DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret Productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

Copyright 2001 by Noda

*Contagion*

~1~

Samantha Carter stepped through the Stargate, shaking off the bone-chilling cold, as she automatically looked around for the rest of her team. Colonel O'Neill was a few paces in front of her, already sliding sunglasses into place, as he too looked back to check on the status of his team. Seconds later, Daniel Jackson and Teal'c came through the event horizon, slightly disoriented as she had been moments before.

"Nice," Daniel said, giving the landscape an appreciative perusal, as he descended the stairs leading down from the Stargate.

Sam looked up at the gently swaying palm trees and had to agree. It wasn't the usual desert or evergreen forest they often found themselves in.

"I see GeneralHammond has finally granted your requests for a tropical planet, O'Neill," Teal'c stated with a barely concealed smile.

Sam couldn't help smiling herself. "I'm sure if the General could hand-pick the planets, he would have given this one to the colonel a *looong* time ago," she teased. "Unfortunately, this one was just luck of the draw."

"And it's about damn time!" Jack said, taking a deep breath of the slightly humid, floral scented air. "Well, kids. As much as I'd love to look for the beach and work on my tan, we do have a mission to accomplish. Dr. Jackson? Any thoughts?"

Daniel gazed down at a rumpled print-out he held in his hands. "According to the information we have from the UAV, the remains of a village should be about six klicks in that direction," he said, pointing towards the sea.

"Klicks? Daniel, I'm impressed!" Jack taunted the archeologist.

"Most Polynesian cultures relied heavily on the ocean, so it would make sense their village was near the water," Daniel continued, ignoring Jack's attempt at harassing him.

Again, Sam found herself grinning. Over the years their bond had only grown stronger. Even Teal'c was picking up on their humor. Twelve months ago he would have been dead serious in his comments to the colonel. Now his observations were laced with sarcasm. Scary thought, but Jack O'Neill was rubbing off on all of them. And Sam decided it wasn't such a bad thing after all.

Jack and Daniel walked ahead of her, side-by-side, exchanging friendly banter she couldn't quite make out. Teal'c was in his customary position of bring up the rear, and she was caught up in the beauty of the day and the planet. Sam had to admit, when she'd first seen the MALP transmissions of this world, she'd been excited to come as well. Most people said their jobs were "no day at the beach," but today, hers was. She couldn't wait until they set up camp so she could remove her boots, and feel the warm, almost powdery sand between her toes.

"Major? Care to join us?" O'Neill's voice broke into her thoughts.

Sam turned her head in his direction, feeling guilty she'd let her mind drift so far off their mission. "Yes, sir."

Jack smiled at her, and Sam felt her face grow warm. She knew just from the look in his eyes he'd guessed where her thoughts had been. Clearing her throat, she tried to concentrate on her job.

"I'm getting strong readings of naquada, sir, and it seems to be concentrated in the direction of Daniel's village."

"*Daniel's* village?"

"Well, not his exactly, but he's the one with the co-ordinates."

"O'Neill, have you not on several occasions affixed your name to discoveries made by SG-1?" Teal'c asked.

Now it was Jack's turn to look embarrassed. "Well, there *was* that little mineral thing on P9X-445 I named 'O'Neillinium,' but I don't think that's the same as getting a whole village!"

"I think I found it!" Daniel yelled, effectively ending Jack and Teal'c's exchange. He was hacking through a tangle of over-grown vegetation with a machete, excitedly pushing errant vines out of the way as he cleared an opening large enough to crawl through. "Come on!" he called excitedly, already moving towards the abandoned community. Jack stepped through the opening with ease, but Sam found her pack hung up on a branch she couldn't seem to break free from. She knew she must look like something out of a comedy routine, and started to laugh, alerting Teal'c of her predicament.

"MajorCarter? Do you require assistance?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said, still laughing. "Could you give me a hand?" Suddenly, Sam felt herself lifted into the air, pack and all, and set down on the other side of the opening.

"I didn't mean literally," she said, still a little shocked he'd picked her up so effortlessly.

"It was the most effective course of action," Teal'c replied, moving through the break in the foliage himself.

"You guys coming or what?" Jack called back to them.

"Yes, sir," Sam yelled, jogging to catch up to where Jack and Daniel waited for them. "I just had a little trouble with Audrey II back there."

"Audrey II?" Teal'c asked.

"Yeah, you remember. About six months ago we rented 'Little Shop of Horrors?'" Jack reminded him.

Teal'c's face was impassive for a moment, then he burst out laughing with a totally uncharacteristic belly laugh.

"Teal'c?" Jack asked, exchanging a concerned glance with Sam and Daniel. "You okay, buddy?"

"Audrey II. That was very humorous MajorCarter." It wasn't long before they all joined in Teal'c's mirth, shaking their heads at their Jaffa friend's awakening to Tau'ri humor. "It is almost as comical as the joke about Setesh."

Jack rolled his eyes at Sam, struggling to remain serious. "Well, on *that* note, I believe Daniel is about to have kittens if we don't get back to the job at hand. Whaddya say, guys?"

Sam pulled her sensor from her vest pocket and began scanning. "Sir, the naquada readings are just about off the scale, and it seems like it's concentrated in that building over there."

Sam looked at the one structure that had remained intact. The rest of the village seemed to have been destroyed, either by time or natural disasters, but the stone building merely looked old. A light mold covered the stones in patches, obscuring some of the symbols carved on them.

"Daniel? What do you make of this?" Sam asked, distracting her friend from his study of one of the collapsed structures.

"Wow," he said, circling the building. "I didn't think Polynesians built with stones like this."

"Well, maybe not the ones on Earth, but apparently this culture did," Sam said. "This seems to be where all the naquada readings are emanating from. I'm not even picking up trace amounts in the soil. I'm guessing whatever quantities of the mineral is here, it was brought to this place."

"That could be," Daniel acknowledged, but his attention was clearly more on the symbols than what she was saying. "Polynesians on Earth didn't have a written language, either." Turning to her he added, "Did you know the Hawaiian's only have twelve letters in their alphabet?"

"No, I didn't know that," Sam said, wondering what that had to do with the naquada. "So, can you read this?"

"Well, it's obviously a temple of some sort, but to whom, I'm not exactly sure," Daniel said, rubbing his fingers lightly over the carved markings.

"A Goa'uld?"

"That would be my guess. If I'm reading this right, it mentions something about a 'tribute' which sounds like something a Goa'uld would demand."

"You mean like a tribute owed them?"

"Yeah," he said, moving to another wall, still running his fingers over the surface of the rock as if he could obtain the knowledge through osmosis. "That might account for the naquada you're reading since you haven't found any other evidence of it."

Sam was impressed. She was sure Daniel had been too distracted to hear what she'd said about the naquada. But then she knew, just because Daniel didn't acknowledge something, it didn't mean he hadn't heard or noticed it. He'd file it away in that incredible mind of his, and pull it out when it was needed.

