If you read parts 1-5 before June 8, 2008, please go back and have a re-read. I explain more about how the newly infected are ranked and it might come into play later. Thanks! Oh, and have a look at the Poll I posted on my profile. It will effect part 7.
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Part 2: PX5332
--
Daniel opened his eyes. The room was spinning a little, and his eyes were stinging from the bright lights of the room. He was laying in one of the isolation rooms. He could feel his arm being pinched by a needle so his eyes shifted to the bedside. There were a couple different tubes running into his arm: one clear and the other with blood. The monitor beeped every few seconds in unison with his heart.
The woman writing notes on a clipboard gasped a little when she saw his clawed-hand move up to rub his eyes. She was wearing a hazmat suit. "Doctor Fraiser?" the female nurse called to the observation window located about a floor above the room itself. "Doctor Fraiser," she called again quickly.
The doctor spoke into the microphone near the monitor. "I'll be right down." She went to the phone by the door and dialed a few numbers. "General? Daniel's awake. Can you let the rest of SG1 know?"
"Is everyone else ok?" Daniel mumbled to the nurse in a weak voice as his attention shifted to the length of his fingernails. Blinking a few times to assure that he wasn't imagining it, he felt the sharp edges with his thumb.
The door opened behind him and sprayed the new-comer with some sort of disinfectant.
Daniel laid his hand back on the bed. His lips were dry and his pointed teeth were getting caught up in his mouth.
"Daniel? How are you feeling?" Dr. Fraiser asked him as she approached his bed. She, like the nurse, was wearing a hazmat suit.
"It's a little bright," he said quietly.
Dr. Fraiser turned to the nurse who'd called to her. "Cindy, can you lower the lights a little please?"
She nodded and went to adjust the lighting.
One of the two lights above him went out.
"Better?"
Daniel nodded. "What actually happened to me?" His touched the place on his chin that had been burned the worst, but the skin was smooth and healthy. "Wasn't I burned?"
This time Dr. Fraiser nodded. "That's the interesting part. You've been infected by a parasite that seems able to adapt the infected host. It feeds off of red blood cells, so it's been busy adapting your body to make it easier for you to acquire the blood transfusions. The parasite is extremely photosensitive, so you were burned while escaping from the planet."
Daniel was starting to remember the things the guard, Breck, had shown him. "Every host reacts to the parasite differently…" he said distantly.
General Hammond, Jack, Sam, and Teal'c all filed into the observation room where Janet had been receiving reports.
"... So every host develops different abilities," Daniel continued calmly. He looked at Janet as she checked his monitors. "Everyone who's been infected gets pointed teeth, burns in the light, can see in the dark, heal fast, and has more strength and speed than normal people."
"Is that more of what the guard was telling you?" Jack asked over the intercom.
"Yes," he said simply. "But I think that I might have been picking up other things from the people in their little hospital, not just the guard in the jail."
"Telepathically?" Sam asked skeptically over the intercom. "We didn't really talk too much about it at the jail, but..."
"I'd think it was crazy too, but it can't be that far from the truth since I actually managed to zap that lock with just my hands."
"Do you know of any cure to the parasite?" Dr. Fraser asked him.
"I-I don't think they have one," Daniel answered.
The NID will be even more interested in this thing when there's no cure. They're bound to find a way of turnin' this into a weapon, the General though.
"They'd still want it even if there was a cure," Daniel said absently, still trying to remember anything Breck might have said to him and the little murmuring he'd heard before that.
"Danny, who would still want it?" the Jack asked, confused.
Daniel looked up at the two way mirror. "Like the General said, the NID will make this into a weapon, but even with a cure they'd still want to use this. When they find out they can turn their spies into human tasers who can gain intel by just stepping into the same building, the NID will be all over it."
Dr. Fraiser looked at him. "The General didn't say anything."
Daniel was confused.
Is Daniel just having auditory hallucinations caused by the parasite? Dr Fraiser thought.
"I hope not," Daniel said, looking at Janet.
Janet looked at Daniel in shock, and Jack, Sam, and Teal'c just seemed confused.
The general cleared his throat a little. "Just before you spoke, Doctor Jackson, I was thinking about the NID."
"And I was just thinking that you..."
"...That I might be hallucinating because of the parasite?" Daniel suggested.
"So it is some sort of telepathy," Sam said excitedly. "But that's not actually possible."
Jack grabbed the microphone. "I'm thinking of a number between one and five billion."
"It's twelve," Daniel answered right away, just as shocked as the other people.
"Well," Jack said with a sigh, "That was an easy one... What about...?"
"Blueberry?" Daniel said questioningly with a nervous laugh.
Everyone looked at O'Neill.
"Blueberry, sir?" Sam asked him.
"The the name of your grandmother's cat who died when you were 17 years old," Daniel answered.
"Is that not meant to be the name of a small, commercially-grown fruit, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked after having remained silent for so long.
Daniel smiled genuinely amused by the story he was picking up on from Jack. "They got it when Jack was five. They weren't sure of the right name so they said he could name it anything he wanted. His grandmother was making blueberry muffins that afternoon. Jack ended up dropping a bowl of berries on the all-white cat, staining some of the fur," Daniel gave a weak laugh. "With all those blue spots, he said she should be named Blueberry -- Blue for short."
Everyone in the room was even more surprised. Not only could Daniel pick up simple names and numbers from someone, but also complete stories.
"Now I have no choice but to report this condition directly to the Pentagon," General Hammond said finally.
Despite their usual acceptance of military protocol, everyone present had some sort of argument. "But, Sir, if only you could..." Sam began; "With a little more time I may be able to..." Dr. Fraiser started; "Mayborne will take over this place and..." Jack argued; "General Hammond, I believe there may be another..." Teal'c said.
"Everyone quiet," Hammond said calmly, holding up his hand.
They were silent.
"I'll wait another hour, but no longer," Hammond agreed. He focused on Daniel. "And you're sure this can only be contracted by a bite?"
"As far as I can tell, the parasite has to enter the blood stream," Dr. Fraiser answered. "There are concentrations on his lips and teeth, so it seems likely that it will only be spread by the saliva or his blood mixing directly with another person's blood."
"That's what the guard told me," Daniel agreed. Daniel pushed himself more upright in the bed, getting a little excited. "I think he was trying to help me get out. The things he was telling me... it's like he knew I'd get away from the cell."
"What do you mean?" Sam asked over the intercom.
"He knew I'd be able to do something interesting, as he put it. He didn't know how I'd make it work, but somehow I got that lock open with electricity."
"Yeah, so how did that happen?" Jack asked.
Daniel laughed a little. "I don't really know. I just put my hand on the lock..." he said, thinking hard as he held one hand out. "...And started thinking that I wanted to be able to do something to..."
Just then, as though someone had pulled the bed out from under him, Daniel started to fall like a rock, through the bed and the floor until he wasn't in the room. The needles attached to the two tubes in his arm let out a metallic sound as the ends fell limp against their stands.
"Daniel?" Janet called in shock.
Everyone in the observation area was just as startled.
