A voice rose from the other room, very urgent. "JANET!!!"
**STARGATE SG1**
As soon as Jack had yelled for Janet again, orderlies were all over the scene, bringing out the defibrillator. But where was Janet? There she was, coming out of her office with General Hammond and Crichton (carrying . . . something) in tow.
Jack would have to find out what that thing was later. Right now, his friend just tried to die again and that's what was on his mind.
It took longer than last time to get Daniel's heart to start again. Just one more try, but it seemed like forever to Jack.
He didn't know how much longer he could stay like this. He desperately needed to sleep, but he couldn't leave Daniel all alone.
Teal'c came in just after they put everything away. "It occurred again, O'Neill," he stated. Jack nodded. "You must rest, O'Neill. I will stay with DanielJackson."
"Teal'c--"
"You must rest," he repeated.
"Yeah." Jack looked once more at Daniel and stroked his hair before leaving. Crichton followed him out.
"Are you okay?" he asked Jack.
"No, I--" The thing Crichton was carrying started talking. It was alive. Jack couldn't understand what it was saying, but it didn't sound nice.
"Because I do, Buckwheat," Crichton said to it. He turned back to Jack. "This is Rygel, by the way."
Rygel said something else. Crichton held him up so he was looking directly into the toad's face.
"If you remind me one more time to introduce you as Dominar, I'll make sure you don't get any food cubes for a weekan!"
Rygel growled something unintelligible at this threat before spitting some brown . . . yuck at Crichton. Crichton was able to move his head out of the way and it hit the floor behind him. Rygel said something else. It sounded like an order.
"I am not going to put you down! There's no telling what you're going to steal!"
Rygel grumbled unhappily.
"Well that was . . . interesting," Jack commented.
"He does that. So," Crichton changed the subject, "do you think Daniel's going to get better?"
'Should have stuck with the other topic,' Jack thought glumly. "I know Daniel's going to get better. The problem is that he doesn't."
"Man, I wish Zhaan was still alive and I had her with me instead of Sparkey."
Jack didn't understand this comment, but wasn't really interested in finding out what it meant.
"Yeah, look, I'm gonna go now," Jack said. "You and your toad have fun."
Rygel yelled something at him, but he didn't care. He turned and left Crichton yelling at Rygel. He did need sleep, of that much he was sure. He got to his room on the base and relaxed on the bed. Try as he might, there was no way he was going to sleep with Daniel dying. Still he stayed on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. He finally felt his eyelids droop as his mind slowly drifted into unconsciousness.
**************
Sam was on her way to examine MALP readings from P4X-269. Her mind was wandering all over the place, but it mostly centered around Daniel.
'When is he going to get better?' she asked herself. 'It'll only be a matter of time before the need for the sarcophagus is out of his system, but his emotional state is going to need a lot of weekends up at Jack's cabin. Jack will take care of it. He always does.'
She turned a corner and spied Jack being followed by Crichton who was holding some little animal under his arm. The thing was yelling something and Crichton grabbed it and held it up to his face. Then it spit something at him that hit the floor behind him. Jack and Crichton spoke a little more and then Jack wandered off.
Carter walked up to him. "Hi, John. Who's your friend?"
"Sam," he said. "This is--"
The animal interrupted him and spoke some foreign language. Sam shook her head. "What was that?"
"Oh, I believe he said, 'I'm Rygel, but John here calls me Sparkey and I love that nickname. I am a self-centered, egotistical little Hynerian who likes to procure items from others because I am so selfish. Even if it means endangering an entire ship and her crew to pretend that I am a dominar with a big honkin' red jewel on the end of my scepter.'"
The last line, spoken through clenched teeth, was obviously meant to strike a chord with him. Sam smiled when the animal, Rygel, yelled some what she figured were expletives at Crichton and tried to bite him.
"Hey, Fluffy, you stop that!"
"Why are you back, John?" Sam asked.
"I came back to see how Daniel was and then the general said that my dad could come by and see me, so I'm waiting for that."
"What are you going to do about him?" she asked, gesturing toward Rygel.
"I can . . . pretend he's a puppet." Rygel growled. "A very ugly puppet." Rygel growled louder.
"I'm glad you'll be able to see you're dad again. I have to go look at some readouts from P4X-269. I hope I'll see you later, John."
"Yeah, bye." John walked to the VIP room he stayed in the other night. Sam walked off toward the awaiting MALP.
**FARSCAPE**
Chiana ran into Command. She found Aeryn sitting with her head buried in her hands. D'Argo was thoroughly engrossed in his Qualta Blade.
"Did we just StarBurst?" she asked the room.
D'Argo looked up wearily. "Yes," he answered before going back to studying his Blade.
"Who ordered it?"
Aeryn looked up at Chi, her eyes puffy. "I did." She put her head back down.
"B-But John's not back yet," Chi said to her. D'Argo stood up and walked over to Chiana.
"She knows," he said quietly.
"A-A-And Pilot might not find the planet again."
"She knows. We had no choice."
Aeryn stood up and composed herself. "We can expect Rygel to come here and complain."
"Because we left John?"
"No, he wouldn't care about that. He has wanted to leave him before. It's because he liked that planet. Good gruplets or something."
"Rygel won't come up here," Chiana stated.
"Why?"
"Because John took him down to the planet with him."
'Good riddance,' D'Argo thought, and then reprimanded himself for it. "John will be fine. He's dealt with Scarrans before."
"Scarrans?!" Chiana asked in alarm.
"A Dreadnought came up. We had to leave."
Chiana swallowed and nodded. "I understand."
D'Argo put a comforting hand on Chi's shoulder. "We'll go back for them."
Aeryn looked around her suddenly, like she just realized where she was. She left Command and went to the exercise room. 'I can't be around anyone right now.' She walked up to the punching bag and started beating the dren out of it.
"You're going to kill it," Jool said behind her.
"Good," Aeryn said, hitting it again.
"What's wrong?"
Aeryn turned and looked directly at Jool. "I left John behind. John is on the planet and I ordered StarBurst."
'I thought that's what it was.' "He'll be fine down there. There was no threat."
"If there was no threat, why would we StarBurst away before we could even get John or Rygel back?"
"I--"
"There was a threat. The frelling Scarrans showed up."
Jool's breath left her. "The Scarrans?" she choked out. She paused, thinking. "Well, I'm sure he'll be fine," she said finally. "He's got the Stargate down there in case he needs to escape, right?"
Aeryn relaxed a little. Not a lot, but a little anyway. That thought hadn't occurred to her. Which confused her. How could this Interion think of that when a Peacekeeper--er, ex-Peacekeeper soldier couldn't? "Right," she answered.
