"Okay, let's go! Let's move him over here!"
Janet's voice rose above the din of the infirmary, as her aides struggled to make room for her next patient. Even though Janet had been warned well in advance, she still could not believe it.
Five Daniel Jacksons.
When the three from the planet entered the infirmary, she realized just how unprepared she was for them. Gawking at the men as they hovered near the door, anxiously awaiting news on their…father, she was amazed to find how identical they were.
Janet shook her head, snapping herself out of her stare. Back to business, she hurried alongside the stretcher as Daniel—the presumed original—was brought into the room.
Just in a moment's glance, Janet knew things were not good. His skin was far too pale and even his hair was lack luster. His whole body was missing that healthy glow he seemed to possess.
"Right here. Over here," she said, motioning to the bed she had prepared for him. "Just set him down gently."
Doctor Porter nodded, directing the aides to shift his body from the stretcher onto the bed. Quickly, Janet pulled out her stethoscope, pressing it against his skin. He whimpered, a probable reaction from the touch of the cool metal. Careful, she listened to the rhythm of his heart, and the rumbling of his chest.
That did not sound good.
Janet snapped her fingers and motioned for an IV and oxygen tank. "I'm going to need a nebulizer," she called out.
"A nebulizer?" Colonel O'Neill asked, pushing his way into the room. "Doc? What's going on?"
"I'm sorry, Colonel. I can't go into it right now." She sighed, watching the three others that SG-1 had brought through the Stargate. Focus…"I need to get him stabilized first."
"Is he going to be alright?" one of the Daniel doubles asked.
Janet frowned, not really knowing how to respond to them. She had found it easier to respond to the other Daniel, the childlike one, who was currently with General Hammond. But at that time, she hadn't known there were more of him.
"I hope so," she said. "But I need some room to work."
He nodded and she watched as one of the others tugged him away, pulling him out of the path of one of the nurses. Again, Janet found herself speechless, gaping after them, before she was finally able to recover.
"Doctor, I need for you to start an initial exam on the gentlemen that were brought through the Stargate. I also need SG-1 reexamined as well."
"Sure thing," Doctor Porter said, raising his arms and pointing to the adjoining room. "Come with me, gentlemen. Colonel, Major, Teal'c, right this way."
"But I am well," she heard Teal'c say.
"Janet, you will call us—"
"Yes," she replied curtly to Sam, fitting the mask over Daniel's mouth. As she proceeded to fit him with the IV line, she took a moment to glance up and catch the expressions of her friends and fellow coworkers.
She wished she hadn't.
"I promise," she told them in her most reassuring voice. "As soon as you've been examined and I have Daniel stabilized, you can come back."
That seemed to placate them. Finally, they followed Doctor Porter in the next room, leaving Janet and her aides alone to do their work.
With a heavy sigh, Janet tore her eyes off Daniel, taking the opportunity to glance over his vitals.
The good news was that, at least right now, whatever was wrong with him didn't seem to be life threatening. Though, she reminded herself she wasn't entirely sure just what she was dealing with, and she didn't want to make any assumptions before she was sure.
The bad news was that the alien substance had permeated his skin, and the chemical seemed to be in his bloodstream. She had also found trace amounts of the substance in his mouth and lungs, which appeared to be the cause of his bronchial tubes constricting abnormally.
Add a fever and dehydration to the list and Daniel Jackson had proven once again that misfortune followed him around like a puppy.
Sighing again, she moved over to his side, straightening his blankets. She was satisfied that he no longer shook, and that the scrubs and blankets had seemed to soothe some of the distress he had had etched into his face.
Smiling softly, she reached over and brushed some of the hair off his forehead, and pressed her hand against his cheek. He was still warm, but he wasn't quite as pale. That was a good sign within itself.
"Janet?"
She glanced up, finding Kevin Porter standing in the doorway. Patiently, he waited, his long frame leaning causally against the entranceway.
"Kevin," she said, forcing a smile. "You have good news, I hope?"
He smiled back. "Initial evaluations show that SG-1 is perfectly fine. I had some blood samples taken, though, and I'm just awaiting the lab results."
She nodded. So whatever happened to Daniel was an isolated case, it seemed. "And what of the others?"
Kevin chuckled nervously. "I don't know what to say. I've never seen anything like it." He motioned to Daniel with a flick of his wrist. "They all look like him. Even sound like him. They're identical to Doctor Jackson in every way."
"Sometimes appearances can be deceiving," Janet cautioned. "Once, SG-1 was duplicated in robotic form. They couldn't even tell the difference."
"Well, that's the obvious distinction in this case. None of them claim to be Doctor Jackson. Well, at least, as we know him." Kevin shook his head. "They all call themselves Daniel Jackson but acknowledge that they aren't the Daniel Jackson. It's the most bizarre thing I have ever seen."
