A/N: Well, here we are again.. next day and I've got another chapter. No idea what's going on with that. I should find out tonight whether I got the apartment that I REALLY want - so I hope you'll all cross your fingers for me! (So nervous...)
Thank you for the encouragements... we should get some more insight into Sam's behaviour in this one... hope you like!
Chapter 6 – Awakening
"Yes sir we have gone into effective lockdown." General Hammond had the red phone clasped to his ear as Sam sat anxiously on the other side of his desk. "Yes sir, no sir there were only a handful exposed who had left the base and we're recalling them now… yes sir that is most advised…. Thank you sir."
He put the phone down and concentrated on his breathing for a second, considering everything that had happened, as well as the options that presented themselves.
"How many had left the base, sir?" Sam asked quietly, feeling increasingly culpable for everything that was happening. At least she had found General Hammond still on-base – a stroke of luck considering it was now midnight.
"Only five personnel who had been in direct contact with either you or Jonas," the General said, "but there were 50 more who we're recalling anyway as a precaution." He rubbed a hand over his head with fatigue. "There are people coming into town to keep an eye on the medical clinics and hospitals, however, just in case."
"Lucky it's summer – there shouldn't be too many cases of bronchitis." She said morosely before looking up to the General, silently asking him if she had permission to go.
"Colonel I need you to find out as much as you can about what we're dealing with." General Hammond said gravely, fully aware of what he was asking the woman to do. "But you'll have to report to the infirmary first."
Sam got up slowly but hesitated before moving. "Sir, I don't think I should be let to wander around the base… given my, uh, condition."
"What do you suggest we do?" The General asked simply.
"Sir, in all truth I should be at least confined to quarters."
General Hammond put a hand up to stop her, shaking his head slowly. "Colonel, I don't think that's going to make a difference at this point. Within half an hour of now we will be in complete lockdown and until then there's a marine unit on the surface preventing anyone who would want to from leaving." He stood up, indicating that the discussion was more or less over. "If we're going to have any chance of beating this, we need intel – and you're our best bet to find it at this point. Work with Teal'c to translate as much as you can of the data gathered and report back at your earliest possible convenience."
"Yes sir." Sam turned and walked out of the room, shaking slightly. There had been a reason she'd requested to be confined. Despite the knowledge that she needed to remain where she was, there was an irrational urge boiling within her to leave by any means possible. Preferably to the surface. It was a dangerous feeling and she recognised it as not being her own but, until now, hadn't mentioned it to anyone. Steeling her resolve, she moved down the corridor to find Teal'c – who would in all likelihood be performing kel'nor'eem at that time. For the moment her mind was strong. She prayed it would stay that way.
As she approached Teal'c's room she found her thoughts wandering to the unfolding scene in the infirmary. Any more patients and Janet would have to start treating people – and herself – in their temporary quarters on base. Given the infiltration of whatever they'd caught manifested like a simple case of bronchitis, this shouldn't be a problem, but it was unnerving to know that each and every one of these patients could start acting like Sam and Jonas had. If they were allowed to associate while in their "sleeping" states, she didn't' like to think of what would happen. For all she knew, this could be a well conceived alien invasion plan that they had unwittingly set into motion.
She knocked on Teal'c's door and waited almost a minute. Too long. Usually, although Teal'c's kel'nor'eem was profound, he responded to external stimuli. Sam tried to quell her nervousness as she slowly opened the unlocked door and poked her head in.
"Teal'c I'm sorry to…" she trailed off as her jaw dropped open and she threw the door open, rushing in through the plethora of candles to the Jaffa's side. Teal'c had slumped to his side and was for all intents and purposes unconscious. Sam tried in vain but there was no way to rouse him. Leaping to her feet she reached the wall-mounted phone within seconds and got through to the infirmary. "We need another gurney in Teal'c's quarters." She said briskly, not waiting for a response before hanging up and rushing to her friend's side once more.
Stacey stepped into the briefing room with apprehension and sat towards the far end next to Sam. General Hammond was at the head of the table, flanked on either side by Janet and Jack. Sam was seated to Jack's left. Everyone's eyes turned towards her and she noted that both the General and the doctor seemed flushed and were coughing occasionally. Looking to Jack, however, she noticed that – like her – he was showing none of the symptoms of the infection.
