Chapter 10 Homeward bound
Teal'c and Jonas, who had been silent during the exquisite explanation provided by the little fat man, followed the Colonel out of the medical hall, to find Lyinill waiting for them. They were led to some steps and up to another floor, where they could look out over the terrain of the Cequarish home world.
"Very nice view. The weather on this planet is beautiful. Does it stay like this all the time?" Jonas asked.
"We create the "weather" as you say, as we need it. If we need sun, we turn the gravity generators to a specific setting, and the planet rotates and we get the sun. If we need the rain, we turn the generators a different way for gas and vapor production in our sky. It rains, and the generators have another function to generate wind so that the rain may cease, and the fields may dry. The generators are very large, and are located at the deepest part of our planet's core. It has taken us thousands of year's worth of modifications and construction to get the technology as far along as it is now. We have also acquired some of the technology from other travelers that have ventured through the ring, such as you yourselves did. As it is, our planet does not have gravity naturally, so the generators produce the gravity automatically, but we can manually control them when we deem it necessary."
"What do you call this world?" Teal'c spoke up for the first time since their arrival.
"Cequalan." Lyinill's chest puffed out as he spoke. "There are many different people on our world. I think there are over ten different languages!" It is difficult to keep up with them all. Plus, we have hundreds of others stored in our systems from the various travelers that have come here, in case we need them again. We don't speak in a stranger's dialect unless the strangers are in our presence. As now, I am speaking to you in your language because it is most accommodating to you. As are the rest of the members of this facility."
"Wow, that's incredible, your species must have a memory capacity that's unbelievable if you are able to learn an entire language when you need it!" Jonas was as fascinated as could be.
"Would you like to see some of our systems? I'll have one of the scientists show you." Just then, another tall Cequarish came to Jonas's side.
"This way. I am Marslin. We have to travel a short distance to the other side of the facility." He said, gesturing for Jonas to follow him. Jonas looked to Jack for confirmation.
"Go ahead; just make sure you can get back here when Carter and Frasier are done. And don't touch anything for crying out loud, we don't want to give them something else." Jack waved him off with his arm in a fly swatting gesture. "We'll just wait here and talk politics." Teal'c rolled his eyes patiently, enough for Jack to see, and the Colonel let a small grin appear at the corners of his mouth. He was glad Teal'c had learned to appreciate his sense of humor.
"So, Lyinill, why is everybody dressed in blue? You guys need a little variety in your wardrobe." Jack turned back to look at the passersby.
"We do not see color. Many travelers have tried to explain this concept to us, but we just cannot learn. Our brains are able to distinguish many different sights at one time, and remember everything. But color is a foreign perception that we do not possess. So when you say "blue" we do not understand. Our clothing is made from a fabric called kilsh. It is manufactured from threads of a plant that we grow in our fields."
"Oh. Yeah, we have a fabric like that too, it's called cotton. Cool! So how do we know when Sam and Janet are done. Do we wait here, or should we call them or what?" I will arrange for them to be brought down to the main hall, which is where we should proceed to until the completion of their duties. Come this way. Are you ready for sustenance yet? It can be provided for you. Let us make our way, your personnel will join you when their operations are finished."
"All righty then. Teal'c you hungry?" Jack said to his Jaffa companion as they headed back down the steps.
******************************************************************************************
Three hours later, Sam and Janet were being accompanied back out into the main hall by Nambanrill and Rollin, who had originally helped them into the facility with their equipment. All four of them were smiling and laughing, and Jack took that as a good sign that they were headed home. Jonas joined them not five minutes later.
"Hello sir, everything went better than we thought it would. The people that are sick have the flu! Fortunately with our diagnostic equipment, and the help of Nambanrill's equipment, we were able to isolate the specific strain of the flu, and provide the appropriate vaccine! They should be on their feet again in no time, and we have left the required information so that more of the vaccine may be created if anyone else should get sick. But we should head home before we contaminate anything or anyone else. That's the good news." Janet stopped for a breath.
"What's the bad news?" Jack thought he knew where this was going.
"Well sir, the bad news is that one of you has the flu virus in your system right now, and are probably going to get sick within the next day or so after we get home. It wasn't me, as this started after your original visit to this planet. It won't be Teal'c, his symbiote would have prevented it. Jonas might get sick, but his immune system is almost as good as Teal'c's. So my guess is that it will be either you or Sam." Janet said hoping against hope that it was Sam. She couldn't handle having the Colonel in her infirmary this weekend, damn it. She had plans for putting back everything that had been taken out of isolation room four after the experiments from the NID.
"Well that's just great news doc. But everything else is okay; we are okay to go home now? These people are going to be able to get on with their lives, we are certain everything will return to normal?" Jack said with a whole lot of doubt. How in the hell did the flu get cured in three hours? He was fifty years old, and damn if he didn't get the flu every year.
"Yes sir, everything will be fine in a few days. And no one has left the facility that has been sick, so there has been no chance of the flu escaping. We can go home now." Sam defended Janet. She was eager to go home too.
Jack turned to Jonas who looked like he was going to wet his pants.
"What's the matter with you?" Jack couldn't help but be bitter. He just knew that it would be him who got sick when they got home. He decided to deflate Jonas's little happy balloon with his condescending tone; to no avail however. Jonas grinned even broader.
"The Cequarish are giving us some information about their scanners and weapons technology as a token of thanks for returning health to their people. They aren't allowing us to take the information on the gravity generators just yet; they want to get to know us a little better first. And the weapons technology is small, personal weaponry, not anything massive, but it's a start! I was also able to see the different languages of this planet, and they are like nothing I have ever seen before. They are letting me take some scripts home to study and learn!" He held up a container in his hand.
