Chapter------11

Randolph knew there would be no help from Prionne or the members of his expedition to the Tarlean world. He'd tried contacting Shreelok and Shreeluk, but there communication devices had either been lost or destroyed. It did not matter because it meant the same thing; their mission was a failure and so was his.

The members of his team knew to return home now would mean utter disgrace and they would rather die here than go back to their world. They would not go out without causing as much damage as possible to Earth and if that meant killing every human, then so be it. What they needed was a plan and a way to implement it so that their deaths would mean something if word ever got back to their home.

Randolph knew he was expending energy by staying in his humanoid form, but it made it easier to move around amongst these people. When the time came he would need to change his features so that Landry and his people at Cheyenne Mountain would not recognize him, but for now he would remain Dr. Jonathon Randolph.

He heard the others communicating with clicks and beeps and knew they were trying to find the best way to destroy Earth. An explosion of catastrophic proportion would be the best bet and surely that could be done using the Stargate. They simply had to find a way in and use any means necessary to complete the alternate plan of killing this planet and rendering it inhabitable.

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Carolyn Lam hurried toward the gateroom with several of her medical staff and prayed things weren't as bad as the reports said. She knew SG1 would be returning through the gate at any second and that Cameron Mitchell was in bad shape. The gurney she helped guide held several pieces of equipment and everything she needed to keep Mitchell alive until they reached the infirmary.

Carolyn moved quickly through the door just as Teal'c returned carrying the injured colonel in his arms. She waited for him to step off the ramp before rushing forward as Mitchell was lowered to the floor. Lam prided herself on being calm in the midst of chaos, and fought to keep her cool as she noted the injuries that were visible to the naked eye.

"Carolyn, tell me he's going to be all right," Carter ordered.

"I don't know, Sam," Lam answered honestly and turned to the other members of her team. "We need to get him to the infirmary now!"

Daniel Jackson reached out and pulled Carter away from the stretcher as Lam and her staff log rolled Mitchell onto the gurney and wheeled him from the gateroom. He offered his support as they followed the medical team along the corridors, but was told to wait once Lam had her patient inside a trauma room.

"He's strong, Sam," Jackson told her.

"I should never have left him," Carter whispered.

"If you hadn't you'd both be dead," Jackson advised as Teal'c and General Landry joined them. They all knew what the stakes were and no one was ready to give odds on Mitchell's chances, although they all realized he was in the best possible hands.

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Carolyn Lam knew her staff understood what needed to be done and moved to check Mitchell's eyes. He needed fluids and antibiotics and who knew what else as she took note of the massive array of mottled bruises that covered most of his body. She didn't think there was an inch of unmarked skin and silently hoped there wasn't any internal damage.

Lam looked up as the monitoring equipment came to life, giving her readings that alarmed her. His blood pressure was 80/70 and that spoke of massive internal bleeding that needed to be stopped if they were going to save his life. Blood samples had already been taken, but she knew they couldn't wait any longer to act. "Hang a bottle of O-neg," she ordered and knew the nurse beside her would do exactly as she said without question.

Lam also understood that Mitchell's time in the sarcophagus would have an effect on him, a bad one if what she'd read in the files was any indication. She knew both Daniel Jackson and Jack O'Neill had spent time in one and both men had shown signs of withdrawal after repeatedly being exposed to one.

"Come on, Colonel, don't you quit on me now!" Lam snapped as Mitchell's heart rate became erratic and the alarms sounded.

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Samantha Carter paced in front of the room where Lam treated Mitchell and knew the others were watching her. She'd long since given up on trying to hide her tears and berated herself for leaving Mitchell with the Jarganians. She knew it was the only possible choice, the lesser of two evils, but that didn't make it any easier for her to live with.

Landry, Jackson, and Teal'c were also present, but no one spoke as the seconds ticked into minutes and the minutes seemed to become hours as they waited for Carolyn Lam to reappear with news on Mitchell. She ran her fingers through her disheveled hair and choked back an exhausted sob.

"Sam, why don't you sit down?" Jackson said and placed his hand on her shoulder.

Carter appreciated the gesture and placed her own hand over his before turning to face him. "I left him, Daniel."

"You didn't have a choice, Sam, if you'd stayed you would both be dead. At least now Mitchell's got a good chance," Jackson said.

"If anyone can pull him through it's Carolyn," Carter agreed and turned as the door opened and a bedraggled Lam exited the room and closed the door behind her. "Carolyn, how is he?"

"He's fighting hard, Sam, but I have to tell you that right now it's the fight of his life," Lam answered. "He's bruised from head to toe and there were internal injuries including damage to his liver and right kidney. His left arm was broken at the elbow and will require extensive surgery if he's to regain full use of the arm."

"What about the effects of the sarcophagus?" Jackson asked, holding Carter close as she trembled with a mixture of worry and exhaustion.

"We won't know until he wakes up, but if we're lucky he'll be over the worst of the withdrawal symptoms before he wakes up," the physician answered.

"When will he wake up?" Carter asked.

"I'm keeping him heavily sedated for the next two days, Sam, and then we'll slowly wean him off and allow him to wake up. He is on a ventilator because his lungs are weak and there's some swelling in his throat." Lam answered.

