-1CHAPTER FIVE

STARGATE COMMAND, OCTOBER 15, 1998, 1200 HOURS

Dr. Maximilian Arturo lay on an examination table, looking up, none too patiently, at the ceiling of the infirmary located on Level 21 of the Stargate Command Center beneath Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado. He was waiting for the arrival of Dr. Janet Fraiser, who would shortly examine him to monitor the progress of his illness. The cancer which was slowly spreading inside him was sapping his vitality, and he had lost a good deal of weight since his arrival here at the SGC. Furthermore, he was experiencing increasing pain. Dr. Fraiser had wanted to confine him to bed and start pumping him full of pain-killers some time ago, but he had refused. His mind was still good, and he refused to be rendered into a virtual vegetable, so doped up with pain-killers that he couldn't function, as his own father had been when he died of a nearly identical illness, so many years ago. No, he thought, wincing with pain as he did so, that's not how I want to go.

But Dr. Fraiser was not cooperating with his own stated desires, and had insisted on more frequent visits as his health deteriorated further, much to his frustration. While I appreciate the efforts the good doctor is making on my behalf, he thought to himself as he waited for her arrival, I wish she would just let me get back to work. There's nothing she can do for me. At least I can make myself useful during the time I have left and die with dignity.

As he lay ruminating on his fate, he thought of his traveling companions and their own fates. Since joining the Stargate Program in July, the four Sliders had been assigned to different tasks within the SGC.

Arturo's mind drifted first to Wade Welles. Wade was making good use of her excellent computer skills here in the SGC, assisting various scientists with research projects. And more recently, she had been trained by Sergeant Harriman to operate the computers which controlled the Stargate itself. Arturo smiled as he thought of that. Wade and the sergeant had taken a shine to each other, and had recently gone out on a couple of dates in nearby Colorado Springs. I'm glad she's got someone besides Quinn to look after her, he thought. Mr. Mallory has a brilliant scientific mind, but he's blind when it comes to Miss Welles. Even I, and I'm no expert on the fair sex myself, saw how she looked at him, and that she obviously loved him, but he never did. He shook his head sadly. Pity, that. For both of them.

He smiled again when he thought of Rembrandt Brown, who had been assigned to SG-3, a Marine Corps Combat Unit and exploration team under the command of Colonel Robert Makepeace. As a former Navy man, Remmy enjoyed trading barbs with the "Jarheads," as he called them, and he had meshed well with the team. It turned out that Makepeace, like Colonel O'Neill, was a fan of the "Crying Man," and he and Remmy had struck up a firm friendship. The stories which he had told Arturo about his off-world missions had been fascinating, and Arturo wished he could have gone to some of the worlds Remmy had visited.

As for Quinn Mallory and Arturo himself, both had seldom been outside of the SGC since their arrival here. Both had spent nearly every waking hour working with Samantha Carter…when she wasn't off-world on a mission…as well as Dr. Bill Lee and Dr. Jay Felger, trying to resolve the problems that he, Quinn, and their other companions had experienced with the sliding technology over the past few years. He smiled as he thought of Quinn's enthusiasm for the project. They had spoken of it just the previous night.

"I know we can make this work, Professor," Quinn had said. "We're so close I can taste it!"

"Don't get too excited, Mr. Mallory," Arturo had replied. "We've had several false starts already."

"If we only had access to a Kromagg timer," Quinn had said wistfully. "They had the ability to do directed slides to specific worlds, and to return to the world from which they came."

"Yes, that would make things easier, wouldn't it?," Arturo had said, nodding in agreement. "But you'll make it work, my boy. If the cursed Kromaggs can do it, I know you will."

"Thanks, Professor," Quinn had replied, smiling warmly. "That means a lot to me."

"As it should, my boy," Arturo had said with a wink. Quinn laughed, and then Arturo had continued, "And remember, you've got some of the finest scientific minds on this planet behind you. There's me, of course. And Captain Carter is brilliant, as are Dr. Lee and Dr. Felger. Although Felger is a bit of a klutz."

Quinn laughed again. "He is, isn't he? But as you say, a brilliant mind. Yes, with a team like that, I know we'll do it."

Arturo smiled again, then his expression assumed a more somber cast as he reflected on his own fate again. A wave of pain surged through him, and despite his best efforts, a groan escaped him. Discipline, Maximilian, he thought to himself as he clenched his teeth to stifle himself until the wave passed. Discipline and fortitude. There's a good man. Indeed, he was proud of the control which he had so far exhibited in the face of the unrelenting pain of his disease, not least because of the false hopes which had presented themselves, only to turn to dust and ashes in his grasp.

First there had been the time when, just a couple of weeks after their arrival here, SG-1 had brought back a Goa'uld healing device from the planet Cimmeria, which had been rescued, with SG-1's help, from an invasion by the Goa'uld System Lord, Heru'ur. Samantha Carter, who had gained the partial ability to use such devices after having served as the unwilling host of the Tok'ra, Jolinar of Malkshur, had attempted to use it to heal Arturo, but had failed, her skill at controlling the device being insufficient to the task. She had been able to somewhat retard the spread of the cancer, which had allowed Arturo to survive longer than he otherwise would have, but beyond that, had been unable to help, not even with the pain the disease caused him. All she really succeeded in doing, he thought ruefully, was to prolong my agony. As they say, the road to hell is oft paved with good intentions.

