John Doe

Chapter Twenty

Disclaimer: See chapter's 1-19.

Authors Note: This would have been out sooner, but about half way into the chapter I decided I didn't really like where it was going and deleted everything I had and started over. Hopefully this version is better than the last was turning out to be.

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News about the incident in the hallway traveled faster than the speed of light. By the end of the day nurses, airmen, technicians, and the likes were cornering Jack and Sam, wanting to know if what they had heard through the grapevine was indeed the truth. Teal'c and Daniel even inquired about it, although they knew that it was likely that it had. Sam thought it was funny, but he didn't think it was as amusing as she did. Such might have had to do with the fact that whenever he walked down the hallway the passing airmen glared and gave him the evil eye, but when Sam walked past the female members of the SGC and the nurses and doctors they smiled or waggled their eyebrows at her. It seemed that he was getting the short end of the stick- and she was enjoying it.

After the little ... incident in the hallway they made their way to the commissary, where he remembered his debriefing with SG's 2 and 5- he had little over 5 minutes to get back to the briefing room. After running as fast as he could through the corridors of the SGC he managed to make it there with two minutes to spare, although Major Todd and Captain Deflorentes, CO and 21C of SG-5, were already waiting in their seats. Sitting down in his chair he attempted to catch his breath, picking up the preliminary mission report from three days prior, and glancing over it to refresh his memory.

P9S-331, known to the denizens as Milinia, was a technologically less advanced planet. The Milinians were a peaceful race, ignorant of anything alien related, in fact they-like many others that the SGC had come in contact with- had not known of the Stargate's true purpose previously. Strangely enough, they had no desire to know anything about the 'Gate and of the other worlds that the Tauri had ventured to, all they asked for was medicine. A virus was plaguing their race and they were not as well off in the medical department as earth, 5 percent of their population had already died from the illness and 10 percent were currently ill. They needed help- desperately.

Once the rest of SG-5 and SG-2 arrived the debriefing began. "What are your assessments of the Milinians?" Jack inquired, address everyone at the table.

Captain Deflorentes was the first to reply, "They're friendly people," she informed him. "They're not very advance, nor do they wish to get involved in any alien related activities, but sir, they need our help. We can't just sit by idly and watch their people drop like flies." Looking around at the others she continued, "What seems to be plaguing them has all the symptoms of the flu, sir," she explained. "I'm not a doctor, but I think it can be treated very easily and without much cost. It's just a matter of figuring out exactly what it is, sir."

Captain Rhodes, 2IC of SG-2, picked up where she left off. "Deflorentes is right, sir," he agreed. "If you would allow us to go back to 331 for a few days with a couple of the doctors we could pinpoint what's wrong with them and get an antidote." Shrugging, he added, "Who knows- maybe after they'll be grateful and agree to helping us with our fight against the Goa'uld."

"Are their people capable of doing such?" Jack asked, intrigued.

"Yes, sir." Todd replied, "Their men are nearly as built as Jaffa, their women don't engage in battle-" Deflorentes huffed to herself, and Todd sent her a look. Then he continued, "-but they look as if they could take on a couple Serpent Guards themselves. It would certainly be in our best interest to have them as allies, sir."

"And this flu-like virus, it's not communicable?" Jack inquired, "I'd hate to have two of my best teams out with an alien flu."

"As far as we know, sir, we're immune. It's possible it has to do with the different conditions in which we live, our chemical makeup- it could even be because everyone at the SGC is required to have a flu shot every year." Shrugging he continued, "The truth is, sir, we don't know why it has no effect on us. It just doesn't."

"Alright," Jack agreed. "But, my conditions on your return is that before you leave you stop by the infirmary and have a course of antiviral's. Better safe than dead," he sighed, "I'll send Dr. Norton, Dr. Reed, and a few nurses along with you. You'll leave at 1730, until then I suggest you get some rest." Picking up the papers on the desk he added, "Dismissed."

Everyone left, but Todd lagged behind, thinking something over.

"Anything I can help you with, Todd?" Jack asked, standing up from his chair. "Or were you planning to sit there for oh ... eight hours?"

Todd shook his head, "No, sir. May I ask you something off-the-record, sir?"

Jack looked at him suspiciously, "Go ahead, Major."

Todd took a deep breath, "Concerning the new frat regs--"

"There are none," Jack supplied.

"Right," Todd agreed. "Which means that I can date anybody that I want to?"

