Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Q?
Author's Note: Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. The whole story is written, I just have to break it into chunks. I'll try to be quick, but my 14-year-old dog is having seizures so I may not be able to update everyday.
Quandary
"You talked to the real Merlin?" Daniel asked later. "In the past?"
"Tried to," Q answered.
"Wh-what did he say?"
"Not much. Even after I told him you and I were good friends."
"We're not good friends," Daniel stated.
"He doesn't know that." Q winked at Daniel. "Anyway, he said he'd done more than enough. He didn't even want to know what he would do in the future."
"How far back did you go?" Daniel asked.
"Pretty far, then right before you woke him. Apparently he remembered me."
"Well, that explains his clamming up," Mitchell said.
"We're straying from the point," General Landry said, the thinness of his patience evident in his tone.
"My plan." Q whisked in a pile of folders and sent them flying to their recipients. "You'll notice a nicely drawn diagram of an Ori ship on page 3." He gestured, and everyone opened the folders.
"Wow," Jack breathed.
"Thank you." Q beamed.
"I was being sarcastic."
"This is my drawing," Sam said.
"Nicely done, Carter."
"I thought you were being sarcastic," Q said.
General Landry cleared his throat.
"Moving on, moving on," Q said. With one motion, he turned down the lights and activated the screen. "I will get you onto the Ori ship. You'll find this diagram on page 4." Q indicated the diagram on the screen behind him.
"What are we looking at?" Mitchell asked.
"It's an anti Prior device," Sam said, impressed.
"You can clip them inside your shirts," Q said.
"Are they-?" Daniel started.
"They're more powerful than your current, larger device," Q said.
"How long will it take you to make these?" Landry asked Sam.
"I'm not even sure what some of the components are, sir."
"I'll explain everything as we go," Q said. "I'll even help assemble the devices."
"How magnanimous of you," Jack said.
"These devices will not hold the Priors off for long," Teal'c said.
"Your current devices wouldn't," Q corrected. "I've incorporated into these beauties a mechanism that will enable them to self-remodulate. You may be vulnerable to the Priors for a few seconds every now and again. But I'm confident you'll be able to handle yourselves."
"Well, at least somebody is," Vala said.
"Now, once on the ship, this device will get you into the controls," Q said, keying up another diagram.
"I already know how to access-" Sam started.
"But with this, you won't need your primitive equipment."
"You know-" Jack started to say. Landry shot him a warning look.
"Jack," Daniel said.
"I'm just sayin', the whole us being primitive thing, dead horse," Jack whispered to Daniel.
"All you'll need is your mind," Q finished as Daniel nodded agreement to Jack.
"This device can allow me to control the Ori ship with my mind?" Sam asked, impressed.
"You might get interference from the Prior if you get too close, so you'll have to really know how to control it or your brain is toast."
Everyone looked to Q to see if he was being dramatic or serious.
"Toast is a distinct possibility," Q said defensively.
"Is that device necessary?" Jack asked.
"If you want to gain control of an Ori ship, I'd say it's essential."
"Carter?"
Sam was studying a diagram. "He's right, sir. We need constant access to ship controls. This device will link my brain directly to the ship and enable me to monitor the connection continually."
"And it's ok for you to share this technology with us?" Daniel asked.
Jack waggled a finger at Daniel. "Hey, don't bite the hand that-"
"Sam probably would have thought of it soon anyway," Q said. "Besides, I'm not giving you technology. I'm giving specifications that I had help developing. You can build the device using your own knowledge and materials. Well, Sam's knowledge. And I'll offer assistance when I'm available."
Jack, Daniel and Mitchell rolled their eyes.
'You've already promised you'd assist," Landry pointed out.
"I didn't say the word promise. I also didn't say I'd be available during the entire process." Q thrust out in chin in a "So, there" expression.
"Who helped you?" Jack asked.
"What if Adria shows up?" Daniel asked. "The devices won't work on her as long as they will on the Priors. I don't care how sophisticated you've made them."
"She'll be busy," Q assured him.
"With what?" Teal'c asked.
"Just trust me," Q said.
Teal'c groaned.
"I hear ya, buddy," Jack whispered past Daniel to Teal'c.
"What are we going to do with the ship once it's in our control?" Mitchell asked.
