Title: Russian Roulette

Author: Moonshayde

Fandom: SG-1

Season: Five

Category:  Action/Adventure, Drama

Spoilers: Mild references for prior seasons. Takes place in late Season 5.

Pairing/Character: Team, Daniel/Janet UST

Summary: Quarantined on a diseased planet, SG-1 becomes embroiled in a political conflict that threatens to destroy the population and the members of SG-1 themselves.

Warnings: Violence

Rating: PG-13

 

Author's Notes: Written for sjhw_tolerance for the Dan/Jan Ficathon. Thanks to MegTDJ for running the Dan/Jan ficathon and betaing the story. Thanks to Aurora Novarum for helping out.

 

Challenge: Janet Fraiser is summoned off world to help find the cause and the cure for a disease that is ravaging an early industrial society. While there, she is kidnapped by a rival sect that is unaffected by the disease. It's up to SG1 to rescue her before they all become victims of the
disease. Do NOT include in the story: slash

 

 

Jack had a personal dislike for liars.

 

Liars obviously had something to hide. Liars would do what it takes to keep that something hidden. And whatever that something was, it was hidden for a reason.

 

It never was a good reason.

 

Jack thought about the liars he'd encountered during his lifetime as he strolled down the city hall's main corridor. He'd become adept at sniffing them out.

 

His gaze remained focused ahead, primarily trained on the little mousy man – Taras was his name – who had sandwiched himself between Carter and Daniel. Taras kept rambling, gesturing with his hands this way and that, discussing irrelevant cultural nonsense with Daniel. Every so often he'd mention something technical that would interest Carter, but for the most part, the conversation was standard and pointless. The society was less advanced than their own and only had some rare metal with an amazing conductive property to offer in trade.

 

Of course, the Air Force just had to have it.

 

Normally, a simple trade deal wouldn't bother Jack. But not today.

 

Today, Jack's nose was working overtime.

 

And it wasn't just because of the heavy perfume that was stinking up the place.

 

"So, what do you think?" Jack asked, keeping his voice low as he leaned toward Teal'c.

 

"I do not like this man," Teal'c replied.

 

Now that was an understatement. "He's hiding something," Jack muttered. "I just don't know what."

 

"If you sense a deception, why did you approve of this treaty?"

 

"If we want some leverage for the program, Hammond needs some results and he needs them fast." Jack sighed. "Besides, I could be wrong."

 

"But you do not believe this to be the case."

 

"No."

 

"I see."

 

"Don't," Jack said. "I know that look."

 

Teal'c said nothing.

 

Jack ignored him for the moment and took another quick inventory of the corridor. Simple and plain, it was an ordinary looking wooden hallway, complete with a dozen portraits and certificates lining the walls and some creaks and groans for posterity's sake. Jack felt like it was something straight out of an old historical memorial; Daniel had told him that the Rusayev were a people on the brink of their own industrial revolution. Jack didn't need a lecture – the smoke-filled skies told him enough.

 

He rubbed at his nose and glanced back at his team.

 

"And this is it," Taras said, rubbing his hands together. "You can see we have an efficient form of government. Yes?"

 

"Yes, it's very nice," Daniel said. "Thank you for showing us your…hall."

 

Taras beamed. "We have a solid government. Good industry. Hearty people. But the winters are long." Jack tensed when he saw Taras grab Daniel and Carter by the wrists. He lifted them up, like they won some sort of prize. "We are friends now. And friends share in health and life."

 

"Friends also know boundaries." Jack motioned for him to let go of both Carter and Daniel.

 

"Oh, yes." Taras released them. He rubbed his hands together. "Shall I take you to the Path to summon your supplies?"

 

Jack nodded for Taras to lead the way. "You have the –"

 

"Karcite," Carter finished for him.

 

"It is ready for you," Taras said. He opened his case and withdrew two samples of the metal, giving one to Carter and then Daniel. Jack watched them pocket the metal into their vests as Taras continued. "Our gift for yours. This way."

 

Jack fell in step with Carter – Teal'c and Daniel taking up the rear – as they followed Taras towards the temple that housed the Stargate. They started up the long road, one lined by crowded buildings and congested homes. Though Jack couldn't see them, he could feel dozens of eyes on him, watching them from the confines of their crammed living quarters. But no one came out to greet them or bid them farewell.

 

He coughed, hearing his voice echo through the empty streets.

 

The act caused Taras to glance behind him, and just for a second, Jack thought he saw something fearful in his eyes. He knew that look. He'd seen it many, many times before.

 

He tightened his hold on his P-90.

 

"Sir?" Carter frowned.

 

"Just stay sharp."

 

He caught her frown deepen, with the hints of a question forming on her lips, but whatever she was thinking she kept it to herself, responding in kind with a tighter grip on her own weapon. The two of them continued uphill to the temple.

 

The closer they came to the Stargate, the more the buildings thinned out to create more breathing room. When they'd first arrived, Daniel had gone off about something to do with spiritual significance, but that hadn't really interested Jack. He had been more concerned with the nervous delegation that had come to meet them.

 

This time was different. The rest of Taras' party had left as soon as they had arrived at the city hall, along with the group of curious locals that had paraded behind them. Now, on the trip back to the Gate, all the locals seemed to have vanished, just leaving Taras, his team, and the smog-choked skies above them.

 

That is, until they reached the outskirts of the city.

 

There were seven of them: three men, two women, and two children. Simply dressed, they stood in front of an alley, chanting something that sounded like a chorus of dying zoo animals. But there was a fire in their eyes and general contempt in their faces. That was something Jack could understand.

 

Still, they made no move to intercept.

 

Jack kept his hands on his weapon just in case.

 

"Oh," he heard Daniel say. "That's new."

 

Always stating the obvious, Jack thought.

 

"Pay no attention to them," Taras said quickly. He motioned them to follow. "I shall take you back to the Path."

 

"Who are they?" Carter asked.

 

"Nothing," Taras said. "It is nothing."

 

Jack paused and turned around to face the rest of his team. "Daniel?"

 

He had already stopped, his face scrunched up in a thousand wrinkles as he listened to their mutters and attempted to translate. "Pyeerum…In Pyeerum we have faith. Repent." He straightened and blinked once before focusing on Taras. "Why must you repent?"

 

Taras let out a nervous laugh. "They are the Baich. They follow the old ways. They do not concern themselves with the city."

 

"Ah." Jack glanced at Daniel. "Amish?"

 

"Something like that."

 

Jack nodded. Close enough. Though one thing still niggled at the back of his brain. "This Pyeerum person…"

 

"Most likely a Goa'uld," Teal'c said.

 

"Perfect. Any chance he'll be coming around any time soon?"

 

Taras stared at him. "I do not understand."

 

"Pyeerum. He's your god, I take it?"

 

Taras nodded. "For some of us, he is. But we are not bound by superstitions," he said, sending a not-so-subtle glare in the Baich's general direction. "We are a people of science."

 

"Yeah, yeah. So, no decked-out guy, gold eyes, nasty voice?" Jack asked.

 

Taras shook his head slowly. "No…"

 

"Okay." That was enough to satisfy Jack. Clearly, Taras had no clue what he was talking about. That was the best news Jack had received since they'd arrived on this planet. But he still had the feeling that maybe they should pick up the pace and leave the sightseeing for another time. Like never. He started to walk down the road toward the temple. "Let's move."

 

"Colonel!"

 

Inwardly, Jack grimaced, but he kept his outer composure cool for the time being. He turned around to follow the sound of Carter's voice, only to find that she had detached herself from the group and had settled in front of a street grate that led to what had to be a sewer. He sighed. One of the Baich's kids was standing by her side.

 

Much to Taras' dismay, Jack strode over to where Carter was kneeling, followed quickly by Daniel and Teal'c.

 

"Find something?" Jack asked.

 

"One of the children keeps pointing into the sewer," she said. "But I can't understand what he's saying."

 

"We should leave," Taras said, urging Jack and his team to continue.

 

Jack waved him away, gesturing for him to shush so Daniel could hear what the boy was saying.

 

Daniel frowned. "He says Akinova is trapped."

 

"A kid is trapped down there?" Jack asked, taking another step forward.

 

"A cat," Daniel said in a low voice.

 

Before Jack the chance to argue, Carter slipped off her P-90 and was ramming her hand down into the open space.

 

"Hey!" Jack shouted.

 

"I think I've got it, sir," she said. She winced as she shoved her body against the grate. "I can feel it."

 

Jack sighed, frowning with impatience as Carter continued to stick her fingers in God knows what. He hadn't signed up his team for a romp in sewage.

 

Just when he thought he couldn't stand it anymore, he saw Carter start to slink back, pulling away from the grate. With her was a smelly little ball of greasy fur. Akinova, he presumed.

 

Carter smiled and set the stinking thing at the feet of the boy. "You might want to clean it first," she said to him, even though the kid had no way of understanding her.

 

But he returned her smile nonetheless.

 

Jack stared at the grate area as the boy left with his cat.

 

"Sorry, sir," Carter said. "I'm all set now." She wiped her hands on her pants.

 

"We can go now," Taras said. Jack just knew that he was motioning them with his nervous little hands again, but Jack wasn't interested in what the diplomat had to say.

 

Frowning, he passed the Baich, the kid with the cat, and stepped closer to the grate. Despite the protests from his knees and the rest of his body, Jack kneeled by the opening and peered inside. It was dark, dank, and cursed with an overwhelming foul stench, all of which he would have expected from a sewer, though he could swear he'd caught a whiff of perfume.

 

He would have moved on except his eye kept catching a little glimmer of light, something he hadn't noticed until fuzzball had been dislodged from his smelly dungeon. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a lone cufflink, silver in tone. Though, he realized it wasn't so lonely after all.

 

Attached to it he found a rotting hand.

 

"Son of a bitch!" he shouted as he scrambled back from the grate. Immediately, his hand went to the trigger, and he aimed his P-90 at Taras, ignoring the bewildered faces of the rest of his team.

 

"Jack?"

 

"They've got dead bodies under there," Jack muttered.

 

Carter and Teal'c joined him, pulling their weapons. Alarmed, Daniel froze for a moment before he drew his Beretta and stepped over to the grate to investigate. After he did, Jack saw his face turn a shade greener.

 

"We're heading to the Gate," Jack said. "Now."

 

"Please no, you misunderstand," Taras pleaded.

 

"You…" Daniel motioned to the grate. "How could you do that?"

 

"Please…" Taras said.

 

"No." Jack motioned with the tilt of his head. "Teal'c, take point."

 

Teal'c glared at Taras as he passed him and started back up the hill. Carter and Daniel followed with Jack covering their six. He kept his eye on Taras and the repenting septuplet in the alley.

 

"No!" Taras cried, running up alongside Jack. "Please. We are in need of your friendship. We mean no harm."

 

"Tell that to the guy you shoved down there," Jack said. He eyed Taras but he didn't see any weapons.

 

"We are in need of supplies," Taras tried again. "Please do not leave us."

 

"Nope." Jack kept pushing toward the temple. The sooner they were out of here, the better.

 

"We are plagued with disease! We are desperate! Please do not go!"

 

SG-1 grinded to a halt. Damn, this day got better and better.

 

"Excuse me?" Jack asked.

 

"We are ill," Taras said, his haunted voice just above a whisper. "My people are dying. We did not want to scare you away with our death."

 

Carter's face fell, her eyes showcasing a firestorm of anger, disgust, and shock. "So you stuffed dead bodies in your sewer?"

 

Taras didn't answer. He bowed his head in shame, rubbing his nervous hands against his shirt. As Jack stared at the native's hands, a thought struck him, and he glanced back to examine Carter. He realized at that point she must have thought the same thing. Her face went pale.

 

Daniel was the one to vocalize their fears. "Disease?" he asked. "You don't suppose it's a contagious—"

 

"Dammit!" Jack lowered his weapon and pointed to the hilltop. "Carter, Teal'c, get to the Gate. Tell Hammond our situation and get a medical team here. You go first," he told her.

 

"Sir—"

 

"Not this time, Carter. Go."

 

She nodded and both of them started to jog up the path toward the temple on the hill. Jack tried not to think about what kind of mess they could be dealing with or even what the consequences could be. Right now, he needed Daniel to use his powers of persuasion to get Taras to open up to them, and spill whatever dark secrets the Rusayev could be hiding. Otherwise, he had a feeling they'd all end up rotting away in a sewer of their own.

 

"There," Janet said, securing the bandage in place on Teal'c's forearm. "I should have your results shortly."

 

"My symbiote will protect me," he said.

 

Janet chuckled. Even through the shield of her hazmat suit, she could see the determination and stubbornness in Teal'c's face. "Just because you have a better immune system than we do, doesn't make you invincible. Even if you'd like to think so."

 

That earned her a subdued smile. But it was a smile nonetheless.

 

"So, Doc. What's the story?"

 

Janet turned away from her makeshift lab to face Colonel O'Neill. Sam and Daniel were standing by his side.