"Well, expecting something in return for being their god sounds like a Goa'uld MO," Sam said. "So you think the naquada might have been brought here as payment for this Goa'uld?"

Daniel shrugged. "Best guess at this point."

Jack strolled up to the building Sam and Daniel were examining, P90 casually slung over one arm. "Whatcha got, kids?"

"Some kind of temple, sir. The naquada readings are all coming from this building. Daniel and I have been talking, and we think perhaps the mineral was brought here, possibly as a tribute to a Goa'uld."

O'Neill took off his sunglasses, squinted at the sun and rubbed his eyes. "I knew this place was too good to be true," he said, replacing the glasses once more.

"Well, Jack, just the fact there was an Earth-based culture living here is clue enough the Goa'uld were or are involved."

"A guy can always dream," he sighed, looking around. "So, any clue as to who it might be?"

"Not yet. But judging from the state of the village and the fact there's this treasure trove of naquada just sitting here, I would say whomever it is, or was, isn't around anymore."

"Well, that's one good thing, I suppose. Look, the sun's going down so we should probably set up camp."

"But Jack! We just got here! There's so much I need to study before. . ."

"Ah! It's not going anywhere, Daniel. You can get up nice and early tomorrow and play to your heart's content, but for now I want to get a camp established before dark, just on the off chance this place isn't as deserted as it seems."

Sam was about to add her protests to Daniel's, but Jack gave her a warning look. "That goes for you too, Carter."

~2~

Jack sat on the ground before their campfire, finishing up the last of his MRE. The more he ate the things, the more bland and unappetizing they became. When he realized in his life he'd probably consumed more rations than home cooked meals, he became even more disheartened. Good thing he wasn't a picky eater. Still, the thought of a steak roasting over the fire was driving him mad with hunger. Didn't Polynesians have luaus? How come they couldn't scare up a pig to roast? He had to stop this line of thought or he'd never get to sleep.

"Whew, warm night," Sam said, pulling on the front of her tank top, dragging Jack away from his thoughts about a cook-out. "This fire isn't helping either."

"Indeed, the temperature has not changed significantly since the sun has gone down," Teal'c agreed.

"It's a hot one," Daniel added between mouthfuls of semi-congealed MRE.

"I think I'm going to go for a swim," Sam said rising from the ground, dusting sand from her shorts. She, like the rest of the team, had opted for lighter clothing as soon as they began to set up camp.

"You really shouldn't go alone, Major," Jack reminded her.

"You're right, sir. Care to join me?"

The innocent invitation made Jack feel pushed between the proverbial rock and a hard place. On the one hand, the thought of a dip in cool water sounded great. The thought of seeing Carter with wet clothes clinging to her, on the other hand, didn't sound so great. Actually, it did. That was the problem. He was having a hard enough time not staring at her in her shorts and tank top without the material clinging to her body. He was about to decline her offer when Daniel yawned.

"Go on, Jack. I'm too tired. Plus I want to get an early start tomorrow."

"Teal'c?" Jack asked, hoping the Jaffa would agree to accompany them, acting as a buffer.

"I do not relish the sensation of immersing myself in great amounts of water. I shall remain here and keep watch."

*Great,* Jack thought. *Just me, Carter, moonlit beach and wet clothes. I am *so* screwed!*

He could handle this. Squaring his shoulders as he stood, he looked over to Daniel. "As long as you want to be up so early, you can take last watch."

"Fine," Daniel said, not even realizing Jack had meant it as a penalty for leaving him no options. How could he chastise the guy when he didn't get it?

Glancing over to Sam, he said, "lead on, Major."

***

Jack sat down in the sand to remove his boots and socks. He had to admit, even if being alone with Sam was a bad idea, the thought of a walk in the cool sand along the surf wasn't. She'd quickly shed her boots and was in the water even before he'd removed his footwear. She was standing in thigh-deep water, jumping with the waves as they rolled in. Watching her frolic in the water, he could easily imagine her as a child or a teenager, spending her vacations at some seaside resort. That is if Jacob ever took his kids on vacation. He had a feeling there hadn't been many outings for the Carter family.

"Come on, sir! The water's great!" she yelled as she moved further out.

"Don't go too far, Major!" he warned. "We don't know what could be lurking in those depths!"

"Don't be such a spoil-sport!" she called back, but heeded his advice nonetheless. He felt like a parent telling her to be careful, but the thoughts he had as he watched her were anything but parental. Her blonde hair had turned silver in the moonlight, and her smile lit up the night as much as the moon. It was playing havoc with his resolve to be professional. Why did the beach have to be so secluded from their camp?

Sam stood in the water with her hands on her hips. "Are you coming in or not?"

"Give an old man a break, Carter! We take longer to do things!" slipping off his final sock, he jogged down to the shore.

"Not bad for an old guy," Sam teased. "Come on, I'll race you to those rocks!"

Jack looked at the outcropping down the beach. It was quite some distance, but he was in good shape; he'd barely be winded by the time he beat her there. "You're on!" Before the words had even left his mouth, Sam was sprinting down the sand.

"Hey! That's not fair!" Jack yelled, taking off after her. She might have a head start on him, but his legs were longer and soon they were neck and neck. The rocks loomed closer and Jack was beginning to wonder if he really *would* win this contest. He'd be damned if he'd let her win! Putting on a last burst of speed, he reached the rocks a second before she did.

"Not bad for a young gal," he quipped, trying to catch his breath.

Sam too was breathing hard. "Okay, you won, but you have to admit, I almost had you there!"

"That's only because you cheated!"

"I prefer to think of it as creative manipulation," she laughed.

"I guess I should know better than to try and out-talk you, Carter. You and Daniel are the same--never at a loss for words. And if you've got this much energy, you can carry the tent tomorrow."

Sam just smiled as they walked back to their starting point.

"Well, now I do need a swim," Jack acknowledged, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Where I was before was nice," she said. "Not as many rocks."

As they continued down the beach, Jack couldn't help but notice how much it reminded him of Hawaii, Maui in particular. Looking over at Sam, it didn't take much imagination to envision her in the little black bikini he so often fantasized seeing her in. Especially in this setting.

God, he needed to get a grip! The next thing he knew he'd be grabbing her and they'd be reenacting the beach scene of "From Here To Eternity."

"Sir? Something wrong? You're awfully quiet."

*Wrong? What could possibly be wrong, other than the fact it's becoming more difficult by the minute to be alone with you.* "Just thinking about what we need to get done tomorrow. I know Daniel's not going to leave until he has every last shred of data on this place. You won't be much better," he said with a grin.

"Well, I would like to get some soil and vegetation samples. Just because my sensor's not picking up any extra naquada, doesn't mean it's not there. Maybe the strong presence of it in the temple is masking other deposits."

