Summery: A routine trip off-world has long-lasting effects for SG-1. Meanwhile, Jack has terrestrial trouble too, when his half-sister is recruited to the SGC and his worlds threaten to collide and all his secrets are in danger of being exposed.
Disclaimer: I do not own "Stargate SG-1" the series. I believe it is owned by MGM. No copyright infringement is intended. No disrespect is intended. I am merely intrigued by the possibilities.
A Matter of Degrees
by: Visions2share a.k.a. Vi
Monday morning's weekly senior staff meeting was the first time since their return from P4F-627 that Jack had seen either Carter or Daniel outside the infirmary. The fact Janet Fraiser was escorting them was all that stopped Jack from asking if they should be there.
General Hammond was already in the room fixing himself a cup of coffee and ordered them to go ahead and sit. Jack was sure General Hammond was trying to avoid them having to be picked up off the floor. Judging from the way Daniel and Carter each fell into their chairs, and the expression on Fraiser's face, they were destined to return to the infirmary after the meeting.
"Let's get started," General Hammond settled himself at the head of the table, "Major Carter, I know you've been in the infirmary, but did your department have anything to report?"
Carter opened a folder and glanced at the first page before speaking. "I'm sure you've already heard about the plants SG-6 recovered?" General Hammond nodded. "Initial chemical studies are underway. When the results have been reviewed, if they are deemed non-harmful, I will ask Dr. Lee to add them to the greenhouses on the alpha-site. If we can grow them in controlled conditions, we can then proceed with further testing of their alleged properties." Carter's speech was slower than usual and showed none of her typical enthusiasm.
"Very well, Major, keep me appraised. Doctor Jackson, do your teams have anything to report?"
"Some, General, SG-9 reports that the inhabitants of Napki are pre-industrialized but open to trading with us. Although, rather than our standard 'send a team to mine', they want to do the work and 'sell' us the raw ore."
"Ore?" Teal'C questioned.
"Trinium," Jack answered when he saw Daniel realize he hadn't retained that detail from glancing through the reports. Some days Jack would have delighted in using the opportunity to give Daniel hell – but today Daniel looked too much like he'd just escaped hell for Jack to tease him.
"Do we know what they want in exchange?" General Hammond asked, moving the conversation along. Hopefully, it didn't occur to anybody to wonder why Jack knew the answer. After all, he'd really rather people didn't realize that he did 'sometimes' read the reports and memos that came across his desk.
"Plants, apparently. SG-9 hypothesizes that the planet – or at least the continent with the Stargate has emerged from an ice age in the last generation or two. The Napki people are struggling to develop an agricultural infrastructure capable of supporting their population. Basically, they need food – but want to grow it themselves. They are requesting starter plants and seed crops, and are willing for the initial trade agreement to be for two of their years – which will be thirty months earth time."
"And the return?" General Hammond prompted.
"They offer a minimum of five pounds raw ore a month." Daniel passed around copies of the agreement. "Considering the light weight of trinium and the relatively small population of Napki – approximately five thousand souls – it would be a very good deal for us. Especially considering we would probably give them food for at least a year as a gift without a trade agreement," Daniel paused, as if caught by an unexpected thought, "Would that mean we are taking advantage of them by accepting the trade deal without them first knowing we likely would gift them food?"
"That's an excellent question, Dr. Jackson. Unfortunately, with our great need for trinium, I think my superiors will be more interested in results than humanitarianism and fair play."
Jack watched Daniel process that. Daniel was always fairly easy to read as he wore his heart on his sleeve, but today it was especially easy as the gears in his mind seemed to be turning slower than usual. Jack could see him gather himself to make an argument for fair play and again felt bad about how sick he looked and stepped in to save him the effort. The fact he agreed didn't need to be addressed.
"Maybe we could give them something else to help them and ease Daniel's conscience," okay so he had to still tease a little or Fraiser and Hammond would think he was still sick too, "Maybe we could send soil, nitrates – or whatever ground prep materials they will need but, maybe, don't know to ask for. Surely Dr. Lee or another one of Carter's geeks could analyze the growing conditions and come up with a plan to help Earth crops thrive in the alien environment?"