"As long as I don't observe it effecting your work, you can date anybody."

"Anybody?" Todd repeated.

"Anybody," Jack assured him. "As long as it's not Carter."

The major smiled, "Yes, sir." He began to walk out of the room when Jack called after him.

"Todd, wait up a second."

"Yes, sir?" He asked, turning back around to face him.

"Do you mind if I ask who the lucky lady is?" Jack asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. "If you don't want to say, I understand, of cou-"

"Captain Deflorentes," Todd explained.

"Ah," he replied. "I see."

"I figured that you would, sir." Todd said with a smile, "Now, if you'll excuse me...."

"Go," Jack told him. "Good luck."

"Thank you, sir." Came Todd's rushed reply as he exited the briefing room. Smiling to himself Jack looked at the clock above the door of the room, 0952. There were only eight minutes until he would have to brief with SG-12 before their reconnaissance mission to P2Q-946 and he had yet to read over the entire preliminary mission report. He had a little less than ten minutes to read more than half of a twelve-page report. Sitting back down at his desk he found the file and began to read. It was going to be a long, boring day.

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Sighing, she wiggled her way under the control panel that Siler had been working on before he was given his downtime. "Dear God," she mumbled to herself, examining the fraying wires, "this is crazy."

She could already tell that the day ahead was going to be long and hard.

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At five past 1100 hours Jack was standing in the control room looking out on the 'gate. SG-12 was preparing to leave for P2Q-946 and Davis' was going through the dial-out sequence. He was on chevron 4 when a large 'ka-thunk' followed by a very distinct moan came from the opposite side of the room. Glancing over his shoulder Jack saw Sam climb out from under the same control panel that Siler had been working on, rubbing her shoulder and wincing.

"That's gonna bruise," she exclaimed with a sigh, looking up at him exasperated. "I don't know how Siler does it, sir," she confessed as she pulled herself off of the ground, nurturing her sore shoulder. "When's he coming back again?"

"Friday," Jack said, turning back towards the 'gate just in the time to see it 'whoosh' forward. "SG-12," the intercom carried his voice into the 'gate room, "you have a go."

The four members of SG-12 nodded back at him and made their way up the ramp and through the event horizon. When the 'gate shut down Jack turned back around, giving his attention to Sam. "How's the shoulder?"

"Sore," she said with a sigh. "I'll be fine, sir. I should probably get back to fixing these wires."

"Lunch at noon?" he suggested.

A small smile spread across her face, "Sounds good, sir."

"Alright then, back to work Colonel." he ordered with a wink.

"Yes, sir!" She barked, her smile growing.

With that he turned back around and made his way out of the control room, headed for his office and a large stack of paperwork that required his attention.

XXXX

At 1400 SG-7 returned from P3X-053 and an hour later he had a relatively uneventful debriefing with them. Daniel would have found it more interesting, since 053 seemed to be crawling with ruins, at 1547, when the debriefing was over, Jack sent Captain Phelps to find the archeologist and show him the pictures they had brought back. He gave it less than an hour before Daniel would be in his office, jumping up and down and begging to be sent to the planet for further study. It had been awhile since Daniel had gone on such a mission so he decided that he would let him go, also he recalled mentioning an off-world vacation to Sam. This planet was mostly sand, but that was because it was an island world. Maybe he would tag along with SG-1.

Sure enough, just before 1630 there was a rushed knock at his door, before he even had the chance to allow the person on the other side to enter Daniel came bounding into his office.

"What can I do for you, Spacemonkey?" Jack inquired, leaning back in his 'general's chair', earning a nasty look from the doctor of archeology.

Choosing to ignore the nickname Daniel started on a rant, "Jack, this planet that SG-7 just returned from, P3X-053- I have to go there. The writing on the ruins is a variation of the language that the ancients spoke. I believe that one of the ancient outpost's is located there--"

"Oh, not another one of those things!" Jack exclaimed, "They only cause trouble."

Daniel pushed his glasses back, "Well ... yeah, but- Ba'al has taken up where Anubus left off. If he gets a-hold of this technology who knows what sort of advantage he'd have over us. We need this," he crossed his arms over his chest. "And, nobody's saying that you have to go or that anybody has to stick their heads into the outpost--"

"Head sucker," Jack mumbled to himself.

"-Right. Anyway- this is very important, Jack. We need to go here."

