"Hello Jacob." Hammond greeted his old friend as he walked down the ramp. Seeing the look on Jacob's face caused him to sigh. "I take it this is one of those 'we need your help' visits isn't it?"
"I'm afraid so George." Jacob said, following him up to the briefing room. "Actually we need Dr. Frasier's help."
"I thought the Tok'ra had superior ability to heal."
"We do, and because of that we are unable to help the people of Isard."
"I didn't realize you took interest in other worlds."
"We don't. However Isard is where a great many Tok'ra hosts have come from. Not only are many still connected to people there, but, as you know, we are dwindling race. We can't afford to lose such a willing population of hosts."
"Understandable, but I'm not comfortable sending my CMO into a hot zone."
"Several of us have been to the planet." Jacob started.
"You've been exposed and you walked onto my base! Damn it Jacob you know better than that!"
"General," the deep voice of Selmac spoke, "I can assure you we were not infected. Nor were any of the others. When a host is infected the symbiotes are the first to know. It is how we keep them well. There was no infection. Anise believes the people were directly introduced to whatever this is, that it is not air born nor contagious through touch."
"I'll have Walter send through a MALP to collect environmental samples. If Dr. Frasier's people declare it safe, then we'll talk about you borrowing my people."
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"Sir all reports came back clean."
Hammond took the folder from the airman, and then skimmed the findings and summary. "Very well. Please have SG-1 and Dr. Frasier report to the briefing room."
"Yes sir."
"Alright Jacob," Hammond turned to where he was waiting on the sofa, "looks like you've got them."
"No matter how much I enjoy time with my daughter, there's no danger on Isard; you don't need to send body guards."
"Frasier's to valuable, she goes no where alone, and I only trust her care to the best." Hammond paused as a smile crept up Jacob's face. "Besides, Sam's not only capable of protecting Frasier but she can also assist her in the research. I kill two birds this way, I've sent her off world with SG-3 once. She came back and threatened me."
"Threatened you? Why?"
"Apparently when I gave the order to keep her in sight at all times they took me a little too literally. She complained of their constant hovering. They also broke several test tubes and managed to contaminate her samples. She was definitely not happy with me for a long time after that."
"So you send her best friend, sneaky."
"It gets better. Even if Sam is somewhere else Dr. Jackson can stay with Dr. Frasier, he can't help her but she isn't annoyed by his presence." Hammond looked out his window and saw everyone waiting at the briefing room table. "Everyone's here, you best not keep them waiting."
Jack Sam and Janet stood automatically as soon as they heard the general's door open. Having her back to the door Sam didn't see her father until he was standing next to her.
"Dad!" Sam exclaimed. "I didn't know you were here!"
"Yea? Well you do tend to go into your own world when you're working." Jacob laughed as he pointed out the tell-tale lines on her face from where the goggles had protected her eyes. "But that's alright; it gave me time to talk to George."
They all sat down, looking toward the two generals, no one was surprised when Jacob took the lead and explained the situation on Isard.
"Doctor, SG-1 will be accompanying you to the planet." General Hammond explained. "However you are authorized to take any medical personal you may need."
"Yes sir." Janet reviewed the environmental data and looked over Jacob's information. "I'd like to go and see what I'm dealing with. If it's warranted I'll call for a team. However I will need to bring equipment with me."
"Very well. You have two hours to gather your things. Dismissed."
Sam stood and started to follow her father but was stopped by a light touch to her arm.
"Sam." Janet said. "We need to see if that chemical has fixed your problem."
"Sure. Have you found anything else interesting?" Sam asked as she followed Janet to her office.
"Please. I have yet to find something uninteresting. I'm still trying to figure out your basic DNA structure."
"If you need any help just let me know."
"Sam, how much do you know about yourself?"
"A lot. When I was old enough I started researching, mostly to try and stop the seizures. I wasn't just a quick learner when I started helping you in the lab—I already knew the stuff."
"Oh." Janet frowned slightly. "And here I thought I was a good teacher."
"Ha ha. Come on; let's get this over with so you can start packing." Sam sat on the sofa and raised her harm so Janet had access to the control point.
"Ready?" Sam closed her eyes readying herself for the pain. Janet brushed over the point, thankful when nothing happened. "Well it looks like it worked."