"That's an excellent idea, Colonel. We'll do that. Now, Dr. Jackson, what about the translation team? Have they learned anything about P4F-627?"
"No – nothing. They apparently haven't made any progress at all. I'm sure that it is related to the language of the Ancients, but the team is struggling to come up with a starting place or even a line-by-line translation that makes any sense."
"More 'pieces of legs'?" Jack offered – remembering Daniel's initial hilarious translation of the circle from the Ancients' repository of knowledge.
"Unfortunately, even that would make more sense than what they've come up with so far. I intend to give it my attention after the meeting. The team can go back to their regular assignments until I can establish a basis for translation."
"Very well. Dr. Fraiser, does medical have anything to report?"
"Yes, sir, Captain Carman is going to need a couple of weeks of PT for his leg before he can rejoin SG-4 – otherwise, he is healing well. My primary concern at the moment is still SG-1."
Jack wondered if he and Teal'C had managed to raise their eyebrows in sync? They should work on that – it would be hilarious.
"Teal'C is recovered and can return to full duty at any time. Colonel O'Neill is also much recovered and can return to light duty – no field work for at least one more week. Major Carter and Dr. Jackson are not ready to return to work at all yet. But since they each live alone; I can't send them home yet either – they are going to have to remain my guests in the infirmary for at least a few more days."
Jack watched as both Daniel and Carter worked to rouse themselves to protest – thankfully, General Hammond offered a compromise before they could get started.
"Could they stay in their assigned quarters here on base? Free up beds in the infirmary but still be near medical assistance?"
"Please, Janet!?" Carter beseeched softly. Though quiet, it was the most animation she'd shown so far.
"I'd be open to arranging that," Fraiser raised a hand to halt any celebration Carter and Daniel might have attempted to mount, "but not today. Coming to this meeting is proving too much too soon, and I want you both back in the infirmary, where I can keep an eye on you today. If your numbers are better tomorrow then you can move to your quarters. But General Hammond – I must insist they each remain locked out of their labs until I clear them for limited duty."
Carter and Daniel looked disappointed but didn't comment. Jack didn't know if they recognized Fraiser's 'official medical officer' tone as he had or if they were just too tired to bother.
General Hammond obviously saw both Fraiser's resolve and the sense behind her orders as he readily agreed.
"Thank you, Doctor – keep me updated. I'll see to it their labs are locked until you say otherwise," General Hammond glanced through one of the folders in the small pile in front of him, "As far as debriefing following your mission … I've read all your reports, and believe they will suffice except for one question I need answered: why didn't you gate back early? You were each obviously ill – S.O.P. is return to base when you feel unwell."
General Hammond waited for an answer to a question Jack knew was perfectly justified. A question, in fact, he'd been asking himself all week. Too bad he still didn't have an answer he felt comfortable giving. He didn't feel like he could say, 'Gee General, I was just so captivated reading the erotic stories carved in the panels I was taking rubbings of, I failed to notice just how ill I felt. And oh, by the way, the panels were written in classical Latin using a Demotic form alphabet.' Yeah, right. They'd drag him away to an isolation room as a doppelgänger and start generating threat assessments.
"For myself, GeneralHammond," oh good, maybe Teal'C's explanation would give Jack a clue as to what to say, "I had been increasingly uncomfortable since stepping through the gate. I had been expecting this mission would prove uncomfortable with the very high temperatures – so had not been concerned. I did not begin to feel unwell until we were preparing to return to base. I was surprised at how quickly I became unwell after stepping back through the Stargate. I had assumed returning to the lower temperatures would provide immediate relief. It did not."
Jack thought about Teal'C's explanation and decided something similar could be seen as true for himself as well. He'd just be judicious with any details he included.
General Hammond nodded in acceptance of Teal'C's story, then turned his gaze to Jack.
Batter up.
