Equus
Equus
by CorieKay
Title: Equus
Author: CorieKay
Email: zetaori17@yahoo.com
Category: Angst, Humor
Season: Season 4
Pairing: Jack/other
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: character death, language
Summary: SG1 returns to Orion's planet, now designated as Equus. While this story could stand alone, I'd recommend reading the prequel submitted in late August 2002.
Sequel to: More Than Meets The Eyes
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author(s).
Author's note: The original title of this piece was "If Wishes Were Horses", however I changed it when another story was submitted with the same title a month or so ago.
I'm not sure when I considered a sequel, perhaps when I wrote the line "Wild horses couldn't keep us away" in "More Then Meets the Eyes". It seemed that Orion and SG1 were fated to meet again.
I do need to say that this story was plotted and most of it written before I saw any of Season's 5 or 6 episodes. I was struck by some similarities which leads me to believe one of three things: Great minds think alike, there is no such thing as an original thought, or some things are just coincidence.
Original characters belong to me; I have to "borrow" the cast of Stargate SG1. Please do not archive without my permission. I enjoy feedback and constructive criticism.
Thanks to my writer's group who were willing to explore the world of Stargate and offer their opinions (thanks especially to Lisa!). Thanks also to my family who puts up with this obsession called writing.
Equus (If Wishes Were Horses) by Corie Kay
Colonel Jack O' Neill hated to compromise, negotiate, and in general be diplomatic. Especially when it meant dealing with the Tok'ra. He leaned back in his chair, folded his arms, and let his body language say it all to Jacob Carter, the "man" seated across the table from him.
General Hammond addressed SG1 and Jacob from the head of the conference table located deep within the SGC, his soft Texas drawl apparent. "Jacob, you understand that we're sharing this information with the Tok'ra in compliance with our mutual aid pact."
"Yes, George, we understand." The man's head dropped for a second and when it was raised again, Jacob Carter's voice had been replaced with the bitonal rasp of Selmak. "The Tok'ra appreciate your sharing of this most interesting information."
Jack had to ask. "So, what will you be sharing with us?"
"Currently, we have nothing of importance to the Tauri."
"Gee, what a surprise." Jack made no effort to keep the sarcasm from his voice.
Hammond continued. "We're here to discuss Shalaar Orion, an inhabitant on the planet now designated as Equus."
"According to your preliminary report you sent us several months ago, you're convinced she is a true telepath?" Selmak asked.
"Oh, yeah," Jack said.
Daniel, who was seated next to Jack, spoke. "She learned to communicate with us in less than two hours."
Selmak seemed unimpressed.
Sam spoke. "There was no DHD on Equus. She got us off the planet by channeling our thoughts and creating an interface to dial us home."
The Tok'ra appeared more interested.
"She fried the brain of a Goa'uld," Jack contributed. There was a moment of silence and the Tok'ra's eyes met his.
"Orion described it as a negative feedback loop that overloaded the Goa'uld's neural synapses," Carter explained. She extended a manila folder toward her father. "It's all in the final report."
"She killed him?" Selmak asked.
"We don't think he stayed dead. Orion said he had a sarcophagus," Daniel said.
"Did you recognize this Goa'uld?" Selmak asked.
"It was someone we had never had encountered before," Teal'c answered. "Perhaps a minor System Lord."
"Interesting that a minor System Lord would possess a sarcophagus," Selmak said. "Could you describe him?"
Jack responded, "Well, if you've seen one snakehead with delusions of godhood, you've seen them all, but he's the only one I've ever seen with a full beard."
"Serapis," Daniel said quietly, almost absent-mindedly. Then he became excited. "I should have recognized the three-headed symbol on his breastplate right away."
Jack only looked at him.
"You know, the symbol with the head of a dog, lion, and wolf." He paused and then made a motion with his hand. "Wrapped with the serpent?"
"Sorry, Daniel. Missed that one." Jack settled back into his government issued conference room chair in preparation for the prerequisite history lesson.
Daniel went on. "Serapis was a god of the Underworld who was worshiped by both the Greeks and Egyptians at Alexandria. His name is a combination of Apis and Osiris."
Jack couldn't help whining. "Another god of the dead. How many of them are there?"
Daniel continued. "The Greeks considered Serapis an incarnation of Hades and were content to worship him as such, whereas the Egyptians continued to see him as Osiris. It gave the two nationalities some commonality in Alexandria."
Jack looked over at the Tok'ra. "Now that Daniel's given us some insight, how about telling us what you know about this Serapis?"
Selmak sighed. "There have been rumors about him resurfacing. We had not heard of him for a long time. Frankly, we had hoped he had found some corner of the galaxy to call his own and that he would leave the rest of us alone."
"That friendly, huh?" Jack said.
"With the forging of alliances among the System Lords, I think we have much to be concerned about with the reappearance of Serapis." Selmak said. He turned toward General Hammond. "George, would it be possible for us to have SG1's mission report from the planet where they first encountered Serapis' Jaffa?"
"We'll make the report from P3X954 available to you," the General replied.
"What about the mission to Equus?" Sam asked.
"We will read the file you have given us and then consider your request," Selmak said. His head dipped once more, and Jacob Carter's voice returned. He looked at his daughter. "Sam, will you see me off?"
"Sure, Dad." Sam linked arms with her father as they left the room.
"We'll consider your request," Jack mimicked. "Why is it that every time we deal with the Tok'ra, it's like they're doing us a big favor?"
George Hammond spoke with the patience that characterized him. "Jack, they're our allies. They possess technology that we don't."
"Technology they're unwilling to share, information they're unwilling to give. I get a little tired of the 'you're not ready' speech every time we ask for help. How many times have we put our Tau'ri asses," he paused and looked at Teal'c, "and Jaffa asses on the line for them?"
"Colonel, that's enough," reprimanded Hammond.
"Yes, sir." He said it contritely, but he didn't mean it.
The General rose from his chair and the others followed suit before he motioned them back down with an "As you were."
Teal'c, Daniel, and Jack remained seated at the table after the General left. Jack was already having second thoughts about bringing the Tok'ra to Orion's world. He wrote the mission report knowing certain parties would be very interested in the alien's talents. It was a fairly complete report, an omission here and there, but by in large, accurate. If they wanted to see Shalaar again, they would have to rely on transportation from the Tok'ra. It was just that when the Tok'ra were involved, shit just seemed to happen. * * *
Jack worked at his desk. He didn't mind saving the world now and then, but the paperwork was overwhelming. The klaxon heralding an incoming traveler reverberated in the complex, and he gratefully left his office. Carter, Daniel and Teal'c were already in attendance by the time he reached the gate room. He joined them at the bottom of the ramp.
Carter answered his lifted eyebrow. "It's the Tok'ra, sir."
The iris spiraled open to reveal the blue ripples of the event horizon and a moment later, Jacob Carter emerged. Sam went forward to greet her father with a hug and a peck to his cheek. Jack and Daniel settled for a handshake, and Teal'c gave his customary little bow.
Jack glanced behind Jacob, alluding to the absence of any companions. "Nobody riding shotgun with you?"
"We felt that secrecy would be paramount to our success," Jacob answered. "The Council has decided to mount the mission to Equus."
Jack wasn't surprised, although he thought it interesting that it had taken the Tok'ra weeks to decide to do it. But then, government bureaucracies...
General Hammond was waiting in the conference room when the five of them entered. The usual greetings were exchanged, and everyone took their seats.
Jacob began. "The Council has been concerned with a possible security breach at Vorasch--"
"Besides Tanith?" Jack interrupted. He glanced over at Teal'c. Tanith was a known Go'auld infiltrator who was responsible for the death of one of Teal'c's close friends. At the mention of Tanith's name, Teal'c's usual somber expression grew absolutely grim.
Jacob continued. "We have Tanith under control. We're feeding him disinformation that we assume he is giving to Aphosis. We're concerned that there may be more infiltrators that we have not detected. If this Orion can use her telepathic skills to expose them, we could effectively deal with them."
Hammond spoke. "I assume you have a plan."
"First, are we assured of complete cooperation of Orion?" Jacob asked.
Jack wasn't sure he liked the sound of that. "She said she'd help us fight the Go' auld. What exactly did you have in mind?"
"The mission report stated that the alien cannot leave the planet. So, our intent would be to bring those we suspect of being traitors to the planet under the guise of rescuing a stranded SG1."
The idea of the Tok'ra acting as the cavalry galled Jack to no end. He shifted in his chair. "So, you come to our aid, then what?"
"I arrange for the ship to have a 'malfunction', and we're forced to remain on Equus for a period of time. Hopefully, Orion will be able to find out who the informant or informants are," Jacob said.
"Why can't you just use that super lie detector thingy?" Jack asked.
"You above all people should realize that the Zatarc detector is not infallible. Besides, if we start screening all the Tok'ra, it'll be a tip-off that we have suspicions."
Sam asked, "So, how many Tok'ra would be coming to Equus?"
"Myself and five others."
"Anyone we know?" Daniel asked.
"Possibly," Jacob answered. "There is a conference scheduled in five days at Ventaal. We'll be enroute when we receive the mayday from General Hammond concerning SG1."
Jack leaned forward and placed his folded hands on the table. "We'd have your guarantee that this traitor won't know who fingered him?"
"Of course we'll try to maintain Orion's anonymity," Jacob answered.
"Would that satisfy you, Colonel?" Hammond asked.
Jack answered honestly. "No."
Immediately Daniel interceded. "I think what Jack's saying is that we can't leave Orion open to reprisal."
"Is that what you're saying, Colonel?" asked the General.
"Yeah, sure."
Jacob continued. "If Orion does detect someone, we'd prefer they not be exposed until I can report back to the council." He paused a moment. "Jack, I've got the distinct impression that you think we have some hidden agenda."
"Wouldn't be the first time," he shot back.
"Think about it, Jack. This woman is a telepath, right? Do you think I would be able to hide anything from her? As I see it, the Tok'ra have more to lose here. She's your friend. She could garner information from us and give it to you," Jacob said.
We wouldn't have to "garner" if we had full disclosure, thought Jack. It certainly had crossed his mind that Orion's "gift" could be used to their advantage."We just have to make damn sure none of the Tok'ra know she's a telepath," he said.
"Do the Tok'ra know anything about Kendaarans or their history?" asked Daniel.
Jacob answered. " We've done some preliminary studies, but so far they don't appear in any of our databases."
"We'll just have to make sure that our stories are well-rehearsed and airtight," Sam said.
"SG1, you have a go," Hammond said.
"We'll be off in the morning, sir," Jack replied.
"But the ship won't be coming to Equus for four days," reminded Jacob.
"My team is due for some R&R. Equus is a great planet. Besides, we'll have look like we've been stranded there. Four days should be enough time to get dirty and desperate enough to be picked up by the Tok'ra," Jack said.
* * * SG1 stood ready on the embarkation ramp, along with General Hammond and the Chief Medical Officer of the SGC.
Dr. Janet Frasier was voicing her complaints to the General. "Sir, given the remarkable skills of Orion and her recuperative powers, I think it's a missed opportunity for medical science if I can't accompany SG1."
"Dr. Fraiser, I'm sure you'll have a chance to work with Orion. Just not this trip," Hammond explained with his hallmark patience.
"We're supposed to be stranded, Doc," Jack said. "How would it look for us to have a butt-load of medical equipment with us?" He softened a bit when he noticed that the doctor was definitely pouting. "I suppose you'd like us to bring back some samples for you."
"Would you?" Her face instantly brightened. She extended the med-kit she held toward Jack.
He put up his hands. "If this involves drawing blood or whatever, give it to Carter."
Sam accepted the kit and took instructions from Frasier.
Hammond drew Jack aside. "I know you have misgivings about this mission, Colonel."
"Me, sir?"
"I'm sure everything will go just as planned. The Tok'ra will find their infiltrator. and there'll be one less Go'auld to deal with in the universe." He clapped Jack on the back. "Besides, think of it as a little well-deserved vacation. Tell me again, how big were those fish in that lake?"
"My arms aren't that long, sir," he said seriously.
The General laughed and winked. "Whatever you say, Jack." Jack had actually considered bringing a pole but figured Orion wouldn't be much on fishing, even if he explained catch and release.
Lt. Simmons announced from the control room, "Engaging dialing program for Equus."
Audio contact had been established with Orion via the MALP they had sent to Equus four months before. She had been informed of their arrival but not told of the reason for their visit.
The inner ring of the Stargate spun and when the last chevron locked, the aquamarine ripples of the event horizon gushed through the gate and settled into its oscillating pattern.
Lt. Simmons's voice came over the PA once more. "Receiving telemetry from Equus. SG1, you are clear to proceed."
Jack and the rest of SG1 shouldered their packs and weapons and made their way up the ramp. Jack was anxious to see Orion again; it had been six months since they had left her behind. There was the usual moment of disorientation and coldness as he entered the wormhole. Then on the other side, he was almost blinded by the intense sunshine of Equus. His arm reflexively flew up to block the glare, and he blinked rapidly to clear the halos from his vision. The meadow stretched before them, covered with indigo flowers, their heads waving in unison with the gentle breeze. "Ah, where is she?" Daniel asked.
Jack raised his weapon. "Wait, sir." Carter grabbed his forearm. "Here they come."
The herd of--blue--? horses moved in slowly, treading their way through the field of flowers, then stopping about ten yards away from them. A slim figure materialized from the midst of the horses and walked toward them.
Jack had to look twice, the second time squinting against the bright light. The figure wore form-fitting pants that ended just below her knees and a halter-top that bared her very straight, strong shoulders and exposed her well-toned midsection. A regulation green SG1 cap covered her head, and sunglasses hid her eyes.
Jack looked at his second in command. "Carterrr?..."
She spoke to him out of the side of her mouth. "Well, sir, she was a little tired of wearing the same old thing."
Every now and then he had to remind himself that his 2IC was just not a soldier. And this was one of those times. For a moment he imagined Carter in such an outfit. Brief outfit, brief moment.
By now Orion was standing in front of them. "Yo, whazzup?" she asked.
