If you read parts 1-5 before June 8, 2008, please go back and have a re-read. I explain more about how the newly infected are ranked and it might come into play later. Thanks! Oh, and have a look at the Poll I posted on my profile. It will effect part 7.
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part 6: That Voodoo You Do
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Briefing room
Dr. Fraiser, Dr. Lee, Major Davis, Teal'c, Colonel O'Neill, General Hammond, and Lieutenant Colonel Reynolds had all been summoned to the briefing. Stevens and Hawes had accompanied Daniel and Dr. Fraiser from the infirmary and were standing near the staircase to continue guarding him.
"Since I've gotten the impression that my observations weren't supposed to go on the record, I haven't actually printed up a report," Daniel explained from the front of the room.
Hammond nodded. "Officially we're just speculating on the status of one of our reassigned soldiers."
"And these speculations can be passed onto the President for his unofficial recommendation," Davis continued.
"Yes, Daniel, so let's begin speculating," Jack said.
Daniel sighed. "They have her on another NID base. It's somewhere in Greenland."
"The frozen one?" Jack asked quickly.
Daniel nodded. "Mayborne thought there was a chance that I'd be able to hear what people were thinking even if I was sedated, so he ordered the top-level scientists out before Jack got there."
"But none of the lower level scientists knew that was why their bosses left?" Reynolds asked.
"Most of them knew the base was being shut down and assumed that their bosses were sticking them with the grunt work of clearing out the place." Daniel held up his finger. "But some of the ones left behind had consulted Sam's records during their research on me. They decided to keep the terminology of level 1, 2, and 3, and they've ranked Sam as a level 2."
"Levels?" Reynolds asked.
"Level of parasite infection," Dr. Fraiser answered. "According to the translations Daniel brought back with him today, the people of Breck's planet established a ranking system, and the first part of their overall rank is given as a level. Level 1s look and feel completely human most of the time and display only weak abilities. When they chose to fully use their abilities, or when they need a meal, their appearance becomes more like Daniel's. They can be dangerous when they transform because they aren't used to resisting the effects of the parasite. Level threes are the other extreme cases of infection. They look quite a bit less like other humans, usually bald with unusual eye pigment and more prominent skeletal features, and require a greater volume of blood to keep from acting impulsively." She turned back to Daniel a little shyly. "According to the more colorful papers, it is said to be very hard for level 3s to be in the same room with a person without attacking them."
"So Level 2s are like Dr. Jackson?" Davis asked, his eyes shifting to Daniel.
Janet nodded. "Physically, those with a level 2 infection look slightly different from people who haven't been infected, but, when provided with regular meals, are behaviorally more able to control the parasite's influences after becoming acclimated to the infection."
"Before we discuss Captain Carter," General Hammond began to Daniel, "tell us what you learned about their research on the parasite."
Daniel nodded. "They haven't been working on a cure. Some of the scientists who were still on the base had a few theories, but they weren't in a position to work on them."
"Can you type up those theories for me?" Dr. Fraiser asked. The men around the table looked ready to remind her that they weren't supposed to pursue that sort of research at the SGC, so she explained her reasoning. "Consider it a side project."
Hammond nodded a little.
"Thank you, Sir," she said, looking back to Daniel.
"Do you know if they've infected anyone else with the parasite?" Dr Lee asked. "We discussed it a few days ago, but we couldn't decide if they'd try it or not."
Daniel shook his head. "As of this morning, noone left at the base knew anything about another person being infected, but they do plan on doing it pretty soon."
The table was silent.
"I already started to tell Janet, but before they were going to risk infecting another person, they wanted to make me believe that I was a thing. Once they convinced me that I didn't need to act like a person, they were going to use me as their own operative."
"Brainwashing?" Jack asked soberly. It had never occurred to him, but now it made sense why they'd bother treating him like he was less than human for such a long time.
Daniel nodded. "They were doing it slowly because they still wanted to study my abilities. When Jack got there and called them on it, they decided I probably wasn't going to fall for the same methods again. I'm pretty sure that's why they didn't care if Jack took me back here; they couldn't use me anymore. They decided a level 3 might have cooperated with them a little more."
"Level 3 being the kind that don't mind ripping people up?" Reynolds tried to clarify.
Daniel tried his best not to look upset, but he could tell instantly that he failed. "They're the level that can't control themselves. It has nothing to do with minding."
"So, what are they doing to Carter? If she's really a level 2 who can usually keep things in check, why do they think they can use her any more than they did Daniel?" Jack asked suddenly. He looked to Hammond. "We can cover more on these bugs when we're done talking about our people."