 

"Captain Myers is running tests on your blood samples and those of some of the locals as we speak." She nodded to her assistant and handed her Teal'c's blood sample. "We'll know soon if there is anything foreign in your blood."

 

"Do you have any theories?" Sam asked.

 

Janet held her breath.

 

O'Neill arched his eyebrows at the hesitation. "Well?"

 

"Well, based on the descriptions that Doctor Jackson and Taras have given me, I'd say that whatever is affecting this population is close to bubonic plague."

 

Daniel blinked. "We have the plague?"

 

Janet sighed. "I don't know. People do not become symptomatic until hours or even days after infection." The distress didn't leave their faces. "But bubonic plague is treatable."

 

"So you can help us?" Taras appeared at the tent opening along with a young woman whom Janet knew as Raya, Taras' assistant.

 

O'Neill scowled. "Didn't we agree that you were to stay outside?"

 

"Actually, you agreed," Daniel told him.

 

"Whatever," Colonel O'Neill said. He turned back to Janet. "So, we just treat these people and go?" he asked, but there was no attempt to hide the doubt in his voice.

 

"I'm not going to sugarcoat this, Colonel," she said. "There are several known strands of the plague on Earth, some more virulent than others. We are in a foreign environment. There is no telling just how strong this particular strain could be."

 

Daniel frowned. "So…we just wait?"

 

She shook her head. "I'm just waiting—" She stopped and moved toward the end of the tent, welcoming Captain Myers inside. "Just the person I want to see. Do you have the results?"

 

Captain Myers nodded. "Yes, ma'am." She handed the chart to Janet.

 

Janet glanced over it quickly, but one section in particular seemed to leap out at her. Dammit, she thought. With a sigh, she turned to the anxious faces that awaited her.

 

"I just received the results back from the initial tests I performed," she told them. "I needed a blood sample from someone who was symptomatic so that I could compare your results. This is that sample."

 

"It's a form of the plague," Sam said simply.

 

"It appears so," Janet said. "But there is an unknown element that makes it different from any of the strands on Earth."

 

"Great," O'Neill mumbled. "We're trapped on a planet with alien plague."

 

"Can you treat it?" asked Daniel. When she said nothing, his face fell. "You can't treat it."

 

Taras and his assistant visibly shook.

 

"No, that's not true," she said, choosing her words deliberately while trying to keep her voice calm. She frowned as she skimmed through the results again. The anomaly was bothering her more than it should, since she had expected something different than an Earth strand anyway. She just couldn't figure out what was wrong. Filing away her concern for the moment, Janet put the chart down and returned her attention to SG-1. "The strain here is similar enough to the ones on Earth that I can administer streptomycin, chloramphenicol, or tetracycline – antibiotics – to those infected and anyone in contact with the infected as a preventative measure. Once I have more data available, I can adjust the medications."

 

"What do you suggest in the meantime?" O'Neill asked.

 

"I'd limit contact with the locals," she said, sending an apologetic look to Taras and Raya. She turned to SG-1. "I want you to head back to the quarantine tent and stay there until we have more information."

 

"Doc…"

 

"No buts, Colonel," Janet said. "Health and safety come first." While that was true, Janet also knew she needed more data on the disease, the population – anything that could help. "Taras," she said. "Do you keep records of the deceased? Medical files?"

 

Raya was the one to speak. "Yes, we do. Why do you ask?"

 

"I'm looking for anything that I can compare to my lab notes and the descriptions you've given me," she said. "I'd also suggest that you try to separate the symptomatic individuals from those who aren't showing signs of the sickness. If you can locate any people that have survived infection, they might have an immunity that I can use in my work."

 

"So, you do believe that you can find a cure?" Raya asked.

 

Janet paused, but then nodded. "I believe that with the proper tools, yes."

 

Taras turned to Raya. "Do it." As she exited the tent, he followed her, and hesitated as he opened the flap. "I will have our records sent to your teams."

 

"Thank you," she said, watching him go. Her gaze flickered to SG-1. "I could use some help going through the medical logs."

 

Sam nodded. "Sure."

 

"You got it," O'Neill said. "Anything else?"

 

"Colonel, I'm going to need some of my supplies and notes from my lab before I can diagnose any further."

 

"I'll go with you," Daniel said.

 

"Do you not pay attention?  She said quarantine," O'Neill said before refocusing on Janet. "I'll have Major Griffith escort you to the Gate."

 

Janet nodded. "Yes, sir."

 

Janet watched them leave, catching Daniel's eye as he lingered, but he, too, soon joined the others outside the tent. She sighed and grabbed her notes. This wasn't exactly how she had planned on spending the afternoon. She could feel the tension in the air, sometimes as thick as the smog itself, as it pressed itself down on her friends and the local population. She couldn't say for sure just how long the people here had been suffering through this outbreak, but she could estimate they had been struggling for weeks, if not months.

 

However long the populous had been in anguish, they were desperate enough to abandon standard burial procedures in order to wear a mask of civility for SG-1's arrival.

 

It made her sick.

 

Janet gathered the last of her notes and exited the tent, finding Major Griffith approaching. He was nothing if not punctual.

 

"Are you ready?" he asked her.

 

She nodded, but took a moment to survey the area outside the tent. They had set up the preliminary facility close to the temple that housed the Gate, far from the clustered buildings and rotting corpses within the city. Nearby stood several groups of Baich, some praying in the open while others peacefully protested some of the city dwellers as they passed by. A few Baich eyed her and her team cautiously. Finally, she could see SG-1's retreating forms as they headed toward the quarantine tent they'd established.

 

She wished the best for them, hoping that when their results came back, they would be spared.

 

But she couldn't concentrate on them right now. She had a job to do.

 

"Okay, Major. Let's get to work."

 

Daniel ran his finger down the length of the page, mumbling under his breath as he skimmed through the text. Out of the various scripts, scrolls, and tomes he'd sifted through over the course of his life, legal documents were among the worst, quickly followed by medical documents.

 

But nothing could top medical legal documents.

 

He slipped his left index finger under his glasses and rubbed at his eye before scribbling down another statistic in his notepad. He'd spent the past hour translating the records Taras had gathered from within the city hall. He'd already been through several of the books, teasing out the important information to the best of his ability.

 

It was all the same. For months, the people of the city had been ravaged by this plague. Men, women, and children: no one was spared from the destructive nature of this bug. From what he could tell, the symptoms were fairly mild – fever, headache, chills, swelling, and Daniel's favorite: seizures. Though, he supposed by the time anyone started seizing it wouldn't really matter.

 

The records corroborated exactly with what Doctor Fraiser's assistants had told them. The disease was like the plague and its symptoms were nearly identical. Daniel didn't need to be a medical doctor to figure that out.

 

He just wished that Janet and her team would come back soon and clear them from quarantine. He didn't know what was taking so long. He just hoped it was good news.

 

He didn't want to think of the alternative.

 

With a sigh, he jotted down another detailed account of one of the victims before tearing out the page and handing it to Sam. She thanked him, took the page, and compared it with the other dozen she had spread out in front of her. Daniel turned back to the records and started to jot down more information. And so the cycle began again.

 

"Find anything?" Jack asked.

 

Daniel didn't bother to look up. "We're working on it."

 

"How hard can it be? Guy gets sick. Guy dies," Jack said.

 

"It's not that straightforward, sir," Sam said. Daniel tilted his head, high enough to see her, but low enough to keep the book in his line of sight. He could tell by the sound of her voice she was eager to explain and was just waiting for the right cue. They both knew that Jack understood what was going on. He was just bored. And when he was bored…

 

Through the corner of his eyes, Daniel saw Jack motion with his hands. Daniel went back to work.

 

"We're looking for patterns," Sam explained.  "By comparing age, sex, and the various symptoms – all part of the demographics – we can obtain a better idea of the possible cause of the disease."

 

"Could it not be caused by the living standards of the Rusayev?" Teal'c asked.

 

Daniel paused, watching Teal'c as he hovered by the entrance of the quarantine facility. He'd planted himself there over forty minutes ago. Normally, Teal'c's watchful and protective nature wouldn't bother Daniel. In fact, he rather liked it. But today there was something about his cautious attitude that made Daniel's skin crawl.

 

Or maybe that was the plague.

 

"We're fairly sure that's the case," Sam finally said as she shifted the papers. "But there has to be a particular cause."

 

"Shoving people in their sewers can't help," Jack said. "I don't want to think where else they've been stuffing people."

 

Daniel's stomach lurched. He didn't really want to consider that either. Shaking his head, Daniel banished away evil thoughts of the food and water supply and dove back into the translations.

 

He was about to write down another statistic when he stopped, frowned, and drew the book closer. He had to have read that wrong.

 

"What?" Jack asked.

 

Daniel waved him away, crouching lower over the records. He checked them twice, but still he came up with the same result.

"Daniel, what is it?" Sam asked.

 

Quickly, Daniel scribbled down the information and tore out the page, handing it to Sam. "There," he said, gesturing at the paper.

 

Jack scowled. "There what?"

 

"It looks like the Baich have fewer cases than the rest of the Rusayev," Daniel said.

 

Teal'c frowned. "Why is this of concern?"

 

"Yeah," Jack said. "I thought they didn't really hang out in the city anyway."

 

"Not these Baich," Daniel said.

 

Jack stared at him. "There are some Baich who live in the city?"

 

"Apparently so," Teal'c said.

 

Daniel pointed to the page in Sam's hands. "Do you see it?"

 

Now, Sam frowned. "That can't be right."

 

The nervousness Daniel felt went up a notch.

 

"Carter," Jack said impatiently.

 

"According to the city's records, only one third of the Baich have contracted the disease," she said.

 

"Natural immunity?" Jack asked.

 

Daniel shrugged. "It's possible. But—"

 

Sam shot him an uneasy look. "With these figures…"

 

"Carter!" Jack's frowned deepened. "Teal'c's getting impatient."

 

Teal'c eyed Jack with a bemused face but said nothing.

 

Sam paused, her gaze shifting between the three of them. After taking a deep breath, she continued. "Sir, only one third of the Baich population has been infected or died from the disease."

 

Jack arched his eyebrows. "In comparison to…"

 

"Ninety-nine percent of the rest of the Rusayev."

 

"Whoa," Jack said. "That's one damn selective disease."

 

"Indeed," Teal'c said.

 

Daniel couldn't have said it better. He was sure that the immunity could be part of the reason for the difference, but such a gap between the two groups of people just didn't make sense. Then again, he didn't pretend to be a pathologist.

 

He glanced at Sam. She was staring at him. He knew they were thinking the same thing.

 

"Jack…"

 

Jack shook his head. "No. I know what you're thinking. And no."

 

"Colonel, there is obviously a cause for such a difference between the Baich and the Rusayev." She pointed to the pages in front of her. "If we could go talk to the Baich that haven't been infected…"

 

"Or even the Baich that live outside the city," Daniel added.

 

"No," Jack said firmly. "Need I remind you what quarantine means?"

 

"It is possible that I am immune to the diseases of this world," Teal'c said from beside the entrance. "I will go to the people and question them."

"And how are you going to do that?" Daniel asked. "They speak a derivative of a Slavic-based language. You'll need me to translate."

 

"Hey," Jack said, his face darkening. "I said no. Look, we'll wait for Fraiser to get back and take it from there." Jack glanced down at his watch.

 

Daniel watched the gesture and fought back the urge to stand. He found himself glancing down at his own watch.

 

Daniel felt his uneasiness rise when Jack motioned to Teal'c. "Hand me that radio?" he asked.

 

Teal'c tossed the radio to Jack who promptly started to transmit. They waited for a response. And waited. And waited.

 

Daniel shot a worried look to Sam.

 

"They're probably just busy," she offered. But he could tell by the sound of her voice she thought anything but that.

 

Finally, Jack got fed up with the radio and threw it on one of the empty tables in the quarantine area. He headed toward the exit, motioning for Teal'c to join him. He grabbed his P-90 as they prepared to leave. Daniel went to argue about the double standard when Myers appeared at the door.

 

"Captain?" Jack asked.

 

Captain Myers entered the quarantined area, noticeably breathless beneath her hazmat suit. "Colonel O'Neill." She took a deep breath. "Sir, Major Griffith…"

 

"Captain," Jack said sternly.

 

"He's dead." She gasped. "He's dead."

 

Daniel jumped to his feet. "What? What happened? What about Doctor Fraiser?"

 

Myers shook her head. "I don't know. We-we found her hazmat suit but…she…"

 

Daniel wasn't hearing this. He felt numb and thought he might buckle under his own weight, but Sam grabbed his arm to support him.

 

"What happened to Doctor Fraiser?" she asked.

 

Myers looked solemn. Finally, she said the words that Daniel wasn't ready to hear.

 

"She's gone."

 

Pain flashed through her wrists.

 

She was bound.

 

Janet moaned, slowly opening her eyes. As she adjusted to the light in the room, the dark splotches that danced before her eyes morphed into shadowy shapes, forms that finally sharpened into bodies.

