That one short conversation between Daniel and Leo had completely changed what Sam thought about the paleontologist. She had thought he was a gentle old man, maybe a bit obsessed with his field of study, but then again, who wasn't. Now, she wasn't sure what to think. His cold attitude towards Barney being injured had taken her completely by surprise. She decided she'd better just speak her mind right away, to be done with it.
"So, Leo, you really don't care whether Barney survives?"
"His survival really isn't up to me. I wouldn't have been able to help anyway. Yes, I may have some idea of dinosaur anatomy, but it's based on fossilized bones. It's an educated guess at best. I'm no veterinarian--I know nothing about medicine. Do you really think that, if he's going to die, I could've saved him?"
"You could've helped others save him. I'm kind of starting to wonder if you even want him to survive. Doing an autopsy on a dinosaur really would let you know what their anatomy is like, wouldn't it?"
"It would be very interesting, now that you mention it, but that's entirely beside the point," Leo said, speaking slowly and patiently, like a teacher addressing a student who was a bit slow. "I'd think it obvious to you, you're a scientist as well, after all. I'm not here to become friends with these dinosaurs, or to play doctor for them. I'm here to study them. To learn as much as can be learned about them. Any individual dinosaur is only interesting as an example of its species, as a tiny part of the whole. No individual is irreplaceable."
"Really? Does that go for humans as well? Are we all so replaceable that you wouldn't care if one of us were sick and dying?"
"It's not that I wouldn't care. What I care about doesn't matter. It's a fact that we could be replaced as well, each one of us. Myself included. That's why I have to stay here and get as much done as is humanly possible. Because I can't be sure when someone decides I'm too old and no good, and replaces me with someone younger and better. This is my one chance to do something I'll be remembered for, always."
Sam frowned. It was an odd thought, but it seemed that Leo's inhuman coldness came down to a very human fear. He was afraid he'd be replaced by someone younger, and more than that, afraid he'd die and be forgotten. His vanity and fear of the slowly but inevitably approaching death were enough to make him shrug at the impending death of another intelligent being. It was disgusting, but all too human, and in a way, she understood. Though she sincerely hoped she'd never end up like that herself.
"I still think you should've gone with them," Sam repeated, so softly that she didn't know whether he heard. She didn't care. "All right, it's time to go back to bed. Teal'c, we'll split the rest of the night in three shifts, I'll take the first."
"Very well, Captain Carter. I shall be meditating, but do not hesitate to call if you require assistance."
Sam sat on a log, her hand on the butt of her P-90. The camp had fallen completely silent again. She could just hear Leo's snoring from his tent. Apparently his conscience was clear and he really didn't care about what would happen to Barney. She did care. She was worried about him, and equally worried about Daniel and Colonel O'Neill, because the trip to the gate through the dark jungle was risky enough as it was.
Nothing happened during her first watch. Teal'c came to relieve her, and she retreated to her tent and sleeping bag. Still, she couldn't sleep. She spent hours turning around, worrying over her team mates and their dinosaur friend, and listening to Leo's snoring. When her watch finally showed that it was time to get up again, she was glad to do so.
"I do not require more time to rest, Captain Carter," Teal'c told her, as she stepped out of her tent to take his place. "I can keep guard until morning."
"It's all right, Teal'c, I can't sleep anyway," she replied. "Nothing's to stop us both from sitting here."
So, she sat down next to him, and they just sat there. They had no need for small talk. Morning was finally approaching. Though it was still dark, the camp was slowly beginning to stir, dinosaurs sneaking to and fro silently, lighting fires and carrying foodstuffs from one place to the other. One party seemed to return from a hunting trip; they came through the natural gate formed by two boulders, carrying a dead, rhinoceros-like dinosaur twice as big as they.
Just when the first greenish rays of the sun filtered to them through the jungle roof, their radios crackled to life. "Carter, Teal'c, do you read?" O'Neill's voice was unmistakable.
"We hear you, sir," she answered him. "Is everyone OK?"
"Everyone else is fine, but I'm afraid Barney's not doing good. That's why I need you to return to the gate ASAP."
"Sir, I don't think Doctor Ramsey will-"
"Forget about Ramsey, it's you and Teal'c we need. Daniel needs to talk with the dinosaur elders about Barney's situation, so we want someone on base who can speak Dinosaurian-Goa'uld, and Teal'c's the only one besides Daniel who does that. And I figured I should come with Daniel so you can return to base, because there's someone here who'd very much prefer working with you."
"Dad?" Sam thought out loud in surprise.
"Aha, that would be one Tok'ra representative Jacob Carter. Just hurry up, will ya. If Ramsey doesn't want to come, well, then, I guess he's old enough to manage on his own among the dinos for a few hours."