It always amazed him how she could go from playful to serious in a matter of seconds. Maybe because in the back of her mind she was always thinking. Did that brain of hers ever get a rest? Jack looked around for Sam, but she was no longer at his side. In the reflection of the moon on the water, he saw her head bobbing amongst the waves and decided this was as good a place as any to cool off.

Diving into the water, he noticed it wasn't quite as saline as the oceans of Earth, but he still didn't want to swallow a mouthful. The wind was picking up, and consequently the waves as well. Just enough that he could try body surfing.

"Woohoo!" he yelled as he nearly washed up on shore.

"Sir? What are you doing?"

"Body surfing. Ever try it?"

"Uh, no, I haven't actually been to too many oceans before."

"Really? How many have you been to?"

"Counting this one? Two."

"Carter, you are missing out! Okay, next wave that comes, just lay out on the surface of the water and let the wave take you. It's a blast!"

Jack watched as Sam followed his instructions, catching a particularly good wave. She was a little further out than him, so when the wave approached, he caught it as well. There was a powerful undertow, but Sam was strong; he was sure she could handle it. Sitting up at the end of his ride, he noticed Sam kneeling in the shallow water, coughing. "Carter? You okay?" he called out.

Sam spat out more water, still gagging. "Fine, sir," she answered weakly. "If you don't mind, I think I'll sit the next one out."

"That's okay. Let's head back to camp. We really should get some sleep, anyway. You sure you're okay?" he asked. Even in the moonlight, she looked green.

"I just swallowed a little too much water," she said, not protesting when he helped her to her feet. She took a stumbling step forward and instantly his arm reached out to capture her waist, keeping her upright. "I'm fine, sir," she repeated, looking down at the arm he had still circled around her waist. Reluctantly, he pulled away, watching her make every effort to appear steady. He wanted to assist her, but he knew, the best way he could help her was to let her make it back to camp on her own. Him and his stupid ideas!

~3~

Sam was pretty much back to herself by morning. Taking her turn at a watch after Teal'c actually helped. Her stomach had been too queasy from seawater for her to sleep anyway. The only trouble was, she could tell Jack hadn't been sleeping either. She didn't need to be the rocket scientist she was to recognize he felt guilty for her mishap. And that's all it was. He would have felt the same remorse if it had been Teal'c or Daniel, right? She hoped she hadn't been the cause of his sleepless night.

Concentrating on her job at hand, Sam pushed her questioning thoughts to the back of her mind. She and Daniel were doing their best to decipher the language on the stones. Well, Daniel was working on the translation, she was trying to figure out if there was some kind of trick mechanism to open an entrance.

While he was working on the symbols, he continued to video tape the stones he was trying to read, hopefully to translate more of the words once they were back on Earth. Sam looked up and saw Daniel's camera inches from her face.

"Smile," he said, playfully.

Sam couldn't help but react to his behavior by producing a large grin. "Daniel, come on! You're supposed to be doing scientific research!"

"I am," he said, then the tone of his voice switched to that of a television interviewer. "So, Major Doctor Carter, what can you tell us about this temple?"

Getting caught up in his mood, Sam played the roll of the interviewee. "Well, what you see behind me is an excellent example of Polynesian architecture, unrivaled by anything on Earth. Oops! Can I say it's not on Earth?" she said, pretending to have let vital information leak out. "Anyway," she continued, "according to a *very* knowledgeable archeologist friend of mine, Dr. Daniel Jackson, he feels this temple houses some fabulous wonders. The only trouble is, at the moment, we don't know how to enter it."

"Try 'open sesame,'" Daniel joked, one eye still to the video recorder.

Sam shrugged, and leaned against a corner stone. "Open sesame!" Sam's weight shifted slightly and to her amazement, she found she could push the stone into the temple. "Oh my, God! Daniel! It worked!"

"Uh, Sam, I think you just happen to find the one loose stone," he pointed out.

"Don't! You'll ruin the magic!" She laughed, pushing the rock with both hands.

"Right, like you'd believe in magic," Daniel said, laying the camcorder down to give her a hand. Between the two of them, they managed to push the rock into the interior of the temple. "After you," he said, motioning Sam forward. "It was your magic after all."

Sam crawled into a single room. It was much smaller than it looked from the outside, but that could be explained by the thickness of the stones. It was surprisingly light inside, with the sun streaming through a series of tiny windows that hadn't been apparent from the outside. The dust they'd stirred up was floating in the air, causing the shafts of sunlight to appear as if they were radiating from a statue sitting on a pedestal in the middle of the room.

"Wow," Sam said, speechless at the sight before her.

"Wow is right," Daniel agreed, joining her.

"Any idea who she is?" Sam asked, indicating the statue.

"I can't be certain, but my first guess would be Pele, the goddess of fire and volcanoes.

"Well, that's the source of our naquada," she confirmed. "That statue must be solid mineral."

"It would be worth a fortune to the Goa'uld," Daniel said. "Not to mention, us."

"So why's it still here? I mean if any Goa'uld came to the planet, surely they could sense it. I certainly felt it and I don't have much more than a trace of naquada in my blood. And what about the Goa'uld posing as Pele? Wasn't this probably made for her?"

"I would think so, but maybe she never came back for it. As Goa'ulds go, Pele would have been fairly minor. It could be some other "god" killed Pele and took over this planet."

"It seems odd they didn't just step in, don't you think? Why kill off the population?" Sam asked.

"We don't know the people were killed," Daniel pointed out. "I said it was one possibility. We may never know what happened them. I doubt even if I translate the writing on these walls it's going to tell us what happened to the people since obviously they were alive when this place was built.

"I should radio the colonel," Sam said.

"I'm going to see if I can film any of this in here."

Sam pressed the button on her radio. "Colonel O'Neill?" there was a brief silence, then,

*Go ahead, Major.*

"Sir, Daniel and I found a way into the temple. I think you and Teal'c better see this. It's incredible!"

*We're on our way. O'Neill out.*

"Oh my, God!"

"Daniel! What is it?" She was by his side in an instant, looking at the floor and what startled him. At their feet lay the skeletal remains of several Goa'uld. There was no question in Sam's mind they'd been Goa'uld--the skeletons of parasites were clearly wrapped around the spines of the hosts. "What do you suppose happened to them?"

"I have no idea," Daniel said, panning his camera to capture the image of the fallen bodies. "I don't know why, but this may be important later," he said, almost more to himself than Sam.

Hearing scuffling near the new entrance, Sam turned to see O'Neill crawling through the side of the wall. He was coughing slightly in the kicked up dust, as he moved out of the way in order for Teal'c to follow. Jack let out a low whistle as he looked at the statue before him.

"Impressive. This the source of you readings?"

"Yes, sir. I'm guessing that it's solid naquada."