 

Two men. Angry. Brooding.

 

Quickly, Janet catalogued as many details from the room as possible. Old. Dank. Musty. It was some kind of warehouse or bunker. There seemed to be dusty machinery scattered throughout the room.

 

The two men stepped closer.

 

"What do you want?" she demanded.

 

The two men leered at her before they started to chuckle. Just the condescending menacing look on their faces sent Janet into a rage inside. If these men thought they could intimidate her, they had another thing coming.

 

She remained firm. "My friends will come looking for me. And let me tell you, the United States Air Force will not take kindly to this." She searched their faces, looking for any sign of compassion. "There are people dying. I have to help them."

 

"That doesn't concern us," said one of the men.

 

The comment struck Janet cold. But instead of showing her anxiety, she concentrated on the problem at hand. "Then, what do you want?" she asked.

 

He smiled. "To show you the truth."

 

Daniel was torn between believing this was a bad idea and a good one. He wasn't sure if he'd seriously been entertaining the idea of breaking quarantine when he'd initially asked to leave the facility. It just had seemed a good idea at the time. Now that they were out in the open again, he kept stifling the urge to hold his breath.

 

Myers hadn't reviewed their results yet. She had been distracted, looking for Major Griffith and Doctor Fraiser. They could all be heading in the same direction as ninety-nine percent of the Rusayev. Or, they could be risking their lives by entering an environment that was sure to spell their doom.

 

But now Janet was missing, possibly dead. He supposed it didn't really matter, infected or not.

 

Daniel tried to console himself with the thought that Janet was really alive and that they wouldn't show signs of infection for days anyway.

 

He struggled with these thoughts as they walked up the hill toward the Gate. Jack had wanted to see the scene of the crime and look for any clues that would help them locate Janet. Daniel was both intrigued and fearful at the same time.

 

As they reached the gates that surrounded the temple that housed the Gate, Daniel immediately could tell something had gone wrong. The forested land surrounding the gates was a mess, not unlike a disturbed dig sight. The yellow hazmat suit was the eye catcher, ripped and torn as it shone under the sun. Nearby, Daniel saw droplets of blood, covering the gates, the grass, and a large boulder by the side of the dirt road. Myers had been kind enough to cover Griffith's body with a sheet.

 

Jack stopped by the body and lifted the sheet to take a look inside. He didn't say anything as he made a disgusted face and covered the soldier.

 

"The brush acts as perfect cover," Sam commented, keeping her finger on the trigger of her P-90.

 

"Yeah, it was definitely an ambush," Jack muttered.

 

"Why would anyone want to attack doctors?" Daniel asked. He couldn't understand it. The Rusayev knew that Janet and her team were coming to help them, not hurt them.

 

"Perhaps it was the Baich," Teal'c said.

 

Jack nodded. "That's what I'm thinking."

 

"We can't be sure it's the Baich," Sam said.

 

"No, but it's not like they seemed all too happy to see us," Jack muttered.

 

Daniel knew Jack had a point. But at the same time, he wasn't willing to jump to any conclusions that might further jeopardize finding Janet. "Maybe there is something we're missing," he said.

 

"There's always something," Jack said dryly.  He glanced over to the temple, his face pensive. After a moment, he turned back to them. Daniel noticed the decisiveness in his eyes. "Daniel, I want you and Teal'c to head back to the city and talk to the Baich living there. Carter and I will join you after we check in with Hammond and pay a little visit with Taras."

 

Daniel frowned. He didn't think talking to the Baich within the city limits would really help them, but he wasn't going to argue the point right now. Every minute that went by was a minute wasted. As more time passed, Daniel knew that their chances of finding her decreased. They had to act now.

 

Finally, he nodded, setting back down the hill toward the city. He felt Teal'c, stiff and guarded by his side, on the constant lookout for any movement, any hint of trouble at all. Daniel felt the same. While Daniel felt that he and Teal'c could take care of any problem thrown at them, part of him almost wished for the people who attacked Janet and Major Griffith to show themselves. It would take them one step closer to finding her.

 

Daniel couldn't help but feel like they were running out of time.

 

Taras looked nervous.

 

Sam eyed the administrator closely, watching him shift in his seat. He hadn't expected them to waltz into his office, and he certainly hadn't expected them to barge in during the middle of his lunch. Quickly, he wiped his mouth with his handkerchief before stumbling to his feet.

 

"Colonel O'Neill. Major Carter." He cleared his throat, rounding his desk to stand in front of them. "I'm sorry. I was not expecting you. I trust this means you are not ill?"

 

Sam stole a furtive look over at Colonel O'Neill. He didn't answer, opting to remain silent as he assessed Taras. She followed his lead and did the same, until she felt a subtle shift in his posture, one that she understood was her cue to step up to the plate.

 

"What do you know about the Baich?" she asked.

 

Taras started, but quickly settled, the only lingering sign of his edginess encapsulated in the nervous wringing of his hands. "They are of no importance."

 

"No?" O'Neill forced a smile. "Good. Then you won't have any problem telling us about them."

 

Taras sighed, looking away. He shook his head once before he turned to glare at them. "Why do you concern yourselves with the Baich? We need help. Our people are dying."

 

"We are trying to help," Sam said. "But we can't without additional information."

 

Taras sighed and turned his back to them. For a moment, Sam thought that Taras had ended any kind of dialogue and was pushing them to leave. But when he turned around again, she could see the uneasiness in his eyes and the uncertainty in his posture.  Just beneath the surface, she was certain she saw this need to release.

 

She wondered what was holding the man back.

 

"The Baich do not bother themselves with the city," Taras said quietly.

 

"Really?" O'Neill asked. "That's not what we've heard."

 

Taras didn't say anything.

 

"According to your records, there are Baich that live in the city with you," Sam pointed out.

 

Taras nodded. "There are some that do live in the city. But they mainly keep to themselves. Some embrace our ways, but many do not."

 

"Our ways, you say?" O'Neill arched his eyebrow.

 

Again, Taras sighed. "They believe that science and development angers Pyeerum. We do not."

 

Colonel O'Neill nodded. He glanced over at Sam.

 

She stared back at him. He was not happy.

 

"We read that the Baich population in your city has a very low infection rate," she said, trying to bring the topic back on course. "We're trying to pinpoint a possible immunity in the Baich or a potential cause located in your population for the disease. Are you aware of any differences between the two groups within your city?"

 

Taras frowned, leading Sam to believe he might not have understood the question. But after a long awkward pause, he finally shook his head. "The Baich within the city have adopted many of our ways, even though they say they do not believe in them." He snorted. "And yet they survive."

 

Sam blew air out of her lips as she thought. Maybe it came back to a natural immunity after all. But it still didn't explain why their teams had been attacked and why Janet was missing.

 

"Taras, are you in any kind of direct conflict with the Baich?" Sam asked bluntly.

 

The man started, noticeably surprised by the question. "No, of course not. We may dislike the Baich for their endless preaching, but we are all one in our cities." He narrowed his eyes slightly. "Has someone told you otherwise?"

 

"Nope," O'Neill said. "Just wanted to make sure we're all on the same page."

 

Taras nodded slowly, but the confusion didn't leave his crinkled face. "Is that all you wanted?"

 

When O'Neill didn't answer, Sam nodded with a polite smile. "Yes, thank you."

 

"We'll see what we can do," Colonel O'Neill said. He gave a slight wave before walking with Sam out the door.

 

"You didn't mention the attack at the temple," Sam said.

 

"He's lying," O'Neill muttered.

 

Sam nodded. "You don't want to give out any information you don't have to."

 

"You got it."

 

Sam grimaced. Her mind drifted back to the events on Euranda. She sincerely hoped they hadn't just walked into the wrong side of a fight and made a deal with the devil. And she knew Colonel O'Neill was thinking the same.

 

But they remained answerless. If Taras was somehow involved with Janet's disappearance and the death of Griffith, then he couldn't know that they suspected him. If he wasn't involved, his dishonesty with them pointed to some other problem they hadn't figured out yet.

 

"It doesn't make sense," Sam said. "Taras knows that Janet and our medical personnel can help them through their crisis. He's been keeping information from us in order to expedite that process. Causing conflict will only impede any aid."

 

O'Neill nodded, but didn't say anything. She frowned and gave him a once over before following him out into the street. "There has to be a reason," she said.

 

O'Neill shrugged. "Maybe there's something in it for Taras."

 

"I don't think so."

 

"Then what?"

 

Sam chewed on the inside of her lip before she let out a sigh. "I don't know, sir."

 

The two of them left the city hall and started down the street. The center of town was quiet and empty, leaving Sam to wonder if the city had already started to separate the symptomatic from the non-symptomatic. She wondered if the Baich were separated differently. She wondered just how upset the Baich might be.

 

Sam stopped.

 

Colonel O'Neill slowed and arched his eyebrow.

 

"How strained do you think the relationship between the Rusayev and the Baich is?" she asked.

 

"Strained enough to watch the bastards die?" O'Neill then muttered something unintelligible under his breath and wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. "I think we need to pay the Baich a little visit."

 

She nodded and was about to start down the road again, but paused, finding herself staring at O'Neill again. He was quieter than usual. Sam doubted it had to do with the pressure of the situation. She pushed aside the chill she felt and looked away.

 

"What?" he asked.

 

Sam hesitated.

 

"What?" he asked again.

 

"You look a little flushed, sir."

 

O'Neill grew quiet. "It's not important," he finally said.

 

"Maybe we should stop to see Captain Myers to check our results."

 

"Waste of time." He gave her a pointed look. "I think we already know the answer."

 

Sam felt her stomach flop. She tried to push away the pangs she was feeling and nodded. "Yes, sir."

 

"Come on," he said, turning away from her as he started back down the road. "Let's hit the Baich's corner of the city and see if Teal'c and Daniel have found anything."

 

As they walked the outskirts of the city limits, Teal'c kept his attention focused in two directions. He watched for movement within the alleys and the darkened roads under the wooden buildings, while also inspecting his friend for any signs of illness.

 

Teal'c did not like what he saw. But before he could question Daniel Jackson on the state of his coloring, Teal'c noted they were heading past the walls of the city.

 

"Daniel Jackson, did O'Neill not say we should question the Baich within the city?"

 

"He did. But I don't want to question them. I want to talk to the people who live outside the city."

 

Teal'c frowned. He did not believe this was the time for Daniel Jackson to question the orders of O'Neill. However, he also knew that the actions of all his teammates, no matter how varied or disruptive they were, always held importance.

 

"What do you expect to discover?" Teal'c asked, moving to stroll alongside him.

 

"There are no records on the Baich that live out in the countryside. Obviously something is keeping them from the city."

 

"Did you not mention that it could be due to their religious beliefs?"

 

"I'm sure that is part of it," he admitted. "But I can't help but think there's more to this."

 

Teal'c nodded and continued to walk with him. He was also certain that there was information missing in their discussions with the Rusayev. But at this time, Teal'c did not know what this information could be.

 

Teal'c caught a flicker in his vision. In the distance, a group was coalescing.  He studied them as their size grew. The people were simply dressed and not like those of the Rusayev. The people appeared to be marching straight towards them.

 

As he slowed, Teal'c held out his staff weapon, blocking Daniel Jackson from any further movement. His friend stopped, frowned, but understood once he too saw the group heading toward them. The two of them remained on the grassy hill, awaiting the upcoming confrontation.

 

Two males, ones who appeared to be villagers, came to the front of the crowd and spoke first. Teal'c did not understand their words as they were foreign to his ears. He remained alert and cautious as Daniel Jackson returned the speech in the same manner. While he did not know what his friend had spoken, he was confident that it was an attempt to appease the uneasiness he saw in the eyes of the villagers.

 

However, he was not confident the villagers would match the compassion of Daniel Jackson.

 

"I told them that we don't mean them any harm," Daniel Jackson muttered under his breath. "As long as they don't come at us with pitch forks, I think we'll be fine."

 

Teal'c did not think there was ever occasion where they were fine. But he decided not to argue this point. If they were to find Doctor Fraiser, they needed to remain vigilant.

 

"I'm just going to talk some more," he told Teal'c.

 

Teal'c dipped his head, but kept his grip firm on his staff weapon. He watched in silence as Daniel Jackson spoke to the lead villagers, presumably asking question in their native tongue. Some of those within the group seemed pleased to talk to someone that had taken interest in their lives, however Teal'c noted that others did not appear as enthusiastic.

 

"They're Baich," Daniel Jackson called over to him. "They believe in a god named Pyeerum, like the others we met earlier." He stopped and frowned, leaning closer to listen. Teal'c watched his friend nod before glanced back at him. "They claim to stay away from the city. They believe that Pyeerum punishes those that associate with the city."

 

Daniel Jackson returned to the Baich and began to speak in foreign ways once again. Teal'c kept watch over him, but allowed himself the opportunity to study the land. They were not far from the outer walls of the city. He could not see the temple that housed the Stargate from where he stood, but he was certain the villagers guarded pilgrimage roads that would lead them to the home of their god.