"Will do, sir. Carter out."
Ramsey had emerged from his tent, rubbing his eyes sleepily--just in time to hear O'Neill's last comment. "Oh, thank you very much, Colonel," he muttered. "I'm not going anywhere, and I'll manage on my own just fine. Why aren't you running already?"
Captain Carter was uncertain whether they could find their way to the gate on their own, or whether Teal'c should ask for a guide. Teal'c, however, was convinced that he could lead the way through the traps and the jungle. He knew his skills and did not exaggerate. They made their way back without encountering any trouble, except for three Ankylosaurs, which forced them to take a detour.
When they reached the stargate, Colonel O'Neill and Daniel Jackson were already waiting for them, looking impatient.
"Carter, Teal'c, what took you so long?" O'Neill asked.
"Sorry, sir, we came as soon as we could," Captain Carter answered him.
"Okay, we really don't have much time here. I don't know if we have any time at all, really," O'Neill explained, as Daniel Jackson moved on to the DHD to dial home. "So, here's the deal. Barney's dying. We called the Tok'ra, who happened to have a symbiote in need of a host. But Barney hasn't been conscious for long enough that we could've asked for his opinion in this. Denver said we should ask the elders. That's why we're heading back to the camp to talk with them, and you-"
O'Neill stopped abruptly, as the stargate opened in front of them. "You'd better go, you'll get a better briefing there. Daniel, this way to the camp," O'Neill gestured, and headed away from the gate, Daniel Jackson jogging after him. Seeing that time clearly was of the essence here, Teal'c and Captain Carter went through the gate.
They found Jacob Carter and General Hammond waiting on the other side, at the bottom of the ramp.
"Dad, good to see you again," Captain Carter called out eagerly, and ran to embrace her father.
"Good to see you too, though once again, seems the circumstances are just as nasty and urgent as always," the Tok'ra representative answered. "So, I guess we should go to the dinosaur right away, we'll explain as we walk."
"Did Colonel O'Neill give you any idea of what's going on yet?" General Hammond asked, as they advanced through the corridors towards the infirmary.
"Some. You're actually considering making Barney a host?" Captain Carter asked.
Her father nodded, and spoke up in the voice of his symbiote, Selmak. "We have a symbiote whose host died recently. We were able to save the symbiote, and he's currently in stasis. Actually, we were going to ask you about possible hosts in the near future, but now that this happened, we came to think that this unusual arrangement might serve everyone's interest. We are interested to learn more of this dinosaur world and these goa'ulds who use such unusual hosts, and we may also be able save the life of you friend."
"But you cannot proceed with the blending as the possible host is unable to give his opinion on the matter," Teal'c stated.
"This is indeed the case. This other dinosaur, Denver, believes that Barney would wish this, and if the dinosaur elders agree, then we shall proceed. Still, we are hoping that Barney will wake up for long enough that you could inquire him of his thoughts."
Teal'c nodded. "I shall do my best."
"I'll have to warn you, though," Jacob Carter, the human, spoke again. "We can't promise anything. Like always, things could go wrong. We'll basically be throwing a weakened symbiote right out of stasis into a body different from anything he's ever encountered. They might both die anyway. It's a risk we'll have to take. We Tok'ra have already agreed on this, but if the dinosaur elders resist because of it, then we won't go on with it."
By this time, they had reached the injured dinosaur's bed. Beside from the fact that he was distinctly non-human, Barney did not appear that different from any other seriously ill patient in the infirmary. Denver was there as well, standing right next to him, looking as sad as an intelligent dinosaur possibly could, drooping his head, his eyes wide. Doctor Fraiser walked to them from the other end of the room, greeting Captain Carter and Teal'c.
"How's he doing?" Captain Carter asked the Doctor.
"Hanging on by the skin of his teeth, if I may say so. My first prognosis was that he wouldn't survive the night, but he has. It seems these dinosaurs are incredibly hardy. That's why I'm not going to even try and guess how long he has left. The fact is, he will die. He's not going to get any better unless we do something. Truth be told, I can't even be sure he hasn't already suffered significant brain damage. And so far, the Tok'ra offer is all we've got."
Teal'c nodded gravely, and walked closer to the dinosaur. "I am very uncomfortable with the thought of forcing a symbiote on someone who is unable to give his approval of the matter. I hope he will regain consciousness at least passingly so I can attempt to ask him."
"I'd prefer that too, Teal'c, but I wouldn't be too optimistic," Doctor Fraiser replied, shaking her head.
Teal'c took a chair and sat down by the dinosaur's bedside. He would wait as long as it took, or--if Barney would not wake up--until Colonel O'Neill and Doctor Jackson contacted them with the word of the dinosaur elders.