"It's SG-1's IDC, sir."

"What?" Landry looked at his watch. "They've been gone less than thirty minutes. Open the iris."

Teal'c came through the gate carrying Colonel Carter, who was moaning. Daniel was holding her feet and Cameron was keeping her hands over her head. "We need a med team, now!"

A team raced in with a gurney. Teal'c laid her down. As soon as Daniel and Cameron let go Sam began scratching her arms and legs.

"She's been bitten by insects. She's covered in bites and can't stop scratching them." The med team raced her to the infirmary while the rest of her team went to the conference room. They all sat down.

"What happened out there?" General Landry looked from his right to his left, settling on Colonel Mitchell.

"We were less than a click from the gate when we encountered tall mounds. We didn't know what was in them until they swarmed us. They bit each of a couple times but then they all focused on Sam. She was covered in them from head to toe and they were biting her." Cameron looked down at the table. "She was screaming in agony so I zatted her."

Teal'c straightened his shoulders. "It was the appropriate action. The energy discharge stopped the insects."

"He's right Cam." Daniel looked across the table. "We got as many bugs off of her as we could before Teal'c picked her up and headed back to the gate. As she come to, she started crying and scratching at the bites. The bites started bleeding, but she couldn't stop scratching, so we had to restrain her."

"Is there a chance that any of these bugs came through with you?"

All of their eyes instinctively began surveying their bodies. "It's possible, sir."

"I want all of you confined to an isolation room until we're sure you're clean." It took over an hour for them to be deemed clean. Vala was the only one who took any pleasure in the invasive search. It was still another hour before Sam was allowed visitors. Daniel stepped in first, followed closely by Teal'c. She was covered in bandages and moaning lowly.

"She was in a great deal of pain, so we sedated her."

"But she'll be ok?" Daniel's hand hovered over her because he wasn't sure where he could touch her.

"I don't know yet."

Teal'c took the first watch and Cameron followed him. Daniel was sitting with her the next morning when Jack called. Daniel opened the video chat.

"Hey, Jack."

"How is she?"

"Still sedated."

"Can I see her?"

"Sure." Daniel clicked the button and flipped the camera. Daniel watched Jack's face as he saw her. He suddenly looked ten years older.

"Why in the hell is she restrained?"

"Even sedated she keeps trying to scratch the bites. They had to tie her arms and legs down to stop her. Even with the restraints she keeps using her fingernails to take the wrapping off her thumbs. She scratched them until they're raw and bleeding."

Jack's eyes focused on her hands and he could see the evidence of her self-abuse. "Shit. How much longer are they going to keep her under?"

"They've already backed off the sedation a little bit. She's moaning more than she was even an hour ago."

"She looks swollen."

"They counted over five hundred separate bites. There were seventy-seven bugs still attached to her and they found another fifty-eight in her clothing. She's having a reaction to the bites, making them all red and swollen. Even if she awakes soon, she might not be able to open her eyes because they're so swollen."

Jack was shaking his head. "Call me back when she wakes up."

"Will do."

Sam's moaning increased, and she was fighting the restraints, so they increased the sedation again to get her through the night. They reduced the meds again the next day. The swelling on her face had noticeably decreased and she was moaning less. Daniel and Teal'c were with her as she started opening her eyes. She pulled against the restraints, desperate to scratch the bites. Even after Daniel explained what happened she was using her fingers to dig into her palm and scratch her thumbs until they bled.

Sam was allowed to leave the infirmary two days later, when the swelling had decreased to the point where she looked more like a teenager with bad acne than a balloon animal. The itching was tolerable but a long soak in her tub was still her top priority. Jack called to wish her a good night and he promised to come see her in a few days. She insisted she was fine and glad to be able to sleep in her own bed.

She had a bit of a headache when she woke the next morning. She took a couple Advil with her morning coffee and headed into her lab. The team was on light duty until she was cleared for gate travel again. She knew all the bites would have to be gone before that would happen.

"Sam, what are you doing?" Daniel leaned on her work bench.

"Editing an article I've been working on."

"It looks like you've been scratching your leg."

Sam looked down at her leg. "Dang it." There were small spots of blood on her pants. Sam's hand moved up to her temple and she rubbed.

"Headache?"

"A bit. I guess I've been looking at this screen for too long."

Daniel held up a folder. "Did you see the report about the bugs?"

She shook her head. "No, what did they find?"

"They aren't biological."

"What?" Sam took the folder from him and began reading. "I'll head to Bill's lab. Thanks."