Between "Death Kneel" and "Heroes"
AU, but I tried to stay true to my characters.
Thanks to Bruised Reed for the beta.
"All right, Major, what does this thing do?" Jack asks with a yawn staring at the large machine.
"I'm still not sure," Sam says biting her lip.
"Definitely, Ancient in design," Daniel says.
"And it's something about DNA," Sam says.
"DNA eh? Alien or human?" Jack asks.
"I'm not really sure. I think it compares DNA," Sam says.
"A contest? Sorta like a sport. It's been awhile since we had new off world sport. So which one of us would win?" Jack asks.
"Not you," Daniel says.
"Thor says my DNA is superior," Jack says pouting.
"I'm sure if it was a competition you would win," Sam says pacifying Jack.
"Thank you, at least one of you appreciates me," Jack says.
"Could you help me lift this panel?" she asks Jack.
"Sure," he says moving forward. As Jack lifts the panel, a needle darts out and stabs him and Sam. They look over to where Teal'c and Daniel were translating and they saw that each of them has been poked as well.
"Any idea what we were just injected with, Major?' Jack asks.
"I don't think we injected with anything," she says looking at the mark, "I think it took a sample of our blood."
"So we get to find out just how superior my DNA is?" Jack asks with a grin.
"I'm really not sure," she mutters looking back at the screen. "Of all the sexist…" she mutters, "Daniel, tell me I'm reading this wrong," she says.
He looks over at the screen, "Well you're only wrong if you don't think it says "girl" and "boy.""
"That's what I thought. Stupid question. Well computer, I'm a girl," she says pressing the screen grumpily, "Now if you lock me out of anything, because of it, I'm going to kick your Ancient ass so hard your creator will feel it in the past.
Jack grins. Sam glares at him.
"I have no doubt of your ability to kick the computer's ass, Major," he says.
Sam goes back to examining to computer. Five minutes later she suddenly freezes, "Holy Hannah!"
"Did I win?" Jack asks.
Her eyes go to the center where a glass cylinder drops down and fills with clear liquid. Then a needle comes out and drops something into it. "Holy Hannah!" she repeats moving toward the container and putting her hand against it.
"What is it?" Jack asks memorized by her amazement.
Daniel leans over to the consol she was looking at, "Holy crap," he says.
"What is it?" Jack demands.
"Congratulations, Daddies!" Sam says turning toward him.
"What?" Jack says.
"It seems the machine took our DNA and made a baby," Daniel says.
"Whose DNA?" Jack says looking nervously at Daniel.
"All our DNA," Sam says.
"Well, I may not have paid a great deal attention in school, but I do remember Sister Mary Claire's Life Science class informing me that to make a child it takes one male and one female," Jack says.
"This isn't normal reproduction," Sam says.
"No kidding, the normal way is more fun," Jack points out, "This way hurt," he says slowly rubbing his pin prick injury.
"Oh come on, they took a tiny bit of your blood, you'll be fine," she says wondering why her CO only complained when the injury was not really serious.
"Can we please focus on the fact that there is a baby growing over there?" Daniel explains.
"O'Neill was merely requesting information on our offspring," Teal'c says stoically.
"Oh for crying out loud, this is creepy," Jack mutters.
"Daniel, you need to get your video camera over here and record this," Sam says.
"I think we need to translate and figure out what is going on," Daniel says.
"Right now we are witnessing a human grow from a single celled organism in a glass container. A chance we will probably never have again. We can translate after it's born," Sam says.
"You want Daniel to film for the next nine months?" Jack asks.
"Hour," Sam corrects
"Actually, the ancient word 'hora' doesn't translate as an hour. It's based on 1/20 of a day on the Ancient's first home world which equals about 88 minutes."
"Hold it! We're having a baby in 88 minutes?" Jack asks.
"Give or take," Daniel says with a shrug.
"Daniel, get the camera on the kid, Sam get over here and explain what the hell is going on," Jack says pointing to the computer consul.
"DanielJackson, I will operate the audiovisual recording unit," Teal'c says seeing Daniel's reluctance to leave the translating.
"Now how is it possible that this kid is from all of our DNA?" Jack asks again.
"It compared our DNA sir, gene loci by gene loci. It selected the best allele at every gene, regardless of which of the four of us it came from. Then it took the best genes and spliced them together into one DNA sequence and inserted it into an egg, which is currently," she glances at the computer, "starting to form brain tissue. The side of the tube has magnifying properties. I would like to observe…"
"Go Carter," he says.
He squints at the tube and walks closer, "Does that thing have a tail? Who are we blaming for the tail?" he glances around, "It didn't get Juniors DNA did it? I mean there is no Junior anymore, but…"
"Sir, tails are completely normal at this state in development," Sam says giggling.
"And there were only four samples of DNA. No Gou'ald," Daniel says still examining the computer.
