0100 Saturday

The lights in the Gate Room blazed full force despite the late hour as SG-8 donned their HAZMAT gear and prepared to head out. Jack watched them through the window of the Briefing Room, early for their next meeting and hidden in the still-dimmed lights.

But of course, he wasn't alone. "Do you think they're alive?" Daniel's voice was soft and as concerned as Jack felt.

"Reports are, they've been in and out of contact since they went. Something about the atmosphere and the radios not getting along."

"So you think they're alive."

He waited through the last revolution to answer, 'til the wormhole's light burst through the space and made him blink. "I think they'd better be."

It took the archaeologist a moment to sort that one out. "She'll be okay, Jack."

Of all people, he knew Daniel would be the one to read the fear in his eyes behind the mask. And so he met his gaze straight on. "Yeah."

~/~

0200

"A total of nineteen people have been to P4X-124," Sergeant Harriman reported to the group around the conference table.

"Nineteen," Daniel echoed, concerned.

"We have reason to believe they are all ill?" Teal'c asked.

"Six of them are currently in the infirmary, with five showing symptoms. Sergeant Bosco may be infected, but hasn't been injured in any way to make it apparent yet. Doctor Lam was awaiting his reaction to the blood draw."

Jack had seen the golf-ball sized bruise the needle had given Carter, and nodded. "I'd find it hard to believe three of the men on that team were infected while the fourth made it out totally unscathed."

"Stranger things have happened," Cam put in. "To SG-1, even."

"True. Maybe he's lucky." Daniel shrugged. "Who else?"

"Airman Boyle worked with Sergeant Siler, and Airman Stolz carted several rounds of supplies back and forth. Both have been contacted and ordered to report in immediately. Three members of SG-11 helped Colonel Carter and SG-16 set up the scientific equipment. They are currently offworld and heading back to base, reporting major symptoms."

When he paused, Jack prompted, "That's not nineteen, is it?"

"No, sir. SG-13 made first contact."

Landry swore. It brought a moment of silent confusion to the table, as it was a rare occurrence. "Hank?" the other general prompted.

"SG-13 is attempting to track down and eliminate a Prior on P3X-122."

"Okay. Well, uh, that's important, sure," Daniel said to the ensuing silence, "but their health has to come first, right?"

Jack shook his head. "It's not that, Daniel. They're supposed to be on radio silence. I assume we've tried to contact them?"

Walter nodded. "Several times, sir."

"Several times. Great." He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. "So, at this point, the Priors may well know we have a team there. And the only people who don't know that are SG-13."

Tenting his dark hands on the table, Teal'c stated, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "I will accompany the team sent to retrieve them."

"Me, too," Daniel volunteered. "I can't just sit here. I need to do something."

Jack sighed. "Yeah. Me, three."

"General-"

The warning lights and klaxons cut off Landry, with a voice through the speakers announcing, "Unscheduled offworld activation!" It brought the entire room to their feet, filing down the steps to squeeze into the Control Room as quickly as possible. "It's SG-8, sir," the tech announced.

The base commander tapped the radio. "This is Landry. Go ahead."

"We've located SG-16, sir. It looks like they tried to make it back to the Gate. We're going to need a retrieval team."

The general's discomfort was obvious in the amount of time it took his finger to strike the button again. "Casualties?"

"All of them, sir. They're all dead."