Daniel dropped through the ceiling and landed hard on one shoulder in the corridor one floor below the room he'd been in. He let out a groan as rolled onto his back to look at the apparently undamaged ceiling. He could have sworn he had just fallen through quicksand; for a few seconds his skin had been tingling, then he couldn't breathe, and finally his shoulder hit the concrete and everything seemed normal again. "And it just keeps getting weirder," he commented aloud to himself.
The two airman assigned to guard the corridor approached him quickly with their hands resting on their weapons, startled by the archaeologist's sudden appearance. They'd heard rumors about Dr. Jackson being brought back to isolation after their last mission, but all specific details of the mission had been classified.
"Dr. Jackson?" airman Wallace asked. "What are you doing down here?"
"More importantly, how did you get here?" airman Coe asked immediately, glancing up at the ceiling, then towards the cement walls.
He slowly sat up. He was sore, tired, and a little dizzy, but he didn't want any trouble. "Well, however I got here you should probably just take me back upstairs."
"This is General Hammond," the radios on the vests of the airman and the overhead intercom called in unison. "Dr. Daniel Jackson has disappeared from Medical Isolation Room #3. If anyone sees him, approach him with extreme caution and notify me immediately."
The two airmen took a step back from the doctor and unholstered their guns, aiming their weapons at him.
Daniel held up his hands a little to show he was being serious.
Coe lowered his weapon and spoke into his walkie-talkie. "General? This is Sergeant Coe on level 22 just outside the Isolation Quarters. We have Doctor Jackson."
"Is he willing to return to the medical level?" General Hammond asked over his radio.
"Yes, Sir, he is," Coe answered simply.
--
Daniel walked through the door into the isolation room, sprayed immediately by the disinfectant chemicals. "Isn't it a little redundant?" he complained as the chemicals stung his skin. He sped through the entrance and went deeper into the small room.
"We'll be dismantling them in a little while," Dr. Fraiser assured. "Now, do you want to tell me what just happened?"
"Everyone keeps asking me what's happening, but I'm as in the dark about it as the rest of you," Daniel snapped, walking over to the mirror to get a good look at his reflection.
"In that case, I'll just get some blood samples and leave the conversation for the next check-up," Dr. Fraiser snapped back as she made some notes on her clipboard.
"Hi, Jack," he said to the mirror. "Sam went to the mess with Teal'c, right? You may as well join them. I think I'm going to be in here for a while and you haven't had anything to eat since yesterday." Daniel's eyes shifted to the reflection of Dr. Fraiser, and then he turned around to talk to face her. "I'm sorry, Janet. I have a headache, but maybe I'm just under a little too much stress," he added, gesturing at the mirror.
Jack got from his seat. "If you say so," he said into the microphone, "but we'll be right back up here as soon as we can."
"Thanks," Daniel called back to the mirror.
Janet glanced up from her clipboard, but kept writing. "Your irritability is understandable."
Daniel looked back at his reflection. "I look like hell," he said softly, examining his eyes and then his jagged teeth.
"You're still a little anemic and dehydrated, so if you sit back on the bed I'll have Cindy hook up the IVs again," Dr. Fraiser said a little more cheerfully.
Daniel walked back over to the bed and sat down, leaning against the slightly reclined back-piece.
She laid her clipboard on a tray and picked up the blood pressure cuff. "Aside from the headache, how are you feeling?"
"Like I've gone mad," he admitted, raising his eyebrows and staring up at the ceiling.
"All of this does seem a little stranger than even we tend to encounter," Dr. Fraiser put on the blood pressure cuff and began her measurements.
Daniel looked at her, realizing something. "I can hear your heart beating."
Dr. Fraiser looked at him, still taking her measurement. "Really?" she asked with a skeptical tone.
Daniel put his free hand on the tray beside his bed, and used the tip of the fingernail on his index finger to count out her heartbeats. The pace was steady, but then his finger tapped a little more quickly as Janet's heart sped up from being caught off guard.
"Considering the nature of this parasite, and the legends surrounding it, I'm not surprised."
He closed his eyes, mesmerized by the sound as he kept time using his finger. "Yes you are… Those movies always made you a little nervous even though you knew they weren't real…"
She unvelcroed the cuff from his arm, still watching Daniel carefully.
The loud noise snapped him out of his trance, and his eyes popped open. "Sorry about that," he said nervously, putting his hand back onto the bed. "I think I could hear it when I was talking to everyone before, but with all the machines I didn't really notice."
Cindy came through the doors carrying a saline bag and a new package of whole blood. She went to the IV stand and began reattaching the equipment.
When she touched his arm to insert the needle, he jumped a little.
"This will only hurt for a moment," she assured, her hand resting reassuringly on his forearm.
For a split second he knew exactly what he was supposed to do: grab her by that gentle hand and bite down, not letting go until she was on the floor and her heart stopped making a sound. He looked away from her quickly, his own heart beating frantically. He felt a little electric charge run up his arm, almost like he had just pinched a nerve and he heard a small crack.
Cindy pulled away with a small cry.
Daniel and Dr Fraiser both looked at her.
"Cindy?" Dr. Fraiser asked.
"J-Just a little shock," she admitted, looking at Daniel with a mix of confusion and surprise.
"I guess that might have been me," Daniel admitted. "Are you ok?"
She nodded a little. "Fine." She reached out and grabbed the dangling needle again. "I just need to put in the IV."
He looked away again and felt the prick in his arm.
She walked away.
Dr Fraiser had been watching him. "Did the guard mention any behavioral changes that might happen with the parasite in your system?"
"Breck," he said cryptically.
"Excuse me?"
"The guard was named Breck."
"All right," Dr. Fraiser said slowly. "Did Breck tell you anything?"
Daniel shook his head. He saw the needle running into his arm, and somehow felt better already.
"Well, the initial blood-work showed significantly low levels of Serotonin, which is very likely to be effecting your mood. You may be a little irritable, or more impulsive."
Daniel gave a short laugh. "So I am going crazy, but not in the way I thought I was."
Dr. Fraiser shook her head. "It's probably nothing to worry about so long as you have been given a transfusion." She picked up her clipboard. "It looks like the levels are nearly within the normal range, but since you're still dehydrated I'm hoping they'll get a little higher with this next unit. I've used a higher gage needle to speed up the transfusion," Dr. Fraiser added. "As we gave you the first transfusion, we realized the parasites secrete several opiates that might..."
"...Be highly addictive," Daniel finished for her. "And I think you're right."
Cindy stopped beside him again to adjust some cords.
Dr. Fraiser nodded a little, turning around to check the readings being put out by the monitors.
His heart was beating more quickly again, and he felt that same urge. How simple it would be for him to just reach out...
She walked away again.
Daniel sighed with so much relief that it felt as if an enemy Jaffa had just aimed his weapon at him, and suddenly decided to walk away.
"Daniel, how are you feeling now? This last reading doesn't look like the others," Dr Fraiser mentioned.
Cindy picked up s folder from the counter and left.
