Jackson's Not Himself: A "Crusade" Fic
Jackson's Not Himself: A "Crusade" Fic
by Aurora Novarum
Summary: Mitchell's point of view during a typical SG-1 morning: possession of a teammate, apocalyptic predictions, screwed up alien technology. The events of "Crusade".
Category: Missing Scene/Epilogue, POV
Episode Related: 919 Crusade
Season: Season 9
Pairing: Team
Rating: FAM
Warnings: minor language, none
Author's Notes: Thanks to beta Fabrisse. Any errors are my own
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story was created for entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author(s).
Archived on: 04/03/06
After clearing the fogged up mirror, Mitchell turned around and stared at his teammate, starting to feel self-conscious under that clearly appraising gaze.
"Jackson, is there something I should know?"
He waited for the punchline, the explanation, hell even a declaration of devotion at this point because that look from his teammate was starting to creep him out.
Instead Jackson gave him a wide, uncharacteristic grin and giggled. Jackson giggling was not a sight Mitchell expected to see, especially not in a crowded men's locker room. "Actually, yes, Colonel. But you can't blame a girl for admiring the view."
Can't blame a girl? What the..? That smile. It was familiar, just not on Jackson.
A memory came to him of trying to finish his dessert in the commissary while being cajoled. "Not to mention seductively attractive?"
"Vala?!?"
If possible, the grin got wider. "You remember." The head tilted. "Colonel, darling, if I'd known you'd cared, I might have spent a bit more time with you than going after my Daniel. There's no reason we couldn't have had some fun too."
If Mitchell had any doubts about the identity of the person in front of him, they were dismissed by the throaty laugh that issued from Jackson's mouth.
Mitchell had a dozen questions on the tip of his tongue: where was she, was she all right, had she traveled to the Ori galaxy, was she still there, how the hell did she end up in Jackson? But before he could state any of them, he became very aware that Vala's speech and demeanor were attracting attention from some of the men in states of various undress, all of whom were catching Vala's wandering eye. "Stand to, Marine!" Mitchell ordered before one of the guys from SG-12 dropped his towel to start putting on his clothes. The lieutenant stopped and stared at him in shock.
Jackson...er, Vala just stared at him in amusement. "As much as I'm enjoying this, Colonel, I really have some important news to share about the Ori."
"I'm sure. But this is not the place for it." He grabbed Daniel's arm and started to herd her out of the locker room.
"My my, not wasting time now, are we?" Vala curled one of Daniel's fingers and flicked some the shaving cream covering Mitchell's face onto the floor. It was then Mitchell remembered his own state of undress. Damn.
He released her and glowered, using his trained pilot's eye to scan the locker room through peripheral vision while keeping Daniel/Vala in his sight. "You. Bosworth." He pointed to one of the guys from SG-3 who was dressed and had been gaping at the scene while tying his shoes.
Bosworth's jaw clamped shut, and he gulped. "Yes, sir?"
Mitchell crooked a finger, and the senior airman nervously complied. Mitchell eyed the rest of the crowd and gritted his teeth. Tell the others to mind their own business and let Vala get an eyeful, or let them keep watching the "Jackson's acting odd" show? Which would make Daniel less likely to kill him later?
"Airman, could you please escort Doctor Jackson out into the hall and keep him there? He's not exactly himself." Mitchell emphasized the last word and gave Vala an intimidating stare. She stared back with a knowing, very un-Jackson like grin.
Bosworth had been around the block, and understood Mitchell's implication immediately. His body instantly tensed, alert. "Foothold, sir?"
"No. She's..." Mitchell paused, "harmless" was not a word one ever used to describe Vala Mal Doran. He didn't think one word could describe the thief and con-artist. "...a friendly."
Bosworth's eyes widened, and Mitchell belated realized he called Jackson a "she". Oh, if the good Doctor ever found out about this... Lowering his voice further, he responded. "Do you remember Vala Mal Doran?"
Bosworth blinked, then his eyes narrowed. "Sir, yes, sir. I was on the Prometheus."
Mitchell was confused for a second before he realized what Bosworth meant. SG-3 was there during Vala's hijacking. Hmm, maybe not the best choice after all. Then again, he didn't have to worry about "Daniel Jackson" seducing the poor airman.