There was absolute silence as SG1 pondered the new Orion.
"Incorrect salutation?" she asked. "Hello? Hi? Howdy? What's happening? Greetings?"
Daniel jumped in. "No, that was just fine. It's good to see you, Orion."
Jack noticed that Daniel was having trouble focusing on Orion's face. His gaze kept straying lower and lower. Even Teal'c gave the alien an appreciative once-over.
"And it is good to see you too, friends," she said. At that point she realized that they, or at least the men, were staring at her. She glanced down at herself, then looked up. "Is there something wrong?"
Daniel, the ever-competent linguist, managed to stammer, "Nothing's wrong. It's just that you look, um, different."
Carter failed to stifle a giggle.
"You do not like my attire," Orion accused.
"No, it's great, it's..." Daniel motioned with his hands, seeking help.
"Interesting," contributed Jack.
"Spandex," Teal'c said.
All attention shifted to the Jaffa. His face grew more inscrutable as he avoided the others' eyes. "It is a staple on the Home Shopping Network."
Jack wondered how the big guy passed time on the base and now he knew. He'd have to make a point of getting him out more. He turned his attention back to Orion. He stepped toward her and lifted the cap from her head. Released from its captivity, the long, amber-colored hair cascaded down the alien's back. With the forefinger of his other hand, he hooked the bridge of her sunglasses and slid them down her nose. Her eyes were cinnamon.
"There, that's better," he said, handing her the hat and stepping back.
Orion removed the sunglasses from the end of her nose and perched them on top of her head. "It has been a long time since you were last here," she said.
"Well, we did have some arrangements to make," Jack said.
"Your friends will come for you?" the alien asked.
Carter answered. "Yes, in a few days."
"I had hoped for longer," Orion replied.
Daniel spoke. "When these friends of ours come, we'll need your help." He paused a moment. "You did promise to help us fight the Go'auld."
The alien's eyes turned alabaster. "The Go'auld are coming here?"
"Not exactly," Jack said, already regretting that they were involving this woman. "Look, can we get out of this sun?" The temperature was more conducive to sunbathing than carrying full packs and ordnance.
"Of course. You know the way to my home." Orion turned.
"Wait," Jack said.
She turned back.
He wasn't sure how he wanted to broach the subject of the dog. In all the times he had talked to her through the MALP, he had never seen it. He hadn't brought it up before since it hadn't exactly gone over real great with the General, and he saw no reason to resurrect the issue when Hammond was present. "Isn't there something missing?"
"Missing?" she repeated.
"Ah, the thing I sent through the gate. I thought you might have it with you."
The alien appeared deep in the thought and then responded. "The carnivore?"
Jack's heart stopped for a moment. Damn, he had really offended her. He imagined her turning the little dog into the wilderness to fend for himself. He heard Daniel whisper, "Told you so."
The alien's eyes changed to silver, the herd of horses behind her parted, and a furry bullet of black and white shot from their midst. The dog appeared to be much larger than Jack remembered and was bearing down directly on him. It bowled him over and covered his face with wet, sloppy kisses. "Okay, okay, enough, enough," he begged.
The dog backed off, and Jack was able to get up on his elbows in time to see the animal sit beside Orion, all without one verbal command or hand signal from her.
"Let me guess, you do this," and he tapped his head with his fingers, "with him, too."
"As I have said, communication is not dependant on words."
"So, what did you name him?" Jack asked as he got to his feet.
"He already had a name when you sent him to me," the alien replied.
Now Jack didn't remember anything about the dog having a name.
Orion stepped forward and came very close to him. She reached out for the ID tags that had worked their way out from beneath his t-shirt. Her fingertips brushed his chest as she grasped the tags. Her feathery touch expanded until it engulfed him.
"You wear your name around your neck," she said. She released the metal tags, then bent and fingered a medallion that was attached to the animal's braided collar. "He wears his name, also."
Jack looked closer. "It's a seven," he said.
She nodded.
Jack realized that he had not removed the tag from the dog pound that designated the animal's status. A number seven meant there was no tomorrow, it was the end of the line, the party was over. "Of course, you're right," he lied. Orion and Seven turned to leave the meadow. SG1 fell into step behind her. Jack had only gone a few paces before a horse intercepted him. He recognized the animal immediately. "Taelan," he said. He reached up to pat the animal's neck and discovered that its blue hue was due to the mixture of gray and white hairs on its hide. "I see you guys have gone in for a new look, too." The horse appeared to nod. With Taelan at his side, they hurried to catch up with the others. * * *
Jack welcomed the semi-darkness of Orion's home. A fan from the ceiling sent down whispers of cool air. SG1 shrugged out of their gear and relegated their larger weapons to the floor. Orion provided liquid refreshment as they found places to sit. Jack struggled to mirror his companions' cross-legged positions but abandoned that idea when his knees refused to bend. He settled for extending his long legs into the center of the circle formed by Orion and the rest of his team. Orion sat next to him, their elbows barely touching, until Seven squeezed between them.
"How can I help you fight the Go'auld?" asked Orion.
Daniel answered. "We need to use your ability to read minds."
"I thought you did not wish me to do that anymore," she replied.
"Not to us," Jack said quickly.
"I think we need to start at the beginning," Carter stated. "The people who will be coming here are called Tok'ra. Have you heard of them?"
Orion shook her head.
Carter continued. "The Tok'ra blend with willing humans. They do not appropriate bodies as the Go'auld do but have a true symbiotic relationship with their hosts."
Orion looked doubtful.
Daniel spoke. "They're like good Go'aulds."
"Says you," muttered Jack and did his best to ignore the exasperated look Daniel threw his way.
"The Tok'ra have fought against the Go'auld for many years," Teal'c said. "My father, Jacob, is a Tok'ra," Carter said. "He'll be with the group that is coming here."
Orion looked at each of them in turn. "What is it you wish me to do?" she asked.
Teal'c spoke. "The Tok'ra have reason to suspect that one or more of their ranks are actually Go'auld infiltrators."
Orion inhaled sharply.
Jack studied her face, trying to decide what her response would be. One part of him wanted her to say no, to let this mission just be a pleasant diversion for his team, and say to hell with the Tok'ra. The other part knew she would not refuse.
Her voice was quiet. "Entering the mind of a Go'auld is a dangerous undertaking."
Jack noticed that Daniel's head dropped and knew that he was remembering how the Harsesis child, Shifu, had given Daniel a true taste of the Go'auld mindset. It had been a dark, disturbing experience for the young man.
Orion continued. "When I killed the Go'auld--."
"Serapis. His name is Serapis," Daniel said.
The alien blinked. "I did not even learn his name. I was careful not to contact his mind on any plane."
Carter asked, "How were you able to read the minds of the Go'auld when they were on your home world?"
Orion sighed. "I was stronger, more disciplined. I had the confidence and the arrogance of youth." She seemed far away at that moment. "And the others were there to support me," she said softly.
Jack was instantly alert. "What others?"
The Kendaaran looked uneasy.
"There were others with your gift?" Teal'c asked.
Orion answered. "To varying degrees, yes."
"And the reason you didn't mention this before?" Jack asked.
"What does it matter? They are all gone now." Orion stood, arms clasped, body tense. Seven rose to his haunches and leaned against her legs.
Jack scrambled to his feet and reached out to her. He didn't miss the low growl that came from the dog. He let his hand drop. "I didn't mean to accuse you of anything," he said.
Daniel, who had been sitting next to Orion on her left, stood and lightly brushed the alien's shoulder with his hand. "We're sorry if we've brought back painful memories for you. It's just that we didn't know."
Orion sat back down on the floor. Jack and Daniel followed suit. "No, I am sorry," she said. "I should have told you everything before."
SG1 waited. Orion looked at them. "Kendaaran children were put through a screening process to determine their telempathic capabilities. Those that exhibited little or no skill were remanded to their parents. The ones that did..." She paused. "became wards of the state." Jack sat forward, ready to sound off.
She raised her hand. "Before you judge my people too harshly, let me explain. Being able to see into others' minds requires great control. One must be able to separate one's own thoughts from those of others. For those who were unable to accomplish this, the end result was always madness. The government sequestered these individuals for the public good."
"You mean, ostracized, segregated," Daniel said, his blue eyes bright with indignation.
"The accepted form of therapy was the absence of outside stimuli," the alien said.
Jack couldn't prevent the sick feeling inside of him. Those months in Iraq flashed back. "Solitary," he said. The word was as bitter as the bile that rose in his throat.
"But you exhibited control. Were you also... segregated?" Teal'c asked.
"I was considered the greatest threat of all," Orion replied.
Jack tried to imagine a child placed in solitary confinement. "Bastards," he said. Orion spoke. "They did not know what else to do."
"A convenient and over-used excuse. It made it easy for them not to explore alternatives," Carter said.
"And in the end, I survived and they did not," Orion stated. She shifted position slightly. "I will do my best to do what you ask."
"Colonel, would you outline the plan?" Carter asked.
Jack did so.
Orion leaned back. "Ah, deception, subterfuge, pretense, a covert action."
"We're gonna lie through our teeth, " Jack said simply.
* * *
Jack sat with his back against the tall tree. Teal'c and Orion were in the cabin, deep in kel'no'reem. Teal'c had mentioned that the meditation would "perhaps be beneficial" before Orion encountered the Tok'ra. Somewhere, Daniel and the Major were conducting fly-overs with the UAV.
Orion's revelations had dredged up some memories he preferred remain buried. It was harder still to think that Orion had spent most of her life alone. So much for this being a little relaxing interlude before the arrival of the Tok'ra. He breathed deep and closed his eyes. Above him the leaves rustled like the fall of a gentle rain. It was definitely a "hammock day" as his granddad would have said. The sun was hot, the air warm, but the breeze felt deliciously cool beneath the shade. He didn't need the hammock to remember how it felt those many years ago, cradled in that sling of knotted rope. He'd have one foot on the ground, creating the gentle sway that invariably rocked him to sleep. Purely out of habit, he roused himself and flipped open the cover of his watch. He made note of the time and then snapped the cover closed. Time would only matter as the arrival of the Tok'ra drew closer. He crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes once more.
He felt a puff of air across his face and was suddenly cool. He awoke with a start to find Orion sitting beside him. He sat up straight and cleared his throat. "How long have you been here?"
"For a while," she replied. "I have been watching you sleep."
"Well, that must have been exciting for you," he said, hoping he hadn't been snoring or drooling or both.
"I found it quite satisfying."
He looked at her, not sure what to make of her last statement. "When you sleep, your mask of responsibility fades," she said. She reached out and lightly traced a crease on his forehead. "I believe you acquired this one since last I saw you." She pulled her hand back, but the feel of her touch lingered on his face.
"Those are laugh lines," he retorted.
"I have never seen you laugh."
It was time to change the subject. He jumped up from his seated position. The shadows had grown long, and the sky was pink in anticipation of the sunset. "Geez, how long was I asleep anyway?"
She rose smoothly beside him. "When the days are warm, they are also short. Your rest was not long."
He brushed off his BDU's. "Where's everybody else?" he asked.
"They are waiting for us," she said, motioning toward the cabin.
Dinner that evening was alfresco, courtesy of SG1, who provided the tastiest selection of MRE's available, complete with a vegetarian entrée for Orion. They sat on the porch as darkness fell from above and squeezed the remnants of the day below the horizon.
"Where are your friends, Orion?" Teal'c asked.
It was then that Jack realized that he had not seen the herd since their arrival at Orion's cabin.
"They know I am safe with you. If I need them, they will come," she answered. She stood from the bottom step of the stairs and stepped into the grass that was already heavy with dew. She turned back and gestured up towards the sky. "Can you show me your Earth?"
Jack stepped down and the rest of SG1 followed him. Jack leaned his head back. With absolutely no extraneous light from civilization to interfere, a myriad of stars shone. More and more points of light appeared the longer he looked. The celestial canopy pressed closer and closer. The effect was dizzying. He took Orion's arm and pulled her to the ground with him. "Here, this will work better." He lay on his back and she followed suit, her head close to his. Teal'c, Daniel and Carter fanned out, completing the circle. It took Jack a few minutes to gain orientation. Earth was not visible, owing to the great distance between it and Equus, but he was able to point out Sol. It never ceased to amaze him that he and so few others were privileged to view their sun in this way. And as was their custom when they were off world, Teal'c found the constellation containing Chulak; Daniel, Abydos.
* * *
Jack woke at first light. Daniel was still snoring softly. All that could be seen of Carter was the top of her tousled blonde head above her blanket. Jack stretched and glanced over at Orion's cot. It was empty and the dog that had lain at the foot of it, gone. He straightened his bedroll, picked up his shirt and opened the door. A fresh breeze welcomed him. He pulled on the green shirt over his regulation black tee. Teal'c was seated on the porch stair. Jack clamped his hand on the Jaffa's shoulder.
"Thanks for taking a double watch, Teal'c."
"It was my pleasure, O'Neill. After kel'no'reem I was exceedingly well rested."
Jack looked around. "Where's Orion?"
"She left some time ago to get water." The big man stood. "Perhaps I should check on her progress."
"That's okay. I'll find her. Need to stretch my legs." Jack was off the porch before the Jaffa could say anything.
Jack followed the trail to the lake and stopped at the interface of the tree line and the beach. Orion, Taelan, and Seven were at the water's edge with their backs toward him. He watched a long moment and saw Orion place one hand on the horse's neck and the other on the dog's head. The rising sun silhouetted the three. Taelan threw her head up and toward her shoulder. Orion moved her hand and stroked the animal's nose. The horse repeated the head movement. Orion moved to the horse's side, grabbed a handful of mane and in one motion was on its back. Taelan wheeled and galloped down the beach, sending up crystalline spray. Seven did his best to keep up. Jack marveled at the interaction of horse and rider. They truly were one. At the far end of the beach, Taelan slowed and turned. She started out slowly and gradually picked up speed, water pluming out from both sides. Orion's free-flowing robe billowed away from her bare legs, and the long sleeves flared out in the rush of air. Jack watched in amazement as Orion's hands left the animal's mane and moved to her thighs. She lifted from her rider's crouch and her back became ramrod straight. Her hair blew back from her face, and Jack swore that her eyes were closed. She looked like the figurehead on the prow of a clipper ship. He had never seen anything so beautiful. Feeling like a voyeur, he decided to make his presence known. He stepped out onto the beach as they approached. Instantly, Orion's eyes opened and her hands returned to Taelan's mane. She rode up to him.
