Note from Havana: Hey guys, sorry it took me a while to write the next chapter. I've been very busy at work and Christmas shopping. I hoped to get this done before Christmas and I did it! Again, a big thanks to Miss Kleola and Gatergirl. Thank you all who reviewed the last chapter. Your feedback and support helped me continue this. Well, now I present to you the final chapter. Hope you enjoy it and it's been fun writing these stories for your entertainment!
Disclaimer: SG-1 characters aren't my creation. Wish they were, but Imika and Rina are mine.
Rating: PG-13
Category: Drama, Angst and Action Adventure
Chapter 4: Wanted: Dead and no mercy
***********************************
"How in the world did that thing get in here?"
Hammond glared at Rina when he asked the question. The General tried to be as patient as he could, but while Daniel's emotional condition deteriorated rapidly and now Imika was lurking somewhere on the base, Hammond's patience waned each second that ticked by. Inside the briefing room, he waited for Rina's answer.
"I've told you," Rina began, her aquamarine eyes shifted from Hammond to Jack, Teal'c, Sam and Janet, then they crossed back to the General. "Imika is very clever. She cloaked herself and followed me through the gate. It's not an easy task to find her without the tracker, but now that she's here, the task would not be as difficult."
"All right, then," said Hammond, "You have my permission to help us find this, Imika before she gets the opportunity to harm anyone else."
"I assure you, General, when I find her, she will never be a problem to you or anyone else again."
Jack wondered if anyone noticed he had been lost in his thoughts for the moment. Something nagged him and once Hammond gave the ok to be dismissed, he had to talk to someone about it.
"Dismissed."
After Hammond's dismissal, Jack leaped like a schoolboy eager to join his friends. He followed his team out into the corridor. When the Colonel overheard Rina's conversation with Janet about her request to see Daniel, Jack didn't have to think of a way to speak privately to his team. Janet had no qualms about Rina's request-an opportunity Jack had been thankful for while watching Janet escort the bounty hunter.
"Uh," Jack said to Sam and Teal'c. "I need to talk you guys about something."
They stopped and turned to face him.
"What is it, Sir?" Sam wondered.
Getting to the point, Jack blurted, "Daniel. Something just doesn't seem right."
Sam frowned. "What do you mean?"
Jack shifted his attention to Teal'c. "You found Daniel in the forest, right?"
"That is correct."
"Well, think about it, why would Imika let him get away? See, that doesn't make sense."
Teal'c arched his brow.
Sam was also baffled by what Imika had done. She pondered what Jack said and then her eyes widened. "Wait, it makes sense if she wanted to follow us back here."
Teal'c added, "This alien kidnapped Daniel Jackson and intended to keep him prisoner. That is what I assumed when Rina told me it removed the tracker so it could not be found. And yet, it allowed Daniel Jackson to get away and follow us here. You are right O'Neill, it does not make sense to me either."
Flustered, Sam shook her head. "There has to be a reason why she allowed Daniel to get away and follow us here."
Jack peered down the corridor that led to the infirmary.
"Rina," he mumbled.
******************************************************
While Janet was busy reading Daniel's test results, Rina stood beside his bed. She watched him intensely. The Archaeologist, dressed in pale blue hospital pajamas had been strapped to the bed with thick leather cuffs secured around his wrists and ankles. His face drowned in sweat, gaunt and pale from anemia, as if death was coming for him soon. The mark on the left side of his neck had spread and now appeared like slimy, reptilian scales. His lips were so parched they bled. Dark, puffy circles sank from under his eyes.
Daniel slept restlessly. His face thrashed from left to right, as if he was having a horrible nightmare. Rina continued to watch him. There had been a glint of hatred in her eyes. And then she remembered...
A few years ago, SG-1 visited the world that was originally her home. The peaceful explorers discovered the planet was in danger of being destroyed by a nearby star, which had expanded into a red giant. Her people refused to leave, but if they didn't, the other choice was death. Many, including her family trusted the strangers who offered them shelter through the Stargate. Rina kept to herself. The team didn't know who she was, but Rina found herself drawn to Daniel. An attraction so intense, she had to let him know how she felt. The day when SG-1 offered to take them through the gate, Rina revealed herself only to Daniel, inviting him inside her colonial style home.
"Daniel," she said softly and cradled his face. "I want to be with you."
Gently, Daniel took her hands away from his face and held them into his own. "Rina, we can't be together. Not right now. So much has happened and I can't--,"
"There's someone else," Rina surmised.
Daniel nodded solemnly. "Her name was Sha're. She uh, she's dead. And I'm not ready to be close to anyone else right now."