"I apologise for keeping you waiting sir." Stacey said formally. "I can't thank you enough for including me in this meeting."
"N-not at all, Captain." The General coughed slightly as he spoke. "You were part of the original off-world mission at the root of this problem, and you were with Jonas for his… ah… episode. I am confident you can provide us with valuable information."
"How's Jonas?" Sam asked.
"Sedated for the moment." Stacey nodded, "He's unconscious and strapped down to a gurney in the infirmary… I guess it's necessary until we know more about what's going on."
"Right." Janet said as all the eyes fell on her. "I don't know if I have good or bad news… I just know it's news." She took a deep breath and pulled out some of the test results she had been slaving over for many hours. "I know it's late," in fact it was almost 1am, "but I feel given the fact that the most dangerous period seems to be as people are sleeping, it was best we meet now."
"Of course Doctor." General Hammond nodded. "I don't think anyone will be getting any significant rest for a while. Please continue."
"Well, all I can tell you for now is that after an initial incubation period of roughly 36 hours, the physical symptoms Jonas and Sam experienced seem to disappear." Janet nodded to Sam in recognition as she spoke. "This doesn't, however, mark the disappearance of the strange behaviour which, from both Jonas and Sam's findings, would seem to be attributed to a cognizant life form."
"I'm guessing that'd be the bad news." Jack said through a lengthy yawn.
"Uh, yes." Janet replied quickly before continuing. "Well the really bad news is that whatever this thing is seems to be proliferating much like any run-of-the-mill airborne disease… within a couple of days, the entire base could be affected."
"So we could all start acting strange?" Stacey asked, more to confirm her understanding rather than because she didn't get it.
"Yes. And it could be much worse than that." Sam jumped in, her steady voice betraying the increasing sensation of foreboding within her. "If these 'other' us's start organising within themselves, or if they get strong enough to take over our minds during our waking hours, then it could only be a week before the entire SGC is permanently compromised."
"Oh, so nothing to worry about then – just another day at the office." Stacey said with a faint smile, leaning back in her chair to think about the helplessness of the situation.
"What about T?" Jack suddenly sat up a little straighter as he thought of this other piece of the ever-complicated puzzle. "Does anyone else think it's kinda weird that he's just been completely KO'd?"
Janet nodded briefly before taking another sheet of paper from within the large stack in front of her and consulting it. "Actually yes. His scans indicate he's not in a deep state of kel'nor'eem, and he doesn't have any of the symptoms of bronchitis like the others. He is stable though," she said with some satisfaction. "And he hasn't got up and started acting like a completely different person. I can only surmise that his symbiote is somehow trying to protect him; or maybe it is in danger itself."
"Hang on," Jack felt his brain turning quickly. "These aerated punks were in conflict with the goa'uld at the end on that planet right?" He looked to Sam, who nodded in confirmation. "And even when they were doing that whole 'let's see if we can live together' bit the bubbly ones didn't infiltrate the Jaffa ranks."
"As far as I can tell, no." Sam confirmed, seeing where Jack was going. "You're right sir," she reverted to their previous ranks without thinking, "in all likelihood Teal'c can't be infected by this species…"
"So…?" Jack had made the first connection, but the final leap was going to have to be up to Sam.
"Maybe it's the gassy thing trying to neutralise Teal'c?" Stacey suggested. "Maybe it can't infect him in the way it did you or I, but it can still compromise with his physiology."
"What, and keep him unconscious?" Jack turned to the bright Australian.
"It's possible." Sam was nodding in admiration at the suggestion. "It would explain a lot."
"Either way we won't be sure until we've done some more tests." Janet said, shuffling her papers back together and looking to General Hammond for guidance.
He coughed weakly, looking at the attentive but tired faces around him and spoke. "Dr, is there any way to determine whether a person is truly in control of their mind?" He finally voiced the question that needed to be asked.