He reached out to pat Taelan's nose. "I thought you said we couldn't ride these guys."
Orion looked down at him. "Ride?"
"Taelan's carrying you where you want to go," he explained.
She looked aghast. "I go where Taelan desires to go." She brought her leg from the opposite side of the horse and slipped off its back.
Instinctively, Jack raised his hands, caught her by the waist, and lowered her to the ground. Her chest still heaved from the exertion of the ride. Drops of water pearled off the ends of her hair. Her garments were wet and clung to *every* curve of her body. He made a mental note to tell Carter that her future care packages to the alien should maybe include underclothing. He then immediately dismissed that idea.
He released her and started to unbutton his shirt. "You're going to catch cold."
"I am not chilled," she insisted. She put her hands on her hips, and threw her shoulders back, accentuating the very part of her anatomy that told him otherwise. He pulled off the shirt and held it out for her to slip into.
She stepped forward and accepted it.
He relaxed and cast a quick glance heavenward. "Thank you."
"Should that not be my response?" she asked. She was looking up at him as she donned the shirt, her eyes a guileless green. He realized that she truly did not understand the effect she was having on him.
He recovered. "Yes, you're right."
They made their way back to the trail. Jack stopped to pick up Orion's bucket of water. Taelan blended into the forest ahead of them. Seven ranged on either side of them, investigating every bush. Before they reached the cabin, Orion surrendered his shirt. He paused to put it on while Orion continued to walk ahead of him. There was a fragrance about the uniform, not a perfume, but a fresh scent, pure and clean. He breathed deep.
* * *
The end of the day found them gathered together for the evening meal. Orion was talking.
"Daniel and I had a most interesting intercourse this afternoon."
Jack stopped chewing. He looked over at Daniel and said, "Oh, really."
Daniel's head bobbed up, and he hurriedly swallowed. "Ah, let me clarify that. Orion is using intercourse to mean communication between people." This was accompanied by Daniel's standard hand gestures.
Jack continued to stare at Daniel.
"Verbal communication," Daniel stressed.
"Is that not what I said?" Orion asked.
"Yes, but maybe we need to talk about the word 'connotation'," Daniel answered.
"More intercourse?" the alien said hopefully.
"Let's use the term 'discourse' or 'discussion', shall we?" pleaded Daniel.
The alien sighed. "Your language is complex. So many words to say the same thing."
Jack only shook his head. No one could ever say life with SG1 was usual or typical. Hard to believe that some four years ago, he felt that he had nothing to live for.
Orion rose. "I must attend to my friends."
Jack stood also. "Need any help?"
"No." She picked something up from the mantle over the hearth. "Enjoy yourself. You are on..." She paused. "vacation." She left the cabin.
Jack sat back down. He wasn't sure how much time had passed before he heard the sound. Daniel's head lifted from his notes, Carter put down whatever gadget she was fiddling with and Teal'c straightened. He knew they had heard it, too. It was a low warble. Instantly, they were all on their feet and out the door. Teal'c had grabbed his staff weapon; Carter and Jack were prepared with their sidearms. And Jack was fairly certain they all felt as stupid as he did when he saw Orion moving among the herd playing some sort of an instrument. At their rush out onto the porch, she stopped. All the horses' heads swung their way.
"You people need to chill," Orion pronounced.
Jack removed his hand from his holster and folded his arms. "We're relaxed. We're cool." He elbowed Teal'c, who then shifted his weapon to the upright position.
Orion continued. "I came out here to calm my friends, but it seems my efforts could be better directed toward you." She threaded her way through the animals back to the porch.
"So what's wrong with them?" Jack asked and tipped his head towards the herd.
"They are agitated. They are unable to tell me why," she answered. "Sit," she commanded, and Jack knew she wasn't talking to the dog that had joined them. They obliged. The soft hues of twilight filtered through the trees surrounding the cabin as Orion put the recorder-like instrument to her lips and blew a series of low trills. The cadence seemed familiar to Jack.
"Gaelic," said Daniel.
"Celtic," corrected Jack. The song reminded him of the ones his Grandma O'Neill used to listen to.
Daniel smiled. "You may be right. Isn't it amazing how universal music is?"
Orion continued to play, making almost impossibly complex melodies with the simple flute. They were sweet, melancholy, and joyful all at the same time. She took a few moment's rest then launched into a faster number. This was definitely an Irish reel.
Daniel hopped up and took Carter's hand. She protested, but gave little resistance as he dragged her off the steps. Soon they were engaged in some kind of dance. Jack clapped in time. He wasn't sure, but he thought he saw Teal'c's foot tapping. Then Carter and Daniel were motioning to him and he shook his head. That didn't deter them. They each grabbed an arm and yanked him out onto the grassy dance floor. Now, when Jack was younger, his Grandma O'Neill fancied that he could become an Irish dancer. And truth be told, he did enjoy the lessons she gave him until the hockey team found out where he was spending his Sunday afternoons. No amount of talking would convince them that it improved his skating. He still remembered some steps and he could see that Carter and Daniel were duly impressed. It wasn't Riverdance but, heck, he was wearing combat boots. After his exhibition, they turned their attention to Teal'c.
"Jaffa do not dance," he said firmly. "And your daddy don't rock and roll," Jack shot back. The three of them hoisted him off of the porch. They all joined hands and soon the four of them were spinning faster and faster, definitely out of control. Jack wasn't sure whose feet got in the way of whose, but there was a massive pile-up of arms and legs as SG1 collapsed on the ground. The music ended. Daniel and Carter were giggling; Teal'c was expressing enjoyment in his Jaffa way, and Jack was breathing hard. Jack warned. "If this gets back to the SGC, I will shoot someone. "
Orion sorted out the tangle of extremities and helped them to their feet. They composed themselves and again took seats on the porch, with the exception of Teal'c, who went into the cabin. Orion leaned over, her voice low and husky in Jack's ear. "I saw you laugh," she said. She picked up her instrument and this time began playing something much more subdued.
Teal'c reappeared. Jack knew by the look of the Jaffa's face that something was definitely up. He raised his hand, and Orion stopped her serenade.
"What?" he asked.
"There was a message relay from the MALP. There has been a change in plans. The Tok'ra will be here tomorrow."
"That's two days early," Carter pointed out.
"Crap," Orion said. She instantly became the center of attention. She spoke quickly. "Incorrect expletive? Something more forceful needed to convey displeasure? Shit? Hell? Damn? F----"
Jack firmly clamped his hand over her mouth. "All right, who's responsible for this?" He zeroed in on Daniel.
"What are you looking at me for? She took a couple spins through your mind."
He frowned at the young man. "What kind of stuff did you send her?"
Daniel appeared to tick off the items. " 'Hooked on Phonics', dictionary, thesaurus."
Jack sighed.
Daniel continued. "Book on idioms and homophones, audiotapes and..." He paused. A look of revelation came across his face. He spoke hurriedly. "And possibly a paper someone had given me to read, dealing with the rise and acceptance of profanity in everyday conversation." His voice drifted off. "I couldn't find it. I must have accidentally packed it with Orion's things." He drew a deep breath. "Sorry."
It was at this point Jack realized he still had his hand over the alien's mouth. She was glaring at him, and he was glad that the semi-darkness made it impossible to tell the color of her eyes. He quickly removed his hand. "Sorry. It's just that when the Tok'ra come, we can't have you cussing like a sailor. Or dressing like us."
"We have to make them believe we just met you. Otherwise this plan won't work," Carter explained.
"You'll have to be careful with what you say," Daniel said.
"I will try," the alien said.
Jack stood. The enjoyment of the last two days receded. The Tok'ra were coming tomorrow. Sonofabitch.
End of Part 1
Part 2 Jack volunteered for a double watch that night. He was certain he wouldn't be able to sleep anyway. He sat in the soft darkness and listened to the others sleep. His attention was drawn to Orion as she stirred on her cot. She sat up, stretched, and climbed out of bed. She padded over to him. With a tip of her head, she indicated they should go outside.
She sat down on the porch, and he joined her.
"Know what I think?" he asked.
She looked at him expectantly.
"That was not an invitation," he said. She sighed and looked disappointed.
"You need to rest. You'll have a big day tomorrow."
"I can sleep after you have gone." She looked down at her hands. "I have been thinking about tomorrow. I believe I should not speak when the Tok'ra come."
"You're probably right," he said.
She brought her head up quickly. "Because I always say the wrong thing?"
"No, because you're too honest. I don't think you could be a convincing liar."
"Are you?"
"Honest, or a convincing liar?" he asked.
"A convincing liar."
"When I have to be, yes." He tried to figure out where she was going with this.
"I see." Her voice lowered at the end of the sentence. She stood up and turned.
"Hey, wait a minute." He stood and reached for her arm. She neatly avoided his grasp. "I have the feeling you wanted to ask me something," he said. She opened her mouth and then closed it.
"You can ask me anything," he said. "I am not afraid to ask the question, only to hear the answer."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
She only looked up at him.
"Dammit, I'm not the mind reader here!" "I know," she said. She turned, reached for the door latch, and disappeared inside.
He threw his hands up in the air. Women! Alien Women!
* * *
When Orion left the cabin in the morning, Jack did not follow her. The rest of SG1 awakened and when Orion returned, they had breakfast. The alien informed the team of her decision not to talk when the Tok'ra came.
"This could work to our advantage," Carter said. "If the Tok'ra think that you don't understand them, they could be less inhibited, even with their thoughts."
"It could also be easier for us, too," Daniel contributed. "If the Tok'ra ask any questions about Orion and the planet, we can just say we don't know."
"Will you be able to maintain silence, ShalaarOrion?" Teal'c asked.
"No doubt in my mind," Jack said and instantly regretted it as he came under SG1's scrutiny. He was still trying to figure out what had happened between him and Orion in the wee hours of the morning.
Orion's voice was level. "I will do what is necessary."
Carter produced the Med-kit. "Before the Tok'ra come, Shalaar, in the interest of extending our knowledge of other people, could I take some samples from you so our scientists can study them?"
Orion nodded. Carter laid the tubes for blood collection on the table and prepared a site on the alien's arm. She pulled the cap off of the needle. "This may hurt a little bit."
"A little bit?" she questioned. "Then why is he doing this?" She screwed up her face in what Jack was sure was a good imitation of his expression.
Carter gave them a look. "Maybe you should wait outside."
"Good idea," Daniel said.
The men assembled on the porch. Jack felt Teal'c's stare. He defended himself. "So, I don't like needles. Shoot me." He checked his watch three times in the seven minutes that elapsed before Carter called them back in. Orion looked none the worse for wear, except for a few band-aids on her arms. Carter was packaging a lock of the alien's hair in a plastic bag.
The radio on the table crackled with a burst of static. Jack picked it up.
"SG1, this is the SGC. Come in."
"SG1 here," he replied. "Go."
"ETA for your visitors approximately forty-five minutes."
"Roger that." He clicked the radio off. "Curtain goes up in forty-five, kids."
SG1 watched as Orion sent the herd off. The alien was adamant that their existence, along with Seven's, be kept secret. She crouched in front of the border collie-mix, ruffled his ears, and then threw her arms around the animal's neck. She straightened and sent the dog off with a wave of her hand. The horses closed in around him and started toward the forest, but Taelan remained behind. Orion placed her hands on either side of the horse's face and leaned her forehead against the horse's nose for what seemed like minutes. Then Taelan turned to follow the rest of the herd, who had disappeared into the field of blue flowers. Orion walked back toward SG1. Jack had deliberately chosen a site away from the Stargate, to preclude any questions from the Tok'ra. He was sure they would wonder why they had gated to planet with no DHD. Jack checked his watch. The ship should be within communication range soon. As if on cue, the radio on Jack's shoulder came to life.
"SG1, this is Jacob."
"Read you loud and clear, Jacob. We're ready for our taxi," Jack responded.
"You won't be, once you see the meter reading," he said. "We've received the coordinates and should be in visual range in two minutes."
"Roger that."
Jack looked around at his charges. "Everyone ready?" They all nodded their assent.
On schedule, the cargo ship made one low pass over them, circled, then landed. They made their way over to the ship and by the time they reached it, the door whooshed open to reveal Jacob. "You know, normally we don't pick up hitchhikers," he said.
Sam stepped forward. "Thanks for making an exception this time, Dad." She embraced her father.
"So, what brings you out our way?" Jack asked.
Someone else stepped out from the ship and spoke. "You mean besides a frantic call from *your* SGC to rescue their premier team?"
Jacob introduced the man who appeared beside him. "Allow me to present Runar."
"Just Runar?" Jack asked.
"My host prefers to remain..." the Tok'ra paused. "in the background. His name is Aleka."
Jack cradled his P90 a little closer to his chest. "Hope we're not keeping you from anything real important."
Runar continued. "We are enroute to a conference at Ventaal, if you must know. This little side trip could make us late."
"Well, we're ready to go. We appreciate your efforts." Jack was as ingratiating as he could be.
By now, the rest of the Tok'ra had filed out of the ship. Jack was surprised to see Anise/Freya in attendance. He thought she was amongst the inner circle of the Tok'ra. Did they consider her a possible traitor, he wondered. Jacob continued the introductions. There was a woman called Marju, and two men, one named Patrell and the other Sann. Jack reciprocated by introducing SG1. "And who is that?" Runar asked, pointing to Orion, who was almost hidden by Teal'c. Jack took Orion's arm and brought her forward. "This is our hostess. We've been calling her Orion."
Daniel spoke. "We've had some communication issues."
"You've tried different languages?" Anise asked.
Daniel continued. "Just the twenty-three that I know."
