Chapter 10
"God Sam, please wake up." Jack begged. He took her hand in his and stroked her cold fingers. "You can't leave me Sam, you just can't...", he continued. "I'm not sure I can go on without you Carter. I need you. I... love you." Finally, he had said the three words he had been afraid to admit for a long time. All this time it had been cropped up in his chest, and now he had finally said it. But it didn't help him at all, he didn't feel free, or relieved. Sam couldn't hear him, and that made him feel even worse. It was too late. He had finally picked up the courage to admit to himself how he felt about her, but it was too late. A tear ran down his cheek, and he wiped it away forcefully. Angered by his own weakness, he jumped up and sent his chair flying backwards. "Damn it, Carter, WAKE UP!", he yelled.
Just then, Janet Fraiser entered the infirmary? "Sir?", she asked. Jack looked at her and tried to control his voice. "What?", he said. "Daniel just came through the gate." Jack's eyes grew wide as he processed the information. Without so much as a glance backward he flew out of the infirmary and raced to the gate room.
Daniel Jackson was standing at the briefing table, talking to General Hammond. His voice was raised and he seemed very agitated. Barely one foot through the door, Jack had already questioned his friend and teammate: "Daniel, for crying out loud, what happened?"
"Jack!", the archeologist cried out. "Finally, look, I know how to save Sam" he said urgently. Jack looked at the General, hoping what Daniel was saying was true. Hammond however shook his head, "You know the procedure Jack, Dr. Jackson was off-world, alone, he could be compromised, we need to make sure he is who he claims he is, before we let him anywhere near Major Carter." Before Jack could protest, he added "You said yourself that he disappeared before your own eyes."
Unsure of how to disagree, Jack looked at Daniel, hoping that his look would convey the urgency of the situation. "General," Daniel started quickly, "I was barely gone, and time is of the essence if you want to save Sam. I can help her, you just have to trust me", he pleaded. Hammond sighed and looked at his 2IC. He cared about Samantha Carter as well, but this was definitely not protocol. Seeing the desperate look in the two men's eyes, he decided to give in. "Go", he said shortly.
In the infirmary, Daniel hurriedly explained what had happened to him: "The device transported me somewhere, to a place where the builders of the device used to live. I suppose it was a virtual environment...", he trailed off. "Daniel.", Jack snapped. "Right, well anyway, the people who built this were not Ancients, but they knew them and inherited some of their knowledge. They were confronted with the threat of the Goa'uld and decided to leave their legacy in a sphere, which would present their descendents with all their knowledge, but which was deadly to the Goa'uld." Jack nodded. "So you know everything they knew?" he asked. "Yes, but sadly they weren't that much more evolved than we are now. They lost the war to the Goa'uld, but the virus that killed the Tok'ra is definitely still useful", Daniel stated. "As I know what made up the virus, I also know how to cure it. I can save her, Jack", Daniel said. "Do it", Jack stated.