A/N: Ok, I know it's been ages. I'm not even sure I remember what happens in this fic any more, but most of what I'm posting today, I wrote a while ago. This is a shorter chap, basically cos I have to familiarise myself with the story again.
I hope it can ease you guys back into it… I've got some ideas of how to go from here, but no time to write for the moment. I've been in an interesting place the last little while – I got myself a great boyfriend, but then he dumped me a couple of months later leaving me distraught (to say the least)… if you have seen my fic 'All Alone', then you'll know all about it.
On a lighter note, I'm going on holidays tomorrow – time in the sun and the surf'll do me good! It's about bloody time too because it's winter down here and fricking FREEZING!
Anyhoo… time to get this chap out. Hope it can whet your appetite!
Chapter 11 – Who to trust?
The Gas congregated anew around the blast door that stood between them and the biotech lab, waiting for the full contingent of their brethren to arrive in assistance. The message had spread throughout the swarm's consciousness without delay and to every colony it was known that attack on the resisters was possible from two angles: through the large door that had been shut off to them during the chase, but also now through a secondary means via an emergency shaft and an irresponsibly-open blast door.
All they were waiting for now was the final word that the other half of their number had infiltrated via the shaft. Once that was confirmed, they would break down the blast door once and for all with the explosives supplied by some of the more able-bodied hosts' knowledge. One colony, however, was fighting hard to harbour another plan. One colony was a well respected part of the swarm, and was currently at the head of the party advancing towards the emergency shaft.
The short but ever agile form that had previously been Dr Janet Fraser was clipping along the corridor with impressive grace and speed. It was well known throughout the swarm that she inhabited the most useful host on the base through the knowledge and insight into humans; physically, mentally, and above all emotionally. Her shared information had helped in the formation of the plans for when they reached the surface, and her expertise had afforded her the place of secondary leader next to the man who would be recognised by the obtuse humans as an authority figure. It was Janet and General Hammond who, according to the plan, would make first contact and begin the great new age for the Gas.
The plans Janet's colony had been making so sure to keep hidden from the others, however, were not entirely identical to the general consensus among her brethren. What Janet knew about the medical technology of these particular hosts had instantly warned her of the peril her fellow colonies could easily find themselves in. Those inhabiting scientists and others didn't even grasp the concept as she had done. These people were unlike the last group of hosts. These people, apart from their sheer obstinancy, actually had a chance of defeating the Gas before they could properly take hold. The three remaining resistant ones weren't even the main threat. Whether they succeeded in surviving wouldn't ultimately make a difference. The difference would instead lie in the fact that on the surface, and Janet knew this well, was an enormous population full of hosts just as capable as hers. A population whereby a small but significant minority had an advanced genetic structure that would render them impervious to the Gas. The stupid humans didn't even seem to know it yet – but necessity would breed invention, and invention would spell the end of the Gas… again.
The Gas within Janet knew that its kind was finished unless it escaped elsewhere, away from the threats. Only Janet's colony understood and the very fact that it understood filled it with confidence; it was better than the rest of the swarm, smarter than the rest of the swarm. Most importantly, however; it was different from the rest of the swarm. It would be individual and that singularity would enable it to triumph where countless times before the Gas had come mere millimetres from annihilation.
"There could be a trap." She said curtly to the 15 or so people following her towards the opening to the shaft. "These humans are not without cunning – I would not expect them to leave an entrance point unguarded." She hissed softly as most of the hosts with her moved forward, without heeding her words. "I will go alone first. You will know when it is right to follow."
"But you should not be alone." The words slid of Jonas' tongue in a single rasping wheeze. The entire swarm, through his eyes, looked at Janet carefully. Her host had undoubtedly provided them with indispensable information, but it didn't appear that the colony yet had full control. Although it could contribute to the swarm, others were incapable of penetrating into the host's consciousness and sharing in the reward of the knowledge gained; they were reliant on her provision of such information. "The woman's defences still block our attempts…"
"And yet she is of the most relevant physical size to be able to continue along this path." Janet's colony snapped, the shimmering quality in her eyes glistening under the fluorescent lights of the base. "I am the swarm; we are the swarm. Other colonies may follow once they have received the signal." Before waiting for a response, she disappeared into the wall, closing the door behind her.
"Jack!" Sam hissed as she quickly followed the said man down the corridor towards the emergency shaft.
He didn't stop running until crouched next to the hatch, which was open ajar. He hadn't responded to Sam, but now looked at her.
"Jack what on Earth are we going to do?" Sam whispered urgently. "We don't even know what's going to come up through this hatch!"
"If what Tea'lc said is going to be important," Jack replied with equal efficiency, "then we should see Janet – or whoever is controlling Janet."
Sam rolled her eyes briefly, not believing what she was hearing. "We don't know that!" She exclaimed, her voice squeaking slightly. "We have no idea if it's actually Teal'c talking… or what could be happening with Janet."