"Secure the ship. Get rid of any unwanted passengers."
"After that." Mitchell rolled his hand as indication he knew that part.
"Throw a party. Destroy any nearby ships on your way back to Earth. I don't care."
"You land the ship at the alpha site, and we take even more precaution to keep its location a secret," Landry said.
"So, you're down with this?" Jack asked.
"I'm down with us getting our hands on an Ori ship. As long as we can plan for all contingencies and everyone's willing." Landry looked around the table, and received six nods.
Q pretended to pay attention to the extensive planning session that ensued, but it all seemed so useless to him. He snapped in various objects to amuse himself with, and was forcibly removed from the briefing room by a purple and green Teal'c when his paint ball gun overloaded.
"You have access to all personnel files connected to the Stargate Program, right?" Q asked technician Walter Harriman.
"Uh, yes, sir."
"Pull up NID personnel."
"I'm not sure if I'm authorized to do that."
Q heaved a dramatic sigh and snapped his fingers.
Before Walter could breathe a sigh of relief, Q was back with General Landry.
"Well," Q demanded.
"What does he want, Walter?"
"NID personnel files, sir."
"This man has work to do, Q. Leave him-"
"What work? He just opens and closes the iris."
Walter started to turn toward Q with a glare.
Landry patted his shoulder and said, "Q, this man does more-"
"All I want is a picture of one certain man."
Walter raised his eyebrows.
"Nothing prurient Walter," Q snapped.
"Who?" Landry asked, looking at his watch.
"Colonel Simmons."
Landry studied Q then smiled. "Show him. Now, take me-"
Two flashes of light, and Q leaned over Walter's shoulder. "So that's him?"
Walter looked back and forth between Q and the man on the screen.
"I don't see the resemblance," Q said.
Walter looked at him with incredulity then scowled "You know I do more than open and close the iris."
"Fascinating, I'm sure." Q waved and was engulfed in light.
Walter sighed and reached for his magazine.
Mitchell peeked around the corner onto the bridge. He held up three fingers to indicate there were three people there. Then he pointed at himself and Teal'c.
Teal'c nodded.
Mitchell and Teal'c turned as one and zatted two of the three.
"How did you-?" The Prior in the command chair wasn't standing completely before Teal'c shot him with his staff weapon and Mitchell shot him with his P-90. The Prior fell sideways, hitting the floor with a thud. Blood and steam oozed from his body.
"Clear," Mitchell called. "Sorry about the mess," he added as Sam, Daniel, Vala and Q walked onto the bridge.
"I'll take care of it," Q said, and the bodies and blood disappeared.
"Hmm," Daniel said.
"I'm not a galactic janitor," Q snapped. "I just don't like blood. It makes me queasy."
"Aw, the big omnipotent being can't stand the sight of a wittle blood," Vala teased.
Mitchell chuckled; Teal'c smiled.
"I'm in," Sam said. She grimaced as a piercing sound emanated from the round, blinking device attached to her temple.
"Sam?" Daniel said.
"Can you compensate?" Q asked.
Sam turned a dial on the side of the small device, and the sound quieted. "That's better."
"Good. Now, test your abilities," Q instructed.
"What happened?" Mitchell asked, stepping between Q and Sam.
"The way I had to connect this device to the ship's computer was like dialing the internet," Sam explained in an off-handed way as she concentrated on exploring her connection.
"You're positive there won't be any harmful effects from that thing?" Mitchell asked.
"Nothing long term," Q said with a sigh indicating he was tired of answering that question. "Short term, she'll have one hell of a headache."
The ship lurched. Vala bounced off the wall she'd been standing near. Teal'c rolled when he hit the floor. Mitchell and Daniel collided, bounced off each other then landed hard. Q tried to grab the command chair but was thrown back. The only person relatively unscathed was Sam because she had been kneeling beside a console.
"What was that?" Daniel asked, sitting up and accepting Mitchell's offered hand.
"Sorry," Sam said, scanning the others to make sure they were ok. "It may take me a bit to get the hang of the controls."
"So you can control the ship with your mind?" Mitchell said.
Sam grinned. "Yep."
"Sweet," Mitchell said.
"Depends on your definition of 'control,'" Vala said, rubbing the back of her head.
