Hello again. Had a bit of a writing frenzy today so looks like you
lot are going to have two new chapters to trawl through instead of one. God
I hope the formatting works out ok on this one. Enjoy.
Back at the base Colonel O'Neill sat on the edge of an infirmary bed swinging his legs. Sam sat next to him, her crutches resting on her knees, Teal'c stood, as pokerfaced as ever and Daniel sat opposite him, twirling his fingers. Janet strode in and Sam could tell by the look on her face that the news wasn't good. She felt a familiar lurch in her stomach; SG1 had been in this situation too many times.
"Colonel," she said. "I've had the results of your blood test analysed and a... a toxin has been detected in your blood. The crossbow bolt that hit you must have been poisoned and your headaches and nausea are the first symptoms." Sam went cold.
"How can it be treated Doctor?" Said General Hammond with a hint of hope.
"Well..." She paused and looked at O'Neill. "It's a type I've never seen before. It probably doesn't even exist on Earth but from chemical analysis I can tell that it's makeup is organic. It's almost certainly derived from a plant. However until we know exactly which one and a sample of it is brought back then an antidote cannot be made." Suddenly the barriers of strength and reassurance that Janet, as a doctor, kept around her began to show cracks. "I'm sorry but if someone doesn't go back to the planet then... You will die," she said to the Colonel who stared into the middle distance.
"How long do we have?" General Hammond asked.
"Since the Colonel..." She glanced at Daniel. "...Reported the symptoms so early, I estimate two, maybe three, days."
Sam's world began to glaze over. She could hear the general talking but she wasn't listening, all she could focus on was O'Neill who was just sat there, his long fingers turning a medical instrument over and over in his hands. She felt as if she couldn't breathe and she could hear her heart beating loudly in the silence of her mind. She was frozen, her brain racing over each possibility with such concentration that she didn't notice someone calling her name until they shook her shoulder.
"Carter. Hey Carter!" A pair of deep brown eyes looked into her own. "General Hammond's talking to you."
"Major? Are you all right?" She nodded at him mutely and he turned to Daniel and Teal'c. "Would you two be prepared to go back to P2X-959? You will certainly encounter resistance and you will be putting your lives at risk. I want you to understand that this is not an order and no one will blame you if you refuse."
The rest of SG1 looked at each other blankly. He didn't even have to ask.
"Yes General Hammond I accept. I can only hope that the next time I see you O'Neill, I will have the key to your recovery in my hand. There is no time to waste. You are a true warrior O'Neill." Said Teal'c as he pulled him into a one-armed hug and then strode out. Sam saw a surprised but deep gratitude in O'Neill's eyes.
"We'll be back soon Jack," said Daniel. He smiled grimly at them and then he too walked out the infirmary.
"You can see them off from the control room in five." The general followed them.
* * *
The gate began to dial in. The sound of chevrons locking echoed through the gate room and Daniel, Teal'c and SG3 stood in front of the great stone circle. Above them Sam, O'Neill and General Hammond watched them from the window of the control room.
The general put his mouth the microphone. "Teal'c and Daniel. SG3 have agreed to accompany you on this mission. You know your goal; find out what poison was used on the tips of the native crossbow bolts and bring back a sample." He stood back to let Janet speak.
"You need to at least bring back a poisoned bolt but ideally a specimen of the plant that the toxin is made from." She said hesitantly.
"Remember this mission is entirely voluntary so I want anyone who doesn't wish to participate to speak now," General Hammond asked gently. There was long, unbearable silence. The leader of SG3 grinned at O'Neill.
"Thank you." Said O'Neill quietly his voice faltering with an unusual show of emotion.
"We'll be back in no time Sir." The young Captain assured him. The Stargate engaged and the event-horizon splashed into place.
"Ok! I want no casualties SGC or otherwise people. Try to make contact with the natives and maybe you can convince them that you are friendly. The malp has shown there are no hostiles around the gate but be on your guard. If you're not back within forty-eight hours your codes will be locked out of the base computer. You have a go!" General Hammond barked.
With a backwards glance at Jack and Sam, Daniel and Teal'c followed SG3 into the blue infinity. Sam stole a fleeting look at him standing stiffly next to her. His face was stony but his eyes told a different story.
