A/N: I couldn't write this fic without including Swain's point of view! I can only imagine how awful he must have felt and I've tried to put it all in here. Enjoy!

He couldn't lose another shipmate. Chris held Spider down, doing his best to keep him from slamming his head into something as his body jerked to and fro, and felt his own gut tighten in fear. Whatever the hell this was, it was bad. And this ship could not lose someone again, not so soon after Jaffa.

Guilt over the young sailor's death had been eating away at him in the weeks since. He'd seen the counselor, he'd read the autopsy report, but none of that had taken away the feeling that he could have done something more. It didn't matter that Jaffa's death was a freak accident; he was the medical liaison on ship. These people were his responsibility.

"Somebody get me some pillows!" he yelled as he and Cheffo hung unto Spider for dear life. It took several long minutes for the seizure to subside and Spider's body to go slack. Chris immediately checked his breathing and pulse. He seemed to be wheezing a bit. So were Peter and Alex.

When ET had returned with pillows in hand Chris arranged them around Spider in case of another attack and left ET with strict instructions to stay with Spider while Cheffo checked on Alex and Peter.

Mike was waiting for him in the hallway. "I don't know what this is," Chris said. "But if it's fast acting or a bio-weapon of some kind…"

"Then we're all in trouble," Mike finished for him.

"We'll need to check with the entire crew, see if anyone else is experiencing symptoms."

"I've sent Charge to do just that. If you've got everything under control here I'll go and join him."

Chris nodded and Mike went on his way. Chris rejoined the men, his gaze falling on Spider's pale face. Even unconscious his face was taught, as if he were in pain. He was sweating but his skin was cool and clammy to the touch so there was no fever. "What the hell is this?" ET asked.

Swain shook his head. "I don't know."

He shifted his gaze to Buffer whose eyes had closed. His arm dangled limply toward the floor. "Buffer," he said to no response. "Buff, hey, look at me!"

He moved closer and could hear the man's breath rattling, shallow and tight. "Buffer!" he shook him.

He moved his head a bit and moaned but didn't regain consciousness. "How's Alex?" he asked Cheffo.

He shook his head worriedly. "His breathing's not good Swain."

Swain grabbed the radio. "Nav any word on when we'll make home port?" he asked.

Her voice came back over the line sounding tense. She was worried. "Approximately one hour."

An hour. He had an hour to keep these three men alive. Possibly more if anyone else started exhibiting symptoms. He looked at ET. "You're feeling all right?"

"Yeah mate, yeah I'm fine," he said.

"Cheffo?"

The man's eyes looked troubled. "You don't think…could it have been something I fed them?"

Swain wanted to tell the man no. In fact if no one else sickened it was unlikely to have been his cooking. But no one had left the ship all day except to rescue the girl and they had to follow the most logical reasoning. "I don't know mate. I doubt it though."

It didn't seem to reassure him but they didn't have time to talk about it further because Spider made a choking sound and began seizing again. Swain's heart felt like it was in his stomach as he gripped Spider's shoulders. "What do you need?" Mike asked as he reappeared in the doorway.

"To be at a hospital," Swain said grimly.

"We're going as fast as we can."

"Then maybe some more blankets. Honestly, I don't know," he said despairingly. "I'm not a doctor. They need better care than I can give them here."

"Do your best."

"Anyone else showing symptoms?"

Mike shook his head and Swain felt the tiniest bit of relief. "Everyone else seems fine with strict instructions to report to you with any kind of symptoms. We'll hope that whatever this is it's limited to these three."

Even if it was, it was still too many. Swain felt his resources being stretched thin, even with Cheffo's help. They were going to need a miracle to get everyone home alive.

A/N: Leave your love in the reviews!