"I bet the Goa'uld would kill to get their hands on that much of the stuff."

"Well, at least die for it," Daniel said.

"What're you talking about?" Jack asked, moving to where she and Daniel stood. Daniel stepped aside, showing him the remains. "Whoa! How many are there?"

"I can make out six for sure. Over the years something has disturbed the bones, scavengers of some kind would be my guess."

"O'Neill! I must leave. My symbiote is most distressed." Teal'c didn't even wait for Jack to dismiss him before he was making his way outside.

"Maybe this place is booby-trapped," Jack said, looking around the chamber. "Let's get out of here. We can discuss this once we're outside."

"Sir! We can't just leave the statue! It could power the naquada generator for centuries!"

"Carter! Now! It's too heavy, we couldn't carry it anyhow! Now move before this place goes all Indian Jones on us and seals us in!"

O'Neill had turned towards the entrance, but Sam couldn't resist trying to see if they could move the statue, at least to get it outside. She tugged with all her might, but she couldn't budge it; the mineral was just too dense.

"Do I have to make it an order, Major?"

"No, sir, I'm coming." Sam gave the statue one last longing look. There was so much that sculpture could change.

~4~

Sam sat in the briefing room, chin resting in her palm as her head throbbed. God, she had such a headache, and Daniel's rambling wasn't helping. It was basically the same information they'd discussed on the planet, reiterated for the general's benefit. Looking across the table, she noticed Jack was equally distracted, and she wondered if he had the same killer headache.

She'd felt it coming on during her post-mission exam, but at the time it had been slight, and she'd passed it off as too much sun on R4X-642. Now she wished she'd gotten something from Janet. The pain was becoming intense and the pounding at the back of her skull was unlike any headache she'd experienced before. It was probably fatigue. She never slept well on missions, and even though they were in a veritable paradise, there'd been plenty of work to do. The heat and humidity had no doubt taken their toll as well.

Sam's reverie was disrupted by General Hammond thanking Daniel for his report. He then turned to Dr. Frasier, inviting her comments on the team's post mission physicals.

"Everything looks fine, sir. I've given them all a clean bill of health. If anything, the time on the planet seems to have done them some good."

*Ha!* Sam thought to herself. *I've got the headache of the century and she says we're fine!* It was her own fault she realized. If she'd said something to Janet, she'd probably have given her something to take away the pain. Instead, Sam sat at the table feeling her mood turn sour as she unconsciously rubbed the back of her neck.

"Major Carter? Any more thoughts about the naquada you found?" Sam didn't react until she noticed everyone staring at her. Apparently it wasn't the first time the general had asked the question.

"Um, no, sir. Just that I think a team should be sent back to retrieve the statue. The quantity of solid mineral is staggering. It would take decades to mine and refine the amount of naquada in that sculpture."

"What, you're thinking of using the statue for its raw materials?" Daniel said, sitting up straighter.

"That is where its value lays," O'Neill said.

"What about its artistic value? It's a totally unique piece of artwork, not only from this culture but from any society we've seen! You can't just start chipping away at it!"

"Daniel," Sam said, trying to placate him. "You're right, it is a work of art, but it *is* what it's made out of that makes it valuable."

"And I suppose if you came across a treasure like King Tut's you'd melt it down to make a nuclear device!" he cried, looking around the room. A look between astonishment and disbelief graced his face as his gaze fell on each of his colleagues.

"If that's what we needed!" Jack said, his own voice raising in answer to Daniel's impassioned speech.

"I don't believe you people," Daniel said, shaking his head. "That statue has important cultural significance. It shouldn't be destroyed for the sake of experimentation!"

"Dr. Jackson," Hammond said, regaining control of the meeting once more, "This is a moot point. I haven't authorized a return trip to R4X-642, and until I've had a chance to review your reports and consider our options, no one is going to have access to the statue. Now, I think all of the pertinent information has been expressed at this time. Go home and get some rest, people. Dismissed."

Sam rose, feeling the pressure in her head increase as she warily glanced from Jack to Daniel. Neither had backed down and she wasn't about to let this fester between them.

"Look, guys, the general is right. The matter is out of our hands. If Hammond decides to bring the statue back, it's likely he'll send another team. As to what would happen to it if we get it, that decision lies with someone else as well."

Jack and Daniel exchanged looks. "She's right, you know," Jack said, stuffing his hands in his pockets. "We're always going to have differing opinions on stuff like this, but there's nothing we can do about it. How 'bout I buy you a beer and you can tell me what a bore I am when it comes to all this art stuff?"

Daniel gave Jack an indulgent smile. "Sure, why not."

"Teal'c? Carter? You guys in?" Jack asked.

"I believe an evening away from the base would be most satisfying," Teal'c stated.

"How about it, Carter?"

Sam was rubbing the back of her neck again, this time she realized she'd been massaging the area most of the debriefing in an effort to relieve the pain. "Thanks, guys, but I think I'm going to go home. I've got this killer headache and maybe a nice long soak in the tub will help."

Jack nodded, looking slightly disappointed. It made her feel a little better he was going to miss her company. Actually, she was disappointed herself. A beer with them away from the constrictions of work would have been fun, but as distracted as she was, Sam knew she wouldn't be very good company.

"Maybe you should see the Doc about something for that," Jack said, looking around for Janet.

"I think I might do that. You guys have fun." There was a chorus of acknowledgment and farewells as she exited the room. Moving towards the elevators, Sam wondered if it really *was* possible for a person's head to explode from pain.

~5~

Daniel popped the video tape he'd made of his recordings on the planet into his VCR, advancing until he came to the shots he'd taken of the temple. The camera had zoomed in, getting a close up of the alien writing, but due to the angle of the planet's sun, some of the text was unreadable.

"Damn," he muttered, backing the tape up and slowly advancing it, hoping to catch a glimpse of the last few characters.

"Hey, Daniel." He froze the tape, and looked up, surprised to see Sam standing in his lab with two huge Styrofoam cups of coffee in her hand. A smile broke out on his face, as he gestured for her to sit.

"One of those better be for me," he said, clearing off a spot on his desk for her to set the coffee down.

"Food of the gods," she said, gracing him with a smile of her own as she handed him a cup. "Speaking of gods, how are you coming with the deity du jour?"

Daniel slumped into his chair with a frustrated sigh. "Not so hot. A lot of the footage I shot didn't show up so well on tape."

"Can I help?" she asked, removing the plastic lid from her cup.

Daniel was a bit surprised by her offer. "Um, sure, but don't you have work of your own to do?"

"Well, yes and no. Without the statue to study, I really don't have anything pressing."

"And if you help me decipher the meaning of the temple, you might be able to convince the general to have the statue recovered," Daniel finished for her.

Sam's face flushed slightly, and her gaze slid away from his. "Guess I'm pretty transparent, huh?"

