He studied her face for another moment and then reached up to clasp her hand and let her help him up. They both knew that they needed to talk about this more, but not tonight. For now, survival took precedence.
- - -
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Ch 7: VANDI
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Hours earlier, on Sandara
"DanielJackson, you must wake up now," and Daniel opened blurry eyes to see the towering Jaffa standing over him.
"Wha-a-?" was all that the archeologist could manage at the moment.
"We must return to the SGC immediately," Teal'c replied imperturbably, as if his comrade was fully awake.
"Why?" Daniel finally started to get with the conscious world.
"Something is wrong with O'Neill," came the terse reply.
"Something's wrong with Jack?" and he sat up quickly. "Where is he?"
"GeneralO'Neill has returned to the SGC," Teal'c supplied.
"He left without us?" Now Daniel knew that something was wrong.
"Yes, he left a message for us with the High Councilor's adjutant. O'Neill was not feeling well last night and returned to Earth. He left instructions that we were to follow as soon as we were awake and ready to depart."
"Allright, give me a few minutes to get dressed and pack up. We should speak with the High Councilor before we leave," Daniel advised.
"I concur," the Jaffa returned while moving to a window as Daniel got up.
- - -
A few moments later and they heard knocking on the door. Teal'c answered while Daniel continued to pack.
"Sir, is Doctor Jackson with you?" asked Captain Swahija from SG-8.
"Yes, Captain," the Jaffa replied.
"Sir, Colonel Chavez needs to speak with the two of you in the High Councilor's office as soon as possible," the young officer informed him.
Daniel stepped into view with his pack. "We were just on our way there, Captain."
"Yes, sir, if you'll follow me," and Swahija turned and headed down the hallway. Teal'c picked up his bag and fell in step behind his teammate.
- - - - - -
Escorted into the large office by Captain Swahija, they found the rest of SG-8 and the High Councilor awaiting their arrival.
"Colonel Chavez," Daniel greeted the officer who nodded in return. "What brings you to Sandara?"
"We came to retrieve you and Teal'c," Chavez started with. "But we need to speak with the High Councilor first," and then he paused a beat before continuing. "General O'Neill returned to the SGC last night and then exhibited very unusual behavior. We need to determine if there was something on Sandara that was the cause."
Daniel started to shrug, but then a blush stole across his cheeks as he thought about how he'd spent the evening. Luckily for him, the High Councilor chose to speak up, "Colonel Chavez, I must apologize on behalf of the Sandaran peoples. Last Eve we celebrated our new alliance with the Tauri by sharing 'Vandi' with General O'Neill, Doctor Jackson and Teal'c." At this Daniel looked up in surprise while Teal'c merely raised an eyebrow.
"'Vandi'?" the Colonel repeated.
"Yes, Vandi is a powerful aphrodisiac which enhances feelings of love and desire. Vandi is a rare substance on our planet and we only partake of its benefits a few times each 92 years. While both Doctor Jackson and Teal'c apparently reacted normally to the Vandi," and here all of SG-8 stared openly at the two men in question, "unfortunately, General O'Neill appeared to experience adverse reactions. I must apologize profusely for my people. We were unaware that anyone had ever had a negative reaction to Vandi."
Colonel Chavez tore his attention from Jackson and Teal'c to study the High Councilor thoughtfully. "Can you tell us anything else about this 'Vandi'? It's a... love potion?"
The High Councilor took on a look of admonishment, "Vandi is nothing so crude, Colonel. Vandi normally allows a more free expression of love between mates, it enhances desires and... well... it enhances the sexual experience. As I explained to General O'Neill, Vandi does not turn our people into nymphomaniacs looking for an orgy. Usually, each person seeks out his or her mate... and they have a...wonderful evening. The unmated seek out like-minded souls and enjoy a partnership for the evening. Quite often, these... experiences lead to betrothals and marriage. When we inquired earlier, neither General O'Neill, Dr. Jackson or Teal'c said that they were currently promised or wedded to anyone."
"Ri-ight," Colonel Chavez responded. "And you don't have any experience with any negative reactions to this 'Vandi'?" The officer reiterated for clarification.
"I could ask our doctors and historians, but I do not know of any myself," the High Councilor replied. "It would help if I could tell them what General O'Neill is currently experiencing."
"Yes Colonel, what's wrong with Jack?" Daniel asked, hoping that Chavez had clearance to speak about it in front of the Sandaran official.
Chavez studied the High Councilor for a moment and then glanced at Daniel. "General O'Neill returned to the SGC last night where he assembled some unidentified supplies and then he gated to one of our safe sites. A little while later, he gated into the new Alpha Site," and both Daniel and Teal'c jerked their heads up a notch at that and Chavez could see the gears turning in both men's minds. "He zatted and lightly tranqued the SFs and technicians on duty, and then took an unconscious Colonel Carter with him when he gated back to the safe site."
Chavez stopped to let the two men of SG-1 and the Sandaran official digest this information. The two men of SG-1 looked stunned. The Sandaran looked thoughtful. Continuing, "After notification of the incident at the new Alpha Site, Colonel Collins sent SG-4 to the safe site. They didn't find any trace of the General or the Colonel. They did, however, discover that most of the supplies cached at the safe site were gone."
"Gentlemen, are General O'Neill and Colonel Carter... in a personal relationship?" the Sandaran strove to keep to diplomatic wording.
