TITLE: Complications
AUTHOR: Roeskva
CATEGORY: Drama/Romance
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret Productions. This piece
of fan fiction was created for entertainment only and not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. This entire story is based on the episode "The Cure" and much of the dialog is taken directly from that episode.
SUMMARY: Answer to the 2008 challenge: Sam becomes host to Egeria in a very AU version of "The Cure". I moved the episode to third season. This has several advantages: 1) Egeria is not in as badly a shape, 2) SGC people, including O'Neill, is not as hostile towards the Tok'ra, as in later seasons, 3) Martouf/Lantash and Daniel are all alive. I believe that by third season, Sam has come enough to terms with her experiences with Jolinar that she would agree to become host in a situation such as this.
RATING: PG-13
PAIRING: Sam/Egeria/Martouf/Lantash
CHARACTERS: Malek, Martouf/Lantash, Anise/Freya, Egeria, SG-1
STATUS: Complete
SPOILERS: "The Cure", Tok'ra episodes in general.
AUTHORS NOTES: * denotes thoughts or symbiote/host communication. Takes place a few months after "Jolinar's Memories"/"The Devil You Know".
SG-1 were standing in the gate room, suited up and ready. They were going to Pangar, a planet SGC had contacted about a month before.
The familiar 'kawoosh' was heard, and O'Neill, Teal'c, and Daniel started walking towards the wormhole.
Daniel was about to follow O'Neill and Teal'c through, when he realised Sam was not coming. Turning around, he saw her stand several feet behind him with a distant look on her face.
"Hey! SAM!" Daniel began walking to her.
Sam made a small jump and shook her head.
"Sorry...coming..."
"Memory flash?"
"Yeah..." Sam shrugged, trying to appear casual about it.
"Sam...it's been nearly two months since Netu. You shouldn't still be affected."
"I'm not...not much, anyway." She did not want to look at him.
"You're remembering things that happened to Jolinar?"
"Yes...I don't know...it's as if...as if her memories, her personality are much clearer. I sometimes catch myself doing and thinking things I somehow know is not me, Sam. It's as if...sometimes, I'm almost...her. Listen, I know how it sounds, but it's not a problem. The good thing is that it has helped me to finally come to terms with having been her host."
"You're sure you're up to this mission?"
"Yeah." She smiled at him. "Let's go. The others are waiting."
Daniel looked somewhat worriedly at his friend, but decided not to pursue the matter further. They left through the Stargate.
On the other side they found O'Neill and Teal'c waiting.
"What took you so long?" O'Neill wondered. "The Pangarans are waiting."
"Sam was...upheld..." Daniel said, looking apologetically at her.
"Carter! You didn't have another one of those 'episodes', did you?"
"Eh...yes, sir...but it was only a very short memory flash..."
"Damn snake! If she wasn't dead I'd kill her myself!" He sighed. "Will you be able to handle the mission?"
"Yes, sir. No problem...and I have long since forgiven Jolinar, even accepted her memories as part of who I am."
O'Neill shook his head at this madness, but decided to let it pass. "Our welcoming committee is waiting for us, Carter." He turned to the two other members of SG-1. "Daniel, Teal'c. The Pangarans have invited you to take a look at this temple of theirs, while we handle the diplomacy...lucky us."
Sam and O'Neill followed the Pangarans - Representative Dollen, Commander Tegar, and a couple others. They were taken to the government palace in the nearby capital and shown into a room. It was nicely decorated in Japanese style. Food and refreshments were placed on the table.
They all sat down around the table and began talking. The Pangarans were still very unused to the thought of people from other planets. They were very interested in learning how to use the Stargate. They already had some knowledge from their study of an ancient temple which once belonged to a Goa'uld. While their prime interest was gate travel, they also had an interest in trading for various modern technologies.
In return for this information, the Pangarans offered a drug called Tretonin, which they considered to be their single greatest scientific discovery. According to the Pangarans it gave everyone who took it perfect health - and with negligible side effects.
"If it does what you say, this would certainly interest us." O'Neill said, slowly turning the small bottle around in his hand. It contained a purple liquid, which he watched with fascination.
"We will of course need a decent amount for testing...on Earth." Sam added.
"Of course. I quite understand. We will, however, need something in return from you, as a measure of good faith." Commander Tegar said.