Anise looked at Orion and spoke in a language that Jack certainly did not understand. Orion gave Anise a confused look and then responded in a series of high-pitched squeaks and squeals. It reminded Jack of dolphin talk.
"See?" Daniel said.
Orion's eyes changed from blue to yellow, and all the Tok'ra were properly taken aback. I'm gonna love this, thought Jack. "Obviously a life form we have never encountered before. Interesting," Anise concluded. "Where is the Gate and why were you not able to return to Earth through it?"
Carter spoke. "The Gate is located on unsuitable terrain for landing. We thought it best to have you come here. As for the Gate itself, the DHD apparently malfunctioned."
"I assume you'll be making note of the address and will not be returning here?" Anise said.
"We'll make certain we pull it off the dialing program," Carter said.
Runar spoke, the impatience in his voice unmistakable. "Selmak, we must be on our way *now*."
"Okay. Let's get their gear stowed," Jacob said.
SG1 prepared to get the MALP and the rest of their equipment on board. Jacob brushed up against Jack.
"What's with that eye thing?" Jacob asked softly.
"What eye thing?"
Jacob frowned. "Does it mean anything?"
Jack thought for a moment, recalling the color of Orion's eyes when she dispatched the Go'auld. "Don't make her see red," he replied.
Jacob sighed.
After all their stuff was in the ship, SG1 made a big show of saying good-bye to Orion. Jack embraced her and whispered in her ear, "Nice touch, inventing that language." She whispered back, "Who was inventing?" They boarded the Tok'ra ship. Everyone found a place to sit and watched Jacob power up the controls. Except nothing happened. They remained on the ground.
"Problems?" Jack asked mildly.
"I'm not sure," answered Jacob.
Runar vacated his seat immediately. "What do you mean you're not sure? Need I remind you the importance of this conference?"
"No, you've mentioned it several times," Jacob said. He looked over at his daughter. "Sam, I could use your help. There seems to be a glitch with the power couplings."
Carter was up in an instant. "Sure, Dad."
Anise rose, but Jacob motioned her back down. "This shouldn't take long." He and Carter exited the control room, leaving Jack and the rest of the team with the Tok'ra.
Runar slouched back in his seat, arms crossed. Daniel was at his best and engaged the Tok'ra in idle conversation until Jacob and Carter returned.
Jacob spoke." I'm afraid we have a significant problem."
Runar bolted from his chair. "But it is fixable," he insisted.
"Eventually, yes," Jacob replied. "We've had a major failure with the power couplings. We're going to have to do significant power rerouting, and that's going to take some time."
"How long?" asked Runar.
"A day or two."
"Get us another ship, right now," Runar demanded.
"I've already contacted Vorasch. No one is close."
Marju, the other woman, asked, " Is there some way the Gate could be used to help us?"
"They would have to send an entire new power system, which we'd have to calibrate. Even if one would be available, Jack said that the Gate is pretty far away. We wouldn't be able to transport it here," Jacob answered.
Nice save, Jacob, Jack thought.
Jacob continued. " We'll make it out of here. You may miss the opening ceremonies of the conference, but that's all," Jacob said. Runar uttered some words in his language that Jack did not know but nonetheless understood. He had a feeling that the time spent on Equus with the Tok'ra was going to be even less pleasant than he had anticipated. * * *
Everyone disembarked from the ship except Carter and Jacob. They remained behind, ostensibly to fix the engine. The rest of the group was again greeted by Orion, who seemed genuinely surprised and pleased at their return. She led them back to her home and tried to make them comfortable. The day dragged on.
Later in the day, SG1 was able catch Orion alone in an open area not far from the cabin.
"Getting anything?" Jack asked.
The Kendaaran shook her head. "I have no indication that there is a Go'auld among these Tok'ra."
Jack thought back to what Jacob had said at the SGC. Perhaps they could take advantage of Orion's talents and do a little information gathering from the Tok'ra. "So, what else have the Tok'ra been thinking about?"
Orion fixed her mint-colored eyes on him. "They seem to spend much time thinking of you."
"Really?" he asked.
"The one called Runar thinks you are an arrogant sob. But he always spells sob out, s-o-b."
Jack shifted uncomfortably.
"The woman, Anise, thinks you possess a cute ass," Orion said. "I would like to see it."
"What?!" Jack exclaimed.
"Your cute ass," she replied.
"I think you should show her, Jack," Daniel said in his best innocent tone.
"Is it brown or gray?" the alien asked.
Jack glanced at his teammates and realized they also had no idea what she was talking about.
"Your ass, your donkey, your burro? Is this not an animal not unlike my 'friends'?" Orion clarified."Of course, I understand, I would only be able to see a picture of it, since I cannot leave here," the alien said.
"Yes," Jack said quickly, before any of SG1 could contradict him. "Unfortunately I don't have a photo with me. I'll just have to show you another time."
"Very well." Orion truly looked disappointed.
The rest of the team filed past him, all of them trying, but failing, to hide their enjoyment at his expense. Even Teal'c gave him that little Jaffa smirk. Orion was last. She stopped and spoke. "You asked me to find Go'auld. It would be wrong for me to give you more."
"Okay, I won't ask again."
She nodded.
"So, you made that stuff up, right?" he asked.
She began to circle behind him. Instinctively he turned with her, keeping his front toward her.
"Right?" he repeated. She gave him a slow toe to head appraisal. Her eyebrow arched, she pivoted and left him alone in the clearing.
* * *
Night came. They ate, and Daniel carried on as Entertainment Director. Jack noticed that Orion had slipped out. He gave her several minutes of lead time, then he stood, stretched, and followed her. Bright light from the two moons overhead enabled him to find her seated on a fallen log. Her head was bowed; her fingers pressed to her temples. He crouched beside her.
She jumped.
He reached out to touch her shoulder. "Hey, sorry. I thought you heard me coming."
He assessed her body language. "Headache?"
She gave him a questioning look.
"Does your head hurt?" he rephrased.
"Yes," she said and closed her eyes. "There are five Tok'ra here, but there are also five hosts, as you call them. They each have individual thought patterns. It is difficult to define and separate them." "Is there something I can do?"
"I do not believe so."
"Well, maybe this will help." He straightened and stood behind her. He swept her hair to one side and placed his hands on her shoulders. Immediately she tensed. He leaned close to her ear. "Trust me," he admonished. Her skin was cool to his touch. He began gently kneading with his fingers. He slipped his thumbs below the neckline of her gauzy robe and rubbed the knots on the inside of her shoulder blades. He moved his hands to her neck, continuing to massage. Her head sank forward. He extended his long fingers into her hair and made circular motions on her scalp. He heard her moan softly.
"Um..." came from behind them.
Daniel.
Jack dropped his hands and Orion immediately stood, brushing her hair back. "I should return to the others," she stated and then was gone.
Jack regarded Daniel.
"So, what's going on?" the young man asked.
"She's got a headache from traipsing around in the minds of the Tok'ra. I was just trying to get her to relax."
"I see." "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I'm just remembering what a wise man imparted to me."
"Which was?"
"'Daniel, don't touch anything'."
Jack didn't keep the exasperation out of his voice. "Daniel, you know I came in last in riddle class at OCS."
"The same wise man usually followed that up with, 'Dammit, Daniel, I told you not to touch that!'" Daniel looked down and shuffled his boot into the ground. When he looked up again, his lips were in a tight line. "You're feeling sorry for her and all she's been through. Trust me, Jack. I see the signs. Just trying to save you a little pain."
"Daniel, you can be my conscience, but I don't remember appointing you my guardian."
"You have to know this can't work."
"I don't know anything and neither do you," he retorted.
"It would be the epitome of a 'long-distance' romance."
Jack shoved his hands in his pockets. "I was thinking of contacting Thor. The Asgaard are pretty smart guys. They might be able to get those things off her wrists." He said it out loud before realizing he had ever considered it.
"And then what? If the Asgaard can't help, you stay here?"
Jack looked at his best friend, knowing that Shar'ae was never far from Daniel's mind or heart. "You stayed behind," he said.
"You're not me, Jack."
* * *
They were well into the second day with the Tok'ra. Orion had still not detected anything that implicated anyone as Go'auld. Jack had joined Carter and Jacob in the ship's control room.
"I'm about out of stall time, Jack," Jacob said. "Someone's going to get suspicious."
Carter spoke. "Maybe they're suspicious already and that's why Orion hasn't discovered anything."
Jack looked at Jacob. "Could someone have tipped them off?"
"The only ones privy to this mission were the High Council and me."
"Maybe there isn't anyone to discover," Jack said.
"Or maybe this Orion isn't as good as you think," countered Jacob.
"Remind me to have her give you a demonstration before we leave," Jack said. Jacob rose and moved to the communications station. "Time to give an update."
Jack watched the Tok'ra while he engaged the comm system. "You're sure it's a secure channel?" he asked.
Jacob rolled his eyes. A low buzz of static filled the cabin.
"Dad?" Carter asked.
Jacob frowned. "I'll try another channel." More static. "Jack, try your radio," Jacob said.
Jack complied by contacting Teal'c and Daniel at the cabin.
Jacob moved away from the controls. "I'll try later. Must just be some temporary interference."
Jack picked up some kind of tool and started to play with it. Waiting was not his forte. The tool slipped out of his hand, clattered to the floor, and rolled under a console. He got to his knees, bent, and peered under the console. Naturally, it had rolled all the way to the back. He stretched his arm out, but his fingers still fell short. He worked his shoulder further under the console, which put the side of his head directly under the edge of the console. He reached and wrapped his fingers around the tool.
"Jack," a decidedly feminine voice said very close to him.
Instinctively he raised his head and rapped his left ear and temple on the hard edge above him. Geez that hurt. He lifted up and sat back on his knees, rubbing the sore spot with his hand.
He glared over at Carter. "Getting a little informal, aren't we, Sam?" he growled. Her eyes were huge, "Sir?"
He heard the voice again, more urgent: "Jack!" Carter's lips hadn't moved.
Jack grabbed the radio on his shoulder. "Teal'c! Come in!"
"I am here, O'Neill."
"Is Orion with you?"
"No, she is not. I believe she is outside."
"Is everyone else there?"
There was a pause. "Patrell is not accounted for."
"We need to find Orion. Start searching, now."
"Understood."
Jacob and Carter looked at him.
"What's wrong, Jack?" asked Jacob.
"Jacob, round up the other Tok'ra and keep them together. Carter, you're with me." He left the ship at a steady trot and Carter, to her credit, kept up and didn't ask questions.
They entered the forest. Jack stopped, closed his eyes and strained to hear.
"Colonel?" Carter asked.
He held up his hand for silence.
"Jack." This time the voice was quieter and quavered.
He knew where to go. He crashed through the underbrush and into a clearing with Carter right behind him. He saw Patrell first. Poised over Orion. He brought his zat gun into firing position and heard Carter do the same.
Patrell put his hands up defensively. "I did not touch her. She collapsed."
"Back off," Jack snarled.
The Tok'ra complied and stepped away from Orion. Jack kept his weapon trained on him.
Carter dropped down beside the motionless Kendaaran.
"Carter?"
"She's breathing, sir."
Jack engaged his radio while keeping Patrell in his sights. "Teal'c."
"Yes, O'Neill," came the response.
"We've got her. We're approximately a half click west of the ship in the woods."
"We are not far from your position."
He switched off the radio. "Carter, is she conscious?"
"I'm not sure. Her eyes are open, but she doesn't seem to be responsive."
Jack waved his zat at the Tok'ra. "If you hurt her, you Go'auld bastard..." he threatened.
Patrell looked confused. "Go'auld?" and the rest of his reply was cut off by the sound of Teal'c and Daniel coming into the clearing. Teal'c went immediately to Orion's side. Daniel appeared at Jack's elbow.
"What happened?" Daniel asked.
"Orion's hurt, and he's responsible," Jack accused.
"I did not even touch her," Patrell protested. "I only wanted to be close to her. She is so beautiful."
Jack gripped the zat tighter.
"Take it easy, Jack," came Daniel's calm voice. "We need to find out exactly what happened."
Teal'c scooped Orion up in his arms and effortlessly rose. They made their way back to the cabin. Jacob and the rest of the Tok'ra were assembled in front of the porch. Teal'c and Carter immediately climbed the stairs and took Orion inside. The Tok'ra surrounded Jack, Patrell, and Daniel.
"What's going on, Jack?" asked Jacob.
Jack pointed a finger at Jacob's chest. "This ends, now, Jacob." Then he jabbed his thumb toward Patrell. "And keep *that* on a short leash." With that, he and Daniel left Jacob to deal with the Tok'ra and their questions.
Only the sun filtering through the two windows lighted the interior of the cabin. Jack could make out Teal'c's form sitting on the floor in the center of the room. Carter was kneeling off to the side.
Jack questioned the Major. "Where's Orion?"
Carter put a finger to her lips and motioned for them to come closer.
He and Daniel came in front of Teal'c. His eyes were closed and he was swaying gently back and forth. Jack realized that the Jaffa's huge body cocooned Orion. He could see very little of the Kendaaran, just a portion of her face and the top of her hair.
Carter motioned then away from the Jaffa and Orion.
"What's he doing?" questioned Daniel.
"Some form of meditation, I think, " Carter answered.
"Has she said anything?" asked Jack. Carter shook her head.
Jack sucked a breath back and asked the question he really didn't want to ask. "Did that bastard touch her at all?"
"Physically, not that I can see. But psychologically, depending on what he was thinking, and if Orion was reading his mind..." Carter stopped talking and let him finish the thought himself.
"Oh,god," he sighed.
"O'Neill," came Teal'c's voice.
They all knelt on the floor in front of the Jaffa. Teal'c unwrapped his arms from Orion. Her eyes were open.
"Hey, you all right?" Jack asked.
"Please don't let me hurt him."
Surely he had misunderstood what she had said. "We won't let him hurt you. You're safe. Just tell us what happened between you and Patrell."
The alien visibly shuddered and melted back against Teal'c's chest. Jack cursed himself for having said the Tok'ra's name. "Did he hurt you? Is he Go'auld?" he persisted.
"He is not Go'auld. You must all leave now," she pleaded.