Rina never felt such pain, revealing her love to someone only to get rejected. She let him go and when they arrived on earth at the base, she left him alone and stayed with her family. Once they were told another world was found, her people were happy, but she wasn't. She missed her home. She loved Daniel Jackson. He refused her love for him. Rina left without saying goodbye, though she had noticed Daniel looked frantically for her. He was too late. She vanished through the gate to P35-987, the world her people renamed, Deneb.
During the rest of her years spent on Deneb, Rina's obsession with Daniel tormented her. Her mind warped with hatred for him. Then she thought of a way to punish the Archaeologist for rejecting her. An alien ship crashed on their planet. The ship was searched and what had been discovered was a crew of twenty--aliens known as Kar'tuc. Her people imprisoned them out of fear these aliens would take over Deneb. Rina, the young scientist invented a mind control device she implanted into one of the females-Imika. She studied these aliens closely, knowing they were a vampire type species that would attack when provoked. All Rina had to do was transfer her thoughts to Imika's mind through the device, controlling her like a puppet. The experiment was a success. Now, she had to get back to earth and somehow kidnap Daniel. Problem...Imika, knowing about Rina's manipulation, broke out of prison and escaped through the Stargate.
Rina pretended to the high council that she would find Imika and bring her back. And so she followed her to the planet where Imika hid. While searching for her, Rina never expected to see SG-1, now she was glad Imika escaped. And when she saw Daniel, she programmed Imika to do whatever she wanted.
The device was activated.
Rina transferred her thoughts, manipulating Imika to swoop down from the trees after Daniel...
"Rina, are you okay?"
Startled, the Scientist looked up at Janet standing beside her. "Yes. I'm--I'm fine."
Janet noticed Rina's concern and smiled warmly. "I know. I'm very concerned about him, too. I'm doing every thing I can and yet he's..."
"Dying," Rina interjected bluntly.
Janet was taken back by her abrupt, almost callous reply.
"Well, his condition is getting worse but I'm hoping..."
"Dr. Fraiser," Rina interrupted again. "Daniel is dying. I know Imika and her kind very well. Once it has contact with a person, and the mark on his neck is proof of that, the victim cannot survive. The first sign is delirium, then death. I don't mean to sound harsh, but you need to know the truth. I am sorry this has happened to your friend and that's why I intend to find Imika before she can kill anyone else."
Janet glanced at her. When she first met Rina, she thought the bounty hunter looked familiar, and now she had another déjà vu feeling.
"Have we met before?"
Rina panicked inside. She hoped Janet didn't recognize her, recalling when the petite doctor gave her a medical exam before going to the new world.
"No," A stoic Rina insisted.
"Well, maybe you just look like someone. I see so many patients here and people from offworld."
Behind them, the door swung open. A geared up Jack, Sam, Teal'c and several soldiers entered the infirmary.
Jack asked, "How is he doing?"
Janet sighed and shook her head. "Not good."
O'Neill stared at Rina. He didn't care if she saw the glint of suspicion in his eyes.
"Come on," he said, waving a hand and beckoning Rina to follow them. "We have to find this thing."
Janet stayed behind with Daniel. She gasped when his bloodshot eyes snapped open. His fingers grasped her hand.
He lifted his head a little from the pillow. "J-Janet..."
"Daniel, what is it?"
Daniel's lips trembled as he forced the words out. "Rina...I know...her."
Bewildered, Janet's eyes narrowed. She shrugged the thought of seeing Rina before and now the bounty hunter was familiar to Daniel.
"Where did you see her?"
"We--we rescued her people from the world in danger...the red giant. We sent them to P35-987..."
"Where she lives now," Janet helped him. "Deneb."
Daniel nodded weakly and again he struggled to speak. "Imika, she spoke to me...in my dreams...warning me. Rina...she did this to me...not Imika."
Janet didn't know what to believe. Rina stated the first sign was delirium. They were warned about Imika's deception. Then why did she feel so unsettled around Rina a few moments ago?
*********************************************************
SG-1 and Rina crept around the corridors. Hands were wrapped tightly around P-90s. Rina held on to her defense-a tube filled with the toxin. Her eyes expertly scanned for any movement of Imika.
"Colonel? Colonel?"
Jack was suddenly alerted by Janet's voice on his radio. He pulled it out from his vest pocket and clicked it to talk.
"Dr. Fraiser," he whispered into the radio. "What's going on?"
"Sir, Daniel woke up and...I don't know if it's one of Imika's tricks but he told me what Imika said to him in a dream. Rina isn't who she pretends to be. She's a scientist who knew Daniel when she was rescued from one of the worlds you visited. It had been in danger from a red giant and then they were sent to P35-987. I knew she looked familiar but I wasn't sure. For some reason, she wants Daniel dead and used Imika to do it."
