Title: Power/Possession

Rating: 15 (Violence)

Spoilers: Jolinar's Memories

Summary: Daniel falls victim to the power of a mysterious Goa'uld artefact.

Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me, they are the property of MGM Worldwide, Gekko Film Corp, ShowTime and Brad Wright. I have nothing to do with any of them, so please don't sue me!

~Power/Possession~

By Ruth

**********

Daniel Jackson sat in his dormitory, looking at some pictures of an artefact that he had collected earlier. It was something that would have put Jack to sleep, Sam would have discussed it at length using scientific terms he didn't understand and Teal'c would give his bluntest thoughts about it.

Funny, he thought. Neither of them was at all alike and yet they worked so well as a team. He put down the photos and took up a heavy book, searching for the corresponding page to the artefact he'd found. He was searching for some more information on the piece of art, because it intrigued him.

He found the right page and cast his eyes over the information in front of him. The artefact was small, made of a highly polished metal and was about the same size and shape of a mobile phone. As he read the text his eyes widened.

'This artefact is said to contain one of the highest levels of Goa'uld technology. Its effects have not been studied in detail but are supposed to increase the holder's strength, both mental and physical, and intelligence. But beware, the artefact may well backfire upon the person who holds it if it is misused or ignored. It reveals to its keeper how to become great and powerful. If this artefact is found it is to be immediately transported to a secure base for scientific study. DO NOT attempt to keep the artefact.'

Daniel immediately went to replace the artefact on his table and go to get Sam, but as his hand neared the table, the skin on his palm began to burn. He drew it back and hissed at the pain, but when he opened his hand the burn was gone. He tried to replace the artefact again but his palm burned once more. This time, he held it there for as long as he could, but the pain grew to agonising levels and he dropped the artefact to the floor, clasping his other hand and gasping.

As the pain subsided, he stood up slowly, not taking his eyes off of the artefact. He straightened up, but felt a piercing pain in his chest that forced him to the floor once again. The closer he got to the artefact, the more the pain started to wear off.

Slowly, he took the artefact in his hand and stood up. There was no pain. He had to tell Sam. He got up and made for the door, but as if the artefact had guessed what he was about to do, a sudden pain spiked at his temple and he fell to his knees, gasping and clutching his head.

'Keep me secret.'

Daniel looked up. Where had that voice come from? It was silvery, almost like that of a dream. He tried to stand, but was knocked back down again by the pain.

'Do not tell Major Carter about my power. I have already demonstrated to you what happens when I am ignored.'

"Who are you? What are you?" asked Daniel.

'Didn't you read all about me in your little book?" asked the voice.

"You are Goa'uld?" asked Daniel.

'I can be of great use to you, Daniel Jackson. All you must do is exactly what I say and I will take you further than you've ever dreamed.'

"What if I don't want your help?" he asked.

'Tough. You held me in your hand, Daniel Jackson. You summoned me. I will not just be banished without performing my duty.'

**********

Outside of Daniel's room, Jack stood by the door, listening. His brow furrowed, as it appeared that Daniel was talking to himself. He knocked.

"Daniel?"

"Who is it?" Daniel answered nervously.

"It's me, Jack. Everything okay in there?"

"Yeah, Jack, sure. I…I'll see you at debriefing."

"Yeah. See you, Daniel."

**********

Jack left and made his way to Sam's quarters. He knocked, and she opened the door.

"Sir?" she asked expectantly.

"May I come in?" he asked. She stood aside to let him in. Crap, he thought, her place was tidy. There were neat piles of books on her desk arranged around her computer. There was no mess on the floor and her clothes hung on hangers in the wardrobe. He actually felt quite intimidated by the cleanliness.

"Carter, has Daniel been acting, you know, funny, in your opinion?"

"Funny, sir?" she asked, a puzzled expression on her face. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"I was passing by his room just a minute ago and I thought I could hear him, you know."

Sam looked at him expectantly.

"I thought he was talking to somebody."

Sam folded her arms. "Could that possibly be because he had somebody in his room?" she asked, "It wouldn't be that strange, sir."