The first part of his question remained unanswered. Carter spoke. "Orion, whatever happened, it's not your fault."
Orion's voice was soft, almost inaudible. "I was afraid. His thoughts were so..." She paused. "unsettling." She looked at Jack.
"It's okay. You're safe," he repeated.
"You don't understand. If you hadn't come, I could have killed him." Her eyes brimmed with iridescent tears. "I cannot control myself, not the way I once could. Please, leave now, before I hurt anyone."
"The bastard would have deserved it," Jack said. He looked at the small alien cradled by Teal'c. Right now, he wanted to be the one holding her, comforting her. Teal'c spoke, "I believe ShalarrOrion needs to rest." He rose from his seated position, gently lifting the alien as he did so. He helped her to her cot, rejoined the team, and then ushered them out of the door.
"She gonna be all right in there alone?" Jack asked.
"She needs solitude," Teal'c replied.
Jacob moved toward them. Jack noted that Anise was guarding Patrell with a zat gun. SG1 descended the steps and met Jacob.
"What's she saying?" he asked.
Jack answered. "She's saying he's not Go'auld. What's *he* saying?"
"He doesn't know what's going on. He's maintaining he didn't hurt her or even touch her."
"Maybe not physically. Doesn't mean he didn't intend to at some point," Jack said. He could see that Jacob was digesting the information.
"What do you want me to do, Jack? Shoot him because he had some fantasy, perverted or otherwise? Come on!" He motioned to Anise, who lowered her zat.
"Sounds like a place to start," Jack answered. "He had to know he was scaring her."
"Jack, be reasonable. Patrell had no idea Orion's a telepath. Do you think he'd have been thinking those things if he knew that?"
"You know, Jacob, I don't care," Jack exploded. "We asked Orion to find Go'auld infiltrators. She hasn't found any. This mission is over. You and the rest of the Tok'ra are out of here. You can pick us up after you deliver them to their conference."
"Okay," Jacob sighed. "What do you want me to tell them?" He indicated the Tok'ra with a tip of his head.
"Anything you want. I'm done lying."
The sound of the cabin door opening made everyone turn. Orion appeared, her eyes bright orange. "Go'auld!" she yelled.
* * *
Jack and the rest of SG1 grabbed their weapons and pointed them at the Tok'ra.
Jack glanced up at Orion. "Which one?" he asked.
She pointed skyward as the first of the Death gliders roared overhead.
"Take cover!" Jack yelled. He ran up the stairs, grabbed Orion and headed for the trees. The cabin disappeared in a hail of missile fire.
They didn't make it far. Hordes of Jaffa surrounded them. They were disarmed and roughly searched. They were told to keep silent and were marched to the Stargate. They didn't have to wait long. Rings appeared and deposited Serapis in the meadow. He dismissed all but a handful of Jaffa, who singled Orion out and then encircled the rest of them. Jack tried to intervene but was cuffed viciously with a staff weapon. Orion shook her head at him.
Serapis circled the Kendaaran. He spoke to her in Go'auld.
She did not respond.
He spoke again in Go'auld. This time she replied. In English. "You know this language. I will not speak yours."
Jack heard the collective intake of breath from the Tok'ra as they realized Orion had understood them from the beginning.
The Go'auld's eyes flashed. He wagged his finger at Orion. "You will not vex me again." Then he smiled. "Very well, I will speak in this primitive language that all can understand." He moved toward SG1 and the Tok'ra. He appraised Jack and his team. "So, you are SG1 and the shol'va. You did gate here, after you escaped my outpost." He inspected Jacob and the others then sneered, "Tok'ra weaklings." Serapis turned back to Orion. "I am disappointed that you chose to lie to me the first time I was here."
"Not half as disappointed as I am for not destroying you once and for all," she answered.
The Go'auld looked thoughtful. "You could do that? This is more than I had hoped for. It makes me appreciate your skills even more." "I would be happy to demonstrate on you," Orion said. Serapis stroked the Kenadaaran's cheek, and Jack wanted to kill him more than he normally would any Go'auld. "This is what I like about you, little one. You have the fire I will quench."
Jack started forward but was knocked to his knees by two Jaffa. Daniel pulled him back to his feet. "Jack, if you get yourself killed here, you won't be helping anyone," he whispered.
Serapis continued. "Do you remember Khnemu?"
Jack watched as the color left Orion's already pale face.
"The killer of my world? How would I forget?" she answered.
"You know, he spent a great deal of time trying to find you. None of the Kendaarans would tell him where you were. I believe he did get tired of killing them in the end."
Orion's head dropped and her shoulders slumped.
Serapis continued his verbal assault. "Yes, while you were here safe, your people were being exterminated. All because of you!" He roughly lifted her chin and forced her to look in his face.
"Leave her alone, piss-head," Jack yelled. That earned him a blow to the face.
Serapis spoke. "When it was brought to my attention some months ago that you still lived, I thought it important that I contact Khnemu. I was hoping that we could reach an understanding and that with mutual cooperation we might achieve our goals together." He paused. "However, Khnemu did not share my vision. So, it was necessary to kill him. Oh, don't bother to thank me. I was happy to do it. Now what was his is mine."
"What do you want of me?" Orion asked, her voice wavering.
"I have plans for you, my little one. With your talents, you will help me gain prominence among the System Lords."
"I will not help you," she responded. "I thought you might say that. That is why I waited until you had company here on your lovely planet." He motioned to his Jaffa, who pointed their weapons at SG1 and the Tok'ra. "Although, perhaps the loss of ten more lives means nothing to you after all the blood that has been shed in your name."
"No, wait," Orion pleaded. "No one else can die because of me." Jack spoke." Orion, don't do this. They're going to kill us anyway. Read their minds. You know they will."
It was if she hadn't heard him. Her tone was hollow as she spoke to the Go'auld. "I will do what you ask."
"Splendid," Serapis said. "I have a surprise for you, Orion, and a guarantee that you will do my bidding. After all, it wouldn't do for you to keep on killing me." He clapped his hands and a female Jaffa stepped forward. "Allow me to introduce my queen, Jaquinn."
Jack's heart stopped as the Jaffa bared her midriff and the *snake* appeared.
Orion shook her head. "Kendaarans and Go'aulds cannot be blended."
Serapis smiled once more. He produced a communication device and spoke into it. Transport rings appeared and deposited a young man who then approached Serapis. The Go'auld put his arm around his shoulders. "This is Lakarr," he said.
Jack could see that the young man's eyes changed from green to purple. Orion leaned forward and then recoiled as the youth's eyes flashed. Go'auld. Serapis spoke. "You see, Khnemu fancied himself a builder of men, so he took a great deal of interest in your people. He continued his work in the hopes that some day he would find you. Granted, there were many failures, but the process has been perfected to the point that we will be able use it on you, Orion. You will be my queen and my masterpiece."
"You will spare SG1 and the Tok'ra?" she asked.
Serapis nodded.
"Then do what you will," she said.
"Don't do this, Orion!" Jack shouted. "You'll give him a weapon we won't be able to fight." The idea that there would be a Go'auld that could read minds shook him to the core. The idea that it would be Orion shook him even more.
She looked at Jack. "Let me do what I must to save you," she said.
Serapis rubbed his hands together. "Then let us proceed. There are preparations to be made on board the ship. Come." He slipped his arm around Orion's waist and guided her toward the place where the transport rings would descend. Then he stopped. "You seem eager to comply." He grabbed one of her arms."Could it be, because these will explode if you leave the planet?" He indicated the pulsating band encircling her wrist.
"I will take them off," Orion said.
Jack was stunned. He had believed her when she said they couldn't be removed. Orion touched the bands. They clicked open and fell to the ground.
Serapis ushered her to the ring site. The rings appeared. Orion turned, her head up, and shoulders back. She raised her hand to Jack. Her sleeve slipped back and he saw it: the glowing bracelet on her wrist. He glanced at the ground. The bands had disappeared.
He grabbed both sides of his head with his hands and yelled, "No!" A cold wind hit him full in his face. The rings ascended. A moment later, a huge explosion eclipsed the brightness of the midday sun. And somewhere a dog howled and a horse screamed.
Part 3 As the Jaffa stared skyward, SG1 and the Tok'ra overpowered them.
Jack grabbed a Jaffa and ripped his communicator from his uniform. He thrust it at Teal'c. "Contact Serapis' ship," he demanded.
"O'Neill," was all Teal'c said.
"Do it!"
Teal'c accepted it and repeatedly tried to raise the Go'auld's ship. There was no response.
"Keep trying," Jack ordered.
Teal'c closed the comm link and placed it in one of his pockets.
"I told you to keep on trying."
Jacob grabbed Jack's arm. "Jack, I'm not sure what just happened, but I don't think that will make a difference in the conclusion we're all drawing."
Jack looked upward as secondary detonations blossomed into colored clouds in the clear lavender sky.
* * *
Jack watched the dog and horse at the water's edge. Jacob's ship was ready to go. Rather than take SG1 all the way back to Earth, Jacob planned to take them to the closest friendly planet with a Gate and have the wormhole transport them home.
It had taken Jack some searching to find Taelan and Seven. In the end, he decided that they let themselves be found. He came alongside of the animals who were faced into the strong breeze blowing off the lake. Taelan's mane and tail rippled in the wind, and Seven's ears were flat against his head. Jack stood several minutes looking over the water that was white with froth from the waves.
He had to start somewhere. "I'm not sure whether you're able to understand what I'm going to say," he said. He looked over and saw that neither animal had moved.
He continued. "What happened is my fault. I never should have brought anyone else here."
The horse blinked.
"I don't pretend to understand what happened, but I know that somehow you and Orion made us believe that her bands were removed."
Taelan's nostrils flared.
"I need to thank you again for saving us. I just wish it hadn't come at such a great cost."
The horse swung her head toward him.
"We can bury the Gate. It wouldn't prevent anyone from landing with a ship, but no one could travel here through it again."
The horse stared at him for what he swore was a full minute and then shook her head.
"Okay, we leave the Gate."
Jack looked down at Seven. "What about him? There'll be no one here to take care of him."
The horse lowered her head and ruffled the top of the dog's head with her lips. Seven raised his head and for a moment, they touched noses.
Seven moved over to Jack and thrust his muzzle into his hand.
"I can't keep a dog, either, but I'll be sure to find him a good home."
Taelan nodded. She whinnied once, reared slightly, then turned and galloped down the beach. He lost sight of her as blue horse blended into blue water.
He turned and made his way back to what remained of Orion's homestead. A few blackened timbers and the stone hearth were all that were recognizable. Seven had his nose to the ground and for several moments cast it rapidly back and forth in the yard. He can still smell her, Jack thought. He remembered her fragrance and wished he, too, had the dog's keen sense of smell.
Daniel approached him. "Ready to go?" he asked.
"Suppose so." He whistled for Seven and the three of them headed for the ship. They found some seats on the bridge. Jack guessed that Teal'c had the other Jaffa under guard somewhere. Patrell was nowhere to be seen.
Jacob powered up the engines. Seven laid his head on Jack's knee and rolled his blue eyes up at him. "S'okay, boy," he reassured and patted the dog's head.
The ship rose up through the atmosphere and the turbulence caused by the heat of friction increased. They leapt into space, right into a huge debris field, the remains of Serapis' ship, now in orbit around Equus. It took all of Jacob's piloting skill to avoid hitting the flotsam.
When they were clear, Jacob turned and looked at Jack. "Sorry," he said.
Jack said nothing. He and Seven left the bridge and found a quiet spot in one of the cargo holds. He felt the change as the ship accelerated into hyperdrive. Jack sat on the floor with his back against the bulkhead, arms clasped around his knees.
Jacob appeared. "Can I come back?" he asked.
Jack waved a hand magnanimously. "It's your ship," he replied.
Jacob sat beside him. "Listen, Jack--"
"I'm not sure I'm ready to listen, Jacob."
The Tok'ra sighed. "It certainly was not our intent for this to happen."
"Your intent was to fulfill your agenda."
"Which was?"
"I'm not sure. But with you Tok'ra, there's always something just beneath the surface. The Go'auld said he'd known for months that Orion was alive. How the hell did he know we were going to be there? We were compromised."
"By the Tok'ra or the Tau'ri?" Jacob asked.
"You're saying that the SGC has a informant?"
"Your people had access to the same information as the Tok'ra."
Jack was quiet.
Jacob studied him, but it was Selmak who spoke," You have my word, O'Neill, if there has been deception on the part of the Tok'ra, I will discover it."
* * *
Only a few hours later, Jack emerged through the event horizon at the SGC with Seven at his side. The SF's had already lowered their weapons. General Hammond was waiting at the bottom of the ramp.
"Colonel."
"General."
"I'm sorry, son."
"No, sir. I'm the only one that needs to be sorry. This was my mission and my responsibility."
"I'm sure there's more than enough blame to go around, Colonel." The General paused and looked at Jack and his team. "We'll debrief tomorrow. You all look like you need rest." Jack glanced over at SG1. Teal'c leaned against his staff weapon, almost using it for support. Daniel's head was down, and Carter's eyes looked dark.
"Whatever you say, sir."
"O nine hundred, SG1."
"Yes, sir," came the universal response.
SG1 gathered outside the embarkation room.
"What are you planning on doing with Seven?" Daniel asked.
"I could take him, sir," Carter quickly offered.
"Dog hair in your house, Major?" Jack asked.
"They allow pets in my building," Daniel said.
"I always had you pegged for a cat person myself, Daniel." Jack said. " And I'm betting you're allergic."
Daniel's denial was punctuated with a tremendous sneeze.
"I rest my case," Jack said. "He stays with me until I can find a decent home for him."
Jack made his way to his office. Seven, who had been quite restless aboard the ship, immediately found a place to sleep on the floor. He made the prerequisite three turns before curling up. Jack leaned back in his chair wondering why he had chosen to come here. It wasn't though he intended to do paperwork. In the end he wasn't sure how long he sat there, his thoughts spiraling ever tighter. A rap at his door startled him.
"Come," he said and he was surprised how old his voice sounded.
