Chapter VI
After treading through the deep, cold snow for what seemed like days, not hours, Jack, Sam, Dimat and Gordon arrived at the natives home – or rather home-made lab would perhaps have been a better term. It had begun to snow on the last leg of their short journey and so, as they gathered inside the cave and took off their coats; pieces of snow fell to the floor and gradually dissolved into the stone. Fiery torches were attached to the walls providing light and warmth, this part of the cave seemed to serve as an entrance and dumping ground for coats; Dimat led Jack, Sam and the still bound Gordon into the next room. This was larger, though by no means fuller, than the entrance.
All there was in this area was a large rectangular wooden table on which beakers of various shapes and sizes, filled with an assortment of coloured liquids, had been set. This place was warmer and a pleasant change from the bitter outside but Dimat's two test subjects did not notice the temperature.
It was of course strange that Carter had not once cast so much as a sideward glance at the experiments before them; usually she would be all over them and trying to find out as much as possible. At the moment she only cared for one thing "we need to keep him out of the way" she nodded at the Captain. He was in their way, and since he had gathered his thoughts after the Zat blast he had spoken non-stop "I'm beginning to understand why you find him so irritating."
O'Neill smirked deviously as he grabbed Gordon's arm and pushed him out of the lab to next door, where Dimat had informed them there was a group of cells. Even as he roughly forced his teammate into his prison, he realised that something was terribly wrong – but whenever he tried to stop his out of character actions, the desire to find his water grew strong again. He was in no way a weak man but the water to him was like being addicted to an extremely powerful narcotic, and the altered liquid was his to find now, no longer did he want to share. It would be his and his alone. He sauntered back into the lab and sat down against the rocky wall, by the exit "give me some of the good stuff" he called across to Dimat.
A concerned and highly suspicious look appeared on Carter's face. "You mean us" she corrected.
"Sure, of course" the Colonel shrugged nonchalantly and gave her a beaming smile, which Sam did not return wholeheartedly. A shadow of doubt was creeping into her mind and she quickly decided what she had to do, he would not share the water once Dimat gave it to them…he was going to keep it for himself, and she wasn't going to let him do that. She would kill O'Neill before she let him take it from her, and he was thinking the exact same thing.
"There is more in storage" the planet's native announced as he bustled around the table. He looked worriedly from the man to the woman and did not like what he saw, their eyes were cold and calculating, their postures defensive but looking as though they wished to strike each other down at any moment. Dimat shook his head, the outcome of this experiment would be the same as the last time, he could not take the water from them now for they would surely tear each other apart like the last test subjects had done. They were going to die anyway, but he would make sure it would end with them getting what they wanted, he cursed himself, the old man always seemed to realise the error of his ways when it was too late. Dejectedly he wandered from the lab to the cells; the storage area was past there.
"Why did you do this?" a tired voice spoke through the gloom and darkness "what did they ever do to you?" he had wondered if it was because Dimat had seen Teal'c, and decided SG-1 was the enemy. He had dismissed that idea though, certain that the others would have noticed any hidden animosity.
Dimat stopped, he was not sure he could answer the first question so he settled on the second. "They have done nothing," he answered.
Gordon stood and walked to the cell door, holding onto the bars. "So why? Where you bored here, all by yourself and decided to have a little fun?" his tone was bitter, he wasn't particularly close to his teammates having not been with them for too long, and they were a close knit bunch of people, but that didn't mean what was happening to them didn't hit him hard.
The old man moved away from his cell deep in thought, but then he doubled back and sank to the grey stone ground. "It was not meant to be this way," he said vaguely.
"What way was it meant to be?" Gordon questioned, his tone was quite harsh but then he did have good reason.
In Dimat's defense he did look truly sorry for what he had done, but things were out of his control now, the last time things had gotten this far the native had disappeared. He hadn't been around to face the consequences of his actions; he looked around solemnly, remembering when he had last been in this place, near the cells.