"Well, Just keep an eye on "Doctor Jackson" here until I can get myself dressed. Don't let...him wander away or anything. Got it?"
Bosworth stared at Daniel Jackson, his expression sober, but nodding his head. "Sir, yes, sir. Um, but sir, Col. Reynolds is expecting me..."
"I'll make sure to explain things to your C.O. Besides, it won't take me that long."
"Yes, sir. Doctor Jackson, sir?"
Jackson/Vala gave Mitchell a disquieting wink and one final toe-to head appraisal before accompanying Bosworth out the door.
Mitchell wiped the shaving cream off his face with a towel and set a record for getting dressed. He burst out the locker room door, overshirt still undone, to find Jackson leaning against one wall, and Bosworth stonily facing him from the opposite wall. Well, at least Vala hadn't tried to seduce the airman, though from Bosworth's expression, perhaps he was luckier Bosworth didn't try to kill her. SG-3 was very sensitive about how Vala had overcome the unit not once, but twice during that mission.
"Thank you, Airman. You're relieved. I'll talk to Reynolds as soon as I'm able, but I'm sure he'll understand once you explain the situation."
"Yes, sir."
Mitchell grabbed Jackson by the elbow and started dragging him down the corridor.
"Ow! Hey, is that any way to treat someone in my condition?"
Mitchell glanced back and noticed an expression similar to the one Jackson used when he was particularly annoyed at Cameron. "Physically, you look fine, 'Jackson'," he emphasized the name, "we've got to get to Sam, ASAP."
"But wait, I have to tell you about...Colonel Carter? She's still here? Oh, good. She seemed a bit more intelligent than the rest of you lot. Does that mean your desperate ploys to get her to return finally worked?"
Mitchell just shot her a menacing look which had no more effect on her than it did whenever he used it on Jackson. He fumbled with the buttons to his still undone shirt, praying he didn't run into the General before he put himself together. He always wanted to make certain his top button was buttoned and all was spit and polish when he was in front of the base commander.
By the time he put himself together, Mitchell had reached the commissary. He kicked open the doors and swung Vala inside. The two stopped in front of Sam's table.
The lieutenant colonel had just finished putting a spoonful of food in her mouth, and she looked up at her teammates with a bewildered expression. Mitchell glanced at Vala. Oh yeah, the posture, the hands on the hips, it was obvious this was not Daniel Jackson. Would she please stop swaying around like that?
He inadvertently took his ire out on Sam, as if she would magically have the answer to this scenario. "How is this possible?"
Sam looked at both of them before she almost spit out her food. "Ohmygod!" She mumbled before swallowing. "It worked! I mean, you know, it's working!"
Amazing. She not only knew, it appeared she caused this! Before he knew what was happening, Sam tore out of the commissary and off to her lab. Vala/Daniel was already following and Mitchell found himself bringing up the rear. Sam arrived in her lab and at his prompting, proceeded to explain what worked in the technobabble that made his eyes glaze over no matter how closely he tried to follow it. A Kawoosh? What the hell was a kawoosh?
"The unstable vortex of a forming wormhole. Kawoosh!"
"Don't think I've ever heard you call it that before."
"Really?"
"Don't get me wrong. I mean, it's good..."
"I'm sure I..."
"Hello. Hi." Vala interrupted the discussion to try and bring everyone's focus back to her immediate problem. "My name is Vala, but I am in Daniel Jackson right now...?"
It was enough to get Sam back into explaining how they were trying to duplicate the effect. Mitchell wondered if Jackson was aware of and/or approved this experiment. Based on what happened last time, it didn't seem the greatest idea to try and repeat this. He looked at the teammate next to him, or at least the body of his teammate. Mitchell didn't think Daniel Jackson would approve of this at all. Fidgeting, Mitchell figured he should make the best of the situation and gain some intel.
"So you're in the Ori galaxy?"
"Yes."
"Are you able to communicate with Daniel?", Sam asked.
"No, just see and hear you."
"See, we've been using the data collected from the stone that Daniel activated at this end...which is why you're connected to...his body."
Vala giggled. "Hmm. It's funny isn't it? Daniel always wanted to get into my pants, and now I'm in his."