Sam's grin vanished. "Sorry."
"You ok?" Daniel asked.
Vala twisted her neck from side to side. "I'll live."
"Lucky you," Q said, groaning and clutching his right arm.
"Are you injured?" Teal'c asked, almost gleeful.
"I landed on my elbow," Q whined.
Daniel rolled his eyes. "So heal yourself. You are after all OMNIPOTENT."
"We have a mission to complete," Teal'c said.
"Right," Mitchell said. "Q, go do whatever to keep Adria busy."
"I guess she hasn't detected us yet," Daniel said nervously.
"Leave her to me," Q said. "And by the way, I don't take orders." He vanished.
Mitchell sighed. "Let's get rid of any competition. Vala, stay here."
"What?"
"Sam's got her hands full. Actually, she's got her head full."
"But-"
"Stay here," Mitchell ordered. To Daniel and Teal'c, he said, "Let's move out."
"Thanks for the heads-up," Landry said. "Tell your mother, she can pick the restaurant this time."
"No problem." Carolyn smiled at her father then turned to leave his office. Seeing Q in the doorway, her smile turned to a glare.
Q bowed and stepped out of her way. "Perhaps I can interest you in dinner?"
"With you?" Lam laughed and walked away.
Q shrugged and slumped into a chair in front of Landry's desk.
"Shouldn't you be keeping Adria busy?"
"I don't need to 'til she gets wind of things." Q leaned forward. "I need a little help with something."
"I'm not the omnipotent one. And I'm busy."
"More paperwork?"
"It never ends."
"I can fix that." Q snapped his fingers, and Landry's stack of files disappeared.
Landry sighed. "As much as I appreciate-"
Q snorted.
"You're right, let me rephrase that. Undo-"
"How do you do it?"
"Excuse me?"
"How do you talk to your daughter now that she's an adult?"
Landry sputtered for an answer.
"I've tried, but he won't stay anywhere long enough to chat," Q said conversationally.
"Well, Carolyn's- Did you say he?"
"My son. You'd think I have some incurable disease the way he runs from me."
"You have a son?"
"Don't look so surprised."
Landry's phone rang.
"General, I don't know how this happened," Dr. Lee said, "but several stacks of file folders were on a lab table when we got back from lunch. They're all yours."
Landry glared at Q. "Thank you, Dr."
"Just as soon as we find something big enough, we'll bring them back to your office. Be careful! Don't spill that!"
"Big enough?"
"Yes, sir. It looks like the entire contents of a filing cabinet are-"
Landry heard an explosion.
"I'm gonna have to get back to you, sir."
"What's going on? Dr.? Hello?" Landry slammed down the phone. "I'm going to open one of these drawers, and when I do, it had better be full."
"Uh oh, looks like Adria found them."
"Hold it!" Landry said as Q readied to snap his fingers.
"Ok, ok."
Stacks of folders appeared on Landry's desk.
"It's all there. And there," Q pointed to the filing cabinet.
"Thank you." Landry's tone said he was anything but grateful. "One more thing."
Landry stood, leaned across his desk and pointed a finger at Q. "Stay away from my daughter."
Q gave a nervous titter and vanished.
Daniel walked down a bland corridor and stopped when he heard the murmur of voices. As he eased closer, he recognized a story from The Book of Origin. He peeked into the room and quickly retreated to the nearest alcove.
He keyed his radio and whispered, "Guys, I may need a little help here."
"What's the problem?" Mitchell came back.
"What is your location, Daniel Jackson?"
"Deck five."
"Can you be a little more specific?" Mitchell asked.
"I don't know. About the middle of the corridor."
"There are over two dozen life signs on that deck," Sam said.
"That's the problem," Daniel said. "One of them's a Prior."
"How many Priors are usually on a ship?" Mitchell asked.
"I don't know," Daniel said. "They're prostrating."
"They must not know we are aboard their ship," Teal'c said, exiting a transport near Daniel.
"If they're prostrating, we'll have the element of surprise," Mitchell said.
"We can't just shoot them all."
"So what do we do?" Mitchell asked, exiting the transport.
"I think I can seal off that section with a force field," Sam said. "But you guys may want to evacuate to another deck."
"Why?" Daniel asked.
"Because I'm still having a little trouble controlling things."