"That's a relief. I'm not sure I could trust the Colonel's curiosity."
"You don't really think he'd hurt you on purpose?"
"No I don't. But it really was a hazard; I wouldn't feel comfortable going off world like that."
"I wouldn't have grounded you."
"I would have grounded myself." Sam followed Janet out of her office, intent on helping her pack. "Some of the people we met are down right touchie-feelie. Not only that, but if I were ever injured and Teal'c couldn't pick me up…."
"There aren't many carrying options available that wouldn't have hurt you ." Janet finished Sam's sentence.
"Exactly. Not that they'd have time to think of a safe way to carry me. NO. That wasn't an option."
"I can't believe I didn't think of that." Janet chided herself.
"Don't worry about it." Sam smiled as she packed some beakers into their Styrofoam case. "Let's get this done so we can go eat. A last meal of sorts before we're stuck on MRE's."
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"Doc are you sure we shouldn't be in those lovely yellow suits?" Jack asked, shifting his grip on the equipment tote he and Daniel were carrying.
"There's nothing in the air Colonel." Janet rolled her eyes. "The odds of you getting ill are the same as they are on every other world you step onto. But we will be wearing masks when dealing directly with the people."
"That might make the nervous." Daniel said.
"I sent Atmin ahead to show them the masks and to explain their function." Jacob told them.
"Ah." Jack said. They walked in silence for a few more minutes before Jack spoke up again. "Jeez Doc, could you have made these any heavier?"
"Would you like me to take your place?" Janet asked.
"No. But seriously, they're heavy."
"I don't hear Teal'c complaining." Janet indicated the significantly heavier box suspended between Teal'c and Jacob.
"Apples and oranges." Daniel muttered.
"The box is most heavy. However complaining about it shall not make the load easier to bear."
Just then Sam came trotting up behind them. She had a box the size of Teal'c and Jacob's fitted with several thick vines around the center allowing her to hold it without a second person.
"Jeez Carter." Jack exclaimed.
"What?"
"Sam, where's Mitam?" Jacob asked.
"He went to check out some weird readings he had the last time he was here. There was a huge lake just over that last rise. He went to gather some more samples then he said he was returning to his lab to run some tests."
"Carter. How much doest that weight?" Jack asked.
"About 150 I think."
"So with your pack you're carrying around 200lbs?"
"About, yes." Sam's eyes narrowed, waiting for him to get to the point.
"And you just trotted up this hill?"
"Colonel." Janet's tone was warning.
"Would you like me to carry yours as well? I can handle the extra, what? Fifty pounds?" Sam smirked as Jack glared at her.
"Well there's the village." Jacob said as they stopped at the top of the rise.
Jack looked down on the small town. There were a lot of buildings, some stone, some wood, all were within a circle. There was no wall around the town but no structure ventured out the almost perfect circle. There was a small clearing off to the left just before an open air wooded area, no underbrush for someone to hide in.
"Let's set up camp over there." Jack pointed out the clearing. "They may not be contagious but I'd rather not bed down with the ill."
Sam looked down at the clearing then at Janet with a mischievous glance. Then looking over at her equipment burdened team she shouted. "Race you!" as she and Janet-who only had her pack-took off down the hill.
"They did not just run down this hill."
"Indeed O'Neill they did." Teal'c said, he then looked at Jacob, who nodded his head in agreement before they too took off down the hill.
"Don't even think about it Daniel. My knees won't take it."
When they joined the others they found them gearless and laughing at something Teal'c has said. They placed their box down ad dropped their packs in the pile with the others.
"Major." Jack's tone held a slight edge to it. "We are off world; I'd appreciate it if you acted as such."
"Jack."
"For that little stunt you can set up camp."
Sam's smile only faded a little as she moved over to the pile of packs. Looking around she saw they weren't quite visible to the town and she saw/heard no one in the woods. Glancing at her team she saw they were all yelling at Jack for being such an ass. Looking at the packs and the totes which carried the broken down pieces of a portable lab she went about setting up camp at top speed, finishing setting up both sleeping tents and the portable lab in two minutes flat before moving back to the group.
"I though I gave you an order Major." Jack said when she reappeared by his side.
"Yes sir, you did." Sam smirked.
Jack and the others turned to see camp full erected.
"Samantha Carter!" Jacob yelled. "You know better than that! You know how dangerous that was? What if someone saw you?"