"Thank God for that," Jack mutters.
"Yes, this kid looks completely human…er human Jaffa hybrid?" Daniel says flicking to another screen with his finger.
"Is he going to need a snake?" Jack asks with concern.
"Sir, when I thought it was asking my gender…" Sam begins.
"Ok, so this machine comes with gender selection. Is she going to need a snake?" Jack rephrases.
"I don't know," Daniel shrugs.
"Look at the tiny arms," Sam says mesmerized.
"I don't see any arms," Jack says looking over her shoulder.
"Ok, arm buds," she says.
"Cute," he says sarcastically. She turns and glares at him.
"This is amazing, we're the first people ever to watch a fetus grow," Sam says.
"Don't call it that. It's a baby," Jack mutters, "And do we know if it's going to keep growing like this after it's born, because ten minutes per month would mean a life span of…"
"About a week, Sir, I'm really hoping not."
"How is it aging her? We dealing with nanites here?" he asks glancing at Daniel.
Daniel shrugs.
"T, hand the camera to me. You need to get to the gate and bring back Janet and whatever we'll need to stop the nanites as soon as the kid is born."
"I don't think it is going to be a problem, Sir, I suspect that whatever makes them grow quickly is a chemical delivered through their artificial umbilical cord," Sam says indicating a plastic tube, "I suspect that she'll be growing at a normal rate as soon as she is uh…decanted?"
"Another word you're not allowed to use," he grumbles.
"Sorry, this is nothing like that, and if it was this kid would be an Alpha, plus, plus," Sam says.
"What are you guys talking about?" Daniel asks.
"I believe they are making reference to the novel Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, O'Neill," Teal'c says.
"You need to read more," Jack says grinning at Daniel.
"Ok, well unless this book explains how and why ancients wanted to create babies that are composites of several people let's get back to focusing," Daniel says.
"Did you still wish me to retrieve DoctorFraizer, O'Neill?" Teal'c asks.
"Might be a good idea, buddy," Jack says. Teal'c bows his head and leaves the room. Jack takes the camera as he glances at Daniel, "You ok?"
"Fine," Daniel says.
"You're not fine, Daniel. You're freaking out. Understandable, considering the instant Daddy circumstances you found yourself in. But just because this kid is genetically related to you, less so than a child the fun way would be, let me point out, doesn't mean that you have to have a role in the kid's life. These are weird circumstances, and no one would blame you for not having a role in that kid's life. We'll make sure it's safe, and someone takes care of it."
"I'll take her, Sir," Sam says her eyes never leaving the tiny life form.
"You don't have to take it either, Sam…" he begins.
"I want her, Sir," she says turning to him with something like desperation in her eyes.
"Ok, Major, we'll talk about this later. But noted," Jack says meeting her eyes.
"Thank you, Sir," he says turning back to the baby.
Daniel glances back at the paper "Well, I found a way to stop the rapid growth, but if I'm reading it right it would also leak the fluid out…"
"NO!" Jack and Sam both explain.
"My God, I wasn't actually considering pressing the 'abort' button! I was just repeating information." Daniel says.
"Sorry," Jack says.
Sam doesn't say anything.
"You think she'll be ok?" Jack asks softly.
"Sir, if this machine did what it said it was going to do she is going to be great. It's just…our experience with Ancient technology hasn't always been the best. I mean we've seen 'time machines' that really cause time loops, and healing devices which cause nasty addictions. Besides which this technology was never meant to work on humans or Jaffa, much less a combination of the two groups, so…I don't know sir," she says.
"She's fine," he says, "The tail is even gone."
"The tail was normal, Sir," she says giggling.
"So you say," he says. He leans forward, "She have fingers now?" he asks with his mouth close to the glass.
The baby flings her tiny arms out and moved toward the sound.
"Hey, she likes your voice, Sir," Sam said softly.
"Charlie used to move when I spoke too, but Sarah was further along," he says with a smile.
"Sarah wouldn't have felt him if he was moving at this stage," Sam informs him.
"This is kind of intense," Jack says looking at the baby once again.
"Good news, guys," Daniel says, "It looks like Sam was right. The baby's growth will slow after it's born," Daniel says.
"Slow by how much?" Jack asks, "All the way to normal?"
"The math is a little complicated," Daniel mutters.
Sam rolls her eyes, and goes to stand by him, "Double. Her growth will slow until it's about double normal. She'll stay at double the normal rate of growth until…"she pauses, "That word is years right?" she asks.
"No… on Atlantis 'anonous' was 231 days…" Daniel says.
"So two years three months…" Sam says after a quick calculation.
"You have to adjust for a different length in day…"Daniel says.
"So bottom line this kid's infant and toddler years are double time. We can figure out the specifics later, what then?" Jack asks.