There had been around four people behind each of the sturdy bars, people of various ages that had once been civilized men and women until they had drank the fatal concoction. "The liquid was not supposed to make them act this way…" confession was supposed to be good for the soul but Dimat was not looking any better "the people were dying and I just tried to make them better but they grew worse." The thing that had kept him going all this time was the thought that they would have eventually died anyway but now a haunted look appeared in his eyes.
"Those that first drank the liquid craved more and when I turned my back they stole more and passed it throughout the population, and so I made more in hopes that I could reverse the effects…" for the first time since he had bared all he looked up into the hard face of Gordon "but they grew worse, in the beginning some had not drank the liquid and so they were safe…but then the water supply became contaminated…"
The Captain did not like where this was going, and it hadn't escaped him that there were no other people on the planet. "And what happened to the people?" he prompted when it did not appear that Dimat would continue.
"They are dead" he finished, then stood and left the prisoner alone to reflect on what he had just been told. He had to escape.
Gordon rattled the cell bars noisily; the metal was freezing cold to the touch due to the low temperature of this room. "Dimat!" he yelled. "Get back here!" his voice echoed in the empty space, nobody came but he knew that if he continued to shout someone would have to return to shut him up.
O'Neill and Carter paced the Lab as they waited anxiously for Dimat to come back. Finally, tired of waiting, the Colonel changed course to go after the older man; he met him halfway. "What took you so long?" he looked past Dimat suspiciously then returned his steely gaze to him.
Dimat stammered as he spoke, keeping his head down he pushed past Jack and shrugged "I…I could not find it" he gave as an excuse.
"Well now that you have it, pass it along" he looked expectant as the native clutched the canteens as though he would not let them go. Gordon's shouts travelled into the Lab, he was annoying Jack again and at that moment, that wasn't good. "Carter" he turned away from Dimat to see Sam a few feet away from him "can you go and get him to shut up?" he then looked away, expecting her to comply.
"I don't think so," she answered, staying where she was as she spoke. Her comment caused O'Neill to turn his attention back to her, his eyebrow raised in Teal'c fashion. He walked forward a few steps and watched her uncertainly "you just want me out of here so you can take the water and leave" she accused; her arms were folded protectively in front of her.
Jack shook his head, dismissing her claims. "You know I wouldn't do that," he answered calmly. "We're a team" for the moment Dimat was forgotten as the two met in the middle of the room.
"You've been planning this since the beginning" her hand reached behind her back where a Zat was concealed, she had thought ahead.
He rolled his eyes. "Come on Carter, you know I would never do that, if I wanted something I'd just come right out and say it, not go behind your back" he chided. He reached behind her, his left hand trailed down her arm until he came to the Zat "now that isn't what I would have expected from you" the Colonel tutted as he pried the weapon from her cold grasp.
"Well I guess we're both acting out of character" I have to get it back, right now he has the upper hand and I can't let it stay that way.
Jack moved away from her and Carter's heart pounded as he took aim at her "though you are right, I do want that water for myself."
From her outward appearance she seemed unfazed by his actions. "You're going to have a little bit of trouble with that" going off Jack's questioning look Carter continued "Dimat is gone."
He hazarded a look to where the native had last been standing "you planned this!" he shouted, he moved back with the Zat still trained on Sam should she attempt something "where did he go?" he asked in a threatening tone.
Sam shrugged. "My guess is as good as yours" she responded.
"Well, I'm finding it a little hard to believe a thing that you're saying right now" she shrugged; the feeling was mutual. They stood facing each other for a few minutes, the seconds ticked by slowly and neither of them moved an even an inch, not wanting to give each other a reason to attack. Though as Jack was armed he would surely win any fight just then.
"Jack! Stop!" before Daniel said anything else he looked around the room, it was blatantly obvious he was looking for one thing only and for a second he lost track of why he was actually there. The Archaeologists eyes were wide and his hands shaking, it wasn't easy to walk and he was half leaning on Miasa, she nudged him when he didn't continue speaking. He had to keep his mind off the water; so far he was doing well though for a while during the journey it hadn't looked good. "You…you can't take it…trust me…it'll poison you, you're mind" he eventually managed to say. Daniel was saying these words but he found it hard to believe them when he wanted exactly the same thing as his teammates.