"That's a real problem sir," Janet conceded, "I still haven't-"
"Oh hang on a tic!" Stacey suddenly jumped in, her face lighting up in realisation. "When Jonas um… when he…"
"When you saw him in your quarters," Sam prompted, in full knowledge of what had transpired and of the fact that perhaps Stacey wouldn't want to go over it in front of everyone.
"Uh yeah," Stacey smiled gratefully to Sam before looking back to General Hammond and Janet. "When he was in my quarters his eyes… they um."
"Glowed?" Jack suggested, not particularly helpfully. "Cos that's always a tell-tale sign that something's going on."
"No sir," Stacey shook her head curtly. "They just seemed really watery… like he was…"
"Crying – but not." This time there wasn't a hint of sarcasm in Jack's voice, as he'd seen the same phenomenon in Sam the previous night.
"Yes that's it!" Stacey nodded vigorously. "But there was also this weird-"
"When he touched you it was like his skin was buzzing!" Jack interrupted her, glad to finally have found something that could help them.
"That's right…" Sam said as she thought aloud. "When he collapsed in my lab I felt the same thing…"
"Maybe some form of transference of an electric current?" Janet said thoughtfully. "Either way at least we can investigate that – and in the meantime we have a way to be sure that people are who they say they are.
"Ok." General Hammond said decisively. "Until further notice I will have guards placed at all areas of importance in the base to ensure that no-one can get in or out. There will be a roster to make sure that there is always sufficient security awake and as themselves." He turned to Sam. "Colonel, I want you and Doctor Fraser to try to get some rest before beginning to work on a solution to this problem." He held his arm up. "No excuses. Neither of you will be any use to us if you're exhausted, and time is obviously of the essence."
He shifted his gaze so he was addressing the room more generally. "No one is to go to sleep without two armed guards posted outside their door, just in case. And no one is to be permitted to leave their quarters before they have been checked for the two symptoms Captain Hindmarsh and Colonel O'Neill just indicated." He got up to leave. "As of twenty minutes ago the base is in complete lockdown, using its own power reserves. The air filtration systems have been activated to hopefully halt or at least slow the spread of infection, but a no-go zone has also been established across a wide perimeter around the base. Until the situation is resolved, there is to be no communication with the outside world and certainly no activation of the stargate. Is all that understood? Good. Dismissed!"
"Hey Sam! Where ya goin?" Janet called out to her as she took off in the other direction down the corridor. "Your quarters are this way, like mine."
Sam stopped briefly, the strange feeling in her gut telling her to cede and go to one of the loosely-guarded quarters. She knew she couldn't risk it however. She turned slowly, glancing quickly to Jack – hoping he'd understand what she was trying to do – before addressing Janet. "I'm going to sleep in one of the isolation rooms… just to be safe."
"Surely you don't need to-"
"I'll go with you." Jack said firmly, interrupting Janet before she could change Sam's mind.
"But-"
"Janet, I'll see you in a couple of hours." Sam said, nodding slightly to confirm her decision. "Stacey, can you stay with Janet 'til she gets to her quarters?"
"Yes Ma'am." Stacey nodded quickly, before they all parted their ways and started walking slowly in their respective directions.
"You know," Sam said quietly once they'd rounded the next corner. "People are going to realise you're a lot smarter than you credit yourself if you keep going along with me when I make decisions like that."
Jack smiled self-effacingly briefly, glancing across at Sam. "Oh, I don't know." He mused lightly. "More likely they'll think you've got me wrapped around you little finger." He raised his own little finger and winked at her.
"And who says I don't?" Sam said impishly, glad to forget the weight of the situation for a moment. "Just as long as this gaseous life-form doesn't take over…"
"Ok." Jack stopped for a moment, spreading his palms in mid-air to indicate he'd had enough. "We've got to figure a name out for what ever this thing is – you and Janet use words that are waaay too long."
"Well what about just 'the Gas'?" Sam asked, having stopped herself and turned back to look at Jack.
He cocked his head while thinking about it before nodding in assent. "Bad Gas." He said under his breath before recommencing their stroll towards the isolation section.