Joolushko smiled. "Good, I'll go now. You can finish decimating that . . . thing." She left.
Aeryn smiled a little and turned back to the bag. The desire to pummel the stuffing out of it was gone. "You're getting off easy," she told it before walking off to John's quarters.
**************
John didn't know how it happened, but he must have dozed off. He came to this conclusion when he woke up. ((Crazy how that works, huh?))
He woke up with a feeling of tugging on his feet. He opened his eyes slightly and saw Rygel trying to steal his shoes.
John sat up quickly and grabbed the little dominar. "What do you think you're doing?"
"John Crichton said I couldn't have his belongings when he passed, probably because you were still around. But you certainly aren't worthy of them," Rygel sneered.
"What has gotten into you?!"
Rygel's anger left his face and he looked confused. "I-I'm not exactly sure. In my head, all of this made sense to me, but when I said it, I didn't understand."
"Don't worry about it, Sparkey. Maybe Hynerians just weren't made for Stargates."
Rygel scoffed. "I knew I shouldn't have come with you. I was content to stay on Moya, but you didn't let me and now I'm all the way to your frelling planet dying of some disease that-that forsaken machine gave me."
"Rygel, I don't think you're dying. It's just a little Hynerian PMS."
"What are you talking about, Crichton?"
"Don't worry about it. Now, give me back my shoes." Rygel sheepishly handed John his shoes. Rygel hopped off of the bed and waddled back over to the chair he had been occupying. John laid down again, but sat up quickly.
"What is it, Crichton?" Rygel looked up from where he was sitting.
"Disease . . . "
"What about it, you frelling human?"
"Maybe it's not withdrawal at all. Maybe Apophis put some kind of disease in him to make him sick. He sure didn't try to get him back very hard and it seemed like he really wanted to know where some kid was. He may have put something in him ensuring that they'd have to bring him back."
"Who? Who'd have to bring who back? Who is Apophis?" Crichton was too deep in thought to answer any of Rygel's questions. He suddenly stood up and walked out of the room, leaving Rygel behind.
"Let me out of here! I can't reach that ball on the door! Crichton! Don't leave me here!"
Crichton didn't hear Rygel. He had already closed the door and was halfway down the hall. He rushed into the infirmary and saw Teal'c standing by Daniel's bedside. A better description would be that he was guarding the sick man. Sick. That's why John was here.
He found Doctor Fraiser in her office. "I don't think it's withdrawal," John said, causing Fraiser to look up from the papers she had been working on.
"You don't?" she asked.
John told her his idea. She looked thoughtful for a microt.
"I don't think so," she said. "We've already tested him for foreign invaders in his body."
"But it's an alien sickness, right? So . . . "
"So I wouldn't know what I was looking for," she finished. "You may be right. What made you think of this?"
"Rygel said something about a disease and I don't know why, but I got the funniest feeling there was more to Daniel than just withdrawal."
"I'll run some tests, Commander. Thanks."
"Don't worry about it. It would have come to you, but seeing as how this particular patient is your friend, that could cloud your judgment."
"You're right. I shouldn't be his doctor. I'm too close. I'll have to get Dr. Warner to care for him."
The general came in then. He headed straight for Fraiser's office.
"Commander, I was looking for you. I went to your room, but all I found was a very snippy Hynerian."
"Oh, frell. I didn't mean to leave him in there. What did you want to tell me?"
"You're father is here."
"Here?" John felt a huge smile creep up on his face.
"Sergeant Silvestri will escort you. Sergeant," he called. A sergeant appeared in the doorway. "Take Commander Crichton to Jack Crichton."
The sergeant saluted General Hammond and John followed him out of the infirmary. Behind him, he heard Fraiser tell the general that she didn't need to be Daniel's primary physician any longer. Soon he was out of earshot and on an elevator.
**STARGATE SG1**
"What do you mean, Doctor?" General Hammond asked Janet.
"I mean that John thought of something I never would have," she answered. "Daniel's my friend. I'm too close to him. Dr. Warner will make better decisions."
"You're the best doctor in this facility. Dr. Warner didn't even realize that the only reason one blood type wasn't compatible with another was because of the red blood cells. You thought that up and you were becoming schizophrenic. That choice alone saved Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c, not to mention yourself. I can bring Warner in to help you, but you're the best person for the job."
Janet nodded, still feeling doubtful. 'At least Warner will be here,' she thought.
"You mentioned that Crichton thought of something that you never would have. What was that, Doctor?"
"That it might not be withdrawal at all. Apophis could have made him sick so we'd have to bring him back. It was awfully easy to get away from him. I'll have to run some tests on it, but it's entirely plausible."
"Very well. I'll let you do that." General Hammond left.
Janet looked out of her office and saw Teal'c watching Daniel intently. He only looked up when Sam touched his shoulder, relieving him. He left, and Sam took the chair. Janet could hear the woman speaking softly to him, although she couldn't understand what she was saying.
'It's now or never,' Janet thought. She gathered up some orderlies and headed for Daniel.
**************
There was a light tapping on Jack's door. "Colonel?" a voice called. He rolled out of bed and opened the door, revealing Janet Fraiser.
"Doc?"
"I've got good news and bad news," she said.
"Give me the good news first."
"Daniel's not suffering withdrawal."
Jack felt his brow furrow. If he wasn't suffering withdrawal . . . A thought occurred to him. What if . . . 'Oh, gad,' he thought. 'What if Janet left a word off of that statement? A word like 'anymore?' He wasn't suffering from withdrawal anymore because he was dead. His heart stopped again and this time they weren't able to get it restarted. But Janet wouldn't be so impersonal as to say, 'I've got good news and bad news,' if Daniel had died.' Jack swallowed these thoughts. "What's the bad news?"
"It's a virus."
Relief washed over Jack. He wasn't dead. So why exactly was that the bad news? "So fix it."
"I can't just 'fix' it, Colonel. You can't cure a virus. And this one is fatal. The only chance he has is . . . is to take him back."
"Back? You-you mean back to Apophis?"
"Yes."
Jack's eyes narrowed. "No."
"Colonel--"
"No!"
"Colonel. It's the only chance he has."
"We won't be able to keep Apophis away from him this time. The snake'll recapture him. Even if we get away, the chances of us saving him again are really small. Apophis is going to be more careful this time." 'Not to mention the fact that Daniel would hate me if I took him back to that place.'
"So you'd let him die here?" Janet asked, looking Jack directly in the eye.
Anger welled up inside Jack and he darkened, but he did his best not to act on it. 'No use making a bad situation worse.' "You're sure there's nothing you can do?"
