Chapter Twenty

Buffy followed Jack and Sam into the observation booth looking down on Daniel's isolation room once they had been cleared to leave the infirmary. Teal'c and General Hammond were already in there watching Dr. Fraiser talk to the personality residing in Daniel's body.

"O'Neill, Major Carter. I am pleased to see you have recovered," Teal'c said from his seat.

"How's he doing?" Buffy asked, moving closer to the window.

"Yet another personality from the downed ship has emerged. Though Dr. Fraiser appears to be making progress," Teal'c said.

"How many does that make?" Buffy asked, looking back at the General.

"At least three, maybe four," Hammond replied.

"How'd he get stuck in here?" Jack asked.

"Daniel Jackson's preliminary electroencephalogram proved anomalous," Teal'c calmly replied.

Jack's eyebrows rose. "I dare you to say that again."

"I'm impressed he said it the first time," Buffy said with a grin. She swore she saw one corner of Teal'c's mouth twitch slightly upwards.

"Dr. Fraiser declared a Code 17. Dr. Jackson has been under constant guard and only she and a few of her staff have had any direct contact, as a precautionary measure," Hammond said.

"Code 17?" Buffy asked.

"It means someone might be a Goa'uld so they lock them up," Jack explained.

"We've since ruled that out, but I'm not taking any chances until we can determine the means by which these additional persons have found their way into Dr. Jackson," Hammond said.

"To do that, I'd have to have another look at their cryogenic systems," Sam said. Buffy could practically see the gears moving in the scientist's head.

Hammond immediately saw where she was going. "Schedule a mission briefing with Dr. Fraiser as soon as possible."

Jack didn't hesitate before saying, "With you permission, sir, I'd like to stick it out here with Daniel."

"You realize that only medical personnel are allowed access?" Hammond gently reminded him.

"Yes, sir."

"Very well," Hammond said.

"I'll stay, too," Buffy volunteered when he looked over at her. The couple sat in the two chairs as the rest of them left. She took Jack's hand once they were alone and gently squeezed. "They'll find a way to fix this," she assured him.

"Yeah, they're smart like that," he said with a sad smile, squeezing her hand in return.

For the next half hour they watched as one of the crewman from the downed ship talk to Fraiser from his place inside Daniel's body. Tryan explained how impossible it would be separate all of the different consciouses from Daniel's body and yet leave his own intact. For the second time that day she felt her chest constrict in fear.

"Oh my god," she whispered.

"But remember he said that it should have been impossible for this to happen in the first place," Jack pointed out.

"Yeah, but he said they were all jumbled together now. What if they fix this, but a piece of Daniel is missing. An important piece?" She asked, tears filling her eyes.

"Carter is smart. She can fix this," he said, his own voice tight with tension. Jack tore his eyes away from Daniel long enough to share an empathetic look with her.

"I'm sorry," she sniffed slightly. "I'm trying to be all supportive for you, and instead you're doing it for me."

"Hey, he's your friend, too," he said reminded her gently.

She nodded, then froze as she watched the scene in the room below them. "I think something's happening," she whispered.

Daniel's head dropped and he clutched tightly at his hair. "They're pulling at me now. I don't know how long…"

"Tryan, stay with me," Janet nearly pleaded.

His head jerked up and looked around the room in confusion. "Janet?"

"Daniel?" She asked, her eyes going wide.

"What's going on?" He asked, looking at his wrists. The leather restraints limited his range of motion.

"Look, something has happened. I need you to stay with me, okay? Just hang in there," she said calmly, taking a few steps closer.

He swayed and Buffy could see immediately when the new personality took control of Daniel's body. His entire posture changed and his eyes went wide as he viewed his unfamiliar surroundings.

"Where am I?" His eyes got bigger as a hand flew up to his mouth. "What's wrong with my voice?" He asked in a hushed tone.

The personality turned towards the mirror and promptly screamed. "I'm in a man's body! How can I be in a man's body? I don't even know him!"

In the observation room Buffy began giggling. "He's a girl! Oh how awful for her."

Jack gave Buffy a wicked grin after the woman did a very feminine gesture in Daniel's very masculine body. "And me without my camera."

