amazing he resisted as well as he did, from what Teal'c told me about your friend's background -"
"Resisted?" Daniel's interruption was incredulous, "That didn't look like resisting to me!"
"Mind control." Sam whispered roughly, nodding and rubbing at her throat "C'mon Daniel, if the Colonel had really wanted to kill me?"
Daniel shook his head, not wanting to believe his best friend had gone psycho, but said, reluctantly, "I know, you'd be dead."
Kell continued, "From what Teal'c told me on the way here, I expected to find you both dead, if not dismembered. This technology was specifically designed to bring out the absolute worst in a highly trained soldier. I understand O'Neill is such a man?"
"Yeah," Sam managed to croak as she moved over to check the Colonel's bandages, "Highly trained – but he's the best – not the worst." She looked at Kell as if daring him to contradict her.
It was a dare he would not take.
Sam continued, "Tell me more about this technology. How do we stop it?" She continued to massage her throat; where the bruises were beginning to darken.
"I tried to stop it…" Kell said, "When he was hit, I shot him with my energy weapon. If the projectile is not too deep, a burst of raw energy is enough to disrupt the 'controllers.' Unfortunately, the projectile was fired from quite close range, and I only succeeded in injuring him further." Kell's discomfort was clearly evident.
Sam was only interested in information. "So let me see if I understand this: A 'projectile' is fired into the body, where it releases these 'controllers' into the bloodstream?"
Kell nodded, "Once released, they travel to the spinal column and then the brain where they access specific centers. They begin with the victim's memory to determine targets. The controllers are programmed to find those in the victim's memory who might be a threat. Those are the first targeted. Or lacking that, whoever is closest and dearest to the victim."
Daniel whistled, "All of a sudden, I'm glad Jack doesn't see me as much of a threat."
Kell continued, "Secondly they search for any knowledge of violent acts or behaviors, and activate that knowledge. I am told they cause an overwhelming desire to act out the worst possible violence against the chosen target or targets."
"What do you mean, worst possible?"
Kell looked at Daniel for a beat, "Imagine the most gruesome, painful way to kill that your friend may have knowledge of…"
Daniel cringed and hugged himself.
Kell continued, "They also affect the muscular and nervous systems, giving greater, almost super-human strength, ability and agility to carry out that violence. Finally, they are able to cause intense pain if the victim tries to resist."
"But an electric charge will disrupt them?" Sam asked, gesturing towards her zat.
"An electric charge can deactivate them but only before they actually reach the nervous system. I am afraid it is already too late for your friend."
Sam stared hard at Kell. "That's unacceptable."
"We cannot stay here much longer," Teal'c spoke from his look-out near the door, "Our recent activity will have alerted the soldiers to our position"
"I still think we should try to talk to them." Daniel insisted, "We never had a chance to explain who we were. If they understand that we're peaceful travelers…"
"I don't know, Daniel, they didn't seem too interested in talking." Sam looked at him doubtfully.
"It would be the quickest way to get Jack back through the stargate." He argued.
"No!" Kell interrupted. "I cannot believe you are even considering this. My people are at war. They no longer believe there is anyone neutral. If you approach them they will kill you. Or worse, they'll fire the projectiles into you and you will die killing each other. Come, we must go." He implored them.
Kell headed towards the door, but paused when he saw Daniel and Teal'c move to carry the Colonel. "You should leave him. Understand that he is no longer your friend, but an enemy who will do everything in his power to kill you."
"We will not leave him behind." Teal'c's answer was final. He spoke for them all.
TBC