Both Carter and O'Neill tore their gazes from each other to the injured SG-1 member. "Got yourself a friend while we were away" Jack commented just another person that wants what's mine was his thought. "The water isn't poison Daniel, it's good, and just look at what doing without it has done to you" no, this isn't right; I shouldn't be talking like this. What the hell is going on in my damn head! Now he was confused, and he didn't like that. He looked at Carter as though she could explain everything.
"There isn't enough water for all of us" her point was quite clear "you're hurt Daniel, you should get back to the SGC and let Janet take a look at you." He doesn't need it as much as I do she felt powerful, stronger, like she could take on an army of Goa'uld by herself and win with energy to burn afterwards.
Daniel shook his head and half hopped to where she was standing. "No, we're all going back together, we never leave anyone behind. Isn't that right, Jack?" he turned to O'Neill for verification of his comment.
"Yeah, sure, whatever" the effects were fading; he could feel it. His hands shook and he clasped them together to stop it, his brow furrowed "no, we need to find Dimat and get some more water" Jack was saying things that he didn't even believe anymore.
Seeing that the Colonel was preoccupied with his confusing thoughts, and that Daniel would be unable to do anything with his leg, Carter snatched the Zat from Jack "you know I'll shoot you." Shivers ran through the two men when they heard her words, she sounded so certain, so sure of herself. With an eye on one and the weapon on the other she stepped past the three onlookers, not checking behind her, she thought she was invulnerable. "Now you're all going to leave" Sam ordered. An arm grabbed her from behind and before she could react the Zat was pulled out of her hands.
"You said if I let you go you could set things right" Dimat demanded. Gordon was free, and restraining a struggling Carter, he nodded and the native looked satisfied with his non-verbal answer. "The effects last longer with her and the Jaffa, though they should begin to fade soon" well the last part was reassuring at least. "Wait!" he suddenly exclaimed "I have something…it will help them sleep."
Gordon shook his head quickly, reassuring the over helpful Dimat that they were in no more need of his 'medicine' "you guys aren't the only one that comes prepared" he said and faced Miasa. She was a complete stranger to him but thus far she seemed to be the sanest one there, apart from him of course, though Daniel seemed to trust her which made him hope she was one of the good guys "there's a case in that pack over there" he pointed to the cave opening. "Bring it over here and set it on the table." Miasa complied and opened the case, inside were four syringes. "It's a sedative," he explained upon seeing the two natives enquiring gaze "it'll knock them out for a long while, time enough for a team to get out here and take them back home."
He tossed the Zat to Miasa. "I'll give it to them, you'll have to keep that aimed at Carter here" he instructed "just once" Gordon hastened to add.
Miasa smirked "I have used one before." Fives minutes later and the sedative had been administered to each member, minus Teal'c, of SG-1. They began to feel drowsy not too long afterwards "your other friend will be here soon. He has been following Daniel and I, he should not be as violent as Carter," she said, remembering the name that Gordon had used. "As the effects of the water should almost be gone."
"Well that's good to hear" a relieved Captain replied, he definitely didn't want to come up against Teal'c, no sane man would as the winner would be obvious. "I guess now we wait" as it was the Jaffa arrived half an hour later so the wait was not a long one, he was plainly tired and like Daniel and Jack he had begun to shake.
Upon reaching the entrance he almost stumbled to his knees, he steadied himself against the rocky wall and regarded Dimat, Gordon and Miasa with glazed eyes "give me the water" he demanded. Even in his current state he looked at each of them defiantly.
"Afraid I can't do that" the Captain stepped forward gingerly, Miasa still carried the Zat and now she aimed it at Teal'c. "I'm just gonna give you something else, it's a lot better than the last batch" the Jaffa eyed him suspiciously but in the back of his mind he wondered if Gordon was telling him the truth and he thought how great he would feel if the effects of this 'new batch' were more powerful than the last.
