Chapter 6.
Jack carefully made his way to the briefing room. The pounding headache that blessed him when he woke up felt like lemmings with jack hammers had taken up residence and were not planning on moving out any time soon. As the door loomed ahead Jack massaged his temples for a moment before entering and saluting the general.
He noticed Teal'c sitting in a chair off to the side with some video equipment set up so that everyone in the room could see. The knot of tension in his stomach tightened when his glance passed by the spot Sam usually sat. She was still unconscious in the infirmary with no foreseeable recovery time.
"At ease Colonel," Jack could hear the worry laced in Hammond's tone. As soon as he had sat down the general continued. "O'Neill, I've asked you and Teal'c here to tell me what happened last night. We had an unauthorized use of the gate. By the look of the security video, it was that thing that has Daniel's body."
Jack racked his brain as he took his seat and realized that he couldn't remember anything after leaving for the commissary with Sam.
"I don't think I can be of much help sir. I can't remember much after Sam and I left it on the examining table."
General Hammond nodded and said "I thought as much, maybe seeing the video will jog your memory. With that he started the video.
"Sam, it's three in the morning, we should get some rest." Jack's tired voice emanated from the speakers.
"No," Sam's voice was desperate, "I have to know." Jack could see the image of her shake slightly.
"Then how about we get some coffee and a bite to eat, you look like you need it."
The image of Sam looked as if she would decline for a moment, but then closed her eyes and lowered her head.
"Sure," She looked back up and the pair walked out of the room. Moments later the stillness of the figure on the bed was broken. Solid turtle shell like plates formed, while a silver like ball bearing pushed itself through the tentacle mass and shone through the forehead. The area over the eyes opened and Jack thought he had gotten a brief glimpse of dead blue eyes before it seemed to fill with a liquid and become glassy. Moments later the silver ball at the forehead started to glow. Steam escaped from vents on either side of the cheeks. Just as the steam dissipated the thing sat up. Then stood on the ground. All movement ceased.
Hammond fast forwarded the video ten minutes. He resumed the normal speed just as the figure moved. It turned to the door. A few seconds later it opened up to reveal Jack and Sam. They stared, dumbstruck for a moment before the image of Jack gave Sam a look that said "I'll go first."
Jack winced as he saw the thing swiftly knock his image into the wall. No wonder it hurt so much when he woke up. He'd been lucky that he'd only had the concussion and the dislocated shoulder.
The image of Sam shouted "Jack" before rushing and getting herself the same treatment. She wasn't as lucky and ended up hitting multiple pieces of equipment and getting cut along the way. Jack was so focused on his teammate that he nearly missed the way the thing had twitched and a soft mechanized voice grunt.
"Wha. . ." The thing looked around and it focused on Sam's body in the corner. Blood was running from a head wound.
"Sam!" It started to move towards her and Jack felt a pang of dread in his stomach. The thing suddenly stopped two steps after it had started and stared at its hands.
"No," it was barely above a whisper. "No." The thing started backing up as if it could run away from itself. One step at a time the eyes focused on the hands. Suddenly as it had started the figure curled into a ball with a hint of desperation in the mechanized voice. "Not again." Jack wasn't sure, but he almost thought he heard anguish as well. It was trembling violently while rocking back and fourth hands over its head and face into its knees like a child trying to drown out the sound of yelling voices.
Minutes passed before it looked up. The voice soft again. "Not again," it seemed to come to a decision before standing. With a look at Sam's crumpled form it spoke with a voice filled with determination "Never again."