"The only think I can do is keep him as comfortable as possible until he . . . passes. It's already killed him three times."
"Three times?"
"Twice when you were there and once when Sam was there. It's getting harder and harder to get his heart started again."
Jack sucked in his breath.
"Colonel, you were beating yourself up before because there was nothing you could do to help him. Now there is something you can do and you'd rather throw the chance away and let him die?"
Jack audibly sighed. "You're right. Of course you're right. Have you talked to Hammond about it yet?"
"Yes, he said you had a go."
Jack nodded. "All right then. We'll do our best to get him back here."
Janet smiled a sad smile. "Thanks, Colonel. I've already stopped giving him sedatives, so it will be just a matter of time before he wakes up. I'll give you some morphine to take with you, just to take the edge off if he needs it. He'll refuse, but I trust you'll use your judgment."
"Don't worry, Doc. When have you ever known me to let Daniel make a decision like that?"
"You'll be there when he wakes up? He'll be looking for you."
"Yeah."
"Then you'd better get a move on." Janet walked off. 'Looks like maybe to Hammond's office.' Jack headed for the infirmary.
**FARSCAPE**
John could barely contain his excitement as Sergeant Silvestri led him up to tier--no, Level 3. He stepped off of the elevator and peered into every open room as he walked past them. He stopped walking when he realized that Silvestri was no longer walking with him. He turned around and saw that Silvestri had paused a while back in front of another room. John walked back to him.
"We're here, sir."
"Thanks, Sergeant."
The sergeant saluted and walked away when John returned the sign. John took some deep breaths and opened the door. Jack Crichton was turned away with his hands in his pockets.
"D . . . Dad?"
Jack's head perked up at the sound of that word and he turned around to face his son. At the sight of John, his eyes swelled with tears. "John." Jack rushed to John and enveloped him in a hug. "I thought you were dead."
"I figured you would. How'd DK take it?"
"Hard. He's better now, after two and a half years, but it would be best if he could see you."
"Don't think he can, Dad. There were a lot of regulations broken about letting you alone know. I can't tell you where I've been," his voice dropped so the cameras couldn't pick it up, "yet," and then it raised to normal level again, "or how they found me, but I have to go back again soon."
"I understand, son. How've you been out there?"
"I met a girl. Aeryn. She's a little weird around me now, but that's to be expected. It would take forever to explain. However, I can explain a little to you from earlier in my time out there. Here," John reached into his pocket and retrieved the tape player, "I made this for you. I spoke to it every night until the battery died. Listen to it when you get home."
"Sure thing. When do you have to go back?"
"Real soon. Rygel's gonna want to get back ASAP. Listen to the tape, you'll understand," John said at his father's look of confusion.
"Ah." A knock on the door drew the attention in the room. It opened and Sergeant Silvestri's head appeared.
"Commander?" Silvestri drew back into the hallway. John followed. Jack couldn't hear what was being said except for a loud, angry, worried, and alarmed "They're taking him back?!" John.
Jack poked his head out of the room. John looked exactly how his voice sounded. Jack came out the rest of the way. Silvestri abruptly silenced.
"Are you okay, son?"
John stopped glaring at Silvestri, who looked about ready to run away. John turned to face his father and his face softened. "Yeah. Dad, listen, I know this is short notice, but I have to go."
"Oh," he said with disappointment. "I understand. At least I know you're alive and okay."
"I'm . . . not exactly 'okay,' Dad." Silvestri decided this would be a good time to leave when worry overtook the disappointment on Jack's face.
"Why?"
"There's this guy I met. Scorpius. He's not a nice guy. Been messin' around in my head. He put a chip in my brain--"
John felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder from behind. "John," Scorpius' voice hissed, "why do you continue to tell people about me?" John ignored him.
"I thought I was going crazy because I kept seeing Scorpius all over the place," he said through clenched teeth. "I'm sorry, it's getting hard to tell you about Harvey. He doesn't want me to, so--"
"John, stop it!" Harvey commanded. John did, unable to withstand the chip. He tried to remember what he was saying, but failed to do so.
"'So--' what, John?" Jack asked.
"What?"
"You said, 'Harvey doesn't want me to so--' and then you stopped."
"What me to what?"
"Tell me about Harvey."
"He's the Scorpius clone in my head that drove me to insanity."
"No, I wasn't telling you to tell me about Harvey. I was reminding you what you were trying to do."
"Oh. I don't remember that."
"Why did you stop when you were talking before?"
"When?"
" . . . Never mind."
"I bet it was Harvey. He can make me do stuff."
"John . . . " Harvey warned.
"Go away, Harvey, I'm talking to my dad."
"Yes, about me. I don't want you to. You'll forget about the chip again."
"Harvey, no."
"'No' what, John?" Harvey asked silkily.
"I . . . I'm not sure. What were we talking about?"
"As it should be. Again. This time we'll see if we can keep it this way."
"What just happened, John?" Jack asked.
"I remember talking to . . . " John paused. 'I don't want my dad thinking I'm crazy. I can't tell him that I was talking to a figment of my imagination that looked like Scorpy.' " . . . No one."
"Harvey?"
"Yes," John answered in surprise. "How do you know about him?"
"You told me." Jack was really getting worried now.
"I did? Hurm."
"Yes. Now, why exactly did Scorpius put a chip in your head?"
John's brow furrowed. "What chip?"
"You just told me that Scorpius put a chip in your head."
" . . . ?"
"John--"
"I don't know what you're talking about, Dad."
Jack's worry increased. Why didn't he remember anyth-- 'Oh. It must be the chip itself screwing with his memory. Gad, John, why didn't you abort when we told you to?' He pulled his son into another hug. "Come home safe, John. Stay next time."
**STARGATE SG1**
The three members of SG1 stood around their fourth, waiting for him to wake up. Jack was holding Daniel's hand so he'd know he was there when he awoke. Daniel's brow furrowed and he moved his head slightly before two blue eyes appeared from under his heavy eyelids. He looked at Jack first, happy to see he was still there.
"Ja'k." Daniel's voice was much weaker than it had been during his few moments of consciousness.
"Right here, Danny," Jack answered.
"Oww."
"I bet."
"I've got something for that," Janet said, holding a syringe. Daniel nodded and Janet stuck the morphine into the IV. "You'll feel better in a few seconds, Daniel."
"'Kay."
"Daniel," Sam said, "we're going on a little trip through the Gate."
"Bye."
"You're coming with us."
"Oh. Sha're?"
"You're not dead yet, Dannyboy," Jack assured him.
"No, can't be . . . Hurts too much."