It was Daniel. "You're still here," he said.
"Obviously."
"I'm going home. Want to walk out together?"
"Yeah, I suppose." Their elevator ride to the top was quiet, except Daniel's sniffling and occasional sneeze.
They parted company at the parking lot. It was late afternoon on a beautiful October day in Colorado. Jack was peeling back the cover on his Jeep when he felt the presence at his elbow.
"Um... Jack."
He didn't turn, just kept on pulling off the black covering. "Yes, Daniel."
"My car won't start. Could you give me a lift home?"
"Hop in." He refrained from making any comment about Daniel's chronic vehicle problems.
Daniel climbed into the passenger's side, and Jack got Seven to jump in the back. They pulled out of the parking lot and made their way down the mountain to Colorado Springs. The air was fresh, and it felt really good as it blew past Jack's face and ruffled his hair. The noise also made it impossible to carry on a conversation with Daniel, which suited Jack just fine. He lifted his head slightly and took a deep breath. For a moment, he went far away.
"Geez, Jack, what in the hell are you trying to do?" Daniel was yelling.
The fact that Daniel swore was enough to make Jack whip his head around. Daniel was straddling the gearshift console, his left foot on the brake and left hand on the steering wheel. The Jeep was in neutral, and they were on the shoulder of the narrow road.
"What?"
"You don't know what just happened?" Daniel asked as he pulled himself back into the passenger's seat. He was breathing fast,and his blue eyes were wide.
Jack did a quick mental check. Driving...driving...driving...not driving. "No," he said.
For a moment, Daniel looked even more frightened. "You closed your eyes and took your hands off the wheel."
"I fell asleep?"
"Maybe. But it was more like you deliberately took your hands off and put them on your thighs."
Now it was Jack's turn to be confused, make that concerned, make that scared shitless. If there was anything that Jack O'Neill hated, it was not being in control.
"How about I drive?" Daniel asked.
Jack slid out of the seat, and he and Daniel crossed paths in the front of the vehicle. Jack sunk down in the passenger seat. He was just tired, that's all. He rubbed his eyes and pretended not to notice how often Daniel glanced his way.
* * *
Jack opened the door to his house, flipped the keys back to Daniel, and stepped inside. "Pick me up tomorrow for the debriefing."
Daniel stood in the doorway, studying the ring of keys he had somehow managed to catch. "I could stay for a while."
"Why?"
"In case you wanted to talk."
"About?"
Daniel looked up at him.
"Daniel, I'm fine. Just tired. I don't want to talk or even think, just sleep. Besides if you spend any more overnights here, my neighbors will start to talk."
Daniel gave him his usual small smile. "Okay. I'll be here tomorrow at 8."
Jack watched Daniel go down the walk, get into the Jeep, and drive up the street. He bent and picked up the bag of dog food they had stopped for on the way home. He looked down at Seven. "Hope you're gonna like this stuff." He set the dog up in the kitchen with food, water and some blankets for a bed. Seven sniffed the kibble and looked at Jack.
"I'm not hungry, either. What say we take a stroll around the old estate?"
Seven woofed. They went outside and made the circuit around Jack's house. They ended up on the front porch, watching the neighborhood slow down with the coming twilight. Nathan, the kid from across the street, rode by on his bike. Seeing Jack, he pulled into the drive, dropped his bike, and ran up the walk.
"Cool, Mr. Colonel O'Neill, you got a dog."
"Remember, Nathan, you can call me Jack."
"Cool, Jack, you got a dog."
Seven immediately stood and wagged his tail. Jack judged it safe for the boy to pet him.
"What's his name?" Nathan asked as he extended his hand toward the dog.
"Seven."
Nathan looked up.
"It's a long story."
"Where'd you get him?"
Jack hated the way his voice caught in his throat. "From a friend. She had to go away. He's just here temporarily. You know I'm gone too often to have a dog."
The boy continued to ruff up the long hair on the sides of Seven's neck. "He's really a great dog. Does he know any tricks?"
"I'm sure he does, Nathan. The woman who took care of him was very special."
Nathan's voice grew quiet. "I always wanted a dog. I could ask my mom and dad."
"Why don't you do that. Have them come and talk to me."
"Cool." Nathan was up and halfway down the walk when he turned. "This friend of yours, she wouldn't show up and take her dog back, would she?"
"No, Nathan, she won't be coming back."
* * *
Jack sat on the edge of the bed. He sighed, bent down and began to unlace his boots. His undressing began calmly enough, but by the time he reached his t-shirt and briefs, his movements were jerky and angry. He yanked off the shirt, wadded it into a ball, and threw it on the floor. He stripped off his underwear so roughly that he gouged his hips with his thumbnails.
He stalked into the bathroom and turned the shower faucet to hot. He stepped in and adjusted the showerhead to pulverize. He let the water lash him, beat him, pound him. When he sensed that the water was beginning to cool, he cranked it hotter. And at some point within the confines of the cubicle composed of ceramic and chrome, Colonel Jack O'Neill, USAF, cursed the universe until his voice grew hoarse. He sucked back a huge breath and almost choked in the heated fog. He slammed the faucet off and stepped out of the stall. He grabbed a towel and scrubbed the water off of himself. He swiped a hand at the condensation-covered mirror, and it immediately clouded over again. For just a second he felt a cool breeze pass behind him. He whirled around but saw nothing. He glanced out into the bedroom and saw Seven raise up to attention and heard him whine.
He staggered to the bed; the heat of the shower had sapped his strength. The doorbell rang. For a moment he considered not answering it. He sighed, threw on a pair of sweats, and pulled a shirt over his head. The bell rang a third time before he got to it. He yanked the door open.
Daniel regarded him.
Jack self-consciously ran his hand over his standing-up gray hair. "Daniel, I don't want to talk."
Daniel lifted a six-pack. "Who said anything about talking?" The young man brushed past Jack and plopped down on the living room sofa.
Jack remained at the door. "You don't like beer."
Daniel popped the cap off of one of the longnecks and held it up.
Jack realized Daniel was not going to leave. He closed the door, walked to the sofa, and accepted the amber bottle.
"It's domestic." Daniel said. He opened another bottle for himself and settled back. "The guy at the liquor store said hockey is on tonight. Want to watch?"
"Suit yourself." Jack sat down at the other end of the couch.
Daniel picked up the remote. "Ah, and what channel would hockey be on?"
"ESPN."
"Right. And that number would be..."
"One sixty."
Jack listened as Daniel prattled on about being carded at the liquor store for the umpteenth time. He answered Daniel's questions about icing, crosschecking, and the blue line with perfunctory responses before he said, "Daniel, I thought we were going to drink, not talk."
"Right."
One of the teams scored.
"Jaaack?"
"Daaaniel?" Jack raised his eyebrows at his friend.
Daniel immediately dropped his gaze and contemplated his almost full bottle of beer.
Then suddenly during the face-off, the Blackhawks and Islanders winked off from the screen.
Jack put his bottle to his lips, took a long draught and continued to stare at the silent TV.
"Jack!" Daniel said sharply.
Jack matched the tone. "Daniel!"
Daniel was up on his feet and so was Jack. Daniel raised his index finger. "Don't..."
"Don't what, Daniel?" Jack shouted. "Don't feel cheated, don't feel responsible, don't feel guilty?"
"Don't... make this about you," Daniel said simply.
Jack stared at his friend. "Go home, Daniel, *now*."
"If I hadn't dialed the wrong address in the first place, we'd never have found Equus." Daniel's voice was quiet.
Jack didn't have enough room to feel sorry for anyone else but himself. "Just go home, Daniel. That's not a request."
Daniel put his bottle on the coffee table and picked up his ever-present backpack. He dug in it and produced a small object that he extended toward Jack. It was Orion's flute.
"It must have been thrown clear when the blast hit her cabin," Daniel said. "Thought you might want it to remember her by."
Jack resisted the impulse to knock it out of Daniel's hand. "I'll tell you what I'll remember. I'll remember seeing her in pain, first with Patrell, then with the Go'auld. I'll remember the look on her face when Serapis said she was responsible for the death of her people. And then of course, there was that huge fireball in the sky that I'll never forget."
Daniel let his hand holding the flute drop to his side and he turned to leave. But before he left the room, he spoke without facing Jack. "We all lost her, Jack."
Jack remained in the living room until he heard the front door close. He was incredibly tired. He turned out the lights and made his way to the stairs. In the foyer, he found Orion's flute left on a table. He refrained from picking it up. In the bedroom he stripped off his shirt and fell on his bed. Seven appeared and found a place on the floor. Sleep escaped him. He stared at the ceiling, hesitant to close his eyes, afraid to dream. Hours passed. He felt incredibly warm. Finally he threw both of the windows open, grabbed the sheet and pillow, off of the bed and lay down next to the dog. He was on the verge of slumber when he felt the cold nose in his face. He opened one eye. Seven whined.
"You're kidding, right?"
Seven whined more urgently. Jack didn't need to be a mind reader to know what the animal wanted.
"Great." Jack pulled himself up.
Seven went ahead of him down the stairs and waited at the front door. Jack opened it and the dog squeezed out. Jack stepped out into the cold fall night and clasped his arms around his bare chest.
"Make it snappy. That's an order," he said.
Force of habit made him draw his eyes upward to the clear night sky, this time to the constellation Orion. The three bright stars of the hunter, Delta Ori, Sigma Ori and Zeta Ori, glowed with unusual intensity. For eternity this Orion would be with the dogs, Canis major and minor, in the heavens. Shalarr Orion was gone forever. He pulled his eyes away and squinted into the darkness. "Come on, Seven," he urged. The dog appeared and together they went back into the house.
* * *
He came awake all at once, arms and legs flailing. Fortunately, Daniel had had the good sense to stand back.
"What!?"
"I've been trying to wake you for about five minutes, Jack. Are you okay?"
Jack looked up into Daniel Jackson's concerned face from his position on the floor. He sat up slowly and ran his hands through his hair. "What d'ya want?"
"The debriefing, o nine hundred. Are you sure you're all right?"
"Just tired. Didn't get much sleep last night."
Daniel cast a glance around the room. "I can see that. Geez, it's freezing in here." He crossed to the open windows, slammed them shut, then sat on the edge of the bed and crossed his arms in true Daniel Jackson fashion. "When you didn't answer the door, I let myself in. When I couldn't find you downstairs, I came up here and saw the sheet missing from the bed." He paused and looked down at Jack.
"And you thought what?"
Daniel blinked quickly behind his glasses, then looked away from him. "You know what I thought."
Jack got to his feet. "I have a rope in the garage. It'd do a better job."
"You were in quite a mood last night."
"Let's just drop it."
"Yeah, now there's a great idea."
"Daniel, don't start."
Daniel got up from the bed. "We're going to be late. I'll call Sam and tell her to make an excuse for us." He walked over to Jack's phone and picked up the receiver. Jack busied himself with getting dressed. But that didn't prevent him from listening to Daniel's side of the conversation, even if Daniel was doing it in hushed tones.
"Sam? It's me. Listen, Jack and I are going to be a little late. You'll have to tell the General." Pause.
"Just tell him I had car trouble, and Jack had to pick me up." Pause.
"Well, it's not exactly a lie. I did have car trouble. I'll tell you more about it later." Pause.
"See you in about forty -five minutes. Bye." Daniel replaced the receiver. Seven sidled up next to him. Daniel put up his hands in surrender mode. "Look, I'm sorry, Seven. I can't pet you because I'm...I'm..." The end of his sentence was lost in a giant sneeze.
"Kleenex," pleaded Daniel with his hand cupped over his face.
Jack pointed toward the bathroom and Daniel disappeared.
A moment later. "Jack?"
"What?"
"Can you come in here?"
"No."
"Please."
Jack stalked into the bathroom. "What'd you do? Fall in..." He stopped when he saw what Daniel was looking at. Smeared on the mirror was the image of one of the Stargate symbols. He didn't know the name of it, but it was the one that looked a little like an hourglass.
"Why did you do this." Daniel made it a statement, not a question.
Jack's first response was immediate denial. But that was absurd, since he was the only one who had used the bathroom. He thought a moment. "The whole mirror was covered with condensation after I showered. I wiped it with my hand. It has to be coincidence that it looks like a gate symbol."
Daniel looked skeptical.
"Look, we have to get going," Jack said. He picked up the box of tissues and shoved it at Daniel.
The morning was cool and cloudy. Daniel had already put the cover up on the Jeep.Jack drove, but he noticed Daniel kept his left hand close to the gearshift. The close quarters with the dog made Daniel sneeze every few minutes. At the SGC they breezed through security and were on the way to the debriefing room when Lt. Simmons intercepted them.
"We're in kind of a hurry, Lieutenant," Jack said.
"I know, sir. A group of us in the control room..." The small man paused. "We know the mission to Equus was classified. All we know is that Orion died."
Jack stiffened.
"It's just that when we talked to her through the gate, she had this way about her, it was like we knew her."
Daniel interceded. "Yes, we know what you mean, Lieutenant."
Simmons was quick to finish. "We just wanted to know. She didn't suffer at all, did she? I mean, we knew that the Go'auld were involved."
Daniel continued. "No, it was very quick."
Simmons looked down and mumbled, "Thanks." He spun on his heels and was gone.
"He blames me," Jack stated.
"The only one who's blaming you is you." Daniel strode off, leaving Jack behind.
General Hammond, Carter and Teal'c were already in the debriefing room when Jack arrived just after Daniel. The General didn't seem bothered by the fact they were late. It was a painful hour describing the events that occurred on Equus. The General listened, rarely offering an observation or opinion.
Jack did his summation. "I take full responsibility for the loss of Orion, who possibly could have been our greatest weapon against the Go'auld."
"Duly noted," Hammond said. "I'll expect a full report on my desk within three days. Everyone is dismissed with the exception of Colonel O'Neill."
The rest of SG1 stood but lingered.
"I believe I said dismissed," the General repeated.
"With all due respect, sir." Carter said. "What happened wasn't--"
Hammond cut her off. "Major, I will not say it a third time."
"Yes, sir," Carter said.