"I know we're on a time crunch, but can I have a few minutes by myself?" Daniel requested. Even being in the same room as Janet was making him feel a little uncomfortable. "If I really did electrocute Cindy when she touched me, I think I need to figure out how I did that so I don't do something worse."
"I'll be here to help you," she assured with a warm smile. "I know that you and Teal'c have meditated together in the past, so I have a few techniques that might help you focus."
He nodded a little. "It's always just happened. When I was in that cell I just had my hand against the lock when I felt a little shock."
"Sit up and swing your legs over the bed," she said softly, wheeling a chair away from the counter and to Daniel's bedside. She sat.
He nodded a little and sat up.
"Sit up straight, take a deep breath and try to relax."
He sighed, rolling his shoulders before settling into a good position.
"What were you thinking about in the cell?" she asked.
"Just about getting out."
"Anything else? What about how you were feeling?"
He laughed a little. "I felt like I was going to fall on the floor and never get up again. I was scared..." He became a little more serious, licking his lips to consider a more specific answer. "I knew I had to get out of there. I was terrified about what would happen to the others if I didn't make it happen."
"So would you say that you were focused on what you wanted?"
He nodded a little.
"Put your one of your hands on the bed next to you, and close our eyes."
He did as he was told.
"Now I want you to imagine that your the spot you put your had is a little damp... a thin layer of the wet substance is touching your palm."
He nodded a little.
She spoke very slowly and calmly. "Your hand begins into sink into the mattress. You can feel that dampness oozing around your fingers. It wasn't just water; it was glue. Your hand is resting on the mattress again, and you can feel the dampness drying. As it dries it feels like you're becoming more attached to the mattress, like nothing is able to pull your hand away."
He nodded a little again.
"Hold out your other hand."
He held out his right hand in front of him.
She placed the pen from her clipboard his outstretched hand. "I want you to remember what you were feeling when you knew you had to get away. Concentrate on letting the pen fall onto the floor. You don't want it in your hand any more, but instead of letting it go, it falls right though your hand, like your hand simply isn't there any more."
He was concentrating on the task, but nothing seemed to be happening.
"The only part of you that the pen needs to pass through is your hand. The rest of you is connected to the bed. Only your hand can let it fall."
Daniel suddenly realized he must have been holding back because he didn't want to fall through the floor again. His hand went numb and he heard the pen hit the cement.
"Very good," she said, trying to stay calm as to keep Daniel as relaxed as possible. "Let's try that again."
--
Jack, Teal'c and Carter filed into the observation area of the isolation room. Cindy was sitting at the desk but when they arrived she stood, smiled sympathetically, and left. They sat down behind the desk, looking into Daniel's room.
Daniel was standing beside the bed, one hand on the mattress and the other reaching out towards the stand beside the bed. The bags of blood and saline were dangling against the metal stand again, nearly empty. His eyes were open now, listening to the doctor as he focused on her instructions.
"You don't have anything to worry about. Just remember that you are still connected to that bed."
He nodded a little and brought his arm down, passing it cleanly through the metal table as if it weren't even there.
Everyone in the control room was surprised. Even Teal'c was momentarily stunned.
Daniel's eyes shifted to the mirror, the relaxed feeling fading as he became aware of his surroundings again. "Everyone have a nice lunch?"
"You're making progress, I see," Jack continued.
"Yes, Daniel is doing very well," Dr Fraiser answered. "He was concerned about injuring someone with his new abilities, so I was walking him through a grounding exercise that seems to be helping him focus."
"Can he destabilize the molecules of anything he comes in contact with? Or is it just his own body?" Sam asked excitedly through the microphone. "And, well, apparently his own clothing."
Daniel and Dr. Fraiser both smiled at her aside.
"It's only been forty minutes," Dr. Fraiser excused with a small laugh.
"I guess I could try," Daniel said, looking at the mirror and then back to Janet.
"Would you like me to start off with the meditation?"
Daniel shook his head a little. "I'll need to try it without your help at some point." He picked up one of the pens from the floor. "Besides, I'll just be on level 22 if I disappear."
Dr. Fraiser nodded.
"Maybe level 23," Daniel added as he placed the tip of the pen on the metal stand, holding the top. It almost looked as if he planned on balancing it by the tip, and then he took a deep breath, walking himself through his own form of focusing exercise.
The others watched with bated breath.
He exhaled slowly, pushing the pen slowly downward. It slid through the metal like a hot knife through butter. He let go when it was halfway through, and the pen continued to drop, cladding on the floor without damaging the pen or the metal tray. Daniel was dizzy. He swayed a little before finding his balance.
"That's extraordinary," Sam said. "I'd love to take you down to the lab and..."
"Carter," Jack said scoldingly in a very serious voice as he watched Daniel. "Daniel, are you alright?"
Daniel caught himself on the bed, sitting down. "I think I might need another transfusion," he admitted weakly. "And I'd like to try having a drink of water."
"Oh, of course," Dr Fraiser said hurriedly. "I should have known that you would need one after exerting yourself like that. I'll be right back." She rushed out the metal doors to get another package.
Daniel laughed nervously. "Now I just need to figure out how to keep from electrocuting the people I touch."
"I would be willing to assist you with further meditation," Teal'c offered.
"I was actually wondering if you could let me go back to the planet," Daniel said. He could already hear their hearts beat a little more quickly.
"After everything you did to get off that planet, why on Earth do you want to go back?" Sam asked with an irritated voice.
"Well, to start with they know what's happening to me..."
"No," Jack said, still serious. "To start with they wanted you to kill someone."
Daniel nodded a little, picking up stray thoughts from all his friends as to why it's such a bad idea from him to go back. "Forget I mentioned it," he said with a little wave of his hand.
Dr. Fraiser came in with another unit of blood and a glass of water.
"Thanks," Daniel called to her, taking the glass.
She attached the bag to the IV stand, and started switching the cord.
He drank the water quickly, still hearing bits and pieces of his friends' thoughts about his request to return.
"I'm sorry we keep having to prick your arm," Dr. Fraiser said.
"It's ok," Daniel said, finishing the cup.
She touched his arm, looking for a healthy vein on his pale arm.
Just like the other times, the touch to his skin and how close to him she was made his heart beat more quickly.
Her eyes darted to the monitor, and then looked to Daniel. His eyes seemed almost glazed over, and he suddenly looked even paler than he was a few seconds ago. "What's going on?" she asked suspiciously, still touching his arm.
"Can you please just start the transfusion," he said, his voice shaking a little. He leaned over and dropped the glass on the metal tray next to him.
"Not until you tell me what's wrong," she said.
Daniel looked at her. He could hear her heart beating steadily, but it almost seemed louder than it was before. "Janet."
"Not until you tell me," she repeated stubbornly.
He crawled off the bed quickly, taking a few steps away from her. "I think you should leave. I'll start the IV myself."
She put her hand on her hips. "I'm staying right here."
Daniel licked his lips, still looking at her. "I don't feel very good, and I'm not sure if you're safe around me." His hands were clenched in fists.
"How so?" she pressed.
