p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Sam and Mac entered the command centre at the back of the bridge, which was set up to coordinate the mission activity, to have all sets of eyes settle on them as they rejoined the team./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Report, Colonel." Jack greeted her./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Sir, five days ago, the updates from Earth failed due to a failure of the communications crystal."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Pendergast nodded. "We investigated that. The crystal was loose, and we fixed it."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Sir, that crystal is situated in the same housing as the teleportation and the updates to the system."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I'm sensing that's not a coincidence?" Jack asked them./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""No sir. The second update from Earth never actually reached the ship, but the ship did receive a modified file of the first update sent."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""How?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""We think another ship intercepted the files and modified the one we eventually received to include some code to fool tour ship's sensors and the beam."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""To do what?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""The code points the beam towards a set of coordinates which was sent by a secondary device to activate the code." Mac added./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Like a GDO for a transporter beam?" Daniel asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Exactly." Sam nodded, turning to Jack. "Sir, this whole thing needed to have someone working on the inside too, sir."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Sam mentioned mind control?" Mac asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Like a Za'tarc." Jack swallowed, looking a Sam for a second as she nodded back./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""We need to access the security cameras in that section just before the first fail to see who the possible unwilling collaborator maybe." Sam said to Pendergast./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Of course." He agreed as he led them to another side console. "We can get them from here."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Five days ago, the update was due at 0400." Sam reminded him as Pendergast adjust the recordings to a short time before the scheduled update./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"He brought up the footage to see a single male go into the room. "That's Captain Harris. He wouldn't intentionally-" Pendergast started./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""That's exactly our point. This kind of mind control makes intentions moot." Jack pointed out. "It can control so much of us that if the objective isn't achieved, the person being controlled can be compelled to kill themselves can be initiated. Something we have already witnessed."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""How?" Mac asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""We don't know we just know it happens." Sam jumped in./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Then why is Captain Harris still alive?" Mac asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Well, maybe that was his task. I mean it's harmless if he thought he was doing simple maintenance." Daniel observed./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""One way to find out." Jack said./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Daniel, you're with me." Sam said taking them verbally. "Sir, if you could-"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yah, find out what was going on with Captain Harris."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Teal'c stay with General O'Neill." Sam nodded to him. "Mac, I'd love for your help, but you're needed in the interrogation." Sam said as the team started to separate into different directions. "I'll have Daniel with me."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Wait, the what? Interrogate? I don't interrogate!"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Relax," Jack said with a grin. "We need your ear to listen in - in case you spot anything Murdoc would do, give us ideas on what to do next."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Oh, oh, okay." Mac nodded, relaxing slightly. This was well above his pay grade./p
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p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Captain Harris," Jack greeted him, his best General front on, as the young Captain was escorted into one of Prometheus' small meeting room s./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Sirs?" He said nodding to the Senior officers in the room, "is something the matter?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""We don't know yet. Take a load off, Captain." Jack said, directing him to the seat./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Feels like an interrogation." The captain remarked nervously as he sat down as directed, clearly fearful of the three men's agenda, and the silent eyebrow raise from Teal'c didn't help his uneasiness./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"With a nod from Jack, Pendergast started the interview. "Captain, do you remember the day the update from Homeworld security failed? We had to restart?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Oh um, yes sir." He said. "I was on the dead shift, sir." He acknowledged./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Where were you when the error occurred?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Mac didn't know why but he saw both Jack and Teal'c sit up a little bit straighter in their seats. Unbeknown to him, they were waiting for the Za'tarc reaction, either he'd confess then search for a way of dying or else would skip the confession all together. The captain, however, looked at them confused. "I, um, I was at my post, sir."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Which was?" Jack asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Not far. I was working on a console that morning. It needed maintenance after our last trip out, and work on aligning it to match Colonel Carter's specifications. She had made some adjustments after the incident with the Interstellar cloud. I wanted to make sure it was right. Sometimes when we're in earth's orbit, she makes surprise visits which always ends up being an informal inspection."