"No, I'm just getting to know how you think." After a moment he added, "You're with Jack on this one, aren't you? The only value you see in the statue is what it's made out of, not what it represents."

"I can see your point, Daniel, but I also know what that quantity of naquada is worth. If you want to talk about something truly priceless, it's that amount of mineral. Especially since it doesn't occur naturally on Earth."

"And I see *your* point, but what about it being priceless in another way? This was the only significant piece of artwork we found in the village. What if it's all we ever find and it's destroyed to run a reactor?"

"What if this discovery would be what makes or breaks us in a war with the Goa'uld? Is the entire population of Earth worth *one* alien statue? Their culture is already dead and gone. What if we could develop a weapon to defend ourselves, but didn't because it might destroy a single piece of art?"

Daniel's shoulders and mouth tightened. "You're siding with Jack," he stated, feeling they were ganging up on him.

"I guess in this instance, yes I am. But Daniel, no one's taking sides. We just see things from different perspectives. As a soldier I understand the strategic importance of this find. As a scientist, I want to discover the properties and applications of naquada. It's hard for me to be objective. Believe me, I do know how you feel about the cultural significance of the statue, but I think we all have to look at what would be the best use for it. Yes, it is a thing of beauty, but who's going to see it? We can't share this with the world. It'll never rest in some museum. Eventually it'll get sent to Area 51 to gather dust. But if we *do* use it in a military capacity, it could help save the lives of the people of Earth."

Daniel took a sip of his cooling coffee as he considered her words. He supposed she could be right, but there were something's he just couldn't bring himself to do. Like when Bauer ordered Sam to build the naquada-enhanced bomb. She'd fought him every step of the way, and yet, in the end, it hadn't mattered. He was in a similar situation. He could argue all he wanted, but ultimately, the decision was out of his hands. He didn't like it, but if he worked with them on this one, maybe he could control the degree to which the statue was destroyed.

Sighing he said, "Okay, but start with breaking off a toe or something, all right?"

Sam smile weakly, rubbing her temples, then moving her hand around to the back of her neck. "Thanks, Daniel. You know I'll do what I can to keep the statue in tact. Then again, we don't even know if Hammond is going to see fit to retrieve it."

"If he doesn't, you know the higher ups are going to want it. I think the matter is already out of his hands."

"You're probably right," Sam agreed, shaking her head slightly.

"You still have a headache?" Daniel asked.

"Yeah, can you believe it? I've never had one hang on like this. I tried all my "cures," but nothing seems to help. It feels like my brain's on fire."

"Have you talked to Janet?"

"She gave me some ibuprofen yesterday. Maybe I just need a stronger dose."

"Why don't you go see her now. In the meantime, I'll get started on the translation," Daniel said.

Sam rubbed the back of her head again. "I hate being a wimp, but I'm finding it hard to think with all this pain. Maybe I will see if Janet's got anything stronger. I'll be back in a minute."

Daniel watched her slide off the seat and walk rather unsteadily towards the door. "Sam? You okay? You want me to go with you?"

She put her hand out, bracing herself against the wall. "Thanks, but I'll be all right. Just a little dizzy. I guess I stood up too fast."

Daniel had watched her rise and she hadn't moved too quickly. A part of him knew he shouldn't let her brush him off, but he also knew Sam well enough to know she didn't like being hovered over. He'd give her time to make it to the infirmary, and call to see that she made it. He hoped it was nothing serious. Sam often experienced headaches from the pressure she put herself under, but he'd never seen her suffering like this.

~6~

Janet looked up from her paperwork as a shadow crossed her desk. Seeing Sam, a smile broke out on her face, but soon faded as she noted the appearance of her friend. She was pale with dark circles rimming her eyes. Eyes that were constricted in pain.

"Sam? What's wrong?"

"Just this darn headache," she said with a sheepish smile. "I thought I could handle it, but it keeps getting worse."

"The medication I gave you didn't help?"

"Some, but it never completely took the pain away."

"That was a pretty strong dose," Janet said, punching a few keys on her computer keyboard, double checking Sam's records. "That should have knocked out any pain you were experiencing. Plus, there was a mild sleep aid in it. That's why I told you not to take it until you'd driven home."

"It sure didn't help me sleep," Sam said, her hand moving to massage the back of her head once more.

"I can see that. I know you're prone to headaches, but this is unusual even for you. Why don't you let me take another look at you?"

"Is that really necessary?" Sam asked. "I've already blown off enough work today."

"It never hurts to be safe," Janet said. "I could make it an order," she reminded her.

"Yeah, okay. Where do you want me?"

"Bed three. I just want to wash my hands; I'll be with you in a moment."

Janet bent over the sink trying to keep an open mind. *It's probably nothing,* she told herself. Shaking her head, she realized it was almost easier to perform surgery on her friends than it was to try to treat some nagging illness. In a life-or-death situation her path was clearly laid before her, but in circumstances like this, it was more deductive reasoning, and more often then not, there was just no explanation for symptoms.

"So," Janet said a little too brightly, "yesterday you said this started coming on during the debrief?"

"Well, that's when it became worse," Sam admitted.

"Don't feel bad, they give me headaches, too," Janet said with a smile, producing her penlight.

"Not like this, I hope," Sam said, wincing at the light flashed in her eyes.

"I take it that hurt?"

"You might say that," Sam answered through clenched teeth.

"How about the lights in the room? Are they bothering you?"

"Not particularly. But the sun seemed a little bright this morning."

Janet nodded and made some notes. "Sam, I'd like to take another blood sample." She held up her hand to stop the protest she knew was coming. "Yes, I do need it. Maybe I missed something yesterday."

Sam sighed, slumping as she automatically extended her left arm. "You know, after all the blood draws lately I'm feeling like I'm about a quart low."

Janet smiled as she tightened the rubber band around Sam's bicep. "You're starting to sound a lot like a certain colonel we know."

Sam smirked. "Yeah, I guess I am." She looked away as Janet inserted the needle in her vein. "You'd think I'd be used to this by now," Sam said.

"At least you're better about it than the men. Really, I don't know how half these guys make it in the military being as squeamish as they are."

Sam merely smiled at her comment. Normally they'd start a round of good-natured male bashing, but today her friend remained silent. A testament to the degree the pain was distracting her.

"I want to check your blood pressure," she told her, and Sam held out her opposite arm.

"Can't you just give me something for the pain? I told Daniel I would try to help him with his translations."

Janet was silent for a moment as she pressurized the cuff, listening with her stethoscope. "Your blood pressure's up a little, but not much. And I didn't know you could read that text Daniel found. I was under the impression even he couldn't make much sense of it."

"I just thought two heads were better than one," Sam shrugged.

"You're really bent on getting that statue, aren't you?" Janet said, hands on her hips.