"She should grow normally," Sam says smiling, and returning to the cylinder, "hi," Sam says moving her mouth close to the glass, and placing her hand on the side. The baby turns so its closed eyes are toward her, "Hi sweetie." Sam wants to say a lot more. She wants to say I love you, and I'm your Mom. But she doesn't, because she knows this baby isn't just hers. She knows that Daniel and Teal'c aren't going to be the problem. Daniel didn't want to raise his wife's child. Teal'c had a son he saw only occasionally. She had no doubt the men would want to be involved. Certainly they would help if needed. But they would be more than happy with the sort of relationship they had with Cassie. The Colonel, he would be the problem.
But Sam knew. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she wanted to keep this baby. More than anything else in her life.
"Carter, is that blond hair with that brown skin?" Jack asks.
"It would appear so, Sir," Sam says.
"Interesting combo," he says.
"From what I read it would pick out the best genes even if they are recessive. It really doesn't care if they go well together," she says.
"But how does it define better?" Jack asks critically.
"Well the dark skin is a useful adaptation in warm climates, most climates. It prevents sunburn. The blond I can't explain, Sir," she says.
"The blond I understand, Carter," Jack says.
"You have always had a thing for blonds," Sam says.
"It picks the rarest trait when it can't see an advantage of one over the other. And I had blond hair as a child too, Jack. You flirting with me?" Daniel asks.
"I'm not flirting with anyone, Daniel Daddy," Jack responds mockingly.
"Interesting!' Daniel explains. "I just found the percentages of genes she got from each of us."
"Who won?" Jack asks looking at him.
"Actually you did," Daniel says in amazement.
"You're kidding, the Colonel?" Sam says filled with genuine surprise.
"Hey now!" Jack explains.
"Sorry, Sir," Sam says.
"I have superior DNA, Thor said so," Jack says with his arms crossed.
"And apparently the Ancients agree," Daniel says.
"Who got second?" Sam says.
"That would be you Sam," Daniel says.
"Yes!" she explains pumping her arms up in the air.
"Because it isn't a competition," Jack says.
"It was a competition a moment ago when you won," she points out.
"That kid likes your voices," Daniel says seriously. They both turn back to the cage.
"She's sucking her thumb," Sam says.
"God she's beautiful," Jack replies.
Sam closes her eyes. She's afraid. Afraid the Colonel will get this child, that is more his than hers.
"What's the percentages, Daniel?" she asks.
"35% 25% 21% 19%," Daniel says.
"And the loser is?" Jack says.
Daniel glares at him.
"Danny boy," Jack says in a show boating announcer voice.
"Jack!" Daniel says.
"She just opened her eyes," Jack says.
"She's got your eyes, Daniel," Sam says over her shoulder.
"What the hell did she get from me?" Jack asks.
"Superior DNA, sir, that's what you've been telling us." Sam mocks.
"Funny, Major, funny," Jack says.
They hear the sound of Janet Fraizer's heels clicking on the floor of the ruins, and see her enter with Teal'c behind her.
"When Teal'c told me the news…I just couldn't believe it," she says, moving close to the cylinder. How far along is…it?"
"She is about an hour and ten minutes along which translates to roughly 7 months," Sam says.
"This is amazing," Janet says, "You've got the whole thing on tape?"
"Yes, it's all recorded, but we need to know if she's ok," Jack says.
"Colonel, you'll understand if this is a touch out of my normal experience. If I was dealing with a pregnant woman I'd do an ultrasound and a blood test and listen to a heartbeat. The view I see is better than an ultrasound, I can't think of a safe way of getting blood while she's in the tube, and I'll try and see if I can hear a heartbeat through the glass. But to be perfectly honest with you, it's going to be pretty inconclusive until I have it at my lab and can do a set of tests on it. It's…"
"Beautiful," Sam says grinning at her.
"Amazing," Janet adds.
"I think I heard something about a stethoscope," Jack says impatiently.
Janet obediently puts one up to the glass.
"O'Neill, you are failing to hold the audiovisual equipment steady," Teal'c says taking it back from him.
Janet pulls it away, "I think she's fine," she says with a smile.
"Watch this Janet," Sam says moving close to the cylinder, "Hello little one."
All four of the baby's tiny limbs stretch out a wiggle.
"Baby's a dancer," Jack says, and she wiggles again at his voice.
"That's actually completely developmentally normal for a child of her size," Janet says with a smile.
"But the fact that it's ordinary doesn't diminish its coolness even a teeny tiny bit," Jack says.
"It doesn't, Colonel," Janet says with a smile.
At almost precisely the 87 minutes Daniel had predicted some buzzers start to go off.
"This message says to back away from the cylinder," Daniel says. Sam, Janet, and Teal'c obediently take a step back.
"Someone has got to catch the kid," Jack says.
"Catch the kid, Sir?" Sam asks.