"I suggest you get out while you can," Vala said.
"Sam, what did you do?" Mitchell asked.
"It's taken care of. Move to deck seven, section ten. The last three life signs are there."
"Then you're done and you can come back to the bridge," Vala said, sounding hopeful.
The three men shared a glance and stepped into the transport.
"We can't just kill them all," Daniel reiterated as he, Teal'c and Mitchell entered the bridge ten minutes later.
"I'm just sayin' we can't take them to Earth with us," Mitchell said. "And if they see us, they can identify…Holy. . . What the hell happened in here?"
There was smoke in the air and a scorch mark on almost every panel. The back of the one chair in the room was nothing but black flakes.
Vala stood from her crouch beside Sam, who was examining the inner workings of a console. She had smudges on her cheeks, and her hair was mussed. She smiled gratefully.
"It was an accident," Sam said.
"There were several fires," Vala said.
"Several?" Daniel said.
"I sorta tapped into the weapons and…well," Sam flashed a sheepish grin.
"She doesn't realize her own strength," Vala said with a nervous giggle.
"I do now." Sam rose and replaced the access panel.
"Are you certain?" Teal'c asked.
"Yes," Sam said with a nod. "And the passengers are contained. With one small problem."
Teal'c raised an eyebrow, and Daniel crossed his arms.
"What?" Mitchell asked.
"They probably suspect we're onboard. Or at least that someone is onboard."
"Why would they suspect that?" Mitchell asked.
Before Sam could answer, Adria appeared.
"You!!" She glared at Daniel and tried to use her powers on him. "You LIED to me!"
"Uh, yeah about that," Daniel said.
Adria started for Daniel, but Teal'c grabbed her.
"I thought Q was keeping her busy," Mitchell said.
"I had to take care of something else first," Q said, appearing on the bridge.
"Who are you?" Adria asked, trying to jerk free from Teal'c.
"Let's chat." Q snapped his fingers, and he and Adria disappeared.
Daniel let out a breath and touched the new anti Prior device inside his collar. "I'm really glad these things work."
The ship shook violently, and everyone fell to the floor again.
"Dammit!" Sam's face contorted in pain, and she grabbed her head.
The ship stopped shaking, and everyone groaned as they stood up again.
"How about a little warning next time," Mitchell groused.
"Sorry. I guess I got a little distracted."
"Don't do that!" Vala shouted.
"You know, it's not easy flying this ship with my mind," Sam retorted.
"No kidding," Daniel said.
"I have to control and monitor every system."
"Is the force field still up?" Mitchell asked.
Sam closed her eyes. "Yes. I switched it to automatic so I don't accidentally blow them up or into space." She rubbed her temples.
"That's good," Daniel said uncertainly.
"What does that mean exactly?" Mitchell asked. "Is it like auto pilot?"
"As opposed to me manually keeping the force field up or shutting it down, yeah."
"You sure you can handle all this?" Daniel asked. "It's a lot to ask, and if you decide-"
"Thanks," Sam said. "I knew what I was getting into. I'll be ok."
Something beeped.
"What's that?" Mitchell asked.
"Is everything alright?" a voice boomed.
The members of SG-1 stared at each other not knowing what to do.
"Steban, is everyth-"
"Yes," Mitchell said. "Everything's fine. Thanks for asking."
"Why isn't your viewscreen activated?"
"Uh, we've been having technical difficulties all morning," Mitchell said.
"We?"
"Well, the passengers have reported problems."
"Activate your screen."
Teal'c gestured for Vala and Daniel to follow him.
"Or what?" Mitchell said.
Sam bit her bottom lip.
"Or I will have no choice but to board your ship."
"How long have we known each other?"
"Seven years."
"In those seven years have I ever lied to you?"
"No, you have not."
"Ok, then. Thanks for checkin' in. I appreciate it, and I got your back too."
"Given the expertise of our enemies, the Orici has ordered that all ship-to-ship communication be conducted via viewscreens."
"A wise policy."
Teal'c, Daniel and Vala reentered the bridge. Vala and Daniel thrust a Prior robe over Mitchell's head. They pulled up the hood.
"Remain in the shadows," Teal'c whispered to Mitchell.
Sam crouched behind the command chair and concentrated. Teal'c, Daniel and Vala again left the bridge.
