Chapter 9:
Chapter 9:
(Big apologies! 1) for taking so long to update (I had to go out of town to do a review on a contemporary art exhibit, write an essay on the Dawes Act, compose an account of my student observations (27 pages), and study for a four chapter test on learning disabilities and physical handicaps) and 2) for a huge brain fart I had while writing the last chapter, involving certain restraints which I had meant to take care of and got really caught up…what was supposed to have happened has been written into this chapter, really really sorry about that though, I saw it in my head and just didn't put it on virtual paper.
The Justice barged into Ludavine's office chamber. "We're leaving."
"We?"
"Those of us who have been affected."
"That's half the population! If not more!" She screamed.
"Well your brilliant plan has doomed us all!"
"It wasn't MY plan you old fool! It was yours!"
"Like any of that matters! If we don't leave now, we could begin to do the things they did."
"I know you already have…"
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Major Carter was in an isolation room, still unconscious from the Zat shock that Teal'c had used to stop her from harming either her father or Jack. She was breathing deeply and her body continued to twitch occasionally from dreams no one could see. But they were not dreams, and they were far worse than nightmares. Not for the first time Sam was dreaming of acting out against those who trusted her, those who needed her, and worse those who loved her unconditionally. However, unlike before, she was now beginning to enjoy doing these things in her mind. And when she would finally awaken, she would begin to act upon those desires.
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General Hammond sat looking methodically over a file in front of him. Sitting around the table were SG-1, Dr. Fraiser, and one very frazzled Jacob Carter. "How did Major Carter get out her restraints?"
"That was my fault George." Hammond looked with a glint of shock at his long time friend.
"What do you mean Jacob?"
"She was supposed to have been sedated, I just couldn't…." Jacob looked to his lap and then back up, noting the saddened faces around him. "I didn't want to see her like that, so I took them off. The nurse had just checked on her…"
"I understand Jacob." Hammond nodded, after all, he too was a father. "But I'm afraid we can't afford to take any more chances with Major Carter after what has transpired. At least not until we know how to fix this."
"George, how exactly do you think we are going to fix this?" Jacob queried for the entire group. His own daughter had just enjoyed trying to kill him.
"I was hoping that SG-1 may have come up with some constructive ideas on that." He looked around the table. Teal'c sat still as ever. Jack looked lost in his own world as he sat staring at the table. But Daniel Jackson seemed to have an idea brewing in his mind, it was evident from the light that seemed to go on in his eyes.
"General, sir…" He attempted.
"Dr. Jackson?"
"Sir, I know what you said before, but I really don't see this going anywhere without going back to the planet." He took a deep breath as Teal'c turned his full attention to the archeologist and the spell on Jack finally seemed to be broken if only a little and he too looked towards him. "I've reviewed everything I can think of, and Selmak has even agreed with me. There is no history of anything like this. I mean, sure we've come across diseases that affect people in manners similar to this…" He cringed at the thought of he himself having been victim to such a virus, "But sir…nothing matches this!"
"I agree Dr. Jackson. But I hate to think that I'd be sending anyone off to have the same thing happen to them as what we've watched happen to Major Carter." He took a deep breath. "Dr. Fraiser are you sure there is no other medical procedure that could be taken to subdue this progression?"
Janet shook her head absent mindedly. "Sir…I wish there was…but without anything else to go on…there's nothing I can do for her." She shot a compassionate glance towards Jack that did not go unnoticed by General Hammond. "And for what it's worth, if this disease was contagious, we should have seen evidence of it. But no one else has been affected."
"Jack?"
Slowly the colonel looked up towards his CO. "Sir?"
"What do you think?"
"I think we should do whatever is necessary…Sir." He looked the older man straight in the face, void of emotion.
"Alright then. SG-1, you will return to the planet, with Hazmat gear, and try and get some answers. This may be our last shot people, so…."
"Sir!"
Hammond stopped in shock at the interruption from down the table. Janet Fraiser sat wide eyed at her own outburst as well. "Yes Doctor?"
