Thanks to all of you who sent in a review for the last chapter. I love to read all your thoughts and comments. It helps me to improve my writing and lets me know exactly what you like and don't like, so I can write accordingly.

Censure.

By LetitiaRichards

Previously:-

Their eyes locked onto each other, a silent pledge of love between them before the door closed behind her.

Chapter 6

Daniel's frustration was mounting. He'd tried to be patient, honest. The tests were taking longer than he'd hoped, then there would be the debriefing to contend with when all he wanted to do was go straight to his lab and set to work on those discs.

Sam was just the same too; her fingers itching to get to work in finding a solution to the problem. She was desperate to help Jack; she loved him so much that this was killing her just as surely as it was killing him.

Now they knew what was causing his symptoms, it was a case of: Why? Why had he been singled out for this? Why was it killing him? What was the point of it? There had to be an answer somewhere.

At last, Janet had finished with them and they all hurried off to the briefing room to meet with the General.

After checking on her patient, and satisfied he was asleep, Janet met them for the de-briefing.

OoOoOoOoO

"So, were definitely not talking about a tumour, here?" Daniel asked, getting straight to the point.

"No. It's nothing organic, but I couldn't tell you what it was either. It's nothing that I'm at all familiar with," Janet replied.

"What we need to do then is to get all the information from the discs..."

"Providing the information is on them!" Hammond interjected.

"Providing, as you say, that we can find anything relating to this, yes," Daniel sighed. That was the crux of the matter, and he hoped to god that between them they could find a solution.

"Sir, there's always the possibility that whatever happened to Colonel O'Neill, the solution may only be found in that room where I discovered him," Sam speculated.

"Perhaps I can help him to regain some of his memories of that time?" Teal'c offered. "He may well recall the incident through Kel-no-reem."

"Do you think he will be able to achieve that state? We all know his attention span is a little...em..." Daniel coughed, and reddened. He hadn't meant to say that, especially in front of the General, but when he looked up, he could see Hammond had a sly grin on his lips. "Well, we know what Jack was like last time he tried it," he finished lamely.

"We can but try Daniel," Sam said, ready to try anything that might help them solve the problem. "What have we got to lose?" she added, her voice fading as her words cut deep into her heart.

"Okay people, let's give it a go. Doctor Jackson, Major Carter, you start going through those discs. Keep me informed of any progress. Dismissed."

General Hammond went back to his office, feeling only slightly mollified.

Sam and Daniel walked off together towards the labs where the equipment was waiting for them, and Janet escorted Teal'c to the infirmary after collecting several candles from his room first.

OoOoOoOoO

Teal'c set the candles around the room and lit them as he went, creating a soft flickering glow.

"You're wastin' your time T," Jack sighed as he watched the Jaffa from the bed. "I can tell ya right now, it's not gonna work!"

"That remains to be seen O'Neill," Teal'c replied, lighting the last wax tower. He turned back to the forlorn figure sitting propped up in the bed. "Are you ready my friend?"

Jack gave a vague wave of his hand, shrugged,and closed his eyes.

"Yeah sure," he sighed again. He wasn't expecting any miraculous revelations to be forthcoming, but then he was always cynical about his own ability to switch off completely enough to experience true meditation as Teal'c always managed.

Teal'c sat crossed legged on the floor by the bed, but far enough away so that he could keep an eye on Jack without getting a crick in the neck. He relaxed and watched as Jack did too. The man was actually being compliant for a change, but perhaps that was because of his illness, Teal'c wasn't sure. However, he was fully expecting the Tau'ri Colonel to achieve inner peace and then recall the events leading up to the time when he collapsed.

Jack could feel the pull of unaccustomed calm wash over him, leaving him a little light-headed. Teal'c's soft, soothing voice of encouragement had him completely drawn in on himself. He felt as if he were floating; it was almost like an out of body experience, and he was looking down on himself and Teal'c.

Then the scene changed, and he saw himself enter the basement room back on that planet PX...PZ... Well, whatever it was. He picked his way over to the far side of the room, avoiding most of the debris. He stepped onto a pile of rubble and his foot slipped, jarring his knee slightly, making his swear loudly as he stood still for a moment to let it settle again...

