By
TITLE:
Deception's Kiss
AUTHOR: Jaclyn Horrod
EMAIL: jaclyn@thefifthrace.net
CATEGORY: Action, Drama
SPOILERS: Set in Season 3, after Fair Game. Reference to The Fifth Race.
SEASON / SEQUEL: Season 3. Continues from my story 'The Rescue' but it's not a
sequel.
RATING: PG-13
CONTENT WARNINGS: None.
SUMMARY: SG1 encounter a legend whose history is very part of Earth folklore.
STATUS: Complete
ARCHIVE:
DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters belong to MGM, Gekko Film Corp and
Double Secret Productions. This fan fiction was created solely for
entertainment purposes and no money exchanged hands. No copyright or trademark
infringement was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead is
entirely coincidental.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Without the constant support, critique, and honesty of my
beta reader, Rach, this Fanfic would never have been written. Meus amicus, my
eternal gratitude.
FEEDBACK: Most definitely!
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Teal'c walked side by side with Jack O'Neill down one of
the many corridors at the SGC that led to his quarters. He paused now at the
door, and looked at O'Neill. “I am pleased you made it back O'Neill,” he said,
referring to the colonel's latest brush with Apophis.
“Ah, Teal'c what can I tell you? Having friends in
high places certainly helps,” O'Neill responded. “Listen, um, sorry about the
Zat. You, er, understand?”
“I understand, O'Neill.”
“Yeah, thanks, Teal'c,” O'Neill beamed. “I appreciate
that.”
Teal'c raised a guarded eyebrow. “Would you like to
box, O'Neill? I found the last lesson most gratifying.”
O'Neill looked dubious. “You did, hah?” He regarded
the
“That is correct, O'Neill,” Teal'c responded, barely a
glimmer of a smile visible on his face.
“So, you don't want to box, or?” O'Neill prompted.
“I do not,” Teal'c said. He turned and entered the
room, closing the door behind him.
“Phew,” O'Neill exhaled, almost mischievously. “Mental note, teach Teal'c how to play
cards!” He beamed at his own sense of humour, and headed towards the briefing
room.
Sam Carter was deep in discussion with Daniel Jackson.
“Yeah, but you've got to admit it's interesting,” she argued.
They sat across from one another at the long briefing
room table.
“Interesting is not the word I'd use.”
“Hi, kids,” O'Neill barged in. “What are we talking
about? ‘ Cause you know me, I hate to take sides.”
“Yes, sir, we were discussing...” Carter looked at
Daniel.
“Um, oh yeah. We were... Jack, back so soon?”
Daniel toyed with the colonel intentionally.
O'Neill's attempt at a smile became more of a grimace;
he pursed his lips, head cocked now to one side.
“Shouldn't you kids leave here occasionally and do
that real life thing?” O'Neill asked, his quizzical expression enough to raise
a smile from both Carter and Daniel.
“You should go out dancing or something, I don't
know,” O'Neill suggested hesitantly.
“Well, sir.”
“Ah, Carter, I know, to me this is fun!” Jack parodied
earlier Sam references perfectly. “Well, since I'm headed in there for a nice
heart to heart with General Hammond, I figured you'd want to wish me luck.”
“Good luck,” Daniel said, eyebrows knitting down into
a frown.
Once Jack had disappeared into the general's office,
Daniel looked across at Carter. “Is he in for a surprise!” he remarked, a smile
sweeping across his face. “Well,” Sam said.
General Hammond invited Jack O'Neill to sit.
“If it's a dressing down, sir, I prefer to stand, I
take it better when I'm standing,” O'Neill said, light-heartedly.
“Colonel, sometimes I don't know whether to court
martial you or recommend you for another medal.”
“Thank you, sir, is that all?”
“Jack, sit down.”
O'Neill did as ordered. “Thank you, sir.”
“Jack, what you did, and I appreciate the reasons, was
both dangerous to the SGC and the safety of this planet.”
“Yes, sir,” O'Neill conceded. “Trouble is, sir, with
due respect to both, and I take it very seriously, I have a problem with my
people getting abducted, makes me a little cranky,” the colonel explained, his
features retaining a mirthful expression.
“Colonel, it's not just your general
attitude. I've had Air Force command on the telephone to me, you were
reported as speeding on the freeway, and absconding whilst police attempted to
give you a ticket.”
“Oh, for crying out loud, General, I gave them my
driver's licence, and it was an emergency.”
“Jack, I respect your loyalty to your people, I'd
expect nothing less from you. But,” General Hammond stood then. “It is with
great regret...”
O'Neill's usually sardonic expression faded, his mind
raced.
“That I have to inform you...”
“Sir?” he asked, unable to take the suspense.
“That today is your birthday, and don't think we all
didn't know it.”
“General, sir,” O'Neill snapped. “Don't do that! I was
trying to keep it a secret.”
“Well, Colonel, you failed. Thought I was gonna can
you, didn't you?”
“Well, sir, I don't know that many generals with such
a warped sense of humour,” O'Neill remarked. “But thanks for aging me, does
wonders for the grey!” He gestured at his hair, a broad grin now enveloping his
face.
Daniel attempted to conceal his glee as O'Neill walked
from the General's office. “You!” O'Neill charged. “I should have known it.
Daniel, for crying out loud.”
Daniel handed Jack a bottle of beer. “I think they
might forgive you drinking on duty this time, Jack,” he said. “Happy...”
O'Neill's finger went up in front of Daniel. “Ah, no,
no, don't say the B word, getting a little touchy in my old age.”
“O'Neill,” Teal'c said.
The colonel turned to face him; most of the command
control staff were now in the briefing room. “Teal'c?”
“Happy Birthday.”
O'Neill shook his head. “Teal'c, you…” He paused momentarily.
“Are probably the only one that's gonna get away with saying that.” He
raised his voice. “Anyone else uses that accursed word gets a Zat blast, with
all due respect to the General, who, of course, can say whatever he likes.”
O'Neill's smile was more of a grimace, as they
mingled, talking about the mission.
Daniel pulled Jack to one side.
“Listen, the glider aside, Jack, I really appreciate
you putting your backside on the line for me, Sam told me you could have been
in serious trouble.”
Jack was shaking his head. “Daniel, what can I tell
you? Forget it, don't mention it again, you'd do the same for me!”
“Well. Since it is your, um, well I, er, I got you a…”
Daniel closed his eyes shaking his head. “Present.”
“A present for me?” Jack looked seriously amazed, and
pleased.
Daniel presented him with a box, wrapped in Egyptian
design paper.
Jack looked reticent for a moment. “It's not a bomb is
it?” he asked, giving it a little shake, attempting to reflect any
embarrassment he felt about receiving it.
“No, no. Please, it's nothing like that,” Daniel said.
“Trust me.”
O'Neill looked at him for a moment, dubious, but began
to open the paper. “A model aeroplane, Daniel, how'd you know?”
“Well,” Daniel mused. “When I was at your house, I saw
the magazine and all the models, so I figured.”
Jack reached his hand out and slapped Daniel on the
shoulder, a genuine smile sweeping across his face. “Thank you,” he said. “I
don't know what to say, so...”
“Yeah,” Daniel waved it off. “It's okay.”
Three hours later, SG1 was getting ready for a recon
mission to another new planet, P7X 919. The MALP had indicated that there were
no life forms, but had detected a breathable atmosphere, with moderate weather.
Jack was still in a good mood; a beer did that for a
guy! He was also looking forward to having the weekend off too, and maybe
starting in on that model plane.
“Teal'c, you wanna do something this weekend?” Daniel
enquired. “I was thinking of maybe visiting some museums in
Teal'c looked at
“Places with old stuff in 'em,” O'Neill quipped.
Daniel frowned. “Great halls with artefacts from our
past,” he corrected.
“I see,” Teal'c replied. “I am afraid I have already made
plans, Daniel Jackson, but thank you.”
“Oh, plans,” O'Neill satirized. “Careful, Teal'c,
you're starting to sound like one of us.”
The wormhole engaged as they spoke; O'Neill gave
Teal'c a couple of rueful looks. “Yeah, right. Move out, kids,” he ordered.
Daniel and Jack emerged on the other side of the
wormhole and almost immediately, the wormhole disengaged. Jack turned quickly.
“What the hell?” He and Daniel looked at each other. Both wondered the same
thing, were Sam and Teal'c in there when it did so?
Sam Carter was only halfway up the ramp when the
wormhole disengaged. “What happened?” She turned to the control room.
“I don't know,” Lieutenant Simmons told her.
Teal'c frowned heavily. “They must dial it again,
Samantha Carter,” he said.
“Do it,” Carter ordered.
The symbols were input again; the gate failed to
engage.
Carter climbed the stairs to the control room.
“Lieutenant?” she asked.
“It's just not engaging.” He was mystified. “It won't
accept the seventh chevron, Major.”
Carter put the symbols in herself this time and as the
chevrons linked in, the seventh failed to lock. She looked at Simmons, who
stared back, amazed.
*********************
“What just
happened?” Daniel asked, looking from the colonel, to the Stargate, and back
again.
“How does ‘I have no idea’ sound?” Jack retorted.
“Familiar,” Daniel remarked. “Okay, so they'll just
dial it back up.”
Jack looked concerned. “No. Daniel, we should dial
home right now,” he ordered.
Daniel did as he was asked; the gate would not engage.
“You sure you put the right sequence in?” O'Neill
questioned.
“Be my guest,” Daniel replied, standing aside and
watching Jack push the very same coordinates he had. Nothing.
“Well. Great!” O'Neill remarked. “Is it broken?”
“No, it's working,”
“Well try something else, try
O'Neill's face screwed up as he realised the
implications. “Great!” He shook his head, then reached under his cap with his
hand scratched his head in disbelief. “Well this is becoming a habit.”