"I'm workin' on fixin' the problem," Mitchell said. "As soon as-"
The viewscreen activated, and the face of a Prior loomed over the bridge.
"Finally. See? It's me, Steban."
"Steban, if this was another one of your jokes, now is not the time," the Prior said sternly.
"Oh, you got me," Mitchell said.
The Prior glowered.
"You know, I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention this to the Orici."
The Prior sighed. "If you give me your word it will not happen again."
Mitchell held up his hand. "Promise."
"Very well. I suggest you locate the source of your technical difficulties and deal with it."
"Will do. Steban out."
The viewscreen blinked off.
"Did you hear that?" Mitchell asked as Teal'c, Daniel and Vala returned to the bridge. "The Orici thinks we have expertise. Assuming she means us, of course. I mean we are enemies."
"I can't believe they bought you as a Prior," Vala said, staring at Mitchell.
"Yeah, that was a little too easy," Daniel said.
"They didn't see Cam," Sam said. She had collapsed against the back of the command chair. "I accessed the ship's personnel logs and projected the real Steban's image."
"Nice," Mitchell said.
"Guess we didn't need the cloak after all," Vala said.
"It would have been necessary if," Sam tried to push herself up. "If I couldn't get the image up in time." She slipped back to the floor, and her head dropped.
"Sam?" Daniel and Mitchell knelt beside her.
Daniel felt for a pulse; Mitchell tapped her cheek.
"Sam."
"Pulse is weak," Daniel said.
"Teal'c, give me a hand." Mitchell draped Sam's arm over his shoulders. "Where's the infirmary?"
"I'll check the schematics," Vala said as Teal'c lifted Sam into his arms.
Mitchell laid the arm that he'd had around his shoulders against Sam's body.
"You might not find much there," Daniel said. "They don't need medicine and equipment like we do. Not when Priors can use their staffs to heal."
"Perhaps we need the Prior in the chapel," Teal'c said.
"The infirmary is on deck three," Vala said. "I'll work on lowering the force field just in case, which may be a problem."
"Why's that?" Mitchell asked.
"I can't gain access to those controls."
"You mean, Sam's still controlling the force field?" Daniel asked.
"Apparently."
"We need to get this thing off her," Mitchell said, making to prize the device from her temple.
"Colonel Mitchell, Q instructed us not to take the device off Colonel Carter without medical assistance."
Mitchell withdrew his hand and sighed. "Work on getting access to that force field."
"Right," Vala said as Mitchell followed Teal'c off the bridge.
Teal'c gently laid Sam on a bed in the infirmary. He and Mitchell hastily opened cabinets and drawers.
"Nothin'," Mitchell said, slamming a cabinet shut. "Any luck with that force field?"
"Sorry," Vala radioed back.
"You can't find anything?" Daniel said.
"Just a bunch of ordinary supplies." Mitchell sighed. "We're headed to deck five. Maybe the Prior can override Sam. Of course, convincing him to giver her control again might be a problem."
"It will most assuredly be a problem, Colonel Mitchell."
"I'll meet you there," Vala said. "I'm the mother of the Orici; that could prove advantageous."
"Let's keep that ace up our sleeve for the moment," Mitchell replied.
As Mitchell and Teal'c exited the transporter and headed down the hall to the chapel, Sam stirred and groaned.
"Colonel Carter?"
Sam opened her eyes and looked up at Teal'c.
"You ok?" Mitchell asked then thumped his head. "Dumb question."
"I'm fine. Gave myself a, a cortical stimulator I guess is what you'd call it. It was a weird sensation. Kinda tickled, actually."
"How'd you do that?" Mitchell asked.
"With my mind." Sam tapped her temple above the device.
"You were unconscious," Mitchell pointed out.
"Yeah."
"So how were you able to do . . . whatever?"
"I don't know."
"Perhaps it is because your mind is still in control of the ship," Teal'c said.
"Makes sense."
"Sure," Mitchell said. "You somehow tapped into the Prior's power."
"I don't think that's possible," Sam said.
"Well, you tapped into something."
"Uh, Teal'c."
"Yes, Colonel Carter?"
"You can put me down now."
Teal'c did so.
"Thanks. So you were gonna take me to the Prior?"