"Wait a while," she said wryly. "Once you're here long enough, you'll take that statement back."
He smiled. "I bet I will." Then, he cleared his throat, standing a little straighter. "I did have blood samples taken of the others. Physically, they seemed in good health, though a couple of them had a low-grade fever. The results will be sent to Doctor Harlow for review. In the meantime, what are we going to do with them?"
"That will be General Hammond's call," she told him. "For now, you can bring them and SG-1 in here. I wouldn't advise releasing them outside of the infirmary until all their blood work comes back. That goes for SG-1 as well."
Kevin nodded. "Great. I'll go get them and send SG-1 right in."
"Thank you, Doctor."
Janet mentally prepared herself for the influx of people.
"So, what's the story, Doc?" Colonel O'Neill asked as he led the parade into the infirmary.
She noticed he looked haggard, as did they all, with his face drawn and his eyes heavy. On some level, she could understand his distress. Colonel O'Neill wasn't one to express his emotions easily, opting to keep his deeper thoughts locked inside. She assumed it was not only due to his rank in the military, but also his intense training in Special Ops. Situations which involved those closest to him…She sighed. He walked that fine line.
Just like herself. Being a doctor meant she had to keep her emotions in check at all times, no matter who was involved. But, when that person was far more than just a patient…
She cleared her throat. "He's stable," Janet stated, stroking Daniel's arm lightly. "But he appears to be fighting off some kind of infection."
"Just like the other Daniel," Sam commented.
"Like the other Daniels," Janet corrected her. "Based on Doctor Porter's initial results, four of the five have experienced similar symptoms. It's my guess the fifth did as well, but has since recovered."
"Then we have no way of determining which is the real Daniel Jackson," Teal'c stated.
Janet shook her head. "Not at this time, no. Initial blood work shows they have the same chemical, but I'm waiting on analysis from Doctor Harlow to conclude if this Daniel, and the others you brought through the Stargate, have alien DNA like the first one we tested." She paused, taking a moment to check his pulse. "The only information we have in determining who is who is the fact the others are adamant that he is the real one. I don't see anything deceptive in that claim, unless you have other information?"
Colonel O'Neill shook his head. "No, they were pretty forthcoming when they found out they all were going to get fed." He rubbed his chin. "And they all call him their father, for some reason."
Sam nodded. "Each one of them has expressed that same remark. I can't see how that is possible."
Janet was silent. That, too, was something that troubled her. She didn't know if the use of the term father was a code of sorts, or if all the Daniels were experiencing some sort of brain damage. It could also be some sort of mind control, for all they knew.
"I am sure we will have more answers when DanielJackson is conscious once again," Teal'c remarked.
"That might take some time," Janet warned. "Until then, we…"
She allowed her voice to trail off as Kevin Porter ushered the three others into the room. From her assessment, they seemed nervous, shuffling their feet as they herded themselves into the corner. Though, she mused, they all expressed their nervousness in several ways that acutely reminded herself of Daniel. One kept his arms crossed and his head bowed. Another one picked at his fingertips. The third kept staring off into the distance, lost in thought. At least they all appeared clean and well kept, each one now clothed and groomed.
Kevin nodded with acknowledgement to Janet and SG-1 before he slipped out the room.
Janet was uncertain what to say. All three of the men kept glancing over to the Daniel that rested on the gurney, but none of them made the first move to speak. She could tell they wanted to, and this attachment they had to him piqued her curiosity, but at the same time she found the whole situation surreal.
Colonel O'Neill was the first to speak. "So, you all get something to eat?"
One of them nodded vigorously. "Doctor Porter gave us some soup. Chicken soup. It was only a small cup, so there wasn't much in it, but it was still very good. We really wanted some more, but he wouldn't let us." He paused, stretching his arms out. "Do you think we could have some more? What about a burger? Even better, how about steak? Ice cream? Ooh, let's go to Starbucks."
Janet stared, her gaze turning to Sam. She just smiled, shrugging her shoulders.
"'Friad not, Daniel…" Colonel O'Neill chewed his lip, his gaze bouncing from one to the other. "About the names…"
"No," another one said. "No." He waved his finger at O'Neill. "No more nicknames. I hate them."
The colonel glared back at him. "Who needs names, when you got that attitude. I can tell you apart just by the way you're acting."
Frowning, Janet scooted a little closer to the unconscious Daniel, watching the exchange closely. "I'm sorry," she stated. "I'm not following."
"Colonel O'Neill finds it amusing to give us little nicknames, instead of calling us by our given names," he answered bitterly.
"It is only a classification method," the third one, who had not yet spoken, said. "There is nothing derogatory about it."