Daniel regarded O'Neill with a reflection of the same
disdain. “Well, er, what do we do now, maybe we should have a look around, Sam
will figure it out,” he offered.
“Figure out what? If the DHD is busted from this side
and they can't dial in from their end, I'd say something's not right,” Jack
concluded.
“You're right, but what?” Daniel looked at O'Neill,
whose face was blank.
“You're asking me?” he said, his eyes widening.
“That's a ship, Daniel, this is an entire planet, for
crying out loud.” Jack observed.
“Sweet, so all Carter has to do is figure that out,
and we're home.” O'Neill sounded a little less stressed now; he turned and
looked around.
“Ah, actually, Jack, it can take weeks to recalculate
the shift. They'd have to decide how it shifted and try millions of
calculations, Doppler's shift,” Daniel said.
Jack stared at him for a moment. “Doffler's shift?” he
asked.
“Doppler, Jack, he was an Austrian physicist, never
mind. Look, Jack, we need to, um, do something.”
“Like?”
“Well, we can't just stay here and wait,” Daniel
argued. “We can go take a look around at least.”
“Yeah, you're right. Leave your pack, that way if they
do open the gate, they'll know we're still here.” Daniel did as instructed.
*********************
O'Neill moved slowly, keeping his eyes open. He hated
surprises, perhaps with the exception of the earlier one, he mused to himself,
and it brought a smile to his lips; a model he could build, when he got home.
He sighed heavily.
“This place is great,” Daniel enthused. “It's teaming
with life.”
“Life?” Jack responded. “You mean plants, right?”
“Yeah, I mean, maybe there's even animals here.”
“Wild animals?” Jack asked. “As in what, Daniel,
evolved?”
“Jack, you're, um, assuming the worst, why can't it
just be a good thing, a good experience. Hello,” Daniel said, his eyes
wandering off to the left.
“Hello?” Jack repeated, looking at the archaeologist,
like a screw had somehow come loose. He turned then, and looked where Daniel's
gaze led him.
A cluster of stones, almost car sized, formed in a
circle. “Daniel,” Jack said, trepidation in his tone. “What's that?”
Daniel started to move toward them. “I, er, I don't
know.”
“Daniel, just, ah! Hold on for a second.” He pursued
the archaeologist. “I hate it when he does that,” Jack mumbled to himself.
*********************
Daniel walked around the circumference. “It's sort of
like
“Mega what?” Jack asked, eyes widening with a
semblance of surprise.
“Megalithic. It's taken from the Greek, um, Megas
‘Great’ and Lithos ‘Stone’. It's possibly Bronze Age, definitely Neolithic.
Wow!” Daniel exclaimed.
“Wow?” O'Neill repeated sceptically. “Daniel,” he
pointed out. “They're stones!”
“Jack, they believe that
Jack rested his arms on his MP5. “Great, does this
mean we might not be alone, here on this uninhabited planet?” His cynicism was
now evident in that lopsided expression, that seemed to twist and contort his
features into disdain.
“God, I hate that UAV!”
Daniel looked around. “I don't know,” he said. “But
you realise that if the people that put these in place are here, wow!” Daniel
said again.
Jack looked completely unimpressed. “Great, just what
I needed, stranded on a planet with a geek on a mission. Daniel, for crying out
loud, will you can it!”
“Why? Why are you always so negative?” Daniel
demanded, moving round in front of O'Neill, challenging him.
Jack looked away from him. “I don't know Daniel, maybe
because I'm just a little more focused on survival than you are!” he replied.
“But, don't you ever see past that, Jack?” Daniel
argued, hoping against hope, and his better judgement, that just once, Jack
O'Neill would abandon his usual proclivity toward anything other than fighting
the Goa'uld and any other hostile.
“Daniel, look, as much as this is fascinating to you, to
me it's, well frankly, Daniel, it's a bunch of big stones. Yeah, sure I admit
that sometimes, only sometimes,” O'Neill said, “this stuff you keep up there.”
He gestured towards Daniel's head. “Comes in handy. But, just not now, okay?”
Daniel looked squashed, a miffed expression worn over
his boyish features. It felt familiar to him, always appearing as it did
just after one of Jack's dismissive diatribes.
*********************
Sam Carter studied the coordinates closely. “Sir,” she
informed
“Not exactly, sir, but realigning the coordinates to
work properly is going to take a while, a long while.” Concern crossed her brow
now.
“Well, Major,”
Carter thought hard. “Sir, actually, I've got another
idea, we could bring up the cartouche from the data we have, and gate to a
planet in that galaxy. The coordinates wouldn't have put that gate's function
far enough away to negate the original glyphs.”
“Major?” General Hammond looked slightly bemused.
Carter's eyebrows shot up, her lips narrowed as she
considered how best to explain it. “Okay, the shift is enough to throw our
coordinates out from Earth, because of the distance,” she began, “but, if we
can find a suitable planet to gate to in the same system.” She looked hard at
the general, had she explained it well enough?
“I see. Okay, Major, go ahead,”
“Thank you, sir.”
*********************
“It's getting
dark,” Daniel observed as the two men wondered along, away from the circle of
stones.
“I know, we'd better try and find somewhere to hold
up,” O'Neill replied.
“Well the circle of stones seems as good a place as
any?”
O'Neill turned, askant in his expression. “You never
give up do you?” he said, a heavy sigh leaving his lips.
“Well?” Daniel said. “It is the best place.”
“Yeah, but what if the worshippers decide to put in an
appearance?” he enquired, sceptically, a lopsided grimace adorning his face.
“We'll have discovered life?” Daniel offered.
O'Neill glared at him. “Knowing our luck, Daniel,
hostile life. Come on, we'd better set up.”
*********************
Sam Carter stared at the computer screen. “That's it,”
she exclaimed. “P8X 917, it's the closest thing to the planet.”
Teal'c, who had been sitting at another computer,
attempting to ascertain the same, looked across with a feint smile.
“I believe you are correct, Samantha Carter,” he
stated, looking satisfied.
“Lieutenant Simmons,” Carter instructed. “Inform
General Hammond, we're gonna need to send a MALP through ASAP!”
“Yes, ma'am,” Simmons snapped, immediately leaving his
own seat and disappearing from the control room.
Sam looked relieved. “For a minute there, Teal'c, I
thought we weren't going to find anything.”
“I always believed you would find the solution,
Samantha Carter.”
Carter looked suitably impressed. “Thanks!” Her
eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Wish you'd told me earlier!”
General Hammond appeared then. “Major?” he asked.
“Sir, P8X 917, it's the closest I've come to matching
the glyphs of P7X 919, I'd like permission to prep and send a MALP through,
sir.”
“Go ahead, Major, I hope you're right,”
“Yes, sir. Me too.”
*********************
Darkness now engulfed them. O'Neill had managed to build
a fire, and the portable stove he always carried was now boiling water from his
flask.
“Well, isn't this nice,” he said in his usual
unimpressed fashion. “We've got the stars, three moons and.... some stones.” A
shake of his head. “Yoi.”
“So how long do you figure it will take Sam to work
out the coordinates?”
“Well, knowing Carter, not too long,” O'Neill said, a
sour expression adorning his features as he smelt the powdered substance from a
pack of rations he'd extracted from his rucksack. “You want some of this
soup-like stuff?”
“Er, yeah,” Daniel replied. “You know, Jack, this
planet wasn't on the Abydos Cartouche. Which makes me wonder...”
Jack mixed the substance in a tin cup with the boiling
water, looking up at the archaeologist. “So?”
“Well, okay,” Daniel began, a furrow in his brow as he
considered his words. “Two reasons that I can figure. One, being they haven't
discovered it yet.”
Jack handed him the soup. “And the second?” he
enquired.
“Yeah, right,” A heavy sigh. “The second is the bad
thing, the Goa'uld fear something here, so it was never written into their
cartouche.”
Jack sipped thoughtfully on the soup he clasped in
both hands. “This stuff always tastes the same,” he commented. “Look, Daniel,
so far, apart from your alternate reality experience, we've seen nothing on any
of those...” Emphasis placed on that word. “Planets that have been hostile.”
“I know, but I'm just trying to, um, make, er, to,
make...” Daniel struggled, looking directly at the colonel now.
“Conversation?” Jack asked; a smile swept across his
strong features briefly. “Yeah, I know, it's a bitch, not much in common there,
hah?”
Daniel shook his head. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.”
“Did you ever think of giving up, I mean when you were
trapped on Edora?”
Jack considered it. “Well, I have to tell you. For a
while there I was...” O'Neill's voice trailed off. He threw his soup over the
fire, and scrambled some loose earth over it. “Daniel get down!” he hissed.
Daniel looked over his shoulder; he could see lights
heading their way.
He crawled to Jack's position; the colonel had already
doused the stove and collected the sundry items that were strewn close to his
position.
The two men lay side by side. Jack managed to find his
passive night vision goggles. He held them up to his eyes, watching.
“Do you think they saw us?” Daniel whispered.
“I'm not sure, the fire wasn't exactly flaring, but
it's visible enough,” Jack told him. He still couldn't see the source of the
lights, too distant, but they were headed towards them.
“We've got to move now,” Jack snapped. “Stay on your
belly and crawl.”
Daniel turned carefully, pulling himself along with his
hands. Jack managed to get his rucksack over his shoulders, and keeping his MP5
firmly clasped in his right hand, he followed
*********************
Sam Carter directed the MALP probe in the darkness;
she had switched to infrared. Nothing appeared to be moving around. She checked
the readings for atmosphere. “Looks good so far,” she reassured Teal'c.
“Yes it does,” the
“We'll have to wait till morning, Teal'c,” Carter
said. “General Hammond wants us to take SG3 with us for back up, they're flying
in from a training op.”