"You're going to torment him forever about this, aren't you?" She shrewdly asked.

"Yeah, sure, you betcha."

XXXXXXXX

Buffy sadly watched as yet another personality emerged. She was torn. Her friend was in danger and she wanted to be part of the mission to try and get some answers to help him. But a larger part of her wanted to stay with Jack and be there for him as well.

Jack's muttered curse pulled her attention. He wearily rubbed his eyes before returning his gaze to Daniel. "Christ, it's a kid."

She watched in horror as a small, lisped voice asked for his father. She only had an inkling of an idea of what Jack could be feeling as he watched the scared kid talk to Janet.

"Dammit, he can't be more than seven or eight from the sound of it," Jack said in a slightly choked voice as he sat back in his chair.

As the young boy, Keenin, told the story of why his people had to leave their planet Talthus, Buffy kept a close eye on Jack. She wanted nothing more than to hold him in her arms until his own heartache passed. The boy in Daniel's body began to cry as he told Janet that they had had to leave his mother behind. That the only family he had left was his father.

She could see the heavy weight of grief fall back on Jack's shoulders. Of its own volition, her hand reached out to comfort him, but was stopped by the menacing voice coming through the speakers.

"What are you doing?"

"Martice?" Janet asked in surprise.

"And the bastard is back," Jack said with a sigh, sitting forward once again.

XXXXXXXXXX

Tired of listening to Martice go on and on about being the sovereign, Buffy pushed her chair back from the table and stood up. She looked down at Jack. "I don't think he's going to be helpful. I'm gonna grab a bite to eat. Do you want anything?" She asked, knowing he wouldn't want to leave unless absolutely necessary.

"A sandwich and a cup of coffee would be great," he said with a sad smile.

"I'll be back," she said and then slipped out the door.

Her first intention was to gather enough food for her and Jack to take back to the observation room. However, as she started down the line, she noticed her team sitting at a table in the corner. She knew that they were probably already aware that somehow passengers from the downed ship had been imprinted on Daniel's brain. Other than that she wasn't sure how much they had been told. So she just put enough food on her plate for herself and went over to sit with them.

"How's Dr. Jackson?" Simon asked as she sat next to Dave.

"It's still not good," she said. "He's got personalities taking over left and right. Some of them are helpful, others not so much," she said with a wince as she remembered Martice's arrogance.

"I wish we could have gone with SG-1 back to that planet," Jeff said before taking a bite of his sandwich. "I know SG-12 will do their best to back them up, but…"

"I know," Buffy said with a small smile. "I feel the same way."

"Yeah, but we were too tired from our own three day mission," Dave pointed out.

"Think they'll figure it out?" Simon asked.

"Sam will," Buffy said confidently. "If there is something on that ship, she'll find it."

"How's Jack taking it?" Dave asked.

Buffy sighed as she put down her fork. "About as well as can be expected, I guess. I think he's taking this worse than when Teal'c was injured. At least then he could see improvements. Daniel just seems to get worse. He only surfaced that one time so we haven't seen him since last night."

"You'll let us know when something happens, right?" Jeff asked.

"Of course," she said, returning her attention back to her salad.

Her teammates seemed to sense that she needed a break from the topic and they purposely changed the subject to something a little lighter. As Buffy ate her salad, she let the men's silent support strengthen her before she returned to Jack.

Buffy had nearly finished her meal when a klaxon sounded and the gate technician's voice came over the intercom. "Unauthorized incoming wormhole."

The four members of SG-13 froze and looked up at each other in surprise.

"Think that might be the Major?" Simon asked.

"I don't know. How many teams are out?" Buffy asked as Jeff finished his drink.

"SG-1 and 12, and then three others," Dave supplied.

Without another word they dropped their forks and quickly got up from their table and made their way to the control room.

As they entered, they could hear Sam's voice through the speakers. "…a survivor, sir. He's agreed to undo what he's done to Daniel. But it has to be done here with his equipment, and I need to come there to get some of my own. I'd like for Janet to come back with us to monitor Daniel. Teal'c thinks we should bring Pharrin with us just in case."

"Very well, but leave SG-12 there," Hammond said. "Open the iris."