"Carter, I think he was talking to himself."

"What's so strange about that?" she asked, "Sir, we all talk to ourselves at some point. Even I do it sometimes."

She noted his curious glance and then nervously added, "But not any more."

"I don't know, Carter. Something just feels, off. He was saying something like 'Who are you?' and 'What if I don't want your help.' You can hardly say it's normal to ask yourself that."

Sam looked up at Jack. "Well, he did find that new artefact today. He sometimes goes a bit funny, well, over excited while he's waiting for an analysis. Kind of like a child waiting for Christmas."

"I get excited waiting for Christmas," said Jack, but at Sam's glance, he added:

"But not any more."

She smiled. "Sir, I think he's just tired. If you give him a couple of days and he's still behaving strangely then maybe you should talk to him about it. I don't think there's anything else we can do."

"I could ask Teal'c if he's noticed anything," Jack pondered out loud.

"You could," said Sam, "But what good would that do?"

"Sam, I'm just, thinking out loud. I don't know what to do, I don't know whether I'm just imagining this…"

"No, I believe you, sir. It's just a question of finding some evidence."

**********

Daniel sat down in the debriefing room, waiting for General Hammond to arrive. He wasn't sure, but he thought that he could see Sam and Jack staring at him. Well, Sam was trying to make it less obvious that she was doing it – and failing, and Jack was just throwing caution to the wind.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" asked Daniel.

"No reason," Jack unintelligently replied, realising that he'd just given away the fact that he'd been staring at Daniel.

"You look tired, Daniel. Have you been sleeping okay?" asked Sam in concern.

"Look, Sam, just because you have trouble sleeping it doesn't mean that I do!"

Sam sat back, shocked at the acidity of his words. Jack cast a look to her. That was their first piece of evidence.

Their thoughts were interrupted by General Hammond, as he entered the room.

"SG1, your mission today was a complete success. I have word from the lab that your artefact has arrived and is now being analysed, Dr Jackson."

Daniel nodded. It was, however, not the real artefact that Daniel had sent, but a fake. The real one was still hidden in his shirt pocket, and he could hear the silvery voice speaking to him.

"Don't look now, but she's looking at you, Daniel. Sam, that's her name, isn't it? She's too nosy for her own good. Might get her into trouble, one of these days."

Daniel swallowed and turned around in his chair, trying to shake the voice off of him. He looked at Sam who was now, conveniently, studying the table with interest.

"SG1, your next mission will begin at 0700 hours Wednesday. Please be ready to leave promptly. Dismissed."

Daniel got up quickly and left, leaving Jack and Sam to look at each other. Teal'c came over to them.

"Have you noticed something wrong with Daniel Jackson?" he asked.

"Yeah," said Jack, "You too, huh?"

"No," Teal'c replied, "But the two of you appeared to be studying him with some interest in the debriefing."

Teal'c walked away, and Jack sighed. He and Sam were the last to leave the room, still thinking about what could be wrong with Daniel.

**********

Daniel sat down in his room, trying to block out the silvery voice in his head.

"I believe she was once host to Jolinar, was she not?" it asked. When Daniel didn't reply, he felt a sharp pain in his side.

"Yes!" he gasped.

"I am worried about her. She is a strong influence – she may stand in your way of becoming powerful."

"I don't care! She's my friend – aaaggghh!" He felt an acute pain in his temple and clutched his head with both hands.

"You must get rid of her, Daniel Jackson. She will do harm!"

"No!" he cried, "I won't do that to her!"

"Yes, you will Daniel Jackson. It is your destiny. All it will take is a few memories, then she will slip away and never bother you again!"

"She's not bothering me now!" Daniel argued, "I won't hurt her!"

Then, the pain in his head got so bad that he fell to his knees on the floor, and was near to tears. He felt a trickle of blood roll down his cheek and looked up, his eyes a glinting yellow colour.

"What is it that I must do?" he asked.