 

It disgusted Teal'c.

 

Pushing aside the repulsion he felt, Teal'c carefully walked around the perimeter of the group, checking for concealed weapons. The group consisted of both men and women. He monitored their actions, noting any move they might make. He did not catch anything that might bring harm to himself or to Daniel Jackson, but that did not sway Teal'c from his search. He did not trust the people of this world: not the Rusayev or the Baich. He would be most satisfied once they found Doctor Fraiser and left this world.

 

Teal'c continued to hunt, pausing twice when he suspected something that could be dangerous. When he determined they were nothing but wooden sticks, perhaps even a form of amusement, he moved on to the next person. He caught sight of a fair-haired woman. A fair-skinned man. He moved on yet again.

 

He frowned, catching the familiar features of the woman known as Raya.

 

Teal'c lifted his staff weapon and headed into the crowd, following the woman as she disappeared into the group of many persons. He had many questions for the assistant to Taras and felt that Daniel Jackson would have them as well. 

 

"Daniel Jackson!" Teal'c called. He frowned, scanning the crowd for the woman. "Daniel Jackson!" he called again.

 

When he did not answer, Teal'c turned his head to the direction where he had last seen his friend, but he found no sight of him.

 

Daniel Jackson had vanished.

 

Janet observed her two captors as they carted in a pile of old, worn books. She assumed they were preparing to educate her, or as they had stated, show her the truth. They were sorely mistaken if they thought they could brainwash her with a few dusty books.

 

"We want to show you," one of the men said. He approached her with one of the books, opening it part way through to show her a passage. "See?" he asked, pointing to the foreign writing. "It is stated that those who do not embrace the spirit of Pyeerum shall die. It is the will of Pyeerum."

 

Janet gazed at the book. It was written in some script she couldn't identify, one she knew that she wouldn't be able to read even if she tried. This man was going to get absolutely nowhere with her. But she also knew that if she fussed too much, she would have no hope of getting out of here. She just didn't know enough to assess the level of danger in her situation.

 

"Are you Baich?" Janet asked.

 

The man eyed her suspiciously. "Why do you want to know?"

 

Janet thought honesty was the best policy at this point. "There is a deadly disease on this planet. I am trying to help the people here. If you are in any kind of danger, I want to help you as well."

 

The man cocked his head before snapping the book shut. "So, you hold methods to stop the death?"

 

Janet decided not to answer.

 

The man chuckled in response. "We know that you do. We know that you can save this place."

 

"If that's the case, why don't you let me go so that I can do my job?"

 

"Because we don't know if you are a vessel of good or a bringer of chaos."

 

Janet stared at him.

 

"The Rusayev do the work of evil," he explained. "If this is what Pyeerum wishes, we must do his bidding."

 

Janet narrowed her eyes. "So, you would just let them die?"

 

The man shook his head. "What lies have they told you? We, the Baich, are peaceful people. We follow the ways of Pyeerum in our hearts. We are not holders of death. We just cannot control the will of Pyeerum. Nor should we."

 

"You killed one of my friends. You killed him," Janet said between clenched teeth.

 

Her captor's face hardened.  "You do not know how we have suffered."

 

"No, but I know how the people in the city suffer. They are dying."

 

He didn't flinch.

 

"You realize that if the disease is killing Rusayev, it could come and destroy your people as well," Janet said. She laughed, leaning back into her restraints. "But you already knew that. That's why I'm here."

 

"You misunderstand," the man said. "It is not the Baich that will this to happen. It is the Rusayev."

 

Janet arched her eyebrows. She wasn't about to buy this blame game.

 

"I can see that you do not believe me."

 

"You kidnapped me, killed one of my friends, and now you are holding me captive." She sat a little taller. "What do you expect me to think?"

 

"The Rusayev have created the disease and sent it out to destroy us."

 

Janet blinked at him. That was a response that she hadn't expected to hear. As she struggled to process the comment, the other man just shook his head sadly.

 

"It is true," he said. "I do not know what manner of evil they have discovered to create sickness, but they have. Only the evil they made infected themselves. It is the will of Pyeerum for them to atone for their sins."

 

"If what you're telling me is true, Pyeerum or no Pyeerum, I need to help them. I need to help your people. This disease could mutate and more people could die. We need to work together to stop it." She leaned forward, pushing all her determination and compassion into her voice. "Please, let me go. Work with me so that we can stop the death."

 

Her captor studied her, eyeing her from head to toe as he tapped the book onto the palm of his hand. She knew that he was mulling over her plea. She just hoped that this man had some sense within him, some heart under the hard shell that he had built around himself.

 

"I am called Fyodor," the man said. He crouched in front of her and extended his hand. "Will you help us find a cure?"

 

Janet swallowed hard. She glanced over Fyodor's shoulder, noting the other man standing in the background, watching. She brought her gaze back to Fyodor. "Untie me and we can work together."

 

Fyodor searched her face. His intense gaze made Janet squirm inside but she remained collected and secure. After a long pause, Fyodor stood and snapped his fingers to the man behind him. "Gedeon," he called. "Untie the doctor. We have work to do."

 

Jack passed the city walls, heading to a rather large mob just past the last outskirts of the city. He didn't say anything to Carter as he stormed up the hilly grasslands. Instead, he kept his attention solely focused on the landscape and finding a certain archaeologist who had chosen the wrong day to go and do his own thing.

 

"Where is he?" Jack yelled, making his way over to Teal'c. "I want to wring his neck myself."

 

Teal'c pushed through the crowd and met them at the end of one of the small slopes. "I do not know," Teal'c said, glancing back to the crowd. "I cannot find Daniel Jackson."

 

"What?" Jack asked.

 

"I have searched this crowd and the surrounding hills. He appears to have vanished."

 

"People don't just disappear," Carter said. "Did you try him by radio?"

 

"I have been unable to reach him," Teal'c said.

 

Jack scowled and rubbed his hand over his tired face. This was exactly what he didn't need right now.

 

"Where was the last place you saw him?" Jack asked with an irritated sigh. "And why the hell didn't you stop him? I told you to talk to the Baich in the city."

 

Teal'c started eyeing Jack in that way that he really hated: it bordered on condescending or annoyance. Jack couldn't tell sometimes. But whatever it was, Jack was in no mood to deal with it today.

 

"Don't give me that look," Jack warned. "Just tell me what happened."

 

"Daniel Jackson felt that talking with the Baich who live outside of the city would help in our efforts to locate Doctor Fraiser."

 

Jack returned his attention back to the crowd. They were watching his team intently, but with more of a curious nature than anything else. Jack guessed that SG-1 must be the talk of the land right now. They were the day's entertainment. Perfect.

 

"Did he find anything before he disappeared?" Carter asked.

 

"I am uncertain," Teal'c said. "Daniel Jackson spoke of punishment, but he did not speak further. I began to search the crowd as he spoke to the Baich. Then I could no longer see him."

 

"He was just swallowed by the crowd?" Carter stared at them. "The group is acting as cover."

 

"Wonderful," Jack said. None of them could speak the language that the Baich spoke, and now he felt that his suspicions were pretty much confirmed that these people were hiding something big.

 

"I have found something of importance, O'Neill."

 

"Oh?" Jack extended his hand. "Do tell."

 

"I will do better than telling, O'Neill." Teal'c pointed his staff weapon to a small tree that rested nearby. "I will show you."

 

When Teal'c moved out of the way, Jack got a full line of sight on the tree. He heard Carter let out a small gasp of surprise beside him. He had to admit he was a little surprised himself. Teal'c seemed to have taken it upon himself to tie up that assistant of Taras' to the tree.

 

"I trust you have an explanation for this," he said, knowing full well Teal'c would.

 

"I discovered the woman known as Raya within the crowd. I found this most peculiar." He started toward the tree, Jack and Carter by his side. "I believed that you would wish to question her.

 

"Good call," he told Teal'c. Jack stopped in front of Raya and stared at her. She was scowling. If Teal'c had made a mistake and just tied up a random government official, he knew this would be a tricky situation. But this was Teal'c. Jack knew it went much deeper than that.

 

"So, we meet again," Jack said. "Comfy?"

 

"I will be reporting this to Taras and the council," Raya said. "Your soldier has restrained me without reason."

 

"That so?" Jack glanced back, finding the crowd watching them with heightened interest. He turned back to Raya. "Why were you hanging out with this bunch? A government official like yourself must have better things to do with her time."

 

"I am liaison between the Baich and the Rusayev." She held up her chin.

 

Crap. That could be a bad thing.  And the woman knew it.

 

"I was speaking with a Baich representative when I saw two of your men approaching. I tried to get to Doctor Jackson to warn him, but…this one stopped me."

 

Teal'c said nothing, but Jack could see his eyes darken. He caught Teal'c's eye and gave a nonchalant shrug, hoping the big guy would let it go.

 

"What were you warning him about?" Carter asked.

 

"He is a stranger here. The Baich don't take well to change or difference."

 

Jack frowned. He didn't like what this woman was implying.

 

"I do not believe this to be so," Teal'c said before Jack had a chance to beat him to it. "Those that greeted us did not wish us harm."

 

"Then you did not read them well," Raya said with a snort. "I wanted to tell your friends before one of the Baich could get to them."

 

Carter tapped her P-90. "If you were so concerned for our welfare why didn't you tell us from the start?"

 

"I did not believe that you would be wandering around in places you should not be," she said with a scowl.

 

Jack glared at her. He wasn't buying this story. Dammit. Did everyone on this planet lie?

 

"Fine, whatever," Jack muttered. "Carter, cut her free."

 

Carter blinked at him. "Sir?"

 

"She's right. Just let her free."

 

Both Carter and Teal'c looked at him like he had grown another head. At this point, he figured why not? But he wasn't going to back down on this. He pointed to Raya and jabbed his finger, urging Carter to do what he'd ordered.

 

Finally, she nodded and bent over to untie Raya from the tree.  When she was finished, Raya brushed off her clothes, trying to scrape together whatever was left of her dignity, and started back toward the city.

 

"Colonel…"

 

"I know," he said. "She's lying through her teeth."

 

Carter shifted her P-90 and settled herself in beside Jack. "We're following her."

 

"You betcha," Jack said as he took a step forward. He waited for her to disappear over one of the hills before starting after her. "Right now, she's our best connection to both Fraiser and Daniel."

 

Jack hated this. He had one man dead and two people missing. Not to mention the little plague problem. He honestly didn't think this day could get any worse.

 

"Teal'c, take point. We're going to see where this lady is off to in such a hurry." Jack fell in step behind Carter and covered their six.

 

Janet shifted through the various files and charts that her captors had given her, all the while keeping a wary eye on Fyodor. He was watching her closely, his intent gaze burning a hole through her back. It wasn't just his proximity that left her on edge, but something in the way he held himself. Something sinister. Something cruel.

 

She didn't believe a word he said.

 

"Is there something wrong?" he asked.

 

"No," she said. Janet cleared her throat and turned the page. The foreign words remained an enigma to her. "I was just thinking on these tests. Where did you get this information?"

 

"We have operatives among the Rusayev," he admitted. "They have sacrificed much to uncover their treachery and heartlessness against the Baich."

 

Janet studied his face as he spoke, holding his gaze just a little longer. His words were full of sincerity, his face open and compassionate. He spoke well. She would give him that. But the coldness in his eyes told Janet more than enough about his intentions.

 

Finally, she broke away and focused on the equations and diagrams in front of her. They clearly showed biochemical engineering.  While the notes were messy and the calculations sporadic, Janet could decipher enough of the materials through Fyodor's translations to get an idea of what was happening. The Rusayev had been working on a biological project aimed at wiping out large masses of people.

 

The only problem was that the translations were coming solely from Fyodor.

 

"What do you think?" Fyodor asked, drawing her from her thoughts. "Can you create a cure?"

 

Janet glanced down at the notes again. She would need to choose her words carefully. "I find it interesting that the Rusayev would be capable of this kind of advancement. This level of technology is decades ahead of them."

 

"They are resourceful," he said curtly. Fyodor sighed. "It takes everything we have and our faith in Pyeerum to keep up with them."

 

"I'm sure it does," she said wryly.

 

"This is why it is important for us to find a cure. We need to protect our people. We are simple. We cannot fight such evil on our own."

 

"Why not just depend on the will of Pyeerum?" Janet asked. "If only the faithful survive, why try to fight Pyeerum's will?"

 

Fyodor's face cooled and he said nothing. His features had become taut, the lines in his face deepening. Finally, he pointed to the notes. "Work," he said.

 

Janet nodded, but not without giving him a defiant glare of her own. She scooted closer to the table that held the paperwork and she dropped her hand to her side, pausing to glance over her shoulder. The one known as Gedeon was tracking her closely. She brought her hand back up to the desk.

 

"Do you have any other intel that you've gathered?" she asked.