"Can I see him?" Carter asked.

"For a minute, but as I said he's heavily sedated and won't know you're there. Teal'c I want to take a look at you," Lam ordered, relieved when the Jaffa didn't argue. She knew Jackson and carter would also need to be checked out and hoped the trio would get some rest once that was done.

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Samantha Carter could not remember ever being so damn tired. Once Lam had finished checking her over and giving her the all clear she'd made her way to Mitchell's bedside and refused to move. The nursing staff was wonderful and worked around her as she reached out and took Mitchell's right hand in her own, carefully avoiding the IV line that ran into it.

Carter glanced at her watch and noted nearly three hours had passed since she'd sat down. Four hours since Lam had told them of the devastating injuries to Mitchell, and nearly twelve hours since they'd returned from the Tarlean world. She had heard Shinara ask them to return, but she wasn't sure that was a wise idea, not after the way they'd been treated.

Sam thought about the Jarganians who remained on Earth and wondered would they find them before they did anything to her world. Randolph was still out there and they had no way of knowing how many others were with him. Landry had the base on high alert until the creatures were captured, but they could not do that forever.

Carter released Mitchell's hand long enough to rub at eyes that refused to stay open on their own. She knew she was beyond tired, but she would not leave until she was sure Cam would survive. Daniel and Teal'c had both been in several times, but had finally given up on trying to convince her she needed rest. With a heavy sigh, Sam reached out, took his hand again and rubbed it against her tear stained face.

"Don't you dare give up, Cam, not after everything you've been through. I won't let you go…God, help me I can't let you go," Carter whispered against his too warm hand.

"Sam, it's time for you to get some rest," Carolyn Lam ordered.

"I can't leave him, Carolyn," Carter vowed.

"You're no good to him if you fall over, Sam, besides my staff needs to care for Colonel Mitchell, and as you know some of it is unpleasant to watch."

"I can handle it."

"I know, but the staff can't. Come along, Sam, I'll buy you a cup of coffee and you can crash on one of the beds," Lam ordered and watched as Carter reluctantly released Mitchell's hand.

"I'll be back, Cam," the distraught woman said and leaded down to kiss his cheek as she whispered. "I love you, Cam, don't you forget that."

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Carolyn Lam shook her head when she went to check on Samantha Carter and found the bed empty. She'd known the colonel was stubborn and hoped she wouldn't have to pull rank. Truth was Carter was ion her territory now and as such was under her strict rules and regulations.

Carolyn knew where she'd find Carter and quickly slipped a sedative into a glass of orange juice before heading toward the room where Mitchell still fought for his life. The Colonel sat much the same as she had earlier, with Mitchell's hand clasped in both of hers. What surprised her was that the side rail had been lowered and Carter's head was on the pillow beside Cameron.

"How long has she been like this?" Lam asked the nurse softly.

"She came in about an hour ago and lowered the rail. She fell asleep almost immediately and I figured I'd leave her alone. Should I wake her?" Janet Taylor answered.

"No, she needs the rest and this way we can keep an eye on her."

"She'll have a stiff neck when she wakes up," Taylor observed.

"Probably, but I don't think she'll complain about it," Lam said. She looked at the glass of juice, relieved that, at least for now, she wouldn't have to resort to sedatives to get Carter to rest. Carolyn looked at the monitors and wished Mitchell's temperature would come down, but even the cooling blanket hadn't helped for long. "Keep an eye on his temperature and let me know if it doesn't go down."

"Yes, Doctor," the nurse said and moved to the desk to complete her latest reports.

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Carter felt something warm in her hand, but it took several seconds to realize what it was and her head snapped up as she heard the clicking beeps of the equipment surrounding Cameron Mitchell. She knew she'd fallen asleep and rubbed the back of her neck as she stretched the kinks from her back.

"Let that be a lesson to you, Sam," Lam lightly scolded.

"Carolyn, I'm sorry, I couldn't stay away," Carter said sheepishly.

"You're the one who'll pay for it, Sam," Lam told her. "How do you feel?"

"Better, except for my neck and back," she said with a slight smile.

"Yes, well you earned those," Lam said.

"How long was I asleep?"

"About four hours…not nearly long enough I might add."

"He's so hot," Carter said in an effort to change the subject as Jackson and Teal'c entered the room.

"His temperature has actually come down a little, but it's still dangerously high," Lam answered honestly and looked at the newcomers. "Now, it's hat time again so I want you to go with Dr. Jackson and Teal'c and get something to eat."

"I'm not hungry…"

"Then humor me and eat something," Lam ordered. "Look, Sam, he's going to need you when he wakes up, but you'll be no good to him if you don't keep up your strength. I'm going to keep him heavily sedated for at least another 24 hours so here's my prescription for you. I want you to eat and go to your quarters and sleep for at least eight straight hours or I'll resort to sedating you and that will mean you won't be here when Colonel Mitchell wakes up and needs you. Understood?"

"Carolyn…"

"Understood?" Lam asked with her hands on her hips.

"Sam, I'd listen to her if I was you," Jackson said.