"Do you remember when a Tok'ra called Martouf allowed Samantha access to Jolinar's memories? Well, the process is very similar to that. All you must do is look her in the eye solidly for four seconds and I shall implant in her Jolinar's memories of torture and pain. These memories alone will be powerful enough to cause her great agony."

"What will they do to her?" asked Daniel.

"We will soon find out, Daniel Jackson."

**********

Daniel suddenly found himself standing up and walking towards his door. He opened it, almost mechanically, and began his journey to Sam's room.

Sam was reading a book on astrophysics when she heard a knock on her door. Surprised, she stood up and opened it.

"Daniel," she said, "What can I do for you?"

She was surprised, and a little unnerved, when he pushed past her and walked calmly into her room. She shut the door, and turned around. He looked close to tears. Walking over to the door, he pulled the bolt across.

"Daniel, what are you doing?" she asked, stepping away from him.

"I'm sorry Sam," he said, "But I have to do this."

"Daniel, you have to do what?" she asked.

Daniel locked stares with her. She found herself unable to look away from him, and suddenly she let out a cry of agony and fell to the floor in pain, her body arching in pain as if invisible daggers were stabbing her. Daniel kept looking at her.

"Daniel, STOP!" she begged, as wave after wave of pain hit her. She could remember Jolinar being tortured, and it was painfully real.

"Daniel!" she screamed, as a fiery pain ripped through her. "STOP! Please…"

She was curled up on the floor in a foetal position now, her breathing was laboured and she was crying. He kept looking at her.

"Just a few more seconds!" the voice persuaded him.

Outside Sam's room, Jack was trying to kick in the door.

"Sam!" he shouted, as he heard her screams of agony. Dr Frasier was also behind him, as was General Hammond.

"Daniel, are you in there?" Jack shouted, and then threw his bodyweight against the door.

Sam was weak now; her body unable to take the pain that Daniel was inflicting upon her. "Daniel, please! Stop! I…I can't breathe!"

Daniel gave her one last, long stare and she crumpled to the floor, just as Jack broke the door down and rushed in.

**********

"What the hell happened here?" asked General Hammond as Jack rushed to Sam's side.

"I don't know!" said Daniel, pretending to be shocked, "I came in to talk to her and she started screaming! I didn't touch her, Jack."

Jack had pulled Sam into his arms and her body hung limply like a rag doll. Janet rushed away to prepare the infirmary and Daniel sidled quietly off, hardly able to believe that he's just done what he had.

**********

In the privacy of his room, he sat down and stared at the blank wall. He would have cried, but found no tears to shed. Sam's screaming and pleas to stop still echoed around in his head.

'You did a good job, Daniel Jackson. You have sufficiently weakened her.'

"What did she see?" asked Daniel.

'She saw nothing. She was re-living the torture endured by Jolinar. It was as realistic as our technology would allow, but there is clearly room for improvement.'

"Improvement?" asked Daniel, "How?"

'If the memories had been powerful enough, she would be dead. We clearly have more research to be done.'

Daniel put his head in his hands. "I can't believe I just did that."

'But didn't it give you a rush? Didn't you feel so powerful?'

"Yes," he replied, "But that doesn't mean I enjoyed it!"

'Oh, I think you did, Daniel Jackson. You continued the process for longer than I had previously thought you were capable of. I am pleased. You show great potential.'

"Potential for what?" Daniel asked.

**********

In the infirmary, Sam was lying in bed, surrounded by all kinds of monitoring equipment. Jack was by her side, holding her hand in his. Janet had said that she was barely alive, even though she didn't have a scratch on her.

"Jack." Janet's voice was strained and she sounded upset.

He turned around. "What did you find?"

Janet swallowed. "There are no signs of physical torture on her, but the mental torture she has endured go beyond anything I have ever seen before."

"But what about Daniel?" Jack asked, "He said he didn't touch her."

"Jack, using the technology I've found here – he wouldn't have had to. It is a very powerful version of the one Martouf used to help her delve into Jolinar's memories. This was much more powerful. I think she was re-living the torture Jolinar endured. But of this strength, Jack, this can only be Goa'uld technology."

