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stargÅtefan.com : episodes > season 3 > next episode: fair game

It is nighttime at the SGC; SG-1 prepares to receive a visitor in the embarkation room. It is Jacob Carter. He greets General Hammond and the team members in turn, giving a special hug to Sam.

Jacob smiles an announces "You guys are the talk of the Tok'ra water cooler!"

Jack asks, "For what?"

"Kickin some major Hathor behind!" Jacob retorts.

Jack smiles, "YES! We do take pride in good work! But, that's not why you're here..."

"No, we need your help," Jacob admits.

Sam is surprised "OUR help? With what?"

Cryptically, Jacob responds, "Let's just call it a Goa'uld hunt!"

In the briefing room, Jacob places a small, egg-shaped, metallic device on the table. It whirs to life, projecting a rotating 3-D hologram of a golden pyramid with symbols on it.

Daniel is entranced, "It's fascinating!"

Sam agrees, "No kidding!" as she runs her hand through the image, remarking on how all the usual components for creating a hologram don't appear to be present.

Daniel redirects, "Actually, I was commenting more on WHAT was being projected! It's like a family tree of the ancient Egyptian gods!"

Jacob corrects him, "Actually, of the Goa'uld System Lords!"

Daniel comments on what he recognizes, "Ra, Apophis, Hathor, Heru'ur..."

"The symbol of Setesh is oscillating!" Teal'c remarks.

Daniel is somewhat taken aback at Teal'c's knowledge, "That IS the symbol for Setesh!"

Jacob is more matter-of-fact, "Have you met him Teal'c?"

"I have met descendants of his Jaffa!" Teal'c answers.

Jack is getting curious to know, "Alright...who is this...Setesh?"

Daniel rushes to explain, "Otherwise known as Setek, Set, Seti, Seth...ancient Egyptian god of chaos, embodiment of hostility and - outright evil!"

Hammond asks, "Why haven't we heard of him before?"

"Oh, I'd guess we haven't scratched the surface on meeting all the Goa'uld System Lords, probably thousands we haven't even heard of yet, right?" Daniel directs the question to Jacob.

"Only dozens at the rank of System Lords, thousands of Goa'uld in general," Jacob tells him.

Sam comes more to the point, "What makes you think we would have met this one?"

Jacob tells them how the Tok'ra are doing a Goa'uld census, but they've lost track of one...Seth. Their record of him ends when the Gate was buried on Earth in ancient Egypt.

"Are you saying he never left?" Sam asks.

"That's our theory. He still might be here, hiding among Earth's people!" Jacob reveals.

Sam still isn't buying it, "How do you know he's still alive?"

"He's alive if he has a sarcophagus!" Daniel proposes.

Jacob adds, "OR, if he's changed hosts every 400 years or so."

Hammond points out, "But if he were here, why wouldn't he have tried to get to the StarGate or try to take over the Earth like Ra did?"

Jacob reflects a bit and answers, "Seth had a hefty price on his head. He tried to overthrow Ra, now the System Lords wanted him dead as did the Tok'ra. If he is here, we feel he's using Earth as a place to hide out. He wishes to remain hidden among you!"

Jack quips, "Kinda gives needle in a haystack a whole new meaning!"

Daniel offers to do some homework and see if he can track him through archeological and historical records.

Sam walks her father around the complex, "So, Dad, you don't think we have a chance of finding this Goa'uld, do you?"

"It's a mission...Garshaw sent me," he responds noncommittally.

"You didn't request it?" Sam asks.

"Why would I request it?" Jacob asks in return.

Sam smiles, "Would it be so awful to admit you just wanted to see me?"

Too quickly Jacob agrees, "That's it! You're right! That's why I requested it!"

They enter an elevator, as Sam comments, "So, that's obviously NOT the reason!"

Jacob's voice changes, as Selmac speaks, "It was I who requested the assignment!"

Sam is somewhat shocked, "Selmac!"

"Nice to see you once again Captain Carter," the Tok'ra tells her. "Your father has an unresolved issue here on your planet and frankly it's beginning to irritate me!"

Sam knows exactly what issue, "Mark!"

Selmac agrees, "Yes, your father's a proud man, he refuses to seek out your brother and mend their relationship."