Jack whispered back, "It could be a trick and maybe not--,"
"She's here!" Rina hollered at the sight of ripples on the wall.
A blast of wind from Imika's speed slapped the team and hurled them down to the floor. Imika charged toward Rina, slamming her against the wall. The tube rolled across the floor and when Imika materialized, she grasped it into her hand.
Jack and the others aimed their P-90s. Teal'c powered up his staff weapon.
"No!" Rina demanded, leaping onto her boots. "Don't fire! She has the toxin. I'm immune to it but I'm not sure what effect it will have on humans."
"Rina," Jack said, keeping his eyes and the gun locked onto Imika. "Didn't we rescue you and your people once? Yeah, your planet was in danger of being destroyed by a red giant."
His gaze darted to Rina and for a moment, Jack thought he saw her tremble.
Quickly, Rina composed herself. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Jack continued, "We sent you to P35-987, which is Deneb, right?"
"I've never seen you or any one from earth until we met on the planet where Imika was hiding."
"Daniel, you've never met him before?"
"Why are you asking me these questions? Imika is the enemy, not me!"
"Rina," Jack's voice boomed through the corridors. "What the hell is going on? You better tell us now!"
Anger burned across her petite face. She couldn't pretend anymore. Possibly she could continue the charade around the others, but not Jack O'Neill.
"All right," Rina surrendered. "It's true, you rescued my people from destruction. I also know Daniel."
Jack kept his eyes and the gun on Imika.
He added, "So you used Imika to attack him?"
"Yes." Her soft voice became callous and frigid. "The tracker was actually a device I used to control her, to make her do whatever I wanted. Daniel deserved what Imika had done to him."
Jack spun his P-90 away from Imika and pointed it at Rina. His brown eyes blazed at the woman who not only manipulated Imika, but himself and everyone who trusted her.
Sam noticed Imika stared at the floor, as if she bowed her head in shame.
"Imika," Sam said, "That's why you got rid of the device, not because you wanted to hide from Rina. You didn't want to be controlled by her anymore."
Imika remained silent while clenching the tube against her chest.
Sam disgustedly rolled her eyes toward Rina. "Why?"
"Daniel wanted no part of what I offered him."
"And what was it you offered?"
"Myself. He didn't want me." Rina trembled from the rage boiling within her. She shook her head and screamed, "I poured out my heart to him, like a fool! When Imika attacked him, she poisoned his blood with hers. There is no antidote. So you see, he deserves what he's suffering...and soon he will die."
"Oh, I get it," Jack smirked. "It's not Imika you want dead, it's Daniel. The toxin, is it real?"
"Yes. I planned to use it only if she disobeyed me, which Imika had done when she removed the device. But now she has the toxin."
Sam whispered to Jack, "Sir, we have to get that toxin away from Imika. I'm not sure if she trusts anyone right now. I'll talk to her and hopefully she'll see we're not hostile."
Even though Rina admitted she used Imika, Jack didn't share Sam's optimism about trusting the reptilian alien. He sighed and rolled his eyes.
"All right, Carter. Do what you gotta do, but we won't stand down unless she gives us the toxin."
Sam agreed with a nod, and then she gave Imika her warm attention.
"Imika, you're going to be okay. Rina won't hurt you anymore, and we don't want to hurt you."
Slowly, Imika raised her head. Her almond--shaped jade eyes met Sam's gaze. "I hurt Daniel Jackson."
"Rina manipulated you into hurting him."
Imika shook her head, refusing to believe she wasn't responsible; neither did she want to accept Sam's comfort.
"Imika, listen--,"
"Noooo!"
******************************************************
"Daniel..." Janet screamed. She watched him helplessly as he struggled on the bed.
The straps weren't enough for the strength Imika passed on to him. They snapped and Daniel leaped from the bed. He breezed past Janet, shoving her against the bed. Several airmen tried to stop him but Daniel successfully tackled them. Unscathed, the Archaeologist escaped the infirmary.
******************************************************
Daniel fled through the corridors while the red alert siren blared around him. He knew where to find her-Imika. Since that horrible day in the cave, it was as if they had become one. But no human can survive the blending. That was the poison, the consequence of mating with her species, which she explained to him in his dream. Both forced to do something they didn't want. And so he felt her pain, her rage along with his own. Daniel had been aware of something else...death. It waited long enough and was coming for him. Finally, he reached the corridor where he saw SG-1, Rina and Imika.
Daniel collapsed against the wall and slid onto the floor.