 

Fyodor eyed suspiciously.

 

"I'm just a doctor," she said, answering his silent question. "You have me outnumbered and are stronger than me. Please. I want to help."

 

Fyodor stood a little taller, appraising her as he thought. Janet felt cold under his scrutiny, watching the sparks of anger, instability, and hatred ignite in his eyes. She was convinced this man could kill her in a heartbeat, without any remorse. She held her breath. Finally, he nodded to Gedeon who in turn started for the door.

 

"Come," Fyodor said. "We will show you what we have."

 

Janet smiled and obeyed. She walked with Fyodor to the door, only pausing a moment to tie her laces. She patted her ankle and smiled again, rising so that Fyodor could escort her down the hall.

 

Now all she had to do was wait.

 

All it took was a matter of seconds for Daniel to be swallowed by the crowd. They converged on him, swarming like a plague of locusts, pushing him farther and farther from Teal'c. Daniel shouted, but his voice was lost amidst the cheers and chants of the Baich. He went for his radio and then his gun, only to find his hands slapped and jostled by the bodies that were shoved against him.

 

"Wait!" he yelled. "You're making a mistake!"

 

He felt the crowd shift, and he shifted with them, thrust into the thinning forest that surrounded the outskirts of the city. He wasn't sure just how long he fought them or how long they fought back, but before he could think of another way to break free, he realized the group had dissipated, and the ground had begun to slope beneath him. Daniel nearly lost his footing, stumbling over the uneven earth. There was an urgent tug at his hand, and suddenly he was propelled forward. Instead of questioning the guidance, Daniel went with the flow, catching only glimpses of the woman's blonde hair as she ran ahead of him. Quickly, he matched her pace, wondering what was so dire that her hand clutched him like a steel vice.

 

"Where are we going?" he asked her, speaking in her native tongue. "What are we doing?"

 

But she didn't look at him or answer him and kept running, pulling him along with her. When she finally stopped, breathless, Daniel realized he had been herded to a secluded area behind an old rundown shed.

 

Daniel tensed and drew his sidearm.

 

The woman blinked, her nervous gaze falling onto the gun, but she didn't let go of his arm. "Help. Please."

 

Daniel stared at her. She was young, no more than twenty, he thought. And while she still was youthful, with a healthy glow to her fair cheeks, Daniel didn't miss the bluish circles underneath her eyes or the invisible weight that crushed her small frame. Slowly, Daniel brought the gun down.

 

"They can't know," she whispered.

 

"Who can't know?"

 

She swallowed hard, bringing one of her shaking hands to tuck a stray lock of hair back under her kerchief. "We're not bad people. We love Pyeerum. Pyeerum watches us. He guides us. He is good."

 

Daniel held back the queasiness he felt in his stomach as he listened to her speak. But in the end, he couldn't keep silent. "Pyeerum isn't—"

 

"No, listen!" she said, holding up her hands. "We're good people. We're peaceful people. They aren't us. They are twisted and no good."

 

Daniel took a step forward and held her shoulder, offering a supportive hand. "Who are they?" he asked gently.

 

"The ones that do this." Her voice was trembling. "The ones that watch. The ones that make sure we don't speak."

 

"You mean the Rusayev?" he asked, even though he knew that wasn't the answer.

 

She shook her head emphatically.

 

Daniel felt a knot forming in his throat. He'd studied into international politics enough over the past couple years to know where this conversation was heading. He squeezed her shoulder, hoping that she could read the sincerity in his eyes.

 

"Why?" he asked. "Why tell me?"

 

She hesitated, shooting an uneasy look into the woods and blinked back tears. "I have babies."

 

Daniel followed her gaze to the nearest tree. There, hiding behind the trunk, he found two twin boys poking their heads out in the open, their curious blue eyes watching him intently.

 

They couldn't be any older than four.

 

"Their father is dead. They will come to us next. They will come to me now that I spoke to you. They will come for them. Don't let them come for them." She grabbed his jacket. "Don't let them come for them!"

 

Daniel opened his mouth but nothing came out. Instead, he felt numb from the anger over the woman's situation. He stared dumbly as the tears spilled onto her dirty cheeks.

 

There was a crackle from his radio. "Daniel Jackson?"

 

Daniel started at the sound of Teal'c's voice. Instinctively, he went for his radio, but froze when he saw the panic in the woman's face. She tensed, her eyes becoming wild as she stared at Daniel's vest. Her fear was palpable enough for Daniel to feel.

 

Without another thought, Daniel turned off the radio and focused solely on her. "I'm not going to hurt you. I promise." He put away his sidearm as a sign of his earnestness.

 

The woman relaxed a little, finally releasing her hold on Daniel. If anything, she looked embarrassed, her face reddening as she took a step back.

 

"What's your name?" he asked.

 

"Irina." She rubbed her hands together. "It is Irina."

 

"How did you get mixed up in this, Irina?"

 

"My husband. He was a writer. He wrote for newspapers. He wrote about them."

 

"How many of them are there?"

 

"Many."

 

"How many of you?"

 

"Many more."

 

Daniel straightened his back and frowned at her.

 

"We are afraid," she said. "We are afraid. They have strange devices that not even the Rusayev have." She glanced back to the two boys playing in the leaves. "I don't want them to die."

 

Daniel touched his lips as he thought. He didn't know what kind of equipment the rebel Baich had or if they would be able to pinpoint any of his radio transmissions. He didn't know what other technology they could have confiscated in order to try to gain the upper hand on the Rusayev and their fellow brethren. Then, the full reality hit him suddenly without warning.

 

Daniel pushed down the pain in his stomach and gazed at her. "The plague?"

 

"They said that Pyeerum wills it," she said quietly. "They said that we are not devout enough and that is why we die." She set her jaw, the anger broiling in her eyes. "We are not a stupid people."

 

"No," Daniel said. "You're a brave people."

 

She offered a subdued smile.

 

Daniel smiled back in return, even if he felt sick. These rogue Baich were messing with technology they didn't understand. He didn't know if it was something left over by the Goa'uld that had been buried in the temple or if the rogue group had advanced to that level of technology on their own, just playing along as cover.

 

Whatever the reason, they had killed Major Griffith and had taken Janet. They needed Janet for something.

 

And he was willing to bet that once they had it, they would kill her.

 

"Where are they?" he asked.

 

Irina seemed taken back by the question, taking a step back as she frowned at him.

 

"I need to know," he said. "They have…a friend of mine. It's important."

 

Irina glanced back to her children again. Daniel read the hesitation on her face, the uncertainty in her body. For her, her main goal was protecting her children, to save the ones she loved.

 

Daniel cleared his throat. He knew what he had to do.

 

"Don't worry. I'll protect you. We'll take you and yours sons back with us if we have to."

 

"You will take us down the Path?" she asked, her eyes wide.

 

"I'll do whatever it takes."

 

Irina let out a nervous laugh. She licked her lips, rubbed her palms down the side of her dress, and then pointed deeper into the woodland. "Through there and past the river, they have a building. It is their main building. They call it a temple but it is not a temple. It is where they go."

 

Daniel craned his neck, concentrating on searching through the forest. He didn't like the idea that they were this close to the rogue Baich. He knew Irina would have to be desperate to take such a risk. That also told him that confronting him out here was safer than in the city or by the hills outside the city walls.

 

"They have spies in the city."

 

Irina nodded. "They watch everywhere."

 

Daniel shook his head, but kept his temper in check. "How many of them are at that building?"

 

"I don't know," she admitted. "Not many. The Rusayev do not bother with them. Not with the holy places. Many of them stay within the city and the towns to watch us."

 

Daniel glanced back to the woods. After he a deep breath, he resolved himself to the task. He took a step toward the deep woodland, but Irina stopped him by grabbing his arm.

 

"It is dangerous. They will kill you."

 

"I have to go. They have my friend. If I don't go, they'll just keep doing this."

 

Irina looked away. Once again, her hands had started to shake and he thought she might begin to cry.

 

"Don't worry," he said again. "I promise to protect you. Do you have a place to hide? A special place to keep safe?"

 

She shook her head.

 

Daniel sighed and took a quick survey of the area. He didn't feel comfortable leaving Irina here but he couldn't take her with him. And forget the city. He knew that they wouldn't stand a chance.

 

"Are there any other major temples here aside from the one at the Path?" he asked.

 

"We have another by the hills outside of the city. It is where many of us go."

 

"Is it popular enough that if someone was hurt there, there would be an uprising?"

 

She smiled. "It is."

 

"Take your kids with you. Go to the temple to pray. Do not leave the temple. Just stay there." Daniel took a deep breath. He hoped this would work. "Just do whatever you normally would do in the temple. If they don't want the rest of the Baich to turn against them, you'll be safe there."

 

"And you will come back for us?"

 

Daniel nodded. "I will come back for you."

 

Irina nodded quickly, urging the children to come to her. The twins started to charge for her, giggling as they ran up and grabbed her skirt. They quickly silenced when they saw Daniel.

 

He gave them a wistful smile before getting down to business.

 

"Here." Daniel unhooked the zat from his belt and handed the weapon to her. "Use this if anyone tries to hurt you. Shoot once and they'll leave you alone. Shoot twice and it…" Daniel didn't have the heart to finish the thought.

 

She stared at the weapon.

 

"And if anyone confronts you about me, deny it. Tell them I took you. Tell them all about me." He swallowed hard. "Do whatever you have to so you can protect yourself."

 

Her eyes widened as she curled her fingers around the zat. "But--?"

 

Daniel withdrew his sidearm again and held it up for her to see. "I'll be okay."

 

He had to be okay. He knew that too much was riding on it.

 

He took another deep breath and started for the forest. He supposed it was now or never.

 

"Daniel Jackson!" she called, stopping him before he moved on. "My husband. He had found a word. A word of meaning. It is Stasya. Use it."

 

Daniel stared at her, studying the sincerity in her face as he committed the word to memory. He gave Irina and her boys one final nod before he started to stalk off into the woodland. He wasn't sure how he was going to break into the building or even what he might expect. He wished that the rest of SG-1 were with him. Or maybe a few Marines. But he knew that he couldn't wait for backup. He just wasn't sure he could do this alone.

 

Then again, he'd been through far worse. He let out a nervous laugh and disappeared into the forest.

 

Teal'c followed O'Neill and Major Carter as they tracked the woman named Raya. At first, he had been the one to lead them as they pursued the woman, but Teal'c had come to realize that O'Neill and Major Carter had begun to lag far behind.

 

They did not look well. Whatever coloring Major Carter had once had, it appeared to have vanished. O'Neill, however, had too much color in his face. He feared losing them as much as losing Daniel Jackson, yet he knew that they must continue to press forward. It was then that he had switched places with O'Neill in their hunt for their friends.

 

It troubled Teal'c greatly.

 

As did the fact they no longer traveled toward the city.

 

"We're heading back to the hillside toward the forest," Major Carter said. "She's doubling back, sir."

 

"I can see that, Major." O'Neill rubbed at his eyes. "Just what kind of games are these people playing?"

 

"I do not believe they are playing games, O'Neill." Teal'c waited for O'Neill's reaction, but when he did nothing but send a weary glare, the concern Teal'c felt only deepened.

 

The three of them continued to walk, keeping enough distance between themselves and Raya. Though Teal'c knew that as they passed through the grasses by the hillside, concealment would become difficult once again. If they were to avoid being discovered, they would need a new strategy.

 

This would prove to be difficult.

 

"Dammit," O'Neill muttered.

 

Raya had stopped at the forest edge. There she met a young woman and began to escort her out of the woodland area. Teal'c watched in silence, careful to observe their actions, their tone, and the composure of both women. He did not like what he saw.

 

"Teal'c?" Major Carter asked. "Is there something wrong?"

 

"Indeed." He kept on guard, monitoring the women as they began to approach.

 

"Heads up," O'Neill said. "We've got company."

 

"Colonel O'Neill," Raya said, strolling down the slope to meet them. "Have you lost your way?"

 

"As a matter of fact, we have," he replied.

 

"We're searching for our friend," Major Carter added.

 

"I see," Raya said, but Teal'c did not miss the suspicion in her eyes. "One moment." She turned to the nameless woman, snapping words in their foreign tongue. The young woman nodded quickly, shifting the weight of the two children that she held as she listened.

 

Teal'c was certain he had seen this woman once before.

 

The nameless one nodded once again, ducking her head in submission, before scurrying away from Raya. O'Neill and Major Carter watched her depart, but it was Teal'c's eyes that she caught. As she passed him, she stared deep into his face. Teal'c could see the pleading in her eyes. He said nothing, just reading the unspoken words in her face. Then she spoke.

 

"Daniel Jackson," she whispered, dipping her head toward the forest.

 

Teal'c straightened with surprise. He went to turn to her, but she did not stop, continuing on her way to her unknown destination. But she did not need to speak. He understood.

 

"I apologize," Raya said. Her gaze remained firmly set on the retreating form of the woman. "Her children are always running away to the forest. She is late for prayers."

