I'm glad people seemed to like the drama in the previous chapter. I'm a bit worried about the characterisation in this one - let me know if its worth revising this chapter to make it more believable. Enjoy!

Chapter 17: Shifting States

"How is she?" Daniel whispered to Janet, watching Sam lie listlessly on her side, back towards them. "Still nothing?"

"No. I've tried talking to her, but she's just retreating from everything," Janet explained, her voice filled with melancholy. "Off the record – she's never reacted well to situations where Colonel O'Neill is captured or stranded, but this is something else. It's like she's given up completely."

"So she's not admitting something? There's something more?" he guessed.

Janet shrugged wearily in admission of her ignorance. Daniel squeezed her shoulder and ambled cautiously to Sam, sitting down on the edge of the infirmary bed. She made no sign that she noticed or cared – she simply ignored everything around her. Reminded of his ordeal in which his wife was killed, and Shau're's message of what would happen if he had let himself become consumed by it, he resolved to do all he could to prevent the same happening to Sam. Reaching around to her hand, he wrapped his fingers gently around it. Knowing his friend, Daniel suspected words of comfort might just annoy or provoke her at the moment, and so he remained silent.

"He's betrayed us."

Daniel's head snapped up at the sudden, sorrowful statement.

"All of us," Sam added.

"What?" Daniel gasped.

As if running on some kind of autopilot, she recounted the whole despairing experience to the increasingly bewildered archaeologist – how Einar had tried to scythe his way through half a dozen Jaffa, only to fold immediately to the Goa'uld threats on their lives; how he had chosen to consign both Jack and himself to inescapable imprisonment rather than die; how the newly implanted Goa'uld had used Einar's highly specialised and fearsome form to murder it's master to steal his power.

"Now the Goa'uld know all about us and the Innarim… technologies, security, defences… and he took the Colonel down with him…" she shook her head, downcast. "And I trusted him…"


Hammond kept a watchful eye on Senator Kinsey as he sat at the head of the briefing room table, two separate reports in front of him; one from Daniel and the other from Janet. Kinsey had added his own official form to his pile of papers, and sat down opposite the chief medical officer and the remaining male members of SG-1. The seriousness of the situation weighed heavily on his shoulders.

"Senator Kinsey," the General began, brandishing the dangerous form. "I know the rules of the military just as well as you do, but in the circumstances Major Carter will not be immediately court-marshalled. Don't make me use the red phone again."

"Your persistence in protecting the Major is getting ridiculous, General," Kinsey declared viciously. "She assisted an alien in custody in escaping, and has all but handed over Colonel O'Neill's knowledge, as well as this alien's, to the enemy! Not to mention the CCTV evidence of fraternisation."

"Senator, Colonel O'Neill was under the influence of an alien intelligence. Any fraternisation changes can be countered with that," Hammond barked. "Meanwhile, Major Carter is in no fit state to be subjected to any military inquiry. Dr. Frasier, remind the good Senator here of your expert medical opinion."

Janet opened up her file, straining to remain composed and professional: "Major Carter appears to be suffering from shock and post traumatic stress. My recommendation is that she be kept under strict surveillance, and possibly attend sessions with the base psychiatrist. Until her state of mind has improved, Major Carter should be removed from active duty."

"I will not endanger the already shocked mental state of one of my officers by subjecting her to court-marshal. Major Carter's actions will be dealt with at a later stage, even though I believe such an upstanding member of the Air Force wouldn't blatantly disregard orders without damn good reason," the General stated.

"Nevertheless," Kinsey clenched his fist, "this is simply another example of SG-1's recklessness and incapability of doing their job properly. No military guidelines condone blindly trusting an unknown foreign military entity – this blatant act of betrayal is fine evidence!"

"Oh betrayal is the word I'd choose."

Hammond whipped his head around to Daniel, who sat beside Teal'c and glowered with uncharacteristic anger: "Dr. Jackson?"

"We spend all that time translating the database and modifying the reactor," he glared accusingly at Kinsey, crossing his arms and leaning forward, "and the minute we finish the NID slams the breaks down and demands we hand over all of the conveniently analysed alien information, technology and living specimens. Well, I don't believe in coincidences."

"Indeed," Teal'c added, his impassiveness subtly shifting to simmering anger as he laced his fingers together. "The NID could have requisitioned everything Innarim-related from the SGC as soon as it was acquired. Also, I do not believe O'Neill and MajorCarter would have taken such action had there not been the pressure from the NID."

"Exactly," Daniel crashed his fist down on the table. "The Innarim were warriors, and warrior cultures have strict codes of honour and loyalty, right Teal'c?"

"Correct, DanielJackson."

"Soldiers like that don't take betrayal very well – it verges on unthinkable. That's why most Jaffa still serving the Goa'uld hate Teal'c so much. So how must it have looked to Einar and Jack? Up until that point, Einar had done nothing to give us reason to doubt him, and then he gets turned over to a less benevolent organisation for interrogation. Jack was doing the job he'd been told to do, and suddenly his own government tries to turn him into a lab rat. How would you feel? I think 'betrayed' comes into it."

"Dr. Jackson…" Hammond interjected firmly.

However, Daniel wasn't about to be subdued.

"For all we know, Einar did what he did as some kind of retaliation. He can't take on the planet himself, so maybe he gave the Goa'uld the knowledge so they do it for him?" Daniel stood up from his seat. "Maybe you should have thought about that before we betrayed him!"

"Dr. Jackson! Stand down, man!" Hammond barked.