Sam took out a file folder and handed it to him. "Certainly. We have been authorized to give you these ten addresses, which we have compiled from our lists. The planets are all peaceful and rich in both natural resources and historical relics. On top of that we will give you a rudimentary lesson in gate travel."
Tegar glanced at the contents of the folder, then handed it to Dollen.
The representative looked at the list of addresses for a little while. "Thank you, Major. This is very generous of you. However, based on our studies of the writings in the temple we have compiled a list of names of worlds we would like to visit first." He gave a booklet to both O'Neill and Sam.
O'Neill took a quick look, recognizing none of the names. "Do we know anything about any of these?"
"I would need to cross-reference the Goa'uld names with our database, but off-hand I recognize three of the planets as being Goa'uld homeworlds." Sam said.
O'Neill turned to the Pangarans. "Trust me, fellas, you really don't wanna go there."
"Yes, we do know the Goa'uld are a hostile race who once ruled this planet. However, these are the worlds we want to go to." Tegar said.
O'Neill and Sam spent some time trying to convince the Pangarans of the danger, but they continued to insist they wanted those addresses in return for a sample of the Tretonin.
Meanwhile, Daniel and Teal'c took a look at the temple. When they approached the archaeological dig, they were greeted by a young blond woman, waving at them.
"Hey! Earthans!"
"Eh...I think you mean Earthlings..." Daniel looked at Teal'c, and added to him in a low voice. "...and it's only partially correct..."
"I am Zenna Valk, supervisor of the temple research project. It is a pleasure to meet the explorers from the planet Earth."
"Well, I am from Earth, but Teal'c is not - not originally at least." Daniel smiled at her.
"...however, I have dedicated myself to the cause of the Tau'ri." Teal'c added.
Zenna looked uncomprehendingly at him. "Tau'ri?"
"Earth." Teal'c clarified.
"Am I at least correct in assuming you are a Jaffa?" Zenna asked.
"Indeed."
"This is so exciting! We have learned much from the discovery of this site, but it must pale in comparison to what you can teach us."
Daniel smiled, somewhat embarrassed. "Perhaps...would you mind showing us around?"
"Of course not!" Zenna led them over to the temple and into one of the rooms. "We discovered these ruins more than a hundred years ago, and we have since dedicated ourselves to studying the secrets the Goa'uld left behind...we made the biggest discovery not far from here."
They walked around the room, looking here and there. They then followed an underground tunnel system - a former escape-way in case of an attack - to the main temple. Zenna showed them into a chamber where she pointed at some writing on the walls.
"We have not yet had time to study these sections much, but there is inscriptions on the walls of most of the rooms. Perhaps you will be able to help us translate some of the writings?"
Teal'c studied the wall briefly. "It is written in a rare dialect of ancient Goa'uld. It is an account of the warlord Shak'ran."
"I know of him! He was a System Lord until he was defeated by Apophis...uh...some 300 years ago." Daniel said.
"Indeed. Until his defeat it appears Pangar served as Shakran's homeworld. Most likely the attack is one of the reasons for the state of this temple." Teal'c said.
"Really? You can just read the inscriptions like that? Who is Apophis?"
"He is another Goa'uld System Lord - currently presumed dead." Teal'c said.
"As I suspected, you have much wisdom to share."
"Both Teal'c and I will be able to help you with the translations, though some of it may take some time." Daniel offered.
Zenna looked around, then spoke in a low voice. "Please. I do not wish to be overheard by the Pangar Security contingent...there is something you really need to know about the drug Tretonin..." She listened for something, then continued. "Someone is coming. We will talk more later..." She then returned to showing her surprised guests around as if nothing had happened.
-
Later.
Teal'c and Daniel had met with Sam and O'Neill, and had reported their findings. They had decided it would be prudent to attempt to get more information from Zenna, and Daniel and Teal'c had been charged with this. However, when they talked to her, she evaded their questions and they concluded someone had pressured her to keep quiet. They agreed to search her tent for some hint of what she might have meant. This turned up something interesting - Zenna had just started taking Tretonin shots. They also learned of the nearest place where the population could go to get their injections.
Late that evening, Teal'c and Daniel went to explore the location they had learned about earlier. They found an entrance to the Tretonin facility and snuck inside. Walking around in the darkness, using only flashlights, they detected what looked like a lab. On one of the tables had been several bottles containing Tretonin. Probably it was not just administered in the facility, but also produced there.