 

"Why does this concern you?" Teal'c asked, eyeing her closely.

 

Raya gave him a cold glare. "I am the liaison between our peoples. I may not agree with their ways, but I have to make sure they are accounted for."

 

Teal'c continued to stare at her. He did not like this woman.

 

"But I must ask why you feel the need to roam our forests. You do not know what is out there. Should you not be in the city?"

 

"Like Carter said before, were searching for some friends," O'Neill said.

 

Raya snorted. "I do not believe they would be hanging around the forest when you have more important problems on your hands."

 

"You're probably right," O'Neill said. "Once you've seen one tree, you've seen them all." He forced a smile. "But we'd like to check anyway."

 

Major Carter nodded. "Do you know of any other place we might look?"

 

"It is not my responsibility to watch over your lost friend. If he did not have enough sense to contain himself, then that is out of my hands." Before anyone could speak against her, Raya smiled and continued. "But I can escort you back to the city. I am sure that Taras would like to speak with you."

 

"Oh, we already spoke to Taras," O'Neill said. "I think we'll just check around here a little longer and then we'll come to pay you and Taras a little visit."

 

Raya shrugged and rolled her eyes. "You are wasting your time." She turned away and started away from the forest, toward the hills outside the city. The three of them watched her go.

 

As soon as there was enough distance between them, O'Neill turned to face Teal'c. "All right. Whatcha got?"

 

Teal'c kept his voice low and even as he spoke. "The woman we have just encountered. I have seen her before. She was present in the crowd that consumed Daniel Jackson."

 

Major Carter's eyes widened and she pivoted to stare back after the empty space where the woman once stood. "We should go after her."

 

"No."

 

O'Neill stared at him. "No?"

 

"I have been given a warning," he said. "The woman spoke of Daniel Jackson. I believe him to be in the forest."

 

Both O'Neill and Major Carter looked into the wilderness that awaited them. Teal'c could see that they were hesitant and weary from this planet, but there was hope in their faces.

 

"You sure about this?" O'Neill asked.

 

Teal'c held his head high. "I am."

 

Teal'c waited in silence as O'Neill and Major Carter exchanged a knowing look between them. Finally, O'Neill nodded and started toward the forest. Teal'c and Major Carter followed and it was not long before the cover of trees claimed them.

 

Janet held her tongue as she watched Fyodor bark instructions to a handful of scientists in his lab. They were working over several liquids and slides scattered across the desktops. From where Janet stood, she didn't really see any refrigeration units or even any basic machinery to help test and track what was growing in the "lab's" vials.

 

She swallowed hard. What she did see were various devices that looked Goa'uld in origin: open, disassembled, and haphazardly reconstructed.

 

The building was a ticking time bomb.

 

"This is our lab," Fyodor said proudly, coming to stand beside her. "This is where we combat the treachery of the Rusayev."

 

Janet continued to stare. She couldn't even count how many lab violations she saw in front of her or comprehend the multitude of ramifications that rested on the Baich's carelessness alone. The lab was dirty, uncontained…

 

Her skin crawled.

 

"Doctor?" Fyodor asked.

 

"How reckless of you," she said between clenched teeth. "I'm amazed that more of you aren't infected."

 

The pride evaporated from Fyodor's face. "You judge us."

 

"Just your lack of sense. Do you realize what you've done?" She jabbed her finger angrily at the scientists in the room. "You're playing with bacteria and viruses. You're playing Russian Roulette with all these people's lives," she said, mostly to herself before continuing to glare at him. "You're messing with information that you know nothing about! And without proper controls—"

 

"We are protecting ourselves."

 

"No, you're killing—"

 

Janet stopped and shook her head, finally realizing why she had been brought here. "That's it," she said with an angry laugh. "You need me to fix your little experiment gone wrong."

 

Fyodor's eyes cooled. But there was no angry outburst. No fit of rage. He just glared at her with his cold hate.

 

Janet would not be intimidated. "You created this. All of this. You've taken whatever technology you could find and you created this lab. Only now, you're on the brink of losing control." She shook her head again. "You don't want to save anyone. This is all about saving face and saving yourself."

 

Fyodor stepped forward, close enough to brush against her. He towered over Janet, his eyes like ice.

 

"You will find a cure," he said in a low voice.

 

"And if I refuse?"

 

A slick smile greased its way over his lips. "I know where the off-worlders are. I know your friends still stay around the city looking for you." He glanced back at the scientists and materials before turning back to her. "There are less pleasant ways to die."

 

Janet kept firm and refused to think about what could happen to SG-1 and the other scientists on the planet. "What does it matter? You're just going to kill me after you get what you want."

 

He chuckled. "You are a healer. Can you honestly tell me that you would rather die before even trying to help all our suffering people?"

 

"I'm telling you that I would rather die for a cause that is good than to be part of the cause myself."

 

Fyodor grabbed her arm, shoving her toward the nearest table. "Work."

 

Janet shrugged off his grip, sending him one of her deadliest scowls. She kept one of her hands low, dangling by her raised ankle as she tracked his every move. He did not move. He stared at her. She stared at him.

 

Then Gedeon and young man appeared at the door. "Fyodor," they said.

 

Fyodor mumbled something in his own tongue but did not turn to face the other men. Gedeon was silent as the youth replied by rattling off a bunch of words that meant nothing to Janet, but she could pick up the urgency in his tone of voice. The stillness in Fyodor's face finally cracked, allowing pockets of anger to seep to the surface. He barked a command of some kind to the youth, who quickly ran out of the room. Gedeon remained, asking a foreign question of his own which only unleashed more angry words from Fyodor. Quickly, he recovered, but not without a high price. No doubt swearing in his own language, Fyodor threw aside one of the chairs in the room.

 

Janet used the distraction to her advantage. Quickly, she unsheathed the knife hidden by her ankle and plunged it into Gedeon's leg. The man let out a startled cry as Janet yanked the knife out of his muscles. Surprised by the attack, Gedeon stumbled back, gasping as he struggled to stop the blood that flowed down his leg.

 

She didn't look back. As she went for the door, Janet slashed at Fyodor, catching his left cheek. But the man was quick. He leaped past Gedeon and grabbed at Janet, catching her right wrist. Janet wasn't about to give up so easily. Calling upon her military training, Janet used her size to give her some leverage. She ducked and bent low, ramming her elbow into his waist. He gasped, but only for a moment, before turning her around and wrapping his arm around her neck. Despite her quickness and her intensity, Janet couldn't match his strength. After a couple of shakes, the knife slipped from her hand and fell to the ground with a clank.

 

"You are a soldier, like the others," he said.  "You tried to deceive me."

 

Janet spit in his face.

 

"You have made a bad move," Fyodor muttered, kicking away the knife, as he led her to the door. He grabbed her by the hair and yanked her back. Janet winced as the pain pricked at her scalp. "You will come with me now."

 

Daniel slowed his pace as he approached the complex. He was careful not to make much noise as he walked through fallen leaves and broken twigs while moving through the forest. When the building came into view, Daniel finally settled behind a rather large tree and poked his head out from behind the trunk to better assess the area.

 

What he saw didn't impress him. The building was old, worn, and in a state of decay. From where he was crouching, Daniel could see the shattered windows and smell the rotting wood and…something else. He wrinkled his noise and turned away. He needed to come up with some kind of plan on how to break inside.

 

Daniel wasn't naïve. He knew that the building, even though in shambles, would be heavily guarded. But if this was a place where the rogue Baich made weapons or created biological agents, it was one hell of a loose canon. Daniel didn't want to think of all the chemicals that could be leaking out of the crumbling complex.

 

He exhaled and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Okay, so he knew that he couldn't just expect to waltz inside. He also knew he couldn't just shoot his way into the building, either. Not that he wanted to, but it was just a thought.

 

That left him with not much in way of alternatives. Except for…

 

Stasya.

 

It was a gamble, but he knew it was one he would have to take. Irina's and Janet's lives could depend on it.

 

After giving himself another minute to collect himself, Daniel took a deep breath, drew but concealed his sidearm, and headed straight for the entrance. No more than ten seconds had passed when the sentries caught sight of him. By the time Daniel was lit by the afterglow of the lanterns that hung on the sides of the building, the guards had surrounded him, a couple of young men running from inside the building to join the rest. Daniel offered a smile and slowed, silently hoping this would work.

 

"Hello," he said, switching into the Baich's preferred language. "My name is Daniel Jackson."

 

"You're one of the off-worlders," said one of the men. "From the Path."

 

Daniel nodded. "That's right."

 

"You are with the Rusayev," said another.

 

Daniel's smile faltered as they raised their rifles. "I'd like to clarify that, actually. I come in the name of Pyeerum."

 

The sentries frowned at his proclamation, but did not lower their weapons. The first one eyed Daniel suspiciously. "You mock our ways, off-worlder?"

 

Daniel cleared his throat. This wasn't exactly how he'd wanted this to go down. "No, not at all. You see—"

 

"You are an off-worlder. You are with the Rusayev," yelled another. "You do their work."

 

Daniel opened his mouth to protest but the others joined in with angry shouts of their own. He was certain that one lone guard in the crowd had even raised his shotgun to level with Daniel's head. He knew he had to act fast.

 

"Stasya!" Daniel shouted.

 

Suddenly, the crowd grew silent. Each armed sentry stopped to scrutinize Daniel in a way that made graduate comprehensive exams look easy. Yet, none moved to intercept him, but none allowed him to pass. One youth darted back toward the building, raising Daniel's level of uneasiness up a notch. He decided to work the silence to his advantage.

 

"Stasya," he said again. He had no idea what it meant, but he would say it twenty times if he had to.

 

Murmurs broke out among the crowd, but it was the original guard who spoke first again. "You speak our sacred word – the word only known by our brethren."

 

Daniel nodded. He could use that.

 

"Do you think that Pyeerum would just leave you?" he asked, keeping his voice firm. "Did you think he would not amass movements for your people beyond this world?"

 

One guard still would not back down. "The Rusayev—"

 

"We're here for you. To help you. But we can't do our job if you won't let us," Daniel said.

 

The first guard's frown deepened. "What do you want?"

 

"To help," Daniel repeated. He made a wide sweeping gesture toward the building. "Let us access your facilities so we'll know what you need. We do want to help. We'll help you any way we can."

 

There was no immediate reply from the group, but by their faces alone Daniel could see they were considering his offer. Not that it surprised him. While this rogue sect seemed to hold a lot of sway within the community – if Irina was a prime example – they also appeared to be in desperate need of resources. Daniel wasn't sure what was the cause for such a discrepancy, but he was willing to bet it had to do with the greed and power held by the sect's leaders. Sadly, it seemed the same no matter where they went.

 

"I've come alone," Daniel added, nervous by the silence. Daniel wasn't lying…well, not exactly. He did want to help them. They just didn't need to know the how or why. "Why would I have risked my life if I didn't believe we could come under Pyeerum together?"

 

The first guard looked over Daniel's shoulder. In turn, Daniel held up his hands to show he wasn't armed. Of course, he'd be found out if they did a thorough search of his body, but he was hoping that his pleas were strong enough to convince the armed men in front of him.

 

The soldier who had run back to the building reemerged, but seemed more relaxed. The rest seemed to pick up on his ease and lowered their rifles. Daniel breathed a sigh of relief.

 

"You will go with Iosif," the first said at last, pointing to the man that had rejoined them. "He will take you to speak with Fyodor."

 

Daniel nodded with thanks and waited for the man named Iosif to step forward. Iosif motioned for Daniel to follow him through the entrance. Daniel did so without question.

 

As they walked inside, Daniel found himself exposed to a place in complete disarray. Inside, the wood continued to rot and Daniel was positive he could smell mold. He couldn't help but wonder just how ostracized the Baich felt at the hands of the Rusayev. He supposed that enough pressure could drive a man to do anything.

 

"Right this way," Iosif said. He guided Daniel past the foyer into a large but sparsely populated room. "I bet things are different from where you're from," the youth chatted excitedly. "Pyeerum must have rewarded you for your faith if you have full access to the Path."

 

"Something like that," Daniel muttered. He broke away from Iosif, taking the time to soak in the details of the room. There were a few chairs, a table, a plant, and a couple of doors that had to lead elsewhere. Daniel had the distinct impression the room was some kind of waiting area, perhaps for incoming converts or just as cover in the event the Rusayev came to investigate.

 

"Not many people in tonight," Daniel said, scanning the room again.

 

"It's time for prayers." Iosif frowned. "Everyone knows that."

 

"Right." Daniel glanced over his shoulder to catch Iosif's eye. "Why aren't you at prayers?"

 

"I sacrifice for Pyeerum."

 

Daniel sighed. "So do I."

 

Iosif paused, but seemed to shake off the reply to show Daniel to one of the doors. "You'll have to sign in," Iosif said. "Fyodor likes to have a record."

