Chapter 26

This has not been beta'ed, please accept my apologises for all mistakes. I needed to post quickly. Enjoy

Jacob Carter practically ran down the ramp out of the wormhole. He didn't take much notice of the SF's in the Gateroom, his eyes immediately searching the control room, looking for his friend.

"George!" he barked on seeing Hammond come into view at the window. "What the hell is going on? Sam's been injured here, not off-world?"

Hammond reached down and held the button for the mic and then spoke "We can talk later Jacob, Sam needs you, I'll meet you at the door and we'll go to the infirmary."

Jacob nodded and made his way out the door to his left to meet Hammond and see Sam, he assumed that the main reason that he was needed was because of the healing device so as he shook Hammond's hand he asked about it. "Are you needing me to use the healing device?"

"Dr Frasier has reported that Sam is doing better but we'll discuss that option with her when we get there. She was shot twice Jacob."

"Did you have an incursion? Was it a Goa'uld?"

"Yes and No, we have had some serious issues here in the last week. Did you not get briefed, we had informed the Tok'ra a couple of days ago?"

"I was on a mission and they called me to say that Sam was seriously injured, to be honest I stopped listening at that point." The stepped into the elevator for the short trip to the infirmary.

The elevator doors opened and Jacob was struck by the chaos in front of him. Nurses were running along the corridor carrying blood bags and, in a room somewhere not that far away, there were machines beeping so rapidly that he knew something was wrong.

Daniel flew at him from the chairs to his right. "Jacob, thank goodness you are here, you need to get the healing device now! Janet's not sure what's wrong but Sam is critical."

Hammond took control. "Johnston!" He barked at the nearest SF that would have card clearance to the armoury. "Take General Carter to the armoury, allow him to remove the device he needs and escort him back here. Ensure that the elevator remains for him so you get quick return, I'll call to give my clearance to hold it."

"Yes Sir, this way General." Jacob and the SF left and Hammond moved to the phone on the wall and told the tech's about holding the elevator. He then turned back to Daniel.

"What happened? When Doctor Frasier reported in, Major Carter was stable."

We don't know. We were sitting beside her and then her body just went ridged, and she started shaking and all the machines started beeping. Janet hasn't said anything except wishing that the Tok'ra were here and well he is"

As Daniel finished explaining, Jacob and his escort returned and rushed into the room where Daniel indicated. If Daniel's visible panic was seen in his agitation then Jacob was even more shocked by the paralysing fear being shown by his daughters CO. Jack was rooted to the spot, not in the way, but staring at the woman on the bed, who Jacob would have struggled to identify as his lovely Sam. She had almost shrunk into the mattress as if death was trying to swallow her up through a hole.

"Dr Frasier, clear your team. I will try with the device" Selmac, not Jacob spoke, something that didn't go unnoticed by Daniel.

Jack almost jumped on hearing the General's voice and watched as Jacob moved over Sam and began to channel the power of the healing device. There were many days when both Jack and Daniel hated anything to do with the Goa'uld but at this precise minute they were grateful, as without the technology Sam was surely going to die. Of course, Daniel thought wryly, without them she wouldn't have been at risk.

Very slowly the machines began to slow their beeping, Sam's erratic heart beat was becoming under control. Her skin was beginning to gain some colour and there was a palpable change in the tension as those professionals who understood the machinery saw the difference Jacob was making.

Minutes went by until Jacob stopped and almost collapsed on top of Sam.

"Jake are you ok?" Jack asked coming behind the other man to guide him to the nearest bed.

"That was close Jack, any later and Sel and I wouldn't have had the energy. I've done as much as I can just now, but I'll need to rest and have another go."

Janet moved to her new patient, "Can you give me an idea of her condition now, I don't want to do a scan right away."

Jacob lay back closing his eyes and putting his arm over his forehead. "I fixed the rupture in her abdomen, I think that was where the biggest problem was. Her intestine is still full of blood but there is nothing more leaking. I couldn't do anything more at the moment."

"That's excellent Sir, I'll wait and see if I need to remove the excess fluid or whether her body will absorb it. You rest now."

"She'll need me again I think, but unless she goes critical again, we will try to get some sleep and recover. Wake me if she needs me."

"Of course Sir." Janet and Jack both turned from one Carter to the other. "I suppose it's useless to tell you to leave now?"

"Oh hell no. We're staying right here…..with your permission obviously Doc and well Sir?" Jack looked at Hammond realising for the first time that his boss was in the room.

Janet smiled, "That's what I thought Sir, same policy as before, stay out of the nurses' way or I get out the big needles."

"Thanks Janet." Jack smiled briefly and then caught the General's gaze "General?"

Hammond looked at Jack, he hated to be the one to do this but they had a job to do. "Where's Teal'c?" he asked first.

"He's with the SF, making sure the Goa'uld doesn't make any sudden movements." Jack replied despondently, realising his boss was about to force him to leave his 2iC.

"Why are you here Colonel, you were ordered to interview the Goa'uld?"

"He wasn't talking so I thought I would see Mr Martin and maybe get an insight into what was going on, I just popped in to see Carter on my way and it all went crazy."

Hammond took pity on his 2iC he looked pretty rough and Hammond suspected he hadn't really slept much in the last week and this was his team. "Very good son, you stay here and keep watch, I'll see Mr Martin and then we can tackle the goa'uld together."

Gratefully Jack nodded and pulled a chair between the two Carters and watched Daniel go back to Sam's other side.

Hammond stayed a few minutes watching his team and then made his way to the room next door. It was time to put this whole sorry mess to bed, it was time to interview the Chief of Staff and see if there were grounds to impeach the President. All in a days work for a General, he scoffed internally.