"You can't imagine the possibilities if we had that amount of naquada. *I* can't imagine it. And yeah, I am set on getting it."

"I know you're anxious to get back to work, but I really don't feel right about giving you more medication until I have the results from your blood back. I've rushed the tests, so it shouldn't be much longer. Think you can hold out a bit more?"

Sam rubbed her temples, and took a deep breath. "Do I have a choice?"

"I guess not," Janet said with a smile. "I'll give you something as soon as I can. In the mean time, why don't you lie down and close your eyes. If you doze off, it might be a good thing."

"Janet, I. . ."

"Don't argue with me. Those translations aren't going anywhere. I know it might be asking the impossible, but try to relax, okay?"

Sam sighed in defeat as she lay back on the bed. "I'll see what I can do."

~7~

Jack wandered down the hall of level 21, whistling a few notes of some nameless tune. He was headed to Sam's lab to ask her some questions about their last mission, but in truth, it was just an excuse to go see her. How ridiculous was that? That he had to invent some pretext to see her? He could drop in on Daniel or Teal'c without a clear motive, but with Sam, it seemed he always had to have some defense ready to justify visiting her.

Knocking on her door, he was disappointed to hear no call from within to enter. He tried the door knob, but it was locked.

*That's odd,* Jack thought to himself. He was sure she was on the base as her name had been signed in a few ahead of him. Deciding Daniel might have some clue as to her whereabouts, he headed back towards the elevators. Gazing into the infirmary on his way past, he noticed. a pair of familiar booted feet sticking out from a partially curtained off area. How was it he could even recognize her feet now?

Stepping into the medical bay, he noticed it was indeed his 2IC laying on the bed. "Hey, Doc!" he called out, catching Janet's attention. "What's up with Carter?"

Janet pulled him into her office. "Colonel, I would appreciate it if you'd keep your voice down. I'm hoping Sam will get a bit of sleep while her tests are being run."

"What's wrong with her?" he asked, feeling his stomach tighten at the thought she might be ill.

"To be honest, I'm not sure. She's still got the headache she had yesterday and the medication I gave her should have knocked her out last night. But she says she didn't sleep, and the pain never receded."

Jack turned to look out the windows of Janet's office. Even at this distance he could see Sam's eyes were closed, her brow furrowed in pain. "Can't you give her something else?"

"I'd like to, but until I have the results back, I don't want to run the risk of aggravating the situation."

Jack nodded his head in agreement.

"How about you? Any headaches?"

"Me? Nah. A slight hangover maybe, but that's all."

Janet looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"I took the guys out for a beer," Jack explained. "Daniel and I kind of got into it with our usual debate over the merits of the military verses academia, and we decided to bury the hatchet in a pitcher of beer. Well, several, actually. Beers, that is."

Janet smiled. "Well, that kind of headache I can treat. Do you need something?"

"Thanks, but I took some Advil at home. So," he asked, switching the focus of the discussion back to Sam, "it seems kind of odd she's the only one with this bad headache thing."

"Yes, it does. Especially when her blood work was clean yesterday."

Jack could see Janet was concerned over Sam's condition and it wasn't exactly filling him with confidence. A nurse knocked on the door, handing the doctor a small sheaf of papers.

"Major Carter's test results, ma'am."

Janet off-handily thanked the lieutenant as she quickly scanned the results. "This can't be right," she mumbled, shuffling through the papers and reading the outcome once more.

"Doc?" Janet had tuned him out and he had to touch her arm before she looked up at him. "What is it?"

"It seems she's contracted some kind of virus," she answered, moving to her computer to check her current results against the originals. "This definitely hadn't shown up yesterday."

"So, it's something she caught here?" Jack asked.

"No, it's like nothing I've ever seen before. I would have to say it didn't show up yesterday as it must have some sort of incubation period. You sure you don't feel anything?"

"I swear," Jack said holding up his hands. "If I was in the kind of pain Carter's in, you'd know about it."

Janet smiled briefly at his statement then said, "Colonel, I'd like to retest your blood and the rest of SG-1. Maybe you're naturally immune. If that's the case, I might be able to find some way to use that to help Sam. In the mean time, I'm going to run a MRI on her, see if this virus is causing any damage. After you've had your blood drawn, would you mind sending Dr. Jackson and Teal'c?"

"Sure," Jack said, as Janet dismissed him on her way to Sam. God, he hated the thought of another needle being stuck in him. But realizing it might help Sam, there was no question he would comply without complaint.

***

Jack sat in Janet's office along with Teal'c and Daniel waiting for some word. Either from Janet or a nurse with their own results. Jack was drumming his fingers on the desk as Daniel crossed and uncrossed his arms in frustration. Teal'c merely turned his attention from one man to the next, seemingly fascinated by their different approaches to waiting.

"Does this behavior make time move faster for you?" he asked his teammates. Jack stopped his drumming and Daniel took a seat.

"No," Jack acknowledged, "But at least it's something to do."

"I, too, feel powerless to help MajorCarter. However, I do not believe excessive amounts of physical movement will improve her prognosis."

Jack and Daniel exchanged looks, wondering how to describe nervous energy to the continually calm Jaffa. Fortunately, before Jack could begin an explanation, Janet entered her office. All three men were now on their feet, waiting for her to speak.

"It's the good news/bad news scenario," she said, trying to keep her tone light. "On the good side, none of the rest of you seem to have the virus in your system. On the bad side, since none of you appear to be carriers, I can't manufacture a vaccine."

"Well, how is that possible?" Daniel asked. "Sam didn't do anything we didn't do. She was with us the whole time."

"MajorCarter and ColonelO'Neill were gone for some time during the evening," Teal'c reminded them.

Janet gave Jack a pointed look.

"We were swimming," he quickly stated. "And we weren't gone all that long!"

Janet and Daniel shared a look before the doctor cleared her throat, returning to the topic at hand. "Did anything happen to Sam that didn't to you?"

"Well, we were both in the water," Jack recalled. "Oh, and Carter swallowed a mouthful when a wave crashed over her. But I got some in my mouth as well and you said I don't have this virus."

"Maybe she swallowed more water," Janet speculated.

"That has to be it," Daniel said. "Teal'c and I didn't go in the water, so that would explain why we wouldn't have the virus."

"Still, with as virulent as this pathogen seems to be, I would think he'd have some symptoms, and there's no evidence of it in his blood work."

"Didn't you say it took a while to show up in Sam? What if it's taking even longer to show up in Jack?"

"Thanks, Daniel. That's just what I needed to hear."

"I'm sorry, Jack, but maybe that's why it hasn't presented itself yet. Can you think of any place she might have been without us?"

"The temple," he said, grasping at straws. Not that he wanted Carter to be alone in this, but after seeing the kind of pain she was in, he was in no rush to join her.

"But I was there. We all were at one point," Daniel said.