"Right, because if they lift up the cylinder it's going to wash out with…" he begins. But is cut off by the fact that the cylinder lifts an inch draining the amniotic fluid, and drenching Jack.
"Unless they lifted it slowly, Sir," Sam says with a smile.
"Funny," Jack mutters.
The cylinder is steadily drained out. The second her lungs are above water the baby lets out a loud cry.
"It tells you to step forward now," Daniel says laughing.
"Thanks," Jack says sarcastically. The last of the cylinder is lifted, and Jack takes the baby into his arms.
"Hey there little girl," he says with a smile.
"Sir, may I?" Sam asks. He nods, and she holds the baby close to her.
"You need to check her out Doc?" Jack asks.
"I can do a much more complete examination when we get back through the gate. It would probably just be best for us to wait until then," Janet replies.
"Ugh, guys?" Daniel says, "It's saying something about eating, or getting eaten…" Daniel looks confused at that panel.
"Get the kid out of here!" Jack says ushering Sam who is still holding the baby, out before him.
"Colonel," Janet says pointing to the pedestal on which the cylinder used to sit. A hand has placed something new on it. It is long and thin and at the end of it there is what is unmistakably a bottle's nipple.
"I don't know if we want to start feeding this kid genetically altered alien crap right after she's born," Jack says wearily.
"Sir, with all due respect she IS a genetically altered alien," Sam begins.
"As am I," Teal'c added.
"…and we don't have any bottles or formula at the SGC. I sent a nurse for some basic baby supplies before we came, so if you feel it better to wait…" Janet says.
"We don't know how old that stuff is," Jack says suspiciously.
"MajorCarter," Teal'c says offering a spare shirt from his gear.
"Thanks," she says wrapping the baby up. "I think the Ancients were smarter than us. It could be something matched exactly to her DNA, or for all we know, that stuff could be what stops her from growing quickly. I think we should give it to her."
Jack nods. Janet retrieves the bottle. "You want me to do it, Sam?" Janet asks.
"No, it's ok. I have fed a baby before," she says with a smile.
"Ok, when she's done with the bottle we head back to the 'gate. I want this little one checked out as soon as we can," Jack says.
"I can walk and feed her," Sam says. Suddenly four devices much like those which contained the ancient depository of knowledge jet out of the wall and grab SG-1's heads much like it did to Jack's. Janet reaches out to take the baby, but she didn't need to take the precaution, because Sam would not let her go even into Janet's secure hands.
The four devices release them all at once, and Janet is again prepared to catch the baby if Sam goes down like Jack did when he encountered the Ancient repository of knowledge. But they don't fall.
"What did it put in our heads?" Jack asks pointing toward the wall which no longer shows any sign of the machines.
Sam hands the baby and bottle to him. She turns to the computer interface, and flips through a couple of screens. "It didn't give anything, it copied something," she says. "Oh, no, Jack…get…" she says quickly. But before she can finish one of the devices is around the baby's head.
"Damn it!" Jack shouts. "What is it doing to the kid?"
She closes her eyes, "Giving her our knowledge?"
"They are transferring our FOUR brains into that little girl's head?" Jack asks in alarm.
"That's going to be almost as bad as what happened to Jack," Daniel says in alarm.
"Not to mention awkward," Jack says.
"Not our memorizes, just our knowledge," Sam says.
"And as smart as you folks are our four brains does not equal a civilization," Jack says grinning, "Conceited much, Daniel?"
"What I meant is that is four times what a human brain is meant to contain," Daniel says.
"A baby's brain is very elastic," Janet says.
"The computer just manufactured the infant, it should therefore be good at determining what the brain is capable of enduring," Teal'c says.
"Guys, from what I'm reading she would be sort of a blank slate if she didn't get our minds," Daniel says.
"That would make sense. She's going to have a lot less time to learn than most children do. If she didn't have a sort of leg up she would actually be far behind most children her age," Janet points out.
"So when this thing comes off her, she's going to know everything we do?" Jack asks.
"I'd be surprised if she could access it right away," Janet says, "it's possible she wouldn't understand it until she learned to talk."
"Also possible she'll understand every word we say even though she wouldn't be able to talk or have the motor skills necessary to respond," Sam says.
Janet nods. The device retreats from the baby. The baby doesn't move. "Sweetie?" Jack asks in horror bouncing her.
The baby opens her eyes and looks at him in surprise.
"You ok?" Jack asks.
"Her vocal cords are incapable of speaking, even if her mind is, Colonel," Janet says.
"I've heard you ask that question plenty of times when you didn't expect a response," Jack mumbles giving the doctor a glare. "Let's get this kid out of here before something else happens to her."
"Sir?" Sam asks.
"I've got more practice feeding a baby while walking. I'll hand her to you when she's done," he says placing the bottle in the baby's mouth.