 

Daniel nodded. He followed Iosif into the small room. Office-like in nature, it had a desk, a coat rack, a locked filing cabinet, and stacks of paper on the side. Daniel walked past a small closet and approached the desktop, stopping to skim over a clipboard with listed names. Fyodor's record keeping, he supposed.

 

As Daniel started to sign his name, he froze, his eye catching an open file that had carelessly been left on the desktop. Whoever had left it had to be in a hurry; the rest of the office was meticulously kept.

 

He opened it without a second thought. Part of him wished he hadn't. Feeling queasy, Daniel slammed the file shut.

 

"Those who do not follow Pyeerum must pay," Iosif said simply.

 

Daniel didn't reply. Silently, he slid the file aside, along with the clipboard, before he went for his sidearm. He removed it, keeping the weapon hidden as he spoke to Iosif.

 

"Where's Fyodor?" he asked.

 

"I can take you to him. He is right on the upper floor. I'm sure he'll be pleased to see you." Iosif smiled.

 

Daniel didn't smile back. "After you."

 

Iosif started forward, heading toward the door. Daniel slipped behind him.

 

Without hesitation, Daniel knocked Iosif in the head with the butt of his gun. The youth collapsed and hit the ground with a thud. After checking his head and his pulse, Daniel dragged his body away from the door and toward the back of the room. He opened the closet door and peeked inside. There was enough room – the closet only had a few boxes and some cleaning materials.

 

Daniel went for one of his pockets, first sliding out plastic restraints. After he managed to secure the young man, he pulled out his bandana. With a few quick flicks of his wrist, he twirled the bandana so it was tightly wound, and then bent over Iosif and gagged him, tying the cloth securely in his mouth. Daniel tried not to think about his actions as he stuffed the unconscious man in the closet. He closed the door. He knew he had to do this.

 

He took another deep breath, grabbed Iosif's rifle, and exited the room. Once back into the large waiting area, he went for the second door, hoping that he was closer to finding a happy ending to this disaster of a mission.

 

Janet fought against Fyodor, but his grip was unrelenting. He dragged her down the hallway, his dark face completely focused on whatever now occupied his mind. Janet knew it couldn't be good.

 

"Let go!" she shouted. "Where are you taking me?"

 

Fyodor gave her shove. They entered another room, this one much smaller than the last, but that still held the lingering smells and materials of intense lab work. Janet was afforded one quick glance at the tables before she was thrown into a chair.

 

"I'm not going to help you," she said. She grunted as Fyodor tied her to the chair.

 

Fyodor yanked at the cord causing Janet to wince. Then, he stalked off to the table and started to rummage through one of the drawers. Janet felt her heart race as he carelessly sifted through possible contaminated materials.

 

Part of her wondered just how desperate or poverty stricken the Baich really were. But the other part wanted to see Fyodor get what was coming to him.

 

She heard a satisfied grunt. Fyodor withdrew an enclosed vial of liquid. She frowned, watching as he uncorked the top of the vial and dipped the point of a dart into the liquid. He placed the dart on the table, corked the vial and stuffed it back into the desk before taking out a small crossbow.

 

Janet felt the color drain from her face.

 

"You will not help?" He added the dart into the crossbow. "I will convince you to help."

 

She snorted. "If you think that threatening me—"

 

"I have allowed one of the off-worlders into the facility," Fyodor said. The dart clicked into place. "If you do not agree to help me, I will introduce your friends to the will of Pyeerum myself."

 

Janet set her jaw. "You're lying. There is no one here for me."

 

"Daniel Jackson," Fyodor said simply. "It is true that he is an uninvited guest, but he is of no concern." He held up the crossbow. "I save the best for those that defy me and Pyeerum."

 

Janet felt cold. She knew what Fyodor was implying. She knew exactly how lethal that dart was.

 

"Don't do this," Janet said, her voice shaking.

 

"You leave me with little choice. Perhaps this will persuade you." He held up the crossbow and aimed for the open door.  Fyodor smiled at her. "After all, it is what Pyeerum wants."

 

Sam crept closer to O'Neill, crouching low beside him. From her vantage point, she could see six – seven – guards patrolling the perimeter of the building, or at least by the entrance. It was difficult to obtain a precise headcount through the thickly forested woodland. Even so, Sam knew that SG-1 could easily overcome them. And from the concentrated look on her commanding officer's face, she knew that he was already coming up with a plan.

 

"They're in front of the door," he said. "We come in on all sides and we can take them."

 

Sam nodded. "A three-pronged attack."

 

"Right. We need this quiet." O'Neill paused, his intense eyes scanning the woods. Finally, he stood. "We go in with zats."

 

Sam and Teal'c did as instructed and drew their zats. Per O'Neill's orders, Sam went left and Teal'c went right. She waited for Colonel O'Neill's next signal before she moved.

 

O'Neill gestured with his hand to go.

 

Sam dashed forward, one hand on her sidearm, the other firing away with her zat. She watched as the shocked men fell, one by one, not having a chance with their slow loading rifles. By the time Sam was heading for the entrance, O'Neill and Teal'c had effectively knocked out the rest of the sentries.

 

"Teal'c, mind doing the honors?" O'Neill asked.

 

Teal'c inclined his head and passed them to address the issue with the guards. He hunched over the unconscious men, and tied each one in turn. Then, he began to drag them under the cover of the forest's undergrowth. As he worked, Sam assisted O'Neill in sizing up the area.

 

"It doesn't look heavily fortified, sir." Sam scanned the building's surface, noting only a couple of illuminated rooms on the upper and lower levels.

 

"Yeah, but I bet there's still some armed men inside," he said. He paused a moment longer as he searched the entrance and the facing wall, only speaking again when Teal'c had rejoined them. "Keep with the zats and switch to automatic weapons if necessary," he told her. He glanced back at Teal'c. "Cover our six."

 

Sam and O'Neill hovered by the entrance, checking the area before proceeding. Once they were sure it was clear, they walked inside, passing through a small foyer into a large room. Like the foyer, it was empty and had the distinct smell of mold. Sam scrunched up her nose but continued to scan the room.

 

O'Neill motioned for her to take one door while he headed for the other. Teal'c remained behind them, zat aimed at the entrance, his other hand gripping his staff weapon.

 

Sam stalked alongside the wall and peered around the open door. While she heard a muffled noise coming from somewhere inside the office, she didn't see anyone in view. Carefully, she stepped inside, heading for what she assumed was a closet, but stopped when she reached the desk.

 

Daniel's signature stood out like a light in a dark room. She traced her fingers over his name and felt slight relief. She just hoped they weren't too late.

 

She couldn't handle the alternatives for Daniel or Janet.

 

Sam left the desk and moved to the closet. Keeping her right hand on the zat, she opened the door with her left and aimed at the shadows in the closet.

 

A young man stared back at her with wide, fearful eyes.

 

Sam was about to loosen the gag around the man's mouth, when O'Neill and Teal'c appeared at the door.  She straightened her back, but did not lower her weapon. She wanted answers, but she would allow for O'Neill to take her place and question the youth.

 

"Daniel's been here," she told him. "He signed some paperwork on the desk." She started back toward the clipboard as O'Neill stepped toward the closet.

 

O'Neill bent over the young man and shoved his P-90 in his face. "You scream and I shoot you."

 

Sam wasn't sure if the young man understood what Colonel O'Neill had said, but he certainly understood his actions. The fearful youth nodded and kept silent as O'Neill loosened the cloth.

 

Bandana. Daniel's bandana.

 

"You understand me?" O'Neill asked.

 

The man nodded again.

 

"Where's Daniel?"

 

"Who is Daniel?"

 

"No, wrong answer," O'Neill said angrily. He held up the bandana and the clipboard Sam had in her hand. "I'm going to ask you again. Where's Daniel?"

 

The young man let out a nervous laugh. "He goes on his own to speak to Fyodor. He's foolish. He's a foolish man. All of you off-worlders are."

 

O'Neill remained unperturbed. "Who's Fyodor? Is he your leader?"

 

"Fyodor is but a shepherd of Pyeerum."

 

"Yeah. Whatever." He started to roll the bandana. "This Fyodor guy wouldn't happen to know what happened by the temple earlier, would he?"

 

The young man smiled.

 

O'Neill didn't press any further. He quickly gagged the young man and shut the door.

 

"I think it's safe to assume that Fyodor had a hand in Major Griffith's death and Doctor Fraiser's disappearance," Sam said. "Somehow, Daniel's gotten involved."

 

"Doesn't surprise me," O'Neill muttered. He wiped his mouth as he scanned the room. "The other door leads to a stairway." He nudged his chin to the desk. "Find anything else?"

 

Sam turned back to the desk. "Just Daniel's signature. Whatever is going on, it appears like he just walked right in." She tapped her finger on the clipboard and frowned, only then realizing there was more underneath the sign in sheet. Sam slid the clipboard aside and opened the file that had been hidden behind the board. She started to flip through the random photos.

 

She gasped.

 

"What?" O'Neill asked, coming to her side.

 

Teal'c shifted his weight by the doorway, the concern in his face as well. "Have you found something of importance, Major Carter?"

 

"I think I'm going to be sick," she muttered, handing the file to O'Neill.

 

Sam watched O'Neill's expression darken as he studied the photos. Disgusted, he closed the file and tossed it on the desk. Sam observed in silence as he put away his zat, instead reaching for his P-90 and making sure it was fully loaded.

 

Their eyes met. She understood.

 

Picture after picture showed the horrors that the leaders of the Baich had undertaken. The swollen diseased bodies of little children. Pregnant women in tears, chained to the floor. Young emaciated men. Old, decaying elderly. All photographed in the deepest moments of their suffering.

 

All Baich themselves.

 

At least the Baich had mastered early photography, she thought bitterly.

 

"Let's go," O'Neill told them.

 

He passed the desk and stormed out of the room. Sam numbly followed, patting Teal'c's arm as he continued to stare at the file on the desk. In silence, the two of them followed O'Neill, all three of them heading for the other door that lead to the upper floor.

 

She tried not to think of all the children that had lost their lives in this battle. She tried not to think of all the innocents. She tried not to think of Janet and Daniel.

 

But as the sound of desperate gunfire rang throughout the upper floor above her, all her fears came rushing back.

 

Daniel crept down the hallway. He tried his best to keep concealed, darting in and out of empty closets, abandoned rooms, and the large alcoves that lined the corridor, his sidearm drawn with the rifle slung over his shoulder as backup. Distant rumbles came and went; he quickened his pace. But with the starts and stops, the bangs and whispers, he found it difficult to focus on the direction of any one specific noise.

 

Scuffles. Voices. Clanking.

 

Dead silence.

 

Daniel froze, flattening himself against the peeling wall. He stood there, holding his breath for what seemed like an eternity. The silence mocked him, wasting the time away, the same time he couldn't afford to lose.

 

Nothing.

 

Nothing.

 

A flash of white.

 

Daniel aimed his Beretta at the frightened scientist who had appeared in the hallway. The silence held as they stared at each other, immobilized. But before Daniel could question the man, he bolted, placing as much distance between himself and Daniel as possible. Daniel knew he was going for help.

 

Without another thought, Daniel ran after him. He knew that he couldn't jeopardize his search for Janet. He couldn't be found out. He couldn't become overrun by reinforcements. He was entering his own lion's den, but without the safety and protection afforded to his namesake.

 

Daniel continued to run.

 

He pursued the man down another abandoned hallway, his weapon ready as he scouted for any cover. Just as he was contemplating his next move, Daniel caught sight of another flash to his right, this time in the form of a militiaman.

 

The soldier fired, but Daniel ducked, just missing the shot that was aimed at his head. Quickly, Daniel recovered and shot back, hitting the man in the stomach. He staggered back and fell, dropping his gun. But before Daniel could corner him, another rogue Baich appeared immediately followed by another and another. He knew more were on the way.

 

Daniel fired, hoping to disable as many as he could. He was a walking target or a sitting duck; either way, he knew if he didn't make his final stand here, then he would fail Janet and Irina.

 

Daniel was tired of failure.

 

Shot after shot, Daniel fired at the men. Their rifles were slower, more antiquated, and he was lucky enough to be able to dodge the bullets aimed at him. But he knew that his good fortune would run out. Darting to his left, Daniel stepped into the alcove that housed a locked room. Though he knew that he must stick out like a sore thumb, Daniel used the time to quickly reload the magazine in his sidearm. Just another moment. Just one more moment and maybe he could hold his own…

 

The footfalls stomped closer, closing in on him. He heard the gunshots. He heard their cursing. He could smell their sweat as they neared his location.

 

Daniel slammed the magazine into the Beretta and poked around the alcove, aiming at the soldiers. He picked off one, two, three…God, were there more?

 

He didn't have time to count how many more men had come to replace the ones that he'd taken out. It wasn't important.

 

Daniel fired two more times, knowing that he was low on ammo. He shoved the sidearm into its holster, reserving what he had, and shrugged off the rifle. He could get a few hits in as the men slowed to reload their rifles. And he did.