Teal'c heard a thud behind him and spun around. "Daniel Jackson!"
"Imika," Daniel cried, stretching his hand toward her.
"He's dying," Imika said solemnly. She turned and glared at Rina. "You are wrong when you said there is no antidote." Imika returned her attention back to the team. "I am the antidote. When I die, he will live. The poison I transferred to his body will die with me."
"You're lying!" Rina yelled.
Imika eyed the scientist again. "Rinaaaaa, you don't know everything about me and my people. Yes, the toxin will kill me, but it will release Daniel from the curse in his body."
Sam nodded. "Imika, there has to be another way."
"There is no other way."
Convulsions rippled through Daniel's body.
"Daniel!" Sam rushed over to him.
When the convulsions subsided, he slumped into her arms. She checked for a pulse barely noticeable.
"Oh God," she cried.
Jack watched Imika unscrew the top off the tube. He agreed with Sam, wishing there was another way and then he gave Imika a quick nod of gratitude for what she was about to do.
"No!!!"
Imika heard Rina scream in the distance, ignoring her protest. She placed the tube against her lips, closed her eyes and swallowed death.
It came quickly. Imika gasped for air and stumbled onto the floor.
Sam refused to look. She heard Imika suffering and cried while cradling Daniel in her arms. The last word she heard Imika utter was a raspy...
"Danieeeel."
Sam checked Daniel's pulse. Nothing.
"Daniel! Sir, he's not breathing. Oh God!"
Jack and Teal'c raced to his side. Suddenly, the mark on Daniel's neck had vanished.
"Daniel," Sam shouted. "Daniel..."
He thought Sam's voice called out to him, but when Daniel opened his eyes, it was Janet who whispered his name.
She smiled. "Welcome back. We were very worried about you."
Daniel saw he was back in the infirmary. He slowly turned his head to the right. Jack, Teal'c and Sam stood beside his bed.
"Imika?" Daniel barely uttered.
Sam, Teal'c, and Janet were quiet, as if they waited for Jack to say something. He sighed and volunteered.
"Imika, she's...dead."
"Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said, "She sacrificed her life to save yours."
Daniel squeezed his eyes. When he opened them, tears clouded his crystal blue eyes. Anger hardened his usual benevolent demeanor.
"What about Rina?"
Janet interrupted, "Right now she's high risk security and closely guarded. We're waiting for the members of the high council to come and arrest her. Daniel, after everything you've gone through, I want you to rest."
Daniel nodded unconvincingly.
Jack leaned over him and grinned. "We'll come back later and check up on you...Danny boy."
Daniel smiled a little, but when they left, his smile faded and the anger returned.
*******************************************************
A few days later, several members of Deneb's high council arrived in the gate room where Hammond and SG-1 greeted them. Rina had been handcuffed and detained by two airmen standing on her left and right.
One of the members, a middle--aged man approached Hammond.
"General, we were unaware of Rina's actions and she will pay for her crime. We are deeply sorry for what has happened."
At that moment, Daniel marched in, startling everyone.
"Dr. Jackson," Hammond said, "I don't think it's wise for you to be here."
Daniel ignored him and continued to march toward Rina.
"Daniel!" Hammond roared.
The Archaeologist opened his olive--green jacket and yanked out one of his side arms. He aimed the gun unsteadily at Rina.
Jack eased toward him. "Daniel, you don't wanna do this. The high council has already decided her punishment. She's going to prison for the rest of her life. Daniel?"
"Shut up, Jack!"
The gun trembled in his hand.
Rina smiled maliciously. "You're a coward. That's why you can't love anyone else. You're weak and afraid."
"Get her outta here!" Jack demanded to the high council.
The more Daniel tried to fire the gun, the more it trembled in his hand. Realizing he couldn't do it, he fled from the gate room.
Jack raced after him into one of the corridors. "Daniel!!!"
Daniel stopped, spun around and plunged the barrel of the gun into his mouth.
Jack shivered inside at the possibility that brought back painful memories of his own attempted suicide. During the first mission on Abydos, Daniel helped him see things differently, and now he hoped he could do the same for his best friend.
Again, Jack inched toward him. "Daniel, I know you're going through a lot of pain right now. Believe me, I understand. But...you can't do this. I don't wanna lose you, none of us here. Imika, don't forget what she did for you. Daniel, please!"
Daniel tossed the gun onto the floor. He slammed his fists against his temples, screamed and plummeted on his knees.
Jack wasted no time. He grabbed Daniel and wrapped his arms around him.
Daniel belted out a choking cry while Jack held him tightly.
Sam and Teal'c stood in the distance.
