Chapter 4
The four visitors to the SGC - Sara, Grissom, Scully, and Mulder - all met in the VIP room, waiting for someone to come and explain what was going on to them.
"I knew it Scully. Didn't I tell you? They have been lying to us all along. Eight years, yeah, I'm sure. This has been going on much longer than eight years," Mulder rambled.
"Mulder, would you calm down? At least they are finally going to reveal some of it to us now," Scully told him from her chair as she watched him pace about the room.
"You know, I think I remember this Samantha Carter from something too?" Sara thought out loud to Grissom. "Yes, I'm sure that I read an article of her's several years back on some theoretical astrophysical stuff. Again, it seems that her work may not be as theoretical anymore."
"You know Sara, when I told you to get a life, I meant to do things outside of learning and storing more knowledge. Is all you do in you're limited free time is read?" Grissom asked.
"Well, that and go to a play every now and then. There was a great showing of the Vagina Monologues not that long ago that I went to."
"Yes, I think I saw you there," Grissom said. Just as Sara was opening her mouth to ask what he was doing there, Daniel walked in and started talking.
"Hello again. I think that we have things well enough under control now that we can all have a little chat."
"Great, now we get to hear more lies and cover stories," Mulder mumbled.
"No, I'm actually authorized to give you the whole scoop. We're hoping that once you all realize the importance of what is going on here that you will all agree that this is better kept secret for the time being."
"And if we decide that's not and we think the American people deserve to know what you are doing, then what do you plan on doing with us?" Mulder prodded
"Well, we will have no choice but to let you go and spread your news. But with only four of you proclaiming this, I doubt that you will get much recognition. Take it from me, it's a rather lonely place to be when you're the only one who believes something like this," he added with a smile to himself.
"Fair enough. Now, what can you tell us about Greg?" Grissom said.
"Well, I think I should start at the beginning. There are a few things you have to understand before you can really grasp what has happened to your friend."
From there, Daniel proceeded to explain to all of them about the Gate that was found on a dig in Giza and the whole ordeal that he was involved in with opening it. Then how he and O'Neil traveled to another planet for the first time and freed the people there from the oppression of an alien being that they later came to know was a Goa'uld. He then explained who and what the Goa'uld were; parasitical beings that would enter a human body as a host and take over. Then finally brought that back to the problem at hand.
"So one of the Goa'uld symbiotes seems to have gotten into your friend's head and has taken over. Though it is our belief that this is an immature symbiote and is unable to take full control. This is good news for him since there will be considerable less risk to him when the Tok'ra attempt to remove it."
"Tok'ra?" Sara asked.
"Oh, sorry. I forgot about them. The Tok'ra are a type of Goa'uld in that they are symbiotes that require a host to survive. But beyond that they are very different. It is the Tok'ra's main belief that they are meant to live in a symbiotic relationship with their host rather than a parasitic one. They have been at war with the Goa'uld for centuries and have been perfecting a way to safely remove a Goa'uld from a host. There is still some risk, but it is better than the alternative."
"Yes, I can see that. So what are we to do about this then? I mean, what can we help with?" Sara asked.
"Well, there isn't a whole lot that can be done until we hear back from the Tok'ra. Right now I think it would be best for you two to go and sit with Greg and talk to him. Try to get in contact with the real Greg, reassure him." Daniel said to Sara and Grissom.
"I thought he was in some kind of suspended animation?" Grissom asked.
"Well, he was, right up until a little while ago. We tried to do an MRI scan on him which must have interfered with the Asgard technology that was keeping him asleep. He's now being restrained in isolation room 1. I can take you both there right now if you would like."
"Yes, please do." Sara answered.
"Would you two like to come along as well?" Daniel asked Mulder and Scully.
"No, I think that it would be a bit awkward for us. We don't really know the guy," Scully answered.
"But we would like to take a look around your base," said Mulder.
"Yes, I'm sure you would," Daniel answered with a slight smile. "I'll see if I can get Teal'c to show you around a bit. But please, don't go wondering around on your own; wait for someone to come escort you. It's for your own protection as well as ours. There are a lot of volatile and dangerous things here on the base and it would be best if someone was there to keep an eye on you."
"Of course," Mulder answered as Daniel was leading Sara and Grissom out of the room.
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The three going to see Greg were approaching the isolation room when Sara suddenly stopped. "Dr. Jackson, what exactly are we to expect?" she asked, suddenly worried.
"Well, I won't lie to you. It is not going to be pretty. Greg is fighting against a very powerful being to maintain control of his own body and he doesn't even understand what is happening to him. But what will be the most painful for you to see is when the Goa'uld has control. He can become very violent and will say some very awful things."
Sara stared at Daniel for a moment before turning to Grissom. "I… I don't know if I can do this," she stammered.
This was so unlike Sara, Grissom was taken aback for a moment before he could respond. When he finally found his voice again he told her, "Sara, I'll be right there with you. Greg needs us both right now and we have to be there for him."
She looked up to him for a moment and further collected herself before turning back to Daniel saying, "I'm ready, let's go."
Daniel nodded and turned, swiping his identification card in the slot to unlock the door. A buzzer sounded and the door drew back. The three entered the room to the sounds of angry yelling. Greg was restrained completely to the bed. His arms, wrists, legs, ankles, and neck were secured to the bed, only allowing for minimal movement. But he was using the full range of movement allotted him, straining against the restraints to get at the silent figure in the corner of the room.
"Shol'vah Kree!" a deep throated voice resounded from Greg's mouth. "Release me at once by order of your god!"
