A/N: Thanks to everyone who have been reading this and reviewing, I really appreciate the input! Hopefully the past few chapters and the upcoming chapters are nicely fast-paced and entertaining. The beginning was rather slow (setup that perhaps took a bit too long) but now that we are deep into the storyline, things should be much more interesting. Or I could just be deluded…take your pick.

Chapter 10

As SG-1 stepped through the wormhole on the other side, they looked around at the now familiar forest scene. Checking the area, O'Neill was glad to see there weren't any Union to meet them. "Okay, this is good. We should be able to just sneak in, snatch the juice, and sneak out." He nodded in satisfaction. "So…which way?" He asked Carter.

"Sir?" Sam said apprehensively. "Sir, you know for a fact that we don't have that information." Shifting her grip on her weapon, she glanced around. "We're just going to have to search manually."

"Ahhh…how hard could it be?" Jack said lightly. "All we're looking for is a big jumble of vines in the forest." Jack nodded confidently.

"O'Neill." Teal'c interrupted. "Is not the entire forest filled with climbing plant life?" Jack merely shook his head. Picking a direction randomly, he pointed.

"This way!" He said, and they all set off through the forest.

"So…why all the animosity between you guys?" Daniel asked Lizzie. The nurse had brought her a tray of food, but when the woman had left, Lizzie passed it over to Daniel. He tucked into the bowl of Jell-O as he waited for Lizzie's answer.

Taking a sip from the bottle of water that she had kept for herself, Lizzie swallowed and set it down. "Not to sound biased or anything, but the animosity only goes one way." She shrugged. "You know how it is with religion, people are really intolerant of other points of view. Since I'm sure you've had the primer on the Great Union, I guess I should fill you in on our take of it."

"That would be good." Daniel said with a smile. "You sure you don't want to eat any of this? Dr. Frasier won't be too happy to hear you're not eating." He offered the tray back to Lizzie. She shook her head.

"I don't eat food." Seeing his skeptic look, she laughed a bit. "Well, no, that's not entirely true. I don't need to eat food like you do. All my body needs to sustain itself is water, sunlight, and nutrients. Water, for obvious reasons, sunlight, for the photosynthesis required by my plant cells, and nutrients to provide any extra energy and sustenance. We usually get our nutrients from the soil, directly absorbed through the skin."

"Hence the walking around barefoot all the time…" Daniel commented thoughtfully.

"That's right. Technically speaking, I can eat the food if I want, it doesn't do any harm. But for ethical reasons, I prefer not to. I don't eat meat, which would only leave vegetables and fruits and nuts and the like, but having a plant living inside of you really changes the way you see things. It seems kind of rude to eat your cousins." She laughed at her last comment.

"Hmmm." Daniel rolled it around in his head for a while. "Oh, sorry for interrupting with that question, I didn't realize it had such a complicated answer. You can pick up where you left off." He waved her on as he moved on to the Salisbury steak.

"It's all right, Daniel. You deserve to know, I just hope I have enough time to tell it all. I may look a lot better, but he's holding me together as best he can. We probably don't have any more than another 24 hours, if that."

"Don't talk like that, Lizzie! Jack and the others will find the antidote, and then they're going to bring it back. You'll be fine." Daniel said with concern. If Lizzie didn't have the will to hold on, things would get much more difficult.

Lizzie shook her head, changing the subject. "So anyway, the differences between us and Union are pretty prolific. Or at least, in my opinion they are. For starters, the reason our ancestors broke away was the fact that they didn't believe the true path to Great Union was through destruction of individuality. The question we're always asking is, how can this immense sentient being known as the Great Union be built on essentially drone material? It can't! It takes away the essence of what sentient creatures are! The ideas were only just brewing when they came to Earth, but when they saw how free people lived here, so many choices, so much joy, they realized what they had been missing, and wanted it.

"One thing led to another, and when the goa'uld started hunting us down for teaching their slaves about our way of life, we knew it wasn't safe anymore. The entire expedition decided to leave, but they reached a consensus, it was too dangerous for our ancestors to return to Union. They would be persecuted and killed, and the others agreed to keep the secret safe. They left, and we never heard from them again." Lizzie reached for her water, gulping down several swallows.