Teal'c did not look impressed. “The planet appears to
be without hostiles,” he commented.
“I know, Teal'c, but after everything that's happened
recently, I just think the general would prefer to be safe!”
The
Sam Carter nodded. She, like Teal'c, felt that a more
immediate rescue would have been better, but had to bow to the general's
wishes, she was, after all, merely a major, and unlike Colonel O'Neill, rarely
did she question orders.
As she re-read through all the data, Colonel Stuart
appeared behind her.
“Major?” he said loudly.
Carter turned round, looking up from her seated
position. “Sir?”
“Still at it, eh? O'Neill picks well!” Stuart
commented.
“Yes, sir, I wanted to make sure,” Carter replied.
“Well, don't you worry. Guess we're just gonna have to
rescue his butt again, eh, Major?”
“Yes, sir,” Carter answered, Stuart's tactics obvious
to her.
“So,” he began, “I better get some sleep, wouldn't
want to be late for the get go!”
Carter nodded.
“Same goes for you, Major, let's move out,” he
ordered.
“Yes, sir,” Carter replied, reluctantly.
*********************
“Can you see
them?” Daniel enquired for the fourth time in the last five minutes.
O'Neill looked around at him. “No, Daniel, I can't!”
He emphasised the reply curtly. “Now shut up and let me concentrate, please,”
he added for good measure.
Daniel's eyes flicked skywards. “Okay!”
O'Neill could now barely make out the outlines of what
appeared to be cloaked human forms. “Well the good news,” he whispered. “Is
that they appear to be, well, look like humans, kinda.”
“And the bad news is?” Daniel began.
“None so far,” O'Neill replied.
“Er, Jack.”
O'Neill turned sharply. “What?”
Daniel gestured behind them. “That's the bad news.”
O'Neill spun round fully; two of the cloaked individuals
stood behind them, piercing red lights where the eyes might be. “Oh, crap,”
O'Neill spat, his MP5 immediately aimed at them. “Okay, Daniel…”
“Um, we're from Earth, peaceful explorers,” Daniel
said hurriedly.
One of the creatures made a low hissing sound, and its
hands came up from beneath the robe, long sharp fingernails adorned elongated
bony fingers.
The hood was pulled down, and both men stared up in
horror at the thin gaunt face, high cheekbones, and very, very pointed
incisors, protruding from a thin mealy mouth.
“Oh crap,” O'Neill said again.
“Oh boy!” Daniel declared.
The creature stood, observing them for a moment, and
then made a high pitched wailing sound that emanated without the use of its
mouth. “Don't suppose you speak that language?” O'Neill asked, his face
twitching from a semi-grimace into a curious, yet disdainful expression.
“Uh, no,” Daniel replied. “Jack, lower the gun,” he
advised.
“No,” Jack spat, like a school kid told to behave.
“Jack, if that's what I think, the bullets won't
work,” Daniel informed him.
“And that would be?” Jack enquired, keeping his eyes
firmly on the creature.
“Vampiric in appearance saying anything to you?”
Daniel asked.
The creature now stared into O'Neill's eyes; the
colonel attempted to avoid its gaze, but somehow those incredible red beams
drew him in. His head felt light, almost humming with the intensity of the gaze
that now held him.
Daniel, too, had succumbed to the gaze of the
creature’s companion; the two men now surrounded by the creatures.
The gaze broken, O'Neill shook his head. “Whoa!” he
exclaimed, his eyes shutting tightly.
“We mean you no harm,” one of them spoke in a deep
tone.
O'Neill flicked his eyes open.
“You are of the first world, as once were we.”
O'Neill was unsure, watching them with scepticism.
Daniel was more trusting, wanting to believe in their
words. He stood now.
“Yes, you are from Earth originally?” he asked.
“Many millennia hence,” the creature replied. “We were
forced to leave our home. Those that came knew of us, and would destroy us.”
“Okay, um, you're what we would call on Earth
vampires?” Daniel enquired, fascinated now at the concept that the legends
might have had a solid foundation.
“You will come, we must feed,” another spoke.
O'Neill leapt to his feet. “Oh no you don't,” he said
quickly. “I'm not becoming a creature of the night.” He lifted his gun, its
muzzle raised in front of him protectively.
One of the creatures moved forward. “You believe in
stories told to frighten those who would not understand?” he asked, curiously
searching O'Neill's eyes.
“Nope,” O'Neill said.
“Then you will come.” He beckoned O'Neill to
follow.
Daniel was already doing so, he turned. “Jack, if they
wanted your blood they could have taken it a minute ago.”
O'Neill considered this remark, and then raised his
hands in surrender. “Okay,” he agreed, following on, slower than his companion,
still keeping a watchful eye on the mysterious creatures.
Stopping at the stones, they gathered in a circle,
every creature now uncloaked, their humanoid appearance startling, yet finely
chiselled, greyhound like.
Their arms reached into the night sky, and a beam of
light swept from each gathering in the centre of the stones.
“Whoa,” O'Neill exclaimed. “Cool.” He turned to
“Its amazing, almost as if they were drawing power
from the moons,” Daniel suggested, as he watched the focal point of the beam
rise high into the night sky, and emanate an almost hazy cloud.
“So what's with the teeth then?” O'Neill asked.
“I don't know,” Daniel replied slowly.
“Sweet!” O'Neill replied.
Daniel watched, still fascinated. “They feed on lunar
energy, Jack,” he observed. “Not quite biological. The moon has a lot of
different effects on our world, Jack, it must be the same for them.”
Jack raised both his eyebrows at once. “What?”
“I, er, I don't know, what would you call what they're
doing?” Daniel asked. “They said feeding, and they're all reaching in one point
towards their moon, right?”
Jack shook his head, a heavy sigh. “Daniel, can we
talk mythology?” he enquired. “Like vampires? That's what you said, right?”
“I'm not sure, not in the sense we know them,” Daniel
concluded. “Jack, vampires didn't actually start out as bloodsuckers,” he
continued now, desperately searching for the right words. “They started out as
fables, who could drain the life, the soul from the body, and, um, judging by
what they're doing now, that probably wasn't too far out.”
Jack's lopsided expression appeared to be one of
cynicism. “Daniel, bottom line,” he stated in his matter of fact, judgmental
tone. “They're not exactly human, are they?”
“Er…” Daniel considered this. “No, they're not.”
Jack looked satisfied by this assertion, continually
switching his attention back and forth.
“So?” he asked.
“They asked us to wait,” Daniel pointed out.
*********************
Colonel Stuart stepped through the gate, his eyes
searching the immediate area for hostiles. “Clear,” he called to his marines,
acknowledging each one as he confirmed what Stuart already knew.
Teal'c, carrying his favoured staff weapon, stepped
through moments later, side by side with Sam Carter.
“Colonel, with your permission, I'll dial P7X 919,
sir,” she said immediately.
“Go ahead, Major, we'll keep you covered,” Colonel
Stuart snapped back in complete military mode. Carter entered the coordinates
and the wormhole's familiar barrage roared out from the Stargate.
“Okay, Major, give me and my men a 10 count and come
on through,” Colonel Stuart ordered.
“Yes, sir.”
Teal'c drew down those impressive eyebrows, yet said
nothing.
Sam looked at him, a feint smile sweeping her blue
eyes. “I know, Teal'c, but I don't have to like him!” she said.
Teal'c bowed his head slowly; Carter had quite
correctly assumed that the
*********************
Daniel rose slowly, looking around him. The darkened
area he now resided was large, almost cavernous.
“Whoa, where are we?” he asked.
Jack, heard the voice, recognised it, and attempted to
drag himself from the depths of unconsciousness.
“The Count Draculas brought us here, it's where they
live,” Jack informed his drowsy colleague. “Oh, my head,” he moaned.
“Exactly where is here?” Daniel asked, regaining some
of his senses.
Jack stood slowly, still grasping his head in both
hands. “Wow! What a ride,” he said.
“Jack?” Daniel enquired. “What ride?”
Jack's expression was one of surprise. “You don't
remember what happened last night?” he questioned. “When Dracula and company
finished howling at the moon?”
Daniel looked woefully at the colonel. “No. Not a
thing.”
“Well, isn't that special,” Jack responded, sensing
hours of endless teasing. “Okay! So we're about a 100 miles up the side of a
mountain, in a deep cavern they call Sanctuary, cool name, hah?”
“So, what happened?” Daniel queried. “I mean, I don't
remember anything especially.”
“Oh, Danny boy, you're gonna love this,” Jack
insisted, in his own gleeful way.
Daniel's eyes closed with a minor headshake. “Are, um,
you gonna tell me, or do I have to spend all day guessing, Jack, because you're
being slightly irritating now.”
Jack tried to prevent the smile that was forming on
his lips from invading his face and failed. “Okay. We flew up here.”
“We, er, did?” Daniel looked sceptical. “Jack?” It was
a long, dull sound that he used.
“Hey, I'm on a high,” Jack told him, looking as if he
meant it.
Daniel looked dubiously at him now. “You are?”
“Oh, yeah!” Jack enthused; he was walking around with
a spring now. “Daniel, did you know these folks are completely made of
energy?”
“Well, I, um, tried to tell you that last night, Jack
what the hell happened?” He sounded impatient now.
“Well, Daniel,” Jack began in his own inimitable
style. “It seems our friends have the ability to read, er, see into our minds, they
know where we're from, and they feel responsible for leaving us to the Goa'uld,
sounding good to you, so far?”
“Um, yeah, so?” Daniel's intrigue drew him closer to
Jack. “What exactly does that mean?”
O'Neill smiled his crooked lopsided smile. “Well, they
need our help with their enemy, and in return, technology to help fight the
Goa'uld,” he said, his lips parting into a generous grin.