"Yes, there is!" insisted the second who had spoken. "He doesn't see us as anything."
"No, he just gets confused easy," the first said.
Colonel O'Neill started at the comment, glaring at the man who had spoken. He didn't appear to mind, though, as he had now become fascinated with some chart she had on her wall.
She suddenly felt like her infirmary was getting a little crowded.
"Okay," she said at last. "Colonel, you've checked out fine. You, Sam and Teal'c are free to stay in one of the low-level quarantine rooms until every sample has returned." She shook her face when she received the colonel's long-suffering look. "It's just a precaution, Sir. You didn't have any trace of the chemical in your blood, but I'd rather wait until every test has come back."
"What about…?" Sam stopped, shooting an apologetic gaze over at the three standing Daniels. "I'm sorry. I'm not really sure what to call you."
"We're not creatures," one of them said calmly.
"Well, we're not calling you Daniel," Colonel O'Neill stated with a firm voice. He shrugged his shoulders, moving his hands in a circular fashion as he thought. "Alright, you, you're—" He stopped short, staring at the three. "Dan?"
The Daniel he was speaking to didn't seem all that impressed, but nodded anyway. "I suppose, if it helps make things less confusing. Though, couldn't you just tell us apart by our clothing? We could all wear something different."
Janet found herself staring at the one dubbed "Dan." Somehow, the name suited him. He was quiet, subdued, but highly aware.
"No," one of them said again, pointing at Colonel O'Neill. "He won't do that. That is too easy."
"Hey!" The colonel shouted. "I didn't ask for your opinion."
"Then don't call me by some stupid nickname. Not at all. I am Daniel."
"No, you're not."
"I am."
"You're not."
"Colonel…" Sam began.
The Daniel crossed his arms. "I won't respond to anything else."
"Fine. I'll call you Snarky. How do you like that?"
Daniel narrowed his eyes, but didn't say anything. Mumbling under his breath, he sat down on an empty gurney and stared at the wall.
"Yeah, right, pout…" O'Neill started to mumble.
"What did you say?" the one labeled "Snarky" asked hotly.
"Okay!" Janet called out finally. She'd had it. "Look, if you can't control your behavior in my infirmary, I'll have to ask you to leave."
"Fine. Fine." Jack exhaled, scrubbing the back of his head.
"Thank you," she said, glancing back at the screen and rechecking Daniel's pulse.
"Hey, what about me? What are you going to call me?" the nameless one said hopefully.
"I don't know." O'Neill shrugged, glancing at Janet, Sam and Teal'c for help. They just looked at him. He exhaled. "Uh, well what do you want to be called?"
"Excuse me?" The one that had been arguing with Jack stood. "You give him a choice but not me?" He then pointed to the companion by his side. "What about him? Maybe he doesn't want to be called Dan."
"No, its fine. If it makes him feel more comfortable. It's just a name."
"See?" Jack pointed triumphantly to Dan. "He gets it."
Daniel just rolled his eyes and turned away.
"Okay, that's great and all, but what about me?" The name-seeking Daniel grinned, eyeing Jack expectantly. "What about DJ? Or Jackson. Hey, that sounds cool. Like I am military or something. Can I be called Jackson?" He turned and walked to Teal'c, poking at his shoulder. "So, can I see Junior now?"
"No."
"But, why not? Say, let's go get some coffee."
Janet blinked. She had seen some strange things over the past few years at the SGC, but she was still having a difficult time grasping what was happening here. Teal'c and…Jackson continued to jump back and forth between conversations of food, Junior, and the Jaffa, while Jack and the other two argued or "discussed" their names. Sighing, Janet kept track on all of them, starting to feel uncomfortable with the direction their tones were taking.
Sam joined her by her side, her face just as distressed. "It's been like this since we arrived on the planet and the way back. You don't even want to know what happened with Benson."
"I'm actually a little concerned, Sam." Before Sam could ask her what she meant, Janet spoke to the room of occupants. "As much as I am sure you would like to stay in here with Daniel, I think it would best for you to take the conversation outside."
"Something wrong?" Colonel O'Neill asked, frowning.
"No, Sir." She watched the abrupt change in the behavior of the Daniels, as they quickly quieted, their full attention on Daniel. She gazed at them softly. "But, I want to keep a tranquil and healthy environment for him to recover."
"Oh," Jackson said softly.
"Can we do anything to help?" Dan asked.
"I just really need some room and space to monitor him," she said honestly. "And?"
"Doctor Fraiser?"
Janet looked to her right, standing taller as General Hammond entered the room. He brought with him an anxious Daniel, who was hiding behind his back. The sight broke her heart, and knowing that even though this man wasn't Daniel didn't seem to placate her unease.