"So you didn't even know that they were hunting for you?" Lizzie shook her head. "And why do you sometimes speak as if you were really there?" Daniel asked curiously.

"We didn't know that they were hunting us, because they weren't. Not until they found me." Lizzie looked down to her hands and sighed. "They weren't even sure we were still around, and now because of me, they'll hunt us all down."

"I'm not going to let that happen." Daniel said with feeling. "We have control of the Stargate and it's going to stay that way. They don't have spaceflight, so there's no way they'd be able to get here." He reached over and grasped Lizzie's hand encouragingly.

She sighed. "I'm sorry, you're right." She looked up at him with a much brighter look on her face. "You were asking me about why I speak as if I was there during those historical events?" Surprised by the change of subject for a moment, Daniel recovered and nodded. "Amphelos carry strong genetic memory. Both of their lives as plants growing in the ground, and the memories and feelings of their hosts. Did you know that amphelos don't actually have individual personalities before bonding with a human?" Lizzie asked Daniel.

"Really? So their sentience isn't really what we thought it was. So what is it, some sort of hive mind?" Daniel asked, remembering Jack had referred to it as that.

"Maybe…The amphelos in their natural state think communally. The directing force is the Mother, or at least, for them it is. Since the amphelos here don't actually serve a purpose like they did back on Union, they don't require as much direction. All they have to do is survive long enough to mature and take a host." Lizzie chuckled. "But that is one thing they are passionate about. Once an amphelos bonds with a host, they lose some of their communal mind powers. But the images and thoughts that do get back to the community ensure that they are more than eager to enjoy the experience.

An amphelos' greatest wish is to be able to develop an independent personality within, and with the direction of, the host. We do integrate our personalities to an extent, but nowhere near the extent that Union does." As she finished up, she glanced around distractedly. "What time is it?" She asked.

"Oh! Uhh…" Daniel looked down at his watch. "11:23 p.m." He answered. "Why?"

"Oh no!" Lizzie gasped, beginning to try to get out of bed. "I almost forgot! No, Daniel, I have to get my phone!" She pushed his hand away as he tried to keep her from getting up.

"I'll get it for you." Daniel held out his hand to tell her to stay put as he crossed the room to retrieve her cell-phone. Coming back with it, he handed it to her. "What do you need it for?" He asked.

Without answering, she flipped it open and dialed a number, putting it up to her ear. "Hello?" She said after a few moments. "Hello, Mrs. Fahran. I am so sorry I wasn't there today." She gushed apologetically.

"We were worried about you! What happened?" The woman replied with concern.

"It was just…an accident. I'm in the hospital for a day or so. Was Ahram upset?" Lizzie asked, apprehensively.

"Oh, no! Only worried for your safety. Ahram! Ahram, it is the Keeper, she is asking about you!" Lizzie heard the phone change hands, then a young boy's voice.

"Keeper! We were worried, are you all right?" He asked in a troubled voice.

Softening her voice, Lizzie tried to exude confidence. "I'm fine, Ahram. I'm sorry I wasn't there for your Teleti. I got hurt, but I'll be better soon." She smiled sadly up at Daniel. "If you are still sure, I can have a friend come by tomorrow and open the greenhouse for you. You can have your Teleti, and I will see you as soon as I'm better. Would you like that?" She asked kindly.

"Oh, yes, Keeper! I would love that! I'm so excited! Get better soon!" Ahram shouted excitedly before passing the phone off to his mother and running off.

"So, the Teleti can go on without you?" Mrs. Fahran asked. "Thank you very much for speaking to him, Keeper. He was very worried all evening." She added.

"Yes, Mrs. Fahran, I'm having a friend come by to open the greenhouse for you. You and he can wait in the house during the Teleti. By the way, he is not one of us, but he is a close friend I trust, so don't worry." Lizzie said, a small grin growing on her face.