"Well what d'you want me to do?" Jack appealed right back at her. "It's either we trust in the only small hope we're going to have of buying enough time for Hindmarsh to create enough breast-hormone, or we go down fighting anyway!" As he spoke the increasingly persistent noises behind the blast door at the other end of the hall proved his point. "See? It won't be long before they've broken through and we're not enough people to keep them at bay!"
It wasn't often that Sam second-guessed Jack's intuition, and she knew in her heart that it wasn't possible for them to merely sit around and wait for the Gas to get to them. It just seemed to her that they were proceeding with no plan whatsoever and very little chance of succeeding. As they both waited, their breath short and halting with the adrenalin of anticipation and fear running through them, it occurred to Sam that it was her outlook on what they were doing, and not the lack of a plan, that had caused the point of conflict.
She was scared. Of course she was scared, but now she wasn't only scared for herself and the people around her. Now she was scared for her future, for their future. Jack and her; the baby… a chance for a life. She bit her lip slightly as she realised how selfish she was being. No wonder she and Jack could no longer safely serve on the same SG1, if she was going to act like this. The fate of the planet in her hands and she wanted to hide somewhere where no harm could possibly come to her little family.
She looked into Jack's eyes and was both relieved and surprised to see the exact same look of fear within them. How he had managed to act like he was she didn't know. His resolve was steeled even when he knew exactly how much was on the line. She'd always prided herself in her strength. She didn't doubt that strength now, and she didn't doubt her ability to do the right thing if she had to decide in a split second. The weight of concern associated with her new-found happiness, however, had come crashing down on her with such force that it was a shock.
Yes, she was scared – petrified even. But as she locked eyes with Jack, as slowly they began to discern the sound of someone climbing the ladder in the shaft, she realised that no matter how scared she was, the simple knowledge of her strength was enough to push her forward, to stop her from hiding in a corner and waiting for the end. The key to their salvation lay in their actions; and staying still was not an option.
Janet wasn't given the chance to say or do anything upon exiting the escape. The minute her arm had snaked out of the hole in the wall she was yanked out at thrown against the said wall by both Jack and Sam. Despite her increased strength, the factor of surprise meant that she could do nothing to prevent the manhandling at the humans' hands.
Instantly she opened a small portion of her consciousness so the Gas could see that indeed, it was a trap. She transmitted the message that they should stand-by until further notice before effectively closing her consciousness to the swarm's overbearing prying… it was time to put her plan into action.
"We are not what you think!" She hissed quickly, her eyes almost spitting with the watery hue that demonstrated the presence of the Gas.
"We'll just see about that," Jack said through gritted his teeth while adeptly fastening Janet's hands behind her back, hauling her off the wall and leading her into one of the adjoining rooms.
Sam followed closely, her weapon trained steadily on Janet. In truth, she knew that if the Gas had wanted to harm them, they wouldn't have stood a chance. They'd already seen the unwavering strength the infection managed to imbue even the smallest of human bodies. Although the Gas in Janet probably didn't want to help them exactly – there was something different; something that could help ensure their survival.
Jack had now forced Janet to the ground in a corner of one of the storage rooms that serviced the labs on the level. He and Sam were standing back, weapons pointed at her, waiting somewhat impatiently.
"Well?" Jack snarled. "Speak if you want to live."
"You would not kill your beloved Doc." Janet's voice sneered with an eerie chill to it. "We realise only so well how you humans cling to all hope and to all their emotional linkages." She spat the words out, disgusted. "Besides, I could have the rest of the swarm here before you even moved two paces towards me."
"So why don't you?" Sam asked harshly, surprised by the conviction in her voice.
Janet's form paused from its sneering and glaring to look at Sam in a somewhat different light. There was an extra edge to this woman that surprised her – even despite her knowledge of Sam gained through her host.
"The changes in your physiological structure bring new strength," she said, nodding at Sam to show how impressed she was. "I can there are other reasons why procreation is should cause so feared a condition as pregnancy. You have become strong."
"HEY!" Jack roughly pushed Janet up against the wall again, impressed that he had caught her off-guard and was therefore able to do so. "She was always strong and will only become stronger as we move forward – no matter what her condition is."
"Jack." Sam didn't add any emotion to what she said or even waver her glare from the Gas/Janet. The single word was enough to pull Jack back, however, so they were both again standing a couple of feet from their enemy, guns poised. If anything, Sam's eyes narrowed and her glare became more pronounced. "Well?" she spoke to the Gas again, "either speak or order in the cronies. We're waiting!"
A/N: I'll be honest – the reason the chap is so short is because I don't quite know how to get to where this is meant to be going. I know where the story is going – I just need to figure out how! But never fear – I'll figure it out! If you've got any ideas, I'm sure they'll be welcome!