"We're doing something about that. Can you get up?"
"Can try." Daniel's muscles tensed like he was trying to get up, but he stayed on the bed. "Did it?"
"Not quite. Teal'c," Jack called. Teal'c started to pick Daniel up, but Janet stopped him.
"Let me convert his IV to a heparin lock. It will only take a couple of minutes." As she reached for the items and changed the IV tubing for a small closed tube taped to his arm, she explained further. "You will be able to inject the morphine into the lock here. Just flush it out with heparin in the second syringe after each dose."
"So . . I . . . . . . What?" Jack asked, his brow furrowed.
"I'll take care of it, Colonel," Sam said with a smile.
"You do that, Major."
Teal'c picked up Daniel when Janet was finished.
"Can walk, . . . Teal'c," Daniel grumbled.
"I do not believe so, DanielJackson."
"Doesn't . . . hurt anymore."
"That's only because of the morphine," Janet told him.
"Ya think?" Carter smiled at Daniel's impression of Jack. Jack himself ruffled Daniel's hair.
"Come on, Spacemonkey. Let's go get you better."
Sam noticed that he didn't tell Daniel how they were going to get him better, but she bit her tongue. 'He knows what he's doing,' she assured herself.
"Good. Need to . . . translate 'facts from P4--"
"Worry about it later," Jack said. "We've got something to do now."
**************
Crichton walked into General Hammond's office. Hammond looked up at the IASA Commander. He smiled at him. "How was your father?"
"He was great. Thrilled to see him. I really appreciate you letting him come here."
"But there's another reason you came in here," Hammond stated.
"Yeah, Sergeant, uh . . . Silvestri told me that they're taking Daniel back to the planet?"
"Your guess about him being sick was correct. It's a virus, so they can't do anything here. The best chance he has is to go back there."
"I figured that's how Apophis would work it. I don't know him well, but he reminds me of someone I know. So, how are they going to keep him away from Daniel anyway?"
"We have all that covered, Commander," Hammond assured. "When do you want to get back to your ship?"
"ASAP. Rygel will want to get out of here."
"Of course. You can go get him and then meet me in the Gate Room. You can leave immediately."
"Thanks, General," Crichton said. Then he stepped out of Hammond's office and walked to his room.
**FARSCAPE**
John opened the door to the VIP room. A loud, angry voice greeted him.
"Crichton! How dare you leave me in here! You frelling human! I demand you treat me with more respect. Take me back to Moya! Now!"
"Okay."
Rygel blinked in surprise. "O-Okay?"
"Okay," John repeated. "Let's go."
A smile broke out on Rygel's face. "This is the treatment a dominar deserves all the time." He pointed a stubby little finger at John. "You keep this attitude when we get to Moya. Maybe it'll rub off on the others."
John stifled a chuckle but he couldn't keep from smiling. He decided to play along. "Yes, anything you say, my lordship. I am always at your service." 'As long as he's in that bitchy mood from the Stargate,' John thought, 'I'd better not make him any more grumpy.'
Rygel's smile broadened. "I don't know what's gotten into you, Crichton, but I like it. Is it the chip?"
John's smile disappeared. 'Dad mentioned something about a chip.' "What chip?" he asked.
"The chip in your head." Rygel was getting moody again.
"Who put it there?" John asked cautiously. 'I'll know something's up if he says--'
"Scorpius." 'Something's up.' "Honestly, Crichton, you'd think you'd never even heard of the thing in your head. With the little Scorpius clone on it. I can't remember what you call him. Some silly name, like Horbie."
"Harvey," John corrected, still somewhat in shock. How could all of these people know about Harvey? Especially his dad. Maybe Rygel heard him talking to Harvey at some point, but how could his dad know? And what was this chip that everyone knew about? "What . . . When did Scorpy put a chip in my head?"
"Crichton, I refuse to play this silly little game any longer. Take me to Moya."
Crichton shrugged. 'Aeryn will explain this stuff to me. I'm not getting anything out of Rygel.' "Okay, Buckwheat, let's go."
"What the yotz happened to 'my lordship?!'"
**************
John carried a grumbling Hynerian into the Gate Room. General Hammond was waiting for him. The tech was already dialing.
"Chevron 4 encoded . . . "
He continued to count until the Stargate activated. General Hammond shook John's hand.
"Earth is a lot nicer than the Ancients or the Scarrans made it out to be."
Hammond cocked his head at that, but shrugged off his confusion. "It's a comforting thought that we have one of our people out there. Here," Hammond handed John a small black thing, "in case you ever want to come back. It's a GDO. When you want to come back, type in this code at the open wormhole," Hammond demonstrated, "and wait a few minutes. We'll open the iris."
"And if I don't use the GDO, then . . . "
"Splat." John looked up to see O'Neill enter the Gate Room. "You leaving?"
"Yeah. I got to get back." Rygel started reaching for John's GDO. John slapped his hand away. "Hands off, Sparkey."
"It'll only be a matter of time until I get it," Rygel sneered.
"Rygel's getting snippy again," John told O'Neill. "I think the Stargate did something to him. Nothing serious, he's just pissy."
"Toads must not be made for Gate travel," Jack commented.
"I'm not a toad, whatever that is! I am a Hynerian dominar!"
"Shush, Fluffy."
Rygel growled.
"We're, uh, bringing Daniel . . . " John could tell that it was hard for O'Neill to say what he wanted to.
"I heard," John said, saving him from finishing his statement.
"Right."
"I'll return in a while and see how he's doing. Expect me in a few weekans--weeks."
"I will if I'm not dead," O'Neill said grimly.
"I'll see you in a few weeks," John repeated firmly. O'Neill nodded. "What did Daniel say when you told him where you were taking him?"
" . . . I haven't . . . yet." O'Neill quickly changed the subject. "You'd better get a move on. The Gate's just sitting there, open."
"Ah," John said, understanding what O'Neill was doing. He walked up the ramp to the wormhole. He stopped short of entering and turned to face the gate room. "Well, this little spaceman's going on home. Lock up Aeryn and hide the food cubes!" He lowered his voice just a smidgen, somewhat in disappointment. "Doesn't quite have the same ring to it. Oh, well." With that, he ran through the awaiting Gate. O'Neill shook his head and walked away.
**STARGATE SG1**
Jack stepped out of the Gate Room after Crichton left to find his team. He found them in the hallway a little ways down from the Gate Room. Daniel was dressed in his hospital gown and had graduated from Teal'c's arms to a wheelchair. Sam and Teal'c were in their fatigues, matching their colonel.
"How is that wheelchair going to work on sand?" Jack asked.