“Oh, I knew there had to be something,” Daniel
complained.
“You know, Danny boy, you can be a little cynical
sometimes,” Jack commented.
Daniel pointed to himself. “I can be cynical? I mean,
coming from you, that's um, that's got to be a compliment right?”
“Hey!” Jack exclaimed. “I take my title as Mister
Positive very seriously, and right now, I'm thinking positive.”
“Great,” Daniel sighed. “Well whilst you're on the
subject of positive, Jack, how do we get out of here?”
“We don't,” Jack told him, sitting now.
Daniel walked toward him hurriedly. “We don't?” he
asked, kneeling in front of the colonel.
“Daniel, just try and have a little faith, okay?”
He stood, walked away from O'Neill and found a
suitable position to sit. “Here I am, having faith.”
*********************
Sam Carter found Daniel's kit the instant she was
through the Gate. “They're here… somewhere,” she insisted, sounding a lot
more enthusiastic than was intended.
“Major, whose kit is that?” Colonel Stuart demanded,
not in the habit of actually politely asking anything.
“It's Doctor Jackson's, sir, Colonel O'Neill must have
left it as a marker,” she explained, still holding the backpack in her left
hand, gesturing with it.
“Well, I don't see them, Major, do you?” Stuart
responded sarcastically.
Major Samantha Carter bit her tongue; she wanted to
reply in kind.
“Colonel Stuart,” Teal'c remarked. “Perhaps then,
instead of waiting here, we should look elsewhere for Colonel O'Neill and
Doctor Jackson, do you not agree?”
The colonel regarded the
Carter was already doing so. “Sir, I'm picking up the
signal, it's due south,” Carter said.
Teal'c waited for a few seconds before following.
Something was on the planet, he sensed it. “Major Carter,” he said, catching
her easily at his now lengthened stride. “I believe this planet may be
inhabited.”
Carter looked around at the
“I have not, but I sense a presence, a very powerful
one,” Teal'c confided.
Sam Carter took a deep breath. “Let's hope it's not
hostile Teal'c, the colonel and Daniel have been here all night!”
*********************
Daniel had grown tired of waiting; his mind not as
disciplined in such matters as O'Neill, who sat deep in his own thoughts,
unspeaking, and moving only occasionally when his body ached from being static.
Daniel wandered away from the vast cavern, towards
where a beam of light was streaking in, and stumbled forward as his feet struck
something.
O'Neill looked up, able to barely make
“I'm, er, alright, tripped,” Daniel explained.
“Well don't go wandering around too far and fall down
a hole!”
“I'll only have to come look,” O'Neill warned, more to
himself.
“Like I said, thanks, Jack, I'm fine,” Daniel
acknowledged.
A high-pitched whine filled the cavern then, and one
of the creatures appeared in front of Daniel, its red eyes piercing the
darkness easily.
Daniel faltered, falling back towards Jack. “Um, guess
exploring is out of the question,” he observed.
“Ya think!” O'Neill spat, standing now, alert to
possible danger. “It's okay, Trodous, Daniel's just naturally clumsy,” he
added, his hands raised gesturing to the creature.
“Trodous, why?” O'Neill replied.
“Aiestrodous?” Daniel asked, towards the creature now.
“I am he,” the vampire replied.
“I've only read about you in legends and folklore,”
Daniel said quickly, “the Master Vampire...”
Jack shook his head. “Oh, here we go, I know a song
about that too,” he goaded.
“Jack, will you shut up for one minute,” Daniel
snapped.
“You know of a legend that I had taken great lengths
to erase?” Aiestrodous asked. “How is this so?”
“Um, not from Earth, from
The vampire moved closer. “I am as you are, Daniel
Jackson, flesh and bone. A true vampire as you know them.”
Daniel looked around at Jack, who was looking slightly
dubious at that moment.
“Ah, excuse me, the bloodsucking kind?” Jack enquired.
“’Cause, your friends, well they forgot to mention that in the brochure!”
Aiestrodous moved closer to Daniel. “I mean you no
harm, my needs no longer require human blood, I have long since been free of
that burden.”
O'Neill eyebrows shot up simultaneously. “Well, sweet,
so, um, you fought the Goa'uld, hah?” he asked.
“I have fought many Goa'uld. My power is within me,
Colonel, I am unable to transform this into a weapon that you would use,” the
vampire explained.
“Sweet!” O'Neill snapped. “So, um, your friends
mentioned something about helping us if we helped you, what did they mean
exactly?”
“We are able to offer one thing. A weakness. But this
knowledge, this weakness will only be in return for your help.”
“Our help?” Daniel asked. “So do you want to tell us
something about your enemy?”
“They are here now, on this planet,” Aiestrodous told
them. “They search for us for our power, and ultimately they destroy us, they
are the Inimicus.”
“Inimicus, that's um, that's Latin for enemy,” Daniel
said.
“Yeah, alright,” Jack replied. “It's a little too
early for a language lesson, Daniel. Exactly what are we up against here?”
“A being that is able to locate our power. They are
formidable. But, would not be able to withstand your weapons,” Aiestrodous said.
“Speaking of our weapons?” Jack mentioned. “Where
exactly are ours?”
“They are here,” Aiestrodous told him. “The Inimicus
have shields against our ability to drain the life force from them, this is
why, without any weapons technology of our own, they are such a formidable
foe. But their shields guard only against our ability to take this energy
from them, not against projectiles such as yours.”
Jack sighed. “Okay, so that's it, right, no other
surprises?” he enquired.
Aiestrodous shook his head. “I have lived for
centuries, O'Neill, I know all there is of the Universe. You must trust me!”
“Yeah, well I'm a little conservative in the trusting
thing, but we'll give it a shot.”
Aiestrodous bowed his head and vanished.
“Cool, again!” O'Neill remarked.
“Jack,” Daniel began. “There are only two of us, how
are we going to take on this all powerful Inimicus?”
“Well, I figure by now Carter's probably discovered a
way to reach us, so we wait for our team, get a message back to
*********************
Colonel Stuart knelt down by the site of O'Neill's
camp. “Well they were here, probably last night some time, footprints lead off
in that direction and then disappear, nothing.” he said, looking up at Carter.
“Vanished?” she asked. “Well that's not possible,
there must be some explanation.”
Teal'c's eyebrows drew down. “Perhaps a Goa'uld vessel
with ring devices?” he suggested.
“I hope not, Teal'c,” Carter stated. “If Apophis
escaped the system lords, I doubt he'll leave them in one piece this time.”
Teal'c regarded the major. “This galaxy is a long way
from that of Delmar,” he informed.
Colonel Stuart listened intently. “Okay people. It's
about time to make a decision.”
“Sir, I recommend we leave one of our men here and...”
Sam Carter stopped in mid flow.
“Major, when I said time to make a decision, I meant
me, Major!” he spat.
“Colonel Stuart,” it was Teal'c who spoke. “I believe
Major Carter is right. I will remain.”
Stuart was taken aback by this sudden challenge to his
authority.
He stared at Teal'c for a moment, considering its
implications.
“No, Teal'c, Major Carter will remain, you and I, and
two of my men will search. Mitchell, you remain, is that clear?”
“Sir, yes, sir,” Captain Mitchell replied.
Teal'c raised an eyebrow at his response and offered
Carter the merest hint of a satisfied smile. Sam turned away, unable to conceal
her own smile.
*********************
“So, what now?” Daniel asked.
“They can't get us out of here until nightfall,
Daniel,” Jack told him; he looked confused suddenly. “I thought you were the
Vampire expert, anyway?”
Daniel's features elevated. “Well, I, um, didn't want
to bore you!” he jested.
“Fine!” He leant back against the wall, regarding
Daniel looked surprised. “Who me? Yeah, aside from the
fact that Aiestrodous' legend is whirling around my mind.”
“Wanna share?” O'Neill asked.
O'Neill watched him closely, strangely fascinated.
“He, um, walked among the ancients, a spirit of
vengeance whose power was mightier than the gods, for he drew his power from
the soul of the earth. A mighty warrior, feared by all.”
O'Neill's head tilted to one side, his eyes widening.
“Sweet, sounds like our guy,” he mused. “So why the problem? You do have a
problem, right?”
“Okay, yeah, you're right. Aiestrodous was betrayed by
his closest companion, I'm assuming this meant his mate. Anyway, he, er, he was
then called the Slayer of Men's Hearts. Apparently he turned on all,
aligning himself with the darkest of all forces,” Daniel said slowly. “They
said they could no longer trust him to purge the evil, that he would slay all
who came into his path.”
O'Neill's eyebrows twitched upward quickly. “All,” he
repeated. “Okay, so use extreme caution and don't expect anything in return,
right?”
“Jack, can I ask you something,” Daniel's tone
changed.
O'Neill greeted this with an immediate nod. “Yeah.”
Daniel's expression suddenly looked uncomfortable, his
features contorting into a grimace. “Can I, er, look at… can I check your
neck?”
“What?” O'Neill uttered. “Are you kidding me?”
“It's, um, a peace of mind thing, um, please?”
“No!” O'Neill's expression screwed up in disbelief.
“Daniel, for crying out loud, do I sound like a vampire to you?”
“Well,”
“Not me!” O'Neill insisted, getting up and moving away
from
“So, then you won't mind if I look, will you?” Daniel
probed ruefully.
“Ah, for crying out loud1” O'Neill changed direction,
moving toward him, showing
“What?” Jack demanded. “No bites, right?”
“Um, not exactly, no bites, no,” Daniel was guarded
now.
O'Neill's confused expression greeted
He stood there looking at
Daniel shook his head. “I don't, um, have any marks
that I can feel, Jack, but whoa!”
Jack closed his eyes for a second. “Great!” he
emphasised. “So I'm a menu item, what now?”
