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stargatefan.com : episodes > season 2 > next episode : to'kra part 1

A wondrous city surrounds the Stargate on an alien world. It seems very modern but lifeless, sterile. The SG-1 team guardedly explores as O'Neill quips "Witness if you will, a ghost town!" His next step lands in a large pile of yellow goo. Carter wonders if they have a pigeon problem, but there are no pigeons to be seen, in fact no life to be found anywhere. Teal'c doesn't feel the Goa'uld are responsible, as there is no radiation, no destruction of the city and the technology remains intact.

A large buzzing is heard and something flies by too quickly to be seen. Then the team reacts with horror as a gigantic bug has landed on Teal'c's back. As the bug flexes its stinger, Jack raises his gun and carefully takes aim. Teal'c is careful not to move, but before Jack can pull the trigger, the bug stings Teal'c through his jacket. He reacts in pain and slumps forward as everyone tries to help him. Daniel glances up at the sky and stammers "Ahh - we'd better get out of here!" O'Neill remarks sarcastically, not seeing the coming danger, "No, really?" To which Daniel responds "NO! REALLY!" The team begins to run as an entire swarm of the bugs advances on them. They dial Earth just in time, and as they come through the Gate, impacts of bugs can be heard against the closed iris. Hammond asks what's causing the sounds. "Those are bugs, sir! Big, ugly bugs!" O'Neill shouts.

Dr. Frasier begins to examine Teal'c in the infirmary. He is in obvious pain, and the site of the sting has begun to swell and fester. Teal'c knows he is getting sicker and the larval Goa'uld is unable to help him. The doctor assumes he is reacting in some way to the sting.

Dr. Frasier reports to the waiting team members that Teal'c seems to have a viral infection - fever, aches, chills. She continues with more bad news. The blood sample she took has a large amount of DNA in it that does not match Teal'c's. She is not certain what that could mean and requests help from outside the SGC. Sam suggests Dr. Timothy Harlow, a top geneticist with full security clearance. Dr. Harlow arrives and discovers that the same blood sample now contains none of Teal'c's DNA! Harlow figures there is some sort of retrovirus that is converting Teal'c's DNA to that of the insect's. Harlow marvels at how "The alien insect's venom is rewriting Teal'c's genetic material! The Goa'uld seems only to be able to slow the process, not stop it!"

Teal'c is seen suffering and sweating heavily in bed. He weakly tells Jack, "I have felt great pain, O'Neill, but never a sickness such as this. I do not enjoy it!" O'Neill tries to comfort him, "Nobody does." "I am also feeling something else," Teal'c adds. "Hey, I'd be scared too!" Jack interrupts. Teal'c continues "I do not want to become something other than what I am... You are my friend... when there is no longer any hope... I would rather die!" Jack reacts silently, trying to process it all.

General Hammond summons Jack, and as he enters his office he reacts with disgust at seeing Col. Maybourne. Maybourne has orders to take Teal'c with him for treatment and research. He clearly wants to use the organism as a weapon. Jack is unable to contain his anger, "He saved your smarmy ass and everyone else on this planet! Doesn't that count for anything in your world?" Maybourne gives a smug reply, to which Jack asks, "General Hammond! Request permission to beat the crap out of this man!"

Even Dr. Harlow feels Teal'c would be better cared for in another facility. Teal'c is placed in an isolation suit and locked in wrist and ankle chains (Maybourne's idea) and led off over Dr. Frasier's protests. The rest of SG-1 can only wait helplessly in the outer corridor. "How can we just let this happen?" Daniel laments. "What do you want me to do?" Jack demands. As Teal'c shuffles silently past them with two guards as escorts, Hammond and Frasier look down, Sam and Daniel glance away at the walls and Jack walks off. Each is suffering and no one knows what to do about it.

In the van en route to the research facility, Maybourne reveals to Harlow that he doesn't intend to help Teal'c recover. He wants the transformation to go to completion! Teal'c convulses in pain and fury. He rips off his suit and breaks the chains, overcoming everyone in the van, even disabling the driver. As Sam discusses with Jack and Daniel why a visit back to the planet might gain them technological knowledge, Jack adds "There are bugs on that planet! Big, huge, honkin bugs!"

Teal'c has left the van, and removed his Goa'uld and abandoned it as well. He has then vanished into the woods. Maybourne wants to run the search operation, but Jack insists he is in command of SGC troops. They speculate on why Teal'c would remove the larval Goa'uld. Jack feels it's because Teal'c knows he will die without it, and he'd rather die than change into something else. Harlow disagrees. He thinks Teal'c's mind is being affected by the transformation of the insect venom, and removing the Goa'uld will serve to speed up the process. Meanwhile, Dr. Frasier is not having great success trying to keep the larval Goa'uld alive in a liquid-filled tank.