Daniel gave another nervous laugh. "How do you think?" He was pacing a little. If he didn't burn off the nervous energy somehow he knew he'd end up using it in a way he'd regret. The sounds in the control room were distracting, too. Jack and Sam were both a little excited, their hearts beating like they were watching an action movie. Even Teal's heart was thumping a few beats faster than it had been a minute ago.
Dr. Fraiser nodded a little. "Alright. I'll start the IV and then leave you alone. I need to give the General an update anyway."
Daniel licked his lips and nodded a little, walking slowly back to the Doctor.
Janet held his arm again for just a moment, and inserted the needle. She stood there a second, looking to Daniel for some sort of reaction.
"You still need to go," he said, not looking at her this time. He was watching the blood go quickly through the tub and head towards his arm.
"If you say so," she said pleasantly. The parasite must be effecting his mind.
"You're probably right," he admitted. "And that's why you need to go."
She nodded a little, and headed for the door.
Daniel leaned back in the bed, beginning to calm down as he was again feeling the effects of the parasites being fed.
--
"Yes, Sir, I think he may be dangerous," Dr. Fraiser admitted.
"Seriously?" Jack wrinkled his nose. "This is still Daniel we're talking about."
Jack, Sam, Teal'c and General Hammond had been called into the briefing room for an update on Daniel's status.
"Yes. I believe it is still Daniel. That's exactly why he asked me to leave," Dr. Fraiser continued. "If he were being completely compromised by this infection, he would have likely given into whatever he was keeping himself from doing."
"So he's dangerous, but not dangerous?" Jack asked playfully.
Dr. Fraiser rolled her eyes a little. "He has the ability to be dangerous."
"We can't be jumping to conclusions then," Sam said, siding with O'Neill's wishful thinking. "If you push someone enough, anyone can be dangerous."
Dr. Fraiser gave a hard sigh. "You've asked for my assessment, and I've given it. Yes, he is still Daniel, but the parasite is giving his body new objectives. It used to be for food and water, but now it seems to be for blood."
The loud speakers kicked on and the sirens began to sound. Technician Walter Harriman's voice called, "Security team to the Gate Room! Dr Jackson is attempting to..." His announcement was cut off.
--
Walter was standing by what was left of the phone he used to make the emergency announcements. Dr. Jackson had ripped it from the wall, right out of his hands.
He was standing by the keyboard, typing quickly. Sam was just a floor above him and it didn't take much effort from him to find out how to activate the gate and reprogram the computer so they couldn't stop him from leaving.
The wormhole opened with an explosion of blue particles, sinking back to a flat surface.
Daniel took a deep breath and jumped over the keyboard and through the blast window, the glass not so much as cracking as he passed through it and started to fall towards the floor of the gate room.
The guards were streaming into the Gate Room by the time he landed in front of the ramp.
Before the first guard could say anything, Daniel was holding one of them against him around the neck and backing towards the ramp.
"Daniel?" Jack called running into the room as he raised his pistol towards his friend. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
Teal'c came into the room, too, raising his Zat gun at Daniel.
"I have to go back to that planet," Daniel said simply, still holding the airman tightly. "I don't want to hurt anyone, but unless I go back there and find out exactly what's happening to me, my condition could end up hurting a lot of people."
"If you return to that planet you will undoubtedly be imprisoned once again, and subsequently expected to murder a human to prove yourself worthy of living as you are," Teal'c commented.
Jack looked around at the room full of guns pointed at Daniel. "Everyone lower your weapons," he called to the group, looking back at Daniel. Only he and Teal'c were still aiming at Daniel.
"You know I can't stay here," Daniel said more desperately, shifting his hold on the airman. "The NID will haul me off to one of their secret hideouts for testing, or maybe they'll ship me someplace worse. They'll never even try to cure me. They'll run tests and end up making this into a weapon. Besides, the urges I've been having since I got back here aren't something I think I can live with for much longer."
"For now you gotta stay here," Jack said, aiming his gun at Daniel's shoulder. "At least until Hammond gives us the OK to go back to that place with you." He pulled the trigger.
Daniel heard the sound and closed his eyes. The bullet harmlessly passed through him and hit the edge of the Stargate, deflecting into a wall. Daniel opened his eyes, looking furious. "Are you crazy, Jack!" he demanded. "With all those things in my blood you could have splattered them all over this room!"
Jack shrugged.
Daniel gave a nervous laugh suddenly and continued, "I just fell through 5 floors and walked through a half dozen doors to get down here, so you really thought a bullet was going to change my mind?"
Jack nodded towards Teal'c.
"I apologize," Teal'c said as he fired the Zat gun at Daniel.
The electricity hit Daniel on the arm and spread through his limbs and into his hostage. Daniel let out a small sound of shock, as if he'd been splashed with cold water, but recovered just as quickly. The soldier he was holding was now unconscious, but Daniel's strength allowed him to hold her in the same spot. This time Daniel just looked annoyed. "And I don't think energy weapons are going to work on someone who can generate electricity from their hands."
"Point taken," Jack said casually, he and Teal'c both lowering their weapons.
"Face it: you can't stop me from going back to that world."
"You know I had to try," Jack said with a sneer.
"That's the point," Daniel continued more sadly. "If something happens and I try to hurt anyone, noone here can stop me."
The blast doors to the control room rose. General Hammond, Sam, and Doctor Fraiser all arrived in the control booth slightly above the gate room, looking through the glass to see Daniel standing on the ramp with the unconscious airman in his grasp.
"What are you doing, Doctor?" Hammond asked over the speaker.
"If I don't head back to PX5-332 to get some answers, I'll be Colonel Mayborne's lab rat for the next hundred or so years," Daniel called. "And you can bet they'll wanna see what kind of damage I can do to a person with these," he added, gesturing his clawed hand towards his pointed teeth. "If the wrong kind of person gets infected with this parasite, I assure you there will be a pandemic."
"What do you mean wrong kind of person?" Hammond asked him, remaining calm. He knew that Dr. Jackson wouldn't hurt the soldier.
Daniel laughed a little. "Janet already told you the way this parasite works."
Hammond was silent, waiting for him to continue.
"The parasites make people want blood," Daniel clarified as much for himself as for the others. "And once they get it, it feels better than anything you've ever felt before." He licked his lips. "It's addictive. I've had a few close calls today." His eyes focused on his hostage, almost forgetting himself again in that moment as he stared at the helpless woman. "I've only ever fired my weapon a handful of times during all the missions I've been on, but right now it would feel so easy to just…"
"Let the airman go and I'll order a probe to go through as a relay between us and the people on that planet," Hammond said calmly, cutting off Daniel's thought. "We need to assure that you won't be harmed if you were to return to the planet."
He looked back to Hammond, lowering the hostage a little as he came to his senses. "I can't live this way."
"According to our calculations, the second sun won't be below the horizon on that part of the planet for at least another 5 minutes," Sam said into the microphone. "If you go through the gate right now, the sunlight will kill you."
Daniel shook his head a little, trying to focus on something other than the hostage. "Then it looks like this wormhole will just need to stay open for another 5 minutes," Daniel said. He looked up at the General. "Please give me permission to return to the planet."
Everyone was at a standstill for a moment.