"It's not." Sam held up a compact, collapsed stretcher.
"Got it. Well, we ready?"
"Yes, Sir," Carter answered.
"Then let's go, kiddies."
"Kiddie . . . " Teal'c muttered under his breath.
SG1 headed for the Gate Room. Sam was pushing Daniel who was too weak even to hold his head up. Every time it lolled back and forth, Jack got a little more angry at Apophis, if that was at all possible. Everything that happened to Daniel was all that snakehead's fault. If Jack could just wrap his hands around that pathetic little parasite--
They reached the Gate Room, causing Jack's head to come back to his shoulders. Sam expanded the stretcher and the loaded Daniel on it, who gave no resistance. Hammond met them near the Stargate.
"SG6 is ready to back you up. We'll send them through a short time after you."
"Good," Jack said. "We'll need them. They know the layout, right? They know where all the rings are and rooms are?"
"I should hope so. You covered that with them four times."
"Oh, yeah. Then we're off."
"Where . . . ?" Daniel asked. "Abydos?"
"No, Daniel. You won't be going to Abydos unless you . . . you die."
"Oh . . . Asgard?" Daniel's mind, even in this weak state, was working overtime, trying to figure out a logical place to take him. Where they were taking him wasn't logical, but it was all they had.
"No, not them either, and before you ask, it's not the Tok'ra. We're . . . " Jack couldn't bring himself to say where he was going.
"We are bringing you back to Apophis' ship, DanielJackson," Teal'c rescued Jack. Jack looked over at him with gratitude before he saw that Daniel's eyes were wide on him.
"Apo--" Daniel had a coughing fit. "No," he said simply, his voice fearful. "No," he pleaded again. With every "No" another piece of Jack's heart broke. But he remained strong.
"We have to, Danny. Believe me, if there was any other way, I'd never take you back to him."
Daniel's tired blue eyes were teary, but he nodded slightly anyway. "Okay," he said shakily. "Trust you . . . "
'I wish trusting me was a mutual feeling, Danny,' Jack thought to himself. "All right, let's skedaddle." Carter went through first and then Jack and Teal'c carried Daniel to the other side.
On the planet, everything was almost as it was before. The tracks were there, although not as defined as they were. 'Must be due to wind,' Carter thought. Still, they were there for them to follow. And so they did. Back to the rings, back to the ship, back to the rings again, back to the stone complex.
When they reached the underground complex, Daniel started shaking. 'Memories,' Jack surmised. 'I know all about bad memories.' Jack reached out for Daniel's hand to reassure him. Daniel's fingers tightened as much as they could, though it was very weak.
Before they could move even ten feet from where the rings deposited them, they found themselves surrounded by Jaffa.
**FARSCAPE**
John arrived on the planet and waited for his cells to thaw. At least that's what it felt like. Rygel stayed frozen for a while longer than John, shaking, his breathing laboured. Soon, however, he did calm down.
"Y'alright, Sparkey?"
"I'm never going through that thing again," Rygel answered, his voice still shaky.
John smiled and headed for his Farscape 1 module. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw something that sent chills down his spine. He turned his head sharply, but the crowd moved, blocking his view.
"Did you see that?" John asked Rygel.
"I can't see anything with the way you're holding me!" Rygel had recovered from his journey and now was more cranky than normal.
"Oh, sorry." John's mind was a million miles away. He started walking to his module again, thinking the whole time. 'Did I actually see what I thought I saw? Naw, couldn't be. Why would Scarrans be down here? That doesn't make any sense.' He convinced himself he had been seeing things. It wouldn't be for the first time. He saw Scorpy all the time and he wasn't really there.
Suddenly, from the same area where he thought he saw the Scarran, a woman's scream chilled John's blood. John knew then that the Scarrans weren't imagined. He stopped and looked back.
The crowd moved away to reveal a Scarran using his curled fingers to produce heat on a man's face. The distorted air danced across his pain-filled features.
"Scorpius was here," the Scarran said. "Where did he go?"
"I . . . don't . . . know . . . Who . . . is . . . Scorpius?"
The Scarran growled and released the man from his heat. The man crumpled to the ground and a woman immediately kneeled to attend to him. Another Scarran looked up through the sparse remains of the crowd and spotted John. He--no, she notified her comrades.
"John Crichton." She pointed at him. At the sound of his name, John broke into a run for his module. He reached it and clambered inside. As the top closed, he spied the Scarrans lumbering closer. 'Sure glad they aren't a swift race,' he thought in passing.
John started up his module and it lifted off the ground. There were loud bangs that hit the bottom of it that made the whole module shake.
"They're shooting at us, Crichton!" Rygel yelled angrily. "You and your human clumsiness are going to get me killed!"
"If you die, I die."
"But I don't care about you."
"Don't make me knock you out, Rygel. Last time, we had Zhaan. Now the only doc aboard is Jool."
Rygel abruptly silenced.
"Thanks. Now maybe I can concentrate on keeping us alive." More shots rocked the little ship. "Stop that!" John roared at the Scarrans, full aware (and glad) that they couldn't hear him. "Maybe I'll have to take this back to Furlow's." The module was able to fly off high enough to be out of their firing range.
"Crichton, you know there's nothing left at Dam-Ba-D-- Oh, right. That wasn't you."
"Furlow is gone?"
"And the Ancient masquerading as your father is dead. You died there, as well--eh, he died there as well. A shame, really. He was a better man than you."
"Rygel, that doesn't even make sense. We're the same per--" John spotted the Scarran Dreadnought. "Maybe it hasn't seen us yet."
"How could it not see us?! We've flown up from the planet! The Dreadnought is in orbit!"
"Shut UP, Rygel!" John was getting fed up with Rygel's constant comments. Rygel grumbled something inaudibly. "Pilot?" John called. No answer.
"Moya left. She wouldn't stay with Scarrans in the area."
John's shoulders slumped. "No, she wouldn't because Aeryn wouldn't let her."
"So we're frelled." It wasn't a question.
"Yup."
"Where do we go from here?"
"I don't know," John said, watching as the Dreadnought moved, "but wherever it is, we'd better get there fast. The Scarrans are coming."
There was a sudden tug on the module and the feeling of being pulled. John knew what a fish felt like while being reeled in. Rygel gasped.
"Do Dreadnoughts have docking webs?"
"Don't know," John answered, "but it looks like we're about it find out."
**STARGATE SG1**
SG1 found themselves surrounded by seven Jaffa. Not a bad situation in another circumstance. They could take down seven Jaffa no problem. If they didn't have their weapons at the ready pointed straight at them.