"Anyone you trust is someone I will trust. We will be there at eight o'clock tomorrow morning, is that all right?" Mrs. Fahran asked, fully in her planning mode.

"Eight a.m. is fine, Mrs. Fahran. I'm sure he will be there promptly." She sent another smirk Daniel's way. "Tell Ahram I wish him luck in finding a partner." She sighed and leaned back in the bed.

"I will, Keeper. Please get better." The woman said pleadingly through the phone. Then she hung up.

"So…what was that about?" Daniel asked, not sure if he wanted to find out.

"Oh, just a rescheduled appointment." Lizzie said coyly. More seriously, she added. "Ahram Fahran is the son of one of us in this area. He's reached the right age, and was supposed to go through his Teleti, melding ceremony, this evening." Throwing up her hands, she said, "And since I was unexpectedly poisoned, I wasn't there for the ceremony. So I rescheduled it for tomorrow morning." She smiled. "And you are going to be presiding."

Nodding along with what Lizzie was saying, Daniel almost didn't catch the last thing she said. Slowing to a stop, he frowned. "'Presiding'? As in, like a priest?" He asked, complete astonishment on his face.

"Not like a priest. You don't have to do anything but let him into the greenhouse, and keep an eye on the door until he comes out. I'm not sure how long it will take, but I suppose hosting is a better word than presiding. You're there as moral support and entertainment for Mrs. Fahran." She raised an eyebrow. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Oh, sure. It's just what I wanted to be doing tomorrow morning." Thinking, Daniel sat down on the end of Lizzie's bed. "But Lizzie, I don't want to leave you here alone. What if…?" He trailed off.

"Now look whose being pessimistic. You said it yourself, I'm going to be fine." Lizzie said confidently. "Just make sure not to be there all day. I'll be fine for the time you'll be gone, but don't kid yourself. I'm not going to be around the next day." She added, matter-of-factly.

Settling back in the bed, Lizzie hissed a bit in pain, closing her eyes. "One more question, I promise!" Daniel said urgently. She slowly cracked one eye open.

"What?" She said with mock grumpiness.

"If you've got all these abilities given to you by the amphelos living inside of you, why didn't you fight back against the ambassadors?" He gave her a curious look. It had definitely been nagging him.

Lizzie sighed, closing her eye again. "I didn't want to hurt someone again." She said plainly.

"Hurt someone? Who have you hurt?" Daniel thought back, not being able to remember Lizzie even hurting a fly in all the time he'd known her.

"I didn't mean to do so much; I was just trying to defend myself. I guess I lost control." Lizzie spoke in a monotone. "They attacked me, wouldn't let me go, and I lashed out." She turned her head and buried it in the pillow.

Understanding dawned on Daniel. "That night two months ago. You called me because you got attacked by two men…" He thought over what that could mean. "You did kill them, didn't you?" He asked, too stunned to say anything else.

Lizzie looked up from her pillow, tears in her eyes. "You thought I killed them, even then?" She asked, noticing how he had phrased his question.

"Well, it crossed my mind, briefly." Daniel said reluctantly. "But I never really thought you would have killed them!" He said in defense.

"Yes…" Lizzie nodded slowly. "I killed them. I lashed out and before I knew it they were dead. I vowed I would never do that again, even if it would save my life. That's why I didn't fight back." Lizzie rolled over to face away from Daniel, essentially telling him their discussion was over.

"Okay, well…Lizzie, I'm not angry at you, I understand. Its okay to defend yourself, but its okay to make the choice not to, as well. As long as you know what you're getting into." Reaching out, he rested his hand on her shoulder, rubbing it lightly. Lizzie stiffened under his touch. "And your decision wasn't a wrong one just because you got hurt. No matter what happens, not killing is always a good choice." Taking his hand away, he sighed. "You're tired, I should let you sleep. Just one thing, how do I—?" Daniel started to ask.

Lizzie pulled something off her neck and handed it back to him, never turning around. Taking it, he saw it was the key to her greenhouse she always kept on a cord around her neck. "Right, thanks." He said before slowly walking out of the infirmary to get some sleep. He had a big day tomorrow.

