Sam peered down through the lens of her microscope, adjusting the focus little by little until the droplets of blood in the petrie dish came into focus. 'Fascinating,' she thought. 'If only I knew what I was looking at.'
Biology had never been one of her favourite subjects, but she had picked up enough over the years to feel qualified to assist in looking for a cure. A handful of doctors and scientists had arrived from Earth and set up shop in two of the alien hospital's laboratories, where they were studying the blood samples taken from the infected and the immune, and performing autopsies on those who had died of the disease. So far, they'd found no clues that might lead to a cure, but they kept on working diligently, confident that the answer would come to them eventually.
At least, they were confident on the outside. Sam could see all too well, however, that they were secretly beginning to think that they weren't going to find a cure for this disease - especially not in time to do Daniel any good.
"How are you doing, Major?"
Sam turned to look over her shoulder at Dr. James, the doctor who was overseeing the research team. "Well, to be honest, I have no idea what I'm looking at here," Sam replied. She scooted her chair aside so that he could access the microscope easily.
Dr. James took a quick look. "Ah, this is one of the samples from the infected." He picked up the container Sam had taken the specimen from and checked the label. His face drained of what little colour it had and he placed it quickly back down on the table. "It's Dr. Jackson's," he said, avoiding making eye contact with her.
Sam swallowed hard and wheeled her chair back into place in order to take another look. "So, are those..." she made a vague gesture with her hand, not knowing how to describe the odd looking cells floating around in Daniel's blood.
"That's the virus, yes."
Sam looked up at him, puzzled. "Doesn't look much like a virus."
"No, that's the strange thing. It doesn't look like anything I've ever seen before. It has properties similar to snake's venom, but at the same time, it's almost like a form of parasite, literally feeding on brain cells and attacking the nervous system. It only takes one microscopic organism to infect a body, and as soon as it reaches the brain it begins to feed and multiply. Once a certain number of these organisms are present in the brain..." He shrugged, not needing to finish his sentence.
"So... if it's brain cells that they feed on, and the immune system can't seem to do anything to stop them, how is it that some people are immune?"
"I only wish I knew, Major," Dr. James replied. He rubbed a hand across his weary face and leaned back against the table. "I can't find any significant differences between the blood of the infected and that of the immune. I must be missing something somewhere, but I'm damned if I know what or how to find it."
Sam laid a reassuring hand on his arm. "Just relax, Taylor. The answer's there somewhere. We'll find it."
He sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Sam," he said, using her given name for only the second time in all the years they had been working together at the SGC. "Even if we do find it... I just don't think it'll be in time to help Dr. Jackson."
Sam nodded slowly. "I know. But that doesn't mean we stop trying."
Dr. James studied her face for a moment, and Sam kept her expression calm and her gaze level until he gave her a quick nod in return. "Yes, ma'am," he said, forcing a smile. Then he turned on his heel and went back to his research station.
Sam only wished she felt as confident as she pretended to be. "Keep on trying," she murmured to herself as she turned her attention back to her microscope. "If at first you don't succeed..."
The answer would come. It had to.
Dark. So dark.
And hot. Too hot.
Heat... burning... fire... Netu.
"We've come to see Bynarr!"
No, Sam... don't go with him... he wants to kill you...
"You shall call me Na'onak no longer. From this day forth I will reclaim my real name... Apophis."
No...
"What?"
No, I'm not telling you...
"Ah, come on. You know me, I just can't remember."
No.
"You told me before."
NO!
This is not real...
This isn't happening...
"The Stargate uses space-time to create a wormhole that allows us to travel across great distances, it doesn't take you to an alternate reality."
Alternate reality?
"Time's up!"
The gate is spinning... not dialing fast enough... COME ON!
"Auto destruct in one minute."
Teal'c... no... so close... gotta run for it!
Staff blast... pain... hurts so bad... burning hot...
"Daniel, watch our backs."
Jack!!
"Daniel! Dammit!"
I'll be dead anyway, just get out of here.
"I am not leaving you here, Daniel."
Get out of here! You're just going to blow up with the other ship anyway, what difference does it make? Go! Just go! I'll stay and watch your back.
Stay and watch your back... can I make it to the sarcophagus?
Arms won't move... I'm not gonna make it... I'm dying... oh God! I'm dying!
I have to go back!!
Whatever it takes... I have to go back... I have to use the sarcophagus or I'll die!
I'm going back!
"You don't have to! Fraiser says you're getting better."
She's lying!!
Her hands are on me... that damn pen light again... I hate her... why won't she just let me GO?
One hand is free... if I wait for just the right moment...
"Okay, Daniel..."
Grab her! Toss her aside and escape!
No!!
Just do it!
NO!!
Janet! Don't come near me! Please! I don't want to hurt you!
Screaming... she's screaming... I made her scream... I hurt Janet... I'm so sorry, Janet... so sorry... forgive me!
Getting dark again... why is it always so dark... monsters live in the dark... Goa'ulds are monsters... please... don't let it get dark again...
Eyes flashing in the darkness... Goa'ulds everywhere...
Somebody help me!!!
"The sedative is wearing off, Colonel. Brace yourself."
"Can't you give him more?"
Fraiser shook her head sadly. "I'm afraid not, Sir. Any more right now would be dangerous. He's going to have to ride it out until his system can safely handle another dose."
Jack couldn't help but shoot her a look of shocked disgust at her calm, accepting attitude. He knew she hated to see Daniel this way just as much or more than he did, though, so he didn't argue the point.
"Dark... so dark... hot... too hot..."