Harlow insists that RNA inhibitors and use of the Goa'uld could help save Teal'c. He just needs some alien insect venom in order to test which inhibitors work! SG-1 prepares to return to BP63Q1 to bring back a specimen of the insect, preferably alive!

Meanwhile, Teal'c has found his way into a large city, apparently the downtown district. Local street punks approach him. He tells them he is from Chulak, and they wonder if it is on the East Side of town. He insists they remove themselves from his path. They agree, on the condition that he explains how he got his gold "tattoo". Gritting his teeth, he tells of how a knife is used to cut the pattern and pure molten gold is poured into the wound! He then ventures off. A young girl, toting a squirt gun, wearing shades and a cap, remarks "That guy is cool!" The others turn her away, "Ally, get outta here! No one wants you around!"

The SG-1 team leaves for the bug planet "armed" with backpack canisters of insecticide. The Goa'uld is not doing well. "Damned if I thought I'd ever be praying for one of those things to live!" remarks Hammond. Teal'c hides in an abandoned warehouse. He is staggering and breathing heavily. His arms are covered with welts.

SG-1 returns, with a singular bug in hot pursuit. The embarkation room doors are closed, as well as the iris. The team reacts as the bug flits angrily about the embarkation room. Jack wings it with a gun, and Jackson and Carter blast it with spray. They have the sample! Maybourne is also looking for Teal'c. Sam shows Hammond and Harlow a video from the alien planet. Inside one of the buildings, they found people in the final stage of metamorphosis. They are heavily wrapped in cocoons. Suddenly, one of the cocoons erupts, spewing out dozens of bugs!

Teal'c is changing further, as welts appear on his face and a slimy film forms on his hands. Ally appears in the doorway. Teal'c wants to know what kind of weapon she has. She playfully sprays his face, to show him it's just a water gun. He asks her to leave him. She realizes he's not from around there. She can tell he needs help. Teal'c tells her that no one must know he is there. She says he looks like her dad did after he got shot…and he died! Teal'c asks her for nourishment. She reluctantly offers her chocolate bar commenting "Peanuts and caramel! Pretty good, huh?" Teal'c asks if she can get more. Ally responds "Maybe, what's in it for me?" "Peanuts and caramel!" Teal'c obediently answers. "How about, let's say, you owe me one?" Ally asks. Teal'c agrees.

Daniel unwillingly assists Harlow in a bug dissection. They succeed in getting the venom sample. Sam predicts swarms of bugs in the order of millions in 6 to 8 weeks if Teal'c fully transforms! Ally brings Teal'c more candy. He is much weaker. She is curious what he has done wrong, as the police are looking for him. "I've done nothing" Teal'c flatly responds. He again tells her to leave, that he is dangerous. She shakes her head "No way! You'd never hurt me!" Teal'c wants to know how she knows this. She claims, like her dad who was a cop, she can tell who the bad guys are - just by their smell! Ally offers Teal'c a better place to hide, up in the attic of the building.

Maybourne and his men arrive. Ally refuses to help them. Why? Because she doesn't like the way Maybourne smells! Harlow finds the correct drug, but the Goa'uld is dying. Jack wishes they could save it like on ER when they zap people with paddles to keep them alive. This gives Dr. Frasier and Sam the idea to add an electric current and the Goa'uld revives! Proudly Jack announces "Well! I guess my work here is done!"

Teal'c is now covered in cocoon material. Ally realizes she must do something. She is finally able to reach Jack. He comes immediately and reacts as he first sees Teal'c "Oh my God! Teal'c!" With great effort, Teal'c chokes out "O'Neill, kill me." Jack firmly responds "Uh…No! You don't look so great, but you're gonna make it!" As they wheel Teal'c to the ambulance, Ally wants to go too. Daniel tells her she can't, so she tells Daniel to remind Teal'c that he owes her one.

Back at SGC, Teal'c is now recovering from an operation. Dr. Frasier had to reopen the pouch and reinsert the Goa'uld. The drug appears to me working as the metamorphosis has stopped. Daniel, feeling for his stricken friend, comments "Can't be easy on him, when the thing you despise most about yourself is what saved your life." Harlow lets SG-1 know that an unfortunate accident is going to happen to the insect specimen and all the related research material, so that Maybourne won't have it!

Ally is back playing with her water gun. Teal'c and Daniel pay her a visit. Ally is thrilled to see Teal'c is well again. "To show my gratitude, I have brought you a new weapon!" Teal'c proudly announces as he hands her a powerful and large water gun. She can barely contain her excitement and invites them to play with her. Daniel begins to tell her why they can't, when she squirts Teal'c and runs off. "Guess we shouldn't have loaded it?!" Daniel wryly asks Teal'c. As Teal'c puts on sunglasses and holds up another water gun he asks "How else could she have defended herself?" He immediately squirts Daniel, directly in the chest, and runs off. Daniel is left to remark to himself "How else?" as he wipes his face and flaps his soaking shirt.

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