Chapter 4

Please review – if you don't , I won't know what I'm doing wrong (or right).

I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to get the last chapter up for a few weeks; there's a big adventure looming in my life and it's getting in the way of everything. Have a look at .com/kathylye2 if you want to find out what the adventure is.

Now, after that shameless bit of self-promotion - on with the story.

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"Oh, great," Jack groaned. He stood and gestured to Sam with a quick tilt of his head. She followed him out of the room.

"Just how important is this technology, Carter?"

Sam shook her head, eyes sparkling with the possibilities, "Unlike the previous genetic manipulation we've encountered, the first stage of this technology seems to make small adjustments that are passed on and accentuated by natural selection. On Earth, we're already researching the genes that cause certain conditions. That chamber could be a breakthrough in our understanding of the human genetic code. It could lead to a cure for cancer or HIV."

Jack leaned against the wall, resting his head back against the cool stone, digesting her words.

"Sir, you really think Serel can predict the future?"

Apparently speaking to the ceiling, Jack didn't move, "I think you and Jonas have come up with a pretty good scientific explanation for her abilities, even if I don't understand it. And I think she believes she can." Pushing himself upright, he strode back into the main room, Sam on his heels. "Serel, we have to stay. We don't wanna get involved in your little civil disturbance, but we need to get some of our guys in to study that device in the chamber."

"With your permission, of course," Jonas interrupted.

"Yeah, of course. With your permission."

Serel shook her head slowly, "No. I will not allow you to stay. I have stood by for too long – your arrival here has shown me that. If I can change your fates, I will."

"What about your fate?"

Serel turned to Jonas, her face hard. "I will make my own. And my people's."

Jonas rose and went to her, kneeling and taking her hand gently, "You won't. Serel, you don't have it in you to be a dictator; you're just saying that to get rid of us. You want to help us and we appreciate that, but we've been in danger before."

Serel searched his face. Her expression was still distant and cold, but her eyes were softening and filling with tears again. Blinking them back and swallowing hard, she pulled her hand away and rose quickly, turning her back on the team. She was breathing fast, but her back was straight and when she spoke her voice was steady. "I will do what I must. If you cannot change the way things are as I had hoped, you must leave and I will seek another way."

"Why don't you come with us?" Jonas asked.

"She can't," Sam told him quietly. Serel turned slowly to look at the major, shaking her head slightly; imploring her.

"Carter?"

Avoiding Serel's gaze, Sam turned to her commanding officer, "I think that Serel is somehow connected to the chamber; it's sustaining her. If she leaves, she'll die."

"Now you're telling me this?"

"I wasn't certain, sir. I was going to study it more closely."

Jonas got to his feet and went to Serel. "You knew?" She looked away.

"The human brain isn't designed to process the amount of information that Serel's does; she's constantly calculating massive levels of data. I think that the chamber repairs the damage to her cells, but until now, that was just a theory based on some low level energy readings similar to those emitted by Goa'uld healing devices."

Jack sat back down on a couch, taking off his cap and tossing it to the side. "Well, that settles it. Carter, Jonas; get back in there and see what else you can find out. Teal'c and I'll go back to the Gate, get a tech team out here."

"No!" Serel pushed past Jonas and stood, shaking, in front of Jack. "You must leave."

"We're not going anywhere," Jack's voice was firm, but soft, "If Carter and Jonas can work out that device, they might be able to cure you. And 'save your people'," He mimed the inverted commas.

"Be warned, Colonel; I can force you to leave. My people will follow my orders without question."

Jack retrieved his cap and stood slowly, "And I'm sure you can see how that would work out."

Serel studied him. She seemed to be searching for something, her brow furrowing slightly. She stopped shaking as her intent gaze swept time and again over his face, apparently scrutinising every detail.

Teal'c broke the silence, "We are not of this planet; we will not blindly follow your predictions of our fates."

Still studying Jack, Serel nodded slightly. "Yes. Looking at you, the images I see in my mind are changing. This morning when I woke, it was all so clear, but now nothing is certain." She turned to each of them, pausing to search their faces just as intently. "It is all in motion; if I tell you what I saw, you will change it. The possibilities are infinite."

Jack shrugged, "Hey, that's life, isn't it?"

Serel smiled slowly, "I see I was right to call you my only hope."

"OK, so what do we do now?" Jonas asked.

"Serel tells us what the hell she saw happening to us and we work out how to stop it." Serel laid her hand on Jack's arm, "No," she replied. Her eyes were suddenly blank, staring unfocussed into the unseen distance, her body once again tensed, "We go to Pridan. It is time for me to talk to Ganad."

"But I thought you said…" A raised hand silenced Sam. Slowly, Serel seemed to recover herself. Her body relaxed and she staggered slightly, gripping Jack's arm. He steadied her, "You OK?"

"Forgive me; I am not used to so many possibilities in my head." Shaking her head to clear it, Serel smiled up at him, "It is difficult."

"Maybe you should sit down."

"No, we must go now," she walked to the door, stopping when she realised that they had not followed, "Please, trust me. I am not trying to control you, but we do not have much time – there is something in Pridan you must do, otherwise you will not be able to escape the fate I have seen."