"True," Hammons agreed. "Are they keeping her in a facility similar to the one you were being held at? With private living space?"
Daniel looked suddenly grim. "No. It's a much smaller base. They've kept her unconscious the entire time, so they haven't needed to keep any buffer between her and the technicians."
Jack glanced at Janet, briefly thinking of her offhanded comment a few weeks earlier about how Carter or Daniel might just be strapped to a table with half of their organs missing.
"Do you know what kinds of special powers she developed?" Dr. Lee asked excitedly. From the expressions on the faces of the other people at the table he realized he might have been a little over eager. "Sorry," he said a little more calmly.
Daniel shook his head a little. "Not exactly. I know what parts of the reports said, but not enough to really know what she can do. They claim to be keeping her in a coma because they've decided that her abilities are too much of a threat."
This made everyone at the table, except for Jack and Hammond, shift in their seats.
Daniel sighed, turning his back to the people at the table as he was unavoidably flooded with the gruesome imaginings of the people around him, as well as their renewed concerns about Daniel's special powers. "I suppose even here I'm still an experiment," he muttered, staring at the white board still peppered with the equations of a previous presentation. It took only a few moments for their minds to calm down as the tried to make sense of his quiet comment...
"What?" Jack asked.
Daniel turned around. "If I can live here, maybe Sam can adjust to living around here, too," he said with a little more urgency than they'd heard from him lately. He gestured towards Janet, "You and Jack both tried to give me the pep talk about being the same person I was before being infected." He laughed a little. "I know I don't need to remind any of you that my special powers aren't exactly harmless."
Their minds all agreed silently.
"Their files rated my abilities as dangerous, but they kept me awake because I wasn't a soldier. And not to hurt my case, but, if I know Sam, she didn't show them everything she could do, either." He held up his hand as if he were holding something. An arch of electricity jumped between his fingers. As he concentrated several more arches jumped around. The lights in the room flickered.
Hammond stood. "Dr. Jackson!" he shouted scoldingly.
The two guards by the staircase aimed their weapons.
Daniel closed his hand into a fist and the electricity dissipated as if there hadn't been any problems at all.
"What were you trying to prove?" Hammond demanded crossly.
"I don't want to hurt anyone, but I am dangerous," he said calmly. "Whatever they think Sam can do, she can probably do a lot more. In the hands of the NID I did hurt someone. It will probably happen to Sam, too."
"The Jaffa?" Davis asked dispassionately.
Teal'c stared at Davis with an almost annoyed expression.
"He was just a person," Daniel insisted, "and it had nothing to do with my abilities."
"Really not helping your case," Jack said.
"The point is that regardless of what Sam can do now, she's still Sam and it's only a matter of time before they wake her up and exploit her condition for their own ends," Daniel said more quickly.
General Hammond sat back down, willing to listen to the rest of Daniel's information. He looked over at the guards. "Stand down."
Hawes and Stevens nodded a little and lowered their weapons, stepping back to their positions at the staircase.
Daniel walked back to the table and poured a glass of water, taking a sip and finally sitting down. "Yes, water," he said before taking another sip. Some people at the table hadn't remembered that he did, in fact, still need to drink water.
There was silence for several seconds.
"Is there anything else, Doctor?" the General asked.
Daniel set down his glass, remaining seated. "I've actually saved the worst for last."
"Great," Jack said sarcastically.
"The only reason these handful of people were looking into Sam while researching me was that they needed an excuse to look at her file." He sighed. "There were at least five of them, and they're all part of a rogue faction of the NID."
The people around the table were speechless.
"So the rogue group is trying to gather intel on both you and Carter?" Jack verified. "Why?"
"They wanted to smuggle a sample of my blood to their own group's location, infect one of their own people, and pursue their own research." He sighed and spoke more quickly. "That or kidnap me or Sam and end up with an endless, free supply at no cost to their group's manpower."
Noone said a word.
Daniel couldn't hear a single coherent thought from anyone in the room until they unified in their concern for Sam's safety. One voice came through a little more clearly than the others. He turned to Reynolds. "No, I'm not lying to help Sam."
Reynolds shifted in his seat, but he spoke confidently as he reminded himself that he was talking to the meek Dr. Jackson. "It just seems a little convenient that you would leave that sort of news to the end, after you've had a chance to read our minds and hear what decision we'd make with the information you've given us."
"There was a lot of information, to cover," Daniel said patiently. "And a lot more information that wasn't as vital to this briefing." He looked at the General. "Would you like for me to type up everything I experienced while I was there and on the way out?"
