Chapter Five

Some Not So Good Developments

Jack had radioed Carter to have her and Teal'c rendezvous at the base Fraiser had set up within the U'Tak'ans hospital. She had mentioned having critical information, which had surprised him. He knew Carter did fast work but that was really fast.

Once they had arrived at the cities edge, Jack had let Ka'ta go with a warning that he wanted to talk with him later. He and Daniel had headed over to Fraiser, both feeling relief at having some answers, although the information created more questions. What game was Boch playing?

"Colonel?" Carter called. She was sitting in a chair next to Fraiser, who was sipping a drink of something.

"Is that coffee?" Jack asked hopeful. Day was turning to night and his stomach growled, reminding him he had not eaten since before they left the SGC.

Daniel reached for Janet's cup, only to snatch his hand back as she slapped his hand way, "Get your own." She said, "Coffee's over there, you can thank Sam, she made it."

Jack and Daniel headed towards a carafe, and grabbed cups that were set around the tray, quickly pouring a steaming cup. Daniel took a long drink, and smiled, "If you weren't all ready my favorite, you would be now."

Janet smiled fondly at the two, "When's the last time you ate anything?"

Jack took another long appreciative sip, "A while."

"Then I think dinner is in order." She got up and reached into a black cargo box, and pulled out MRE's. "Sorry it's not O'Malley's."

Everyone took an MRE, including Teal'c and settled into a chair. Carter set hers between her legs and cut open the top with her utility knife, "Sir, I think I might know who gave them information on us."

Jack was working on opening his package of crackers, and having little success. Teal'c reached across, took his crackers, and opened the package with a quick tear, handing them back to O'Neill. Jack took the crackers, "Thanks Teal'c."

"You are welcome O'Neill."

Jack took a cracker out and regarded it with a mixture of dislike and hunger, "Boch."

"What?" Carter was stirring her main entrée, some type of ravioli meat mixture.

"It was Aris Boch. We got Cat boy to fess up." Jack took a bite, "Apparently Boch threatened retribution." Jack emphasized retribution, which was rather difficult with a mouth full of crackers.

"I thought he helped you guys on that planet?" Janet said, surprised.

"He did." Daniel took a hesitant sniff of his meal, then looked back at Janet, "But he's a bounty hunter for the Goa'uld. It's hard to say what he's been up to since then."

"I do not believe he would have acted dishonorably against us." Teal'c took a bite of something that looked like a corndog.

Jack looked at his food, then at Teal'c's, "Why didn't I get the corndog?"

"Focus Jack." Daniel kind of wished he had gotten the corndog also. "Boch. Was he trying to help, or some other ulterior motive?"

Jack chewed more of his crackers, and washed them down with more coffee, "I'm with Teal'c. Doesn't make sense that he was out to cause problems. But..." Jack waggled a cracker, "Good intentions aside, he has known ties to the Goa'uld. This could be a set-up, especially the timing, we arrive..."

"...Right when access to the gate is cut-off." Daniel finished, not liking the implications.

Janet had been watching the interplay, amazed at seeing SG-1 in their element. These people had become her friends, and though she knew they faced dangers every time they headed out, she had a new appreciation for why they continued to make it back after all this time while other teams suffered losses.

"Should we be worried about a Mother ship dropping by?" She asked, not relishing the thought of being thrown into a battle. She was a doctor, not a warrior. She could wield a gun but that didn't mean she wanted to.

"Maybe. Possibly." Daniel peered at Sam's dessert, "You going to eat that?" She got M&M's and he had skittles. He didn't like skittles, too chewy.

Sam tossed him the M&M's and he threw the skittles over. "I think we should be prepared."

Jack reached over and snatched an M&M from Daniel after he ripped the package open, "One thing the Goa'uld are is predictable. If they're involved, they'll show pretty soon."

Teal'c opened his pack of M&M's, and after drilling O'Neill with a firm look, warning him to keep his hands out of his dessert, he said, "I believe O'Neill is correct. If a Gou'ald is behind these events, they will reveal themselves soon."

Jack was pondering a way to sneak more of Daniel's M&M's since he had gotten some kind of peanut butter bar, not even as good as skittles, when a stabbing pain shot through his head. He rocked forward in his chair, surprised by the sudden onslaught, "Ow!"

Janet looked at him, "Colonel?"

Jack straightened, the pain receding as quickly as it had arrived, "It's nothing. Headache." He muttered, embarrassed to find everyone staring at him.

Janet didn't look like she believed him, but she didn't say anything else. Sam suddenly jumped out of her chair, "I forgot!"