"But how- Janet I don't understand. How would this amount of pain be inflicted on her without some kind of contact?"

"The Goa'uld technology is very advanced. The person wanting to perform this would either be under the power of their own simbeote or a device somewhere on their person. I believe the device takes over their bodies and gives them the ability to…to do this." She pointed at Sam.

"But why?" he asked, looking down at the body of his 2IC.

"I can't answer that Jack. I'm sorry."

"Will she be okay?" he asked nervously.

"It's hard to say. If the memories had gone on any longer, I'm sure she would be dead. No living being could have endured what Sam has gone through for much longer. If we've caught it quickly enough, she should make a full recovery."

"And what if we haven't?" asked Jack.

"She'll die, Jack."

**********

The next morning, General Hammond was talking to Daniel.

"Can you explain to me what happened, Dr Jackson?"

"Well, sir. I went to see her to talk about the results from our mission. She was fine for a couple of seconds and then she started backing away from me, like I was trying to hurt her or something. I tried to reach out to her to hold her – she looked like she was going to pass out – and she just started screaming! It was like she was in terrible pain, but there was no one else in the room. I was about two meters away from her! It was really quite terrifying. Then, all of a sudden, she just went all quiet and collapsed."

"Are you sure that's all that happened, Dr Jackson?"

"Yes, sir. Are you implying that I did this to her?"

"Well, you were the only one in her room at the time and she was screaming for you to stop hurting her," said a sour voice from the doorway.

"Jack, please…" Daniel began.

"I don't care, Daniel. If you did, I want to know how and why the hell you did and if you didn't, you didn't."

"Jack, I would never, ever do this to Sam. Never. I thought you knew me well enough to believe me."

"So did I," he replied cryptically, and left.

"That's all, Dr Jackson. I may ask to see you again."

"You don't believe that I did this to Major Carter, do you?"

"No, Dr Jackson, I don't. Not in my heart."

"Thank you sir," he said, and left.

**********

'Good cover-up,' said the silvery voice. 'I think he actually believed you. Now all we have to do is work on Jack.'

Daniel swallowed. Sam had been fairly easy meat – not because she was a woman but because of his easy access to Jolinar. If there was one thing that could tip Sam, it was Jolinar.

'He's gonna be tough,' said the voice, 'Know of any weak points, Daniel? Anything we can destroy him with?'

"No," said Daniel.

'Well, I know two just to start with – one of which we have already taken care of.'

**********

Sam did not move. Jack took her hand and pressed it against his cheek. He was relieved to feel that she was still warm. He didn't see Janet looking over at him. She smiled to herself. It wasn't often that Jack O'Neill showed his maternal side, but when he did, it was normally because of Sam.

"Jack, I thought you might like to know. We've noticed some improvement in her vitals. It's a long shot, but she might be turning the corner."

He smiled. "You hear that, Carter? You're going to be fine!" he said to her.

"How do you propose we tackle Jack?" asked Daniel.

'He's already weakened because of what you did to Sam. All we need now is a little something else. What about his son?'

"That would be effective," said Daniel, "But how is destroying my friends going to help me become greater?"

'They were not your friends, Daniel Jackson. They were merely obstacles in your path that you got to know on an emotional level too much. You will not remember them when you are a world-famous archaeologist.'

"Is that my destiny?" asked Daniel.

'There is so much more ahead for you, Daniel. I see a beautiful wife, many sons and daughters, an excellent job. All this if you just rid the earth of three people. Bit of a one-sided deal, don't you think?'

"Rid the earth?" he asked, "You said I only had to weaken them!"

'You were prepared to inflict upon Samantha Carter the most torturous memories she and her Jolinar have ever dreamed. It would have been fairer to kill her. Don't tell me you wouldn't just slit her throat. It's quick, Daniel, very quick. All she's doing is lying in that hospital bed, wasting space. If you did it tonight she wouldn't even know. She's too far gone, Daniel.'