Teal'c noticed a door at the other end, and motioned Daniel to follow him. They went out onto a catwalk above a number of water pools. Daniel looked out over the railing.
"I wonder what they have here?"
"I do not know."
They carefully continued for a little while, then came to some stairs and started down them. When they were about halfway down, they stopped and again looked over the rail.
"I think I saw something moving down there..." Daniel said.
Teal'c continued staring for a little while longer, then straightened. "I believe it looks like Goa'uld symbiotes."
"What!" Daniel were first about to lean further over the railing to see better, then immediately thought better of it and quickly jumped back as he got a better look at what was down there. "You're right. That's definitively symbiotes."
"Hey!" An angry voice called to them from down at the pool level. "Who are you? Identify yourselves!"
Daniel and Teal'c turned to see a guard. Before they had time to think of something to say, alarms went off everywhere. Several guards came running and jumped them.
Being at the middle of the stairs, the group ended up tumbling down to the platform beside the nearest pool. Daniel and two of the guards were lucky, but Teal'c and the third guard fell into the water.
Daniel was the first to get to his feet, as the two guards had taken a harder fall. He saw Teal'c swimming towards the edge, the symbiotes ignoring him. Not so with the unlucky guard. Daniel saw a symbiote swim directly towards him, followed by a splash as he went under.
Warily, Daniel walked over to the water edge to help Teal'c up, eyeing the symbiotes out there. The two other guards had now managed to get up and came to help. Together they grabbed the third guard as he emerged, and pulled him out of the water.
Turning the man over they immediately saw the entry wound, which was already healing.
"Oh, no...he's a Goa'uld..." Daniel looked horrified.
"Stand back!" Teal'c said, covering the man with his zat'nik'tel in anticipation of him waking up and trying to either attack them or run away.
The guards drew their weapons and pointed them at Teal'c and Daniel. "Lower your weapons!"
"This man is a Goa'uld!" Teal'c was unwilling to surrender his zat'nik'tel.
"Lower your weapon immediately!"
"Teal'c...do as he says. I don't think we are in a any danger. Something is wrong with this man..." Daniel said.
-
Next morning.
SG-1 was seated around the table in the negotiation room, together with Tegar and Dollen.
"What were you doing at the Tretonin facility?" Tegar looked angrily at Teal'c and Daniel.
"We..." Daniel began.
"I ordered them to check it out. Since I am in command, you should interrogate me, not them."
"Very well. Speak!" Tegar glowered at O'Neill.
"Why do you have a pool full of Goa'uld symbiotes?"
"We thought we could trust you. Yet you snuck around inside our secret facilities - you betrayed our openness!" Dollen said, ignoring O'Neill's question.
"What openness? You didn't tell us you were raising Goa'ulds!"
"The symbiotes are a critical component to making Tretonin."
"Excuse me? They are what?" Sam sounded shocked.
"It is a complicated process. Our scientists will explain the process to you later. We actually did intend to tell you how Tretonin is made, when we knew you better and had assessed how you would react." Dollen said.
"Not well." Jack snorted.
The discussion continued for some time. The Pangarans admitted to having produced Tretonin in this manner for almost 27 years, and agreed to reveal all its secrets to SG-1. After this, Dollen took SG-1 to the Tretonin facility for a full tour.
"We actually developed the drug here at this facility, and it is now both manufactured and administered here. About a year ago we began spreading its use to more of the general population, so we have now implemented other treatment centers throughout Pangar." Dollen opened a door and ushered SG-1 in. "In here are the reason we can produce Tretonin without gate-travel. Our symbiotes are all bred here in captivity."
SG-1 was stunned. They looked in shock at a tank with a large Goa'uld symbiote in it. The symbiote was attached to a big flesh-coloured womb. As they entered the room, she lifted her head and looked at them.
"A queen." Teal'c stated.
"No kidding." O'Neill said.
-
A little later. At a Pangaran hospital.
The guard who had been taken as host, had been strapped to a hospital bed. SG-1 had arrived together with Dollen and had inquired to his condition. They learned that he was unresponsive to any stimulus. No one knew why, but the Pangarans explained that this, in their experience, is the normal reaction to being taken as a host. SG-1 was nturally surprised at this, but Sam speculated that it might be due to the conditions the symbiotes were born and raised under.
"Do you know of any way to help the guard - and perhaps even to learn why these symbiotes are not as you would expect?" Dollen wondered.
