:) As I'm working on a mutant X fic as well as this one expect pdates every two days or so :) Thanks to all the wonderful people who have reviewed, keep it up! (Special thanks to iamdragonrider)

Jack couldn't believe it. They'd been on this planet less than two days and already they'd seen a funeral, been followed and summarily attacked by a alien kid, found out the village they'd come to study was infected by some wacky plague which made tinkerbell lights out of people, and now his 2IC had just collapsed in front of the village leader.

He knew it was going to be one of those missions.

Teal'c swiftly pulled the pallid Major to her feet, gently sitting her down again when she swayed unsteadily. Daniel was quickly at her side offering her water and reassurance,

And Orio was looking horrified.

"You….you said you were not infected." His voice shook. Jack counted to ten internally before plastering on his best fake smile.

"And we aren't. Carter here just forgot to eat at breakfast. She's always doing it. Right Carter?" He raised his voice, still keeping the level, bright tone. Carter, always the trooper nodded her head as vigorously as possible. "Honestly Orio I'm fine. Just low blood sugar you know?" Orio didn't look convinced even if he did understand what she meant. Jack couldn't blame him. Despite her brave words, Carter's face had only slightly more colour than your average marshmallow. He'd been to places ridden with contagious illnesses before. typhoid, tuberculosis, diphtheria. When you were surrounded with the possibility of death, any sign of ill health would be seen as suspicious. Once a friend of his was nearly shot by a local who mistook his hayfever as a symptom of illness. Fear could make people very dangerous. They needed to get out of this place, now.

"Anyway, it's been great meeting you and all, but we really should be going. Got to check in with the man you know." Teal'c and Daniel helped Carter to her feet, they were set to go.

But it wouldn't be that easy, of course not.

"No, you must not leave yet." Orio replied, his voice cold suddenly. "Your friend feels unwell, stay and rest awhile."

"Sorry, that isn't possible." Jack kept his tone pleasant, but firm. "Carter'll feel fine once we get on the move."

"But thanks for the offer." Daniel chimed in, beginning to head to the door.

Orio stepped past him, around Teal'c who was helping Carter and stood in front of the door. "I must insist."

This wasn't going to work. Time for more desperate measures. "No, I must insist." He drew his zat and aimed it at the man blocking their way. Even if they didn't have zats on this world, Orio seemed to understand the general concept of a weapon being pointed at someone. He paled and reluctantly stepped to the side. When his team walked past the native, Orio pulled away as though scalded. Jack casually made his way towards the door, not lowering his aim though. Making sure his team were outside, he turned to Orio. "Thanks for the hospitality and everything, sorry we can't stay but obviously the place doesn't agree with us." He primed the zat, and shrugging his shoulders, "Sorry." and before Orio could register his words, fired. Tucking his zat back into his belt, he waved to the now unconscious local before shutting the door.

The world blurred and twisted about Sam as Daniel and Teal'c half pulled, half supported her along. The dizziness showed no sign of abating and the constant motion wasn't helping. Colonel O'Neill walked ahead of them, his hands resting lightly on his P90. His pace was casual, relaxed to the untrained eye, but from experience she could detect the slight urgency that accompanied his increasingly rapid pace.

That is, when she wasn't concentrating on not spilling her breakfast all over the floor.

"Sam, you okay?" Daniel asked quietly, as he again stopped her pitching forwards. She tried to nod but the action increased her headache threefold. She winced, which did nothing to reassure her friend.

"Heads up kids, we've got trouble." The colonel suddenly warned them. Trying desperately to focus her vision she saw a group of maybe eight or nine men approaching. From what she could make out of their hazy features, they didn't look friendly. "Carter, I know you aren't feeling so hot, but I need you to put on a good performance here."

"Yes Sir." She replied, straightening, and pulling her arms free of Daniel and Teal'c. She swayed unsteadily but managed to regain some kind of balance. How long for she wasn't sure. Daniel looked at her worriedly, "Just make it quick Jack."

"Always do Daniel." the group reached them, adopting a stance that while it wasn't openly aggressive, made it clear they weren't going to let SG1 pass. Teal'c moved to stand slightly in front of her, so protective. She'd be annoyed if she wasn't so light-headed. But now was hardly the time to be a die-hard feminist. The colonel was talking to the group, she tried to concentrate on listening, whilst maintaining a relatively upright position.

"-just heading back home" her commander was saying.

"Not….cannot allow…infected."

"Carter's fine. Maybe you….let us pass….go home."

"Impossible. …spread to others."

"We just….home. Not infected…from here."

"Enough!" The leader gestured to them, his friends began to surround them. Through her dim vision she saw the colonel raise his weapon, beside her, Teal'c and Daniel were doing the same. She suddenly realised she ought to do the same, but her muscles wouldn't work somehow. Her P90 seemed so heavy, and it took all her energy just to remain standing. The natives weren't unarmed though. They each had some kind of crossbow contraption. She abandoned the attempt to lift her P90 and instead reached for her handgun. Before she could attempt to aim however, Daniel pushed her arm down, "Let us handle this Sam."

How uncharacteristically macho of Daniel. She'd be forced to hit him (jokingly of course…) if she could be sure of her aim. Weapons pointed at them from all directions, more people were gathering. The colonel wouldn't shoot, he couldn't. Not for her. These people were innocent, just scared.