"You know that I can't negotiate with you. You should also know that we had already planned to consult the inhabitants of the planet about your condition. Just let the airman go," Hammond said finally.
Daniel tilted his head a little as though he were listening for a small sound that was far away. His eyes shot back to the General. "You haven't told anyone, but Mayborne's men are already on their way. You reported to the President before the briefing with Fraiser and he suggested they research my condition. They'll all be here in less than 5 hours to take me with them."
Everyone was silent again, surprised.
Hammond sighed. "That's right," he admitted calmly.
"We haven't even been back on this planet for 18 hours," Sam began. "It's hard to believe this falls into his jurisdiction. With all due respect, General, you can't just turn Daniel over to them."
"He doesn't want to," Daniel assured. "But once they set foot on this base he won't have a choice."
"Captain Carter, disengage the wormhole," the general ordered.
Sam typed a few things on the keyboard. "He's locked me out but I think I can close the iris." She typed a few more keys and the iris behind Daniel closed.
"You're still not going to let me go," Daniel announced in a disappointed voice.
"2 minutes until the second sun sets on PX5-332, Sir," Sam reported to the general.
"Daniel," Hammond said. "Let the airman go."
Daniel tilted his head a little, listening again to what his boss was thinking. He smiled a little and carefully lowered the airman to the floor. "She'll be fine." Daniel stood again with his hands up a little to show that he wasn't planning on doing anything else. "I'd rather die than help Mayborne's people make a weapon out of what's in my blood."
"Daniel, we're not going to let you die," Jack said casually, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Which, of course, would mean we're not going to let Mayborne take you."
Daniel backed towards the gate.
That's what General Hammond was just thinking, Jack heard Daniel's voice in his ear, even though Daniel hadn't said anything. You can hear me, right? Toss me the transmitter. When I have my answers I'll come back. Jack looked a little confused. Was he the one hallucinating now?
Daniel nodded a little, holding out his hand as he stopped in front of the iris.
Just tell them I made you do it, Daniel's voice called in his ear again. It might get me in trouble later on, but for now they don't know the difference. Jack grabbed the remote transmitter from the pocket of his vest and tossed it to his friend.
If you don't dial back in 2 hours with a report, we're coming for you, Daniel heard Jack think. Since people are executed for not wanting to kill someone, Jack continued, you can bet we're not leaving you in that cell a minute longer than we need to.
Jack pulled the radio from his belt and tossed it to Daniel.
"The suns are down now on the planet," Sam announced. Good luck she thought, hoping that Daniel had picked that up, too.
Daniel turned quickly and jumped into the iris, passing through it and successfully entering the wormhole.
The gate shut down.
Hammond turned to Fraiser. "Doctor, use the samples you collected from Dr. Jackson to keep trying to find something that will kill this parasite without harming Daniel."
The doctor nodded and left.
"Stand down," Hammond announced to the base.
The emergency lights stopped flashing.
"I want SG-1 to prepare for a mission to recover Dr. Jackson in…" Hammond paused before giving a timeframe, looking at the team for suggestions.
"…Just over 2 hours," Jack finished.
Hammond nodded. "Be ready to leave at 1630 hours."
--
Daniel stepped out of the gate, landing on the stone platform of the park's monument.
Over a dozen citizens had gathered around the gate. When they'd emerged from their homes at sunset, a few of them had seen the blue lights coming from the park.
Daniel looked around at the faces of the people gathered at the base of the stairs. A few of the citizens looked as human as anyone at the SGC, while a handful of others looked even more gnarled with longer claws, bald heads, strangely colored eyes, and a more skeletal body structure. Most of the onlookers, however, looked like a general balance between monster and human, just as the woman who bit him, that guard from the town, and his own condition seemed to resemble.
The gate closed behind him.
"Hello, Daniel," a man's voice called from behind the gate.
Daniel looked through the empty ring and spotted the red-haired guard, Breck, who had relayed some of the details of the planet to him. He was dressed much more casually than he had been, so he hoped that meant the jailer wasn't there on official business.
"You don't need to run," Breck called, seeing how startled Daniel was. He looked to the citizens. "All is well. Return to your business."
The citizens who had gathered "I promise you that I'm not going to stay here. I just want to know more about your world and what's happened to me, then I'll go home."
"For your own sake I hope that's true," Breck said simply with a smile as he walked to the front of the staircase. "Are your hungry?"
He'd used a lot of energy to escape from the base. "As long as it doesn't mean hurting anyone." Daniel had consumed much more disgusting things during his anthropological studies, so he figured almost anything would be acceptable to keep up enough strength in case he needed to escape after all.
Breck nodded. "My feelings exactly." He gestured towards one of the paths through the park.
Daniel walked off the platform and he and Breck began down a walkway.
"Why am I not being arrested?" Daniel asked, still not picking up any stray thoughts from Breck. Maybe I'm weaker right now than I thought I was.
"I convinced the Thane that the way you escaped during the day was proof enough of your willingness to survive at all costs."
"Thane?" Daniel asked. "As I know the word it's from an area of my planet's Early Medieval Anglo-Saxon culture-- it just means official or attendant. A famous playwright named Shakespeare used the word to describe someone in line for the crown," he rambled before realizing he may also not know what was meant by playwright or the crown. He took a breath to continue but Breck stopped him.
"I understand," Breck said. "A play is a form of artistic expression, and a crown belongs to a king."
Daniel was a little surprised.
"You're not very skilled at hiding your thoughts," Breck pointed out. "And you look like you could use a meal, but I wouldn't say you're weak."
Daniel sighed a little. "I've never needed to hide what I was thinking. No one on my planet can actually read anyone's mind."
Breck nodded. "The Thane is the top official of our region," Breck clarified, "what you might call a Prime Minister or President, but he wasn't elected democratically. Thane Donovan was part of the first group of people on our planet to be transformed."
"How long ago was that?" Daniel asked.
Breck was quiet for a few seconds, gathering some information from Daniel's mind. "To use your measure of time… about 740 years ago, give or take," Breck finally said.
By now Breck was leading them out of the park and towards another residential area. This neighborhood had homes with larger yards and unconnected houses.
"Most of the first ones were killed by the humans, including the one who came through the gate and began to spread this. The few who survived the first 50 years negotiated for our rights."
"And that's why human criminals are sent here? So you can have a source of blood?" Daniel asked, remembering the blur of images and facts Breck had given him the day before.
"As long as we stay on this continent, the humans on the other 10 continents leave us alone. Yes, our planet is at least twice the size of yours. There are 8 regions to this continent. Every night a boat from a different continent comes to our neighboring region and the criminals are dispersed to the regions that are running low on slaves. It's an old tradition. It started before the blood substitutes were available. Two of our regions refuse to have any human contact whatsoever, even refusing to use slaves to help run their commerce during the day. Those regions are mostly scientists."
"And the other 6 regions?" Daniel asked. "How were their leaders chosen?"