“I, er, I don't know,” Daniel's conviction in that
statement swept over him. “Ah, according to everything we know about vampires,
you've only been bitten once, right? So, hopefully, it takes a couple of
sessions to, um, well, you know?”
“Sweet. We're getting out of here, Daniel. Right now!”
O'Neill snapped.
“Jack I think this was a trick, the fighting the enemy
thing,” Daniel told him. “Aiestrodous is also considered to be the master of
deception.”
“Ya think!”
Images buzzed around O'Neill's mind. “Night fishing…
yoi!” he exclaimed.
End of Part One.
Major Carter tried using the radio to locate O'Neill
every twenty minutes or so, listening to Colonel Stuart's constant updates. Her
mind tried to focus, but her concern for the welfare of her two colleagues
weighed heavily.
“Major?” Captain Mitchell enquired.
Sam Carter sighed. “I'm sorry, Pete, I'm miles away,”
she admitted.
“Major, I'm sure Colonel Stuart will find them,
despite his, er, attitude, he's a damn fine soldier, ma'am.”
Carter smiled at him. “It's alright, Captain, Colonel
O'Neill has been in a few scrapes himself. So far, both he and Daniel have come
out of it, so...” She finished the sentence there, and had no intention of
saying more.
Captain Mitchell nodded. “Yes, ma'am. I was hoping to
get on Colonel O'Neill's team, not SG1, but in Special Forces. Most of the men
in his command never talked about anyone else,” he confessed. “So, I know how
much he means to you.”
Carter looked at him closely then. “And Daniel, Pete,
both of them.”
Pete Mitchell found that comment a little intriguing.
“Tell me about Daniel Jackson. Is it true he and O'Neill hate each other?”
Carter laughed. “No, Captain, far from it. Daniel and
Colonel O'Neill are very close, almost like siblings. Their differences of
opinion, well, that's something else.”
*********************
Jack led the way through the cavern, pausing only to
be certain of his footing, and to check that Daniel followed; it had taken them
almost an hour to find the right direction.
“Is it me,” he asked, his voice a little stressed. “Or
do you feel exhausted too?” Concern creased his eyes.
“No, I, er, feel fine,” Daniel asserted. He too looked
concerned now. “Jack.”
“What?” O'Neill snapped, leaning against one of the
damp walls of the cave.
“Are you feeling, er, sleepy?” Daniel enquired.
“A little. Kind of weak, why?”
His quizzical expression worried the archaeologist.
“I'm just wondering if you're gonna be able to go out into the light is, um
all, I mean, they appear not to be able, like vampire legends on Earth, and if
you've been, well you have been... it might affect you?”
Jack looked suddenly determined. “Well, there's only
one way to find out, eh, Danny boy,” he said. “Let's go.”
Daniel followed warily. He felt more apprehension in
Jack's company, suddenly, than he'd ever felt before; a fear that was buried
deep was surfacing, and it made him feel completely helpless. If Carter had
managed to find a way to gate to the planet, then at least they could get Jack
home and monitor any side effects.
“It's kind of odd that they just bit you,” Daniel
offered, as they wandered through yet another long passageway, where a dim
light seemed to loom.
“What's up, Daniel, you feeling left out?” Jack quipped.
“Listen, you really don't want to be where I am right now, take my word for
it.”
Daniel suddenly more concerned. “Why,” he asked
quickly. “What's wrong now?”
“Daniel,” Jack turned. “Will you relax, for crying out
loud, I'm not gonna turn into one of those things.”
Daniel nodded, and then a quizzical expression crossed
his face. “How, how do you know that?” he asked.
Jack leant against the wall again. He felt
light-headed, his stomach churned, and a sickness was rising up in his throat. “I
just do,” he gasped, his tone rasping. “Now will you just shut up and let me
navigate.”
“Okay,”
As the light struck him, Jack winced. “Oh man, I need
my glasses,” he moaned.
“Jack?” Daniel was concerned now. “You're not gonna,
um, explode into a ball of flames or anything?”
Jack raised his eyebrows philosophically. “Well, I'm
kinda hoping not at this point! Only one way to find out though,” he suggested.
“And that's to walk out there.”
He stepped onto the ledge and looked down; his skin
felt suddenly hot, burning all over. “Jesus! Whoa!” he exclaimed, moving back
quickly into the shadows.
Daniel followed.
“Um, this is gonna be a problem,” Daniel said.
“Oh, really,” Jack winced. “What was your first clue?”
His expression was masked with pain, and one side of his face creased up. He
regarded
Daniel bit his tongue, wanting to give O'Neill some
verbal grief back, but realising at the same time, that despite sounding very
like the Jack O'Neill he knew, clearly he wasn't exactly himself.
“Jack, you'll have to stay here, I'll um...” He looked
excessively dubious now. “I'll climb down and try to find help.”
“No, look, if I stay here...” Jack began to protest.
“Well, you can't leave, can you?” Daniel argued
assertively. “And, um, as much as I hate heights, I can't stay here and hope
neither of us joins the night club!”
Jack's grimace turned into acceptance. “You're right,
but the climbing down bit, Daniel? I don't know,” Jack said, concerned now more
for
“Look, we need help, right?” Daniel began. “I've been
on digs where I've had to do some climbing. I'll be careful, okay?”
“Yeah, okay,” Jack agreed reluctantly. “Why don't I
wear a cross?” he sighed.
Daniel smiled. “Kind of late to find religion, hah!”
he commented light-heartedly.
“Ya think!” O'Neill replied.
“Okay, look, just try and stay out of sunlight, okay,
um, I'll get help.”
Jack watched him as far as he could, then wandered a
little back into the caves and sat down. He felt tired, like he needed to
sleep, but it scared him too; if he slept, might he wake up as himself? The
whole vampire issue began to cloud his mind now, and he felt the kind of fear
he'd only ever felt as a child; something was under his bed, and he didn't like
it!
*********************
Daniel checked his watch, squatting now on a wide
ledge. It was almost
“Okay,” he said to himself. “You can do this.”
Teal'c saw him first as they rounded a large formation
of jagged rocks.
“Colonel Stuart, up there,” he said gesturing his
staff weapon in the direction he saw Daniel Jackson.
“Where's O'Neill?” Stuart asked instinctively, not
seeing the colonel.
“I do not know,” Teal'c replied.
“Let's move, boys,” Stuart ordered.
The four-man team jogged toward the bottom of
As the archaeologist finally reached low enough he could
see the rescue team, and the familiar frame of Teal'c.
“We've got a huge problem,” he told them, the moment
he was close enough.
“Jack's been bitten by...” He stopped then,
considering how it would sound, then decided to throw the words out anyway. “By,
um, a vampire.”
Colonel Stuart glared at him like he'd lost his
marbles. “Excuse me, a what?” he
exclaimed.
“Yeah, I know, but there it is and he can't come out
into the light, it's affecting him badly, we need to, um, cover him and get him
down, before they wake up,” Daniel blurted out at a hundred miles an hour.
Teal'c raised both eyebrows. “A vampire,” he repeated.
“I will go to Colonel O'Neill,” he said and, without waiting, he moved off in
the direction
Daniel nodded. “Um, yes we should all go, there's
safety in numbers...” Then he stopped again. “Where's Sam?” he asked.
“Major Carter is close to the Stargate. Tell you what,
Doctor Jackson, you stay here and we'll go get Colonel O'Neill. Go round those
rocks and keep heading south,” Colonel Stuart told him. “You know which
direction that is, right?”
“Um, yes, probably better than you do!” Daniel
snapped. Taking insults from Jack he would do, but not this GI Joe. He stared
back defiantly waiting for the colonel to answer with some smart-ass remark.
Instead Stuart looked at him. “Just leave it to me,
okay?”
“But what about Jack?”
“I told you, Doctor Jackson, we'll bring him down, now
go!”
Daniel watched them follow Teal'c up the cliff; it
wasn't a difficult climb, but he did wonder how they would get Jack down
without exposing him to the light.
His radio suddenly flared into life. “Colonel, come
in, Daniel, can you hear me?”
“Sam, it's, um, Daniel,” he said, depressing what he
considered to be the correct button.
“Daniel, are you okay?” Sam's voice sounded relieved.
“Um, well I am, but Jack's in a bit of a problem,
Colonel Stuart and Teal'c are going after him now.”
“Do they need back up?” she enquired.
“Major,” Colonel Stuart's voice boomed over the radio.
“Stay put. Doctor Jackson will be joining you. Once he does, get back to
the Stargate and secure your location, is that understood, Major?”
“Yes, sir,” Carter acknowledged.
*********************
Jack found himself dozing, and woke quickly. He could
hear sounds now, and moved closer to the light. “You must come back,” the voice
told him. “You will perish without our strength.”
Jack screwed his face up, and put his hands over his
ears. “Hurry up, Daniel,” he said.
Teal'c's appearance focused O’Neill; it had seemed
like an eternity since
“O'Neill, are you well?” Teal'c enquired, moving
towards the colonel.
“Ah! No. Not exactly, Teal'c,” O'Neill commented. “You
on your own?” He attempted to stand now, and keeled sideways, bracing himself
against the wall; Teal'c immediately moved forward to assist him.
“No, Jack,” Stuart announced. “He's not. Man, you look
like shit.”
“Yeah, well I've been better,” O'Neill responded. He
looked at his watch. “It's getting late, you got a plan?”
“Yeah, we'll cover you in one of the tents and get you
down. Don't worry. I'm not leaving you here,” Stuart told him. “Even if I hate
vampires!” he added for good measure, with a glint of humour in his eyes.
“Sweet. Me too by the way!”
“I will carry the colonel,” Teal'c offered.