The General hesitated, but decided on an answer. "A single copy, saved on a personal storage device, and for my eyes only." His eyes roamed around the table. "I'll share relevant information as needed."
Everyone at the table agreed, but Reynolds's suspicion led Davis to momentarily doubt that Dr. Jackson would be completely honest.
Daniel wanted to change the topic. Once he typed it up, noone would be able to claim that he was inventing new information. "Jack said the gate has been dialing in but there's only static. So that means there's a signal coming through?"
"Yes, there is some kind of signal," Dr. Lee said. "We think it's some kind of encoded message, but we have no idea who it's from or what they're trying to say."
"But you've dialed Breck's planet since then?"
"Several times. The wormhole doesn't engage," Dr. Lee replied.
"Can I hear a copy of the transmission?"
Dr. Lee looked at General Hammond for permission.
The General nodded. "Of course."
Dr. Lee smiled at Daniel. "Come down to my lab sometime and I'll fill you in on what we have so far."
The gate behind the General lit up.
General Hammond stood. "I'd like everyone to consider the facts brought to our attention, and following Daniel's written..."
The wormhole engaged.
"Unscheduled off-world activation," Technician Harriman announced over the intercom as the iris closed.
The General calmly walked towards the staircase, followed by everyone else who'd attended the briefing. Daniel followed last but was blocked by Hawes and Stevens at the top of the stairs.
"Sorry, Doctor, but we have orders to keep you out of certain areas of the base," Hawes explained.
Daniel nodded. "I understand," he said, listening as the footsteps trailed off of the staircase and towards the glass window near the controls.
"We can take you back to your quarters if you'd like," Stevens offered. "Or to your office?"
Daniel was concentrating on the conversation in the control room.
Harriman was the only one talking so far, "I'm not receiving any I.D.C., but there is a signal coming through. Playing the audio now."
"Excuse me," Daniel said to his guards apologetically. He took a breath and felt the floor vanish from beneath him. He fell straight through the concrete and landed hard, but on both feet, directly below where he had been standing.
Everyone in the room was already a little jumpy from the alert, so when Daniel, looking pale and a little unkempt, seemed to jump in out of nowhere, several of the technicians gasped, dropped things, and let out squeals of fright.
The computer began to broadcast a combination of static, clicking, and whistles.
"Sorry," Daniel called to the room, gesturing humbly to calm those around him as he waded through the crowd to join the General. "Is this what's happened before?"
Hawes and Stevens charged down the staircase.
Hammond turned back to them casually. "Stand down, Airmen."
"Yes, the transmission is coming through at the same frequency as the others," Dr. Lee said as he took Harriman's chair and typed a few things into the computer.
"You can't hear that?" Daniel asked quietly, listening to the sounds.
The wormhole shut down.
"It is from Breck's planet," Daniel said more confidently.
"Do you know what they're trying to tell us?" Dr. Fraiser asked.
"The background noise was a lot like the broadcasts I listened to on Breck's television," he said simply. "Well, it was pretty much a television. We just need the right kind of hookup to play it."
"But the computers couldn't..." Dr. Lee started to explain.
"Then we'll need some of their technology," Daniel said simply.
Dr. Lee was a little baffled. "B-But we don't have any of their technology."
Daniel thought a moment. "The books Breck gave me," he started slowly. "The NID wasn't interested in the ones about simple conveniences, like their communication devices and the cooking appliances used by the humans, so they copied the information and left the books with me."
"So I take it there was a section on how to build an alien television?" Jack offered.
"Something like that," Daniel agreed. He'd been so distracted by the excitement of the gate activation that he hadn't noticed how many regular people were crammed so tightly around him. He looked around a little before his eyes fell of Sergeant Silar and then back to Dr Lee. "If you and Silar wouldn't mind giving me a hand, I can probably build the receiver in a few hours."
"Of course," Dr. Lee said excitedly, but turned back to the General. "With your permission?"
"Whatever you need," the general said.
Daniel, followed by Sgt. Silar and Dr. Lee, headed out of the room. Hawes and Stevens hesitated until Daniel turned back to them, still walking backwards, "You can come too, if you really need to." They followed.
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Dr. Lee's Lab
Dr. Lee and Silar were sitting at the table across from Daniel, sipping coffee. They'd already been there over an hour.
"You're sure you don't actually need us to do anything, Sir?" Sgt. Silar asked nervously. He wasn't used to being told to stay in one place for so long unless it was for some sort of dangerous experiment.