"I'm going to say this, because you don't have the power to court-marshal me," Daniel spat, ignoring Hammond. "We wouldn't be in this mess if the NID hadn't stuck their noses in – we'd nearly solved it! I don't care what some military tribunal says about Sam being responsible for this. I'm holding you personally responsible for Jack's loss and any lasting damage to Sam, or losses suffered by us or our allies, because of it."

Teal'c observed the fiery exchange silently. He knew Daniel was a strong and passionate soul, but this sheer expressive display was a surprise even to him. The Jaffa briefly entertained the idea of tugging him back down to his seat to spare him the General's bad temper, but decided he wholeheartedly agreed with the enraged archaeologist. Teal'c simply continued to watch as Daniel stormed out of the briefing room without permission, leaving an uneasy pause.

"You would do well to watch your words in future, SenatorKinsey," Teal'c commented. "Your actions have, in his eyes and mine, cost us a close and noble friend."

"Nevertheless, we still have a lot to consider," Hammond said. "If the Goa'uld have Colonel O'Neill's knowledge, the security of both us and our allies has been compromised. Changes have to be made ASAP…"


After the briefing, Teal'c immediate made his way to the infirmary. Daniel was already there, sitting on the edge of Sam's bed.

"MajorCarter," he greeted solemnly. "Have you improved at all today?"

Casting her eyes down, she nodded slightly.

"Janet was saying Sam could be moved to her base quarters later today," Daniel said as Teal'c pulled up a stool. "Sorry about marching out like that. How did the rest of the meeting go?"

"SenatorKinsey appeared most displeased for the remainder, but GeneralHammond has issued orders for the Tok'ra and the rebel Jaffa to be informed and relocated on new planets due to the possibility of imminent attack, now that the Goa'uld will undoubtedly know where they are located. SenatorKinsey has departed, intending to highly recommend to the President increased resources to the X-302 and X-303 projects. They are our only defence against an attack by Hatak motherships."

"Let's hope it's enough," Daniel commented. "All GDO codes need to be changed too, as well as security codes on base."

"But it still doesn't make sense," Sam muttered, eyes closed.

"Sam?"

"MajorCarter?"

"It was so surreal…"

"What are you talking about, Sam?" Daniel urged.

"Einar knew who and what the Goa'uld are – why did he prefer being a host? That's worse than death," she breathed. "His eyes too… they glowed blue, constantly. Normal Goa'uld never do that."

"Maybe he saw things differently," Daniel offered, "and the Innarim weren't entirely normal, were they?"

"The GDO… if he was trying to kill me by throwing me against the iris, why did he use the GDO device on purpose and then pass it to me before shoving me through," Sam looked distant, confused. "Why was a Goa'uld trying to save me at all?"

"Perhaps something of O'Neill lingered, however briefly," Teal'c suggested. "It may have affected the Goa'uld and he was unable to kill you."

"Maybe," she sighed. "It doesn't matter now, but I can't help feeling it's something more than that. Wishful thinking?"

"I guess we'll find out," Daniel said, patting her hand.


Hammond looked up from the new heap of paper on his desk merely a few days later, dealing with the new arrangements and changes for all concerned. A knock on his office door allowed him a welcome break in the paperwork.

"Come in."

He set his pen down and gestured for Sam to sit as she entered smartly.

"Major, how are you feeling?"

Sam nodded hesitantly as she took the seat opposite the base commander: "Better, sir. I wanted to say thank you for not court-marshalling me, sir. I know you could be risking a lot by defending me."

"Give yourself some credit, Major," he smiled encouragingly. "Your service record and your reputation as the top practical expert on gate technology are a couple of things keeping you around here."

"I also have a request, sir. Permission to assist the research being done here at the SGC, General."

"Dr. Frasier has recommended you be taken off-duty, Major," Hammond reminded. "I agree with her."

"Yes, sir, but I'm finding it a bit…"

"…boring?"

"Yes, sir. I believe having something to concentrate on would really help me get back on track," she said.

"Well, being taken off active duty can be interpreted as just not taking part in any offworld missions. I can't see any danger in you assisting the scientists on the base," Hammond reasoned, pulling free some of the numerous papers on his desk. "In fact, I had a feeling you wouldn't be able to sit still. The President has expressed an interest in further study of Hakonan technology, the Innarim in particular. I'm told this is the closest we've come to legitimately acquiring advanced alien technology other than what we've been able to scavenge from the Goa'uld, and it could give us the advantages we need. I've been ordered to arrange a series of missions to known Hakonan planets to gather further information and technology where possible. Dr. Jackson will be assisting with translations at Stoneheim with SG-9 and a group of scientists. Teal'c is being temporarily assigned to SG-3 while they go back to Hakon to search the ruins more thoroughly. However, I need to assign someone as a liaison between the SGC and Area 51 to coordinate and assist study of anything new we bring back to Earth. If it turned out that you had improved by now, I was hoping to post you to this role. If you're interested, of course…"

"Yes, sir. Of course, sir," Sam allowed herself the ghost of a smile.

"I just want to be absolutely sure…" Hammond softened a little. "Sam, are you sure this is a way of coping rather than running away?"

Sam looked down, panicked by the way the General had said that… like he knew that, to her, the latest fallen soldier wasn't just another casualty of war…

"Don't worry, this is strictly off-the-record," Hammond assured.

"I'm not even sure myself, sir," she admitted. "It's better than doing nothing, though."

"Very well, Major," he nodded. "Sign these and return them to me when you're positive you want to go ahead with the position."