"Ya, well, Mark isn't exactly rushing into my father's arms either! Even when we thought Dad was gonna die, he wouldn't take my call."

Selmac reveals, "It hurt your father deeply when his son did not come to him on his death bed."

Jacob answers himself, "Now why would it hurt? As far as I'm concerned, the kid wasn't my son anymore! Why would it hurt?"

Sam gently tells him, "Dad, I have a number for Mark in San Diego."

"So?" Jacob retorts.

"Just thought you might want to know," Sam backs off slightly.

Jacob takes the offensive, "When's the last time YOU saw him?"

"I haven't seen him since either of his kids were born, I guess he paints me with the same brush he paints you!" Sam continues.

"Selmac is pushing me to go mend some fences!" Jacob tells her.

"Maybe Selmac is as wise as they say! I'll go with you, let me know when you want to do it!" Sam offers.

"NO! I didn't say I'd go, I just said Selmac was pushing me!" Jacob angrily shuts down the conversation.

Jacob and Sam have reached Daniel's office now, to discover what he's found out.

Daniel starts revealing what he knows, "I did a time line Boolean search for a religion called Set...Setesh...Setek...Se..."

Jack impatiently interrupts, "Ya da...ya da...!"

Daniel glares at him and starts again, "There's been a cult of Setesh in one form or another since around 1,000 BC"

Sam sees an unusual animal on Daniel's computer screen, "What's that?"

Daniel reacts, "Oh.. ya...that...Setesh was represented by an animal that was either fictitious or now extinct, most likely the former rather than the latter since anthropologists haven't discovered any fossils of a species like this ever having existed."

Teal'c is now very interested, "Because the species represents the Setesh, the helmets of the Setesh guards have continued to be the source of many jokes among the Jaffa!"

Jack is intrigued by this, and with a slight smirk asks, "Jaffa jokes? Let's hear one of them!"

"I shall attempt to translate one O'Neill," Teal'c offers. "A Serpent Guard, a Horus Guard and a Setesh Guard meet on a neutral planet. It is a tense moment! The Serpent Guard's eyes glow, the Horus Guard's beak glistens, the Setesh Guard's nose drips!" With this, Teal'c erupts into a fit of strong laughter, but as he looks about, no one else is smiling, much less laughing! He goes back and sits down in silence.

"OK!" Daniel plows on, "After Set was supposedly killed in ancient Egypt along with all his minions, a similar god showed up in Greece, called Typhon. He killed 300 followers and then disappeared from Greece. A new cult arose in England in the early 1800's, strangely enough near the location of Stonehenge. They were led by an enigmatic leader named Seth, all his followers were found dead, having slit their throats! Seth's body was never found!"

Jack comments, "Guy liked to leave a lot of dead bodies behind!"

Sam asks, "Did you lose the scent there?"

"I thought so, until I did a search on the U.S. classified net, in case the CIA had something on ...someone...somewhere..." Daniel begins. "Look what came up on the ATF page! A cult whose leader's name is Seth! Just north of Seattle! The ATF is interested in him because he is so heavily fortified, he's got about fifty followers that are willing to die for him!"

Jacob is amazed, "You mean...you actually FOUND this guy?"

"How do we know he's Goa'uld?" Sam inquires.

"Reports have stated that he has the ability to heal others and that he can make his own eyes glow!" Daniel tells them.

The team, along with Jacob Carter, flies to Seattle in search of Seth. The local sheriff escorts them to a remote area bounded by an iron fence, and wishes them well. A man approaches them, introduces himself as Jason Levinson, and says he's been camping out there trying to catch a glimpse of his son, Tommy. He's been in there nine months. The man informs Jack that there are lots of armed guards, and he offers his help in return for getting his son out.

Jack burns his way through the bars of the fence, and the team infiltrates observing the compound. They see AK-47s, Uzis, side arms that are zat guns, Sam also sees a couple of 50 cals. They fall back to their van to plan strategy, and are promptly arrested, Jack bets it is the FBI, but the rest of the team wins the bet, it's the ATF.

At the ATF base camp, Special Agent James Hamner wants to know the Air Force's interest, and asks General Carter.

Colonel O'Neill curtly responds, "Classified."

"I have top level clearance," Hamner asserts.