Breck sighed. "Donovan, Bonnie, and Reed were a few of the first who negotiated our freedoms. They rule the largest regions, and are very strict about the old laws. Criminal slaves can be treated in whatever way a Citizen wishes. They can even be killed if the Citizen wants natural blood. Thanes Alison, Innes, and Brycen tend to be more lenient. They were chosen as leaders by their own citizens, and allow their laws to change with the will of their people. For at least 300 years the citizens who buy slaves in their regions are required to keep them alive. It's been negotiated with the human governments so that after 5 years the people guilty of lesser crimes are shipped back to their own continents and forgiven for their offense. Harsher crimes come with a minimum of 15 years of service."
They turned down one of the other streets.
"As far as those who are like us, all of the regions have similar ways of assessing people who have been infected. They catalogue the person's abilities to assure that they can serve their regions most effectively. The three old-style regions take it to another level, as you may have noticed. They fear overpopulation by vampires, so changing a person without prior permission is typically a capital crime for both the vampire and the person who has just been changed." Breck led them to the front door of one of the largest homes on the block. He put a hand on the black pad in the center of the door. After an electronic click, the door opened. "Welcome to my home," he said pleasantly.
Daniel walked into the building. "How do you fit into this? Why try to keep me alive if you live in one of the regions that are strict about people being infected?"
Breck closed the door and directed him into a living room. The windows were closed, but there were various electronic devices emitted small amounts of light. He went to one of the windows and pressed a button. The coverings to the windows rose quietly and the light of two moons shone into the room. "Please have a seat," he said, leaving the room.
Daniel sat down on a loveseat-sized, fluffy couch made of leather as his eyes scanned the room.
Breck returned with two cups. He handed one to Daniel before sitting down in an armchair and taking a sip from his own. "It's synthetic."
Daniel drank a sip from the cup. It wasn't actually blood. It tasted like nothing he'd ever had before; a little strange, but not too bad. The effect of it seemed to be more intense than, but generally the same as, the blood he'd been transfused with at the SGC: he felt instantly stronger and more relaxed.
"I am a mix of what you might call a mayor and a sheriff. There are many cities in this region, and I am in charge of keeping the peace in mine. The Thane ordered your capture and you were to be treated like any other criminals who tried to steal a slave from another Citizen. By the time you escaped I'd learned quite a bit about you and your friends," Breck said, occasionally drinking from the cup. "Namely about the Stargate and the other worlds you've seen."
Daniel took another drink from his. He was already feeling infinitely stronger.
"I told the Thane that you were from another planet, and that your people had interfered because of a misunderstanding," Breck continued. "I assured him that if any of you ever returned, you'd eventually go back to your own planet." He took another sip. "I found out a lot about you while you were in there. I told him there was no chance whatsoever of you infecting a person. You'd die before attacking someone."
Daniel nodded. "Thanks." He finished the rest of his drink. "So that's why you showed me information about your world and let us escape?"
Breck nodded a little. "Amongst other things, I was curious about what you could do, as I am with everyone who has been changed. Luckily, you seem to be a level 2."
Daniel was about to ask, but Breck already began to explain.
"When we rank and evaluate someone, they are first placed into one of three levels. The levels are very easy to decide. Level 3 is a more concentrated form of the infection." He took a sip of his drink. "They typically have more obviously altered physical features. Unusual eye colors, more animal-like fingernails, and lack of hair are just a few of the features they might develop. Behaviorally, they need to consume more blood, so it is frequently harder for them to be near people." He set down his cup, and looked at Daniel again. "You're right, level threes are very much like the creature in the Nosforotu film."
Daniel was a little surprised by Breck's reference, but knew Breck must read minds every day so he moved on. "And Level 1?"
"Level 1 infection means the person looks completely human at all times except for times they chose, or times when they require nourishment. In human form, their abilities can manifest weakly, but when they feed or chose to use the full strength of their abilities, their teeth and fingernails change almost immediately to accommodate their will."
"Wouldn't that be the best level?" Daniel asked quickly. "Being able to just turn it off would make it so much easier to live with what you are."
Breck nodded a little. "Maybe it is... But because it is known to be easier for a level one to remain in human form, when the parasite takes control they aren't accustomed to the sensations associated with our condition. They are oftentimes completely overwhelmed even if their needs are no greater than yours or mine. Unfortunately, I have been forced to execute many level ones due to their unlawful infection or murder of human slaves, regardless of if they had intended to harm any of them."
Daniel raised his eyebrows. "So level 2s always look different from uninfected humans, but, because they learn to control their urges, they don't unwillingly harm people?"
"Not exactly," Breck said. "I once arrested a level two citizen who refused to own slaves. He had been hiking in the ruins and become trapped after falling into a deep cavern connected to a series of caves. It took him three days to find his way to the surface. By then he was almost too ill to keep walking. He waited for sunset and made his way through the plains. The first people he encountered was a citizen traveling with his slave. Before any words could be spoken, the starving level two attacked the slave and killed him."
Daniel was stunned.
"He was genuinely regretful of his crime and wasn't executed. Instead he was imprisoned for several months and forced to reimburse the slave-owner for his losses."
Daniel nodded, a little more concerned about his level 2 status than he was a moment ago.
"Level ones and threes are usually the ones who are executed after infection. Only those with truly impressive abilities, or natural skills, are given a high enough status to be granted citizenship. Unfortunately, noone knows what status someone will be when they are infected. The level of the citizen who infects them doesn't seem to have any bearing on the level they become." Breck shrugged a little. "I don't have much of a mind for science, but I've often considered challenging myself by learning all the science behind our condition." He looked hard at Daniel, learning more about his thoughts on the subject.
Daniel set the cup on the floor by his seat and leaned back, feeling very relaxed and content. Janet's explanation about the effects of the stimulants secreted by the parasite wasn't an understatement. He could see why some Citizens might choose to live in regions that still allowed them to consume natural blood.
"With your knowledge of languages and other worlds, I think even the humans of this planet would have employed you if you hadn't escaped," Breck commented off handedly. "Then again, they might have thought you were too much of a threat to let you near the large populations. Walking through walls, reading minds, talking to people without speaking, and the ability to electrocute people with your hands probably wouldn't go over too well."
"It didn't," Daniel agreed.
Breck smiled. "Ironically, those with too high a rank are not any more welcome in the human regions than an infected Level 3 slave."
He nodded again, mulling over the politics of the planet.
"I'm not really a fan of the way this region is being run," Breck confessed finally. "One of the regions without a leader is on our lower border. Over the years I've helped a handful of accidentally infected, lesser criminals with a level two infection to immigrate to the other regions if they would otherwise have been put to death by the old laws."
"You mean you've smuggled them out?" Daniel asked, relieved to find someone on this planet who may share his views about the sanctity of life.
He nodded a little. "I respect my Citizens and their right to keep slaves, but I think our people could become something more than they are." He voice became very passionate, and just a little sad. "In some ways our region is still stuck in the past. We should work with the humans to pool our technology and find a way to reverse this in people who don't want our sort of life, or whose level effects their ability to function in society."
"That's what my people are trying to do," Daniel said excitedly. "Have your scientists made any progress?"
Breck shook his head. "Not much."