As they reached the isolation rooms they were greeted by some slightly startled-looking SFs who had obviously been alerted ahead of time and were now waiting for them. Jack stopped briefly to give them iron-clad instructions not, under any circumstances, to go to sleep – or to let him or Sam out without checking their eyes and skin first – before following Sam in and nodding to the two men that they could bolt the door from the outside.
"So," Jack began, puffing his cheeks as they sat next to each other on the lumpy cot on the side of the room. "Not that I want to ruin your image of me as being intelligent or anything… but why did you want to sleep here rather than in the sumptuous guest quarters we were in before?"
Sam took a deep breath before saying anything. She didn't want him to move away, she didn't want him not to trust her. Most of all, she didn't want him to confirm her own fears. Finally, she turned towards and looked Jack straight in the eye, reaching for his hand with hers.
"My skin isn't causing a buzz is it?" She waited until he shook his head. "And my eyes are looking normal?" She waited again until Jack confirmed this. "And yet…" she said slowly, looking briefly to the ceiling for courage. "And yet there's this strange feeling… something inside me telling me that I have to leave the SGC – that I should have gone to the quarters instead of here." Jack remained close to her and didn't look to be moving away, so Sam gained some strength in what she was saying. "It's like when you were bringing me in last night – something deep inside me was screaming that I couldn't come back here. That something isn't me… it scares me."
Jack didn't say anything at first, or even for a good couple of minutes. Instead he lifted his hand, still clasped within Sam's, level with his and her eyes. He lengthened his fingers and she did the same so they had them palm-to-palm. He looked pointedly to the joined hands and then looked back into Sam's eyes.
"As long as you try to fight it," he said patiently, "as long as it's you I can see, hear and feel," he re-intertwined his fingers with hers, "then it doesn't matter what the Gas is trying to make you do." He brushed his other hand past Sam's neck and cupper the back of her head. "Even if you lose the battle – I'll get you back."
"Promise?" Sam said shakily, visibly on the point of tears – although understandably trying very hard to keep her eyes dry.
"Promise." Jack said, before guiding her down onto the bed and lying down next to her on the thin mattress. He shifted so she was half draped across him, nestled against his torso, and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, stroking her hair lightly. "Now try to sleep – I promise I'll make sure you're you when you wake up."
"What if I hurt you?" A small voice came out of Sam's exhausted body.
"You won't." He replied simply, kissing her lightly on the head. "Now sleep."
As Sam slipped into an uneasy slumber, a cascade of microscopic neurotransmitters flooded through her spinal cord and into her head, overriding the organic chemicals that usually dictated her brain function. Diffusing through the tissues, they coordinated better yet than they had previously and soaked up the additional information available to them. Their incubation period now afforded them a great deal of power – power to comprehend and power to act. Contemplating the room their host had chosen to rest in, they waited – happy to gather their strength in order to soon overcome hers.
While doing so, they tuned their resources to listen for others. Busily they waited until they felt what they had been waiting for. The colony was spreading – they could feel kindred activity a couple of hundred metres away – and their brethren had already taken full control of one soul. It wouldn't be long.
To be continued…
A/N: So, correct me if I'm wrong... but I think they're in a bit of a tight spot! I don't know if I'll be able to give you a fast update because I've come across the problem I always reach at a certain point in my fics. I KNOW what's going to happen, I KNOW how the problem's going to be resolved... but I'm always a little vague on how the CHARACTERS are going to realise that... so I may need a brief respite in order to work that out.
In the meantime, I'd love to hear what you guys think is going to happen... always interesting to see how see-through a plot is or isn't. Oh, and please keep fingers crossed for me about that place - I need somewhere to live!
Oh and I know Sam is being a little hysterical, but I'm taking into account the fact that it's an established S/J (therefore she's not as likely to hide her feelings and pretend to be tough all the time - at least not with Jack), and also she's scared (wouldn't you be?).
Ah another thing (this is going to be longer than the chap if I'm not careful!)... I'm slowly realising that although I occasionally do cliff-hangers, I'm usually more likely to do "commercial breaks." Maybe why I don't get 50 bagillion (I'm sure that's a real number...) reviews... but I just think the really mean cliff-hangers are - well - mean! Please show me you still care...