Sam thought for a moment, then turned to her commanding officer. "Colonel, I recommend we contact the Tok'ra. Perhaps they will be able to tell what is going on, or at least they may be able to get the symbiote out of that man."
Dollen looked confused. "Who are the Tok'ra?"
"Uhm...basically...they are an offshoot of the Goa'uld, who oppose them philosophically in every way."
"You propose to bring these Goa'uld here?"
"Yes. They are very different. They co-exist with their hosts in a true symbiotic relationship." Sam explained.
"They are, in fact, allies." Teal'c added.
"And they will be able to help?" Dollen looked questioningly at O'Neill.
"Possibly..."
-
While Sam and O'Neill went to contact the SGC and the Tok'ra, Daniel and Teal'c returned to the temple to help Zenna translate more of the inscriptions.
Janet had finished her analysis of the Pangaran drug. It turned out there was a very bad side effect to taking the Tretonin. It did create a powerful resistance to disease, but it also suppressed the immune system. While the healing effect was not permanent, the suppression of the user's own immune system was. The result being that once started on the drug, they needed to continue using it or die. And Janet could see no way of reversing the drug's effect.
They shut down the wormhole.
"There's no way to produce enough Tretonin for an entire population this way. According to Dollen, about 15% of the population is currently on Tretonin, and they are in the process of extending that to 20%, due to public demand." Sam said.
"That's insane! They must know the production is unsustainable!"
Sam and O'Neill went to talk to the Pangarans in the negotiation room.
"So, you wanted the 'gate-addresses to Goa'uld worlds so you could snag another queen and raise production?" O'Neill merely stated, matter-of-factly.
"Colonel - we have to. There is no way the one we have will be able to produce enough symbiotes to make Tretonin for the entire population." Dollen said.
"How did you get to this point?" Sam asked.
Dollen thought for a moment before answering. "About 57 years ago, we found a secret chamber beneath the temple, containing a sealed stasis jar. Inside it was a living, female symbiote, perfectly preserved in stasis. Since we knew from our studies of the temple that the Goa'uld did not suffer illness or disease, we decided to take the opportunity to try and learn why."
Tegar nodded. "When the queen gave birth we started experimenting on her offspring. It took decades, but finally we invented Tretonin."
"It worked like a miracle drug - curing anything!" Dollen added. "Of course, the negative side effects were soon realised, but we were certain we could perfect and refine the drug. Eventually we decided to begin reaping the benefits while we worked on the down side."
Tegar looked at Sam and O'Neill. "We have been unable to refine it, synthesize it, or even reverse the side effects. Please, we must obtain an extra Goa'uld queen."
-
The Tok'ra arrived soon after being called. The ones sent were Freya/Anise and Johan/Malek, as they were proficient in biochemistry. Freya/Anise also had a lot of archaeological knowledge, and would be able to help translate inscriptions in the temple, if needed. The two Tok'ra had never had any dealings with Earth before, but Sam faintly remembered them from Jolinar's memories. After the greetings, they were taken to the guard who had been taken as host.
Anise examined the man. "In some ways it is as if the symbiote in this man has taken a host when it was much too young, though even that does not fit all symptoms."
"Besides, our scans indicate it to be a full-grown adult. It is most puzzling." Malek said, looking at the scanner Anise had handed him.
"Do you have any idea what could have caused it?" Sam wondered.
"As you know, memory is passed on genetically by the queen, but it is done voluntarily. She can chose what, if anything, to pass on to her offspring."
"In this case it seems she has either chosen to impart no knowledge on him...or she has somehow been unable to do so. In either case, something else is wrong as well." Anise added.
"What do you mean?" Sam asked.
"From what the Pangarans have explained, the symbiote and host remains unresponsive. This means the symbiote has the basic instincts which makes it want to suppress the host. However, even without the genetic memory it is of course still able to learn. It is sentient and would eventually figure out how to control the host's body, speak the hosts language, move around, and so on. Since this apparently does not happen, the symbiote must have been damaged - sabotaged, somehow."
"I see. That makes sense, actually. Can you still remove the symbiote without harming the host?"
"Possibly, though it would be difficult and dangerous, given the condition of the symbiote." Malek looked thoughtful. "We would like to see the queen who spawned this Goa'uld."
The Tok'ra, Sam, and O'Neill went to the room where the queen symbiote was kept imprisoned.