Teal'c stood in the corner, watching the pathetic attempts of the Goa'uld with a Zat in hand, just in case. "You are no god; you are merely a parasite in a man's body. One that will soon be removed and disposed of," he answered the creature coolly.
"Greg?" Sara said confused and quietly.
The Goa'uld snapped his head around and stared at her and Grissom for a moment. A flash of light shown behind his eyes and then the body went limp and collapsed to the bed. Sara quickly crossed to his side, looking down at what appeared to be her friend and colleague strapped to the bed before her. "Careful Sara," Grissom warned as he joined her, standing just behind her with one hand gently resting upon her shoulder.
As they watched, Greg slowly began to once again open his eyes. Confusion filled his face as he looked up and saw Sara and Grissom watching him. He tried to move but found that he was in restraints and a look of fear and panic crept into his confusion. "What's going on? Grissom, Sara, what's happening to me?"
"You're going to be alright Greg, you've been exposed to some harmful stuff and these people are going to take care of you," Sara said, trying hard not to give into the tears that she felt pressing against her eyes.
"Why am I tied up? Why can't I remember how I got here? I know I was just talking to someone, but I can't remember what I said or who it was. Was it you?"
"No, it's part of the substance you were exposed to Greg. It causes you to hallucinate and act out of character," Grissom tried to explain without alarming him too much.
"No, it's more than that, isn't it? Something has happened to me. What is it?"
"Greg, it's too much to explain right now, just know that you are getting the best help available and you're going to be alright very soon. Just try to stay calm and relax," Sara said.
While this conversation was occurring, Daniel quietly had gone to Teal'c and asked him to go to the other guests to show them around the base.
"But let's not take them back to the gate room just yet. I'll bring them all there myself just before we leave with the Goa'uld to see the Tok'ra and explain that whole thing to them. I wasn't very clear on exactly what the gate does. Maybe I really should have Sam take them there to explain it in more detail to them They are all scientists of some sort and are probably going to want some type of scientific explaination."
"As you wish, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c replied, handing his Zat gun to Daniel and then left to get his new charges.
As Teal'c was leaving, Daniel just caught the last thing that Sara was saying to Greg. "Ah, can I talk to you both outside for a second?" he said to the CSI's.
Grissom nodded as Sara said to Greg, "we'll be right back," and patted his arm before following the other two out the door.
"Ah, I think there were a few things I forgot to tell you. I know that you're thinking that it would be too hard to explain to Greg what is happening, especially in the state that he is in and how you probably are still trying to understand it, but I think that you should try and explain it to him. Right now the Goa'uld does not have complete control over him. This is very good because the more control over the host that the Goa'uld gets, the more difficult it is for the Tok'ra to remove it. They still, out of all likelihood, will be able to, but it will be a more difficult procedure and will include a higher risk to your friend. What you need to do is try to keep the real Greg with you, encourage him and impress on him how important it is for him to fight."
Grissom and Sara exchanged a look before turning back to Daniel and nodded. "We'll do our best," Sara said.
"Good, now I'm going to go talk to Sam for a few minutes and then I'll come back here to wait with you until we hear from the Tok'ra. He is well restrained and you should be fine. Just remember, the Goa'uld can talk to you through Greg as well, don't believe anything that he might say to you. Just talk to him, no matter if it is the Goa'uld or your friend, talk to Greg alone."
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"Mulder, I don't think that we should be wondering around this base on our own. We have no idea where we are, what this stuff is, or what they might do if they catch us," Scully was saying to Mulder as he led them out of the VIP room.
"Scully, we have to investigate this place on our own. Do you think that they are actually going to tell us and show us everything that goes on here? This is proof of a government conspiracy; there must be more going on then what Dr. Jackson told us. For one thing, how is it that they are able to meet with these aliens? He seemed rather vague on the technology that they are using."
"Well maybe they'll tell us about that later. There is obviously a lot to tell and it can't all be explained in one sitting. I mean, we're talking about eight years of research, study, missions, discoveries, and work here. I think that our best way to find out what all this is, is to be patient."
"Yeah, sure. You do that Scully. You go wait in that room for someone to stroll in who can and will answer all of our questions. When has that ever happened? I mean except when our informant is about to be killed and is only able to give us some cryptic message as he dies? It just doesn't work that way."
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Teal'c walked into the VIP room to discover that the two FBI agents had vanished. He turned and left the room, walking over to the nearest phone. Picking up the receiver he said, "I must speak with General O'Neill." A few seconds later O'Neill was on the other end.
"What's up T?"
"O'Neill, it seems that the FBI agents have left the VIP room on their own and are now somewhere about the base."
"I knew those two were going to be trouble. Alright, you start tracking them down, I'll order a base wide sweep."
As Teal'c hung up the phone, O'Neill's voice sounded over the base wide loud speaker. "Attention all personal, there are two FBI agents wandering about the base. If you spot them, please apprehend and hold until someone can come and get them. Thank you."
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"Mulder, I really think we should turn ourselves in. I think that this time they really are going to tell us what is going on. Why can't you just trust these people?" Scully said to Mulder as she stopped to listen to O'Neill's announcement.
"Trust them? I thought you had learned by now that we can trust no one. Why would these people be suddenly willing to reveal all of their secrets after eight years, if not more, of covering it up?"
"Mulder, I think that you have been after the truth for so long now that you can no longer recognize it when it's right in front of your face. We are being presented with an opportunity to validate everything that we have worked for and you are trying to throw that chance away by sneaking behind the people that wish to give it to us."
Just then Teal'c rounded the corner, spotting the two agents. "Agents Mulder, and Scully, you were not supposed to leave the VIP room. Please come with me now."