"The woman must remain. We cannot risk her spreading her disease to others." They were closer now, she could hear them better. Their leader was a tall man in a red tunic, with a grave expression.

"'The woman' is coming with us." The colonel said calmly. "Look you've banished people before. How is this any different? We'll go and we won't come back. Sorted."

"Banished?" The man laughed without humour. The others joined in. "No one is banished save for thieves and other paltry lawbreakers. The victims of the soul stealer are sent-." He broke off suddenly, sharing grim looks with his fellows. She didn't like this.

"But Orio said his daughter-" Daniel began, to be silenced by a look from the Colonel. Another man shook his head. "Orio's daughter ran away. She refused treatment for her condition and-"

"Treatment? There's a cure?" her commander interrupted, hope in his voice. God she was tired. She must have been swaying on her feet again because Daniel lowered his gun to grab her arm. She suddenly too exhausted to push him away. It seemed like half the village had come out see what was going on now. Several shook their heads and hope died in her. "There is release, not cure." The original speaker said. He looked right at her. "Woman if you value your companions, you will come with me."

"Ignore him Carter." Colonel O'Neill interrupted sharply, settling his gun more comfortably against his side. "Orio's daughter. Why did her father say she was banished."

The man shrugged, "Embarrassment. He was to take her to the Haven, where the sick dwell. But she grew afraid of going to the place her mother and sister died. She ran away and her father could not find her. So he tells all she is banished, and as she is young we are tolerant. Though whether it is merciful I have my doubts." There were mutters of agreement around. Daniel shook his head.

"Orio told us some recover. So even if someone is infected, and we aren't saying any of us are." Bless his for his optimism. "Whose to say they won't be fine? Our world has very advanced medicines. More advanced than your own perhaps." A woman in the crowd laughed harshly.

"You think we were always like this? Two, three hundred years ago this was a big city. The Gods had been gone from this world for millennia, we were strong, advanced as you call it. Then the unnamed one came with this curse. Scientists tried for years to cure this plague, to restore our peoples souls to their bodies. But they failed, and our people withered away. And now we concentrate on preserving what is left of our culture. It takes but a moment of carelessness, of mercy." She spat on the floor. "And our lives are over. We must save those we can. This we have learned through misery and death. You would take this misery back to your world? Would we be merciful if we let you?"

"You don't understand, we can quarantine people, contain it."

"Of course you could, like we used to. Then you see your friend suffering, and decide she deserves company, someone with her at the end. And it is passed on." The woman shook her head, "No strangers, we will help you though you will not help yourselves. We will protect your world." The world shook again, the colonel was grim, "She could recover." A green clothed blur, a man, answered,

"There was another village near here who refused to deal with the soul stealer properly. Out of the whole population only three survived. Over two hundred died. Healthy young strong people. Like your friend. Their souls haunted the forest for many weeks till the Dread Angel harvested them." She could hardly see now, another woman was speaking, her voice lower and sweeter than the others. "Let us take her. We will send her to the haven where they can soothe her pain when it comes. When it is over you may take her soul back to your world if you wish. We would not prevent you."

"But you'd shoot us rather than let us go."

"To save our world and yours, yes." The colonel shook his head in disgust. He was going to try and fight his way out. They all would. And some of these people would die, and maybe her friends too. And it would be her fault. The dizziness seemed to abate slightly as she drew herself upright.

"Sir…"

"Quiet Carter, that's an order."

"I can't obey that order Sir." He turned slightly, disbelieving.

"Carter, if this is about you making some oh so noble sacrifice, forget it. If you got it from Orio's kid, we've probably all caught it by now anyway."

"No." The kind voiced woman spoke again. " Till the pains start the soul stealer is not contagious. You have time, but not much."

"Sir, please. Would you really shoot these people?" He raised his eyebrows, shifted his gun slightly,

"Sure, if they don't get out my way."

"I do not believe you would O'Neill." She glanced up at Teal'c, grateful for his support. Teal'c nodded to her, then looked back at their commander. "I will accompany her O'Neill."

"No." Daniel, the Colonel, and she said at the same time in varying tones. "Teal'c there's no need for you to catch this too."

"I am already infected Major Carter." He replied in that grave tone he spoke in so often. A pain that had nothing to do with illness stabbed at her heart. "Therefore I am the best choice to go with you."

"Neither of you are going anywhere." The colonel interjected, still aiming his gun at the crowd. "We're going back to the SGC, Fraiser will find a cure in five minutes."

"I don't think it'll be that easy Jack" Daniel said quietly.

"Sir, take a blood sample, from Teal'c and I. Take it back to base. If Janet can find a cure…" she trailed off. She saw no other option. To her relief, it seemed he was at least considering it. "And if Fraiser can't find a cure before…what then?"

"Sir, I won't make it to the gate anyway, and if Teal'c goes down we're all done for. This way at there's a chance we can all make it." Please she pleaded inwardly. Get out of here. Her commander turned to face her, lowering his weapon at last. He looked intently first at Teal'c then at her. Daniel was holding her up again, his face grave. He agreed with her decision, but he didn't like it at all. That was okay, she wasn't thrilled either. The colonel stared at her for about a minute, then looked at the crowd, whose faces were saddened, but resolute. They would die before they let her go. The leader of SG1, her commanding officer and friend, turned back to them.

"Daniel, get out the first aid kit."