Back at the base Colonel O'Neill sat on the edge of an infirmary bed swinging his legs. Sam sat next to him, her crutches resting on her knees, Teal'c stood, as pokerfaced as ever and Daniel sat opposite him, twirling his fingers. Janet strode in and Sam could tell by the look on her face that the news wasn't good. She felt a familiar lurch in her stomach; SG1 had been in this situation too many times.
"Colonel," she said. "I've had the results of your blood test analysed and a... a toxin has been detected in your blood. The crossbow bolt that hit you must have been poisoned and your headaches and nausea are the first symptoms." Sam went cold.
"How can it be treated Doctor?" Said General Hammond with a hint of hope.
"Well..." She paused and looked at O'Neill. "It's a type I've never seen before. It probably doesn't even exist on Earth but from chemical analysis I can tell that it's makeup is organic. It's almost certainly derived from a plant. However until we know exactly which one and a sample of it is brought back then an antidote cannot be made." Suddenly the barriers of strength and reassurance that Janet, as a doctor, kept around her began to show cracks. "I'm sorry but if someone doesn't go back to the planet then... You will die," she said to the Colonel who stared into the middle distance.
"How long do we have?" General Hammond asked.
"Since the Colonel..." She glanced at Daniel. "...Reported the symptoms so early, I estimate two, maybe three, days."
Sam's world began to glaze over. She could hear the general talking but she wasn't listening, all she could focus on was O'Neill who was just sat there, his long fingers turning a medical instrument over and over in his hands. She felt as if she couldn't breathe and she could hear her heart beating loudly in the silence of her mind. She was frozen, her brain racing over each possibility with such concentration that she didn't notice someone calling her name until they shook her shoulder.
"Carter. Hey Carter!" A pair of deep brown eyes looked into her own. "General Hammond's talking to you."
"Major? Are you all right?" She nodded at him mutely and he turned to Daniel and Teal'c. "Would you two be prepared to go back to P2X-959? You will certainly encounter resistance and you will be putting your lives at risk. I want you to understand that this is not an order and no one will blame you if you refuse."
The rest of SG1 looked at each other blankly. He didn't even have to ask.
"Yes General Hammond I accept. I can only hope that the next time I see you O'Neill, I will have the key to your recovery in my hand. There is no time to waste. You are a true warrior O'Neill." Said Teal'c as he pulled him into a one-armed hug and then strode out. Sam saw a surprised but deep gratitude in O'Neill's eyes.
"We'll be back soon Jack," said Daniel. He smiled grimly at them and then he too walked out the infirmary.
"You can see them off from the control room in five." The general followed them.
* * *
The gate began to dial in. The sound of chevrons locking echoed through the gate room and Daniel, Teal'c and SG3 stood in front of the great stone circle. Above them Sam, O'Neill and General Hammond watched them from the window of the control room.
The general put his mouth the microphone. "Teal'c and Daniel. SG3 have agreed to accompany you on this mission. You know your goal; find out what poison was used on the tips of the native crossbow bolts and bring back a sample." He stood back to let Janet speak.
"You need to at least bring back a poisoned bolt but ideally a specimen of the plant that the toxin is made from." She said hesitantly.
"Remember this mission is entirely voluntary so I want anyone who doesn't wish to participate to speak now," General Hammond asked gently. There was long, unbearable silence. The leader of SG3 grinned at O'Neill.
"Thank you." Said O'Neill quietly his voice faltering with an unusual show of emotion.
"We'll be back in no time Sir." The young Captain assured him. The Stargate engaged and the event-horizon splashed into place.
"Ok! I want no casualties SGC or otherwise people. Try to make contact with the natives and maybe you can convince them that you are friendly. The malp has shown there are no hostiles around the gate but be on your guard. If you're not back within forty-eight hours your codes will be locked out of the base computer. You have a go!" General Hammond barked.
With a backwards glance at Jack and Sam, Daniel and Teal'c followed SG3 into the blue infinity. Sam stole a fleeting look at him standing stiffly next to her. His face was stony but his eyes told a different story.