Malix2; Yep, that's the plan. Clone a baby snake for Teal'c. The Goa'uld possessing Julian, though, that's not in the plan...

GenoBeast; haha, oh dear. I figured the reason would be nuts no matter what I did. I can't go changing it now, anyway. It's too integral to my ending. Thank you for suspending disbelief so long, though! :)

Lordheaven; I'm afraid you saw me coming there, though. :) Oh yes, O'Neill might just have to throw a fit. I've seen so many interesting possibilities for stirring up trouble in this universe, not to mention similarities in temperament/role of various aliens in their respective universes. Makes me sad I can't cram them all into one nice little story… Maybe I'll just have to write more. Haha

EDIT lol oh my. That's what I get for watching Voyager while I write this. o.o Gamma Quadrant.

Chapter 21: Gamma

"Just when I think you all are ruining my fun, this goes and happens."

"Q!" Daniel almost had a heart attack and was even closer to falling over backwards. Suddenly, Q was laughing and Daniel hadn't actually fallen. Perhaps Q had caught him before he could land and set him back up. It was a supreme waste of ultimate power… much like everything Q did, Daniel mused. "What are you doing here?"

Q shrugged as though he had no earthly idea what Daniel was talking about, but he knew that was a lie. "Things have just gotten exciting around here. That's all."

Daniel looked at the research surrounding him on all sides and how he'd done nothing more exciting than move from one side of his table to another. When he looked up at Q to tell him exactly that, though, Q was grinning, one finger held up. "Wait for it…" he said. "There!"

The computer beeped at him that there was an incoming message. Daniel cast a last glance toward Q before accepting it. Commander Sisko's image greeted him, but none too friendlily. "Doctor Jackson, we need you in Ops."

"Yes, sir." Daniel was about to run right up there, but he realized he couldn't with his feet rooted and heart speeding. "Is something wrong, Commander?"

"Yes."

That didn't help him at all, but he switched off the computer and went toward the door. Q fell in step beside him, his hands clasped together in false glee. "Isn't this exciting, Danny-Boy?"

"What are you doing now, Q?" Daniel asked.

"Oh, please," Q went on, his voice now dead and sarcastic, somewhat like Jack's. "I'm not the only one who can cause trouble in this galaxy. It was only a matter of time before one of your little group of invaders went and caused an intergalactic incident."

Daniel had a few guesses about who that might have been. Although, it wasn't like Jack to intentionally cause trouble. Not when he was in a good mood, though, anyway, and he was happier on Deep Space Nine than he'd been their whole stay here. Which was beginning to feel like ages… So, it wasn't Jack. Unless he stumbled into some trouble and Odo suspected him in the commission of a minor crime or something. Odo was nothing if not thorough. Sam couldn't possibly get into any trouble with the current company she held, but Teal'c, mostly at Jadzia's beck and call, had been getting into some… interesting situations lately. But nothing call-from-Sisko worthy.

Daniel soon found himself on the slow ride up to Ops, relieved when he sat all of them standing there: Jack, Sam, and Teal'c together. Besides mixes of anger and worry, they all looked fine. Also standing with them were Commander Sisko, Jadzia Dax, Major Kira, and Odo.

"Good, that's all of us," Daniel said to Q as they exited.

"I'm afraid five lifeforms came though that 'gate," Q said with a smile.

"Oh my god." Daniel looked at the rest of them. "The Goa'uld. It was the fifth." Sam thanked Daniel with a quick glance for getting them back on-subject. Daniel didn't give her a second look, though, turning his eyes to the commander. "How did it get out?"

"We were hoping you could help us with that," Commander Sisko said to all of them, but looking at Q as the omnipotent being strode from one side of Ops to the other and jumped up to sit on a computer console. When Sisko seemed satisfied that he would be staying that way, he looked at SG-1. "Doctor Bashir is nowhere to be found."

"Well, there's your escape route," Jack said. Then he sighed. "I knew we should've killed the snake." He looked at Sisko pointedly and Q practically giggled with glee.

"Regrets rarely help us move forward; we need to determine our course of action," Teal'c said, in a mostly un-Teal'c-like fashion. He looked from Odo to Commander Sisko. "Who was the last one to see Doctor Bashir?"

"I can answer that," Odo said. "Doctor Bashir was last seen in the docking ring… taking out a runabout. Lieutenant Commander Dax has informed me that the runabout then went through the wormhole into the Gamma Quadrant."

"How in the world are we going to find him?" Daniel asked.

"It's fairly simple to track a runabout from its warp wake. Jadzia happens to be an expert on it," Commander Sisko said. Then he sighed heavily. "I have to contact Starfleet. If everything that you're saying is true, then we will have to move quickly. Try to contain what damage he might have already done."

"I volunteer my team, sir." Jack jumped up and looked at his team. Q looked like he was about to have an aneurism with positive pleasure, while Sam just smiled quietly to herself like she didn't think that was going to happen in a million years. "We do have a little bit of experience with these things."

Daniel was slightly more optimistic. "SG-1 back to hunting Goa'ulds?" He grinned. "Feels like home." Teal'c also smiled and it looked so outlandish that the feeling was immediately lost to Jack.

Jack looked at Sisko. "Well, Commander?"

He shook his head and smiled. "I don't know what I can and can't allow you to do, Colonel. But you will probably need a runabout. But you do have the most experience with Goa'ulds and we can't let this get out of hand. As much as I would like to believe Doctor Jackson about the likelihood of this Goa'uld doing much damage—one of my officers out there is under the control of a malevolent alien life form."

"I know what that means, sir," Jack said with a nod.

"So do I." Daniel looked up.

Jack didn't know if Sisko quite understood what he meant by that. "Send us after him; we'll bring him back."

Sisko sighed and shook his head. "Jadzia, I'd like you to give Captain Carter a briefing on tracking the warp wake of runabout. I can't send you with them."

"But, Benjamin—"

"No arguments, old man. I'm not sure what the admirals are going to say about this debacle. I'll need you here." Then Sisko looked at Teal'c. "I hope the doctor cleared you for space travel."

"He did not." Teal'c looked slightly concerned and Jack admitted to a similar feeling. "However, I believe he was confident in my health and I no longer require the anti-rejection drugs. I am willing to risk it if it means keeping your universe free of the Goa'uld."

Sisko nodded understandingly. "All right," he said. "You will take the runabout Yangtzee Kiang. You will find and bring back Doctor Bashir. And, above all, you will keep him from doing any damage to any alien lifeforms he might come across as you are able."

"Ah-ha," Q laughed standing. "That's that. Good luck, my precious SG-1, in the Gamma Quadrant. I hope you like it. See the sights." No one had a chance to ask what he meant by that before he snapped away and was gone.

Jack shook his head. "Hate that guy."

"So does all of Starfleet," Sisko sighed.

"I'm sure Bajor does, too," Kira offered.

Jack nodded. "Just love those aliens that think they're gods. Really brings people together." Of course, that brought him back to the mission at hand, thinking about their previous encounters with friendlies possessed by snakes. It hadn't really turned out well. At all. But, this time, Jack was determined it would be different. So help him, the doctor wouldn't die.

Daniel was smiling, though, as they went out to Ops. They all stood there for a moment in a tight little circle, like they used to when they were about to walk toward the Stargate, whether for home or another planet. Daniel looked around at them, his eyes alight. "Feels like we're getting the band back together."