"Oh, that's not funny."
"Hmm?" Vala turned on him with a not so innocent gaze.
"He can't defend himself."
Sam quickly changed the subject back to the matter of how this happened, which she and Vala seemed to be happily discussing. But Mitchell was still soberly assessing the implications of what all this meant.
"You know, last time we couldn't break the connection."
"Well, that should be easy this time. We just shut down the computer."
"No! I mean, not yet. I have something very important to tell you."
Before Vala could go on, the phone rang. At Sam's nod, Mitchell went to answer it.
"Mitchell."
"Colonel, I'm looking for Doctor Jackson." The gruff voice of General Landry was on the other end, and he did not sound happy. "Is he with you?"
"Well, sort of." Mitchell winced at his own equivocation.
"Colonel. Doctor Jackson was supposed to be in my office ten minutes ago to prepare for a meeting with the Russian and Chinese ambassadors. Put him on the phone, now!"
"Sir, I'm sorry. I can't do that."
Landry's voice was menacing. "Colonel?"
"General, Vala Mal Doran is communicating with us by using an Ancient communication device she found in the Ori galaxy."
He heard the sharp intake of breath. "She's alive?"
"Yes, sir. She's talking to us now." Mitchell looked at Vala, who was tapping Daniel's foot impatiently.
"Well, I can understand Dr. Jackson's interest in this matter. But I need him..."
"Sir, you don't understand. She's talking to us through Dr. Jackson. She's in full possession of his body." Mitchell glowered at Vala's smug look at this admission.
"I see."
"Vala claims she has important information about the Ori."
"Set up Isolation Room 2. I'll meet you and your team there in ten minutes for Vala's 'debriefing'."
The phone disconnected from Landry's end before Mitchell could even acknowledge the response. "Landry wants us in Isolation Room 2. I'll keep an eye on Jackson's guest. Can you..."
"Colonel, you just can't bear to part from me." Mitchell was again faced with that disquieting grin on Daniel Jackson's face.
"Uh, no. I just think Jackson would be grateful someone ensures you don't take advantage of him."
"Colonel, I'm hurt." Vala clutched her breast in mock horror, then shifted it to move it down Daniel's torso. "Huh, I'm so flat. This is such a strange sensation."
Mitchell grabbed her wrist before her hand could move lower.
"That is exactly what I was talking about."
Vala gave a low chuckle. "Darling, don't you think I would have checked that out first thing? I mean we had a few floors to go in the elevator before I could speak with anyone."
Mitchell suppressed a groan as Vala turned to Carter. "Oh come on, like you wouldn't have done the same thing."
Sam coughed and moved to the phone. "I'll let Teal'c know to meet us."
Vala tried a few times to explain, but between moving to the Isolation Room, keeping Vala from acting too un-Daniel like, and making sure the equipment was set up, there wasn't much time for the play by play. Mitchell poured her a glass of water. Some airmen were just finishing setting up the added audio-visual equipment and the security cameras were set.
Teal'c and Sam entered soon after. Daniel Jackson's face lit up. "Muscles!"
Teal'c raised an eyebrow and turned to Sam. "Are you certain DanielJackson is in no danger, ColonelCarter?"
"So long as you don't plan to burn us at the stake or anything, we should both be fine. Thanks for your concern."
"I am concerned for both of you ValaMalDoran. We owe you a debt. However, it is only DanielJackson to whom we can render aid at this time."
"Oh." Vala settled back in her chair, somewhat mollified. She took a sip of water.
"So, do you know how you ended up in the Ori galaxy? I've got to tell you, I've had some theories regarding the energy conversion of the ring matter stream compared to the gravitational effect of the black hole..."
"To be honest, I don't remember anything after ringing out of the cargo ship. Everything went black right after."
"Well, that makes sense. Jackson pulled his sleeping beauty routine right after the Supergate exploded."
"That's right, the physical connection you and Daniel shared had not yet completely worn off."
Mitchell was slightly relieved when Lt. Col. Carter's excited theorizing was interrupted by the appearance of Gen. Landry, who stopped short at seeing Daniel Jackson calmly sitting at a table, drinking water.
"Are you sure it's her?"