"But Jack is with her! How will I get to her if Jack's there?"

'You must distract him.'

"How?"

'His son. You use the same mind altering technique you used on Samantha Carter while you quietly kill her and walk out again. No one need know you did it. Besides, if Colonel O'Neill won't leave her, that places him at the scene of the crime!'

"I can't cut her throat. I can't do it!"

'Fine. You can instead pull the plug on her life support. That will do the job just as well, but slower.'

**********

Daniel entered the infirmary. He saw no sign of Dr Frasier. That was good. He could see Jack hunched up over Sam's body. He was annoyed to find that Jack wasn't sleeping. The minute he saw Daniel, he rose and came over to him. The silvery voice cackled:

'Big mistake, Jacky boy!'

"What are you doing here?" he asked defensively. Daniel stared him in the eye. All it took was a few seconds. Jack fell to his knees before Daniel, visions of his son dying fluttering around in his head. Daniel then calmly walked to Sam's bedside. He reached for the wires connecting Sam to the life support machine and pulled. A series of loud-pitched beeps emanated from the machine, and to his annoyance, Dr Frasier ran into the room.

"Daniel!" she said in horror, "What the hell are you doing?"

Daniel decided it was too risky to try and snare Dr Frasier so instead, he made a run for it. Janet noticed that Jack was unconscious on the floor as she frantically tried to re-connect Sam to her life support.

**********

The next morning, Jack awoke to find himself in the infirmary. This wouldn't have bothered him if he hadn't physically been in a bed, wearing a gown.

"What am I doing here?" he asked.

"Daniel," she said. "He came in late last night. He managed to incapacitate you and pulled Sam off of her life support machines. Luckily I arrived in time to re-connect her but Daniel did a runner. There's search teams out looking for him now."

"How is she?" Jack asked.

"Remarkably, she's fine," said Janet, "Though this is really troubling me, Jack."

"Anything in particular?" he asked, shifting his position in the bed so that he was sitting up.

"Why the hell would Daniel start to behave like this? All of his medical tests have come back normal, he went out on a mission only two days ago and now he's trying to kill you. Even Teal'c is a little unnerved! Can you think of anything that might have happened?"

Jack smiled bitterly. "Sam and I were having this conversation yesterday morning," he said, "And look where that got us."

Suddenly, there was a soft groaning sound from Sam's bed.

"Sam?" Jack asked, jumping from the bed and rushing to her side. "Janet, what's going on? I thought you said it'd take ages for her to wake up!"

Sam opened her eyes and looked at Jack and Janet.

"Daniel…" she groaned softly.

"We know, Sam," said Janet, "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got run over by a tank," she said, coughing.

"Sam, what did he do to you?" Jack asked.

"I could remember, Jolinar. Being tortured – but it was so real! I could feel it!"

"Exactly what happened?" asked Jack.

"Well, Daniel knocked on my door and pushed straight past me into the room after I'd opened it. Then he said something like, 'I'm sorry, Sam. I have to do this.' I started to move away from him, but he just stared at me. A couple of seconds later, I…I was in Jolinar's body! I could feel all the pain she was experiencing…aagh!" She put a hand to her head.

"That's enough for now," said Janet. "You try and get some rest."

"That's exactly what happened to me," said Jack, "All he did was look at me!" Sam turned around in surprise. "He did something to you?"

"Yeah," said Jack. "He…he made me think Charlie was being…hurt."

As he seemed uncomfortable to go any further, Sam lay back down and closed her eyes.

**********

'Why did you run away? You could easily have upset Dr Frasier with your power. I'm ashamed of you, Daniel Jackson.'

"They're not my powers!" he said, "They're yours! They're yours and I don't want them any more!"

'You can't escape me, Daniel. I am a part of you now."

"But I don't want your power!" said Daniel.

'Oh, yes you do. What about that job? The wife and children?'

"I don't want them! I don't need them! I had everything I needed at the SGC, I was perfectly happy – aaggh!"

He felt a piercing pain to his temple as his hand reached into his pocket to remove the artefact. How would he ever be free of it?