Still trudging through the woods, Jack O'Neill was about ready to call it a day and return to the Stargate. A few feet away, Carter was scanning the area when suddenly she stopped, motioning the others toward her. "By the way, are we really going to be able to tell between this 'Mother' and just your everyday brainy plant?" He asked, strolling over to see what she had been looking at.

"My guess is this is it." Sam said, pointing through the brush at an abnormally large mass of tangled vines which seemed to be continuously shifting and rustling. In front of it was a small clearing where three decorated bowls sat in a row below the vines. Tendrils of the mass were hanging down over the bowls and slowly dripping orange liquid into it.

"I believe those bowls are collecting the antidote we require." Teal'c stated moving forward to enter the clearing. Approaching footsteps made him retreat back to his position. Jack and Sam held their weapons ready and peeked around the brush to see who was coming.

Entering the clearing were three Union, their dress being the same as others SG-1 had seen, except for the fact that the clothing was white. They each knelt before a bowl, bowing their head before the massive tangle of vines. Jack heard a sound that nagged at him like the buzzing of a fly. He could tell it was saying something, but he couldn't quite grasp what it was. Then it stopped abruptly, and the three people rose, taking the bowls with them. Turning away, they left the clearing, bearing the bowls full of elixir back to the village, presumably.

Once he was sure they were gone, Jack spoke. "Well that makes things more difficult." He turned to Sam. "Carter, time for plan B."

"Plan B, sir?" Sam asked. Jack gave her a pointed look. "Oh, yes! Plan B being the plan where we take a clipping of the Mother and take it back to the labs. That plan B." Jack nodded before stepping into the clearing.

"O'Neill, will not this 'Mother' react negatively to our actions?" Teal'c asked as he followed Jack into the clearing. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, a tendril of the mass whipped out at O'Neill. Stopping a few inches away from him, it seemed to be almost sniffing him up. Obviously not liking what it found, the tendril wrapped itself around Jack's neck in the blink of an eye.

Sam and Teal'c had stopped moving when the tendril first approached, but at this they rushed to help their friend. Choking and gasping, Jack slid his service knife out of its sheath and held it behind his back, away from the 'sight' of the Mother. Motioning with his other hand for the two to stay back, he adjusted his grip on the knife handle. Then he brought it up in one fast swing and severed the tendril wrapped around his neck from the rest of the mass. The remaining vine whipped back into the Mother, causing more of the strange buzzing noise and much shaking and rustling.

Grabbing the tendril that loosened its grip on his neck and fallen to the ground, O'Neill retreated from the clearing in a hurry. "I think we made her angry, maybe we should leave." He said offhandedly as he rushed for cover. Sam and Teal'c followed. "Well, at least we got what we wanted." He said from the safety of the brush. He rubbed his neck where red friction marks were showing. His once beet red face was returning slowly to its normal coloring.

"That's it, sir! Think on the bright side!" Sam said with mustered enthusiasm. Sighing as she leaned against the base of a tree, she glanced back and forth between Jack and Teal'c.

"O'Neill, I do not believe it is wise to remain here. The creature's agitation could have alerted others who will be here soon." Teal'c commented, helping Jack up from his squat.

"Not to mention that annoying buzzing sound. I don't think anyone could have missed that!" Jack grumbled. Teal'c and Sam exchanged curious looks. "Let's head back to the base." Handing the vine over to Sam, who immediately bagged it, Jack slowly started trudging back to the Stargate.

After Sam finished securing the specimen, she set of with Teal'c, who had waited for her. Heading off to catch up with Jack, they exchanged looks again. "Buzzing sound?" Sam queried. "I didn't hear anything, did you, Teal'c?"

"I did not." Teal'c replied plainly. "Perhaps it was merely an effect of the strangulation." He commented. Sam just shrugged.

A/N: Okay, sorry about the wait on this chapter, I ended up writing it in several sittings as apposed to my usual one time sitting. Hopefully the content made up for the wait, somewhat. Please don't forget to review and tell me how you liked it!