"Like Teal'C said, it was stupid hot from the minute we stepped through," Jack felt Teal'C deny saying any such thing, but ignored him and continued, "it was miserable. I was miserable. Reminded me of being a POW in Iraq," a little unexpected sharing to help sell it. "Daniel asked me to help take rubbings. I remember trying to focus on the work and staying hydrated – on keeping myself present in the moment," hopefully General Hammond would assume he was referencing flashbacks, "I was so busy persevering, I failed to be a good leader. When we came back through, I think a part of my problem was the sense of relief left me rung out. I should have brought us back hours earlier. Sir, I accept all responsibility for letting my team get sick – for leaving them in harm's way." That much at least was true, as Jack did feel massively guilty for allowing himself to get distracted. But still, he wasn't ready to reveal the source of his distraction.
"I see, Colonel," Jack could practically feel General Hammond try to come up with a way to both excuse and admonish, "I am well aware you dislike Dr. McKenzie," oh no, sending him to a shrink was a step too far, "so I won't waste my breath ordering you to see him. But I insist you take some time to give some thought to ways that might help. Make sure you use this downtime to take care of yourself, Colonel. Failure to keep your team's safety at the forefront of your mind is very unlike you – and absolutely unacceptable.
"Yes, sir," Jack responded with as much formality as he ever showed – relieved not to be ordered to see a shrink.
"And if you ever need someone to talk to, unofficially, I'm always here, son."
"Thank you, sir."
"Major Carter, Dr. Jackson, why did neither of you request an early return?"
Daniel spoke first, "I wanted to spend as much time as possible at the ruin. I didn't even really notice how hot and sweaty I was until I stopped working and was packing up."
General Hammond nodded; he'd likely already known why Daniel hadn't asked to come home early. "And you, Major?"
Carter frowned. "I don't know, sir. I just remember trying to finish the filming. I don't remember not feeling well. I was too hot, of course, but … I'm sorry, sir, I just don't know."
General Hammond frowned and Jack felt his face crease into similar lines – Carter sounded genuinely befuddled.
"General Hammond, if I may?" Fraiser spoke before Hammond could voice his concern.
"Certainly, Doctor."
"Major Carter is likely suffering from dehydration induced anterograde amnesia. She was so vastly dehydrated her body started turning off normal, but nonessential, functions," Jack felt himself blanch – that was serious – and a major fail as a team lead letting her get so sick, "Don't worry," Fraiser continued, "despite how scary it sounds it isn't particularly unusual. Somebody here in the U.S. who gets caught in traffic on a hot day during their afternoon commute might be similarly affected – unable to remember the details of the afternoon on later days.
"Based on test results from immediately following their return, the only member of the team not massively dehydrated was Colonel O'Neill. Even Teal'C was quite dehydrated. He recovered more quickly thanks to his symbiote…"
"Way to go, Junior!" Jack interjected.
"Indeed."
"I am, of course, concerned that neither he, Major Carter, or Dr. Jackson took steps to remain hydrated – but there is nothing to be done about it now. And hopefully this experience will serve as an incentive to remember in the future."
"Thank you, Doctor, I hope so too. Does anybody have anything else that needs to be addressed today?" Not receiving a response, General Hammond continued, "then, Teal'C, would you please assist Dr. Fraiser in getting your two teammates back to the infirmary?"
"Certainly, GeneralHammond."
"Alright, dismissed. Colonel O'Neill, join me in my office for a few minutes, please."
"Yes, sir," Jack hoped he wasn't about to be confronted about his less than truthful references to bad memories.
Sitting across from General Hammond in his private office with the doors closed and shade pulled over the window into the briefing room, Jack waited in silence, too experienced to volunteer anything.
"I ordered a full vetting review of Dr. Susan Mallory – and the Secret Service got back to me this morning with a pretty big red flag," General Hammond's tone, both serious and apprehensive. "There are people on their way here now to potentially arrest you for treason. Jack, you need to explain yourself - right now!"
Author's Note: Time to learn something about Jack's family. One of the guest reviewers mentioned MacGyver – and I won't (couldn't) deny that the MacGyver character was a big influence on my version of Jack – but it is never stated outright in this story. Thanks so much for reading! ~ Vi