It turned to leave the room and saw Jack's body. "No, no not you too Jack." Whatever resolve it seemed to have developed shattered and it twitched as if shot and fell back to the ground. Leaving a slight indent in the ground. The anguish filled childlike voice was back. "No no no." chanting the one word as if it would change what the thing was seeing. "I told you," the mechanized whisper managed to be raspy at the same time. "I told you to leave me there." It was hugging its knees rocking slightly, eyes fixated on Jack's unmoving image. Jack jumped at the phrase. Daniel had asked him to leave him there, on the planet that killed him. To leave and let the archeologist die. Jack hadn't been able to do that. Surely this thing didn't know. Couldn't know. But it said it again, posture getting more angry. "I told you to leave me there. Now look what's happened." The sorrow was back. It sighed and in a resigned voice said "At least Teal'c wasn't here." It looked around for a bit before standing. "Out, I have to get out of here." It then ran out the door. Hammond stopped the recording.
"Just after that, what ever that thing is managed to dial out and managed to escape through the Stargate." The general looked between Jack and Teal'c. "I wanted you both here to help try to figure out what that was. It knew both of you so the idea that it somehow has Daniel's memories is not unfounded." He looked down at a folio. "It also seems that it knew where it could go that we couldn't follow." Jack looked up sharply.
"What do you mean sir?"
"It gated to P3X-7763."
"The Tollan home-world." Teal'c said weather for clarification or to remind Jack he wasn't sure.
"We sent a MALP through this morning and it seems that it just used the planed to get to another." Hammond's face became very severe. "If this thing does have the memories of Dr. Jackson, than it is imperative that we get to it and neutralize whatever danger it poses. Especially before the Goa'ould get to it."
Jack mulled over the problem for a moment before the answer came to him.
"Harlan." He said. Even though it was quiet he got the attention of the others in the room.
"On PX3 989, Harlan made copies of SG1."
"And?" Hammond seemed interested.
"Whatever happened with Daniel and now with that thing that has Daniel's memories. It's acting like Daniel." He paused a moment, "And it said that this had happened before. So I'm betting the copy that Harlan made of Daniel would know something about it."
"Good thinking Colonel. I want you and Teal'c ready to gate within two hours."
AN:
Yes I know it took a long time, and it sucks. But then again, I actually do have a life. And really should be doing other things. But I so want to finish the story. Then again, I feel it's becoming way too predictable.
Ah well.
Jack carefully made his way to the briefing room. The pounding headache that blessed him when he woke up felt like lemmings with jack hammers had taken up residence and were not planning on moving out any time soon. As the door loomed ahead Jack massaged his temples for a moment before entering and saluting the general.
He noticed Teal'c sitting in a chair off to the side with some video equipment set up so that everyone in the room could see. The knot of tension in his stomach tightened when his glance passed by the spot Sam usually sat. She was still unconscious in the infirmary with no foreseeable recovery time.
"At ease Colonel," Jack could hear the worry laced in Hammond's tone. As soon as he had sat down the general continued. "O'Neill, I've asked you and Teal'c here to tell me what happened last night. We had an unauthorized use of the gate. By the look of the security video, it was that thing that has Daniel's body."
Jack racked his brain as he took his seat and realized that he couldn't remember anything after leaving for the commissary with Sam.
"I don't think I can be of much help sir. I can't remember much after Sam and I left it on the examining table."
General Hammond nodded and said "I thought as much, maybe seeing the video will jog your memory. With that he started the video.
"Sam, it's three in the morning, we should get some rest." Jack's tired voice emanated from the speakers.
"No," Sam's voice was desperate, "I have to know." Jack could see the image of her shake slightly.
"Then how about we get some coffee and a bite to eat, you look like you need it."
The image of Sam looked as if she would decline for a moment, but then closed her eyes and lowered her head.
"Sure," She looked back up and the pair walked out of the room. Moments later the stillness of the figure on the bed was broken. Solid turtle shell like plates formed, while a silver like ball bearing pushed itself through the tentacle mass and shone through the forehead. The area over the eyes opened and Jack thought he had gotten a brief glimpse of dead blue eyes before it seemed to fill with a liquid and become glassy. Moments later the silver ball at the forehead started to glow. Steam escaped from vents on either side of the cheeks. Just as the steam dissipated the thing sat up. Then stood on the ground. All movement ceased.