Jack bent over closer to Daniel's face to try to make out what he was saying. "It's okay, Daniel. Just hang in there, buddy." He gently wiped Daniel's sweat-soaked face with a cool cloth.
"What's he saying?" Fraiser asked, almost as though she was afraid to hear the answer.
"He says he's hot. I think his fever's rising."
Fraiser didn't hesitate for a second - she immediately turned away to prepare a syringe of... whatever the hell it was she was giving these poor people. Not that it was doing them much good by the looks of things...
"Netu!" Daniel gasped, his entire body going rigid with fear.
"Not Netu, Daniel. Fever. You've got a fever, that's all. Stay with me here."
Jack knew that it was pointless trying to reason with the man, but he couldn't just stand there doing nothing. He ached with sympathy for his friend when it became obvious that he was reliving their venture into "Hell." Jack knew what flashbacks were all about, and to have them accompanied with delirium... well, it wasn't a pretty prospect.
"No, Sam... don't go with him... he wants to kill you..."
Fraiser nudged him aside and emptied the needle's contents into Daniel's IV line. "That should hopefully keep his temperature down to a manageable level. Keep up with the cold compresses, though, Colonel. You're doing good."
"I don't feel like I'm doing good," Jack said through clenched teeth. He watched as Daniel thrashed his head back and forth on his pillow and muttered incoherently. "I feel like I'm doing squat, to tell you the truth."
The doctor had just opened her mouth to respond when Daniel let out a strangled cry. "NO! This is not real..."
Jack laid his hand on Daniel's shoulder. "That's right, Daniel. It's not real. Fight through it."
"Colonel..."
"He knows, Doc. He knows what's going on. He's gonna be okay." Jack kept his eyes averted from Fraiser's as he repeated the mantra to himself over and over. "He's gonna be okay."
Fraiser didn't bother trying to set him straight. She simply took a deep breath and moved away to work on another of her patients. Jack could tell without even looking at her that she was close to tears.
Daniel was still babbling, his words all jumbled together and impossible to understand. Jack swiped his friend's face and neck with the damp cloth again in an attempt to wipe off the sweat that was pouring off him and soaking the sheets underneath him. It didn't really help - as soon as he wiped it off, more perspiration beads appeared on Daniel's skin. Jack could feel the intense heat emanating from him even through the latex gloves he was wearing.
"COME ON!"
Jack jumped at Daniel's sudden outcry. "Daniel?"
"Teal'c... no... so close... gotta run for it!" Daniel was growing more and more restless with every word he spoke, his breathing shallow and uneven.
"Doc?" Jack called, not daring to pry his eyes away from his friend for even a moment to see if she was still nearby.
Suddenly, Daniel cried out in pain. His body arched as though he was trying to throw himself forward but was held back by his restraints.
"Ah! Hurts so bad... burning hot..."
Fraiser appeared at Jack's side just as another frightened cry burst from Daniel's throat. "Jack!!"
"I'm right here, Daniel," Jack tried to reassure him, but he knew his friend couldn't hear him.
"I'd better administer the sedative now. I can't stand to..."
Jack glanced over at Fraiser as her voice trailed off, and he nodded in understanding at what she'd been about to say. He turned his attention back on Daniel as she moved away to fetch the medicine.
"I'll be dead anyway, just get out of here."
Jack's blood froze in his veins as he heard those familiar words. "Ah, Daniel..."
"Get out of here! You're just going to blow up with the other ship anyway, what difference does it make? Go!" Daniel began to go limp as he repeated the words that had been haunting Jack's nightmares ever since they'd had this conversation over five years earlier. "Just go! I'll stay and watch your back."
"You bet you will, Daniel," Jack whispered. "It's what you do best... saving all our asses when the going gets rough."
"...sarcophagus..." Daniel was saying. "Arms won't move... I'm not gonna make it... I'm dying... oh, God! I'm dying!" His mournful wail sent a chill down Jack's spine.
"Step aside, Colonel," Fraiser said.
Jack did as he was told.
Before Fraiser could administer the drug, however, Daniel started thrashing again and tugging at his restraints. "I'm going back!" he cried, his eyes open wide but unseeing.
The wild look on Daniel's face was enough to tell Jack what memory he was reliving now - sarcophagus withdrawal. "God, Daniel..." he murmured.
"She's lying!!"
"Colonel, hold him down. He's going to rip out his IV again if he keeps this up."
"I hate her... why won't she just let me GO?" Daniel yanked at his retraints so hard as punctuation to his sentence that his bonds came undone and one arm flew free.
"Whoa!" Jack gasped as he was shoved aside with such force that he was nearly knocked off his feet.
"Daniel! Calm down, it's okay... Daniel!" Fraiser's fear and concern made her voice shake as she tried in vain to calm the man down.
"Can we get some help over here?" Jack called as he grabbed for the flailing arm with no success.
"NO!!" Daniel screamed, seemingly torn between anger and panic.
Two of Brom's aides hurried over to help, pinning Daniel down as Fraiser tried to reinsert the IV line that Daniel had pulled loose.
"Janet! Don't come near me! Please! I don't want to hurt you!"
"Daniel, it's alright. I just have to..."
Jack didn't even see it coming until it had already happened. In all the effort to restrain the arm that had come free and attempting to keep Daniel's legs and body still as Dr. Fraiser did her work, no one had bothered to hold down the arm that was still restrained. With one tug of almost super-human strength, Daniel's unsecured arm swung free, and a split second later his fist impacted flesh with a sickening crack.
Fraiser screamed in pain and dropped to the floor.
To be continued...