"Dad relax…."
"No Sam! Just because they know now doesn't mean you can go off half cocked! There are still people who…"
"I know Father!" Sam gritted out before walking away.
Janet had been amazed to see the childlike glee in her friend's eyes as they raced down the hill. Even more surprised when Sam's mood seemed to rub off on Teal'c.;not even the Colonel's reprimand had brought her down. It had been good to see her so relaxed; Seeing her with her guard down rarely happened. Then her father had ruined it. Sighing Janet excused herself from the group and went to find Sam. She found her easily in the newly set up lab plugging away at her laptop.
"What are you doing Sam?"
Sam continued typing, ignoring her friends question. Then she stopped, her shoulders slumped, and her gaze dropped to her hands which were not resting in her lap. Janet moved behind her and rubbed her back.
"He's only trying to protect you."
"I can take care of myself. He knows that."
"What would you do if you came over for a visit and found Cassie out back reciting her home's prayers?"
"I'd snag her, take her inside, and explain again why she can't do that." Sam turned to face Janet. "but she's a smart kid, she knows better."
"And so are you." Jacob said, entering the lab. "I'm sorry Sam but this is a known Tok'ra world. There could be Goa'uld spies or if a villager saw something they'd share that knowledge if they were to blend. Not to mention Atmin is still out there."
"You don't think I remembered that? I scanned the woods and the village before and several times during. There was no on around."
"I'm sorry. I worry." Jacob conceded.
"Selmac, am I interrupting?" Atmin asked as he entered the lab.
"No. We were finished. How did things go?" Jacob asked.
"They found the masks strange but they understand their function and the reasons for needing them." Atmin looked around the lab. "They also understand the blood tests and several healthy and several of the ill have offered to allow samples to be taken."
"That's great." Janet said moving to gather supplies. "Sam, would you mind helping?"
"Not at all." Sam glanced at her father. "Let's go."
Janet grabbed her bags, handing one to Sam and they followed Atmin down into the village. These people were fairly more advanced then most of the people the SGC came across. Thy had glass windows that opened, it was fairly warm out and many of the homes were sealed up, telling Sam that they either had someway of cooling these homes or they were designed in such a manner that the cool temperatures of the night are maintained during the day. Sam was brought from her musings when Atmin took them into a building; the room they entered was filled with men and women.
"Atmin." A man several inches taller then Sam stood and approached them.
"Steen. These are Major Carter and Dr. Frasier."
"Welcome." Steen said. "Thank you for coming."
"Don't thank us yet." Janet said. "We man not be much more help then the Tok'ra."
"We have faith." A woman spoke from the corner.
"As you see many have come to offer help."
"I see. For now I'll only need a few samples." Janet looked around. "Five or six people, both ill and well." I'll also need a private room with a bed or a table for them to lye on."
"We have a room ready. Please follow me." Steen said moving to a door at the back of the room. There was a table along one of the walls, much like the ones in Earth's doctor's offices. There was a stack of sheets under it, new patient, new sheet. "I hope this will suit you needs. The ill volunteers are through this door, down the hall way on the left."
"That's good. I'd like to avoid possible contamination. We'll see the unaffected people first." Janet said as she began unpacking her supplies and setting them up on the counter. "Could you send the first person in please?"
"That would be me." Steen said hopping up on the bed.
"So. How'd it go?" Jack asked as the women returned.
"From all outward appearances they seem to have a really bad case of influenza." Janet answered.
"They're dying of the flu?" Jack asked.
"People at home can die of the flu Jack." Daniel rolled his eyes.
"Well yea, old people." Jack countered.
"Colonel please." Janet handed Sam her kit and she disappeared into the lab with it. "I said it looks like the flu. I won't know what it is until I look at my samples. So if you'll excuse me."
"Yea sure. I'll send Daniel in to get you for dinner."
"Thank you Colonel." Janet said, turning and entering the lab with a smile.
"What are you smiling abut?" Sam asked as she worked on separating and preparing the samples.
"I swear that man is borderline GERMAPHOBIC (look up proper term)."
"I'm sure he is." Janet looked at the work space. Seeing everything set up she turned a grateful eye to Sam. "Thank you."
"No worries." Sam winked. "Now let's get this done."