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Jack grinned. "Yes, she does love to surprise."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"The captain relaxed a little "Yes, sir. I just wanted to be prepared."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Jack looked him in the eye, before looking up to Teal'c who only nodded./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;" "We need to take you through everything slowly okay." Jack said, from his vantage point in the seat in front of him. "Captain, have you been down to visit the planet since you've been in orbit?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I-I-I visited my family, sir." He nodded. "Just for my downtime. A couple of days in back home in Minnesota sir."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Jack couldn't help the little grin. "You hail from Minnesota too, eh?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""You play hockey?" Mac asked him./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"The Captain nodded in response to the General's comment before answering the second. "Yes sir, I grew up watching Calgary Flames play."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Oh yeah?" Jack asked. "Did you catch any hockey while you were home?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Mom recorded some games for me."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Oh yeah?" Jack nodded. "Do you have anyone special to watch it with?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yeah, my girl Anna."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Did you see her on this visit?" Jack asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yeah." He nodded./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""What did you do together?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Harris' eyebrows raised and he fought to suppress a grin./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Stupid question." Jack acknowledged. "Did you spend time out and about together?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yeah, we went to dinner and a movie the night before I returned to the Prometheus. We were gone half the day."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Half the day?" Jack asked. "For a movie and dinner?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Well time flies when you're having fun." Captain Harris smiled./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Right." Jack nodded. "Anything unusual happen?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""No." He said, shaking his head. "We went for coffee, this place downtown serves the best…" Harris paused, shaking his head at a lost thought. "Ummmm espres-"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""You hesitated. Why was that, Captain?" Jack asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I umm, nothing, just I went to the restroom a lot that day.. Anna even mentioned something about that. She joked my job must be a great laxative."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Teal'c leaned forward listening carefully, ready to take action if necessary./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Tell me about the restroom at the coffeehouse."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"The captain looked confused at the question. "Sir?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Any changes from the last time you were there?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I-umm-I don't know. I can't say I noticed."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""You caught a movie together?" Jack asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yes." He nodded./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Did you visit the restroom there?" Jack asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yeah, a few times." Harris was unsure of the reasons for the questions being asked of him./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""So, you notice any changes there? Think about the restroom there. Was it small?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""No, it was a regular size john for a small town." He answered, confusion in his voice./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Was it paint on the wall or paper?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I-" he shook his head, as he started to struggle for answers./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""How many sinks?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I-" He shook his head, unsure of the answer./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Were there hand dryers or paper towels?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"The captain was now silent, shaking his head, as if trying to get the image in his mind clearer./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Were you alone?" Jack finally asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"His eyes shot up and he looked worried. "No sir." He slowly acknowledged. "Every time I visited the restrooms, there was this man, about five eight, white hair, with these eyes… man, these eyes… like they knew what it was to be mad."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Mac leaned forward at that description. He saw Jack turn to him and he nodded. It sounded like Murdoc./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Jack took out the stills of the abduction the one with Murdoc looking at the camera from a file Mac didn't know he had./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Was it this man?" Jack asked, placing the stills in front of him./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Oh my God! Yes, this is him!" The captain swallowed nervously. "Sir?" He whispered, almost choking on the word but still managed it. "There's something else you should know."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""What is it, Captain?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""His eyes, sir. They flashed and glowed. I think he was a Goa'uld."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Jack sat back and nodded. "Yah Captain, we know."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""What does this mean?" Mac asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""That the programming probably took place during that day. Short bursts."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Lasting as long as it takes to go to the restroom?" Mac asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Not to arouse suspicion." Teal'c remarked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""P-programing?" The Captain remarked. "I-I didn't- I wouldn't do anything I swear!"