Malek and Anise studied the symbiote for a while.
"She looks...old...or perhaps more correctly, sick." Anise said.
"She's been kept in this manner for decades?" Malek asked.
"Yes. According to the Pangarans, they started using her for medical experiments almost 50 years ago. For around half that time she has been used to breed symbiotes for the making of Tretonin, though it is only in the later years they have raised the production to cover about 15% of the population." Sam said.
O'Neill looked confused. "How is this possible? I mean...how does she make kids without a...man friend?"
"If necessary, symbiote queens can fertilize their own eggs. It is not the preferred option, as among other things it decreases the probability of a successful blending. Though, that is not an issue here." Malek explained.
"Does it bother you that they use Goa'ulds like this?" O'Neill wondered.
"No. The Goa'uld has treated humans worse than this. I am surprised the Pangarans can use them for a beneficial result, but it is not morally objectionably to me." Malek answered.
*It is to me - no sentient being, not even a Goa'uld, should be treated like this.* Johan remarked.
*I am surprised you can be this forgiving, given how the Goa'uld has treated you and your family. I will never forgive them for their atrocities - both against your family, against the families of my former hosts, and against countless other innocents.*
Anise had been scanning the queen. "I am detecting signs of cellular degeneration, which could be part of why her children are not mentally developed. The conditions she has been kept under is the reason she appears old. If they continue keeping her like this, she will be dead in 3-4 years."
"...and together with her, tens of thousands of Pangarans will die." Sam said.
"Yes. Most unfortunate."
"Is there nothing that can be done?"
"Yes...if she had been kept under optimum conditions - and not been bred quite so hard - then they could easily have continued using her like this for millennia. If they were to place her in a healing tank immediately and let her recuperate for perhaps half a year, she should regain her health and youthful appearance. They would, of course, have to stop breeding her for that period of time." Anise said.
"They cannot do that - even being without a queen to produce Tretonin for such a period would mean death for a great many." Sam remarked. "They need another option."
Anise thought for a moment. "There is another solution. If she is still strong enough to survive taking a host, then that would allow her to be restored to health much faster...in perhaps no more than 3-4 weeks. Of course, that would mean someone volunteering to be host to a Goa'uld...not something we would recommend or appreciate."
"That's for sure! I think we can discount that!" O'Neill said.
-
Sam and O'Neill went to talk to the Pangarans again, and rely the information from the Tok'ra.
"Your allies have confirmed what our scientists reported as well, the queen we have is not going to survive the stress much longer. Do you now understand that we must get another Goa'uld queen or face the deaths of a large part of our population?"
"Getting a Goa'uld queen is - at best - a temporary solution." Sam said.
"...and an extremely dangerous one at that..." O'Neill added.
"We realise that..." Dollen said. "However, we have worked for years on finding an antidote to Tretonin, or refining the drug - and with very little progress. We need more time!"
"Or more help..." Sam suggested.
-
They contacted the Tok'ra again, and enrolled their help in the work on the Tretonin. Freya/Anise had gone to assist Daniel and Teal'c with the translations, but now came back to help Malek with his research. They were given access to a lab. While they did not believe the drug could be perfected in the way the Pangarans wished, they thought it might be possible to reverse its effect with an antidote. However, it might take them some time.
Meanwhile, Daniel and Teal'c continued helping Zenna translate the inscriptions in the temple. They had made good progress with Freya/Anise's help, and she had promised to send for someone else to assist them further.
Daniel had just started to look at a new part of the wall, when Martouf/Lantash arrived.
"Martouf! Hello...you're the one Anise convinced to come and help us?" Daniel said, slightly disappointed at seeing him instead of Anise. Teal'c greeted him as well.
"Yes. We are to assist you in translating the inscriptions."
"Great..um...don't take this the wrong way, but I didn't know you had any archaeological training - or interest."
"I suppose I don't...however, I was available to help you, and Lantash can read ancient Goa'uld as well as Anise, whether or not the content of the text interests him." His head bowed, as Lantash took control.
"You need not worry. I am perfectly capable of translating your inscriptions." He looked at the wall Daniel had been studying before. "According to Anise, this temple was built by Shak'ran?"
"Yes. By the way, this is the chamber where the stasis jar with the Goa'uld queen was found."
"Then why does the inscriptions on this wall mention Ra?" Lantash started reading the full text from the beginning.