"Oh, yes, sir. It's definitely her." Mitchell settled back by the camera monitor checking to make certain it was recording.
"Well, Ms. Mal Doran, you have our attention."
"Does this mean I can finally tell you my story?"
Four nods answered her query. Vala heaved a sigh of relief. "Well, okay then..."
Mitchell listened with both impatience and interest as Vala explained everything that befell her since she disappeared in the destruction of the Supergate. His impatience was less due to Vala's own personality and more to do with how he could tell the General was reacting.
But it seemed like trying to get her to speed up her tale was not helping. She went from laying out the cast of characters to a wedding ceremony?
"Okay, maybe we skipped ahead a little too far."
"Well I tried to lay it out in order. Ooh, that's a bad choice of words."
Carter was able to get her back on track...somewhat. Mitchell had read some wacky reports about SG-1's exploits. Hell, he'd experienced some himself by now. But he really didn't expect to hear Daniel Jackson's voice worriedly describing how he had gotten pregnant out of wedlock. Apparently in Vala's own body, the pregnancy was very obvious.
Pregnant by some mystical means? Was this yet another of her cons? No, despite her usual tendency to look for an angle, Vala's hatred and fear for the Ori would go past all else. Beyond her imitation of Daniel's earnest expression, Mitchell could see the fear in her eyes. She didn't know what was happening to her, and she was scared to death. This was no scam.
But how did she expect them to be able to help her in her pregnancy? Jackson was the Ancient expert. He would understand both the Arthurian legend and the Ori's abilities better than anyone else here. Was it Arthur or Merlin that was said to conceived of other worldly means? There was something about a dead husband. That Middle English was a bear to read.
Landry couldn't put off the IOA suits any longer, so he left and SG-1 heard the remainder of her tale. Mitchell couldn't imagine what this woman had gone through, three days without food or water, in her condition? Jackson was right, Vala was a survivor. He was impressed, appalled and confused by her fear for this unexplainable child inside her. But he let her continue her tale.
Ten ships, and a booby-trapped resistence? Why couldn't she have mentioned the working Supergate sooner? Finally some concrete knowledge they could do something about. He needed practical intel, and he and Sam began to pepper her with questions.
"Do you have any other intel we could use? You said this Seevis had access to the specs on the ships. What kind of weaponry do they have?"
"And shields, and anything on the power source they're using."
Vala shook Daniel's head. "No, no, I..."
The voice faltered, a slight panic crossed over Daniel's features, then confusion. Mitchell froze, incredulous at the timing. Not now. Not when they could find out information about the Ori ships.
"Guys, what's going on?"
"Jackson?"
"How did I get here?"
"The emulator's still running. Something must have happened on Vala's end." Mitchell did not like the concerned look in Sam's face.
"Vala's end? Vala's end of what?"
Oh, boy, how was he going to explain this? "Well, Jackson, you know how you kind of took over Harrid's body on your little jaunt to the Ori galaxy...?"
"Yes," Daniel drawled out the word, his memories of that doomed villager were obvious in his eyes. Then he put together what Cameron was trying to say. "Wait, that happened to me? Who was it? Why are you talking about Vala?"
He took the news better than Mitchell had expected, but then again, being possessed by an alien consciousness was not a new experience for him, was it?
"It was ValaMalDoran who possessed you, DanielJackson."
Jackson blinked and swallowed. "She's alive? Sam was right? She survived?" He slumped back in his chair. "Vala's alive. Is she okay?"
"Well she was until a few seconds ago, at least mostly. I'm sorry, Daniel, she got cut off. We don't know what happened."
Daniel Jackson sucked in his breath, his eyes narrowed. "What do you mean mostly?"
"She's pregnant, Daniel."
"Pregnant...?"
"ValaMalDoran believes the Ori were somehow responsible. She insists the pregnancy occurred without copulation."
"Without...?"
Teal'c tilted his head. "Copulation...she believed..."
Mitchell started talking over his teammate as Daniel looked around in shock. "She thinks the Ori had something to do with it. Jackson, do you have any idea why they would have done this?"
Daniel Jackson crinkled his brow in concentration. "No. I don't remember reading anything similar in their Book of Origin, but..." His voice trailed off, obviously trying to digest everything.
