DISCLAIMER: The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-1, the goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-1 Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.
Virus: Part Two
'Oh crap!' Jack exclaimed as he saw Daniel's crumpled form on the floor. Grabbing the 'phone he yelled a request for help before kneeling beside Daniel, feeling for a pulse and breathing a sigh of relief when he found one, even though it was racing away with an irregular beat.
It seemed like forever before the medics arrived, Janet pushing Jack to one side to enable her to examine Daniel and determine his fitness to be moved.
'Ok, let's move him folks,' she ordered, her voice urging them to move quickly. 'We need to get him to the infirmary as quickly as possible.' Daniel was lifted on to a waiting stretcher, followed by Janet and Jack, neither one saying anything. As they reached the infirmary, Janet turned to Jack. 'I'm sorry, sir, you'll have to wait out here, I'll let you know as soon as I know anything.' With that, the doors closed behind her and Jack slumped down on a chair.
An hour later Dr Fraiser came out to speak to Jack, not surprised to find the rest of SG1 waiting with him.
'Daniel's 'flu has mutated in some way that I can't identify,' Janet told them, 'His temperature is going through the roof and he's starting to have trouble breathing.'
'Will he be alright?' Sam asked the question on everyone's mind.
'I just don't know, Sam,' Janet's voice wavered as she replied. 'His symptoms are similar to pneumonia, but he's also developed a rash and his blood pressure has rocketed. I have no idea what we're dealing with, all I can do is treat the symptoms.'
'Are the rest of SG5 showing similar symptoms?' Sam suggested, recalling that Daniel had been off-world when his 'flu first developed.
'No, the two affected are fully recovered, although I've called them all back in for further tests just in case,' Janet paused. 'The rest of the base are all normal and none of them have reported any unusual symptoms. I think you may be right, though, Daniel could have eaten or drunk something while on his last mission. Who knows how alien substances could impact on a fairly ordinary illness?'
'So what do we do?' Jack asked, trying to get his head around all this.
'We wait for the results of the tests on SG5 and see if there's anything there that can help us.'
**********
'General?' Dr Fraiser tapped on Hammond's door and waited for an invitation to enter.
'Dr Fraiser - any news?' Hammond asked.
'SG5 have all got some kind of organic substance in the samples I took from them, from the looks of it, I would say it actually protects them from illness and disease.' Dr Fraiser looked thoughtful. 'Major Pearce and Captain Ellis both reported mild aches while they were on their mission, but it never developed into anything and the other two were only out of action for a couple of days before they were fully recovered. I didn't think anything of it at the time.'
'That's understandable, doctor,' Hammond said, recalling the pressure which the medics had been under for the last couple of weeks. 'What about Dr Jackson?'
'I couldn't find any of the substance in his blood, so I think his allergy medication may have neutralised any benefits from whatever they ate or drank.'
'Can you help him?'
'No sir,' Janet frowned at him. 'Not without knowing what has caused the mutation of the virus. I'm still running tests and I'm keeping SG5 in one of the iso bays for the time being as a precaution, but I really don't know what I can do.'
'Very well,' Hammond dismissed her. 'Let me know as soon as you've got anything.'
*************
Daniel lay still in bed, his chest barely rising. Jack was talking quietly to Sam and Teal'c who had come to find out how their fourth team member was doing. Despite Janet's best efforts, Daniel was going downhill fast. His body was burning up with an uncontrollable fever, the only movements coming from him were the all too frequent seizures caused by the high temperature, treated by baths cold enough to reduce his temperature but not too cold which would send him into shock.
Jack had been alone with him the first time he'd had a seizure, and in spite of how he might appear on the outside, inside he had been badly shaken by what he had seen, and frustrated that so little could be done.
Jack rubbed his face tiredly as Sam reported on the tests she had been helping with. 'We haven't got any further with the samples we took from SG5. There isn't anything else we can do, sir. Janet says she can only continue to treat the symptoms but his body can't take much more. If we don't find something in the next twenty four hours, his body will start to shut down.'
'It's just not right seeing Daniel like this,' Jack said. 'He's usually so full of life, even when he's in the infirmary normally he's yelling to be released. He should be demanding coffee and his books, not just lying there.'
'Daniel Jackson became unwell while on his last mission. Could there not be a cure for him there?' Teal'c asked.
'I don't…' Sam began, interrupted by Dr Fraiser entering the room noisily.
'Major Pearce tells me that Daniel got bitten by some kind of bug while they were off-world,' she spoke breathlessly as though she'd run half a mile to get here as quickly as possible. 'I've been reviewing Daniel's medical notes and his symptoms are similar to some of the diseases that can be caused by insects on earth. Unfortunately,' she continued, dashing the hopes of those listening, 'I can't treat it unless I know the insect that infected him. Someone is going to have to go back to that planet and try to bring one back.'
'Good work, doc,' Jack gave her a tight smile, patting her on the shoulder, 'I guess we'd better get ready then.' He turned to leave but was called back by the doctor.
'Sir, as Daniel's next of kin, I think it would be a good idea…' Janet's voice trailed off, unwilling to spell it out. Jack hesitated, then nodded.
'Yeah. I guess we better go talk to General Hammond then.'
Half an hour later, Sam, Teal'c and the now fully fit members of SG5, stood at the bottom of the ramp waiting for the 'gate to finish dialling. Jack stood in the control room with General Hammond, keeping his feelings under tight control as he watched the team step through the event horizon and disappear.
'Everything will be done to find a cure for Dr Jackson, son,' General Hammond said to the unmoving Jack, his back ramrod straight. 'I'll let you know the minute there's anything to report.'
Jack nodded, his face grim, as he left to return to the infirmary.
***********
It seemed like forever, but was in fact only three hours when a movement from the bed pulled Jack away from his memories of the first time he'd met Daniel Jackson, a lifetime ago it felt. Jack's head jerked up as he saw a pair of blue, pain-filled eyes flicker open, a hand weakly plucking at the sheet covering him. Jack immediately punched the red button to summon Dr Fraiser.
'What…' Daniel's voice could barely be heard.
'Daniel?' Jack covered one of Daniel's hands with his own, reassuring him he was not alone. 'You've had a reaction to an insect from your last mission. Carter, Teal'c and SG5 have gone back to see if they can get one of them to help us find a cure.'
'Tired.' Daniel was really struggling to keep his eyes open.
'You've been asleep for the last two days Danny,' Jack tried to inject a touch of humour to the situation. 'You can go for longer than that when you've got a new rock to play with.'
'Artefact,' Daniel got out before his eyes closed again and the hand which had been moving underneath Jack's stilled.
'Daniel?' Jack said, sounding panicky now as he could see beads of sweat forming on Daniel's forehead, his face flushing with a returning fever.
'What happened?' Dr Fraiser asked crisply as she entered the room, immediately sensing that something had changed.
'He woke up and said something,' Jack reported, trying to keep the sound of hope out of his voice. 'Does this mean…?'
'I'm afraid not, Colonel,' Janet busied herself with checking Daniel's condition. 'His condition is still deteriorating and it looks like the fever's back. I'm afraid it's going to be touch and go now.'
Daniel's breathing was becoming more laboured as his fever spiked.
'Doc?' Jack turned to Janet in desperation, knowing how hard she had already worked to find a cure but to no avail. 'There must be something you can do?'
'I'm sorry Colonel,' Janet ran her fingers through her hair in desperation, 'Until I know more about what's causing it, there's nothing else I can do. He isn't responding to anything I've given him. If they don't get back soon…' She didn't need to say anything further. Daniel had very little time left to him.
**********
To be continued…
