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

"Jake! Selmak! Welcome back to Earth! How ya been?" Jack greeted the only snake he tolerated with genuine bonhomie.

"We're well, Jack. And you? Where's Sam?"

"I'm healthy as ever. The rest of us are waiting for you in Daniel's lab," Jack steered Jacob out of the gate room.

...

Between them, Daniel, Fraiser, and Jack had explained the situation to Sam's father. Teal'C had blocked the camera and Hammond had kept Jacob from rushing to Sam's bedside before the explanation was complete.

"We were wondering if the Tok'ra had any information about this type of Ancient technology? Maybe we could find a way to reverse it?" Daniel asked, while General Hammond still blocked Jacob from the door.

Jacob nodded and Selmak spoke, "The Tok'ra know very little about the Ancients. Most of it more legend than verifiable fact. We have never heard anything of this maze of souls before, Dr. Jackson. Jacob is most anxious to see Samantha."

"Well, about that ... Carter doesn't know we called you. When the suggestion was made, she kinda lost it. We're not sure how she'll respond to seeing you."

"Why would Samantha not wish to see her father when ill? I understand, from Jacob, that family is a comfort in times of trial."

"She's a little confused -," Daniel tried to explain.

"MajorCarter's current predicament has left her most embarrassed by her preoccupation with her mental fabrications and thus she has been acting most outside of her mind."

"Plus," Doc Fraiser added, "it's the middle of the night, and she's sleeping. Her body temperature only rises to a semi-comfortable degree in her sleep. Her continued hypothermic state is puting more stress on her system. I'd prefer she get as much sleep as she can."

Selmak nodded, Jack thought in agreement, but then Jacob spoke, "And I'd rather we fixed my daughter so she's not lost to daydreams of doing the horizontal mambo with her commanding officer. At least not any more than usual." The last line was directed at Jack, aiming to make him uncomfortable.

"Jacob," Daniel scolded, "they're a little bit more than daydreams."

"Eh," Jacob waved that away, "one fantasy is the same as the next."

"No, sir," Janet objected. "Major Carter's brain wave patterns are extreme. I've found nothing in modern medicine to equate them with. Besides, Sam was so upset at the thought of you finding out about her current condition she threatened to resign her commission rather than let us tell you!"

"You said these dreams were fairytales starring Jack and my Sam -,"

"Perhaps you should allow DoctorJackson, or O'Neill, to translate one of the inscribed fabrications before you discount MajorCarter's sentiments in this matter."

"Ah," Jack really didn't want to read one of the pornographic stories aloud to anyone. Let alone this audience.

Daniel didn't seem to have the same reluctance, as he immediately began digging through the piles of rubbings for one of those taken of the less formal script. Thankfully, when Daniel found one he unrolled it for Jacob's perusal rather than reading it himself.

Jacob glanced over the charcoal smudges and nodded. Selmak began to read aloud from somewhere in the middle of the story, "'only his touch could warm her. Her heart was frozen and his caress like fire. He was all angles, muscles, hard and unyielding. A driving force. She was all curves, soft, moist and receptive. Both all anticipation, impatience, and arousal. His large powerful hands took hold of her breasts - possessing them - titillating them - stroking the fire that burned in her soul. She was hollow, she ached for -',"

Suddenly Selmak bowed her head and Jacob was back with flushed cheeks and looking supremely uncomfortable. "Yes, well, I ... um ... see your point, Doctor. Most uncomfortable. Best to let her rest."

"Thank you, sir," Doc Fraiser's face was pink and her eyes flitted around the room.

"Do you think you might be able to heal Sam with the hand device, Jacob?" Daniel asked, coming to the doc's rescue.

"I don't see why not. We could try to do it before she wakes up."

Fraiser started to nod, then frowned, "General Hammond, I've been thinking. We are about to start the human trials of Dr. Mallory's study. It might be very beneficial for her to see crystalline driven healing in action. Could I call her in to witness General Carter's use of the hand device on Sam?"

"Jack?"

"I don't see an issue, sir," at least not one he wouldn't have to face anyway when Susan started working at the mountain.

Author's Note: Thanks for reading! ~ Vi