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"Hey Selmac" Jack called.
"Yes Colonel O'Neill."
"Jacob hasn't caught any bugs has he?"
"Colonel we would not bring you if we found it unsafe, and we would warn you of any changes."
"Right. I know. I was just checking."
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"Daniel I told you we'd be out in a minute." Sam snapped when she heard the door open.
"Is that any to speak to your father?"
"Sorry dad."
"It's been thirty minutes, Jack's yelling at Daniel and threatening to send in Teal'c to bodily drag you two out to eat."
"What?" Janet looked up from the slide she was looking at. Glancing at her watch she was shocked to see the amount of time that had passed. "We need to store these and then we'll be right out."
"Alright. But if you're not out in five Teal'c will be your next visitor." Jacob turned and went back outside, joining the others around the fire. "You're right Daniel, she is being a bit snippy."
"Great." muttered "She's either pissed at me or you."
"She never stays mad long." Daniel said, pulling out his chocolate bar from his MRE.
"Thank god, I don't think I could handle the wrath of Carter for long periods of time."
"You should have seen her when she was younger."
"Dad, you aren't telling embarrassing stories are you?" Sam asked as she and Janet emerged from the lab.
"It's alive!" Jack shouted then tossed an MRE from the fire to Sam.
"Funny sir." Sam said easily catching the food and sitting on the log next to Teal'c.
"So how's it going?"
"Well it's definitely viral but it's like nothing I've seen before." Janet answered as she tucked into her dinner. "I've tried a couple of antibiotics we brought and they've had no effect."
"They didn't even slow it down?"
"No and the worst part it we've found four different strands." Janet said between mouthfuls. "Even if we do find something that works on one strand it may not work on the others."
"Have you discovered the source of infection?"
"We've just started. I've only had a chance to look at half the ill patient samples."
"Speaking of which." Sam stood, placing her MRE on the ground. "I'm going to go start the well samples."
The group watched as Sam disappeared into the lab. Teal'c picked up her discarded packet of food and frowned.
"Major Carter did not eat her M&M's.
"What?"
"She's been quiet in the lab." Janet frowned. "I didn't rally pay attention, I was busy with the samples. I'll talk to her, she could be still upset about earlier."
"If that's it," Jacob smiled, "just leave it be. She'll just get mad at you."
"I don't think…."
"Trust me doctor." Jacob said cutting her off.
"Alright. For now." Janet stood and threw her empty MRE in the pile with the others. "But I need to get back to work."
Janet entered the lab and saw Sam crashed out on one of the cots in the corner. Smiling Janet went about checking, sorting and labeling the samples. As soon as the tubes Sam had placed in the centrifuge finished she was going to make use of the second cot that was crammed in the small space.
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"Rise and shine campers!" Jack called from the door.
"Ah, it can't be morning already." Janet mumbled from under her blanket.
"Oh but it is." Jack smiled. "We've got coffee and breakfast when you are ready."
"Give us a minute Colonel." Janet sat up rubbing her eyes. Glancing at her watch she saw it was 0823, well into the morning. When she saw Sam still in bed she frowned. Now that she knew about her friend she no longer worried about her sleepless nights, she now knew that Sam slept as little as 8 hours a month.
Sam had slept through the night and through the Colonel's enthusiastic wakeup call and it had Janet a bit worried. Standing at the foot of Sam's bed—well out of striking range, a lesson she learned the hard way the first time she tried to wake the colonel from a restless sleep—Janet shook Sam's foot.
"Go away." Sam mumbled, pulling her foot up and curling into a ball.
"Sam it's 0900, time to get up."
"It's barely after 8. Go. Away."
Janet moved up next to Sam, intending to simply pull the blanket from her sleeping friend. When she saw sweat-soaked blond hair she went into full doctor mode. Moving to the front of the lab Janet grabbed her bag and pulled out a thermometer.
"Sam, open up. I want to take your temperature."
Sam sat up and opened her mouth, three minutes later Janet's frown deepened.
"What?"
"You're running a fever."
"I don't get sick." Sam argued, even tough she felt miserable.
"Don't remind me." Janet went about collecting a blood sample from Sam. "Hopefully this comes back clean. For now I'm quarantining the both of us to this lab."
"But."
"No buts. Whatever you caught has got to be strong to make it past your immune system. I won't risk anyone else catching it."