**********

The next morning, Sam and Jack were talking.

"Where could Daniel have gone?" Sam asked.

"I don't know. Probably a good thing that he's gone, anyway."

"I don't know, sir. I really don't think he wanted to do what he did. I…I don't think it was actually him."

"Sam, how can you say that?" asked Jack, exasperatedly. "He tried to kill you!"

"It might have been Daniel's body, but it wasn't his soul! It wasn't his brain that was working that night – it was something else!"

"Carter! Will you just stop being so forgiving and accept that he tried to hurt you? There's nothing wrong with being hurt, you know!"

"Sir…I know this is true! Will you just listen…"

"No! Carter, you are to remain here until Dr Frasier allows you to leave. Under NO circumstances are you to go looking for Daniel, do you hear me?"

"But sir…"

"No buts, Carter! I am ordering you to remain on base at all times!"

With that, Jack stormed out of the infirmary. Sam was upset. She knew that she was right, that Daniel needed her help. She wasn't going to leave him on his own for any longer…

**********

Sam's car pulled up outside the small house. Daniel had once told her of this house. It was somewhere he went when he was distressed, or needed calm. She was almost certain that she would find him here. She looked at the rifle on the seat beside her, and loaded it, just in case.

Daniel could hear footsteps approaching. He hoped to God that it wasn't Sam, but in his heart he knew that it could be no one else.

"Daniel!" she said in horror, as she saw him curled up against the wall, trying not to look at her. The silvery voice in his head started again.

'Kill her! Kill her!'

"Sam!" he shouted, desperately, "Get away from me! I don't want to hurt you!"

"Daniel!" she cried, agonised, trying to reach him, physically and mentally.

'KILL HER! KILL HER!"

His hands clenched into fists as a pain began to build in his head.

'KILL HER! KILL HER NOW!'

"What?" Shouted Jack. "I specifically told her not to leave!"

"You weren't the only one," said Janet. "You'd better find her quickly, Jack. I don't think her body could stand another draining like that."

Slowly, Daniel got to his feet and looked at Sam. They were both crying.

"Sam, please!" he croaked, "Get away from me!"

'KILL HER! KILL HER!'

"Daniel!" she cried desperately, "Let me help you! What is it that is making you like this?"

'KILL HER! KILL HER NOW, DANIEL!'

Jack floored the accelerator. He had a vague memory of some place Daniel had talked about once. Damn, why hadn't he listened?

Sam took a step closer to Daniel. She could see now that he was in pain.

"Sam!" he cried, sinking to the floor in agony, "The artefact!"

'KILL HER! KILL HER!'

"What artefact?" she asked, suddenly confused.

"My…pocket…" he gasped.

'KILL HER! KILL HER NOW!'

Sam bent down next to him and removed a small, polished metal object from his pocket. He cried out in agony as it got further away from him.

"Daniel?" Sam asked.

"D…destroy!" he gasped, his lungs becoming tighter and harder to get air into.

'KILL HER!'

Sam took the artefact and threw it into the corner of the room. Then, she took her rifle and aimed. She fired, shot after shot after shot.

Jack heard the shots as he pulled up and his blood turned cold. "Sam!" he yelled, as he got out of his car and ran for the house. "SAM!"

She gently pulled Daniel's body into her arms as she sat on the floor, looking over at the pieces of artefact in the corner of the room. She could feel Daniel shudder against her as she held him reassuringly close.

"SAM! SAM, WHE-" Jack poked his head around the door and saw the two of them crouched in the corner of the room, holding each other.

"What happened?" he asked. Sam nodded her head in the direction of the artefact.

"That?" asked Jack.

Sam nodded. "It's Goa'uld. Well, not any more."

The three of them looked at the smouldering pieces of metal and felt a great weight lifted from their hearts.

**********

"Daniel Jackson, it's nice to have you back with us," said General Hammond. Daniel nervously returned his handshake.

"I trust that this is the real Daniel?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," said Daniel. "Definitely the real one."

THE END