Chapter Seven

Sam looked around the makeshift lab that they had set up with the equipment that Stargate Command had sent through to them. Jack didn't seem to have much faith in the instruments, and she had to admit that she wasn't sure what good they'd do either. Teal'c had helped them set up, but was now sleeping after taking the late night watch.

"Okay, so where do we start?" Sam asked.

"That's a good question." Daniel replied with a tight smile. "Gabriel suggests that we start by trying to gain access to the Ancient knowledge and take it from there."

"Gabriel hasn't looked into it yet himself?" Sam asked surprised.

"No."

"Why not?" Jack asked suspiciously.

"I asked him wait until I was ready."

"Are you?"

"We'll soon know."

Daniel closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. When he nodded Sam assumed that Gabriel must have asked him if he was ready. The change was instantaneous. His whole frame tenses causing the fine muscles of his neck to pull tight against his skin. Daniel grit his teeth, growling in what sounded like frustration as he started to pant for breath.

"Gabriel!" Daniel finally cried. "Stop!"

"Daniel!"

"It's okay...I'm alright." Daniel assured as he opened his eyes again. He shook his head to clear it and took a deep breath. "Don't worry about it, Gabriel, neither one of us knew what would happen. We should have exspec..."

"What did he do to you?" Jack demanded.

Daniel jerked at the sound of Jack's harsh voice. He was having trouble paying attention to voices both inside and outside his head. When Jack didn't get an immediate reply he unlatched the strap that kept his sidearm secure.

"Jack, relax." Daniel said quickly. "He didn't mean any harm."

"That's not what it looked like from here." Jack growled darkly.

"He just did what I asked him to." Daniel replied defensively. "He gave me access to my subconscious where the Ancient knowledge is stored."

"And?"

"And there's a reason why it's 'sub' conscious."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that I don't think I'm going to be able to handle it, mentally or physically. There's so mu..."

"Daniel?" Sam asked in alarm when he suddenly stopped.

"Hang on...Gabriel's making a suggestion."

Sam and Jack exchanged a nervous glance while Daniel listened to Gabriel. After a moment he shrugged.

"Okay, try it." Daniel said out loud.

Jack took an alarmed step forward as Daniel winced in pain again. Daniel waved him away as though Jack was a toddler who had interrupted a phone call.

"Ah...no, I'm sorry, Gabriel, but that doesn't really help." Daniel admitted.

Daniel furrowed his brow in obvious thought. Sam didn't like to see Daniel turning his attention in on himself like this, she kept fearing that he would get lost again. Jack seemed equally uncomfortable, shifting his weight constantly while they waited.

For the first time Sam noticed the fine beading of sweat that was beginning to collect at Jack's temple. She was about to ask him if he was alright when Daniel started his one sided conversation again.

"That might actually work." Daniel mused. "I'll have to convince my friend's though. No...it won't be easy. Yeah, you've noticed that to, eh? He means well, at least I assume he does." Daniel smiled brightly. "I never thought of it that way..."

"Hey, Danny," Jack interrupted irritably "care to fill us in on what the voices in your head are telling you?"

"Gabriel wants permission to take control for whi..."

"Oh no." Jack said firmly. "A thousand times 'no'."

"Jack, I can't do this myself...I'm only human."

"That has yet to be proven." Jack grumbled.

"Seriously, I can't process the knowledge of the Ancients, Gabriel can open my mind to it, but it's like drowning in a sea of information. None of it makes sense to me."

"But it makes sense to him?"

"He has a much better chance of understanding it, Gabriel is thousands of years old and he spent most of them studying Ancient technology."

"Why does he have to be in control to do that? Why can't he just search it and tell you?"

"We tried that, it didn't work. I fight against him too hard, even though I try not to. If I let him suppress me and give him the reins he can search the information while shielding me from it."

"This doesn't sound like you, Daniel." Jack said seriously.

"It doesn't?" Daniel asked surprised.

"No."

"I don't know how to sound anymore like myself."

"You could put up a little more of a fight over giving yourself over to this Gou'ald."

"It's a little late for that, Jack. I can't stop him from taking me now...so I might as well just give him permission."

"Daniel, have you lost your mind?!"

"Yes, on more occasion than I care to count." Daniel replied calmly. "However, this isn't one of those times. Let's face facts here: the damage has been done. We've already trusted Gabriel this far...we might as well let him do this.""

Jack stared at Daniel for a while, as he tried to think of another good argument against this. When he couldn't come up with one he looked to Sam. She just shrugged her shoulders, she had been silently agreeing with Daniel the whole time. Jack rolled his eyes in exasperation.

"It's your life, Daniel." Jack sighed. "If you honestly think this is what's best."

"I do."

"Fine. But tell Gabriel that if we ask to talk to you he lets you go instantly."

"He agrees."

"And tell him I fully intend to keep my promise to you if he doesn't."

"He knows all about that." Daniel informed. "I'm going to go now, the sooner I do the sooner we can hopefully solve this."

"I don't want Gabriel in control for more than hour at a time." Jack added as Daniel closed his eyes.

"Any other rules you wish me to abide by?" Gabriel asked politely as he took control.

"Yeah...no talking in that creepy Gou'ald voice."

"Very well." Gabriel replied in Daniel's voice.

"And I don't want to see any glowing eyes."

"Of course." Gabriel smiled. "Jack, I know thi..."

"And don't call me 'Jack'."

Gabriel sighed in defeat. "Anything else, General O'Neill?"

"I'll let you know as I think of them."

Gabriel chuckled. Jack shot him a sour look that could curdle milk.

"Sorry." Gabriel apologized quickly. "Daniel was just asking me to tell you to give me a break."

"Tell Daniel that that's never going to happen." Jack snarled.

"He can hear you."

"Good...make sure it stays that way."

"Yes, Sir."