Stuart nodded. “If you think you can make it without
killing you both, that's fine with me. Jack?” he asked. “Exactly what
happened?”
“You're asking me?” O'Neill responded. “I have no
idea. I just know that we need to go now!” An emphasis put on that word.
“Alright. Collins, unhitch your tent, let's get the
colonel nicely bagged up here.”
“Thanks, Teal'c,” Jack said. “But I think I can walk.”
At that moment, O'Neill's knees seemed to fold under him.
Teal'c assisted Collins in wrapping the tent around
the colonel, and then threw him over his shoulder.
*********************
Daniel's eyebrows twitched. “Um, he's been bitten by a
vampire. Sam, I know, it's weird, but we need to get him back, he's, um, he's
changing.”
Major Carter's expression drained of any pleasure.
“Daniel, are you sure?” she asked. “How? Why weren't you?”
Daniel shook his head. “I don't know, we made camp
here, they came, they appeared to be friendly, but, um, anyway, I don't know
what happened. We woke up in these caves and Jack was, well different, very
positive about these creatures, not himself. Look, we should go and um, get ready,
we're gonna need to get him back to the SGC as soon as we can, and hope that
whatever is infecting his blood can be reversed.”
Carter stared at him. “Vampires?” she said in
disbelief. “Oh great. I hated those movies.”
“Yeah, look, Sam, we should, um, go, I'll fill you in
when we get back, okay?”
Sam Carter was still unsure of what she was hearing,
but she nodded. “Okay, let's get back to the Stargate.”
*********************
“We'd better
hurry up,” Colonel Stuart noted. “Light's starting to get a little hazy.”
Teal'c paused only momentarily to look up. “Then we
must move faster,” he stated.
“Yeah and then some,” O'Neill said from underneath his
shroud. “Or else you'll all be joining me under this thing!”
“Colonel, come in please.” Carter's voice over the radio.
“Yeah go ahead, Major,” Stuart responded.
“Sir, What's your ETA?” Sam enquired.
“Unknown just now, Major, just stand by there and I'll
up date ASAP, and Major, make sure Doctor
“Yes, sir?” Carter argued.
From under the shroud O'Neill said. “For crying out
loud, Stuart, Daniel's fine, I checked him myself!”
“Hah! Right, coming from Dracula, Jack, I think I'll
check it out, okay?” Stuart responded.
*********************
Daniel looked at Sam, then to Mitchell. “Go ahead,” he
insisted. “Check.”
“Sorry, Daniel,” Sam moved closer to him, checking all
the areas she knew might conceal any sign of a bite.
“No, I'd check too,” he confirmed, raising his eyebrows
at Carter. “Trust me, though, if one of those things had bitten me, I'd know.”
“Like the colonel you mean?” Sam asked.
“Ah,” Daniel acknowledged. “Um, yeah. Good, er, good
point.” He nodded then, a smile crossing his face. “Still can't figure why they
only bit Jack though,” he mused. “I mean, unless my blood has something in it?”
“I don't know,” Sam agreed. “Janet should though.”
*********************
At the bottom of the cliff face, Teal'c laid O'Neill
down, taking a breather.
“You want one of my men to take over?” Stuart asked.
Teal'c shook his head. “I will be fine,” he
insisted.
“Ah, Teal'c, is it any darker out there?” O'Neill
enquired. The muffled sound of his voice immediately attracted the
“It is not, however, the suns appear to be going
down,” Teal'c informed him.
“Okay you ready?” Stuart asked.
Teal'c nodded. “Indeed I am,” he said.
Major Collins assisted Teal'c in lifting O'Neill back
onto his shoulders.
“Well,” O’Neill said, from under the tent. “Isn't this
special!”
Teal'c allowed a brief smile to cross his lips. “This
is indeed very strange, O'Neill,” he agreed.
“Er, Teal'c?” O'Neill asked.
“What is it, O'Neill?” the
There was no answer.
“Colonel O'Neill?” Teal'c said again.
Colonel Stuart looked round. “We'd better get a move
on,” he ordered. “He ain't sounding so good.”
*********************
General Hammond sat at the head of the briefing table.
“Does somebody want to make some sense?” he enquired.
“Look, um, General. I know this is a lot to take in but
you had to be there, really, they were vampires,” Daniel Jackson tried to
explain.
Sam read
“It is?”
“Well, sir, think of vampire bats. They live from
drinking the blood of animals,” Sam attempted; even she was having
difficulties.
“Doctor Jackson, exactly what happened on that planet?
And please, try not to leave anything out,”
*********************
Jack O'Neill lay in a darkened room, armed guards
outside the door. Doctor Fraiser hovered over him. “It's alright, Colonel,” she
reassured. “You're back at the SGC. We're trying to make you comfortable, but
you're burning up.”
O'Neill regarded her cautiously for a moment. “Is it
bad news, Doc?” he enquired. His tone was extremely low, almost a growl.
“Well, Colonel, it's not good,” she said. “Whatever
infected your blood, it's changing your makeup quite dramatically.”
“Sweet,” O'Neill rasped. “I know I wanted to live a
long time...”
“Don't worry, Colonel, we'll figure it out. Try to
rest.”
“That's alright for you, Doc, but everything's
burning, could I get a drink?” he asked, attempting to sit up and finding his
arms restrained.
“I'm sorry, Colonel, General Hammond insisted. I'll
get you some water.”
Fraiser tried to be as calming on him as she could,
but she felt helpless, the blood results had not been good.
*********************
Doctor Fraiser joined the briefing. “General, Colonel
O'Neill's condition isn't totally blood related,” she told the gathering. “The
parasite that appears to be in his blood is consuming his red blood cells at an
increasing rate, but leaving the plasma and the white cells uninfected.”
“Exactly what's happening in there, Doctor?” General
Hammond asked.
“Well, sir, his red cell count is dropping
drastically, other than that, I can't really say. His hypothalamus is badly
affected, his internal body temperature is rising and dropping dramatically,
and he's getting weaker.”
“What about a blood dialysis?” Carter asked.
“The organism is attached to the tissue, Major, we'd
just be feeding it.”
“So what?”
Janet looked at him. “Well, you have allergies,
Daniel. The colonel doesn't take antihistamines, maybe that's why, but it's not
going to actually help. The truth is I don't know what to do,” Doctor Fraiser
confessed.
“Well, if, um, it's vampirism, should you be giving
him a transfusion? At least that would sustain him until we could find
something to help?” Daniel continued. “I mean maybe the Tok'ra, or the Asgard
have come across this, um, thing before, maybe they know how to treat it?” he
suggested.
“Will giving Colonel O'Neill blood transfusions keep
him alive, Doctor?” General Hammond asked.
“Yes, sir, I think it will, but we'll only be feeding
the organism, and it certainly won't cure him,” Fraiser said.
“I'm only concerned with making sure he stays alive
long enough to find a cure, Doctor, do whatever you need to do,”
“Sir,” Doctor Fraiser pointed out. “We may need to get
a sample of the pure disease.” She chose the word
“Colonel Stuart, are you and your men up to attempting
to catch one of these creatures?”
“Yes, sir, we are,” Stuart replied, puffing out his
chest.
“I will accompany them, my symbiote will protect me,”
Teal'c insisted.
*********************
Daniel pulled a chair alongside Jack's bed.
“Hey, Jack, how you feeling?” he asked.
O'Neill attempted a smile; he opened his mouth. “Am I growing
teeth?” he asked.
“No,” Daniel replied, trying not to laugh.
“What's so damn funny?” O'Neill enquired, looking
slightly vexed.
“I'm sorry,” Daniel smiled. “I just remembered that
film, you know 'Dead and Loving It', and it’s kind of an easier image to take
in.”
“Sweet,” O'Neill responded. “Fraiser's given me a
blood drip.” His eyes gestured up towards the plastic bag filled with blood.
“Makes me feel so much more human!”
“Glad you're, um, keeping your sense of humour,”
Daniel said. “Teal'c's going back to the planet to try and catch one of them,
hopefully, they'll get the right one without being, um, well you know. And
we've also sent urgent messages to the Tok'ra and the Asgard, maybe they can
help.”
“Yeah, Daniel, strangely enough I do,” Jack responded.
He winced then, suddenly struggling against his restraints.
“Jack?” Daniel called out in alarm. “I need some help
in here,” he yelled.
The two guards came running through the door, just as
Jack managed to break the restraints. All three men struggled with him, trying
to hold him down.
Daniel, thrown clear of the fray, lunged for the
alarm.
“Jesus!” he exclaimed, as O'Neill easily threw the
other two away from him.
One of them reached for his gun. O'Neill was so fast
Daniel barely saw him move. The guard fell lifelessly to the floor. Jack turned
then, his eyes red. Daniel, sensing he wasn't going to be able to get through
to his friend, slammed the door, as another six SFs appeared.
“We've got to find a way to stop him,” Daniel snapped.
“Do you have a Zat?”
One of the SF's turned and headed back for the armoury
just as O'Neill began to attempt to break down the door.
Daniel had been joined by Sam and Doctor Fraiser. “We
need to sedate him,” Fraiser shouted at the SFs.
“Er, good luck!” Daniel remarked. “He's already
overpowered me and the two guards, and I think he may have killed one of them.”
Fraiser and Sam looked horrified. “I don't even think
Teal'c would be strong enough to restrain him,” Sam said.
The SF returned with a Zat gun, handing it to Major
Carter. “Okay,” she said dubiously. “Hope this works. Get ready.”
The SF's all took aim. Daniel moved forward and opened
the door, jumping back to avoid O'Neill's lunge. Sam opened fire with the Zat.
O'Neill fell backwards, stunned, but almost immediately he was getting up.
“Oh, that's not good,” Daniel observed.
Two SF's raised their weapons to fire at O'Neill.