Sam, unable to stop her tears, she let them flow down her rose--colored cheeks.
Jack remained with his friend, holding him and whispered...
"It's over, Daniel. It's over."
***************************************************
The End
Disclaimer: SG-1 characters aren't my creation. Wish they were, but Imika and Rina are mine.
Rating: PG-13
Category: Drama, Angst and Action Adventure
Chapter 4: Wanted: Dead and no mercy
***********************************
"How in the world did that thing get in here?"
Hammond glared at Rina when he asked the question. The General tried to be as patient as he could, but while Daniel's emotional condition deteriorated rapidly and now Imika was lurking somewhere on the base, Hammond's patience waned each second that ticked by. Inside the briefing room, he waited for Rina's answer.
"I've told you," Rina began, her aquamarine eyes shifted from Hammond to Jack, Teal'c, Sam and Janet, then they crossed back to the General. "Imika is very clever. She cloaked herself and followed me through the gate. It's not an easy task to find her without the tracker, but now that she's here, the task would not be as difficult."
"All right, then," said Hammond, "You have my permission to help us find this, Imika before she gets the opportunity to harm anyone else."
"I assure you, General, when I find her, she will never be a problem to you or anyone else again."
Jack wondered if anyone noticed he had been lost in his thoughts for the moment. Something nagged him and once Hammond gave the ok to be dismissed, he had to talk to someone about it.
"Dismissed."
After Hammond's dismissal, Jack leaped like a schoolboy eager to join his friends. He followed his team out into the corridor. When the Colonel overheard Rina's conversation with Janet about her request to see Daniel, Jack didn't have to think of a way to speak privately to his team. Janet had no qualms about Rina's request-an opportunity Jack had been thankful for while watching Janet escort the bounty hunter.
"Uh," Jack said to Sam and Teal'c. "I need to talk you guys about something."
They stopped and turned to face him.
"What is it, Sir?" Sam wondered.
Getting to the point, Jack blurted, "Daniel. Something just doesn't seem right."
Sam frowned. "What do you mean?"
Jack shifted his attention to Teal'c. "You found Daniel in the forest, right?"
"That is correct."
"Well, think about it, why would Imika let him get away? See, that doesn't make sense."
Teal'c arched his brow.
Sam was also baffled by what Imika had done. She pondered what Jack said and then her eyes widened. "Wait, it makes sense if she wanted to follow us back here."
Teal'c added, "This alien kidnapped Daniel Jackson and intended to keep him prisoner. That is what I assumed when Rina told me it removed the tracker so it could not be found. And yet, it allowed Daniel Jackson to get away and follow us here. You are right O'Neill, it does not make sense to me either."
Flustered, Sam shook her head. "There has to be a reason why she allowed Daniel to get away and follow us here."
Jack peered down the corridor that led to the infirmary.
"Rina," he mumbled.
******************************************************
While Janet was busy reading Daniel's test results, Rina stood beside his bed. She watched him intensely. The Archaeologist, dressed in pale blue hospital pajamas had been strapped to the bed with thick leather cuffs secured around his wrists and ankles. His face drowned in sweat, gaunt and pale from anemia, as if death was coming for him soon. The mark on the left side of his neck had spread and now appeared like slimy, reptilian scales. His lips were so parched they bled. Dark, puffy circles sank from under his eyes.
Daniel slept restlessly. His face thrashed from left to right, as if he was having a horrible nightmare. Rina continued to watch him. There had been a glint of hatred in her eyes. And then she remembered...
A few years ago, SG-1 visited the world that was originally her home. The peaceful explorers discovered the planet was in danger of being destroyed by a nearby star, which had expanded into a red giant. Her people refused to leave, but if they didn't, the other choice was death. Many, including her family trusted the strangers who offered them shelter through the Stargate. Rina kept to herself. The team didn't know who she was, but Rina found herself drawn to Daniel. An attraction so intense, she had to let him know how she felt. The day when SG-1 offered to take them through the gate, Rina revealed herself only to Daniel, inviting him inside her colonial style home.
"Daniel," she said softly and cradled his face. "I want to be with you."
Gently, Daniel took her hands away from his face and held them into his own. "Rina, we can't be together. Not right now. So much has happened and I can't--,"
"There's someone else," Rina surmised.
Daniel nodded solemnly. "Her name was Sha're. She uh, she's dead. And I'm not ready to be close to anyone else right now."