"What about the skeletons?" Jack asked. "Those Goa'uld obviously died from something. You going to tell me they all took a big swig of water and crawled in there to die?"

"I don't know what killed them," Daniel stated. "Maybe they're totally unrelated."

"And maybe what killed them is what's affecting Carter," Jack snapped back at him.

"Then why not us?" Daniel continued to argue.

"I remember my symbiote being extremely agitated in the chamber," Teal'c announced.

Daniel turned his attention to the Jaffa. "You think it was something in the temple?"

"It would seem that whatever this disease is, it might affect only the Goa'uld," Teal'c said.

"Why do you say that?" Jack questioned.

"The fact neither you nor DanielJackson nor myself carry the virus. My symbiote reacted to something in the chamber. Possibly what killed the Goa'uld, but since my Prim'ta is not joined with me, I did not become ill."

"Okay, wait a minute," Jack said, waving his arms to try to halt the conversation. "What has this got to do with Carter? She's not a Goa'uld. Why would she get it?"

"The protein marker," Daniel said. "Maybe that makes her susceptible? It's happened before with Machello's devices."

"Gentlemen, at this point it's all just wild speculation. What I need to help Sam are facts. From what you've told me, the water seems to be the most likely culprit, but until I have a sample, I can't make any determinations about. . . "

"I'll talk to Hammond," Jack said, on his feet before Janet finished her sentence.

"Not so fast, Colonel. I don't think SG-1 should be the team to handle this. Even though the rest of you don't seem to be affected, the water could be considered highly toxic. I want a hazardous materials team to do the collection."

"A hazmat team for a little water?"

"Sir, I know you want to help, but the best thing you can do for Major Carter right now is to follow procedure. And I wouldn't allow you to go anyway," she added. "I'm keeping you here for observation."

"What? Doc! Come on! I don't have even a *smidgen* of a headache! There's no need to keep me here!"

"Humor me, sir. Teal'c, you and Dr. Jackson are free to go, but I'd like you to stay on base, just in case we find anything."

"How come they don't have to stay here?" Jack protested.

"They didn't go swimming. You did."

Jack dropped back into his chair. *Didn't I say going swimming with Carter was a bad idea?* he chided himself. However, this wasn't exactly the type of repercussion he'd been worried about.

~8~

Jack sat on the bed next to the one Sam occupied. He'd removed his boots, but that was his only concession to being confined to the infirmary. He was going to be ready to bolt the second Fraiser gave him the all-clear, and he knew it wouldn't be long. Well, he hoped it wouldn't be, anyway.

He had a crumpled ball of paper he continually threw in the air with one hand, then caught with the other. Soon, two more balls of paper joined the first and he juggled the lightweight spheres, only occasionally missing one. He'd just leaned over to recover an errant piece of paper when he heard Sam stifle a moan.

"Sir? I know you're bored, but would you mind not doing that? It's extremely aggravating."

Jack looked down at the crunched up paper in his hands. Realizing it probably did bug her, he placed the papers on a night stand. Still fidgety, his fingers wound and unwound themselves with each other. The lighting in the infirmary had been lowered to accommodate Sam's recent sensitivity, but even in the low light he could tell she saw him squirming by the look she fixed on him. It was the same look his mother had given him all his life.

"Sorry," he apologized before she could speak.

"Sir? I'm sorry I got you into this," she said quietly. Her voice was low, laced with pain.

"It wasn't you. Doc Fraiser's the one who imprisoned me here."

"You know what I mean. If I hadn't insisted on a swim, neither one of us would be here. I thought Daniel was the one who always got into trouble," she laughed. The action must have caused her even greater pain as a barely suppressed groan escaped her lips. "Guess laughing isn't allowed," she added wryly, taking a deep breath and swallowing before she exhaled.

"Carter? You okay?" Jack asked, moving to the side of her bed.

"Just great," she responded through clenched teeth.

"Maybe I should get the Doc? Get you some more drugs?"

"Nice thought, but they're not working."

Jack felt helpless, not having a clue what to say or do to ease her pain. His hand twitched, longing to reach out and touch her, but he was worried someone would walk in on them, misinterpreting his gesture of comfort.

*What the hell,* he thought, reaching out to take Sam's hand. She seemed to know what he was trying to express through his contact, as a slight smile graced her lips.

"Thank you," she whispered, her hand tightening slightly on his. *The pain must come in waves,* he thought, as she alternately grasped and released his fingers. He found himself stroking the back of her hand with his thumb, wishing he could do more.

"Try to get some rest, Carter. That's an order."

"Yes, sir," she murmured, closing her eyes. "If you'll do the same. I really hope you don't get this," she added.

"Well, it's not on my list of top ten ways to get a vacation," he answered with a small smile. Snagging a chair with his foot, Jack pulled it closer and sat down, refusing to release her hand.

It wasn't long before he found himself yawning, his head starting to bob as he fought against the pull of sleep. His efforts were in vain as the next thing he was aware of was Janet gently shaking his shoulder.

"Colonel," she said quietly.

Jack opened his eyes, blinking, confused as to his whereabouts for a moment. He realized he was still holding Sam's hand and gave the doctor a sheepish look as he disengaged his fingers.

Janet gave him an understanding smile. "I'm sure it helped, sir. More than anything I've been able to do for her. How about you? How are you feeling?"

Jack stood, stretching his cramped muscles, feeling his spine pop with each movement. "Fine, I guess. Well, the night in the chair didn't do much for me, but if you mean do I have a headache, the answer is no."

Janet's brow furrowed. "I would have thought you'd be showing symptoms by now."

"Does that mean I can go?" Jack asked hopefully.

"Not so fast, Colonel," she said, placing her hand on his chest to prevent his escape. "I've got the results back from her CT scan and it doesn't look good. I'm going to do a cranial MRI and I. . ."

"And you want to do the same to me," he finished for her. God he hated those things! Did she have any idea how hard it was for him to lay still for that long? "Well, if it'll help Carter," he conceded.

"It will, sir. Plus, if yours varies significantly from hers, or your last scan, we should have positive proof if you're being affected as well."

Jack sat back down in the chair, rubbing his eyes and face. "Who goes first?"

"Since Sam's managed to fall asleep, why don't we start with you. Besides, that will get you out of here faster."

Jack nodded his head in agreement. He *did* want to be released from the infirmary, but at the same time he didn't want to leave Sam. He had the excuse of coming back to check on her results, he reasoned. Once again he found himself needing some ulterior motive to see her. Would there ever be a time he could just act normal around her without worrying he was starting rumors?

~9~

Sam lay still, fighting off the sense of claustrophobia the MRI scanner always gave her. At least it was just her head this time. If she closed her eyes she could almost imagine she was somewhere else. That was until she felt the cold, hard surface of the gantry beneath her, or heard the hum of the machine.