Teal'c came over to take a look as well. "You are correct. It would seem this place originally belonged to Ra."
"Could perhaps Shak'ran have captured this world from Ra in a battle?" Daniel wondered.
"Yes. That is possible." Lantash agreed.
"Then the temple could have been built on whatever structure Ra had here before." Daniel said.
Meanwhile, Lantash read on. "It says here that this place was supposed to be a prison forever, for one of Ra's enemies...'Here lies'..." Lantash paled. "...'Egeria, betrayer of the Goa'uld, may she...may she suffer for all eternity'...Egeria!"
*Martouf! The queen the Pangarans have found...she is our queen...she is Egeria!*
*Yes...it is wonderful that we have found her alive...but they are using her for medical experiments...killing her offspring to use for a drug...*
*You are correct. That outrage must be stopped. Immediately. They will give us back our queen or...*
Daniel interrupted their internal discussion. "Lantash...Egeria is the origin of the Tok'ra - is she not? I thought she was killed?"
"Yes. Egeria is our queen...and I know that some of our historians have speculated that perhaps Ra did not kill her, as most believed. Anise would know more."
"Then the queen the Pangarans are breeding is not a Goa'uld - she is Egeria of the Tok'ra!" Teal'c said.
"Yes, and we must go to them immediately and put an end to their mistreatment of her. We will not allow it!"
Daniel nodded. "We should go and tell Sam and Jack at once, then they can inform the Pangarans."
They all hurried to meet the two other members of SG-1.
"This sounds like it could be a problem." O'Neill said.
"You're sure it's Egeria they are breeding?" Sam asked.
"Yes, Samantha. The writing in the chamber is very clear. It is Egeria." Martouf said.
"From what we have been able to translate, Ra used this planet as a base of operations in this part of the galaxy, until Shak'ran captured in from him in battle."
"Presumably this is the act that led to Shak'ran's downfall some centuries later. He must have been weakened by reprisal attacks, and this lead Apophis to take a chance and destroy him." Teal'c added.
"Yeah. I guess you don't piss off the Supreme System Lord without some sort of punishment?" O'Neill said.
"We must inform the Tok'ra High Council. The Pangarans must be made to release Egeria immediately." Lantash pointed out, having been given control. "They will not be pleased if the Pangarans does not agree to our demands."
"I understand...and those on Tretonin would die anyway, if they continue breeding Egeria until she is dead. I doubt they will be able to find an antidote soon, unless Malek and Anise are able to come up with something." Sam pointed out.
"Then I suggest we go talk to the Pangarans now. We can inform Malek and Anise on the way. The Tok'ra High Council can be informed afterwards - let's give the Pangarans a chance to show their good faith first." O'Neill said.
-
A little later. SG-1 and Martouf/Lantash were in the laboratory where the two other Tok'ra worked on the Tretonin.
"It is hard to believe." Malek said.
"Yes." Freya agreed. "There were those who said Egeria had not been killed, but we did not dare hope she would ever be found."
"She must be freed immediately, of course. Every moment she is kept like this is an affront to the Tok'ra." Malek sounded as angry as Lantash.
"Of course. We are on our way to talk to the Pangarans. However, they will most likely want something in return for freeing Egeria...how are your research into an antidote coming?" Sam asked.
"It seems, unfortunately, to be more problematic than we had hoped to reverse the effect of the drug." Malek said.
"Why?" O'Neill wondered.
"There is something unusual about the symbiotes, aside from their lack of knowledge and mental development."
"The Tretonin should work much better than it does - and as I said, the symbiotes should eventually learn. We do not understand why either is the way it is." Anise said.
"We believe there may be defects in their genome - perhaps deliberate ones." Malek added.
"But can we tell the Pangarans that you will eventually solve this?" O'Neill asked.
"Currently we can only say that it is a mystery." Malek admitted.
"Just like that...all of a sudden you have no idea how to solve this...a bit suspicious, isn't it?" O'Neill said.
"I understand the implication, Colonel. This revelation about Egeria is in no way affecting our analysis of the Tretonin."
"The fact that we cannot currently help the Pangarans mean we have nothing to offer them in return for Egeria's freedom. Do you not think we would do all that is in our power to solve this and see Egeria free?" Lantash pointed out, clearly angered by O'Neill's implication.
O'Neill looked a bit guilty. "I suppose..."