Buffy turned to the General. "I'll go tell Jack." He curtly nodded his head as he watched the iris spiral open. She turned to SG-13, but Dave stopped her.

"We'll stay here, and meet you at Daniel's room," he told her. "We'll provide guard duty for the guy from the planet."

Buffy's  hurried as she made her way through the SGC to Jack but when she reached the hall that Daniel was being held in, she practically ran to the observation room. She burst through the door and grinned at Jack. "Sam's found a way." 

"Really?"

"Yup. Apparently there was someone awake on the ship and he was the one who did this. He's going to undo it."

"Are we sure we can trust him?"

Buffy shrugged. "I doubt Sam would have brought him if she didn't think we could."

Jack nodded and their attention was pulled back to Daniel's room as the door opened to allow Sam and a man in a tan uniform to enter. They could see SG-13 standing in the hallway just in case.

The personality inhabiting Daniel's body jumped to attention before bowing at the man. "Office Pharrin, sir! Engineer Tryan, second rank."

Buffy was happy to see it was this personality. Out of all that had emerged, he had been the most helpful. If he could stay in charge then this should go smoothly.

"Tryan? Of course. Of all of our crew, you would've though this was not possible," Pharrin said warmly. It seemed he felt the same way towards him.

Tryan smiled. "And of all our crew, sir, you're the one who'd find a way to do it. How did you manage?"

"Our training and a shared will to survive. It is a strange way of living with others, but it is better than the alternative," he finished softly.
"What of our ship and our passengers, sir?"

Buffy looked up as Teal'c entered the observation room. He nodded to her before standing at the window. She looked back down to the room.

"These people possess a device capable of transporting all our people to another world, perhaps even Ardena," Pharrin explained to Tryan. "It is very real and it will save our people. But in exchange they ask that their friend be returned to them as he was before. I believe it can be done if we act quickly. It is a reasonable bargain."

Tryan nodded in agreement. "I will do whatever is necessary, sir. Whatever you ask of me."

Jack leaned back in his seat and grinned up at Buffy. She could easily read the relief written across his face.

"No!" Daniel suddenly shouted, causing everyone to jump. "There will be no sacrifice of any kind! Office Pharrin, as your Sovereign I demand that you return me to the ship immediately!"

Pharrin automatically dropped to one knee and bowed reverently to Martice.

"Pharrin!" Carter said in surprise.

"We have sworn an oath to do his will. We cannot proceed," he said, not looking up.

"Officer Pharrin? I've given you a command. Do you understand me?"

"For cryin' out loud!" Jack said angrily, getting up and storming out of the observation room only to appear down in the isolation room. "Get up!" He barked.

"I've sworn to…"

Jack yanked Pharrin to his feet. "Your sovereign is dead!"

"But his soul lives on!"

"Not if I cut him out," Jack growled.

"You would not," Pharrin gasped.

"Oh, yes, I would," Jack said, his voice dropping to a menacing tone.

"Pharrin, you listen to me," Martice commanded.

"Don't listen," Jack said, forcing Pharrin to look at him. "You just do what you came here to do!"

He shakily nodded his head before turning back to Martice. "Forgive us, Sovereign. It is the only way to save our people."

"I will not surrender this body. Not at any cost! It is mine!"

"It was never ours to begin with!" Another personality voiced, probably Tryan.

Buffy watched in morbid fascination as the two personalities lodged in Daniel verbally warred with each other. If the situation wasn't so serious she was sure she'd find the whole thing funny.

Then suddenly they stopped and Daniel weaved slightly. "Father?" He asked in a small voice.

Tears sprung in Pharrin's eyes. "Keenin? I am so sorry, my son. You must sacrifice as well and we will be together. Do you understand?"

She watched as Jack's face paled as he understood. One of the souls Pharrin had saved was his own son. Now he was faced with the possibility of losing him completely. Forever.

"The people of Talthus will be safe, and they will remember us forever," Pharrin said, his voice thick with emotion.
"But we'll be together?"

"We'll be together."

"Are you ready?" Sam asked.

Pharrin turned to look at her. "We are ready. We should do this quickly if there is to be any hope."