"Maybe we could work something out. Would Thane Donovan be willing to work with the people of my planet to cure this?"
"Donovan isn't going to be making decisions for us any longer," Breck explained.
Daniel looked at him, shocked. "Did I just end up in the middle of a revolution?"
Breck laughed. "Yes. The people in my position throughout the cities of this region have met several times. We're not sure how this is going to go, but just in case the change in power doesn't go smoothly, I've already helped most of the civilians leave. Houses along this block are virtually empty; they've mostly immigrated to the three moderate regions. Donovan's was the worst of the three old regions. He was assassinated a few hours before sunset. As soon as it was confirmed I bundled up and posted a notice asking those who want things to stay the same to move to the regions run by Reed and Bonnie. We hope for this region to maintain constant relations with the human continents while continuing to research our affliction. Moreover, we'll no longer be accepting human slaves in this region. Using the resources we have, we'll manufacture better daytime commerce centers and underground passageways. We'll have no reason for slaves."
"So you'll be a region with qualities of the isolationists as well as the moderates. That sounds like…" Daniel began to say, but he was interrupted by the sound of an explosion coming from the city.
"I guess it's not going to go as smoothly as we'd have liked," Breck said sadly with a long sigh as he stood. He looked back to Daniel. "I have something for you, but then I'm going to have to ask you to go back through the Stargate."
Daniel stood. He'd been given plenty of information about the planet, but not nearly enough.
"I need you to wait here for a little while," Breck said hesitantly. "With the way things are going in town, I'm not sure how long I'll be away. The documents are in my office, back in town." Breck turned towards a cupboard in the corner of the room. "Broadcast on," he said in a more commanding voice.
The cupboard opened to reveal a sheet of nearly transparent glass with moving landscapes shown in the screen.
"It's like your television," Breck clarified before turning back to the cupboard. "World events," he called to the screen.
The channel flipped to a pale, red-headed woman talking about weather patterns.
"Just tell it a topic and it will find the right frequency," Breck continued.
There was another explosion.
"W-What if someone stops by?" Daniel asked nervously.
"I need to get my bag before the town goes up…" he said distantly. Breck looked concerned. He looked back to Daniel. "You can use your abilities?"
Daniel nodded a little.
"Great," Breck said happily. "I'll be back as soon as I can." He left the house quickly, following the path back towards town.
Daniel looked towards the broadcast, and sat back down where he had been, paying more attention to the flickering lights in the direction of the city than the light coming from the monitor.
--
Daniel glanced at his watch.
Breck had been gone for over an hour, and in that time there had been several ground-shaking explosions. Through the window, in the distance, he could see flames raising from a house he'd passed on the way from town. Fearing he would be seen, Daniel had commanded the television to shut off not long after Breck had left, and he stayed in the dark room a few feet from the window.
The front door opened suddenly.
Daniel stood quickly, hoping it was Break, but fearing it wasn't. He back towards the window, waiting for the new arrival to round the corner. If it wasn't Breck, it couldn't be hard for him to pass through the window for escape.
"Daniel?" Breck called. "It's just me."
Daniel sighed.
Breck came into the room with a duffel bag and held it out to him. "This is a copy of the work my region has been doing concerning the parasite. Even with what I've told you of our history, I've included a few books about our world's history prior to the outbreak." He laughed. "I knew you were interested in that, but I don't know much about it myself." He gestured back to the bag. "There are a few samples of the blood substitute and its formula. It's safe for you to drink, and pretty effective on humans who need transfusions. Hopefully it will help your people as much as it has helped ours."
Daniel quickly pulled out one of the books to see what the language was. At a glance it looked like some sort of mix between Gaelic, Latin, and Gou'ld.
"You don't have time for that," Breck said hurriedly, looking at the window as he motioned for him to put the book back. He stared hard at Daniel for a moment, his eyes narrowed a little.
Daniel his eyes were wide, and then he blinked hard a few times. In a matter of seconds Breck had relayed to him the alphabet and grammar of the language in the books, everything he'd need to quickly translate everything that he'd included in the bag.
Breck's expression softened. "Follow me."
Daniel stuffed the book into the bag and slung it over his shoulder as he followed Breck out of the house. They didn't even bother closing the door behind them. "Why didn't you tell me about your world like that, the way you did yesterday at the prison?"
"Telling you about our written language was easy, like relaying a math equation. Politics and history have opinions, wars, and egos… It's very draining to even attempt it non-verbally," Breck admitted. "If anything happens on the way, use your abilities to make it back to the Stargate."
"Daniel, come in," called Jack's voice thought the radio in Daniel's pocket.
Daniel grabbed onto radio as they walked. He pressed the button. "I'm here. I'm on my way back to the Stargate… Where are you?"
Jack, Sam, and Teal'c stood on the platform of the Stargate, all of their weapons ready to fire.
"We just went through the gate," Jack announced.
"Are you guys all right?"
The once pristine park was now charred in several places and frozen in others. Most of the flowers and trees had been flattened, uprooted, burned, or frosted by a blizzard and only a few lamplights remained upright. Some patches of ground looked like a mountain range of peaks and craters were the soil itself had been manipulated. The city was ablaze, so there was no lack of light.
"Comic book-style war zone aside, we're fine," Jack called happily into the radio. "What's going on here?"
"Breck and I will be there in a minute," Daniel assured. "I'll tell you all about it once we're back on Earth."
"Breck?" Jack asked.
Daniel and Breck were entering the first group of houses they'd passed on their way from the park.
"The jailer from yesterday," Daniel explained quickly. He sighed. "I'll get there faster if I'm not talking. Just keep both eyes out for the locals. Most of the people are pretty upset tonight."
"I never would have guessed that they were angry," Jack said sarcastically. "Maintaining radio silence." He left go of the button and held his weapon with both hands.
As Daniel and Breck sped through the street they saw smoke coming from the park. They both ran supernaturally fast down the empty street towards the smoke.
"Jack," Daniel called as he and Breck slowed down to a human pace when they spotted the rest of the team hunkered by the DHD.
"Whoa," Sam said in shock, aiming her gun at them when she saw the movement.
"Daniel," Jack said quietly, still scanning the park for movement with an aimed weapon. "Someone's out here. They're invisible, but every now and then…"
At that moment a fireball came out of nowhere, flying towards Daniel and Breck.
Daniel grabbed Breck by the shoulder to allow the sphere of flames to sale through them. The fire passed through Daniel's right side and nicked Breck left leg before it crashed into the ground several yards behind them.
Daniel called out in pain, grabbing onto his side where the flames had passed and catching his balance on the DHD. "It must have been too hot," he panted quickly. The bag slipped to the ground.
"It's Beth," Breck announced calmly, his eyes tracking the unseen threat.
"You all right?" Jack asked Daniel quickly, focusing a moment on his friend.
Daniel nodded, straightening a little as he found his balance. "I will be."
"Bethany!" Breck called to the empty area, stepping forward with a slight limp from where the flames had brushed him.
"Daniel," Jack whispered, his eyes darting around the field again for any sign of movement. "Start dialing."