"Okay, slow down, you're going to hurt yourself. Let's head out, we can talk about it later." Jack turned to the Cequarish leader, and stuck out his hand as General Hammond had done back in the gate room. Lyinill took a quick step backwards in anticipation of another blow to the stomach. But Jack's hand moved slowly enough, and it hung mid air waiting for a return gesture from Lyinill. A smile also hung on said Colonel's face as he waited for a response.
"Excuse me Colonel, I didn't mean anything by that, it was just a reaction after the previous attempt by your leader to show his respect. It has been a pleasure to learn about your species, and it is the hope of the people of this world that we may continue this relationship for many centuries. Rollin will lead you back to the stone ring." He stuck out his hand to meet the Colonel's. "Be well, and good day."
The two shook hands cordially, and SG-1 and Dr. Frasier, accompanied by Rollin and the little fat man, headed back to the gate for their journey home.
******************************************************************************************
When they stepped through the gate this time, they came one by one, following behind their equipment, and already prepared to be effected by their magnetization on Cequalan. Jonas went through first, and got about half way down the ramp before he got stuck. Janet Frasier followed behind him and when she got about ten feet behind Jonas, his magnetic field which was oppositely charged from her own, pulled her right into his rear end. She was stuck right there on Jonas's backside, and couldn't move.
Teal'c came through next, and he had been smart enough to come through on the other side of the gate, so he exited on the other side of the ramp. He made it a little further down the ramp than Jonas had before he too got stuck.
Sam was fourth through the gate, and she didn't get very far down the ramp before the Colonel came barreling through behind her. Literally. This time, they had been oppositely charged, and before Jack could say, do, or think anything, he was stuck right to Sam, in a similar position to that of Jonas and Janet.
The defense team had been tremendously downsized in anticipation of SG-1's return. It consisted of just two guys. One to man each of the fifty caliber guns that had been bolted to floor upon their first return from Cequalan four days ago. The rest of the staff was waiting outside for Hammond to give the go ahead for them to help SG-1 out of their gear. Luckily, they had had time to get the F.R.E.D. out of the gate room before the members of SG-1 had come through, or everything would have went flying. General Hammond motioned for everyone to follow him into the gate room, so that he could assess the situation further.
When he entered the gate room, he immediately knew that the next three days were going to be trouble.
Colonel O'Neill was stuck to Major carter. Dr. Frasier was stuck to Jonas. Teal'c wasn't stuck to any one, luckily, but they were all once again, stuck to the ramp. In very compromising positions.
"Sir, I know how this looks, I swear, but we didn't do this on purpose!" Jack said loudly. Sam flinched as he yelled in her ear.
"Sir, you're screaming in my ear. I think the General can hear you just fine." Sam said as she tried to turn her head away from Jack's loud mouth.
"Oh. Sorry Carter." He said back.
"Well Colonel, you do realize that SG-1 and you as well Dr. Frasier, are going to have to return to the isolation quarters until the effects wear off. We were pleased to hear from your transmission that everything went fine, and we also procured some alien weapons technology. You and your team did a fantastic Job this time around. And you were even home early for a change! You know the drill from last time; we have to get you out of your gear, so that it can go to de-con." They all groaned, as they knew they had to strip down to their under clothes again. "I'll just instruct the airmen to get you a lot further apart so that you can get your gear off. Oh and Colonel? One more thing. Try and watch yourself, these next couple of days will you? I'll check in on you after they get you upstairs to the isolation quarters. I'll also have them put another mattress in the same room as Major Carter's to accommodate Dr. Frasier. Well done." Jack didn't have to ask why the General had ordered him to be careful, all he had to do was look down into Sam's hair, and understand perfectly well.
Janet spoke to Jonas from behind and below. She didn't realize that Jonas was as tall as he was. She was quite literally talking to his kidneys.
"Well Jonas, at least you didn't get stuck to the Colonel this time. This is very strange, not being able to move right or anything." She giggled. " And to be honest, I have never been attracted to anyone this way before. Very interesting. I hope my nursing staff doesn't get jealous, or there might be some trouble when I get back to work in a few days." Janet and Jonas giggled despite themselves, as four airmen were currently trying to separate them to get their gear off.
A little further back on the ramp were Sam and Jack, picking on each other already.
"Sir, just stay still they can't get us apart if we keep moving. Do you remember when you and Jonas were rolling on the floor? The more you move the worse the attraction of the electro-magnetic fields is going to get. And what is that sticking me in the back?"
"It's my tactical vest Carter, and there had better not be any mention of any side arms, understood?" Jack used his CO tone and prodded her with his index finger on her right shoulder to get his point across.
He was waiting on a response from Sam. When he didn't get it, he pulled rank on her.
"Major?"
Then, she sneezed. Very hard, and very loud. The force and motion of her sneeze caused her to bend forward, and then back. She was so startled, that she turned around without even thinking about it to apologize to the Colonel. Well, she made it around, but was instantly stuck to him again. This time she was facing him directly.
"Sorry sir, it looks like I am the one that's going to get the.......AAAAAHCHOOOO!!" Sam sneezed right in Jack's face, as he shut his eyes tight against the shower of flu infected spray. He brought his hand up to his face with some difficulty and wiped his eyes.
"That's okay Carter. Because when this is done, and I am the one with the flu since you will have given it to me, I am crashing at your place so you can bring me chicken soup until I am well again. I wonder if sneezing on a superior officer is grounds for dismissal?"
Sam panicked. "Why sir?"
Jack smiled broadly and leaned his head forward slightly to speak softly so that only Sam could hear it.
"Because, Major. I could get used to being stuck to you like this."