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""It's okay, Joel." Pendergast assured the captain using his first name. "You didn't hurt anyone."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Jack sat in front of the young captain looking him in the eyes for a moment before he said to Pendergast. "Show him the tape." Pendergast looked at Jack for a moment before Jack continued. "He deserves to know what happened. Show him the tape."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"The captain watched himself enter the room and press the button for the crystals to appear, the clock in the corner recording the time and date it was happening, showing it as a few moments before the error occurred./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I don't remember this." Shocked, Harris said quietly then he turned frantically to both Jack and his commanding officer. "Sirs, I swear!" He said watching the image of himself loosen the crystals seconds before the upload was due and then closing the console. "No, no I didn't!" He gasped. Then saw the room turn red as a couple of officers came in behind him./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""What do you remember?" Jack asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I was, ummm, outside the room? The alarm blared about the problem. I was the first there…"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""You cannot recall with any clarity, as if it were a fog on the memory." Teal'c stated./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yeah." The captain nodded. "I swear, sir, I'd never hurt anyone. I'd never-"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Listen to me, captain, whatever happened or will happen isn't on you. We've had Tok'ra fall to this programming, good and thousands of years old, got it?" Jack said, in hopes of reassuring the young captain. "That being said, we need to take the correct precautions." Jack looked at the captain again, who is now looking terrified. "Joel, was it?" Jack asked the captain who nodded. "Joel, we need to take you to the SGC, pop you in some guest quarters with some guards at the door to protect you from the possibilities of what you might have been programmed to do further. We have an excellent psychologist who can walk you through your memories and look for further instructions, any useful information to help us."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"He nodded. "Yes sir." The captain agreed./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""That's a good sign. You're not trying to escape, that's a good sign." Jack assured him. He leaned towards Teal'c. "Guest quarters cameras on. I want all eyes on him until this is over, nothing and I mean nothing should hurt him. I want the SGC physiologist on this ASAP." He whispered, to which he got a nod from Teal'c. "Come straight back, T. We're going to need you."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I shall return within the hour."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Teal'c and Captain Harris left the room together while Mac asked Jack. "What now?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Now we find out what Carter found." He replied, where the three men left the room. As they left, Jack sighed heavily as he explained the za'tarc programming to his cousin. Mac had to know how dangerous the Goa'uld were especially one was implanted into a maniac./p
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p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Report Carter." Jack said, entering the room and subconsciously tucking himself close to her. Mac followed him at a slower pace, his mind worrying about Murdoc holding Maria./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Well, we have some good news and some bad news and then we think some good news again." Sam replied. "First, we learned that the ship he's using was cloaked and in orbit for at least a week, sir."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Was?" He questioned./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yes sir, this is where the bad news comes into it. They aren't here anymore."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""You're going to tell me 'but' right?" Jack asked her./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""But-" she said with a smile. "I may have hacked the cameras on the Cassini, sir."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""The space probe we sent to Saturn?" Mac asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""That's the one." She said, bringing up the image on the screen. "It recorded something unwittingly."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I don't see anything." Mac said impatiently./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""There." Jack said, pointing to the ship. "Looks like he got hold of an Al'kesh." He observed quietly as he reviewed the images. "Wait? Is that MY Al'kesh?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Sam sighed then nodded, "Yes sir. Of that I have no doubt."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Why are you so certain?" Mac asked. "Couldn't this be any Al-ummm?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Al'kesh. And no it couldn't." She confirmed. "Sir, your Al'kesh was being held at Area 51. We all know how they lose whole ships or technologies, especially to Trust." Sam said with a marked look to Jack. "You remember when Apophis rigged those death gliders with recall devices which later became our X-301's?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""A little hard to forget." Jack remarked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yeah, well I may have taken the idea and tweaked it a little." Sam admitted./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Colonel?" Jack almost purred./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I made a device to send any data back to a server if it was ever launched again without the bypass code." She admitted quietly./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Jack smiled at her. "Good going, Carter."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Sam's heart skipped a beat at that smile and her voice was husky with emotion when she answered. "Thank you, sir." She cleared her throat. "Now I know where to look. I activated the device, and I can tell you where his ship was programmed to go when it left the system, sir. We can intercept him before he reaches this planet with the Stargate."