"What about you?"
"I've been in here with you all night. If I'm going to get it, I already have." Janet picked up the radio off the lab bench. "Colonel, Sam's sick. Under no circumstance will any of you come in the lab."
"Funny Doc. We all know Carter doesn't get sick."
"It's no joke Colonel. We'd appreciate breakfast thought. If you could just leave it in front of the lab door please."
"I'll bring it." Came Jacob's voice.
"No!" Janet shouted into the radio. "It's strong enough to make Sam sick, I'm worried about Selmac's ability to handle it. Besides, you could serve as a carrier."
"Alright. Food's at the door. Keep us informed."
"Will do." Janet put the radio down and collected the food. Carrying it over she sat next to Sam on her cot. "I should have known something was up when you didn't eat your M&M's."
"Yeah?" Sam took the MRE and half heartedly picked at its contents.
"How are you feeling?"
"A bit run down. I figured it was because I haven't slept in a few weeks."
"Well I want you to stay in bed…."
"No way!" Sam straightened up. "I'm not ill enough to sit on my hands when I could be helping you."
"Sam this is, what? The first time you've been sick?"
"Yea. But trust me. I don't do sitting around very well."
"Alright." Janet conceded. "But the moment I think you need to stop you will stop. No arguments."
"Deal." Sam got up and moved over to the lab bench and began the process of separating her blood.
Janet shook her head and continued to eat. She watched Sam carefully as she moved from the centrifuge to pulling out one of the previous day's samples and take a look at it through the microscope. Sam pulled back and looked down at the slide then back through the lens. Janet sipped at her coffee as Sam pulled out a few more slides. Sam quickly looked at each slide before turning and facing Janet.
"I think we have a problem."
"What?" Janet put her coffee on the floor and moved next to Sam. Looking in the microscope then back at Sam. "Why is this a problem? It's the same viral strand as the others."
"That's the problem. All the slides I've looked at are like that." Sam handed one of the slides to Janet.
"Oh my god." Janet looked from the label to the scope back to Sam. "All of them?"
"Yeah."
"They're all infected."
Sam picked up a stack of papers from the printer tray, quickly reading through them, and then handing them over to Janet.
"If I'm reading those right, their bodies aren't fighting the virus, almost like it doesn't recognize the threat."
"You're right, white blood count's normal." Janet flipped through a few more papers." They all have it. Those showing symptoms are in the final stage. The damage to their lungs and other organs has accumulated to the point they are finally noticeable. Those already showing symptoms….it's too late for them."
As Sam stood watching Janet the room suddenly swam before her eyes. Grabbing the counter she managed to keep herself upright. As quickly as it started it stopped. She got herself straightened back up just as Janet closed the folder.
"Can we stop it in the earlier stage?" Sam said, fighting to hold back a groan as pain shot up her side.
"I don't know. It's fairly resilient; we'll have to get a few more samples if we don't see any results with these."
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Janet put Sam's slide under the microscope, it only took a moment before she stepped back and closed her eyes.
"I'm infected aren't I?" Sam asked quietly.
"I'm afraid so."
"Don't worry, you'll find a cure."
Janet's head snapped around to look at her friend. Sam was standing, barely, clutching her side, face flushed and clearly in pain.
"Damn it Sam." Janet rushed over and draped Sam's arm over her shoulder, helping her to bed. "Why didn't you say something?"
"Was hoping I'd be over it by now." Sam curled up trying to stop the pain.
"Where does it hurt?"
"Chest, stomach." Sam said, visibly relaxing. "They come in waves; it's bad."
Janet went to her bag and returned with a syringe. Sam bared her arm, that small action letting Janet know just how bad the pain was. Sam hated to be sedated.
"You know you're probably infected too." Sam said, eyes getting heavy.
"I know. I'm going to test myself and have Teal'c collect samples from everyone else."
"In the air?"
"Maybe." Janet retrieved the blanket from the floor and covered up Sam. "Stop thinking and get some sleep. I'll be able to answer your questions when you wake up."
Janet sat there for a while longer until she was sure Sam was asleep then she got up and grabbed the nearest radio.
"Colonel."
"Hey Doc, what's the good news?"