Rina never felt such pain, revealing her love to someone only to get rejected. She let him go and when they arrived on earth at the base, she left him alone and stayed with her family. Once they were told another world was found, her people were happy, but she wasn't. She missed her home. She loved Daniel Jackson. He refused her love for him. Rina left without saying goodbye, though she had noticed Daniel looked frantically for her. He was too late. She vanished through the gate to P35-987, the world her people renamed, Deneb.
During the rest of her years spent on Deneb, Rina's obsession with Daniel tormented her. Her mind warped with hatred for him. Then she thought of a way to punish the Archaeologist for rejecting her. An alien ship crashed on their planet. The ship was searched and what had been discovered was a crew of twenty--aliens known as Kar'tuc. Her people imprisoned them out of fear these aliens would take over Deneb. Rina, the young scientist invented a mind control device she implanted into one of the females-Imika. She studied these aliens closely, knowing they were a vampire type species that would attack when provoked. All Rina had to do was transfer her thoughts to Imika's mind through the device, controlling her like a puppet. The experiment was a success. Now, she had to get back to earth and somehow kidnap Daniel. Problem...Imika, knowing about Rina's manipulation, broke out of prison and escaped through the Stargate.
Rina pretended to the high council that she would find Imika and bring her back. And so she followed her to the planet where Imika hid. While searching for her, Rina never expected to see SG-1, now she was glad Imika escaped. And when she saw Daniel, she programmed Imika to do whatever she wanted.
The device was activated.
Rina transferred her thoughts, manipulating Imika to swoop down from the trees after Daniel...
"Rina, are you okay?"
Startled, the Scientist looked up at Janet standing beside her. "Yes. I'm--I'm fine."
Janet noticed Rina's concern and smiled warmly. "I know. I'm very concerned about him, too. I'm doing every thing I can and yet he's..."
"Dying," Rina interjected bluntly.
Janet was taken back by her abrupt, almost callous reply.
"Well, his condition is getting worse but I'm hoping..."
"Dr. Fraiser," Rina interrupted again. "Daniel is dying. I know Imika and her kind very well. Once it has contact with a person, and the mark on his neck is proof of that, the victim cannot survive. The first sign is delirium, then death. I don't mean to sound harsh, but you need to know the truth. I am sorry this has happened to your friend and that's why I intend to find Imika before she can kill anyone else."
Janet glanced at her. When she first met Rina, she thought the bounty hunter looked familiar, and now she had another déjà vu feeling.
"Have we met before?"
Rina panicked inside. She hoped Janet didn't recognize her, recalling when the petite doctor gave her a medical exam before going to the new world.
"No," A stoic Rina insisted.
"Well, maybe you just look like someone. I see so many patients here and people from offworld."
Behind them, the door swung open. A geared up Jack, Sam, Teal'c and several soldiers entered the infirmary.
Jack asked, "How is he doing?"
Janet sighed and shook her head. "Not good."
O'Neill stared at Rina. He didn't care if she saw the glint of suspicion in his eyes.
"Come on," he said, waving a hand and beckoning Rina to follow them. "We have to find this thing."
Janet stayed behind with Daniel. She gasped when his bloodshot eyes snapped open. His fingers grasped her hand.
He lifted his head a little from the pillow. "J-Janet..."
"Daniel, what is it?"
Daniel's lips trembled as he forced the words out. "Rina...I know...her."
Bewildered, Janet's eyes narrowed. She shrugged the thought of seeing Rina before and now the bounty hunter was familiar to Daniel.
"Where did you see her?"
"We--we rescued her people from the world in danger...the red giant. We sent them to P35-987..."
"Where she lives now," Janet helped him. "Deneb."
Daniel nodded weakly and again he struggled to speak. "Imika, she spoke to me...in my dreams...warning me. Rina...she did this to me...not Imika."
Janet didn't know what to believe. Rina stated the first sign was delirium. They were warned about Imika's deception. Then why did she feel so unsettled around Rina a few moments ago?
*********************************************************
SG-1 and Rina crept around the corridors. Hands were wrapped tightly around P-90s. Rina held on to her defense-a tube filled with the toxin. Her eyes expertly scanned for any movement of Imika.
"Colonel? Colonel?"
Jack was suddenly alerted by Janet's voice on his radio. He pulled it out from his vest pocket and clicked it to talk.
"Dr. Fraiser," he whispered into the radio. "What's going on?"
"Sir, Daniel woke up and...I don't know if it's one of Imika's tricks but he told me what Imika said to him in a dream. Rina isn't who she pretends to be. She's a scientist who knew Daniel when she was rescued from one of the worlds you visited. It had been in danger from a red giant and then they were sent to P35-987. I knew she looked familiar but I wasn't sure. For some reason, she wants Daniel dead and used Imika to do it."