Apophis appeared within their ranks. The Jaffa lowered their weapons in respect to their "god." Apophis nodded curtly at one Jaffa, his First Prime. The Jaffa came toward Daniel. Carter, who was the only one without a handful of Daniel, moved to retrieve her M16. Jack stopped her.
"Colonel--"
"It's no use, Major. He's beat us."
Despite his words, Sam could see a plan forming behind those brown eyes. Apophis couldn't see this, and he chuckled in victory.
"It is good to hear you admit the truth, O'Neill," he boasted. The First Prime picked Daniel up off of the stretcher. He whimpered at the familiar rough grip of the Jaffa. Jack, even though he felt like he was dying inside, held his composure.
Daniel still couldn't hold his head up, and it lolled back with the lack of support. He hung limp in the Jaffa's arms. "J-Ja'k . . . h-help me . . . "
Sam could barely contain her tears; a few fell. She admired how Jack was able to hold most of it in. He choked up when he heard Daniel's pathetic plea for help, but he was able to maintain the visage of strength. Teal'c . . . well, Teal'c is Teal'c. When you looked at him, you didn't see sadness, but you could feel the anger and hatred rolling off of him. Jack was finally able to speak past the lump in his throat.
"I can't, Danny. Gad, how I want to, but . . . I can't."
Apophis smiled cruelly at him. "We spared you on the planet so you could be destroyed with the rest of the Tau'ri. Unfortunately, that servant of Apophis failed and was unable to fulfill his duty. You die here. Kill them," he ordered his Jaffa. Apophis walked away followed by his First Prime. The remaining Jaffa raised their staff weapons and zat guns, ready to open fire.
The rings behind them activated unexpectedly. SG6 came out shooting. SG1 hit the ground and began firing. The six Jaffa went down. Fast.
"Nice of you to show," Jack told SG6. "Sooner would have been better. Apophis has Daniel again."
"Then let's go get him back."
"Just try and stop me," Carter said, already out of the room. Jack shrugged.
"Shall we go?"
The remaining two SG1 members and SG6 followed Sam down the hallway.
**FARSCAPE**
Pilot appeared on the clamshell. "Good news, Ka D'Argo. Moya has found the planet."
D'Argo beamed. "Good. Have you told Aeryn yet?"
Before Pilot could say, "Yes," Aeryn was already up in Command. "The Scarran ship is still there, but Moya senses another ship. Crichton's module."
"Have the Scarrans seen us?" Aeryn asked.
"No, but they have seen Crichton. They are moving toward him."
"Deploy the docking web."
"Immediately."
The docking web pulled on the tiny ship. The comms were open, and Moya could hear Rygel and John's conversation.
"Do Dreadnoughts have docking webs?"
"Don't know, but it looks like we're about it find out."
"John," Aeryn called.
"Aeryn? Oh, hey, baby! You showed up just in time! That is, if this docking web is yours?"
"It is, John. Do you have everything you need to leave as soon as you get aboard? If you don't, we're leaving it."
John played with the GDO that General Hammond gave him. "Got it all."
"Good. We're bringing you aboard."
Aeryn was in the docking bay to greet John. She brought Rygel's ThroneSled with her that she found in John's quarters. Rygel caught sight of it as John carried him out of the module.
"My ThroneSled! Oh, thank you, Aeryn! Now maybe this damn dirty human will get his hands off me."
"He's grouchy," John explained to her.
Aeryn smiled at him with tears in her eyes. "I'm so glad you're back. I was so worried when I ordered StarBurst that we'd never see you again."
"You were?" he asked in surprise, putting Rygel back on his ThroneSled. Rygel chuckled and flew away.
"Of course I was, John."
"But . . . before you were--"
"Sometimes it takes losing what you have before you realize--"
John moved closer to her, cutting her off. "I'm glad."
He pulled her into a kiss. At first she was tense, but soon she melted into it. They broke apart.
"Where did you learn that?" John asked.
"You taught me. Well, not you, but--"
"I get it. Show me again." They kissed again and Moya lurched into StarBurst. ((If this were the show, this would be the part where the picture goes to black, on their lingering kiss. But it's not, so I'll just go
**************
D'Argo walked toward the docking bay to greet Crichton. Rygel flew by him, almost right into him.
"Out of the way, Luxan!"
Rygel continued down the hallway without looking back after almost mowing D'Argo down. D'Argo shouted something Luxan at him that the translator microbes couldn't translate. Rygel ignored it. D'Argo hissed and started forward again. He met Chiana waiting outside the bay.
"I wouldn't go in there if I were you. John and Aeryn are having a 'moment.'"
"A 'moment?'" D'Argo repeated.
"You know," Chiana purred. "We used to have those 'moments.'"
"In there?!"
"Wrong kind of moment, D'Argo. They're just having a little romantic moment. Not sex."
D'Argo sighed in relief. "Oh. Good. My ship's in there."
"Is that all you care about? Your frelling ship?"
"I don't have anything else to care about in the universe."
"You have me."
"Not since you and Jothee had a 'moment.' And I don't mean that kind," D'Argo said, nodding his head to the bay.
"I know what happened with me and your son, D'Argo. I was there. And I said I was sorry. I explained it all to you. You were going to propose to me. Propose, D'Argo. I've always been on my own after my brother Nerri . . . left. Thrill-seeker, trouble-finder. You wanted to go live on a farm and grow things. I didn't want to live on a farm. I was in a panicked state and I did the only thing I could think of doing. It's what I've done my entire life."
"You've told me. I know it. I don't need to hear it again."
"Then please understand. I miss you, D'Argo. I miss you a lot."
D'Argo was silent for a microt. Then, "Would you do it again?"
"What?"
"Would you sleep with Jothee again?" he ground out, still finding it hard to say the words.
It was Chiana's turn to be silent. "Probably," she whispered tearfully, but truthfully.
"Then I can't forgive you." 'Yet,' he thought. He stalked away from the bay, leaving Chiana stunned out front. When he was out of sight, she slid down the wall to sit on the floor, the strength of her legs gone. There she sat. And sobbed.
**STARGATE SG1**
Sam finally came into sight of Jack. She was stopped outside of a room, pressed up against the wall and listening intently.
"Carter, what--"
She held up her hand to silence him. Then Jack heard what made Sam stop in front of that room. Apophis. His thundering voice said something, but it was muffled by the echoes of the stone room he was in. There was a silence and then the crack of something hitting something soft. Like a whip hitting flesh. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that that's what it was when they heard Daniel cry out. They heard Apophis say something again. This time, it was clearer.