Teal'c nodded and allowed him to move closer; which Gordon did, albeit hesitantly. Without warning the Jaffa reached out and gripped the man's wrist and he almost dropped the syringe "why would Dimat's liquid be inside a syringe that belongs to Doctor Fraiser?" he quickly rose and lashed out at the Captain "you lie!" He lunged forward…and was promptly Zatted by Miasa.
"Thanks" Gordon said weakly, and quickly, before Teal'c could attempt to do anything else he administered the last of the sedative. The Jaffa staggered forward seconds after he rose, he reached out again then his arm fell to his side as the sedative worked it's magic. Gordon looked to Miasa and Dimat, Hammond and Fraiser could take it from there, all he needed to do was get back to the Gate and get help. It was going to be another long night.
*
"If I ever see Dimat again I'm gonna wring his neck" Jack's head felt as though somebody had been boxing inside it for the past four hours, and using his brain as a punch bag.
Janet chuckled. He had woken an hour after Daniel and they had both been complaining about being kept in the Infirmary for the past six hours, it had been 12 hours since they had returned from Miasa's planet "is that you or the water deprived you talking?"
He didn't like that she was laughing at their pain, and he winced, the sound of her laughing sounding too high "a bit of both, Doc…when do we get out of here?" he had been asking the same question for a very long time, and so had Daniel. She would keep them in over night for observation.
"My answer is still the same as the last time you asked" she replied. At both his and the Archaeologist's frown she started laughing "I'll be back later to check up on you, I may let you out of here when I get back. But, you will be confined to base until then" she added, "The General also wants to speak to you all."
Jack groaned, suddenly deciding staying in the Infirmary would be a good idea after all. "Can't he just come down here and fire me so I don't have to walk all the way to his office?" the memories of his last visit with Hammond came back full force.
"It won't be that bad, Colonel. He knows that you weren't yourself. I think he just wants to let you know that Dimat and Miasa are returning to their home," the Doctor informed them. In the next two beds Teal'c and Sam began to stir and they heard the last few snippets of conversation, they had both woken earlier but had returned to their sleeping state almost immediately. "Daniel, your friend will be keeping a watchful eye on him, seeing as they're the only two on the planet he can't do too much damage" Janet began to walk away then stopped. "By the way, she said she has seen the giant aliens" the Doc shrugged and continued on her way, guessing that the Archaeologist would have some idea of what she meant.
The door swung to a close as she left, leaving the four members of SG-1 alone. "I'm never going to look at water in the same way again" Daniel commented, gaining grunts of agreement from his teammates.
"Well…the only way you can have coffee is to add water so, will you do without?" Sam grinned as, with sleepy eyes, she looked at Daniel who was in the bed nearest to the door, she sat up and leant against the pillow.
The young man thought for a moment before changing his mind. "Well maybe just water on its own," he corrected, eliciting laughs from Jack and Sam, and an amused look from Teal'c. "So what shall we do while we wait?" he asked, sounding incredibly bored.
"Well I don't know about you guys but I've slept enough to last the next week" was the Colonel's reply.
Teal'c nodded "indeed."
Daniel lay back against the pillow that was propped up against the headboard. "The first thing I need to do when I get out of here is take a shower" traipsing through snow for hours was not fun. As the Jaffa nodded O'Neill and Carter grew quiet, the unmistakable sign of a blush creeping onto their faces, Daniel and Teal'c turned to them curiously.
"Oh, I don't know about that" Jack disagreed.
Carter obviously agreed with the Colonel. "Yeah, I could wait until after the debriefing."
Though if they both waited until after the debriefing the same thing could happen as last time. "Or wait until we get home" Jack thought before thinking damn, wrong choice of words. Daniel and Teal'c didn't know why they were suddenly uncomfortable with the thought of taking a shower but it was amusing watching them both just then. "So, Daniel, who's your friend?" Sam and Jack both suddenly took an interest in what the Archaeologist had to say.
He would play along for now. "It's a really interesting story" Daniel began "it all started when I was visiting Nick…"