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""You're confident he's heading there?" Jack asked her./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Sam nodded. "Yes sir, that hyperdrive is badly damaged, sir. He's much more likely to disappear from our reach with a Stargate. The broken hyperdrive won't get him far enough in any direction to get him to another Stargate, and he can't risk dropping out in the middle of nowhere, because whichever Goa'uld is in him, he can guarantee there are bigger and badder ones out there."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Mac and Pendergast had stayed silent during this exchange, knowing neither had anything to contribute to the discussion. As soon as they entered, Daniel had left and mumbled something about 'research' and 'planet'. Once Pendergast heard about the stolen Al'kesh he walked over to another communication console and connected to the Bridge./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"As he stood there, Mac was suddenly jealous of his cousin's relationship with Sam and knew he should be lucky to have such a relationship. Something had changed between them and he suspected he knew what. He thought, they were brave enough to take those steps to a future, and all that possibly entailed for them, if they had done so, it was a huge strongemhuge/em/strong step. So why was it that two air force officers could throw all that caution to the wind and be together and he never could do the same thing? For that kind of partnership, companionship, that sort of love? "You sure about that engine?" Mac asked her, his voice broke into the conversation./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yep, he's salvaged that hyper engine." Sam nodded, as she showed the evidence of the Al'kesh trail./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""From us?" Jack asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""It can't have been from your ship, sir That engine is still in storage and it's checked on daily." Pendergast added, as he returned from the Communication console./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I agree. This engine is working but it's slow. Too slow to be the original engine." Sam answered as she dug through some notes on the desk./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Slow, you say?" Jack smiled./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Relatively, yes sir, we can catch up to it before it reaches that planet. We can get there first and hide behind one of its moons, out of sight."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""How long?" Jack asked her./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""24 hours, sir." She informed him./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Looks like we're commandeering your ship, Colonel." Jack told Pendergast./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Our pleasure sir." Pendergast agreed./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Alright. Let's settle in, find some spare quarters and rest your heads. We'll leave orbit as soon as T is back. Sam, I need you all top form for when we catch that ship so let's grab Daniel and get some food." Jack decided. Turning to his cousin, he laid a hand on his shoulder and said to him in a low voice, "We'll get her back."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Mac raised troubled eyes to his cousin and slowly nodded. "I…"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"As Mac's voice trailed off, Jack nodded. "I know."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Report, Colonel." Jack greeted her./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Sir, five days ago, the updates from Earth failed due to a failure of the communications crystal."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Pendergast nodded. "We investigated that. The crystal was loose, and we fixed it."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Sir, that crystal is situated in the same housing as the teleportation and the updates to the system."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I'm sensing that's not a coincidence?" Jack asked them./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""No sir. The second update from Earth never actually reached the ship, but the ship did receive a modified file of the first update sent."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""How?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""We think another ship intercepted the files and modified the one we eventually received to include some code to fool tour ship's sensors and the beam."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""To do what?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""The code points the beam towards a set of coordinates which was sent by a secondary device to activate the code." Mac added./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Like a GDO for a transporter beam?" Daniel asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Exactly." Sam nodded, turning to Jack. "Sir, this whole thing needed to have someone working on the inside too, sir."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Sam mentioned mind control?" Mac asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Like a Za'tarc." Jack swallowed, looking a Sam for a second as she nodded back./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""We need to access the security cameras in that section just before the first fail to see who the possible unwilling collaborator maybe." Sam said to Pendergast./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Of course." He agreed as he led them to another side console. "We can get them from here."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Five days ago, the update was due at 0400." Sam reminded him as Pendergast adjust the recordings to a short time before the scheduled update./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"He brought up the footage to see a single male go into the room. "That's Captain Harris. He wouldn't intentionally-" Pendergast started./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""That's exactly our point. This kind of mind control makes intentions moot." Jack pointed out. "It can control so much of us that if the objective isn't achieved, the person being controlled can be compelled to kill themselves can be initiated. Something we have already witnessed."