"Your friends are dead, Tau'ri, as you will be if you do not tell me the code for your iris. I have lost many Jaffa against the barrier recently, and I will continue to deploy them until they break through. I understand that it has something do to with this object."
"So that's the guy," Jack whispered.
"Must have Daniel's GDO from last time they got him," Carter whispered an answer.
"I th-thought you . . . just w-wanted the H-Harsesis," they heard Daniel say.
"Indeed, I do, and I intend to get that information after I destroy the rest of the Tau'ri. Tell me what I need to know, and I will heal you of the Ki'tranil."
"Ki'tranil, that must be what Apophis gave to him," Carter guessed.
Teal'c's jaw dropped. "The Ki'tranil . . . "
"Know it, Teal'c?" Jack asked.
"Indeed, O'Neill, though it has not been used in many generations. It was considered too cruel, even to the Goa'uld."
"It would be just like Apophis to use it," Jack said.
Apophis' voice rang out again. "Give me the information I seek!"
"N-No." Daniel's voice was soft, but firm.
"'Attaboy, Danny," Jack encouraged. Daniel's reluctance earned him more lashings. Daniel screamed. Jack mustered up the courage to peer inside the room. What he saw made his stomach churn.
He saw Daniel chained, his legs dangling limply on the floor. The First Prime was behind him holding a whip. Apophis had a handful of Daniel's hair that he was using to lift Daniel's head up high enough to where he was looking him directly in the eye. Apophis was in his face, commanding him to tell him everything. Daniel still refused. Apophis dropped Daniel's head and nodded at the Jaffa who lifted up the whip. Jack pulled his head back again, not wanting to see what was coming next. The screams told him all he needed to know.
"We can take them," he whispered. "There's only him and his First Pr--" What he heard next made him stop dead.
"O-Okay . . . Just don't hit me again . . . Please."
"Oh, no. Danny, no."
Apophis laughed heartily. "I was positive you would break. Tell me."
Jack heard Daniel tell Apophis a code. The wrong code. Jack smiled. "That's my boy. Brain working overtime. Even now."
Apophis laughed again. "The Tau'ri is gone. Jaffa," he told his First Prime, "gather Jaffa and go to the Tau'ri. Destroy them."
"At once, my lord." The Jaffa moved toward the door, but Jack got his P90 and stepped in the way.
"Going somewhere?" He shot until the Jaffa went down. Before Jack could get to Apophis, he put up his personal force shield and had Daniel by the throat.
"You are supposed to be dead."
"I could say the same for you."
"No matter. Leave me, or I will kill him."
"You kill him, we kill you."
"My force shield protects me."
"Not against slower moving objects, 'member? Care for a demonstration?" He reached behind him for something to throw. A member of SG6 gave him a shoe. Jack gave him a look.
"It's all I had," he defended.
Jack shrugged. "It'll do." He threw it at Apophis and it hit him in the shoulder. "We got harder stuff."
Apophis looked helpless for a moment, and then used his ribbon device to blow a man-sized hole in the wall behind him. It opened up to yet another ring room. He ran through and turned around. "Remember, I still know the code for your Stargate and I can come through anytime." Then he used the rings before Jack could do anything.
"How many of those does he have in this place?" he asked in frustration. He ran to Daniel and helped him down from the chains. He laid on the floor.
"Th-thanks again, Ja'k." His voice was raspy.
"Teal'c? How much time do you suspect he has?" Sam asked.
"Not long, Major Carter," he answered with a tinge of sadness.
"Then we have to bring him to the sarcophagus."
Daniel overheard. "No," he begged. "Not that . . . not ag-again."
"Daniel, I don't want to hear it," Jack said. "You are going to live, even if it means going into that damn machine one more time."
A tear fell down Daniel's face. "If I h-have to . . . "
"Don't worry, Daniel. You'll be fine," Jack assured. Carter brought the stretcher over and helped Jack load a limp Daniel onto it.
"You'll be all better soon."
**FARSCAPE**
Aeryn handed John a plate of food cubes in the shape of a happy face. John smiled.
"You've learned."
"I had a good teacher." Aeryn pulled John into a kiss. "It's good to have you back. Chip give you any trouble while you were gone?"
"You are the third person to mention a chip to me. Is it some kind of huge joke?"
"What are you talking about, John?"
"Dad and Rygel both told me about some chip that Scorpius put in my head. I don't know how Dad could even make up such a thing. Rygel, maybe. But you? Now you're telling me about some chip?"
"The chip that Scorpius put into your brain, yes, to gather the wormhole information that the Ancients put in there. Are you all right, John?"
"I don't understand."
"Did Harvey make you forget again?"
"Harvey . . . You know that name, too?"
"Of course I do, John. You've told me about him."
"John, how many times will I have to make you forget?" Harvey asked.
"Umm . . . Aeryn?"
"Yes, John?"
"What were we talking about?"
'Oh, this is going to be a long trip.'
**************
Jool walked by Chiana's quarters. The door was open and Chi was moping around on the bed.
"Are you okay, Chiana?"
"Hey, Princess. Sure. I'll be fine in a little bit."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"No."
Jool came in anyway. "What's wrong?"
"D'Argo."
"Ah, the whole thing with you and Jo--"
"Yes!" Chiana interrupted, not wanting to hear about it again. "Yes," she repeated more calmly.
"Give him time. He loved you. He still does. He just needs to realize it again. Maybe you can help with that?"
"How?"
"Be around when he needs somebody. If he goes to fix something in the neural cluster, go with him. Help him out. Act like you did before, when he first fell in love with you. I don't think this, what was the phrase John used, heart on your arm attitude is going to work."
"Heart on my sleeve," Chiana chuckled. She paused for a microt. "You're right, Princess. I'll go find where he is now. See if he needs me."
"Good. I'm leaving. I have to make sure Rygel doesn't eat everything on board. There'd better be enough left for me." Joolushko left Chiana's quarters. Chiana walked out behind her, but went the other direction. Jool walked toward the food. 'I helped with Aeryn, I helped with Chiana . . . Maybe I should be the ship's counselor.'
**STARGATE SG1**
Teal'c and Jack carried Daniel to the sarcophagus. Major Carter and SG6 were there to pick off any stray Jaffa they found wandering about. None of them were in groups like they've always seen them before. Of course, why would they? The Tau'ri threat was gone. Their "god" said so. They seemed to just be patrolling the area.
They reached the sarcophagus. Luckily, there were only a few Jaffa around. They went down with no trouble.
Jack, Teal'c, and Sam brought Daniel into the room. SG6 stayed outside, guarding them. They set down the stretcher and Teal'c picked Daniel up off of it. He set the archaeologist in the machine. Jack was beside him the entire time, reassuring him with small words of comfort.