Daniel began pressing the buttons on the DHD.
"Show yourself," Breck ordered.
A pale woman with long dark hair appeared a few feet in front of Breck. It was the woman who had bitten Daniel.
Daniel paused, staring at the woman. This was the first time he'd seen her since his team left her house, and she looked quite a bit more tired and worn than she had the other day.
"They have nothing to do with this," Breck said calmly. "Let them be on their way and no harm will come to you."
"It must be their fault," Beth spat at the group by the DHD. "Everything was fine in our region until they arrived. Thane Donovan was the best thing to happen to our world."
"It has been many years since Thane Donovan has had the support of all of his Citizens," Breck continued just as calmly. "Many cities of his region already refuse to use slaves. They emphasize who they are, not what. Some of the technologies and medicines they produce are being used across this planet."
"Do you think the rest of us contribute so little to our world?" Beth asked seriously.
"Daniel," Jack hissed. "Let Breck take care of her. We need to get home before any more of them show up."
Daniel looked at Breck for a moment and then continued to punch in the symbols.
You learned about the Stargate from our thoughts, so do you know the sequence of symbols I'll be using to return to our home? Daniel's voice asked in Breck's ear.
Yes Breck replied simply. Daniel reached into his jacket and pulled out his radio, dropping it at the base of the DHD.
When this is over, dial the gate and use the radio. My friends and I would be willing to help you and your citizens. Daniel assured in Breck's ear. "We all contribute to this world. By the old laws of this region, those who didn't have something to contribute would never have been allowed to survive," Breck continued to Beth, distracting her to give SG1 enough time to escape.
My people thank you Breck replied as Daniel pressed the button at the center of the device. There was an explosion of blue light from inside the ring before it settled to the flat surface.
Sam dropped her weapon and pulled up her sleeve, punching in the iris code into her remote as quickly as she could.
Beth looked even angrier. "And by those same laws it doesn't matter if I survive this night because my crime should mean I am put to death. These three human thieves and my mistake shouldn't be allowed to live!" She disappeared.
Teal'c, Jack, and Carter all stood, backing towards the gate with their weapons drawn.
Breck's eyes were darting around, still tracking Beth even when the others couldn't.
Daniel didn't have any weapons, but he started to stagger towards the gate as well, his eyes scanning the open field in an attempt to pick anything up the way Breck was doing.
"Sam! Nine o'clock!" Breck called, knowing that she'd be able to react to that terminology better than any other.
Carter swung her weapon to the left, but it was too late. Something had caught her gun.
The invisible enemy grabbed Sam by the front of her shirt collar, beginning to choke her, as Beth's other invisible hand squeezed and mangled the metal weapon.
Before Teal'c and Jack could aim their weapons towards the invisible woman, Daniel ignored the pain in his gut and used his supernatural speed to run at the place the woman should be standing and tackle the entity to the ground.
Sam fell to the ground, too, coughing as she scrambled a few paces away from the scuffle.
Daniel pinned down the invisible mass, straddling the figure. Some blood began to seep from his neck.
Beth became visible again, revealing both clawed hands wrapped around his neck and cutting into his skin.
Daniel grabbed onto the woman's arms and zapped her with some electricity from his palms… but it didn't seem to be very effective.
By now Teal'c had managed to draw his Zat. He fired it at the struggling pair.
The woman let out a small cry of pain before going limp and closing her eyes.
Daniel put a hand to the injuries to his neck as he jumped away from Beth.
"Are you unharmed?" Teal'c asked Daniel urgently.
Daniel coughed a little, but nodded, his eyes glinting a little in the light as his stare shifted to Sam. She was still on the ground, but seemed ok. "Sam?"
Sam kept one hand on the back of her neck as Jack helped her to her feet. "Just a little whiplash I think." When she pulled her hand away there was some blood.
They all stood in shock for a moment.
"Did she bite me?" Sam whirled around and lifted her hair, showing Jack the area of her neck that was injured.
"It's hard to tell if it was from a tooth or a claw," Breck announced, joining the group. "But your Dr. Fraiser will be able to tell if the infection is in your blood. But don't worry, even if there is a small amount of the parasite present, there's always a chance that they will not take hold." Breck gestured towards Daniel. "As a precaution, just stay a few paces away from him."
Daniel nodded a little, "Her fingernails caught me pretty good, so my shirt and hands are probably covered in the parasite." Daniel immediately realized that that may not have been what Breck was referring to. As soon as he bothered to notice the presence of the blood on his hands, the scent filled his nostrils and set a chill of excitement up his spine. He was instantly ready for something else to happen, almost eager for more bloodshed. He licked his lips. He could actually smell the difference between Sam's blood and his own. The energy he'd used to get to the park and struggle against Beth left him a little thirsty, and just like the nurse on the base, Sam seemed to be an appealing target. Trying to ignore the surge he was feeling, he looked up towards the wormhole.
Sam nodded, putting her hand back over the wound, but unsure of what else to say.
Teal'c went back to the DHD and picked up the bag Daniel had dropped.
Breck held out his hand to Daniel. "It was nice to have met you, Daniel."
Daniel looked back to Breck with a tired smile as he shook his hand.
"It looks like the park is safe enough for a few minutes, so I'm off to help my people in what's left of my town. Hopefully you will hear from me soon," Breck ended with a slight bow. In a blur Breck was running out of the park and into his burning city.
Daniel sighed and turned towards Jack, taking the heavy bag away from Teal'c as if it weighed nothing. His side still ached a little, but he could tell he was already beginning to heal.
Jack gestured towards the open gate. "Let's head home."
--
Daniel stepped through the gate first, receiving much the same audience he'd had when he'd left just a few hours ago: a dozen soldiers aiming automatic weapons. He lowered the bag to the floor and held his hands in the air a little as he cleared the area directly in front of the gate.
Teal'c was the next to arrive, followed by Sam and finally Jack. The wormhole disengaged behind him.
"Did you find anything useful?" General Hammond asked, making his way through the armed men.
"I'm not exactly sure," Daniel said, his hands still in the air. "Am I being put in the brig, or can I just go straight to my office and work on these translations?"
"Lower your weapons," Jack called to the soldiers, walking the group towards the General.
Daniel lowered his hands, picked up the bag again, and followed his team.
"What did you find out?" Hammond asked a little more urgently.
"Carter needs medical attention so how 'bout we comply with medical protocol and tell you about the Brotherhood of Mutants a little later," Jack suggested casually.
Hammond wasn't entirely sure about the pop-culture reference, but nodded anyway. "We'll debrief in one hour."
Teal'c, Jack, and Sam headed for the door. Daniel began to follow when Hammond stopped him.
"We already know your status," the general began, "so just get cleaned up and you can head to your office. There will be two guards accompanying you, but you can move about the base freely." He gave a nervous laugh, "After all, you proved we can't just keep you in the brig." He cleared his throat and continued seriously. "Keep in mind that Mayborne will be here in just under three hours. I hope you brought something back with you that Mayborne's men will want to take to their base even more than you."
Daniel looked a little grim. "Hopefully that something won't be Sam."
--