"Nope," Daniel said simply, soldering some wires together. With the a mechanical expertise of Dr. Lee and the practical electrical skills of Silar so close by, Daniel could easily draw the bits and pieces he needed in order to interpret the schematics. Normally he would employ them both, translating words here and there while they did all the work. This time, with way the books had been written, he realized that things would move more quickly if they were done by someone fluent in the written language and at least vaguely familiar with the way they visually depict things.
"So we just sit here while you read our minds?" Dr Lee clarified for at least the fourth time.
"More or less," Daniel replied, still concentrating on connecting the last wire of that section.
"That is so... cool," Dr. Lee said with a chuckle, still very excited.
Done. Daniel looked up with a heavy sigh as he put down the tools. He rubbed his eyes, then looked up at Silar. "Do you think your guys are almost done carving up that piece of glass?"
Silar nodded. "Couldn't you just...?" he gestured towards his head.
"Sure I could have." Daniel smiled a little, stretching his arms. "I needed a break so I thought I'd just ask."
"Oh, well, S-Sir, I could go down and s-see," Silar offered even more nervously.
Daniel knew from the moment he asked for Silar that the Sergeant wasn't very excited about working with him. "Go ahead," he said calmly. "Once I hook up the glass, it'll be all done."
"Thank you, Sir." Silar left the room quickly.
Dr. Lee smiled. "I haven't gotten a chance to tell you, but that light show back in the briefing room was really amazing."
Daniel smiled a little. The Doctor was completely convinced that it was the coolest thing he'd ever seen and Daniel wasn't sure he could convince him otherwise.
"How did you figure out you could do that?" Dr. Lee asked. "I mean, without the NID finding out. The report from Colonel O'Neill made it sound like they monitored every move you made."
Dr. Lee had literally been waiting all that time since the briefing to ask Daniel that, so Daniel hadn't been too surprised by the question. "Initially, all I knew was that I was holding back during the testing. I wanted them to underestimate me, so when I really tried to get away they wouldn't know what I could do."
Dr. Lee grabbed his coffee, taking a sip, but so enthralled by the story that a little of the coffee dribbled down his chin. He hastily wiped his mouth with a nervous smile.
"I knocked out the base power, and the cameras, twice while I was there. The first time I really just needed to know how long it would be before their backup generators turned on."
"So that's when you figured out that trick?"
Daniel held his tongue rather than begin a debate over the term trick in that context. "I didn't want them to boost security too much by making it as far out of the base as I really could so when I was waiting for the guards to get a little closer I just sort of..." Daniel shrugged, "figured it out."
Dr. Lee laughed. "That is just so amazing!" He leaned in a little closer and spoke more quietly. "So would you say that you are generating that electricity, or gathering it from some source around you?"
Daniel leaned back in his chair. He'd never realized before, but Dr. Lee had a habit of leaning closer when he ran a new theory by someone, or asked possibly inappropriate questions. It wasn't hard for him to tell that no matter which way he answered that question it would bring Dr. Lee to ask if it was alright to take some readings.
Sgt. Silar walked into the room at that very moment, carrying the specially carved piece of glass his crew had been employed to create.
"I'm glad you're back," Daniel told Silar immediately. He stood and took the glass from the Sergeant. "It'll just be a few minutes."
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General Hammond and Colonel O'Neill joined Dr. Lee and Daniel in Dr. Lee's office.
"I've setup the computer to run the messages one after another," Dr Lee explained. "And Daniel was kind enough to hook this into the computer." He gestured towards the device.
"Go ahead," the General said.
Dr. Lee hit one of the keys on the keyboard, and the glass screen began to glow with a peachy-brown light. A second later, Breck's face appeared with a gray-white background.
"I'm not sure you'll be able to translate this message, but the radio you gave me was damaged during the conflict," Breck explained. "Hopefully Daniel has read through my books carefully enough and recognizes the requirements."
"You see? It would have been so much easier if Daniel could have just stayed here from the start," Jack said quickly during Breck's pause.
"It turns out that the gate was damaged that night as well," Breck continued. "Our scientists, with the details I gathered from Sam, believe that we can't receive incoming wormholes. If I knew I could return home, I would gladly use my abilities to come through myself and discuss a mutual exchange of technology." He leaned forward and looked as if he was typing a few things into a device near the recording lens. "I'm giving you another schematic so you can build something like your video cameras."
As promised, the plans for another device came up clearly on the glass monitor.
Breck's voice spoke over the schematics. "Once we can communicate, I'd be happy to tell you more about what has happened since last we met, and I am curious if your scientists might have any thoughts on incapacitating the parasite. I will dial you again, and I hope that you are able to reply."