"Major?" Jack couldn't imagine Carter forgetting anything.

"The disk. Teal'c, do you have it?" Sam watched Teal'c as he removed a small circular data disk from one of his pockets, "Thanks." She took the disk and headed over to an U'Tak'an machine along the wall.

Daniel watched her move across the room, his bag of candy held low, forgotten, "What's that?"

"When I was studying the readings from the earthquake, Sa'at, the U'Tak'an who was helping, confessed they were given a data disk on our people." She slid the disk in and punched a button. A voice began speaking, and it was in a language they were painfully aware of, "Goa'uld." Sam said, confirmation that there was something very bad happening here.

"Crap." Jack swore, and tossed the remains of his MRE in a trashcan. He was returning to his chair when another blinding wave of pain struck his head and spread down his body, lightning fast. He wavered and started to fall, only to have Teal'c catch him, easing him down.

"Colonel!" This time Janet was up and hovering over him within seconds.

"I don't think it's just a headache." Daniel said flatly, concern etching a weary line across his forehead.

Jack let his head fall back against Teal'c's legs, "This can't be good." He muttered, the pain beginning to recede.
"He's resting." Janet announced. She had left Colonel O'Neill lying in a makeshift infirmary. Since the last episode he had remained pain-free, but she wanted him to take it easy, and despite his protests, had insisted he stay down.

"Do you know what caused it?" Daniel figured Jack hadn't stayed in bed easily.

Janet shook her head, "Not yet. I took some blood samples. We'll go from there. Could be nothing more than a really bad headache."

Sam was reading Janet's body language, "You think it might be what's happening to the U'Tak'ans?"

Janet didn't answer. The silence answered for her. Daniel sighed, "Can I go sit with him?"

She nodded, "But Daniel, remember, he's sleeping. I want him to stay that way."

Daniel jerked his head that he heard her, and headed off to find a seat by Jack's side. He couldn't help her run tests but he could keep Jack company, even if it was more for his benefit than Jack's.
"Daniel." Janet whispered, leaning towards the man slumped in a chair, "Daniel." She called a little louder the second time.

Daniel dropped the foot that had been propped on one knee, jerking into wakefulness, "What?" He slurred.

"We need to talk."

Daniel snapped into alertness, and studied Janet's face. She was worried. "What's wrong?"

"Not here." She said, looking pointedly at the sleeping figure of O'Neill.

Daniel stood, about to leave, when a gravely voice startled them both, "I'm awake Doc."

Janet looked like she wanted to smack something, clearly not wanting to reveal her findings to Jack. "How do you feel?" She asked, neutrally.

Jack opened his eyes, a deep brown, and very tired, "Tired." He admitted.

Janet's face softened, "I know." She was debating what to say.

"Spill it. You've discovered something." Jack didn't have the energy to play three rounds of guess what the Doc was hiding.

Janet sighed, might as well get it over with, she thought. She pulled up a chair, and gestured for Daniel to sit back down, "I know what's causing your symptoms."

"And?" Jack pressed.

"It's the same thing affecting the U'Tak'ans."

Jack let his eyes close. "You said it wasn't contagious."

"I was wrong." Janet wanted to break something out of frustration, "It isn't. Really. Something is triggering this, we just don't know what."

Daniel had been sitting quietly, listening to the bad news with growing disgust, "Are the rest of us going to start having symptoms?"

Janet nodded miserably, "I think so. It'll probably start with your four first, then progress to myself and the medical research team."

"I get to be first. How fun." Jack muttered, "I take it that's why I'm so tired?"

"Yes. The cells are mutating, hence the pain you experienced...then the tiredness happens because the mutated cells aren't functioning properly." Janet explained, "I do have a few things I want to try. It might help."

"Have you tested it on one of them first?" Daniel asked, hoping to get good news.

"Yes, and it seems to be helping. We are flooding the body with massive amounts of a vitamin cocktail aimed at repairing and aiding cellular growth and reproduction. It's not reversing the condition but it has slowed it dramatically."

"Vitamins?" Jack said, incredulous, "If I take One-A-Day I'll be all better?"

"Not better, but hopefully not as bad."

Jack wanted to be back on his feet, but he knew in his current condition he wouldn't make it. He could barely keep his eyes open, "Do it."

"It has to be administered by IV, but only takes about twenty minutes for the bag to run through." She cautioned, knowing he wouldn't want more needles.

"Any excuse to poke me full of holes..."

"Be right back." Janet hurried out before he could work into a full tantrum.