"I'm afraid there isn't any. Sam has been infected. It's affecting her differently then the native people. I'm going to leave sample tubes outside the door. I need Teal'c to draw blood from each of you. The Tok'ra and Teal'c too."
"Selmac says they aren't infected."
"I want samples Colonel. Sam is the last person who should have caught it."
"Alright. But I sure hope your wrong."
"So do I." Janet whispered as she went about gathering the supplies.
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"Ah." Jack smiled as Janet emerged from the lab. "I told you we're all fine."
"I wish that was the case sir." Janet handed him a folder and sat down on a log next to Jacob. "We are all infected."
"That's not possible. We would know!" Atmin shouted.
"The best I can tell the body doesn't recognize the virus that's why we aren't showing symptoms."
"Where's Sam?" Jacob asked.
"I have her sedated. She's in a lot of pain."
"I though you said there aren't symptoms." Daniel asked
"I did." Janet looked at Jacob. "Sam's unique physiology is treating this in a totally different manner. For starters her body actually recognizes the virus and its fighting it; she has a fever that would kill a normal person. Her body chemistry is all over the place. I'm not sure if it's the virus causing her pain or her own body."
"So how do we stop this?" jack asked.
"I'm not sure, but our first priority is to contact the SGC and have the mountain locked down. Anyone who's left needs to be recalled and those they've come in to contact with quarantined. Same for the Tok'ra."
"We've been on this planet 24 hours. Do you realize how far this could have spread?"
"Yes colonel I do." Janet rubbed the back of her neck. This was on of her biggest fears. "I'm still hoping it isn't spreading by contact. If it isn't then the SGC will be safe. My recommendation is to lock down the base and test General Hammond first. He was with General Carter long before any of us were ever called in. If he's infected all of Colorado Springs will need to be quarantined. Hopefully it is something on this planet that's making us sick."
"The Tok'ra have no way of testing." Jacob frowned.
"Send them a message—or better yet take Teal'c and I'm get you a kit and you can go collect some samples and breaking them back here. Your base is already exposed."
"Alright."
"Give me a few minutes to put together a kit then you should go."
"May I see Sam?" Jacob asked.
"Of course" Janet stood along with Jacob, the others staying seated-giving Jacob time alone with his daughter. As they entered the lab Janet moved about making up the kit while Jacob went to his daughter's side.
"She's so still." Jacob said, startling Janet.
"I'm sorry?"
"She's so still. The only time I've seen her ill was when she was having a seizure. She's so still and pale."
"She's really never been sick?" Janet asked moving next to Jacob.
"Never." Jacob took a ragged breath. "Mark hated it. Thought it was so unfair his sister was never sick. He wasn't a sickly boy or anything but Sam, she always seemed indestructible — even as a kid. Hell she'd spend the morning fighting seizures, sleep a few hours and by lunch she'd e up and running like nothing was wrong."
"It must be hard seeing her like this."
"It is. Barring a few incidents since I've become a Tok'ra I don't think I've ever seen her sleep." Jacob sighed. "She'll pull through right? I can't lose her to a bug."
"I can't make any promises but I'll be damned if I let her go without a fight." Janet handed him a white plastic box. "You need to go. Keep this from spreading, Sam'll be fine for now."
"Right." Jacob cleared his throat and stood. "I'll return as quickly as possible."
Janet took a rag from the bowl on the floor by Sam's bed and began wiping down Sam's face in an effort to make her more comfortable.
"How is she?" Daniel's quiet spoken question startled Janet. She jerked around surprised to find him kneeling right nest to her.
"Not good. The sedative I gave her should have worn off hours ago."
"Maybe she's just tired." Daniel suggested.
"This is the first time's she been sick so that's a possibility but I can't shake the feeling something's really wrong."
"Can you run some more tests?"
"I'm still learning her Daniel. Her body's dealing with something totally alien. Even if I knew everything about her I wouldn't know what to do. I'm deep in uncharted territory."
Daniel, seeing how upset she was, enveloped her in a hug. "You'll figure it out."
"Oh god Daniel what if I don't?"
"You can't think like that." Daniel gave her one more squeeze then stood them both up. "Come on, I know I'm no Sam but I'll help where I can."
Janet simply nodded and went about her work, giving Daniel directions every now and then. She assumed his real reason for offering to help was so he could keep a closer eye on both Sam and herself. It was some considerable time later that Jack came striding in the lab.