"Daniel Jackson is correct, Colonel Carter," Teal'c told her.

"Sam, I'll send word if anything happens, but right now you need to take care of yourself and trust us to take care of Colonel Mitchell," Lam ordered.

"Come on, Sam, Mitchell's in good hands and it's time to take care of you," Jackson said and smiled when she reluctantly nodded her head. He didn't miss the slight backward glance she gave Mitchell before allowed him to lead her out of the infirmary.

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Strange creatures invaded his dreams and took away any sense of safety Cameron Mitchell might have felt. He tried to open his eyes, tried to lick his lips, but something intruded down the back of his throat and made him gag. He coughed and fought against it, but his arms wouldn't move and someone seemed to be holding him down.

'No!' he thought he screamed it, but no sound escaped his throat as his eyes shot open and voices finally got through to him.

"Cam, it's okay…you're okay and you're safe. You're back at the SGC and in the Infirmary," Carter explained.

"Colonel, do you want the tube out?" Lam asked, desperate to calm the man and get his attention focused on anything, but fighting the staff.

Mitchell nodded and felt the tape holding the tube in place removed as he stared at Samantha Carter. She was pale and visibly shaken with dark rims beneath her eyes, but she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.

"Colonel, I want you to breathe out as hard as you can," Lam ordered.

Mitchell did as she ordered, coughing as the tube came out and with it anything that might have been in his stomach. He tried to turn on his side, but the restraints held him in place as fire pain erupted along nerve endings, making him cry out. He felt Sam's hand clasp his own and tried to squeeze it, but he didn't have the strength as darkness reached for him and he lost consciousness.

"Carolyn," Carter said worriedly.

"He's okay, Sam, just too much all at once. I don't expect him to be awake much in the next few days, but the fact that his temperature continues to come down and his heart rate has returned to normal is good news."

"He's going to be all right?" Carter asked.

"I think so. Colonel Mitchell is a stubborn man and I don't think he'll let the Jarganian's win even if it means fighting his way back from hell," Lam told her as the nurse used a warm cloth to clean Mitchell's face.

Carter breathed a sigh of relief and settled in for the long haul as Jackson, Teal'c, and Lam left her alone with Mitchell and the nurse. She reached over the railing and gently touched his cheek, relieved that his skin didn't feel as hot as it had a few hours ago.

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Randolph knew it was a suicide mission, but at least they would go out fighting. There were only two of them left now, the others having perished while trying to capture the two men whose place they would take. Corporal Han Johansson and Lieutenant Mark Shafer were both given new assignments to Cheyenne Mountain and they were taken out of the picture before being transferred to their new headquarters.

Randolph knew there were people at Cheyenne Mountain who could recognize him, but since this was his last mission he had taken pains to change his appearance, using up whatever energy he had left. He was shocked to look in the mirror and see a young man with reddish brown hair and hazel eyes staring back at him. To him the face was hideous, but he knew the Lieutenant would be considered quite good looking to other humans.

He sat in the passenger seat of the transport while his fellow Jarganian sat in the back with several other newcomers to the SGC. The hardest part would be getting past the security protocols, but he knew how to do that without too much trouble and once inside they could set several explosive devices before using the computers and hacking into other systems around the planet and set off a series of bombs that would mean the annihilation of the people of Earth.

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Samantha Carter smiled as Mitchell's eyes fluttered and finally opened. She held onto his right hand as if it was the lifeline that kept him anchored to her. "Welcome back."

"Sam…you okay?"

"I'm fine, Cam, but you've had us all worried," Carter said.

"Sorry, what happened?" Mitchell asked with a frown.

"You and Teal'c took Prionne and the others down," Carter answered.

"Prionne?" Mitchell said and tried to draw on his memories, but his mind couldn't quite grasp them as he began to shake.

"Cam, what's wrong?"

"Cold…so damn cold," Mitchell told her as Lam hurried over to the bed.

"Carolyn, what's going on?" Carter asked.

"Sam, we've been expecting this," Lam explained and checked the monitors. "He's suffering from withdrawal…"

"Damn, I forgot about the Sarcophagus," Carter said, standing and running her fingers through Mitchell's sweat soaked hair. "It's okay, Cam, just hold on to me. Listen to my voice because I'm not going anywhere."

"Sam, feel like…hell," Mitchell told her.

"I know you do, but it'll pass," Carter said as Lam started a new treatment to help the injured man. She knew there wasn't a whole lot they could do, but at least they could ease some of the discomfort. She wished he could sleep until the worst of the symptoms were over, but Lam needed to be able to monitor his progress and watch for signs he was in trouble. She gently touched his cheek and watched as glazed eyes opened and looked at her.

"Sam…stay-"

"I'm not going anywhere, Cam, and when you're feeling better I might even make you some of those Macaroons you're so fond of."

"Promise?" Mitchell asked, trembling uncontrollably as Lam continued to do her best to make him comfortable.

"Promise," Carter agreed. She knew he was in misery and wished there was more she could do, but for now all she had was her touch and she hoped he would hold onto that until the effects of the sarcophagus wore off.

TBC