"May I go as well? I believe I may be able to do some tests to reveal more about this disease, or whatever it is."
"If you insist Doctor Fraiser. Are you sure there is no one else who could go in your place?"
"No Sir." She was lying, he knew too, but she knew even if others could do the job, none would be doing for their best friend like she would.
"Very well, SG-1 and Dr. Fraiser, you have a go. You leave in 2 hours."
There was a round of thank you Sir's as everyone bustled out the door to get prepared; everyone except for Jacob Carter who remained alone in the briefing room, his head in his hands.
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Janet stood as she contemplated the scene around her "Oh my God…"
"Told ya." Daniel spoke softly as he came up behind her, the gate finally closing behind them as the arrived on the foreboding planet that had started this whole mess.
"How often do you guys come across a place like this?" She pinched up her face as she turned to the three members of SG-1, each with a Hazmat mask attached to their uniform in case of emergency. Everything seemed barren and burned, dead through and through.
"As I told Major Carter when we first arrived on this planet, I have never before encountered a place such as this."
SG-1 began to move out as Janet stood for a moment longer and whispered to herself. "Never?"
When they were about halfway to the village, Jack raised his had to stop everyone. "OK, look. Last time we were here we got a little too much attention. Obviously…" He looked over his shoulder in the direction of the hovels he knew laid awaiting them. "We need to find that woman."
"You mean the one who helped us before?" Daniel questioned.
"Wait, someone helped you?" Janet was trying to see how that seemed plausible.
"Well, not so much helped as warned, but she seemed to have at least some sort of social power…and she was the least threatening towards us. She told us to leave in fact."
"I believe O'Neill is correct in this decision." Teal'c interrupted, time was after all, of the essence.
"Thanks Teal'c. Can I assume that means you'll help me grab her?" Teal'c gave a small nod of agreement.
"Wait a minute…Grab her?!" Daniel raised his brows high above his glasses' rims.
"Do you have a better plan Daniel?" Jack was becoming quickly annoyed.
"No…but I don't think they will like it if you grab one of their people…" he wasn't able to finish as Jack cut him off quickly and harshly.
"Daniel! These people don't even care about their kids. If it takes kidnapping one of them to figure out what happened to Carter and how to FIX it, then that is what we're going to do!"
Daniel's eyes remained wide but he did not reply. Janet had taken a step back. She had heard about the Colonel's temper, even seen it to some degree on the base, but she had never been so close to one of his livid outbreaks as she was now.
"Teal'c!" Jack shot out as he began to walk away. The Jaffa quickly fell in pace with him as they headed off. Daniel and Janet didn't need to ask what to do, both found a semi-secluded place to sit and wait on the edge of the lurid forest.
After some time, Daniel was the first to speak. "He only gets this way when something happens to one of us."
"Really?" Janet asked. She was sure there was more, but she had promised Colonel O'Neill she wasn't going to say anything.
"Yeah, especially when it's Sam…" Daniel's words caught in his mouth. "I mean…not that…" He couldn't believe he had said that in front of a member of the military portion of the program, even if it was Dr. Fraiser.
Janet quickly tried to calm him. "It's OK Daniel, I know what you mean." Her small and weak attempt at a smile eased his nerves.
"This job always seems to do things to them. It's not fair." He added.
"No, Daniel, it's not fair, but it's the rules…"
"I guess."
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Back at the SGC, Sam finally began to stir. She opened her eyes to see her surroundings. "Great." She said to herself as she sat up and stretched out. "Which idiot decided to play with electricity this time?" She questioned, feeling the unmistakable stiffness in her muscles that only a Zat could leave.
She looked towards the door, two shadows apparent that made guessing how many guards there were pointless. "This should be fun." She chuckled to herself.
Sam brushed her short and ruffled hair back a bit and smiled to herself before a look of terror grew across her face. "Help! Somebody please! What's going on? Where am I?!"
One of the SFs posted outside of her cell quickly unlocked the door to the room and came in.
"Too easy…" Carter cooed to herself as her prey came closer.
A/N Thanks for reading...hope that fixed the oops from before : )
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