"Didn't know what else to do."
"We appear to have outmaneuvered that projectile."
Mitchell and Sam laughed.
Meanwhile on a mountain by a purple waterfall…
"I am the Orici. Take me back now!"
"Well, since you're the Orici…no."
Adria growled through clenched teeth.
"Can't you use your own powers to get yourself back?"
"You don't think I've tried already?" Adria stamped her foot and turned, crossing her arms.
"Now that's mature for the leader of a powerful army," Q taunted.
"Who are you? You're obviously not Ori."
"Ew, of course not. I am Q."
"Never heard of you."
"The Q don't often fraternize with lower life forms."
Adria sneered. "There is no one more powerful than the Ori."
"I've heard the Ancients-"
"The Ancients are no match for the Ori."
"They kept a pretty big secret from you guys for a long time."
"We could have found them out if we'd wanted to. We did force them to leave after all."
"Whoo-oo," Q said, waving his fingers, not impressed.
"I will get free. And when I do-"
"Oh, I'm not worried. See, while you only think you're omnipotent, I actually am."
Sam, Teal'c and Mitchell entered the bridge and found Daniel wrapping gauze around Vala's right hand.
"Sam, you're ok," Daniel said with a smile.
"And we're not prisoners," Vala added.
"She revived herself," Mitchell said.
"What happened?" Sam asked Vala.
"I was trying to gain access to the force field controls in case we needed to get to the Prior. I wasn't having much luck. Good thing you're ok because after I was almost electrocuted, I was completely locked out."
"That was you?" Sam asked, grimacing.
"That was you?" Vala asked.
"Sorry. Again."
Daniel finished with Vala's hand and closed the medkit.
"I thought the force field was on autopilot," Mitchell said.
"It is," Vala said.
"The ship was in control of it, yes," Sam clarified.
"So, if you'd been in control of it and conscious, Vala could have gotten access?" Daniel asked.
"She would have had to override my mind."
"Which you would have let me do, right?"
Sam smiled but didn't answer. "I guess I owe you one for all I've put you through on this mission."
"Another girls day out?"
"Sure."
Vala smiled and flexed the fingers on her burned hand.
"Ok, I've got good news and somewhat less than good news," Sam said.
"Good news," Mitchell chose.
"This ship is already on a course for the Supergate."
"And the somewhat less than good news," Daniel said.
"It'll take at least ten hours to get there."
"Which means there's plenty of time for things to go wrong," Mitchell said.
"Can you not increase the speed of this vessel, Colonel Carter?"
"It's already traveling as fast as it can."
"Maybe you can go to the engine room and try to work a little of your magic," Mitchell said with a hopeful smile.
"I don't think I can do anything. I've been going over the schematics and I don't even understand it all."
"Never stopped you before," Daniel said.
Sam looked around at all the hopeful faces and gave in. "Ok, I'll take a look. But I'm not promising anything."
"What can we do in the meantime?" Mitchell asked.
"There's really not much to do," Sam said.
"Perhaps we can familiarize ourselves with the ship's controls in the event it becomes necessary for someone other than Colonel Carter to-"
"Teal'c," Mitchell said. "I don't want to sit around doin' nothing either, but let's not tempt fate."
"I was merely suggesting an activity."
"That's not a bad idea," Daniel said.
"I didn't say it was a bad idea," Mitchell said.
"We could check out food stores," Vala said.
Everyone looked at her.
"We're going to get hungry within the next ten hours," she defended.
"She's got a point," Mitchell said.
"Cafeteria's on deck eight," Sam said, and the team set out.
"How about we go to New York," Vala said to Sam. "I've read about the shopping there. Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Saks Fifth Avenue."
"That might take some arranging," Sam said.
"I'll go with you," Daniel said.
"You want to go shopping with us?" Vala asked, shocked.
"No. But there's an exhibit at the Museum of Art that looks interesting."
"You sure you want to go there?" Sam asked.
"I can handle it."
"Course you can. You've got museum know-how in your blood," Mitchell said.
"We'll see," Sam said to Vala.
Vala hugged Sam and skipped forward between Teal'c and Daniel, linking arms with each man.
"I thought you read all the mission files," Sam said to Mitchell as the team exited the transport onto deck eight.