Each member of his team made eye contact with Jack before they left.
"Colonel," Hammond began, his watery blue eyes fixed on Jack.
"Sir." Jack stood.
"As you were, Jack."
He sat back down.
"Tell me, Jack, did you consider Orion a sentient being?"
"Sentient, sir?"
"Cut the crap, Colonel. You know damn well what I'm talking about."
It was not often that Jack was caught in his "dumb act". Most people believed it. "Yes, she was probably the most aware, most perceptive person I've ever met," he admitted.
"And would it be your opinion that she knew exactly what she was doing when she acted as she did?"
"She felt she had no other choice."
"Did you order her or coerce her into sacrificing herself?"
For a moment the question blind-sided Jack. "Of course not, sir."
"Then I fail to see how you are responsible for her death."
"It was my mission."
"You are responsible for the failure of the mission. You are not responsible for the actions of someone not under your command. Orion saved you, the Tok'ra, and god knows how many others." The General's tone switched into his fatherly mode, even though he wasn't many years older than Jack. "You've lost people before, Jack. What's different about this time?"
Jack chose to focus on his folded hands that rested on the sleek tabletop.
"Was there something personal between you and Orion?" Hammond prodded.
Jack snapped his head up. "No. Yes. Hell, I don't know. I'll never know," he finished.
"Do you need some time off so you can continue to beat yourself up about this?"
Jack looked at his commanding officer, a man who had also become his friend over the past few years. "No, sir."
"Good. Then I suggest you focus on finding out why the mission failed and..." Hammond glanced down at Seven who was curled up on the floor. "Finding a home for the dog. The SGC doesn't need a mascot."
"Yes, sir." Jack pushed himself away from the table and stood. "I'll need a list of all personnel who had access to any information about the mission."
Hammond gave him a questioning look.
"Selmak thinks there may have been a security breach."
"On our end?" The General was clearly piqued.
"Serapis supposedly knew months ago that Orion was alive and timed his arrival to coincide with the mission."
"You'll have full access to whatever you need, Colonel." "Thank you, sir." Seven joined him as he left the conference room. Outside in the hallway, his team waited. He read their expectant looks.
"S'okay," he said.
The klaxon blared. Jack muttered, "Now what?"
Hammond emerged from the conference room, and SG1 fell into step behind him. They all gathered behind Lt. Simmons in the control room.
"It's the Tok'ra, sir," Simmons said.
"Open the iris," Hammond ordered.
SG1 and the General assembled at the bottom of the ramp amidst the gun-toting Marines and waited for the event horizon to stabilize. A solitary figure appeared from the blue ripples and walked toward them.
"Jacob," Hammond acknowledged.
"George," the Tok'ra responded. He nodded at SG1. "We need to talk, somewhere private."
A few minutes later they were back in the same conference room they just had vacated.
Jacob became Selmak. "First, let me say again how sorry the Tok'ra are for the loss of Orion." He looked over at Jack. "I know that Colonel O'Neill had some misgivings about this mission." The Tok'ra paused. "And they may have been well-founded."
Jack struggled against the outburst he felt rising within himself.
Selmak continued. "I promised the Colonel that if there was deception on the part of the Tok'ra, I would find it."
"And?" Hammond asked.
"The reason that Orion did not detect any Go'aulds among the Tok'ra on Equus was that there were none to detect."
"What?" Jack asked, his voice tight and low. Underneath the table his hands clenched into fists.
"The Tok'ra sent with me were hand-picked because they were above reproach," Selmak replied. "It was a way to ensure that no communication concerning Orion would come to Serapis from anyone on Equus."
Carter spoke. "You said that only you and the High Council knew about Orion."
Selmak nodded.
Hammond regarded Selmak. "So, let me get this straight. Someone on the High Council told Serapis that Orion was alive, months ago, probably after we provided the preliminary report on Equus. Someone else on the Council suspected that one of its members was in collusion with the Serapis, so they devised this plan to prove it?"
"That is how it appears, General," Selmak said. "If our visit to Equus had been uneventful, it would have been concluded that the High Council was secure."
Jack seethed. A Tok'ra had put his team at risk and had deliberately put Orion in harm's way. He abruptly stood. "You bastards set her up," he yelled.
"Colonel," Hammond warned.
Selmak receded and Jacob talked. "Not me, Jack."
Jack slapped both of his hands on the table. "Who, then?"
"I don't know," Jacob replied.
Jack whisked the pile of papers in front of him to the floor. "Don't give me that shit," he shouted.
"Colonel, stand down, or you will be relieved." Hammond didn't have to say it loudly.
Teal'c, who sat next to Jack, stood, put a restraining hand on his shoulder, and pushed him to his seat. "You do not know who the traitor is or the identity of the Tok'ra who conceived this plan," he said.
"No," Jacob responded. "At least not yet."
"Would you tell us if you knew?" Jack asked.
"Yes, Jack, I would. All of us were in danger on Equus." "But only one of us died," Daniel said, his voice quiet.
"And I can't tell you how sorry I am about that, Daniel." Jacob said. "But someone considered the Tok'ra expendable, along with SG1 and Orion. Believe it or not, that's very disturbing to me. The High Council doesn't even know I'm here to discuss this. They think I've come to visit Sam. When I know something, so will you. Trust me."
Jack glared at Jacob. "Been there, done that." Jacob had always been straight with him before, but right now trusting a Tok'ra was the very last thing he intended to do. He turned to Hammond. "Permission to start our own investigation, sir."
"I'm afraid that's impossible, Jack," Jacob said. "The Tok'ra won't tolerate an inquisition."
"I don't give a damn what the Tok'ra will or won't tolerate." He was on his feet again. This time Daniel and Teal'c rose at the same time, sandwiched him and ushered him out of the room. "Get off me!" he snarled as he fought their grip.
Teal'c used his considerable size to pin him against the opposite wall in the hall. Before the conference room door closed, he saw Sam huddled close to her father.
"O'Neill," Teal'c said. "This will not bring ShalarrOrion back. If we are to avenge her death, we must think and act clearly."
"Come on, Jack," Daniel said. "Use your head."
Jack looked up at Teal'c's dark face. "I'm all right," he said.
Teal'c pulled his bulk off of him. Jack rested against the wall for a moment before he straightened up.
"When's the last time you ate?" Daniel asked.
Jack couldn't remember. "Yesterday?" In fact, he wasn't even sure what day it was. Daniel led the way to the mess and they filed through the line. They found a place to sit, and that's when Jack noticed that both Daniel and Teal'c were scrutinizing his tray.
"What?" he asked.
Daniel waved at Jack's plate with his knife. "Eating a little light, aren't you?"
Jack glanced down and realized he had picked out nothing but fruits and vegetables to eat. Not having the faintest idea of why he might have done that, he tried to deflect his companions' questioning looks. "Look, I'm getting older. Got to watch that cholesterol." He zealously attacked his salad.
"Are you certain you are feeling well?" Teal'c asked.
"Yes, fine," Jack answered. To prove his point, he reached over with his fork and speared a piece of Daniel's meatloaf and stuffed it in his mouth. "Happy now?" he said as he chewed. He swallowed. It did taste good, for just a moment. Then his stomach spasmed and rolled. He bolted from the cafeteria to the nearest facility, charging past two startled airmen at the urinals and into the nearest stall. He was enthusiastically sick. He vomited, puked, hurled, spewed, retched, heaved, barfed, upchucked, tossed his cookies, and prayed to the porcelain god until he was so weak he could barely raise his head from the stool. He sat back on his heels, grabbed toilet paper and blew his nose. He leaned forward and used the toilet to help bring himself to his feet. He flushed it, turned and exited the stall. Thankfully the lavatory was now empty. He could wash his face with cold water and rinse his mouth without witnesses. Daniel and Teal'c were waiting for him outside.
"Gee, Jack, you look like..." Daniel began.
Jack could see the linguist cycling through all the options.
Daniel finally decided on, "You need to see a doctor."
"I'm fine, Daniel." That was the last thing he said before the darkness crept from his peripheral vision and snuffed out the lights.
* * * He was horizontal on a hard surface. He cracked open an eye. The ceiling tiles above him were exceedingly white. There was that familiar acrid smell. He heard gentle bleeps in the background. Infirmary. He shook his head.
His movement brought instant response.
"He's coming to," came Daniel's voice.
"Colonel?" Doc Frasier said. "You're in the infirmary."
"No shit," he croaked. His throat was raw and the taste in his mouth was terrible. "Water?"
"Nothing by mouth until we find out what made you sick," the doctor said. "When's the last time you ate or drank before this noon?"
"Beer, last night."
The doctor's dark eyes narrowed.
"Not drunk or hung-over. Just had one," he said. He felt her pinch the skin on the back of his hand. She looked to the nurse next to her. "He's dehydrated. We're going need some IV fluids here."
He groaned.
Frasier turned back to him. "Are you in pain?"
"No." He could see SG1 hovering behind the doctor. He hated anyone to see him down, especially his team.
Frasier picked up on that. She turned and addressed them. "We're going to be busy for a while here. Why don't you wait outside?"
His team ringed the bed for a moment, wished him well, and then disappeared from his field of vision.
Frasier busied herself with collecting various pieces of medical equipment. "Can you tell me what happened, Colonel?"
"Got sick."
"That's pretty evident." She produced the thermometer. "I'm going to take your temperature by putting this in your ear." She said it as though he didn't know the drill by now. He felt the slight pressure in his right ear and then heard the soft beep. The doctor removed the thermometer and then frowned. She tapped the instrument slightly, and then said, "I'll be right back." She returned in a few seconds with another instrument to which she attached a plastic sheath. "I'm going to put this under your tongue." When the oral thermometer signaled the end of the read time, she stared at it, her eyebrows knitted.
"Problem?" Jack asked.
"It says your body temperature is ninety-six. Do you feel cold at all?"
"No." In fact, he felt warm.
She elevated the head of the bed. She proceeded to take rest of his vitals: pulse, respirations, heart and lung sounds. There was a rustle of movement on the other side of white curtain. Daniel's voice came from behind it, "Ah, Janet, can I see you for a second?"
"Not right now, Daniel," the doctor replied.
"It's kind of important," he said.
A woman carrying a bag of fluid and plastic tubing parted the curtain and stood next to the doctor. "Why don't you get that started?" Frasier said to the nurse. The doctor exited the cubicle and left Jack alone with the nurse and her incredibly large bore needle.
When Frasier returned, Jack had his attention focused on the dripping of the liquid into the small chamber that was located on the IV tubing. The doctor looked at the nurse. "We'll need a blood draw. Why don't you get someone from the lab up here?" The nurse nodded and disappeared behind the swirl of the curtain. Frasier pulled a stool close to the bed, perched on the edge of it, and leaned close to him. Her mouth was a tight bow.
"Daniel tells me that you had some kind of episode yesterday."
He should have known that Daniel would rat on him. "Just fell asleep. Tired."
"Daniel seems to think that it was more of a deliberate act on your part."
His voice rose. "That's his opinion. Since when does the 'Doctor' in front of Daniel Jackson stand for MD? Must be another one of his degrees I didn't know about."
The doctor's voice was very quiet. "I would rather have heard it from you."
"I'm telling you it was nothing."
She sighed and stood. Then she started asking all those questions that doctors think are important. Maybe someday he'd figure out why bathroom habits were so interesting to physicians. It rated right up there with "turn your head and cough". She finished her exam and sat back on the stool.
"Are you having pain anywhere?" she asked.
He spoke before he thought. "It feels a little heavy here." He pulled his right arm across his chest.
The doctor's eyes widened and Jack knew he was seconds away from a full-blown coronary workup. He tried to recover. "I'm not having a heart attack," he stated.
"Now who's assuming the title of Doctor now? I don't have to tell you that at your age--"
"It felt the same way after Charlie died."
The doctor's gaze softened. "I was sorry to hear about Orion." The doctor paused a second. "Your team's concerned about your state of mind since she died. Did you want to talk to someone about her?"
His temper flared. "You mean Mackenzie? No way in hell. I've seen what he can do." Jack flashed back to images of Daniel in that padded cell, stripped of his dignity, his regular clothes, even his glasses.
"I was just putting it out as an option," she said. She stood once more. "Just a few simple neurological tests, Colonel, and then we'll be done." She put her small hands on his neck and walked her fingers up the sides of it. "Headache?" she asked.
He didn't answer and he wasn't quite sure why he didn't. He found himself looking up at the doctor's hazel eyes.
"Does your head hurt?" she rephrased.
"Yes," he finally admitted.
"We can get you something for that."
She held up her index finger. "Can you follow my finger?"
He complied.
She produced her penlight. She flicked it on and brought it close to his face. "Just look over my shoulder," she said. The light was intense and it felt like it was burning through the back of his head.
Suddenly Frasier leapt back from him and her hand went to her throat. "Lt. D'Angelo!" she yelled. Instantly a nurse joined them in the cubicle. The doctor started to issue orders. "I want an EEG, a head CT, and an MRI. STAT."
Jack was really confused. He had had many concussions so he was familiar with these tests. "Why all the head stuff for a simple case of the flu or food poisoning?" he asked.
Frasier turned toward him. "I think we're dealing with a little more than that, Colonel. For a moment, your eyes changed color."
* * *
The neurological tests were painless, but he was glad when they were finished. Frasier had informed him that final results and interpretations wouldn't be available until tomorrow. He wasn't sure of the time, since his watch had disappeared along with his clothes, probably when he was admitted to the infirmary. He guessed early evening. He laced his fingers of his hands behind his head, leaned back, and then soundly cursed the IV that bit into his left hand. He settled for having just his right hand cradle the back of his head. His hair was stiff from the paste that had been used to attach the electrodes for the EEG. He hoped they would let him shower. He was definitely not in the mood for a sponge bath.
It was the first time he had been left by himself alone since Frasier's revelation. Part of him dismissed her claim. The other part of him constantly searched for any sign that he truly wasn't *alone*. He had gone so far to spend some time staring into a mirror. He certainly didn't see his eyes change color. He didn't feel any different. Not like he had felt when Hathor's Go'auld invaded his body. He felt no anger, no abhorrence, no fear.