Jack sighed, hooking his gun to his vest. He met Sam and Teal'c's eyes in turn and shrugged, "We'll talk on the way."

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"This is not what I meant by talking on the way."

Up ahead, Serel was walking with Jonas, her arm linked in his. She was pointing out parts of the landscape, laughing easily at his conversation, her long hair shimmering in the sunlight as she moved her head. After the intense, emotionally wounded person they had encountered the previous day, it was like watching a different woman; one without a care in the world. Sam smiled wryly, "He does have a way with people."

"Indeed." Teal'c appeared at Sam's side, "I hope you feeling stronger, Major Carter."

"Teal'c, I'm fine. My leg's almost completely healed."

"Good, 'cause we don't want you falling asleep on us again." Sam looked sharply at Jack. He seemed to be scanning the tree line, but there was a suspicious looking twinkle in his eye. "What?"

"Nothin'."

"O'Neill is referring to last night when you passed out."

Sam stopped in her tracks, "I did not pass out! I was just a bit drowsy, like Era said."

The two men stopped and looked back at her, exchanging an amused glance. "You were out cold, Carter. Unconscious, out for the count, sleeping like a baby."

"I was not!"

Jack wandered back to her, "I had to put you to bed. Got a little drool on my shirt." Grinning, he started down the path again, "Come on, sleeping beauty; you're gonna miss the party!" Glaring at his back, Sam followed, her cheeks burning.

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In the town square, Serel was chatting happily to Briga and Jonas as the rest of the team joined them. She turned to Jack with a radiant smile. "Colonel, may a have a word?" She took his arm and guided him away from the group.

"The insurgents are on their way here to attempt to free their friends." Her hand on Jack's arm restrained him as he made to turn and call Sam. "They will be in here in about an hour; you have plenty of time." Jack relaxed slightly. "This morning, I saw members of your team severely injured in the attack, but now I am not sure what will happen. I still see possible futures where one or more of you are wounded."

"Carter! Teal'c!" Jack swung back to face Serel, "You could've told us before we came here."

"Colonel, I am trying to find a path for my people amongst an almost infinite number of possibilities. It wasn't until I spoke to Briga that I saw which to take." She laid a hand on his arm again, "You must trust me to make the right choices. If you do not help now, many of the townspeople will be hurt."

"Sir?"

Jack ignored Sam and continued to speak to Serel, "You're going to go with Major Carter and Teal'c and show them where the insurgents will be. If any of my people get hurt, I will hold you responsible."

A smile played on Serel's lips for a moment before she replied, "I understand, Colonel. And I would ask that you harm as few of my people as possible." Jack nodded shortly and gestured for her to leave with the others. Jonas wandered up to his side. "Colonel; what's happening?"

"I don't know what she's up to, but I don't like it."

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"We've been here for a while; maybe Serel was wrong," Sam suggested. She was crouching behind a crate, checking the line of fire in the narrow street in front of her.

"I don't understand."

Sam looked at the confused face beside her and smiled, "Never mind." Teryn returned the smile, still puzzled. For the third or fourth time, he checked the string on his crossbow and patted the wallet of bolts at his hip.

"Remember the plan; you only fire that thing if you have to. I'll try and take out as many as I can with this," Sam gestured with her zat.

The young man shrugged at her. "Whatever you say."

Sam turned to check the defences behind her one more time. A strange hissing noise went past her and she felt something brush past her ear; a crossbow bolt buried itself in the wall behind her. "Crap!" Spinning around and bringing up her weapon, she zeroed in on one of the men and fired, missing narrowly. Behind her, she could hear zat fire and the dull thuds of crossbows firing.

Jack's shot hit one of the attackers head on and he collapsed to the ground, almost tripping the next insurgent, who had to jump over the body before throwing himself into a doorway for cover. The street beyond the makeshift barricade was now littered with unconscious forms, but there were still a few attackers making their way cautiously between the scant areas of cover. The two townsmen beside Jack were following orders and holding fire. He took his time, picking off the insurgents as they broke cover. His radio crackled.

"O'Neill, we are withdrawing to the secondary barricade."

"OK, Teal'c; we'll be right there." Jack watched as his last shot hit its target, then stood and gestured for the others to follow him.

Sam and Jonas joined the rest of the team in the square moments later. Barrels and crates had been arranged in a large circle at the centre and Serel was waiting for them, looking relieved. The townsmen and SG-1 vaulted over the barricade and took up positions covering the entrances to the square.

"Is everyone safe?" Serel asked.

An explosion forced them to the ground, quickly followed by two more. Jonas whistled gently, "If Serel hadn't told us…"

"Yeah; that would have been you and Carter in big trouble right now."

"Sir!"

Jack turned to see Sam and Teal'c opening fire on a small band of insurgents making their way through the smoke. Crossbow bolts were starting to fly from a small alley to his left, but he couldn't see who was firing. There was a sudden movement at his side and he turned to see Serel climbing over a crate. A bolt whistled viciously past her. Gathering her skirt, she glanced around, grinning wildly at Jack. She started to run.

"Serel; no!"