The image disappeared, shut off for a second, then turned back on, showing the same tan light before Breck appeared with the gray background. "Hello? Are you able to reply to my transmission?" He paused a moment. "We are not receiving any signal, so I suppose you have not been able to identify this signal." He sighed.
"How many transmissions have there been?" Daniel asked.
"Today was the third," Dr. Lee replied as Breck began again.
"Perhaps my next transmission will be more successful. Be well." Breck's image disappeared.
The screen turned off, then on again. Breck appeared, just as they had before.
"We're still not receiving a signal from your end," he reported. He smiled a little. "I guess you have not been able to interpret our signal, and I am consequently speaking to noone." He sighed and became serious again. "It has been two months since we met, and I am eager to hear from you." Breck leaned forward and pressed the buttons again, bringing the schematic of the transmitter up again. "Perhaps the last plans were not as detailed as they should have been."
Daniel scanned this schematic compared to the one a few minutes ago. "This is a little clearer," he confessed. "It should be a little easier to make than this was."
Dr. Lee squinted at the screen, not being able to understand any of the symbols any more than he could understand the ones Daniel had followed. On top of that, he could see very little difference between the diagrams given in the first transmission and these.
"I will attempt contact again at a later date." Breck's image disappeared and the screen turned off, this time remaining black.
"How long between the transmissions?" Daniel asked.
"Couldn't you just...?"Jack asked quickly with a gesture towards his own head.
Daniel rolled his eyes, growing tired of the question.
Dr. Lee laughed a little, "Sgt. Silar actually asked the same thing a few..." and then saw Daniel's serious expression and stopped talking, also becoming serious. "Sorry," he said to Daniel.
"I'm getting tired," Daniel admitted boredly. "I haven't had such a busy day since our last off-world mission."
"Excuse me for asking a question," Jack said a little defensively.
General Hammond answered Daniel since it seemed that Jack wasn't willing to, and Dr. Lee had been embarrassed into silence, "It looks like it's been about 12 or 13 days between all of the transmissions."
"Since it looks like it will be a few days, do you think I can get some rest before starting on the next project?" Daniel asked him. He really had been downright lazy for the last two months, and despite the transfusions he'd received from Dr Fraiser there wasn't any substitute for sleep after such an exerting day.
"Quite understandable," General Hammond said. "You can keep whatever schedule you need to over the next few days. The infirmary knows your condition and can supply you with transfusions as needed. Typing up your report on the NID should be your top priority, but I'd still like this new device tested and working properly within a week."
Daniel nodded. "Thank you." He started for the door.
"One moment, Doctor," the General said as he glanced at the computer. "Is there any chance that Dr. Lee and Sgt. Silar can follow these designs without your assistance?"
Daniel was about to answer when the General decided to clarify his reasoning for wanting to minimize Daniel's involvement.
"If we trade technology with these people, we'll need a few more scientists who know how to read the designs," he added, gesturing to the screen.
Daniel nodded again. "I could..." he gestured towards his head "... or I could just walk him through the construction in a couple days when we start to build it."
Dr. Lee seemed excited and Daniel couldn't help but hear that his avid answer would have been the telepathy, but the General again stopped anyone else from answering.
"I think walking them through the process would be sufficient," the General answered. "For now, just try to get some rest."
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"Unscheduled off-world activation," Harriman's voice called over the base intercom.
Daniel hadn't been asleep for long and the announcement rang in his ears as he woke-up. He could hear the people all around him scurrying here and there throughout the base, so he decided he might as well just finish typing up the report. He stood slowly, still tired, but too distracted to possibly sleep.
"Security team five report to the..." Harriman's voice continued, then the radio stopped.
Daniel didn't have any lights on in his room, but it was easy enough for him to tell what had happened. There was the distant sound of a surge of electricity, and then the base was almost completely silent. Everyone throughout the base stopped walking, talking, and moving. The only sounds Daniel could hear on the whole base was the rhythmic breathing and speedy heart-beats of the personnel as they wondered why the electricity had gone out.
Hawes knocked on his door. "Dr. Jackson?" he called.
"I'm still here. It wasn't me," he replied to the question Daniel knew he was about to ask. He headed for the door and opened it just as the emergency generators kicked on.
Stevens glanced at Daniel as she tapped her radio. "General, this is Stevens. Do you need assistance?"
There was silence.
"I think we should head down there," Daniel said. He was a little too far from the Gate Room to know exactly what was going on.
Stevens and Hawes were hesitant due to their orders.
"I'm sorry, Doctor," Stevens began. "But can you please wait until we get a report from the General?"
Daniel nodded a little. This pair had been given an almost impossible job, but since he was so grateful to be back on the base, he decided he had better do what he was told.
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