Jack whispered back, "It could be a trick and maybe not--,"
"She's here!" Rina hollered at the sight of ripples on the wall.
A blast of wind from Imika's speed slapped the team and hurled them down to the floor. Imika charged toward Rina, slamming her against the wall. The tube rolled across the floor and when Imika materialized, she grasped it into her hand.
Jack and the others aimed their P-90s. Teal'c powered up his staff weapon.
"No!" Rina demanded, leaping onto her boots. "Don't fire! She has the toxin. I'm immune to it but I'm not sure what effect it will have on humans."
"Rina," Jack said, keeping his eyes and the gun locked onto Imika. "Didn't we rescue you and your people once? Yeah, your planet was in danger of being destroyed by a red giant."
His gaze darted to Rina and for a moment, Jack thought he saw her tremble.
Quickly, Rina composed herself. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Jack continued, "We sent you to P35-987, which is Deneb, right?"
"I've never seen you or any one from earth until we met on the planet where Imika was hiding."
"Daniel, you've never met him before?"
"Why are you asking me these questions? Imika is the enemy, not me!"
"Rina," Jack's voice boomed through the corridors. "What the hell is going on? You better tell us now!"
Anger burned across her petite face. She couldn't pretend anymore. Possibly she could continue the charade around the others, but not Jack O'Neill.
"All right," Rina surrendered. "It's true, you rescued my people from destruction. I also know Daniel."
Jack kept his eyes and the gun on Imika.
He added, "So you used Imika to attack him?"
"Yes." Her soft voice became callous and frigid. "The tracker was actually a device I used to control her, to make her do whatever I wanted. Daniel deserved what Imika had done to him."
Jack spun his P-90 away from Imika and pointed it at Rina. His brown eyes blazed at the woman who not only manipulated Imika, but himself and everyone who trusted her.
Sam noticed Imika stared at the floor, as if she bowed her head in shame.
"Imika," Sam said, "That's why you got rid of the device, not because you wanted to hide from Rina. You didn't want to be controlled by her anymore."
Imika remained silent while clenching the tube against her chest.
Sam disgustedly rolled her eyes toward Rina. "Why?"
"Daniel wanted no part of what I offered him."
"And what was it you offered?"
"Myself. He didn't want me." Rina trembled from the rage boiling within her. She shook her head and screamed, "I poured out my heart to him, like a fool! When Imika attacked him, she poisoned his blood with hers. There is no antidote. So you see, he deserves what he's suffering...and soon he will die."
"Oh, I get it," Jack smirked. "It's not Imika you want dead, it's Daniel. The toxin, is it real?"
"Yes. I planned to use it only if she disobeyed me, which Imika had done when she removed the device. But now she has the toxin."
Sam whispered to Jack, "Sir, we have to get that toxin away from Imika. I'm not sure if she trusts anyone right now. I'll talk to her and hopefully she'll see we're not hostile."
Even though Rina admitted she used Imika, Jack didn't share Sam's optimism about trusting the reptilian alien. He sighed and rolled his eyes.
"All right, Carter. Do what you gotta do, but we won't stand down unless she gives us the toxin."
Sam agreed with a nod, and then she gave Imika her warm attention.
"Imika, you're going to be okay. Rina won't hurt you anymore, and we don't want to hurt you."
Slowly, Imika raised her head. Her almond--shaped jade eyes met Sam's gaze. "I hurt Daniel Jackson."
"Rina manipulated you into hurting him."
Imika shook her head, refusing to believe she wasn't responsible; neither did she want to accept Sam's comfort.
"Imika, listen--,"
"Noooo!"
******************************************************
"Daniel..." Janet screamed. She watched him helplessly as he struggled on the bed.
The straps weren't enough for the strength Imika passed on to him. They snapped and Daniel leaped from the bed. He breezed past Janet, shoving her against the bed. Several airmen tried to stop him but Daniel successfully tackled them. Unscathed, the Archaeologist escaped the infirmary.
******************************************************
Daniel fled through the corridors while the red alert siren blared around him. He knew where to find her-Imika. Since that horrible day in the cave, it was as if they had become one. But no human can survive the blending. That was the poison, the consequence of mating with her species, which she explained to him in his dream. Both forced to do something they didn't want. And so he felt her pain, her rage along with his own. Daniel had been aware of something else...death. It waited long enough and was coming for him. Finally, he reached the corridor where he saw SG-1, Rina and Imika.
Daniel collapsed against the wall and slid onto the floor.
Teal'c heard a thud behind him and spun around. "Daniel Jackson!"
"Imika," Daniel cried, stretching his hand toward her.