"SG-7 did a complete sweep of the planet, Daniel," Jack explained. "They didn't find any of these ancient outposts."

"What about an out-of-place stone building?" Daniel inquired, "You of all people know that the outpost isn't sticking out screaming "here I am!". We ... I really need to go to this planet, Jack."

A sigh escaped Jack's lips, "Alright." He glanced over at the clock on his desk, "I have a briefing with SG's 2 and 5 in a few minutes, so we'll have to discuss the specifics later."

"You're OK-ing the mission?" Daniel asked, incredulously.

"Yes, Daniel. I am. Something about that surprises you?"

"Well ... yeah- actually, it does." He confessed, "You usually require more convincing than that."

Jack shrugged, "You've made your case- Now, if you'll excuse me." He stood up; "I have two minutes before my briefing. We can talk about SG-1's involvement in this mission later."

He spent an hour and a half in the briefing before seeing SG's 2 and 5 off, after that he had no more briefing's or debriefing's, nor was he expecting any SG teams back until the next morning. Sam had already finished in the control room and had locked herself in her office, working on some doohickey that he had no understanding of. Deciding to give her some extra time working he called Daniel back into his office, the sooner they got it over with the sooner he could go home ... and order Sam to as well.

Daniel stuck his head in the doorway of Jack's office; "Hey ... you wanted to see me?"

"Yeah," Jack replied, "come in."

Sitting down in a chair in front of Jack's desk Daniel continued, "You've thought the mission to P3X-053 through?"

"I have, SG-1 leaves Thursday--"

"Why not tomorrow?" Daniel interrupted.

"Because," Jack interjected, "it'll take that long to get a temporary replacement for me."

"Why would you-Oh. You hate archeology, Jack ... why do you want to tag along?"

He shrugged, "It's an important mission. Retrieve one of those head suckers so that Ba'al doesn't get his grubby hands on it."

"Right..." Daniel exclaimed. "Sure."

Jack ignored the skepticism in his voice; "We will be leaving at 1100 on Thursday. Briefing at 1000 hours, we'll return at 2100 hours on Friday night. From there I'll decide if more time on the planet is required, if it is you will return with SG-1. If not, well, you'll just have to make due with what you get."

"That's only 34 hours, Jack." Daniel argued, "What if we don't find it?"

"It's not a very large continent, Daniel. SG-7 searched it in less than a day, you'll have plenty of time to geek." Sighing he leaned back in his chair, "That's all."

"Well, I guess I'll be heading home then." Daniel said, standing up from his chair. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, tomorrow." Jack agreed, "See ya later, Spacemonkey."

Ignoring the nickname again he walked out of the room, yelling out his goodbye. Glancing at his watch Jack decided that since it was already after 1830 he should call it a night. Gathering his things he left his office, turning the lights off in the process, and closing the door behind him. Maneuvering his way through the corridors he made his way to her office, used his keycard to get in, and then stood in the doorway to her office.

She was sitting at her desk, hunched over some technological marvel, grumbling to herself. Jack could tell that she knew of his presence in the room, though she had chosen to ignore it, caught up in her engrossment. Not that he minded, he liked to watch her working.

"What'cha working on, Carter." he asked after he had been watching her for several minutes.

"To be honest, sir. I'm not exactly sure what it is," she gushed. "Amazing is about the only way I can describe it- or enigmatic, maybe."

"Really?" He inquired, stepping into the office. The door slid shut behind him. "Well ... what's so enigmatic about this doohickey?"

"It moves...." She explained, "Independently."

"I move independently, Carter." Jack countered, "What's so special about it moving independently."

"It's inorganic, sir." Sam added, "Inorganic objects don't move without an outside force causing it to do so."

"So ... maybe this doohickey is organic, you just don't know it." he speculated, "It is alien technology, is it not?"

"It's not, sir." She turned around in her chair and looked at him, "Listen, sir, if you'd just come over here and look at it you would understand."

"Alright...." Jack said, "Let's see this enigma of a doohickey you've got." He walked up next to her chair and looked at the oddly shaped, multi-colored, ... object. "I don't see it moving," he exclaimed.

"Hold on, sir." she scolded, picking up her microscope and waving it over a section of the nameless doohickey.

"Wow...." was all he could say.

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A/N: Yeah, again, sorry it took so long. I'm a lot happier with this chapter than I originally was. So, I'm sure it was worth it.
Anyway, please review!