She had to admit she was a little scared. She'd put up a brave front for Janet and her teammates, but she knew this amount of pain wasn't normal, even if she was sick. The drilling pain that intensified, then receded was like nothing she'd ever experienced. The question was, would it get worse? Surely something this painful had the potential to be damaging. In what way, she couldn't be sure.

Resisting the urge to move, she thought of the colonel. Janet had informed her he'd undergone the procedure prior to herself. She knew how he hated the test--worse than herself--as it was almost an act of God for him to not move in some fashion for that length of time.

So far, he seemed to be immune to whatever it was she had. For that she was grateful. She wouldn't wish this pain on her worst enemy. *Well, maybe the Goa'uld,* she thought to herself, trying not to smile at the idea. She'd also been grateful for the colonel's silent support. She wished she could tell him what it had meant to her to feel his hand join with hers. His warm, firm grip grounded her, reminding her of the bond they shared--the bond they all shared. Still, there was a part of her that longed to believe it was more than just a CO expressing concern for his subordinate. That it was "Jack" comforting "Sam." It had been risky, she knew, should someone see them, but it had been worth the gamble. No doubt she wouldn't have slept if she hadn't felt his reassuring presence.

"All set," Janet announced, as the machine expelled Sam.

"When will you have the results?"

"We should know something within the hour. How are you feeling?"

"Outside of the headache, fine. I guess I thought if I had some kind of alien virus the rest of me would feel as bad as my head."

Janet helped her to sit up. "Well, the key word here is 'alien.' Until I have some idea of what it's doing to you I can't even begin to think of a treatment. All I can do for now is try to alleviate some of the pain you're in."

"I know you're trying, Janet, but I hate to tell you, it's not working."

Janet smoothed her hand along Sam's arm. "I know. I'm still hesitant to give you something stronger. Once this last batch of tests comes back, hopefully I'll have a few more options." Sam tried to stand up, but Janet held her down. "I don't want you moving around right now. Who knows what's going to intensify this?"

"Janet, I told you, other than the headache, I feel fine," Sam protested. "I can't lie around anymore!"

"You sound like someone else who was just here," Janet said with a knowing smile.

"Me and half the base!" she countered, knowing what Janet was hinting at.

"He's worried about you, Sam," Janet said, choosing to ignore her attempt at deflecting attention away from Jack.

"They're all worried about me."

"Sam," Janet said earnestly, "you know what I mean. The man didn't leave your side all night."

*All night? He'd stayed with her even after she'd fallen asleep?* "He would have done the same for any of us," she said. On top of everything else, she didn't want to add more grist to the rumor mill. Fortunately, Janet let the subject drop.

"I'd still like you to take it easy. You don't have to sleep, but I want you in that bed so I can keep my eye on you."

Sam knew it was pointless to disagree with her. She might be her friend, but she knew better than to argue with Janet when she was in doctor mode.

***

As she entered the briefing room, Sam noticed everyone had already gathered around the table. For a moment, she felt awkward at having her test results announced to the assembly. Realizing they were there as her friends as well as colleagues, she relaxed a bit. Still, it was a bit disconcerting knowing she was the center of attention.

"Major Carter," General Hammond greeted her with a smile. "How are you feeling?"

Torn between assuring her commanding officer with a lie, and telling him how she really felt, Sam opted for downplaying the pain she was in. "I've been better, sir. Thank you for asking."

Hammond gave her a look that told her she hadn't fooled him, anymore than she had the rest of the occupants of the room.

"Please have a seat," he told her. "Doctor? Would you care to begin?"

As she took a seat next to Daniel, Janet glanced at Sam, and she could tell by the empathetic expression on the doctor's face, things didn't look good.

"Sir, to begin with, I'd like to say after retesting all the members of SG-1, I find it's only Major Carter who's shown signs of having contracted this virus."

Hammond gave the doctor a brief smile. "At least that's one good thing. Please, continue."

Janet cleared her throat as she passed out copies of Sam's latest CT scans and MRIs as well as duplicates of previous tests. "As you can see from the comparison of Major Carter's last scans to the ones I've done today, there's been a significant change." Sam's eyes widened at the variation in colors represented on the papers before her. She was no medical doctor, but even she could see something had changed. Looking up, she noticed Janet turning the colonel's sheets in the right direction, and she smiled. For a moment, the slight panic she was beginning to feel was abated.

"The area affected is the portion of the brain that controls motor functions, such as speech, reasoning and cognitive abilities, social interaction. However, the portion of her brain that controls autonomic functions seems to be unaffected." Janet's gaze left General Hammond's and she focused on the table, avoiding looking across to her friend.

"Great, I'll be a mental vegetable but I won't forget how to breathe," Sam bit out. Her caustic words caused Janet to meet her gaze.

"Sam, I don't know that that's what will happen. I'm only saying it *appears* as though there's been some changes in those areas of your brain."

"Oh, come on, Janet! These scans clearly show things have changed! It's probably just a matter of time before these symptoms manifest themselves!"

Janet looked back down at the table, shuffling the papers in front of her. "Probably," she admitted quietly.

"Well, there's got to be something you can do!" Jack exclaimed.

"Colonel, I can't even identify what it is, much less come up with a vaccine for it. All I know is it's behaving in a manner typical of viruses. That's all I have to go on. Maybe if I knew *how* she was infected I'd have a better idea of how to treat her."

Sam sat in a daze. The continued argument between the colonel and the doctor went unnoticed as she tried to comprehend what this could mean. If it was possible, the pain in her head had intensified. Well, now she knew why her head hurt so much. The little bastards must be eating through her brain! She shuddered, wanting to scream at the thought. It was something straight out of a horror movie, and there was nothing she could do about it! Why the hell had she gone to that damn planet? She'd been just as excited as the colonel to have a mission on a tropical planet. Now it was going to kill her!

And why just her? Not that she'd wish her misfortune on the others, but there was a part of her that *was* resentful she'd been the one to fall victim to whatever pathogen inhabited the planet. The walls of the briefing room felt as though they were closing in on her. This couldn't be happening! Sure, she knew the dangers of traveling to other planets. Could there *be* a more hazardous occupation? But she always thought if she died on some alien world it would be at the hands of an enemy, in the line of duty. Not some insidious virus that would destroy her from the inside out.

She had to get out of there, go somewhere private where she could think this through. While she *could* still think, she reminded herself bitterly. Sam stood, papers still clenched in her hands as she practically ran for the exit. Peripherally, she heard the general call,

"Major, you haven't been dismissed!"

For a fraction of a second she reacted to the authority in his voice, before running down the hall towards the elevators. Again, she heard someone call her name, but she ignored the sound. She needed air. And space. And she wasn't going to get it 28 levels beneath a mountain.

On to Part 2

Back to Noda's Stargate Fan Fiction

Back to Noda's Fan Fiction Main Index

Noda