"Ja'k, please, h'lp m . . . "
"That's what I'm doing, Danny."
"'Noth'r way . . . pl'se . . . " The desperation was strong in Daniel's voice. Jack felt like a terrible person for making him go through this again.
"No. There's no other way. I wish there was, but . . . there just isn't."
"Und'rst'nd," Daniel nodded. Even though his words were strong, Jack could see the look of sheer terror in his eyes as the lid closed.
"I'll be right here when you come out, Danny. Right here." The lid closed, and Daniel was gone.
In reality, the wait for the sarcophagus to open was only a matter of minutes. To Sam, Jack, and Teal'c, it seemed like an eternity. Well, not so much Teal'c. Sam and Jack, for sure. But finally it did open up, and Daniel stepped out.
"You okay?" Jack asked.
"Yeah." Jack's legs almost buckled under him with relief when he heard how strong Daniel's voice was now. "Physically, I feel fine. Emotionally, I'm a little drained. I could stand to go home and rest up a little." He looked down at his attire. "Ugh. You don't happen to have my clothes in that pack of yours, do you?"
"Sorry, Danny. Even if I did, we wouldn't have time for you to change."
"Oh, right. Sorry."
"Never mind. Let's just work on getting out of here."
SG1, all of SG1, walked out of the room. SG6 started on down the hallway back to the ring room. Daniel did his best to keep the hospital gown closed. The back of it was still torn to shreds from the whip.
They walked past the cell where Apophis had kept him. He stopped. The rest of the SG teams continued to walk, not realizing he had stopped. He was inside of his mind, reliving those awful times over and over.
Jack noticed that Daniel was no longer behind him. He turned and followed the corridor back until he found him. He was sitting in front of his cell, his eyes glossed over. "Daniel?" he called. Daniel didn't respond.
A Jaffa came around the corner. He spotted Daniel crouched on the ground and aimed his zat gun at him.
"Daniel!" Jack yelled. Then fired his P90 at the Jaffa until he went down. The gunfire made Daniel snap back to reality. "Jack? Oh, sorry," he said absentmindedly when he realized where he was.
"It's okay, Danny. Let's go."
Daniel got up and went down the hallway. Jack followed, not wanting to leave Daniel behind yet again.
They reached the other SG teams. Sam had stopped first having heard the gunfire. "Everything okay, Colonel?"
"Yeah, let's just get home. Now."
They ran the rest of the way to the ring room. They made it to the ship and to the planet again. Daniel spotted the Stargate and stared at it.
Jack stepped up behind him. "Glad to see it?"
"You bet."
"Care for the honours?" Jack asked, nodding his head to the DHD.
"Gladly."
"Dial us home, Daniel." Daniel did just that.
**EPILOGUE**
"Oh, wow! Look at that!" Daniel hopped around from artifact to artifact, talking excitedly. His words were overlapping each other and the video camera was going crazy. "Do you know what this is?" Teal'c did know and was about to tell Daniel when Jack answered for him.
"No, Daniel," Jack said, pretending to sound flat. "Why don't you enlighten us?"
He did, but Jack wasn't listening. He was just watching the energetic scientist. Jack thought back on a few weeks before, when he was so sick he could barely talk. 'Now look at him. He's going to need to calm down a little or he'll sleep for days like he did when we got back from Apophis.' "Hey, Daniel, why don't we go on home?"
"Home? W-Why do you want to go home now? Look what I just found!"
"Tape it and look at it when you get home." Sam snickered silently.
"Colonel O'Neill's right, Daniel, we need to go. We've been here for hours."
"Indeed, DanielJackson. I shall help you translate it if you desire."
Daniel dropped his arms. "Okay," he said with disappointment. It reminded Jack of a child when you told him he had to go to bed. Oh, wait. It reminded Jack of Daniel when you told him he had to go to bed. Same thing.
Carter dialed home. Daniel was on his way back to the Gate when something caught his eye. "Holy cow!" He ran off to look at it.
"Daniel!" Jack yelled.
Daniel turned around with a sheepish look on his face. "Sorry, Jack." Daniel came back to the Gate.
"We're going to have to get you--"
They went through the Gate. On the other side . . .
"--a leash." He looked up and saw John Crichton grinning broadly next to the alien, Erin.
"See? I knew you'd live." He walked up to Jack and shook his hand. "Good to see you still alive."
"You too. How's that whole Scorpius and the chip thing coming along?"
"You too? What the frell is everyone talking about a chip for?"
Erin shook her head and said something in another language.
"I don't want to just forget it. I want to--"
She said something else. It sounded threatening, but also somewhat coy.
"Oh, boy, not the jab. Forget I said anything."
"John," Daniel said. "Thanks. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you."
"Eh, forget about it. You probably would anyway. I've heard from a reliable source that you have an incredible ability to bounce back?" He looked at Sam.
"Well, sure. How many lives does a Spacemonkey have?" Jack smiled when Daniel said this.
"Okay. I just wanted to see if you were doing okay now. It seems you are, so Erin and are gonna take off."
Erin nodded at General Hammond and SG1 before walking boldly into the Stargate.
"Doesn't even phase her," Crichton said. He shrugged. "It must be the Peacekeeper in her." He stepped through the Gate. The wormhole disengaged.
"I wonder if we'll ever see him again," Sam said.
"Did you get a look at Erin?" Jack asked. "I don't think he'll ever need to come back here."
Sam raised her eyebrow. General Hammond walked up to them.
"I trust everything went well?"
"Affirmative, General Hammond," Teal'c answered.
"Go to the infirmary. Briefing in one hour."
SG1 walked off to get their post-mission physical. Carter and Teal'c walked ahead of Jack and Daniel.
"So," Jack asked, "what do you expect to find on the rocks?"
"Artifacts, Jack!"
THE END
Well, that was a lot longer than I thought it would be. I hope you liked reading it as much as I liked writing it. Actually, I hoped you liked it more because I just felt like such an awful person while writing some parts (namely those with Daniel and Apophis.) Oh, and the first scene I don't particularly like at all. It just set up the story. Special thanks to Momma for the beta-reading and most of the medical jargon. Without her, this would not have been possible! Or it would have been possible, but it would have sucked a lot more than it did. Feel free to tell me what you thought, good or bad. But if it's bad, I really hope you read the spoiler warnings 'cuz I explained some things in there. **Warning: Angering the goat queen will cause her to order her many goat minions to throw the instigator and perpetrator of the criticism into the Pit of Doom, which holds one, slightly angry, female chupacabra and one recently added Greek chef.