OoOoOoOoO

Sam rigged up an interface with the machine while Daniel sorted through the discs, trying to find the ones that might be relevant to their search.

Sam wasn't having a lot of luck so far, as the connections blew a fuse for the umpteenth time. Eventually she managed to work it out, after getting frustrated with it. It was now connected to her lap-top and they were ready to try the first disc.

Daniel inserted it into the slot and waited to see what would happen. They weren't disappointed. Straight away an image appeared on the screen and light melodic voice intoned what Daniel understood to be a welcome.

Sam looked questioningly at her friend, but his eyes were glued to the images. She could almost see the cogs turning in his mind as he worked on deciphering the language. He dragged his notebook towards him and scribbled a few notes before reaching for one of his heavy tomes behind him. Lifting it from the shelf, he flicked through the pages, searching for something which had Sam holding her breath in anticipation.

When Daniel cried out in triumph, she was eager to hear what he'd discovered.

"It's a form of Latin, Sam," he explained quickly, his words tumbling from his lips in excitement. "I think these people were related to the Ancients, or maybe they actually were the Ancients, I don't know, but the language is very similar to what Jack spoke when he had the download from that device a few years ago."

"Can you translate it though Daniel? That's the real issue here! Will it be of any help to the Colonel?"

"It's gonna take a while Sam, but I don't foresee any problems with this. I just need to work through the discs until I find the one we need."

"Well, you work on that, I'm gonna take a look through these books you brought back. Maybe there's something in there."

Daniel didn't hear her; he was already busy scribbling down pages of notes as he listened to the alien language. Sam sighed, but picked up the first volume. She may not be able to understand the words but she could look through the maps and study the buildings for anything that looked familiar.

OoOoOoOoO

Jack's eyes flew open with enlightenment, and he shot forward quickly in order to look down at Teal'c.

"I remember Teal'c. I remember what happened! Whoa!"

The sudden movements were too much for his head to cope with and he swayed alarmingly. Teal'c shot up off the floor and caught him just in time to stop Jack's downward spiral into oblivion. The Jaffa held him for a moment while he regained his balance, his eyes screwed shut tight against the dizzying feelings. He fought against the rising nausea while Teal'c laid the him back against the pillows then lowered the head of the bed slightly.

"Are you well O'Neill? Do you require Dr. Fraiser's assistance at this time?"

"No. No, I'm okay thanks Teal'c. I'm...I just moved a bit too quickly, is all!" he puffed a little breathlessly.

"Very well. What is it that you recalled O'Neill?"

"I...er...I got zapped with something," he grimaced with a frown, clinging to the elusive memory. I walked into the room, steppin' over the debris as I went, but then I slipped or tripped, or somethin'. That's when whatever it was, zapped me. I can recall a sharp pain in my ear, then nothin'! I didn't wake up again until you were trying to carry me through the wormhole."

"Did you perhaps trigger a device that was rigged with a trip wire, which you accidentally activated when you slipped?"

Jack screwed up his eyes again, trying to recall anything else that might prove relevant, but he just couldn't remember anything other than that.

"Nope, that's all I can remember. That, and cursing my luck when I jarred my damn knee! But, that's it!"

Janet Fraiser entered the room, having heard their voices from outside. She'd left the two of them to themselves, thinking that the less people around, might help the Colonel to reach the necessary state to recall things.

"Anything yet?" she asked hopefully.

"I remember getting zapped," Jack replied. "There was a sharp pain in my ear, then nothing."

"You did have a slight trickle of blood coming from your ear, but I couldn't see any significant damage and you haven't complained of any noises or deafness from that ear."

"It's fine. No problems at all. I just don't get it."

"Well, lets hope Daniel and Sam come up with something from those discs," she sighed, a little deflated that the Colonel couldn't recall much else.

"Perhaps we should try this again Dr. Fraiser. O'Neill may recall more details," Teal'c's deep voice rumbled softly, but Janet shook her head.

Jack looked pale and weary.

"Another time Teal'c. The Colonel needs to rest first."

Teal'c turned back to see his friend was almost asleep, he dipped his head in acquiescence.

"Indeed Dr. Fraiser. Perhaps tomorrow."

TBC