Daniel, thinking quickly, stood between them. “Jack,” he said softly. “If you
can hear me, and god I hope you can, I need you to calm down.”
O'Neill's eyes were blazing red, blank and glazed. The
colour drained from his face. Unmoving, but menacing, he regarded Daniel
without the slightest sign of recognition.
“Jack,” Daniel said again. “It's Daniel, listen to me,
I know you're in there.” He moved closer now.
“Daniel?” Sam warned. “I don't think he cares, back
away from him.”
Daniel gestured for her to be silent, and moved closer
still. “Jack, please, you can fight this.”
“Aim for his legs,” Colonel Stuart called out, arriving
in answer to the distress signal.
Teal'c was not far behind him.
The SFs aimed low. “No!” Daniel snapped. “Not unless
he moves… don't.”
“Sir,” Doctor Fraiser said. “I don't think shooting
him is the answer.”
“Nor do I, Doctor, but if he can't be controlled...”
“Stand down,”
Colonel Stuart turned and looked at
“Shut up, Colonel,”
Daniel was close enough to reach out now and touch
him. “Jack, you have to listen or they're going to shoot you. Fight it
please.” His tone was calming, he kept eye contact.
Jack's eyes seemed to widen then, almost in a sign of
recognition. “Come on, you don't want to hurt me,” Daniel soothed. “Think how
upset you'd be without me to rag on?” He smiled then.
Jack leant back against the wall, his eyes closing, he
sank down slowly.
Daniel breathed out a huge breath. “Okay,” he said. “I
think someone in there needs medical attention.”
Stuart nodded. “Yes, sir!” he replied, heading back
towards the embarkation room.
Teal'c looked at
“No, Teal'c, I think we have it under control now. Go
on, son,” he urged.
*********************
Heavier restraints now held O'Neill in place. He had
woken several times during the night, and fought them hard; this time they
held.
Each time, Daniel had been there, once falling off his
chair in shock as he dozed.
Doctor Fraiser and Sam Carter had been close by too.
“This is too weird,” Sam told Janet, as they stood in the adjacent room,
watching on a monitor.
“I know,” Janet sighed. “I just wish I knew what to
do, other than sedate him. I mean it's attacking the red blood cells, which
make up over half the blood in the body. Pretty soon, even the sedatives aren't
going to work.”
“Well that's what vampires do, isn't it? And…” Carter
shook her head. “I still can't believe I'm saying that word.”
“I know, but come on, we've seen a lot worse,” Janet
told her. “The Goa'uld… I guess it's just so close to home, and supposedly a
myth!”
*********************
“Daniel?”
Jack's voice was low, weak.
“What?” he asked, in a waking sleep that somehow
managed to hear Jack's voice. “Jack?”
“What the hell happened to me? I feel like I've done a
couple of rounds with Teal'c?” He tried and failed to sit up.
“Er, well, the good news is, the guard you nearly
killed lived,” Daniel told him, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes.
“What's the bad news?” Jack asked, seeming to be more
himself now than Daniel had seen in a while.
“Um, we haven't found a cure, and, er, Teal'c and Colonel
Stuart were unsuccessful in tracking down Aiestrodous, seems they've moved
caves, or something.”
“Swell,” Jack complained. “Could I get a drink?”
“Of, um, er water?”
Jack's face screwed up then. “For crying out loud, of
course water, what did you think I meant?”
Daniel bit his bottom lip. “Well last night, you
wanted blood. Actually, not just any blood, you, er, told me you were going to
drink mine.”
Jack looked horrified. “God.” He almost spat the words
out. “I must be really sick.” His eyes narrowed as he regarded
Daniel looked offended. “Thanks, Jack, I kind of
thought the same thing. I'll um.” He stood now. “Go get you some water, and
Doctor Fraiser, I'll be right back, okay?”
Jack looked heavenwards. “Well, I'm not exactly going
anywhere am I?” he pointed out, lifting his hands as far as the restraints
would allow.
“No, um. Be back,” Daniel said, as he shuffled out of
the room.
Both Sam and Janet were sleeping on the gurneys in the
infirmary. Daniel, considered waking both, then opted for Doctor Fraiser.
“Janet?” he whispered, gently pushing at her arm.
“What?” She startled, looking up at Daniel, her senses
taking a moment to recognise him.
“Jack's awake, and actually complaining,” he jested.
“Ah,” Janet gave a warm smile. “Now that's more like
the Colonel O'Neill I know,” she said, following Daniel the short walk to the
room that housed the heavily restrained O'Neill.
“Well, Colonel, how are you feeling?” she asked.
O'Neill raised both his eyebrows and yet still managed
to sneak a downtrodden expression in. “Well Doc, I've been better,” he
confessed. “Daniel, did you get me that water?”
“Ah, yeah. Um, eyes are still red though,” he pointed
out.
“Great, am I glowing in the dark? Do I have a
reflection,” he joked. Then more seriously, his tongue slid over his teeth.
“Are my teeth changing?”
His quizzical expression brought a smile from Doctor
Fraiser.
“No, Colonel, they're fine. Temperature's going down,
that could be a good thing,” she began.
“I sense an ‘or’ in that statement,” Jack commented
immediately.
“Well, I'm afraid you still look anaemic, Colonel, and
the eyes.”
“Yeah, I get it,” Jack agreed. “Not exactly my normal
shade of brown!”
Daniel put a straw in the water glass and proceeded to
assist O'Neill in taking a drink. “Throat's burning up a bit, Doc,” he said.
“I'm sorry, Colonel, at this point, I don't know what
else to try. I'm giving you antibiotics which seem to help, but the parasitic
nature of this infection is proving a little difficult to combat.”
O'Neill nodded slowly. “Well, if it gets too bad, a
stake through the heart might work!” he said.
Fraiser and Jackson both frowned heavily. There was no
levity in O'Neill's tone, he looked and sounded extremely serious.
“Um, well if it comes to it, Jack, I guess we could
try the old garlic remedy too!” Daniel attempted levity.
Jack winced then, beginning to strain against the
restraints.
“Er, should we worry?” escaped from Daniel's lips.
Teal'c entered the room. “We have received a message from
the Asgard, Thor is coming here,” he said, then immediately moved towards
O'Neill to hold him down. “Is he not any better?”
“Well, he was for a moment there, Teal'c,” Janet said.
“Thor, great!” Daniel exclaimed. “Maybe the Asgard
know what we're dealing with?”
“I hope so, Daniel. If this keeps up his body might go
into shock!” Janet sounded concerned.
*********************
“Exactly where are we with this?” General Hammond
asked the assembly of people that included all of the remaining members of SG1,
Doctor Fraiser and Colonel Stuart.
“Well, sir, I'd like to go back and attempt another
recon,” Stuart announced. “Only this time set a trap in the dark, sir.”
“A trap?”
“Yes sir, have one of my men at that circle of stones,
a unit standing by.”
“Colonel?” Daniel interrupted. “You have no idea what
you're dealing with here. Jack said these things can fly, added to the fact
that the ones guarding the flesh and blood version that bit Jack, are made up
of pure energy, anything you fire at them would be useless. To, um, risk,
someone else would be stupid.”
“Well,
“Alright, that's enough, let's wait and see what the
Asgard can do, shall we?”
At that moment, a beam of light entered the room; it
was Thor. “Greetings,” he said. “Your message sounded urgent, the Asgard high
council send you their warmest regards. How can we help?”
“Hello, Thor,” Sam acknowledged. “Colonel O'Neill has
been bitten by a vampire and we can't seem to find a cure. Wondered if the
Asgard might know of such a thing?”
“A vampire?” Thor questioned. “What is a vampire?”
Daniel stood, approaching the Asgard high commander.
“Um, it feeds on the blood of humans and other creatures to survive, infecting
the host with its own, and causing a metamorphosis, changing the victim into
one of them.”
“I see, and where is Colonel O'Neill?” Thor asked.
“Um, I'll, er, take you to him,” Daniel
suggested.
The moment the location entered Daniel's mind, the
pair were beamed into the room.
“Jack O'Neill,” Thor greeted. He approached the
colonel, his hand sweeping over his face and body.
“It is indeed an infection,” Thor told Daniel. “A
parasite.”
“Can you cure it?” Daniel asked immediately.
“The Asgard cannot cure such parasites. However, we
may be able to assist in the capture of the vampire so that you may find such a
cure,” Thor explained.
The others, suspecting that Thor had beamed directly
to O'Neill's bedside, now approached.
“Doctor Jackson?”
“Um, Thor says he can't cure it. But he will help us
capture Aiestrodous, which I'm hoping will, um, help.”
“Thank you, Thor,” General Hammond said. “Major
Carter, Colonel Stuart, you go with Thor.”
“General Hammond,” Thor stated. “I will take Colonel
O'Neill and Daniel Jackson.” With this, the three beamed from the base.
*********************
“Ah, god,” Jack
exclaimed, as they arrived on Thor's ship. “What the hell?”
“It's alright, Jack,” Daniel said. “Thor's here to
help.”
Jack looked around at the Asgard high commander.
“Thank you,” he said.
“You are welcome, Jack O'Neill,” Thor responded. “I
will place you in a pod until we arrive, for your safety.”
Jack nodded, and disappeared into a beam of light.
“Um, he will be alright?”
Thor shook his head. “I regret that unless you are
able to find a cure for this organism, that he will become as a vampire.”
Daniel looked horror stricken. “Thor, surely with all
your technology, you must be able to find something?”
“The Asgard have studied many different races, Daniel
Jackson, but we have yet to encounter this one.”
Within an hour, Thor's ship orbited the planet. Daniel,
having been told by Thor that they would need to beam O'Neill to the surface in
order to locate the vampire, was now sitting with his companion; a silver disc
had been placed on O'Neill's upper arm.