The security on the Chief of Staff was tight, it should be, not only was he the President's top aide but he was the only one who could, Hammond hoped, explain exactly how this debacle had happened. Hammond had so many questions, how did he get a goauld? Who knew about it? Had he kept up a human pretence at home or, and he dreaded this answer, were they going to find bodies at his house. Were there any others? They had already found one in the Chief of Naval Operations, could there be more.

Hammond had no idea where to start his questions but thought he should begin politely knowing that the poor man on the bed before him had little choice in any of this.

"Mr Martin, my name in General Hammond, how are you feeling?"

"General, I have been better. It has been a horrendous experience."

Hammond nodded in understanding. "Sir, there are a great deal of questions and, to be honest, I am unsure where to start. I don't want to tire you but we need answers to ensure that this incursion is over."

"I understand. I have knowledge of some of what happened, particularly those events that I witnessed, I could hear and see things even if I couldn't talk. But other things I'm afraid the monster blocked me from knowing."

"That's alright Sir, we'll start at the beginning and you may find you know much more than you realise. I must ask though, do you know of any others who have been taken over like you were, this is crucial."

"One of the joint chief's came to visit me and had already been implanted."

"Yes we found that one the hard way."

"Good, the only other person I had contact with was Dr Gardiner. Did you know about her."

Hammond sighed. "Yes Sir, that was our mistake a couple of years ago. We have not been able to rectify it yet."

"Did she get away?"

"Yes, we tried to follow her ship but it couldn't be caught."

"Then I have no knowledge of anyone else, oh except the people that she hired to take out SG-1. I'm sorry about that, I tried to stop it but he was too strong."

"We know, you are not at fault. Can you tell me what you know?"

"I have very little knowledge of the day this all happened. I remembered a meeting, at Georgetown University, I think, something to do with the President giving backing to a new study. Anyway, Sarah Gardiner was there and then suddenly I wasn't in charge of me. I was speaking, making jokes even I think. I was terrified."

Hammond pulled up a chair, realising this could be a long story. He didn't want to get him off topic but felt compelled to ask "Sir, did your family face any…..issues during this time?"

"No thank God. He didn't seem interested in hurting my wife and my kids are at university. It was strange, he seemed to crave the warmth my wife and I shared, didn't use it against me at all. He had an agenda, he knew what he had to do and to ensure success, I had to remain in post and not raise any suspicion from others."

"I'm pleased Sir, we were worried that there could have been personal consequences for you. Can you tell me what happened after you were implanted?"

"Well, the goa'uld used to talk to her, to Osiris, using the globe. We had one in the office and one at home. She was in charge, he was clearly in awe of her, or fear I suppose. There was no doubt, if the plan didn't work, we were getting the blame. Anyway, she seemed to have contacts all around the world. Not goa'uld I don't think but just plain old human mercenaries. We set up the situation in Scotland, she had a team waiting and following O'Neill from the airport. One of whom was waiting a signal to detonate the device in the hangar. Obviously, something went wrong. We never heard from the team again, Osiris believed they had cut and run, but I think that the man in the hangar was detained by the ambassador. I contacted the base and they gave me some names of people they were holding and I recognised one."

"Ok, I'm going to need that name."

"Clayton, Andrew Clayton."

Hammond walked over to the phone, "Walter, get me the British ambassador in D.C and then Chairman Gibson at the Pentagon."

"Thanks Walter." Hammond put the phone down. "They'll contact me when they get the call through." He explained to Mr Martin then moved back to sit down beside him. "Can you continue your story Sir"

"There was a team in Australia, they were Russian actually, following some leads from a scientist's report. They killed him and then his research partner in Cairns. They left Australia without being caught, I never spoke to them. However, I don't believe they knew why they were to kill the two men. But I do know that they retrieved something from the Great Barrier Reef."

"Do you know what?"

"No, but it was powerful, Osiris seemed….delighted that they had managed to get it."

"Damn, so we can only assume it left with her."

"Yes, I would assume so."

"Ok, is there anything else you can tell us about the situation with SG-1?"

"There were several men hired quickly, once it was discovered that two students had contacted Dr Jackson. He was told they had been killed." Mr Martin spoke almost absentmindedly thinking back to hearing the news of Jackson and Teal'c's supposed death.

"Mercenaries again?"

"Guns for hire was how Osiris described them."

"We'll leave them for the French if they are still in country. Was it you that released the names of Dr Jackson and Major Carter to the media as criminals?"

Mr Martin hung his head, "Yes, Osiris wanted to make sure that SG-1 were taken, even if they were not killed. It's testament to your team that the group in Australia and in France were still looking for them just yesterday. You have some incredible personnel General."

"Yes, I know." Hammond mentally thanked both O'Neill and Carter whose complete paranoia had led to the 'CRAP' plan. He focussed again on Mr Martin "Well if both groups were in country for over a week there is still a chance we can trace them. I doubt Osiris cared enough to clear their paper trail."

Martin nodded and then sat forward on the bed, "Can I ask how Major Carter is, I'm sorry I didn't warn you that the goa'uld had jumped as I came into the infirmary room. Through his new host he was threatening me with the gun."

"She is still critical, she needs time to heal but we are hopeful she will pull through. You are not at fault, please remember that."

"Good, that's good." Mr Martin lay back on the bed and closed his eyes.

Hammond took pity on the man who effectively had been kidnapped for the last two or so months. "Thank you for answering these questions, Sir, I may have more but I think you need to rest

Martin nodded and turned on the bed and Hammond left, it was time to pick up the President's statement, the Joint Chiefs would be wanting to know if they needed to take this any further.

AN: So, another chapter for you, but not the end as I had hoped. Real life got seriously in the way this week, ill friends and hospital admissions. Anyway, I am away for a bit now and won't have access to the story. I promise to finish it, but that won't be till August. Hope you all have a good month of July