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""How?" Mac asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""We don't know we just know it happens." Sam jumped in./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Then why is Captain Harris still alive?" Mac asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Well, maybe that was his task. I mean it's harmless if he thought he was doing simple maintenance." Daniel observed./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""One way to find out." Jack said./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Daniel, you're with me." Sam said taking them verbally. "Sir, if you could-"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yah, find out what was going on with Captain Harris."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Teal'c stay with General O'Neill." Sam nodded to him. "Mac, I'd love for your help, but you're needed in the interrogation." Sam said as the team started to separate into different directions. "I'll have Daniel with me."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Wait, the what? Interrogate? I don't interrogate!"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Relax," Jack said with a grin. "We need your ear to listen in - in case you spot anything Murdoc would do, give us ideas on what to do next."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Oh, oh, okay." Mac nodded, relaxing slightly. This was well above his pay grade./p
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p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Captain Harris," Jack greeted him, his best General front on, as the young Captain was escorted into one of Prometheus' small meeting room s./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Sirs?" He said nodding to the Senior officers in the room, "is something the matter?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""We don't know yet. Take a load off, Captain." Jack said, directing him to the seat./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Feels like an interrogation." The captain remarked nervously as he sat down as directed, clearly fearful of the three men's agenda, and the silent eyebrow raise from Teal'c didn't help his uneasiness./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"With a nod from Jack, Pendergast started the interview. "Captain, do you remember the day the update from Homeworld security failed? We had to restart?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Oh um, yes sir." He said. "I was on the dead shift, sir." He acknowledged./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Where were you when the error occurred?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Mac didn't know why but he saw both Jack and Teal'c sit up a little bit straighter in their seats. Unbeknown to him, they were waiting for the Za'tarc reaction, either he'd confess then search for a way of dying or else would skip the confession all together. The captain, however, looked at them confused. "I, um, I was at my post, sir."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Which was?" Jack asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Not far. I was working on a console that morning. It needed maintenance after our last trip out, and work on aligning it to match Colonel Carter's specifications. She had made some adjustments after the incident with the Interstellar cloud. I wanted to make sure it was right. Sometimes when we're in earth's orbit, she makes surprise visits which always ends up being an informal inspection."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Jack grinned. "Yes, she does love to surprise."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"The captain relaxed a little "Yes, sir. I just wanted to be prepared."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Jack looked him in the eye, before looking up to Teal'c who only nodded./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;" "We need to take you through everything slowly okay." Jack said, from his vantage point in the seat in front of him. "Captain, have you been down to visit the planet since you've been in orbit?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I-I-I visited my family, sir." He nodded. "Just for my downtime. A couple of days in back home in Minnesota sir."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Jack couldn't help the little grin. "You hail from Minnesota too, eh?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""You play hockey?" Mac asked him./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"The Captain nodded in response to the General's comment before answering the second. "Yes sir, I grew up watching Calgary Flames play."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Oh yeah?" Jack asked. "Did you catch any hockey while you were home?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Mom recorded some games for me."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Oh yeah?" Jack nodded. "Do you have anyone special to watch it with?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yeah, my girl Anna."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Did you see her on this visit?" Jack asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yeah." He nodded./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""What did you do together?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Harris' eyebrows raised and he fought to suppress a grin./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Stupid question." Jack acknowledged. "Did you spend time out and about together?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yeah, we went to dinner and a movie the night before I returned to the Prometheus. We were gone half the day."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Half the day?" Jack asked. "For a movie and dinner?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Well time flies when you're having fun." Captain Harris smiled./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Right." Jack nodded. "Anything unusual happen?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""No." He said, shaking his head. "We went for coffee, this place downtown serves the best…" Harris paused, shaking his head at a lost thought. "Ummmm espres-"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""You hesitated. Why was that, Captain?" Jack asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I umm, nothing, just I went to the restroom a lot that day.. Anna even mentioned something about that. She joked my job must be a great laxative."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Teal'c leaned forward listening carefully, ready to take action if necessary./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Tell me about the restroom at the coffeehouse."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"The captain looked confused at the question. "Sir?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Any changes from the last time you were there?