And then, just a couple of weeks ago, another hope had presented itself. Contact had been made with the Tok'ra, who were, as Arturo understood it, a group of rebel Goa'uld who opposed the evil of the Goa'uld System Lords and only took human hosts who willingly volunteered themselves, rather than forcibly as did the other Goa'uld. Those humans who accepted Tok'ra symbiotes were cured of all disease, and granted a dramatically extended lifespan. Quinn and Wade had urged him to volunteer, as had Daniel Jackson, with whom he had become good friends. But Arturo just couldn't make himself do it. The thought of willingly surrendering control of his own mind and body to an alien parasite…even one with only benevolent intentions, as the Tok'ra claimed…just revolted him. And so he had turned down the offer. Better to die a human, he thought to himself, than to live that way. He had found that Colonel O'Neill was in full agreement with that decision, as was Remmy, who had seen too much of the Goa'uld on his off-world missions with SG-2 to fully trust the intentions of the Tok'ra.

As he was mulling that decision over again in his head, for at least the thousandth time, he heard the door of the examination room open, and Dr. Janet Fraiser walked in. She was accompanied by middle-aged, balding man with a kind face who Arturo had never seen, dressed in the costume of a Tok'ra. Arturo cringed when he saw the man. He knew his fear was irrational, but there it was, nevertheless.

"Dr. Arturo," Fraiser said, "I'd like to introduce General Jacob Carter."

"Carter?," Arturo asked. "Are you, by chance, related to the delightful Captain Samantha Carter?"

General Carter smiled broadly. "I'm her Dad," he said. He extended his hand, and Arturo took it. "I'm pleased to meet you, Professor. I've heard a lot about you."

"Thank you, General," Arturo said. "But why are you dressed…as a Tok'ra?"

"General Carter is now the host of the Tok'ra, Selmak," Dr. Fraiser said.

Arturo recoiled slightly, withdrawing his hand. "Doctor, I've already told you that I cannot take a Tok'ra host." He looked at Carter. "I mean no offense, but such an option is just not for me."

Carter smiled. "And the Tok'ra would not dream of asking you to do so against your will," he said. "But I may still be able, with Selmak's help, to assist you."

"How?," Arturo asked suspiciously.

Carter held up his other palm, revealing that he held the Goa'uld Healing Device with which his daughter had failed in her own attempt to cure Arturo. "Sam told me that she tried to cure you with this," Carter said, "and that she succeeded in prolonging your life but not in curing you or reducing your pain. She feels terrible about that, and she asked Selmak if he would make the attempt. Selmak has agreed."

"Unlike Captain Carter," Dr. Fraiser said, "Selmak has centuries of experience using Goa'uld technology. He should be far better able to control the device, where Sam could not."

Jacob Carter looked into Arturo's eyes. "I won't lie to you, Professor Arturo. Selmak can't guarantee a cure, and he may only end up prolonging your pain, as Sam did. But other than taking a Tok'ra symbiote, this is the best chance you've got for a cure."

"I won't lie to you either," Dr. Fraiser said. "Professor, your cancer is spreading rapidly again. I estimate that, at best, you've got less than a month to live. In less than half that, the pain will be so bad that I'll be forced to confine you to bed and begin giving you intravenous pain-killers on a nearly continuous basis. You'll lapse into a state of semi-consciousness until you finally pass away."

Arturo shuddered as he listened. The fate the doctor was describing was one which he had secretly feared since watching his father's own passing, all those years ago. Now his worst fears were coming true. If there was any way to avoid that…

"All right, doctor," he said. Looking at Carter, he said, "General, I accept your offer of assistance." He paused, and then added, "And Selmak's."

Jacob smiled. Dr. Fraiser stepped out of his way, and Carter took position beside the examination table. As he looked down on Arturo, suddenly his eyes glowed. In a strange voice, he said, "I am Selmak. I will do my best to heal you. Please try to relax."

Arturo nodded nervously, and tried to relax as he had been instructed. Selmak smiled, and lifted the Healing Device, holding it over Arturo's body. He closed his eyes, and a look of intense concentration came over his face. The red crystal of the device began to glow, and a humming noise could be heard. The glow increased until it became so bright that it was almost painful for Arturo to look at, and then spread down, somehow, from the crystal toward Arturo's body. Arturo could feel a sensation of warmth as the glowing, reddish aura surrounded him. To his amazement, his pain began to fade.

"My God, Sir," he exclaimed. "The pain…it's going away!"

Selmak smiled again. "Lie still," he said quietly.

Arturo did as he was told. Selmak's face resumed its look of utter concentration, and the crystal glowed even brighter than before. Arturo closed his eyes, the brightness of the crystal now too much to bear. Then, suddenly, Selmak sighed, and ceased using the device. He staggered back slightly and Dr. Fraiser rushed to catch him. Selmak waved her away.

"The device," he said to Fraiser, "is very draining to use. I must rest now." He looked down at Arturo. "You are not cured…yet. But you responded well to the treatment, and I am confident that I can cure you. It will take several treatments, however."

"That's…that's wonderful, General Carter…Selmak…," Arturo stammered. "Thank you…both."

Selmak nodded, and the glow in his eyes faded. When next he spoke, it was with the voice of Jacob Carter.

"Call me Jacob," Carter said, smiling. "We'll be back later, after Selmak has rested." Nodding to Dr. Fraiser, he turned and left the room.

"Doctor, I don't know how to thank you, and everyone here," Arturo said.

"You don't have to thank me," Fraiser said, grinning. "You've been one of the most ornery patients I've ever had to deal with, Professor. I'll be glad to be rid of you."

Arturo laughed. "May I return to work, until Selmak is ready again?"

"I don't see why not," Fraiser said.

"Thank you again, Doctor," Arturo said. He climbed off the bed, and as Fraiser left the room, took off his hospital gown and began putting his clothes back on. He smiled again.

"Mr. Mallory will be pleased," he softly said to himself as he buttoned his shirt. "Yes, indeed." Slipping on his sport coat, he smiled again, and left the room.