"I have."
"Did you come across one mentioning the Game Keeper?"
"Yep." Mitchell shuddered then realized. "Oops."
"What?" Vala asked.
"Nothing," Mitchell and Sam said.
Vala pouted.
"It wasn't a very pleasant mission," Daniel said. "Which way?"
"Right," Sam said.
Vala held onto Teal'c's arm as the others walked down the hall.
"What was so unpleasant about the Game Keeper?" she whispered. "Sounds like fun."
"It was not."
"Why not?"
"The Game Keeper forced Daniel Jackson and General O'Neill to relive traumatic memories for the enjoyment of himself and his people."
"Oh. And Daniel's somehow involved that museum?"
"It did."
"What happened?"
"You should ask Daniel Jackson."
"If you tell me, we can spare him from reliving it." Vala smiled at Teal'c. "Besides, he probably won't tell me."
Teal'c studied Vala before replying. "When Daniel Jackson was a child, he watched his parents meet their demise in the New York Museum of Art."
"When you say 'meet their demise,'. . ."
"They were crushed by a falling cover stone while assembling an exhibit."
Vala grimaced. "And the Game Keeper made Daniel relive that? That's horrible."
"Indeed," Teal'c growled.
"You guys comin'?" Mitchell shouted from a doorway at the other end of the hall.
"You alright?" Mitchell asked Sam.
Rubbing her head, Sam said, "I keep getting these…flashes. It's like somehow control of the ship is momentarily jerked away from me."
"The Prior," Daniel said.
Teal'c stepped away from the controls he'd been studying.
"You said earlier the people in the chapel might suspect someone's onboard," Daniel said, moving away from the bridge's large window. "Makes sense. When I was a Prior, I knew everything about the ship at all times. I would have known the second someone tried to take control."
"But that Prior in the chapel didn't seem to know we were coming," Mitchell said.
"Maybe he did," Daniel said. "He could have been waiting for us to come to him."
"He's probably been trying to take over ever since Samantha tapped into the ship," Vala said from the command chair, where she had her legs draped over one arm. "So why didn't he try to stop her right away?"
"Sam probably got connected before the second Prior realized the first one was no longer in control," Daniel said.
"Didn't Q say something about the device masking you until you had control?" Mitchell said. "I couldn't keep up with everything you guys did to build the device, but I remember hearing something about that."
"Right," Sam said. "I honestly had doubts about it working."
"But it did work?" Daniel asked.
"Apparently," Vala said.
"Can the second Prior take control?" Mitchell asked.
"The ship seems to be capable of linking fully to only one mind at a time," Sam said.
"Fully," Mitchell said.
"Which is yours right now except for those flashes," Daniel said.
"Right. So far, they've been brief."
"How brief?" Mitchell asked.
"Less than a second."
"How long would it take for the Prior to permanently take control?" Daniel asked.
"Probably less than a second," Sam said.
"How many hours left?" Mitchell asked.
"Five."
"Then the remaining Prior must be neutralized," Teal'c said.
"Easy," Vala said. "If this new and improved anti Prior device worked on Adria, it should work on this Prior."
"Wait, why didn't the Prior take control while you were unconscious?" Daniel asked.
"I seem to remember Q saying Sam would be linked to the ship until she severed the connection," Mitchell said. "Consciously of course. I mean if you were to be permanently unconscious, I guess all bets would be off." Mitchell grimaced at having said that last part aloud.
Sam nodded, tactfully ignoring the last part. "I have to input a command when I'm ready to disconnect." Sam pointed to the dial encircling the device.
Mitchell smiled proudly.
"Guess we should have paid more attention while they discussed the device," Vala muttered to Teal'c.
"So even if the Prior can override the force field, he can't gain control of this ship?" Mitchell said.
"If he cannot gain control of the ship, he also cannot override the force field," Teal'c said.
"But this ship works with a Prior's mind," Mitchell said. "He may be able to tap in."
"Or try to like he already seems to be doing," Daniel said.
"Well, we don't know for sure that's what's happening," Mitchell countered.
"No, but Daniel's probably right," Sam said.
"Can the Prior somehow gain access to that device?" Daniel asked.
"I, I don't think so," Sam said.
"Then, he must be neutralized," Teal'c repeated