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I-umm-I don't know. I can't say I noticed."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""You caught a movie together?" Jack asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yes." He nodded./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Did you visit the restroom there?" Jack asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yeah, a few times." Harris was unsure of the reasons for the questions being asked of him./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""So, you notice any changes there? Think about the restroom there. Was it small?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""No, it was a regular size john for a small town." He answered, confusion in his voice./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Was it paint on the wall or paper?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I-" he shook his head, as he started to struggle for answers./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""How many sinks?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I-" He shook his head, unsure of the answer./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Were there hand dryers or paper towels?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"The captain was now silent, shaking his head, as if trying to get the image in his mind clearer./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Were you alone?" Jack finally asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"His eyes shot up and he looked worried. "No sir." He slowly acknowledged. "Every time I visited the restrooms, there was this man, about five eight, white hair, with these eyes… man, these eyes… like they knew what it was to be mad."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Mac leaned forward at that description. He saw Jack turn to him and he nodded. It sounded like Murdoc./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Jack took out the stills of the abduction the one with Murdoc looking at the camera from a file Mac didn't know he had./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Was it this man?" Jack asked, placing the stills in front of him./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Oh my God! Yes, this is him!" The captain swallowed nervously. "Sir?" He whispered, almost choking on the word but still managed it. "There's something else you should know."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""What is it, Captain?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""His eyes, sir. They flashed and glowed. I think he was a Goa'uld."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Jack sat back and nodded. "Yah Captain, we know."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""What does this mean?" Mac asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""That the programming probably took place during that day. Short bursts."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Lasting as long as it takes to go to the restroom?" Mac asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Not to arouse suspicion." Teal'c remarked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""P-programing?" The Captain remarked. "I-I didn't- I wouldn't do anything I swear!"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""It's okay, Joel." Pendergast assured the captain using his first name. "You didn't hurt anyone."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Jack sat in front of the young captain looking him in the eyes for a moment before he said to Pendergast. "Show him the tape." Pendergast looked at Jack for a moment before Jack continued. "He deserves to know what happened. Show him the tape."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"The captain watched himself enter the room and press the button for the crystals to appear, the clock in the corner recording the time and date it was happening, showing it as a few moments before the error occurred./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I don't remember this." Shocked, Harris said quietly then he turned frantically to both Jack and his commanding officer. "Sirs, I swear!" He said watching the image of himself loosen the crystals seconds before the upload was due and then closing the console. "No, no I didn't!" He gasped. Then saw the room turn red as a couple of officers came in behind him./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""What do you remember?" Jack asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I was, ummm, outside the room? The alarm blared about the problem. I was the first there…"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""You cannot recall with any clarity, as if it were a fog on the memory." Teal'c stated./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yeah." The captain nodded. "I swear, sir, I'd never hurt anyone. I'd never-"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Listen to me, captain, whatever happened or will happen isn't on you. We've had Tok'ra fall to this programming, good and thousands of years old, got it?" Jack said, in hopes of reassuring the young captain. "That being said, we need to take the correct precautions." Jack looked at the captain again, who is now looking terrified. "Joel, was it?" Jack asked the captain who nodded. "Joel, we need to take you to the SGC, pop you in some guest quarters with some guards at the door to protect you from the possibilities of what you might have been programmed to do further. We have an excellent psychologist who can walk you through your memories and look for further instructions, any useful information to help us."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"He nodded. "Yes sir." The captain agreed./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""That's a good sign. You're not trying to escape, that's a good sign." Jack assured him. He leaned towards Teal'c. "Guest quarters cameras on. I want all eyes on him until this is over, nothing and I mean nothing should hurt him. I want the SGC physiologist on this ASAP." He whispered, to which he got a nod from Teal'c. "Come straight back, T. We're going to need you."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I shall return within the hour."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Teal'c and Captain Harris left the room together while Mac asked Jack. "What now?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Now we find out what Carter found." He replied, where the three men left the room. As they left, Jack sighed heavily as he explained the za'tarc programming to his cousin. Mac had to know how dangerous the Goa'uld were especially one was implanted into a maniac./p