"She was telling us about the Ori ships, and then the connection was lost somehow on her end."
"They cut her off?" Daniel looked alarmed. "But, if they impregnated her, they wouldn't try to kill her again, would they?"
He looked at his teammates in turn. Mitchell was only able to shrug in reply. Daniel turned away from them, biting his lip. After a few moments, his expression turned to one Mitchell had gotten to calling Jackson's ponder mode.
"What did you say about Ori ships?"
"Vala said there were ten of them lifting off from the planet she was on. A resistence group like Fannis's gang tried to sabotage them, but the Priors circumvented them somehow. She got cut off before she could say anything else."
"Ten ships ready to leave? But that means..."
Sam nodded. "A working Supergate."
"But that makes finding Merlin's anti-Ori weapon that much more urgent. Does General Landry know?" Jackson's eyes widened. "Oh no. General Landry. The meeting. What time is it?"
He started to get up but Sam stopped him with a gentle push on his shoulder while Teal'c responded. "GeneralLandry is fully aware of your condition. He was present during some of Vala's explanations before being called away."
"But the delegation. They specifically requested me, and..."
"It's all right, Dr. Jackson. You were missed, but I managed."
"Sir."
"General."
"Sir."
"GeneralLandry."
Landry smiled and nodded, gesturing for Mitchell and Carter to regain their seats. "The Russians decided to conduct a little power play with the Stargate's lease renewal coming up. But it's all pretty much resolved except for the paper pushers crossing 't's and dotting 'i's. Although I missed your input, Doctor, it's not my first trip around the diplomacy block."
"Sir, the Gate?"
"Is staying right where it is, Colonel Carter. I take it our guest took her leave?"
"Not by choice, sir. It was disconnected from the Ori end."
"But not before she told us about ten Ori ships powered up and ready to take a jaunt through a Supergate somewhere in our neighborhood."
"GeneralLandry, I request permission to contact Dakara. We need to make them aware of this new intelligence."
Landry's expression remained grim. "Permission granted, Teal'c. We should contact all our allies. We'll need all the help we can get. Colonel Carter, get a hold of the Asgard and Tok'ra. Col. Mitchell, prepare to brief team leaders on your intel. Looks like I've got to make another call to Jack and the Joint Chiefs."
"Sir, the Russians, I should..."
"Doctor Jackson, you should report to the infirmary."
"Sir, I'm fine."
"Hmm. You won't mind if I get Dr. Lam's opinion on that?" Mitchell could tell it wasn't a request. "You have your orders. Dismissed."
As the team filed out, Mitchell held back. "Sir, with your permission, I'd like to accompany Dr. Jackson to the infirmary."
Landry studied Mitchell a moment before nodding. Mitchell matched Jackson's stride down the corridor.
"I can find my own way to the infirmary."
"Yeah, but you won't be able to explain why, because you don't know what happened to you."
Daniel sighed and nodded. They walked a few moments in silence before Daniel spoke up.
"This shouldn't be happening to her. Not again, and not alone like she is."
"Jackson, you said it yourself. Vala's a survivor."
"Yeah." Daniel sighed.
"If it hadn't gone down like that, we might have the Ori on our doorstep now."
"But we should've listened that time. I didn't even hear her speak up. I had tuned her out completely by that point. You know how she is, and that whole mission she had just kept pushing those buttons. The one time she said something useful, she wasn't heard."
"Oh, I know. Believe me, I know. Trust me, Jackson, her time in the Ori galaxy hasn't changed her that much."
Daniel stopped short. "What do you mean? What happened? What did she do?"
"Well..." One of Cameron's reasons for accompanying Daniel was to let him know what happened in the locker room before hearing about it elsewhere, though he was finding it difficult to talk about now that he had the opportunity.
"Mitchell!"
And the other reason was striding down the corridor towards them. Mitchell winced and immediately moved in a protective stance between Daniel Jackson and the approaching Colonel Reynolds.
"Hey, Reynolds."
"Colonel." Daniel acknowledged from behind him, trying to move back into the open again from where Mitchell had him semi-blocked by the wall. Mitchell countered the move, fully aware of the aggressive stance of SG-3's commanding officer.
