"But she can't be starving," Keller protested.
"You refer to your nutrient mixture?" Oscar observed. "It is not sufficient, not for someone who is part Wraith. That is where I can help. The enzyme, the fluid we inject into our subjects, we have used it in our hive to increase the amount of time we can survive without nourishment. I believe Samantha needs this as well as your nutrients."
Jack got up from his chair and stood directly in front of the tethered Wraith. Towering over him, he said, "If you think you are placing any more Wraith stuff in her, you're crazier than I thought."
"I am not crazy," Oscar protested calmly. "I know what works in these situations because those of my family have suffered the same thing. We will administer a relatively small dose, simply enough to replenish her system. I believe that will temporarily restore her to you until we can manage a more permanent solution."
Chapter 38: Recovery
Three days had passed since Oscar produced and processed an appropriate dose of the enzyme for Sam. After some soul searching, Jack and Jennifer decided to administer a combination of the enzyme and the nutrient solution to the languishing woman. Jack wished he could ask Sam what she wanted. He implicitly trusted her judgment on all things scientific. Besides she had a right to make the final decision. But it wasn't possible. She hadn't regained consciousness since her heart stopped. In fact, at the time the newly synthesized compound was administered, she was tethered to a ventilator, her continued life dependent upon a machine.
Jack remained by her side thirty-six hours straight following the infusion of the enzyme. He talked to her, kept silence with her, even prayed for her during those hours. At times he read the Testament, the historical tome Oscar had brought with him.
Shortly after producing the enzyme, Oscar was once more confined. To Jack's surprise, he hadn't protested, simply reminded them he'd be available if anything else was needed. As he sat with Sam, Jack realized Oscar was most likely biding his time, waiting to see whether his suggestion worked as well as he hoped. If it did, he would certainly see fit to demand a bit more freedom, perhaps even influence.
Towards that end of greater trust Oscar had done two more things. The first was to encourage Jack to read as much of the Testament as possible. Initially Jack was less than enthusiastic. Let's face it, reading an ancient text was much more Daniel's forte than his. But as he read, he was struck by the strength of seemingly human emotion emanating from pages written by a Wraith queen. This woman poured out her heart in these pages, grieving over the horrendous changes that had descended upon her people and the less than human things she herself had been forced to do.
Secondly, Oscar had revealed the identities of the spies, those who'd provided information about Atlantis. There were two it seems, but only one had served Oscar willingly. The other, Anita Lattimore had been an unknowing victim. During her brief capture by the Wraith on her way to Atlantis, she had been implanted with a monitoring device giving Oscar access to her thoughts, as well as her visual and auditory perceptions. It was through Anita that Oscar's hive had learned the exact location of the Alpha site.
The spy, the actual traitor, had sought out the role for his own aggrandizement. Investigation would prove he delighted in his task and in his deftly organized framing of Rodney McKay, a man who'd been anathema to him since they'd both been assigned to Atlantis nearly five years ago. Discrediting Rodney was supposed to have been one of his crowning achievements. Now even that had backfired.
OoOoOo
Sam woke up in the middle of the second day.
Once again, Jack had fallen asleep in his chair, his head falling forward onto her bed, near her hand. Without preamble, Sam opened her eyes, focused on the bowed head of her sleeping husband and smiled. Her first word was a softly whispered, 'Jack', unintelligible as it was spoken around the obnoxiously positioned, invasive breathing tube. When Jack failed to hear her, she gingerly raised her hand and began to stroke his forehead. That did the trick. Opening his eyes, Jack O'Neill was rewarded by the smiling face of his wife. And this time her eyes were clear, the cerulean blue orbs meeting his with unrestrained glee.
In all honesty, Jack initially feared his eyes were playing tricks on him. It was too good to be true. With a bit of trepidation, he called for Keller or one of her staff to examine Sam. To his delight, she passed that examination with flying colors, well enough to warrant the removal of her breathing tube and a tentative loosening of her restraints. Once the irritating tube was removed, Sam swallowed hard and focused on Jack's face again. The simple "Hi" she hoarsely uttered was a welcome gift to a worried man. Maybe, just maybe, Sam was going to make it after all.
Jack and the medical team remained cautiously optimistic over the next twenty four hours. To their pleasant surprise, Sam appeared to gain strength rapidly. By the morning after her initial awakening, she sat up and asked for breakfast. At that point, Jack would have made her his infamous beer omelet if he could have done so without leaving her side. As it was, she had to settle for a clear liquid breakfast, exciting nourishment like apple juice, Jello and tea. It was a simple menu, at least until Jack insisted on Sam's favorite blue Jello. It was the least he could do.
She'd eaten with gusto. In those few moments, Jack saw the return of the vivacious, enthusiastic women he'd loved and married. Sure, she bore the emotional and physical scars of her ordeal, chief among them the feeding aperture. Sam was far from home free, but she was Sam. In the few moments of conversation they'd had, it was clear much of her memory had returned. She remembered people and events, things she and Jack had done together. And from what he could tell, she remembered "Jack and Sam", the couple they'd become, with beautiful clarity.