 

Only, he missed the one that had slid down the wall while he'd been distracted. Daniel realized he was cornered when it was too late; he was staring into the barrel of the rifle.

 

Daniel held his breath.

 

The man froze, dropping to his knees, a giant flaming hole in his chest. Shocked, Daniel jerked his head back, surprised to find Teal'c standing in the middle of the hallway, his staff weapon still smoking.

 

Sam and Jack fanned out and around from behind him. With a staff weapon and two fully loaded P-90's aimed at them, the remaining men quickly changed their tune. The four of them dropped their weapons and raised their hands, their angry, defiant glares cutting through SG-1.

 

Daniel stepped outside of the alcove, his gaze falling to the men downed and spread across the floor. Blood pooled and seeped into the wood planks while more had splattered onto the moldy walls. He sighed as he turned away from the sight.

 

When his gaze finally met the rest of his team, he could see the mix of anger, relief, and worry in their faces. Jack nodded to Teal'c to restrain the militiamen while he kept his P-90 trained on their every move. He said nothing, his eyes cold, but Daniel knew he was less than pleased. Sam was the first to speak.

 

"Are you okay?" she asked.

 

Daniel nodded. "Janet's here."

 

Sam exchanged an uneasy glance with Jack. "Are you sure?" she asked.

 

Daniel glanced back at the Baich that Teal'c had finished restraining. "They're a rogue group, Sam.  They're terrorizing both the Baich and the Rusayev. They need Janet. They've been experimenting—"

 

"We gathered that," Jack said tightly.

 

Daniel straightened. All he had to do was look into the haunted faces of his teammates to understand. They knew.

 

"You're not looking so good," he said to them.

 

"Take a look in the mirror lately?" Jack asked.

 

Daniel brushed off the comment. He wiped the sweat from his forehead and took a quick inventory of the corridor. The scientist had long disappeared. More Baich were on the way. They didn't have much time.

 

Then, they heard it.

 

Janet's voice. Calling. Yelling. The words were indistinguishable over the distance, but the voice was distinctly her own.

 

Daniel wasted no time. After tossing the rifle and checking his Beretta one last time, he took off down the hall, jumping over the bodies of the fallen militiamen to get to her.

 

"Hey!" Jack called.

 

But Daniel ignored him. He kept running, pushing harder. He was so close. He couldn't back down now. There had been too much death, too much pain. They wouldn't lose Janet too.

 

He wouldn't lose Janet.

 

Powered with his newfound resolve, Daniel followed her voice to a lone open door at the end of the hallway. He kept his sidearm drawn, ready, and charged into the room.

 

The sound of gunfire made Janet go cold. If Fyodor was telling the truth, she knew that Daniel was out there, facing them alone. And if he did make it past Fyodor's men…

 

"Daniel!" she yelled. "Don't!"

 

Fyodor glared at her with deadly eyes, but said nothing. He raised the crossbow and stiffened. Janet struggled to worm her way out of her restraints while continuing to shout. She saw a shadow move across the hallway.

 

"No!" she yelled.

 

Too late.

 

Fyodor fired.

 

Daniel staggered back from the impact, the color draining from his face. He had little time to react. None of them did. Before Fyodor even lowered the bow, O'Neill burst into the room. One quick assessment and it was over. O'Neill fired, pumping an entire round into Fyodor.

 

Dead instantly, Fyodor fell to the ground in a heap.

 

He was promptly ignored. Sam shouldered her weapon and ran to Daniel, supporting him as his knees buckled. Teal'c wasted no time in untying Janet while O'Neill reluctantly guarded the door. After nodding her gratitude to Teal'c, she rushed to Daniel's side to inspect the dart's insertion.

 

Fyodor had impeccable aim. The dart was lodged in Daniel's upper left chest.

 

"Janet?" Sam asked, her voice filled with concern.

 

"Help me sit him down," Janet said.

 

While O'Neill reloaded and kept watch, Teal'c and Sam helped sit Daniel down into the chair that had once been her prison. He had overcome his initial shock, much to Janet's relief, and was moving. His hands went to dislodge the dart himself, but she quickly stopped him.

 

"Daniel, let me check it."

 

He nodded and let his hands drop. The first thing Janet needed was for Daniel to stop moving so she could determine just how deeply the dart had penetrated his tissue. Though, she knew in the end it wouldn't really matter.

 

"Are you okay?" Daniel asked her.

 

"I'm fine," she said. "Let me see."

 

Sam handed her a pair of gloves from her vest. Janet accepted, snapping them onto her hands. Slowly, Janet started to pull at the dart, surprised to find that there was so much resistance. What confused her even more was that as she pulled, the vest and jacket came with her, but Daniel didn't even flitch. Curious, she lifted the jacket.

 

Janet frowned.

 

"Doc?"

 

Janet didn't answer Colonel O'Neill. She kept working, now more quickly, sliding off his vest and jacket together. Then, she lifted his shirt and inspected the skin. All the while Daniel didn't say a word, but she could feel that he was tense. The others did not need to voice their fears.

 

Janet slid her hand over the area where the dart had made contact. After a few moments of silence, Janet sighed and brought down his shirt.

 

And then she laughed.

 

"Doctor Fraiser?" Teal'c asked.

 

"There was no penetration," she said with relief. "Something must have blocked the dart."

 

There was a collective sigh of relief added to her own, but it didn't break the full tension in the air. Janet knew nothing would. This place was filled with death, with horror, and with pain. And there was a population continuing to die.

 

She glanced at each one of her friends, noting their haunted expressions, their pale faces, their weighted stances. She knew that they wanted nothing more than to leave, as did she, but they still had so much more work to do. And they had to make sure they brought nothing back with them.

 

"You all right?" Colonel O'Neill asked her.

 

Janet nodded, watching as Sam started to investigate the dart stuck in Daniel's vest. "I'm fine, Colonel." When the displeasure didn't leave his face, she tried to ease his concern. "They weren't going to do anything until they secured a cure."

 

He nodded, but his attention was now on Sam. "Carter…"

 

"Don't worry, sir." She pulled at the dart, but as before it did not budge. Sam then turned her attention to the vest itself, opening the pocket that had become the dart's victim. She let out another sigh of relief. "The karcite," she said.

 

Daniel frowned.

 

Sam picked up on their silent questions and dug into her own vest. She withdrew a small rectangular piece of what Janet thought was a kind of metal.

 

"Karcite," Sam said again. "The samples that Taras gave us earlier."

 

Daniel let out a nervous laugh. "That's amazing."

 

"It is not," O'Neill said. "You got lucky."

 

Janet frowned, watching Daniel just shrug his shoulders. "Well, it all worked out in the end anyway, didn't it?"

 

O'Neill did not say anything. No one did.

 

After a moment of silence, Colonel O'Neill motioned for everyone to pack up and move. Janet helped Daniel to his feet. The two of them fell into step behind O'Neill and Sam while Teal'c brought up the rear. They made their way back to the door only to be stopped by a team of soldiers led by a woman.

 

Janet remembered her as Raya.

 

Colonel O'Neill lifted his weapon and pointed it at Raya. Sam and Teal'c quickly followed suit. They looked anything but impressed.

 

"No need, Colonel O'Neill," Raya said before O'Neill could quip. She glanced over at Fyodor and sighed. "You have ruined this opportunity for us."

 

"Friend of yours?" he managed to say.

 

Raya scowled. "We have been working for years to try and bring this terrorist group down. What you have done now will only infuriate them more."

 

"You knew," Janet said through clenched teeth. She thought of all the innocent people who had died. She thought of all the people she had seen as she came through the Gate, their faces open and hopeful that she and her fellow medical staff would be able to save them. "You knew," she repeated.

 

Raya held her head high, her expression bordering on smug. Janet resisted the urge to give her a mouthful.

 

"You used us," Sam said.

 

"We have done what is necessary to help our people."

 

"Help?" Daniel scoffed at her. "You just let them die. You let all of those people die and you didn't do anything to stop it."

 

"In times like these, one must sacrifice for the good of the people." Her cool gaze darted to O'Neill. "Colonel O'Neill understands, doesn't he?"

 

Again, O'Neill said nothing, his face like stone.

 

"You have no honor," Teal'c muttered.

 

"It is not your concern." She waved them to the door. "I am here to escort you back to the city."

 

"We'll show ourselves out, thanks," O'Neill said. He waved for the rest of them to follow him.

 

They said nothing more to Raya that night. Janet walked with Daniel out into the corridor, reading his quiet anger in the silence. There was something festering inside him, something more than the weight of this mission, something heavier than the two of them, SG-1, or the whole program put together. And Janet knew that someday soon that weight would crush him if he didn't take measures to stop it.

 

She stayed with him, walking with him out of the building and into the forest. The five of them remained quiet, giving Janet the opportunity to contemplate the welfare of SG-1, the Baich and the Rusayev while struggling to find a way – if there was one – to make everything right again.

 

Janet opened the flap to one of tents and stepped outside into the cool night air.  In the distance, she saw SG-1. All four of them were sitting together, perched on a couple of worn boulders that rested near the temple that housed the Stargate. She didn't fail to notice that Daniel was hanging back, cut off a bit from the rest of them, lost in his own contemplative world as he stared at the temple.

 

The rest of his team was giving him the space that he needed. She had known them long enough to understand what was happening. Each member of SG-1 handled the stress of the job in different ways. This was Daniel's way. She knew that he'd bounce right back. He would file the experience away, but never forget it, and go about his business.

 

She knew. So, she wasn't sure why she felt compelled to watch him. She wasn't sure why she felt the need to talk to him.

 

She knew part of it was just the nature of her personality and job. She needed to see and hear that he was okay. Part of it was personal. And part of it was purely selfish.

 

She knew. But she ignored all of it anyway and approached SG-1.

 

"Colonel," she said cheerfully.

 

"Fraiser," he replied. "I trust you have good news?"

 

She nodded. "First, you will be glad to know that our lab tests have come back and the form of plague manufactured on this planet is treatable. It will take some time, but with the right medicines, we should be able to assist the Baich and the Rusayev."

 

"That's great," Sam said.

 

"Any more news?" O'Neill asked, arching his eyebrows.

 

Janet chuckled.  "I am also happy to inform you that you and the rest of your team have not contracted the plague."

 

The news had the immediate effect of relaxing SG-1. Or at least those who were paying attention.

 

She shot a worried glance over to Daniel.

 

"Are you sure?" Sam asked. "Our symptoms were—"

 

"Imagined," Janet said. She smiled at Colonel O'Neill and Sam's shocked faces. "You're in perfect health. Any symptoms that you, Doctor Jackson, and Colonel O'Neill experienced were psychosomatic."

 

Sam and Colonel O'Neill just stared at her, the embarrassment more than evident in their faces. Though, in contrast, she was positive that she caught a smug smile creep across Teal'c's face.

 

In the end, all O'Neill could manage to say was, "huh."

 

Janet chuckled again. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to tell Daniel the good news."

 

She nodded to them before she walked around the boulder to reach Daniel, who was still focused on the temple. Quietly, she leaned against the rock where he was sitting and looked over at him. She followed his gaze to the temple gates, watching him track the departure of a young woman and her two sons.

 

"Her name is Irina," he said, answering her silent question. He did not turn to look at her. "We're offering her asylum. She'll stay at the SGC until we find her a place with one of our allies where she'll feel comfortable."

 

"I see." Janet glanced over to him. "She's not safe here anymore."

 

He shook his head. "Nothing has changed."

 

"That's not true," she said, feeling her cheeks warm in defense. "We can cure these people. It's not too late."

 

He smiled weakly. "We might have helped today, but it won't change anything." He faced her, surprising Janet with the gravity in his features. "There will be another Fyodor. Another Taras. Another Raya. Another Irina. There will always be someone to take their places. Unless something is done to solve the root of the problem, it will never end. They'll just keep killing each other until nothing is left."

 

Janet swallowed hard, hurting from the pain she heard in his voice. She touched his arm. "We just do the best we can."

 

He glanced down at her hand before looking into her face. "Sometimes the best isn't good enough." His voice dropped. "One day it won't be."

 

She blinked at him. "Daniel, you can't save everyone."

 

"No. But I can try."

 

Janet wasn't sure what to say to that. She didn't know how long he would continue to live with the pain. Every day he added a new burden to his collection and one day he was sure to collapse under the pressure of his own guilt and responsibility. She couldn't let that happen.

 

"You've already done more than most people."

 

"I know. It's not that. It's just one day…" He forced another smile, but there was nothing but sadness in his eyes. "One day there's going to be a time when one of us doesn't come back."

 

Janet refused to think about that possibility. "That day isn't now," she said firmly. "The best we can do is focus on the here and now."

 

He nodded and looked away. Janet hesitated, but then moved closer, slipping her hand into his, and gave him a supportive squeeze. He squeezed back, and they both turned to look past the temple. Just for a little while, they put aside the past and the future and cherished the present as they gazed at the horizon to watch the rising moon.

 

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