Silence reigned in the debriefing room.
- Xiaolin is resting, said finally Jacob.
Carter was twisting her hands, lips curled tight. O'Neill stared at the wall in front of him, his back very straight. Teal'c glared at the table. Suzie Brigtman came in and sit down while continuing to go through a file.
- According to what I'm reading, you were cloned only once, by someone called Harlan, with the exception of colonel Carter and of general O'Neill. But this last clone is still a teenager and, furthermore, I checked, he…
- Is on Earth at the moment, I checked too, cut in O'Neill.
- Colonel Carter's clone is busy invading the galaxy and anyway, he didn't appear in Xiaolin's memories, a priori, continued the doctor. "You met an alien life form who can take the shape of a human being and who you called lieutenant Taylor. But I don't think we're dealing with anything of the sort."
- The drug they made him drink isn't "Sokar's blood" for several reasons, said Jacob. "The liquid they had us absorb was red …"
- Obviously, grumbled O'Neill.
- Furthermore, none of us returned with Daniel's throat inflamation. It seems to come from this liquid. Last, if Daniel had been under the influence of an hallucination provoked by the "blood", we wouldn't have been able to see Teal'c.
- So? asked Carter.
- So I don't know, confessed Jacob. "I really don't understand."
SG1SG1SG1
Xiaolin closed his eyes.
Daniel opened his eyes with difficulty. Some blood had dried on his eyebrow and bluish lines veined his forehead. Baal shot him a sardonic smile, his hands crossed in his back.
- Did the death of your friend make you think, human?
- About your cruelty ? I had it all figured, y'know, answered Daniel, swallowing hard.
O'Neill looked like he was about to say something but decided otherwise. Anger, pain and pride quarrelled to take over his face.
- Somebody else wanted to share your captivity, smoothed Baal, signing to Xiaolin.
The door slid and two Jaffa entered, dragging major Carter. They threw her on the ground, in front of the Goa' uld who pushed her with his foot
- Your friends are tenacious and they care about you, human, he giggled.
He snapped his fingers and the Jaffa forced the bluish liquid in Daniel's throat for the second time.
Colonel Carter's hands were gripping on her tightened chest, her eyes staring at her double curled up on the ground. O'Neill had clenched his jaw and torn a corner of his jacket. Jacob tried to clear his arm Teal' c had grabbed unconsciously.
- Sam, stammered Daniel when he came back to his senses. "Sam… are you ok? They …"
He coughed. Baal bent and grabbed the young woman's hair. He lifted her head.
- Charming, really, he chuckled. "And so faithful to your lost cause, just like the shol'va!"
Daniel tried to free himself from the railing.
- Please, he pleaded. "Please, I beg you! I swear I…"
Baal turned to the archaeologist, his face deformed by anger.
- "I swear" what? You humen are always making ridiculous oaths! Give me the codes of your iris and I shall spare the woman. This is the only thing I shall consider!
Daniel looked at Carter with despair. She gritted her teeth, her eyes squinted. Her arms were tied in her back and her jacket was torn. She had a bandage oozing on her leg and smoke all over her face.
- Don't tell him anything, she articulated painfully. "Definitely don't tell him anything…"
- Keep silent! raged Baal.
He threw her against the ground and grabbed the poison flask on the table.
- No! shouted Daniel. No! Please! No!
Baal poured the entire flask on the major.
O Neill jumped up on his feet.
- Daniel! Oh God, Daniel… sobbed Carter, thumping at the table.
Jacob hijacked his arm when Teal' c joined solemnly his hands on his lap.
The dying scream dimmed out slowly. The young woman's head slid slowly on the ground as her body relaxed little by little. Her jacket burnt in the silence.
- You're a monster… stuttered Daniel, tears flowing without restraint on his face. "A monster…"
Baal shrugged. He caressed his goatee, then made a big sign.
- Take that and burn it, he ordered. "And put the prisoner in his cell."
He went out in a wide movement of his black coat. Xiaolin deactivated the railing. The young archaeologist collapsed on the ground. He crawled up to the body of the major and turned her delicately to him.
- Sam… he murmured like if he did not realize she had died. "Samantha Carter… I'll tell the world you were heroic… Oh, Sam…"
He gathered his strength, got on his elbows, then on his knees. Two Jaffa destabilized him as they passed next to him and collected the body without care. One of them loaded him on his shoulder.
- Why… why did you let this happened? asked Daniel as Xiaolin's steps approached. His voice broke. "Aren't you human, too?"
There was no answer.
Daniel closed his eyes and allowed himself to sink into the unconsciousness.
O'Neill grabbed Xiaolin's arm.
- He's right. Why did you allow it? Why did you let Baal kill us in front of him? Why did you comply with this morbid masquerade?
Xiaolin gave him a tired look.
- Even if I did tell you, you wouldn't understand...
O'Neill's face drained. He shook the little man.
- Oh yes, we would understand! If you didn't spend time considering us so stupid!
- The Tok'ra have their methods, began Jacob. "I don't approve of all of them, but…"
- Gimme a break, with your methods! yelled O'Neill before leaving the room in rage.
The door fell down in a petrified silence.