Sam looked at him with such love, there was no other explanation. As that day went on, she talked with Jack about her memory of capture and her struggles prior to the cardiac arrest. While he listened, Jack O'Neill was repeatedly reminded of what he'd read in Llocha-re's Testament. The feelings, the fears, Sam remembered mirrored those of the ancient Wraith Queen. Jack didn't know whether to be amazed or infuriated. It seemed this had been the plan all along.
He made a mental note to get Daniel out here to help interpret Llocha-re's writings.
Sam's gradual recovery and her painful experiences now made the Testament required reading.
OoOoOo
On the third day, with Jack's help, Sam broke out of the infirmary. She needed to stretch her legs; at least that was her excuse. In reality, she wanted a look see at the formula she'd been given, the elixir which had temporarily restored her to health.
Much as he'd been tempted to give in to her insistence they get out while the getting was good, Jack had insisted on notifying Keller of their plans. The doctor deserved to know what her patient was doing. Besides, as a Major General he could always pull rank if it came down to that. Sam would have her moments of freedom.
And so she did. Reluctantly, Jennifer agreed to let Sam spend an hour in her lab, so long as Jack was her constant companion. Under protest, she'd also provided a sample of the enzyme/nutrient mixture for Sam's examination. Knowing Jennifer was far from happy to let her out of her sight quite so soon, Sam thanked her profusely, promising to be back within an hour – or so. Jack gave his word as a superior officer.
Sam's curiosity was personal of course, but also scientific. To know that the addition of the Wraith enzyme had caused such a positive change in her condition was intriguing. She wasn't "high" or feeling extraordinary, but rather her old self. She wanted to know what was going on. Of course she trusted Jennifer and her medical team to figure it out, but as of now, Keller admitted she didn't know why it worked; she'd simply been desperate to try something. What's more, she'd reminded Sam the effect was most likely temporary. A lasting cure would take more research, and, likely collaboration with Oscar.
Now Sam could have examined the compounds in Keller's medical research area, but that wouldn't have gotten her out of the confines of the infirmary. So with Jack by her side, she made her way to the laboratory areas she'd recently shared with none other than Rodney McKay. Both she and Jack had assumed no one was home.
They'd assumed wrong.
"Sam…," Rodney greeted her, looking up from what he was doing. "I thought…"
"You thought I was in the infirmary?" Sam supplied.
Rodney nodded.
"I was," she said. "Jack sprung me," she added, turning to flash Jack a grateful smile.
"She made me do it," Jack said teasingly. "By the way, I thought we had you in the brig."
"You did," Rodney replied. "Seems I got sprung too."
"It's good to see you Rodney," Sam said. "How'd you get out?"
"It's a long, sad story actually," Rodney replied. "You probably remember how I struggle with a bit of paranoia when it comes to other people," he said, speaking directly to Sam. Sometimes I suspect their motives, wonder if they're trying to undercut me. Anita tells me I'm too sensitive. Always have been you know …"
"Rodney…"
"Well, it seems I had a good reason to be paranoid. Just when I was beginning to let go of my suspicious nature, that little twit Kavanaugh decides to make me his patsy."
"Kavanaugh's the spy?" Jack asked. "That's what the Wraith said?"
"Yeah."
"And Sheppard believed the Wraith?"
"Well, even Sheppard's more suspicious than that," Rodney said. "It seems Dr. Kavanaugh doesn't respond well to interrogation."
"He gave it up that easily?" Sam asked.
"Word has it Ronon gave him his mean look and the guy caved," Rodney said with some satisfaction. "I've got the feeling that's only the beginning."
"You've got that right," Jack agreed. He was going to have a few words with the traitorous scientist. Ronon's anger would look mild compared to what Kavanugh would face from Jack O'Neill.
OoOoOo
Aboard the hive of the Testament, Oscar's Beloved waited with barely controlled anguish. The fate of her consort was unknown. In the best of situations, there would be no communication for at least a fortnight. That would be as planned. Oscar had insisted there be no covert communication, but hoped the humans would trust him enough to allow open communications within that period of time.
The visiting queen was not helping her anxiety. She appeared to take a perverse pleasure in regaling her host with tales of the torture the humans were most likely perpetrating on Beloved's chosen. Insisting these humans would never be trustworthy, the allied queen was quickly outstaying her welcome.
Finally, 'Beloved' had had enough.
"And you claim to revere the Testament?" She confronted the visitor. "How can you revere something you so clearly do not believe?"
."I believe in the truth of Queen Llocha-re's testimony," was the 'Ally's' answer. "I am not so certain of the ethics of the humans. It has been tens of thousands of years. They have changed. They are cunning and ruthless. I worry for our people."
"I too worry, my sister," 'Beloved' said. "But we must take the risk. Oscar was willing to undertake this mission for the sake of our people. We will wait the fortnight. If there is no word then, we will take action.
TBC
A/N: Thanks for all your reviews. So good to hear from you.
More Jack and Sam next chapter, and I think, Daniel arrives.