"I was just going to track you down, Reynolds. I didn't want Bosworth in hot water with you. Did he explain what happened?"
"No, it's fine. He explained. Is she...?" Reynolds jaw clenched as he gestured to Jackson with hooded eyes.
"She's gone."
"What? SG-3 knows? What's going on? What happened this morning?"
Reynolds's wariness lessened, but he looked for Mitchell's confirming nod before relaxing. "Sorry, Doctor Jackson. But you know with Vala, we can't be too careful."
"I understand."
Daniel's threateningly soft voice put Cameron on edge. Suddenly Mitchell felt the danger was no longer with the colonel in front of him, but the archeologist behind him. He thought quickly to change the subject.
"Vala gave us some pretty reliable intel. Looks like the Ori have a working Supergate. And they're rounding up an army to come after us. General Landry wants all team leaders reporting for a briefing ASAP."
Reynolds nodded. "I'll round up everyone's who's on base. Briefing room?"
"Yeah, in fact I'll..."
"He'll be right there after we swing by the infirmary." Mitchell winced at Daniel's rough grasp on the scruff of his neck. Suddenly Cameron felt like a wayward cub being caught by its parent. Had Teal'c been teaching Jackson some Jaffa version of the Vulcan neck pinch? "He has to explain what exactly happened this morning, since I have no recollection."
Reynolds's eyes widened, and he grimaced at Mitchell in sympathy before nodding. "I'll see you in a few, then. Hope everything checks out okay, Doc."
They parted ways, Jackson not quite releasing his grip as he steered Mitchell towards the medical ward of the base.
"All right, spill. What did Vala do?"
"Nothing serious...basically...well, not too serious..." Mitchell couldn't believe all this stuttering and equivocating coming out of his mouth.
"What. Did. She. Do?"
"She went searching for me first thing, and she found me."
Jackson's brow furrowed. "Okay. What's the deal with getting SG-3 involved then? And don't think I didn't notice that look Reynolds gave you."
"Well, remember how I had that physical fitness evaluation this morning? I had just gotten back from that and was getting ready..."
"Oh no." Daniel released his grip and buried his head in his hand. "You weren't...she didn't...how crowded was it?"
"Well, there was a big group of us scheduled for the fitness test this morning, plus SG-12 had just come back from offworld."
Jackson groaned and lifted his head. "I don't have to apologize to anyone, do I?"
"Er..." Mitchell shook his head. "No, I don't think so. She seemed to have made a beeline straight for me. Caught me offguard for a second while I was just in my towel. No offense, Jackson, I like you, but you're not exactly my type. However, it didn't take me too long to catch on. Vala's got a pretty distinct personality."
"She's unique all right," Daniel agreed ruefully. "Recognized her, huh?"
"Oh, yeah. Even in your body, that chick's got a certain vibe."
"My body." Finally. Mitchell wondered when it was going to sink in. Mitchell noticed Daniel turning a bit pale. "She was in my body."
"Yeah."
Daniel closed his eyes and pinched his nose. "What did she do?"
"Look, she wasn't out of my sight after I got some clothes on, and I had Bosworth guarding you...her before that, but..."
"But...?"
Mitchell couldn't bring himself to say it. He just grimaced and shook his head. "There were a few minutes there before she was discovered...I really wouldn't think about it, Jackson."
He tried to think of words to comfort, but what do say to someone who'd been through this? Hallmark didn't make cards for THIS kind of occasion. When did going to the infirmary become such a long trip? He weakly persevered.
"Hey, it's just another alien possession. Happens to you guys all the time, right?"
"You know, I try not to encourage the 'SG-1 is nuts' reputation, Mitchell."
"Well, it's better than you're dead again, Jackson."
Daniel glowered.
News delivered, Mitchell was happy to make a retreat as soon as possible. There are some things a man needed to deal with on his own. Besides, if Jackson kept asking questions, he might find out Mitchell's handling of the locker room scene was not as smooth as it could have been. Finally the goal was in sight.
"Hey, here we are! Doctor Lam, got a patient for you!"
Cameron decided he'd give Dr. Lam the Cliff's Notes version before tracking down Sam. His neck was still aching from the hint of Daniel's wrath.
Fin.
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