There was activity on the other side of the white curtain. Quick footsteps. He sat up straight in bed.
"Dr. Frasier!" It was a male voice. "Wait!"
"What is it, Dr. Ralston?" came Frasier's reply.
Jack wondered how many hours of the day the petite doctor spent at the SGC.
"We've discovered some amazing properties in the blood from the alien from Equus. It's just so unfortunate we'll be unable to obtain more samples."
"Shh!" From her tone, Jack knew the doctor was angry. Jack couldn't hear the entire conversation, but he caught a word or two down concerning confidentiality and sensitivity. There was a mumbled apology from the man.
Dr. Frasier asked for admittance. After Jack granted it, she drew aside the curtain and stepped in. She sighed. "I knew I wouldn't be lucky enough to have you sleeping. Sorry you heard that."
"S'okay."
"How are you feeling?" she asked.
"At least you didn't ask how "we" are feeling," he replied.
Fraiser failed to conceal her smile. "Colonel, I only know what I saw. You really should get some rest."
He lay back down. "Goodnight, doc."
"Goodnight, sir."
He didn't sleep. And it wasn't from lack of trying. Unfortunately he didn't get his eyes closed fast enough during one of the D'Angelo's hourly checks.
"Nice try, Colonel," she said.
He had no choice but to open his eyes again.
"Doctor Frasier ordered something for sleep in case you didn't." She disappeared for a moment then returned with a tray.
He held out his cupped hand for the pill.
She countered by holding up a fair-sized syringe.
"Damn," he said softly and offered his arm.
She shook her head. "Sorry sir, the big needle needs the bigger target."
He sighed, rolled over, and waited for the sting and the oblivion of medication-induced sleep.
* * *
Jack fixed his attention on Dr. Frasier at the front of the briefing room. The IV had been pulled, and he had been allowed to dress. Well, actually he had insisted on it. No way was he going to attend the meeting wearing one of those well-ventilated hospital gowns. Besides, those conference room chairs were always cold.
General Hammond and SG1 were there along with the doctor.
Frasier flipped on the overhead projector and launched into volley of medical jargon. It was like listening to Carter talk about astrophysics or Daniel go on about ancient civilizations.
He held up his hand.
Frasier stopped. "Yes, Colonel?"
"Bottom line, doc. Have I got something in my head or not?" "I've compared your current CT, MRI and EEG to the ones we have on file. The CT and MRI appear identical..."
Jack waited for the "but".
"...but, the EEG shows some changes." The doctor put the tracings side-by-side and pointed out the differences.
General Hammond spoke. "Could these be just normal variations, Doctor?"
"I don't think so, General. The changes on the Colonel's EEG are so far outside anything I've ever seen on a human."
Jack twisted the plastic straw he had pulled from the glass of water in front of him. "So, I brought part of Orion back with me."
"I don't know, sir. If we had more data on Orion, I could make a better judgement. All we have is the blood and the limited medical information Major Carter brought back with her. We know that Orion had a lower basal body temperature, which you are now mirroring. I did see your eyes change color, which is something I was told Orion could do."
"Orion was vegetarian. It could explain why Jack reacted the way he did after he ate meat," contributed Daniel. Then he went into detail about the driving incident.
Jack glanced around the table. "About the driving thing. I saw Orion do something similiar, except she was on a horse and the horse knew where it was going."
"She rode a horse with her eyes closed and no hands on the reins?" Hammond asked.
"Yes, sir. Actually, the horse didn't have a bridle, so there weren't any reins." Jack answered.
The General shook his head.
"You're not picking up any thoughts, are you?" Carter asked.
"No. I'm not doing the mind-reading thing."
"You're sure," Daniel said.
"Nothing, nada, zero, zilch, zip," Jack emphasized.
His team looked at him.
Teal'c began, "Your speech pattern is much like ShalarrOrion's."
There was a moment of silence around the table.
"I think we need to ask what motive Orion might have for doing this," Hammond said.
"Maybe it would help if we knew when and how it happened," suggested Frasier. "Colonel, you didn't notice anything until you came back through the gate?"
"No," he answered.
"Wait a minute, Colonel," Carter said. "On Equus, you knew that Orion was being threatened by Patrell, and you knew exactly where to find them."
Jack remembered how Orion had called to him.
The doctor continued. "So she was communicating with Colonel O'Neill on another level even before he left Equus."
"If she knew she was about to die in the explosion aboard Serapis' ship, would she have attached herself to Colonel O'Neill in hopes of surviving?" asked the General.
Teal'c spoke. "ShalarrOrion would not do such a thing to preserve her life. She knew we were not comfortable with her level of communication. She would not force herself upon another without a valid reason."
The General rose from his chair. "People, I want some answers. Make this priority one." He looked over at Jack. "Colonel, you'll be confined to the infirmary."
Jack immediately started to protest.
"Colonel, right now you need to be monitored. And until we find out what Orion's purpose is, you'll be denied access to the sensitive areas of the SGC."
He couldn't disagree with the General's pronouncement. "Yes, sir," he said.
The General left the room. Jack still had the plastic straw in his hand. He gave it one final twist and pitched it on the table. He knew Frasier was standing behind his chair. He ran his hands through his hair and stood.
The rest of SG1 also stood. "We'll get this figured out, Jack," Daniel said.
"Sure you will," he replied as he looked at each team member in turn.
* * *
He was back in bed. He had to bargain hard to keep his pants. The nurse attached the leads for the telemetry to his chest. This was one of the times he was happy for his lack of abundant chest hair. She snapped up the shoulder of his gown. When she produced the pulse oximeter, he extended just the middle finger of his left hand. She just smiled a bit and shook her head as she clipped the glowing red light over the tip of his finger. She finished setting up the equipment and then disappeared.
He reached over to the bedside table and picked up a stack of papers. He had asked to be able to work on some reports, a request that really appeared to worry Dr. Frasier. He tried to concentrate but had little success. He closed his eyes for just a moment.
He was standing at the shore of the lake. The strong cool breeze shoved the waves over the tops of his boots. The sun was setting. The clouds that dared share the sky with the brilliant ball of fire were seared orange. He felt the presence beside him. He turned to face her. Her hair blew wildly in the wind and her eyes blazed with the colors of the sky. She whispered, "Trust me, Jack."
His body was seized with a chill, and he jerked awake.
"Jack!" Daniel was on the other side of the curtain. "I think I might have something."
"Yeah."
Daniel slipped in between the folds of the white shroud. He gave Jack a quick once-over. "Hey, you okay?"
"Yeah. Just a little cold, that's all."
Daniel picked up a blanket from the chair and threw it over Jack.
"Thanks. So, what'd ya got?"
"This!" Daniel brandished a plastic straw, a twisted and bent plastic straw.
"Okaay?" Jack said.
Daniel launched forward. "Well, I'll admit it's not the best representation I've seen, but don't you recognize it?"
"No."
"It's a gate symbol. This is the straw you were fiddling with in the conference room. You turned it into gate symbol."
"And?"
"This is the second time you've done this. Remember at your house on your mirror?"
Jack sat up. Daniel was right.
"What if Orion is trying to give us a location?"
"Of what?"
"I don't know. But if we could get all the symbols, we might be able to figure it out." Daniel pulled the chair closer to the bed and sat. "I know you're not going to like this suggestion, but could you open up your mind a little more?"
"You're saying I'm close-minded?"
"Um. I'm just saying you need to be open to the possibilities. If you could relax..."
"If she wants to tell me something, why in the hell doesn't she just come out and say it!"
Daniel maintained his level tone. "Well, it's not like she's actually physically here and able to talk. She's trying to find a way to communicate." He rose from the chair. "I'll be right back." He disappeared and returned some minutes later.
"Here." Daniel shoved a clipboard into Jack's hands.
Jack looked down at the chart that depicted all thirty-nine Stargate symbols clearly.
"I thought maybe this would help," the linguist said.
Jack stared at the symbols. "Not getting anything here, Daniel."
"You might have to give it some time. I'll come back in a little while." Daniel spread his arms. "Just be open." Then he was gone.
Jack studied each symbol until the page before him blurred. He shook his head. This wasn't working. He let the clipboard slip out of his hands. He thought that Daniel had really been on to something, but now he wasn't sure. When Daniel returned, Jack had nothing to give him. But he was surprised when the nurse came in and started to disconnect him from all the medical paraphernalia.
Daniel threw him his shirt. "Let's go," he said.
"Where?" Jack asked.
"Field trip. I got the General to agree to let you go to the embarkation room. Maybe being in the proximity of the gate will help."
Jack shrugged into his shirt. He knew how persuasive Daniel could be. The General hadn't had a chance.
Teal'c and Carter were waiting for them at the bottom of the ramp. He looked up into the control room and saw General Hammond behind the high impact glass. He tried to ignore the SF's that stood ready with their weapons. Together, SG1 walked up the slight incline toward the naquadah ring. He felt his teammates' attention on him. The gate powered up and all the chevrons glowed red.
Hammond's voice came over the PA. "Colonel, what's going on down there?"
"Not sure, sir," he answered. He moved forward until he was within arm's reach of the inner ring. It spun slowly, allowing him to scrutinize each symbol as it passed. From the control room above, he could still hear the frantic efforts being made to shut it down, the intercom picking up the conversation from above. "Shut it down, Lieutenant!" "The gate is not engaged, sir!"
"It sure looks like it to me, Lieutenant!" "Major Carter, get up here!"
Carter disappeared from his left.
"Colonel O'Neill!" the General yelled. "Stop what you're doing immediately!"
He heard Daniel say next to him, "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea, Jack."
The ring completed one revolution, and then its motion became retrograde until it stopped. The symbol that Jack had seen on his bathroom mirror was now directly in front of him, and it glowed. The ring moved again and the next symbol displayed was one he had crafted out of the straw. Over the next few minutes, four more glyphs were delineated. Then the chevrons on the gate went dark, and the gate powered down.
Daniel asked, "Did you get it, Sam?"
"Yes, we're checking the database," she replied.
Daniel's voice was close beside him. "Jack?"
He turned toward his friend.
"Jack? Does the location mean anything to you?"
He shook his head. That was a mistake. The gateroom rotated around him, once then twice. He felt hands grab and support his weight. Dimly he heard the call for a gurney and then there was a loud rush in his ears that drowned out all other sound.
* * *
Her fragrance was pure, soft and fresh. He breathed deep and looked down at her. She gave him that small sweet smile of hers, turned, then walked away from him.
"Don't leave," he begged.
She turned back.
He closed the distance between them. He pulled her close, and her body was cool against him. "I can't leave you behind again," he said.
Her eyes were crystalline as she stared up at him. "Let me do what I must to save you." she whispered.
He lowered his head and their lips brushed. She dissolved against him and his arms held...nothing.
"Stay!" he yelled and sat straight up. A chorus of alarms accompanied his movement.
"Take it easy, Colonel," came Dr. Frasier's voice. You've been out for quite a while."
He lay back and drew a shaky breath. "How long?" he asked.
"Long enough for your body temperature to raise to ninety-eight point six and," She waved a strip of paper in front of him. "for your EEG to return to normal. It's been twenty-four hours, sir." She did a brief exam and appeared satisfied. She adjusted the pillow behind his head. "Ordinarily, I'd be ordering you to rest, but there are some people who'd like to see you." She leaned close to him. "Actually you'd be doing me a favor, sir. They're beginning to clutter up my infirmary." Then she resumed her upright position. "But only if you're up to it, Colonel," she added.
"Send 'em in, doc."
SG1 entered and satellited his bed, Daniel and Carter on his right and left respectively, and Teal'c at the foot.
There was a moment of silence before Daniel broke it. "So, Jack, how are you feeling?"
"All right." Jack looked at Carter. "Anything on that gate location?"
"Yes, sir.We couldn't identify it, so I contacted Dad. Selmak recognized it as the home world of Ibek'na, one of Council members."
"And?"
"Ibek'na was confronted and she admitted her affiliation with the Go'auld." She answered his next question without him asking it. "After thorough interrogation, her symbiote will be removed."
For a moment all he could think about was Orion's last unselfish act, to enter the mind of Serapis and extract the identity of the traitor. "What about the Tok'ra that set Orion up?" he asked.
Carter sighed, "The Council is in disarray due to the discovery of the traitor and the revelation that one of the members put people at risk with their plan. There's a lot of finger-pointing going on. It could be the end of the Council as we know it." She ran her hand through her already tousled hair. "Dad promised to keep on digging."
Jack nodded.
"Doctor Frasier said you will recover fully," Teal'c declared.
"You'll be back to duty before you know it, sir," Carter said.
"Great." His voice sounded flat, even to him.
Daniel spoke. "We better let you rest."
They turned to go.
"Wait," he said.
They turned back.
His voice trembled. "She's gone..."
* * *
Epilogue If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride. If turnips were swords, I'd wear it by my side. And ifs and ands were pots and pans, There'd be no work for tinkers. Scottish proverb circa 1628
It was his first mission since he had recovered. It was fairly innocuous. The General must have looked long and hard for one as routine as this one. It was SG1's typical meet and greet thing. Daniel was in his element with the native folk.
In the past few weeks, Seven had found a home with Nathan. Ibek'na was being held at some undisclosed location. Jacob still hadn't found out which member of the Tok'ra High Council had orchestrated the set-up on Equus. Preliminary studies of Orion's blood samples showed definite promise in the field of wound healing. And her flute had found a permanent place on Jack's fireplace mantle.
He sat on the hillside watching the youngsters tend their animals. Dogs wove their way through the sheep. A few of the older children were astride horses. There was a young woman whose light brown hair flowed in the breeze as she circled her mount around the herd.
Daniel appeared beside him and sat. Jack continued to study the scene below him. He knew Daniel wouldn't be quiet long.
"Jack?"
Jack O'Neill reached within himself and touched the place where he always found his son. Charlie was no longer alone in that place; another was there also, a soft, sweet presence. "S'okay, Daniel," he said. "S'okay."
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