Chavez deferred to the two men of SG-1. Daniel could feel the eyes of the other SG-8 soldiers on him as he answered, "No, they are not. We four of SG-1 have been a team for many years and we share deep, personal bonds, however, General O'Neill and Colonel Carter have never been anything less than professional." Teal'c nodded somberly.
"Well, perhaps they have feelings for each other that neither you nor they have openly acknowledged," the Sandaran suggested softly. "That would explain much regarding the General's behavior and symptoms last Eve. If he subconsciously knew who he truly wished for a mate, and that person was not here, then that might explain his extreme feelings of unrest."
"Do your people do this sort of thing? Abduct people when under the influence of this 'Vandi'?" Chavez kept all accusation out of his tone and tried to stick to a demeanor of curiosity and concern. Daniel was impressed by the military officer's restraint.
"No... but then our mates are not on other planets. And there are many unmated who are willing during the festivities, so if one's initial choice is taken or does not reciprocate..., there are others...," the High Councilor explained patiently, if a bit naively.
They spent another hour speaking with the High Councilor and some of the leading Sandaran doctors and historians. No one was aware of a Sandaran reaction to Vandi that resembled O'Neill's. The consensus was that there was something in the difference in physiologies between the Sandarans and the Tauri... something different that reacted adversely with the Vandi. Of course, they repeatedly pointed out that Daniel and Teal'c, however, had reacted 'normally.' Daniel blushed each time, and as the hour wore on, he caught the members of SG-8 smirking at the two men of SG-1.
Finally, they decided to return to the SGC to check on the status of the investigation at that end. The Sandarans promised to continue to delve into their historical records for any information that might be helpful or relevant.
Back at the SGC, Daniel, Teal'c, SG-8, Sgt. Siler and a few technicians assembled in the briefing room where Colonel Collins was acting commander of the SGC. They had watched security tapes showing O'Neill's arrival and departure from the SGC, as well as his arrival and departure (with Carter's unconscious form) from the new Alpha Site.
Daniel was greatly disturbed by the images of his friend's face. There had been a burning intensity of purpose that scared the archeologist a bit. He really didn't believe that Jack would harm Sam, but he also didn't know what the Sandaran's Vandi was doing to the man.
Jack O'Neill had been through so much in the past 8 years. Altered by Ancient technology and then back again by the Asgards... aged a lifetime in a few days on Argos... transferred into first Teal'c's and then Daniel's body before getting back to his own, thanks to Machello... oh, and uploaded into the Asgard mainframe of the ship DanielJackson...memory wiped to become Jonah...Hathor had made him a Jaffa and given him a symbiote pouch... thank goodness for that sarcophagus... too bad it got blown up... taken over by that alien intelligence in that sphere that had pinned him to the wall... temporarily taken over by Anubis' wandering malevolent spirit... Hathor had also put a symbiote into him... which had been cryogenically killed before blending... and then there'd been the Tokra symbiote Kanan who'd abandoned him to Ba'al's tender ministrations... he'd had his mind probed by Humanoid Replicators...and the list went on.
Daniel knew that Jack O'Neill was an intense man, one of deep convictions and deep feelings. But the Jack O'Neill that Daniel was familiar with was in control and always had himself under tight reign. Oh, he may mouth-off and act irreverent around any of TPTB (The Powers That Be), but Jack O'Neill always maintained control over the hidden depths of his being.
That man on the security tapes, however, had lost some of that control. Inner desires and needs were being allowed to dictate actions and events. And that scared the archeologist.
"Any ideas where O'Neill may have gone?" Colonel Collins repeated his question to shake Jackson out of his reverie.
"Um, what?... Sorry...," Daniel apologized.
"I do not know where GeneralO'Neill may have gone," Teal'c replied in his deep tones and Collins nodded and turned back to Jackson.
Catching on, Daniel replied, "Neither do I, at least not off the top of my head. Teal'c and I can brainstorm that if you'll give us a couple of hours, though."
Collins nodded his agreement and then asked, "What do you think he'll do? Do you think he could harm Colonel Carter?" He had to ask, it was his job.
Daniel took a breath before answering, so Teal'c spoke up, "I do not believe that O'Neill would ever intentionally cause any harm to SamanthaCarter. I am, however, unfamiliar with how this Vandi is reacting with O'Neill's unique physiology," the Jaffa honestly amended.
Daniel nodded, "I agree with Teal'c. Jack would never knowingly harm Sam, but the Vandi did something to him... something...," and he couldn't articulate what he didn't know so his voice trailed off.
Collins nodded again, "Let's just hope that either the Vandi wears off and the General brings them both home soon, or that Colonel Carter wakes up and can get in touch with us." And with that he summarized their best options.
Seventy-five minutes later and Daniel and Teal'c had assembled a list of potential planets that they knew of where a Jack-on-drugs might potentially seek harbor. The list included the Land of Light, Argos, Edora, the planet of the Nox, etc.
Colonel Collins tasked SG-4, 7 and 9 with the methodical search of the areas around the Stargates on these planets. They were to talk to the friendly indigenous people and ask for any information regarding the recent appearance of either of the two missing officers. On Daniel's recommendation, Colonel Chavez and SG-8 along with a couple of SGC medical personnel were sent back to Sandara to work with the Sandaran doctors and historians.
Over the next week, Daniel and Teal'c accompanied various teams to different planets. Searching and speaking with the natives. But no sign of the missing officers was found.
A message was sent to the Asgard asking for their assistance, but no reply had returned yet.
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TBC