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p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Report Carter." Jack said, entering the room and subconsciously tucking himself close to her. Mac followed him at a slower pace, his mind worrying about Murdoc holding Maria./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Well, we have some good news and some bad news and then we think some good news again." Sam replied. "First, we learned that the ship he's using was cloaked and in orbit for at least a week, sir."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Was?" He questioned./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yes sir, this is where the bad news comes into it. They aren't here anymore."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""You're going to tell me 'but' right?" Jack asked her./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""But-" she said with a smile. "I may have hacked the cameras on the Cassini, sir."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""The space probe we sent to Saturn?" Mac asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""That's the one." She said, bringing up the image on the screen. "It recorded something unwittingly."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I don't see anything." Mac said impatiently./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""There." Jack said, pointing to the ship. "Looks like he got hold of an Al'kesh." He observed quietly as he reviewed the images. "Wait? Is that MY Al'kesh?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Sam sighed then nodded, "Yes sir. Of that I have no doubt."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Why are you so certain?" Mac asked. "Couldn't this be any Al-ummm?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Al'kesh. And no it couldn't." She confirmed. "Sir, your Al'kesh was being held at Area 51. We all know how they lose whole ships or technologies, especially to Trust." Sam said with a marked look to Jack. "You remember when Apophis rigged those death gliders with recall devices which later became our X-301's?"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""A little hard to forget." Jack remarked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yeah, well I may have taken the idea and tweaked it a little." Sam admitted./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Colonel?" Jack almost purred./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I made a device to send any data back to a server if it was ever launched again without the bypass code." She admitted quietly./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Jack smiled at her. "Good going, Carter."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Sam's heart skipped a beat at that smile and her voice was husky with emotion when she answered. "Thank you, sir." She cleared her throat. "Now I know where to look. I activated the device, and I can tell you where his ship was programmed to go when it left the system, sir. We can intercept him before he reaches this planet with the Stargate."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""You're confident he's heading there?" Jack asked her./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Sam nodded. "Yes sir, that hyperdrive is badly damaged, sir. He's much more likely to disappear from our reach with a Stargate. The broken hyperdrive won't get him far enough in any direction to get him to another Stargate, and he can't risk dropping out in the middle of nowhere, because whichever Goa'uld is in him, he can guarantee there are bigger and badder ones out there."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Mac and Pendergast had stayed silent during this exchange, knowing neither had anything to contribute to the discussion. As soon as they entered, Daniel had left and mumbled something about 'research' and 'planet'. Once Pendergast heard about the stolen Al'kesh he walked over to another communication console and connected to the Bridge./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"As he stood there, Mac was suddenly jealous of his cousin's relationship with Sam and knew he should be lucky to have such a relationship. Something had changed between them and he suspected he knew what. He thought, they were brave enough to take those steps to a future, and all that possibly entailed for them, if they had done so, it was a huge strongemhuge/em/strong step. So why was it that two air force officers could throw all that caution to the wind and be together and he never could do the same thing? For that kind of partnership, companionship, that sort of love? "You sure about that engine?" Mac asked her, his voice broke into the conversation./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Yep, he's salvaged that hyper engine." Sam nodded, as she showed the evidence of the Al'kesh trail./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""From us?" Jack asked./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""It can't have been from your ship, sir That engine is still in storage and it's checked on daily." Pendergast added, as he returned from the Communication console./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""I agree. This engine is working but it's slow. Too slow to be the original engine." Sam answered as she dug through some notes on the desk./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Slow, you say?" Jack smiled./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Relatively, yes sir, we can catch up to it before it reaches that planet. We can get there first and hide behind one of its moons, out of sight."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""How long?" Jack asked her./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""24 hours, sir." She informed him./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Looks like we're commandeering your ship, Colonel." Jack told Pendergast./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Our pleasure sir." Pendergast agreed./p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;""Alright. Let's settle in, find some spare quarters and rest your heads. We'll leave orbit as soon as T is back. Sam, I need you all top form for when we catch that ship so let's grab Daniel and get some food." Jack decided. Turning to his cousin, he laid a hand on his shoulder and said to him in a low voice, "We'll get her back."/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"Mac raised troubled eyes to his cousin and slowly nodded. "I…"/p
p style="font-family: 'Nimbus Roman No9 L', 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: medium;"As Mac's voice trailed off, Jack nodded. "I know."/p