Hammond fast forwarded the video ten minutes. He resumed the normal speed just as the figure moved. It turned to the door. A few seconds later it opened up to reveal Jack and Sam. They stared, dumbstruck for a moment before the image of Jack gave Sam a look that said "I'll go first."
Jack winced as he saw the thing swiftly knock his image into the wall. No wonder it hurt so much when he woke up. He'd been lucky that he'd only had the concussion and the dislocated shoulder.
The image of Sam shouted "Jack" before rushing and getting herself the same treatment. She wasn't as lucky and ended up hitting multiple pieces of equipment and getting cut along the way. Jack was so focused on his teammate that he nearly missed the way the thing had twitched and a soft mechanized voice grunt.
"Wha. . ." The thing looked around and it focused on Sam's body in the corner. Blood was running from a head wound.
"Sam!" It started to move towards her and Jack felt a pang of dread in his stomach. The thing suddenly stopped two steps after it had started and stared at its hands.
"No," it was barely above a whisper. "No." The thing started backing up as if it could run away from itself. One step at a time the eyes focused on the hands. Suddenly as it had started the figure curled into a ball with a hint of desperation in the mechanized voice. "Not again." Jack wasn't sure, but he almost thought he heard anguish as well. It was trembling violently while rocking back and fourth hands over its head and face into its knees like a child trying to drown out the sound of yelling voices.
Minutes passed before it looked up. The voice soft again. "Not again," it seemed to come to a decision before standing. With a look at Sam's crumpled form it spoke with a voice filled with determination "Never again."
It turned to leave the room and saw Jack's body. "No, no not you too Jack." Whatever resolve it seemed to have developed shattered and it twitched as if shot and fell back to the ground. Leaving a slight indent in the ground. The anguish filled childlike voice was back. "No no no." chanting the one word as if it would change what the thing was seeing. "I told you," the mechanized whisper managed to be raspy at the same time. "I told you to leave me there." It was hugging its knees rocking slightly, eyes fixated on Jack's unmoving image. Jack jumped at the phrase. Daniel had asked him to leave him there, on the planet that killed him. To leave and let the archeologist die. Jack hadn't been able to do that. Surely this thing didn't know. Couldn't know. But it said it again, posture getting more angry. "I told you to leave me there. Now look what's happened." The sorrow was back. It sighed and in a resigned voice said "At least Teal'c wasn't here." It looked around for a bit before standing. "Out, I have to get out of here." It then ran out the door. Hammond stopped the recording.
"Just after that, what ever that thing is managed to dial out and managed to escape through the Stargate." The general looked between Jack and Teal'c. "I wanted you both here to help try to figure out what that was. It knew both of you so the idea that it somehow has Daniel's memories is not unfounded." He looked down at a folio. "It also seems that it knew where it could go that we couldn't follow." Jack looked up sharply.
"What do you mean sir?"
"It gated to P3X-7763."
"The Tollan home-world." Teal'c said weather for clarification or to remind Jack he wasn't sure.
"We sent a MALP through this morning and it seems that it just used the planed to get to another." Hammond's face became very severe. "If this thing does have the memories of Dr. Jackson, than it is imperative that we get to it and neutralize whatever danger it poses. Especially before the Goa'ould get to it."
Jack mulled over the problem for a moment before the answer came to him.
"Harlan." He said. Even though it was quiet he got the attention of the others in the room.
"On PX3 989, Harlan made copies of SG1."
"And?" Hammond seemed interested.
"Whatever happened with Daniel and now with that thing that has Daniel's memories. It's acting like Daniel." He paused a moment, "And it said that this had happened before. So I'm betting the copy that Harlan made of Daniel would know something about it."
"Good thinking Colonel. I want you and Teal'c ready to gate within two hours."
AN:
Yes I know it took a long time, and it sucks. But then again, I actually do have a life. And really should be doing other things. But I so want to finish the story. Then again, I feel it's becoming way too predictable.
Ah well.