"He's dying," Imika said solemnly. She turned and glared at Rina. "You are wrong when you said there is no antidote." Imika returned her attention back to the team. "I am the antidote. When I die, he will live. The poison I transferred to his body will die with me."
"You're lying!" Rina yelled.
Imika eyed the scientist again. "Rinaaaaa, you don't know everything about me and my people. Yes, the toxin will kill me, but it will release Daniel from the curse in his body."
Sam nodded. "Imika, there has to be another way."
"There is no other way."
Convulsions rippled through Daniel's body.
"Daniel!" Sam rushed over to him.
When the convulsions subsided, he slumped into her arms. She checked for a pulse barely noticeable.
"Oh God," she cried.
Jack watched Imika unscrew the top off the tube. He agreed with Sam, wishing there was another way and then he gave Imika a quick nod of gratitude for what she was about to do.
"No!!!"
Imika heard Rina scream in the distance, ignoring her protest. She placed the tube against her lips, closed her eyes and swallowed death.
It came quickly. Imika gasped for air and stumbled onto the floor.
Sam refused to look. She heard Imika suffering and cried while cradling Daniel in her arms. The last word she heard Imika utter was a raspy...
"Danieeeel."
Sam checked Daniel's pulse. Nothing.
"Daniel! Sir, he's not breathing. Oh God!"
Jack and Teal'c raced to his side. Suddenly, the mark on Daniel's neck had vanished.
"Daniel," Sam shouted. "Daniel..."
He thought Sam's voice called out to him, but when Daniel opened his eyes, it was Janet who whispered his name.
She smiled. "Welcome back. We were very worried about you."
Daniel saw he was back in the infirmary. He slowly turned his head to the right. Jack, Teal'c and Sam stood beside his bed.
"Imika?" Daniel barely uttered.
Sam, Teal'c, and Janet were quiet, as if they waited for Jack to say something. He sighed and volunteered.
"Imika, she's...dead."
"Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said, "She sacrificed her life to save yours."
Daniel squeezed his eyes. When he opened them, tears clouded his crystal blue eyes. Anger hardened his usual benevolent demeanor.
"What about Rina?"
Janet interrupted, "Right now she's high risk security and closely guarded. We're waiting for the members of the high council to come and arrest her. Daniel, after everything you've gone through, I want you to rest."
Daniel nodded unconvincingly.
Jack leaned over him and grinned. "We'll come back later and check up on you...Danny boy."
Daniel smiled a little, but when they left, his smile faded and the anger returned.
*******************************************************
A few days later, several members of Deneb's high council arrived in the gate room where Hammond and SG-1 greeted them. Rina had been handcuffed and detained by two airmen standing on her left and right.
One of the members, a middle--aged man approached Hammond.
"General, we were unaware of Rina's actions and she will pay for her crime. We are deeply sorry for what has happened."
At that moment, Daniel marched in, startling everyone.
"Dr. Jackson," Hammond said, "I don't think it's wise for you to be here."
Daniel ignored him and continued to march toward Rina.
"Daniel!" Hammond roared.
The Archaeologist opened his olive--green jacket and yanked out one of his side arms. He aimed the gun unsteadily at Rina.
Jack eased toward him. "Daniel, you don't wanna do this. The high council has already decided her punishment. She's going to prison for the rest of her life. Daniel?"
"Shut up, Jack!"
The gun trembled in his hand.
Rina smiled maliciously. "You're a coward. That's why you can't love anyone else. You're weak and afraid."
"Get her outta here!" Jack demanded to the high council.
The more Daniel tried to fire the gun, the more it trembled in his hand. Realizing he couldn't do it, he fled from the gate room.
Jack raced after him into one of the corridors. "Daniel!!!"
Daniel stopped, spun around and plunged the barrel of the gun into his mouth.
Jack shivered inside at the possibility that brought back painful memories of his own attempted suicide. During the first mission on Abydos, Daniel helped him see things differently, and now he hoped he could do the same for his best friend.
Again, Jack inched toward him. "Daniel, I know you're going through a lot of pain right now. Believe me, I understand. But...you can't do this. I don't wanna lose you, none of us here. Imika, don't forget what she did for you. Daniel, please!"
Daniel tossed the gun onto the floor. He slammed his fists against his temples, screamed and plummeted on his knees.
Jack wasted no time. He grabbed Daniel and wrapped his arms around him.
Daniel belted out a choking cry while Jack held him tightly.
Sam and Teal'c stood in the distance.
Sam, unable to stop her tears, she let them flow down her rose--colored cheeks.
Jack remained with his friend, holding him and whispered...
"It's over, Daniel. It's over."
***************************************************
The End