"Well the good news is all the preliminary tests on Hammond came back clean. Earth appears to be safe." Jack glanced over at Sam. "How is she?"
"If the general's clean that mean's it's an environmental factor." Janet turned and started looking through her print outs. "It has to be in the air. We haven't eaten any of there food….Please tell me you didn't cook using their water."
"Hey we go off world all the time, we know better." Jack retorted defensively.
Janet sighed and once again began reading over her notes only to stop when something else caught her attention. Sam's blanket had a fallen to the floor allowing Janet to catch the beginnings of a seizure.
"Shit!" Janet tossed her notes on the counter and dashed to the corner that housed her medical supplies shouting orders as she went. "Get her on her side! Try not to let her hurt herself."
"Jeez Doc, hurry it up!" Jack shouted as he and Daniel struggled to keep Sam on the bed.
"I'm trying sir." Janet was desperately searching her supplies. "I wasn't expecting to be treating seizures. I'm not even sure I have any.….Ah ha!"
Janet grabbed the little jar of anticonvulsant and a syringe. Quickly she calculated the dosage in her head, loaded the syringe then injected it into Sam's arm. It seemed like an eternity before Sam's body stopped its shaking.
"She's getting worse." It was a question as much as a statement.
"Yes she is." Janet sighed.
"How's the cure coming?"
"It isn't. I've thrown every antibiotic in every possible combination I can think of and I haven't even managed to slow it down." Janet sat on the floor next to Sam, monitoring her pulse as she spoke to Jack. "I need to figure out where it's coming from."
"Shouldn't you be working on a cure, and not wasting time trying to find where it came from?"
"If it is a plant that somehow we've come into contact with then I will have you sitting and watching that plant to see if anything eats it. If something does then that animal may hold the key to the cure. So I need to find out where it's coming from." Janet tried to keep her temper in check. She knew Jack was just worried about Sam, but so was she, and she also had to worry about actually finding a cure. "I want you guys to go get me some soil samples as well as some of the ash from the fire. And if you see any flowers or plants around the camp…."
"Relax Doc." Jack picked up a sample kit. "We've seen Carter do this enough times. I think we can figure it out. Come on Daniel."
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"Hey Jack." Jacob said as he and Teal'c approached the dimly lit camp. "Any god news?"
"Earth's not infected." Jack muttered, kicking at a nearby dirt clump.
"Don't sound so excited." Jacob looked from jack to Daniel's depressed figures. "Oh god! Sam!"
Jacob rushed past Daniel practically leaping over the log. He burst into the lab to see Janet pulling the sheet over Sam. He almost cried with relief when she tucked it around Sam's shoulders before making her way over to him.
"I thought. . ."
"She's close general. She's been seizing since you left. Her body's not going to be able to handle much more."
"Have you given her triptophan?"
"I have, along with two other anticonvulsants I happened to have with me."
"A cure?" Jacob almost pleaded.
"I'm afraid not." Janet looked at him with watery eyes. "I've managed to isolate the virus. It was in the water."
"We haven't had any of their water."
"It has made its way into the plant life. The food is all contaminated, so are the trees." Janet rubbed the bridge of her nose. "We were all infected when we burned the wood, releasing the virus into the air."
"Can't you…."
"I'm working on it, but it will take days, maybe even weeks."
"You just said Sam was running out of time." Jacob looked mortified.
"I know." Janet whispered, and then left Jacob alone with Sam.
"Janet." Daniel scooted over on the log making room for her. "Any news?"
"I can't save her. I don't think she'll make it through…."
"Janet!" Jacob called from inside the lab. Janet, Daniel, and Jack jumped up and rushed into the lab just as Sam's convulsing body went slack. Janet snatched up her stethoscope as she rushed to Sam's side frantically she searched then sitting back on her heals she stared blankly at her friend.
"She's gone."
"What do you mean gone? You haven't even done anything!"
"She has no heartbeat Colonel, and in case you haven't noticed we aren't in the SGC I don't have the equipment here to save her!"
They all sat in stunned silence. Jacob heard nothing, as soon as Sam's body slumped down onto the cot he knew it was over. He retreated inside his own mind letting Selmac take over. Janet pulled herself together first. Standing she reached down and pulled the blanket up over Sam's head. "Time of death 2342."