She supposed the good news was that none of the others, as far as she knew, had any level of disablement as severe as the one that this Daniel had.
"General," she greeted him.
"How's he doing?"
"Stable, Sir, but he hasn't gained consciousness since he arrived through the Stargate."
He nodded, glancing at SG-1, the other Daniels, and then back at her. "Are we any closer to knowing what happened on that planet?"
She shook her head, deferring to Colonel O'Neill.
"Not yet, General." Colonel O'Neill stated, sending a wary glance over to the Daniels. "We haven't gotten that far yet."
"Well, if you'd concentrate on the task and get over this obsession with names…"
General Hammond cocked his head, turning his attention to the Daniel that had spoken. He had that air of authority about him, that unshakable strength, and once again Janet found herself at a loss wondering what the man was actually feeling and thinking.
"Is there something you'd like to share with us, son?"
The Daniel shook his head. "No, Sir," he mumbled under his breath.
"It wasn't meant as a reprimand," he said, tugging at the fifth Daniel to show himself from his hiding spot behind him. He gazed sternly at all his subordinates. "But I expect a full report on what happened on that planet."
"Yes, Sir," Colonel O'Neill said. He motioned over to the others. "And?"
"You realize you'll have to be confined until I figure out what to do with you." The other Daniel poked around from behind Hammond, peeking at the three standing across from him. "As far as I am concerned, you are an alien presence, and you have to understand that."
Dan nodded solemnly. "We do."
"Hi," the Daniel behind Hammond said shyly.
The three stared at him. "This is the other?" Dan asked.
"There's something wrong with him," the one that refused to be named stated, his mouth dropping open.
"How do you know that?" Janet asked him.
He shook his head. "I don't know. He's…just not supposed to be that way."
Intrigued, she stared at Colonel O'Neill. Again, he was at a loss for words.
The currently shy Daniel gasped suddenly, his eyes widening. "It's Daddy! You brought him back!"
Before Janet had a chance to process his words, he was upon her, nearly knocking her over as he attempted to climb onto the gurney with Daniel. Shocked, she tried to pull him off, worried that he would knock some of the equipment that was attached to Daniel, but the man would not budge. He might have the behavior of a child, but he had the physical strength of a grown man, a strength that not even herself with all her training could hold back on her own.
"Colonel! I need a hand!"
The gurney was shaking violently now and Janet feared the medical equipment would dislodge itself.
"No," the Daniel snapped, kicking at Janet. "I want to see him!"
She dodged the foot, darting away to the side, her eyes scanning over the monitor by Daniel's beside. Shaking her head, she moved in quickly, trying to make herself a barrier between the Daniel lying in the bed and the one desperately trying to be with him.
"Daniel," Jack said, wrapping his arms around him. "Danny. Come on, now."
"No!"
Within moments, Teal'c had joined in the fray, along with Jackson. Both Teal'c and Colonel O'Neill were able to restrain him, while Jackson blocked the other side of the bed, effectively keeping the kicking and screaming man from pursuing his goal.
She heard a reluctant Colonel O'Neill attempt to soothe the now crying Daniel as she quickly scanned the medical equipment. Janet sighed with relief, as she took his pulse again. Breathing out slowly, she turned back to the monitor and fixed some of the wiring.
"Is he okay?" Sam asked.
Janet nodded, visibly relieving the fears of everyone in the room. "Yes. But I am going to have to ask you all to leave the infirmary, if only for a short time." She sighed, gazing at their hurt expressions, including the Daniels. "All the extra stimulation is too much for him right now. He may be stable, but he's weak. I can't chance having his condition worsen."
"Very well," Hammond said. "Any other recommendations, Doctor?"
She nodded. "I'm just waiting on the final results before I can authorize a full release of SG-1. "As for the Daniels," she said, her voice a little unsteady, "they all have the same chemical in their blood. I am guessing when we receive the final results from Doctor Harlow, they will show these men have the alien DNA as well."
Hammond nodded. "SG-1, as soon as you are cleared, we'll debrief." He shook his head, studying the Daniels closely. "It's going to be a long debriefing."
"Oh yeah," Colonel O'Neill muttered, handing the sniffling Daniel a candy. "Just wait."
"Now, what's that supposed to mean?" the nameless one asked.
"What do you think it means?"
Janet shot a look over at General Hammond, demonstrating with her hand exactly what the problem was. Nodding, he motioned for her to continue.
"Goodbye, Colonel," she said firmly.
"Doc, wait…"
She shooed him away with her hand, motioning for the rest of SG-1 and the Daniels to follow. The combined group of them started to bicker, and protest, but she just ignored them, smiling to General Hammond as she shut the door.
