Anise looked up. "We have medications that can aid in removing the barriers to the subconscious mind. With the addition of these drugs, I think the device may be able to access the hidden memories."
Jacob ran a hand over his head. "I don't know about giving her any drugs. We have no idea how her body will react to things, she may not react like we would."
"I assure you, these medications are safe, and have been in use for hundreds of years. I will only use a small dose on Samantha, just enough to make her relax, and make her subconscious memories more accessible to the device. I only ask that we try. If you become uncomfortable at anytime, we can stop, and I will continue to monitor Samantha's bio readings during the procedure." Anise closed her notebook and waited for Jacob's answer.
"Sel?" He asked his symbiote.
"Unfortunately, I agree with Anise. I do not believe we will get any further with the memory device by itself. I know the drugs that Anise is speaking of, and know they have been safely used for generations," Selmak replied.
"On children though?"
"Of that, I am not aware, but I really do not believe we have a choice. It is that, or we wait for Samantha to grow up again or hope for better luck from our other allies. Are you prepared to raise your daughter again, or to allow someone else to raise her?" Selmak's question drove right to the heart of the matter, and unfortunately, his current job wasn't exactly one he could just walk away from, not even one he could easily take a vacation from.
He sighed internally. "I was afraid you'd say that."
Verbally, he announced. "Alright, but at the first sign that there's anything wrong, we're done, and I'm taking her home, so you had better be done with everything you plan on doing."
Anise nodded, and Jacob rounded Sam up, pulling her back into his lap and tickling her while Anise hooked the device back up and applied a new small triangular device just under the girl's collarbone. Sam barely noticed the tiny prick, and Jacob's distractions kept her giggling and squirming while his hands kept hers from pulling at anything important. Pressing a few buttons on a pad caused the medication to release, and in a few minutes, Sam started to feel sleepy and Jacob stopped his attack, letting her lay back against his chest. "Tell me another story Daddy," she requested drowsily.
So Jacob started to tell her about the time she was ten, and they'd gone camping in the mountains, and spent hours gazing at the stars. He'd told her how they'd seen a falling star and all made a wish. Sam smiled at the story, but the screen remained blank. Anise frowned, and made some adjustments, minutely increasing the medication.
Jacob told her about her high school graduation. He talked about various achievements she had made. Anise made several more adjustments and added another medication, and then another when that combination proved ineffective, but the screen stubbornly remained blank. Jacob kept telling stories, every happy event he could think of.
Eventually, Anise hesitantly suggested that the blocks might break under the stimulus of a painful memory, but Jacob balked. He knew of only one memory that would serve, the rest were only pets or relatives that Sam had no real attachment to at this age. He couldn't do it, not again. He felt Selmak's encouraging presence and knew that it was the right course of action, and if he didn't tell her now, then someone else would have to tell her. With a weary sigh, he told her the story of how he had come home so many years ago to find the teenaged Sam baking cookies and been forced to tell her that her mother, his wife, who they both loved so dear, was gone forever. At first, Sam didn't want to believe him but when she did, she cried, clinging to him. Finally, she looked up at him, understanding on her face.
"That's why Mommy never came to see me isn't it? That's why I had to go and stay with Colonel Jack right?" Her shoulders shook, threatening new tears, and through the entire time he'd relieved the memory of that fateful day, the screen remained blank.
Just to make sure, Jacob asked her. "You really don't remember me telling you about Mommy do you? The way I just told you?" She shook her head, more tears threatening to fall. Jacob looked at Anise.
The Tok'ra looked puzzled. "The device is functioning on its fullest level. The combination of drugs should only serve to enhance its power. I don't understand why it's not working."
Jacob reached up and disconnected the memory device from the screen, then pulled out the device itself. Next he reached under Sam's shirt and pulled off the infusion device and the biosensor, gently placing each item on the table. He gathered his daughter into his arms, collected her cap and coloring book, replacing them in the knapsack before he slung it over one shoulder and stood up, carefully cradling his groggy little girl. "Thank you Anise. If you learn anything useful from the data you have gathered, you know how to contact us."
Anise looked like she wanted to argue, but wisely did not, instead nodding, turning back to her notes in silent dismissal. Jacob left the lab, carrying Sam through the tunnels of the Tok'ra base.
He was nearly to transport rings when Aldwin appeared from a doorway, looking anxious. "Jacob, Selmak! Thank goodness I caught you before you left! An urgent matter has come up that requires your attention."
Jacob scowled, shifting Sam's weight in his arms and making her whimper unhappily. "Can't it wait Aldwin? I'm a little busy right now."
"Please, Jacob. It will only take a few minutes, the council just needs to speak with you before you go back." Aldwin was persistent, if not downright irritating.
Sighing, Jacob followed the man, sensing he'd get Sam home a lot faster that way, but also getting the feeling he'd be saying goodbye to her a lot faster too when they got there. When they got to the doorway of the council chamber, Aldwin stopped them before they could go in, and Jacob glared at him in irritation. "What?"
"She can't go in, she's not a Tok'ra." Aldwin motioned to Sam.
"Well what am I supposed to do with her?" Jacob's impatience was growing, and he was close to getting the hell out of here, high council or not.
"Can't she just stay here?" The man's naiveté was almost amusing if not for the fact they were discussing his daughter.
"What, do you think a seven year old is a security risk? I'm not leaving her out here, she's just a child." Jacob narrowed his eyes, realizing why Teal'c had punched the man so many years ago.
"Jacob, you know the rules, it will only be a few minutes…" Seeing he was getting nowhere, he changed tracks. "What if someone comes out and sits with her? Will that do?"
Jacob sighed again, feeling Selmak nudge him, and remind him that as satisfying as it may be, punching the man was not an option. Besides, he needed both arms to hold Sam. "Fine, but someone comes out here as soon as we go in there or I take her back first." He set Sam down on one of the wide crystal benches, wincing as she whined in protest. "Sam, Daddy needs to go to a boring meeting for a couple minutes, can you be a really good girl and sit right here and don't move until I come back?"
"Why can't I come in with you?" Her hands were still holding to his jacket and he gently pried them loose, setting the knapsack down next to her.
"Because you need to stay here. Sammy, I need to go, just stay right here ok, I'll be right back. Don't wander off, I mean it. Your books are in the bag if you get bored." Jacob did his best to ignore her sulky whimpers as he turned away, wondering what had gotten into her to make her so cranky all of a sudden, because he didn't remember her getting like that even at her most tired. He pushed the thoughts aside as he hurried into the council chambers. The sooner the meeting was dealt with, the sooner he could take her home and put her to bed.
A/N: So the water pipes have moved up the street. Only it seems that our house being behind another is a disadvantage, as we seem to have been overlooked. Everyone else got a connection to the water supply, except us. Hmm. Dad apparently managed to find the workers to tell them that they missed us so hopefully they'll come back and hook us up before the water gets switched over. I'm just glad my father pays attention to such things. If it were me or my mother, we'd have just been going along blissfully until the water shut off, and even then we'd still be ignorant there was anything wrong until the water was gone for a day or more, since we knew they were working on the water main.