“This will prevent the organism from consuming too
much of your energy,” Thor explained.
Jack nodded. “Sweet!” O'Neill jested. “Does it prevent
excess teeth growth as well?”
Thor regarded O'Neill.
“It's Jack's sense of humour,” Daniel offered by way
of explanation.
“Are you ready, Jack O'Neill?”
“Yeah, beam down to sucksville,” Jack agreed.
*********************
Jack sat amongst the circle of stones, comforted
slightly by the fact that he knew Thor was up above, watching his six.
“You return?” Came a voice from the darkness; O'Neill
instantly recognised it as Aiestrodous.
“Did I have a choice?” he replied, standing, instantly
aware suddenly of the vampire who had used the shadows of the moon to conceal
himself.
“I regret my actions, however,” Aiestrodous explained,
“I needed a companion.”
“Excuse me?” Jack vociferated. “And you picked me?”
“The other one was impure,” Aiestrodous explained.
“Your life force is strong.”
“Yeah, well my life force is mine, know what I mean?
So if you don't mind? I need to get unvamped?” O'Neill demanded, moving closer.
“That is not possible. In time you will understand,”
Aiestrodous moved closer to O'Neill now.
The colonel looked suddenly uncomfortable.
“Okay, Dracula, back off,” he warned. “Um...”
As Aiestrodous was close enough, mesmerising O'Neill, the
pair were beamed aboard Thor's ship; the vampire surrounded by a force field of
some kind that Daniel was able to barely make out.
“Gotcha!” O'Neill declared.
Aiestrodous attempted to breach the force field. “What
have you done?” he demanded. “I will be free, I am the darkness.”
“Yeah, yeah,” O'Neill satirized. “We got that part,
and our buddy Thor here, well he's our Van Helsing.”
Aiestrodous looked infuriated; his eyes glowed red, a
yellow tint appearing in the centre.
“Whoa,” O'Neill said. “Is that thing gonna hold?” he
asked Thor.
“It will hold, O'Neill, his own energy now contains
him,” Thor explained.
Daniel moved closer. “Look. We don't want to kill you,
we just want Jack back. So if you want to suggest something now, um, we could
just send you back to the planet?”
The vampire regarded him, his expression barely
changing. “There is only one way,” he said slowly.
“And that is?” O'Neill asked, moving alongside Daniel
now.
Aiestrodous looked at O'Neill. “It would mean your
death,” he told them. “The life force that was mine, and that lives within you,
may only be destroyed by no living blood to feed upon.”
“Um, well, er, that's not an option,” Daniel
commented.
“Ya think!” O'Neill exclaimed.
Aiestrodous turned to Thor now. “Do you have the means
to revive him, should he be dormant for more than an Earth day?”
Thor nodded slowly. “We have such technology,” he
agreed.
“You, er, do?” Daniel asked. “Great, so how do we do
this?”
O'Neill shook his head, his expression one of complete
surprise. “Now, hold on a minute, kill me?” he enquired. “As in dead?”
“It is the only way to prevent my life force taking
over,” Aiestrodous confirmed. “No other alternative is known.”
“Um, so how do we, er, kill him?” Daniel asked.
Jack looked at Daniel then, his favoured lopsided
expression, disdain and disbelief. “Don't sound so enthusiastic,” he said.
Aiestrodous suddenly disappeared into a beam of light.
“Whoa!” O'Neill shouted. “Wait... Thor?”
“Colonel O'Neill,” Thor said. “The Asgard can not take
a human life, this must be done by you, Daniel Jackson, you are his friend.”
It was Daniel's turn to look dubious. “Um, me?” he
asked. “How?”
Jack looked at him. “You're asking me? Stake through
the heart? Gun?” he added. “It's not gonna be nice either way, is it?”
“I am sorry, O'Neill, with death will come pain,” Thor
said.
“Yeah,” O'Neill sighed heavily. “So I get a choice,
right?”
Thor nodded.
Daniel was still looking reticent. “Um, Jack, I don't
know if I can do this,” he declared, his tone shaky now.
“Daniel, for crying out loud, you have to,” Jack
encouraged and berated, all at the same time. “A quick shot to the head ought
to do it.” He grimaced. “And, Danny boy, try to aim straight.”
“Small problem, I, er, don't have one?” Daniel pointed
out.
Jack shrugged his shoulders. “Well isn't that special,
okay, Thor, now what?”
A gun appeared in Daniel's hand. His eyes closed for a
second, taking a deep breath. “Um, well that, er, solved that problem,” he
said, swallowing hard.
Jack now looked slightly afraid, it crept into his
eyes and he couldn't conceal it. He drew in a deep breath. “Okay, Daniel,” he
ordered. “Do it.”
Daniel raised the gun. “Oh, this is ridiculous, I
can't do this,” he said.
Jack, who had closed his eyes anticipating the shot,
opened them wide. “Daniel, you have to, just please, do it.”
Daniel looked across at Thor. “You're sure?” he said.
Thor bowed his head.
“Yoi,” Jack snapped. “Will you just do it?”
Tears were welling up in Daniel's eyes. He knew that
Thor would bring Jack back to life, but it felt like what it was; he was
killing his friend.
Jack opened his eyes, looking into Daniel's. He tried
to offer solace but he felt afraid, and it was written all over his face. A
weak smile covered that fear for a moment.
Daniel moved closer. Aiming for the heart, he pushed
the nozzle into Jack's chest. His eyes closing, his finger squeezed the
trigger.
Almost immediately Jack was gone; Thor saved Daniel
the sight of seeing his friend's body.
Daniel walked away, dropping the gun to the floor. Finding
one of the many ‘windowed' areas, he stood there, his forehead resting on the
alloy bar that crossed it. Tears that he couldn't control streamed down his
face. Images of the many times he'd spent arguing, talking and laughing with
his friend.
He sank down, and sat on the floor, gathering his
knees into his chest and wrapping his arms about them tightly.
*********************
Thor's ship stayed in orbit of the planet. He did not
want to risk moving the ship whilst honing the technology to revive, and mend
his friend.
He had watched Daniel Jackson's agony with a sense of
loss, and sympathy, but he was far more a pragmatic being than his human
counterpart.
Yet still, it fascinated him, how emotive humans were
with their friends.
He had not wanted to intrude on Daniel's grief, but
had kept a watchful eye on him, as he now did with O'Neill. The 24 hours almost
up, he began to engage the technology and watched the wound closing around
O'Neill heart, monitoring the instruments that told him the second O'Neill drew
breath.
He opened the pod. “Colonel O'Neill?”
O'Neill's eyes opened. “Thor,” he gasped. His eyes
were sensitive to the light, and he half closed them. “Did it work?” He began
to sit up, looking around him at the strange room he was in. “Where's Daniel?”
“Indeed, O'Neill. My sensors do not detect the
organism.”
“Great. Wow!” O'Neill said, feeling the affects of the
technology, making him feel almost in perfect health. “Thanks.”
Thor regarded him; a simple nod his reply.
*********************
Daniel looked at his watch, his tears, long since dry,
stained his face. He stood up now, from what had been an uncomfortable sleep.
Jack suddenly appeared in front of him. “I'm back,” he
said, a smile sweeping across his face.
Daniel beamed back at him. “Jack, are you okay?” he
asked.
“Well, considering I was dead, I feel great,” he told
his colleague. “Nice shot!”
Daniel's eyebrows flew up. “Yeah, um, about that, I,
er...”
“Daniel, don't mention it, for crying out loud, you
were just saving my life,” Jack told him.
“Yeah, well, don't take this the wrong way, but please
never ask me to do that again,” Daniel stated. “Because, I, um, I couldn't.”
Jack smiled at him. “You know, Daniel, I'm impressed,”
he said.
“You are? Why?”
“It took a lot of guts to do that,” Jack insisted.
“And, well, thanks.”
“Um, don't mention it. Are we going home now?”
Jack looked around. “Ah, yeah, Thor said something
about dropping us off.”
“Great, because I could use some sleep. I think I got
about, oh, four hours in the last two days.” Daniel's blatant subject change
didn't go unheeded by O'Neill.
“Well, I wondered why you looked so awful,” he said
playfully. “Me? I slept like the dead.”
Daniel nodded, a grimace covering his expression.
“Yeah, ah, very funny,” he commented. “Just, er, do me one favour?”
“Hey!” O'Neill exclaimed. “After what you did, how can
I refuse?” Jack said, warmly placing his arm around Daniel's
shoulders. “What is it?”
“Could you leave the part about me shooting you out of
your report?” Daniel asked sheepishly.
Jack smiled. “Why?” he enquired, in his own charming
style.
“Er, well because it, um,” Daniel stammered.
“It sounds harsh and un-Daniel like?” Jack intervened.
“Or, you're afraid someone might actually believe you enjoyed it?”
Daniel turned away from Jack's brotherly embrace then.
“Jack, doing that was the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life. It's
personal.” He stared at his companion. “You know what I mean?”
Jack nodded thoughtfully. “Tell you what,” he
suggested. “We'll say I shot myself, how's that sound? And then you and Thor
did the ER thing and saved my life?”
Daniel smiled. “See, that's what I missed when you
went dark side,” he confided. “That wonderful sense of humour that so often
manages to get right under my skin.”
“Well, isn't that nice, back to normal so soon,” Jack
said, walking away from Daniel, a smile across his face. “Return of the geek!”
Daniel slid his tongue into the side of his mouth,
looking ruefully after the colonel. “Better a geek,” he said. “Than a
sarcastic, condescending, overbearing...”
Jack turned. “Member of the US Air Force?” he
concluded.
Daniel smiled. “That's not it, but it's close enough,
Jack, it's close enough.”
The End.
© Jaclyn 2000
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