"Oh! Not top enough!" Jack quips again.

Hamner is quickly not liking O'Neill, "You have a very insubordinate subordinate General!"

Jacob coolly responds, "He's not insubordinate to me, only to people such as yourself! Saves me the trouble!"

Hamner runs his plan by the others, "We plan to surround the compound and negotiate for them to come out."

Daniel reacts strongly, "You have no idea what you're dealing with!"

"And I suppose YOU do?" Hamner dismisses his comment.

"As a matter of fact..." Daniel begins, then stops, thinking better of it.

"Great! Then tell me!" Hamner yells in frustration.

Jack cools him off, "That would be classified as well!"

Hamner is good and angry now, tells them they are out of their jurisdiction, and orders them to leave. Jacob uses his secure phone to place a call.

The team meets outside the tent, as Daniel comments, "Jack, based on Seth's history, if those guys go in there guns a-blazin, he's gonna kill everyone in there!"

Jack thinks, then asks, "Jacob, can we assume some kind of brainwashing is going on in there?"

Jacob nods, "It's probably nishta, a biological compound that once inhaled infects all tissues in your body including your brain. It tends to make your mind extremely pliable."

"That's like what Hathor used!" Daniel remarks.

"It's stronger, more encompassing!" Jacob adds.

Teal'c responds, "I believe that is the substance Apophis used on Ry'ac!"

Jack asks, "Can it be reversed?"

"Nishta does have an Achilles heel, once the effects are reversed , the host becomes immune, they can't be reinfected," Jacob further instructs.

Daniel takes it all in, "OK, well, how do we reverse it?"

"There's only one way," Jacob reveals, "an electric shock, strong enough to kill the agent but weak enough not to kill the host!"

"Then, we go in with zats!" Jack quickly reasons.

Daniel interjects, "Well...then it's not going to be very covert that way! Any kind of frontal assault would be a problem!"

"Daniel's right, sir," Sam agrees, "With all the firepower he's got, we couldn't stand a chance!"

Hamner gets a call from the President, and tells Jack he's just gotten off the phone with him.

In mock surprise Jack exclaims, "The President? Of the United States of America? Sweet! How's he doin?"

Hamner squints, "He seems to have a thing for you! He's put you in charge of this operation!" He is so very curious to know why the Airforce cares so much about this cult, Jack tells him Seth's gotten hold of some top-secret technology the public is not supposed to know about. Hamner buys that.

As the team brainstorms on what to do next, Daniel suggests there might be underground escape tunnels as there were in the digs of Giza. Teal'c also states that Apophis had them built into his compound. The ATF people and SG-1 conduct a perimeter search, and Teal'c discovers a tunnel entrance. Seeing as how Seth would likely sense that Jacob and Teal'c are Goa'uld, only Sam, Jack and Daniel plan to enter the tunnel. Sam has an idea how to protect themselves against the nishta. She designs tiny ear implants that deliver an electrical shock. The team is wired for sound, and the shock can be triggered remotely.

Jacob states, "If the jolt is big enough it will work, BUT you have to stay under the nishta control long enough for it to spread to all of your tissues, otherwise it will regain a stronghold in your body. They test the shock, it obviously, painfully works!

Jack, Daniel and Sam enter the tunnel. Sam asks, "Daniel, you're fairly certain if we get caught he'll turn us into one of their zombies rather than kill us?"

"We're more valuable to him that way," Daniel explains.

"How do you think he'll use us?" Sam wants to know.

"Well, historically, he used women for his harem. They catered to his every whim and as a result were well cared for. And the men outside the main compound were used as warriors and guards, protecting...doing his bidding..." Daniel relates as they walk along.

Jack is curious now, "Dare I ask about the men INSIDE the compound?"

"They were turned into eunuchs," Daniel calmly states.

"Eunuchs? As in snippety-do-dah? Sweet!" Jack swallows as he asks.

They open a door leading to a round chamber, which appears to be a dead end.

"Daniel?" Jack prompts as Daniel just stares.

"What?"

"Now what?" Jack asks.

"Why are you asking me?"

Sam tries to explain what should be obvious, "Well, you knew there'd be tunnels...so..."

"Well, in the digs there were stairs leading to the main structure," Daniel starts to tell her when suddenly transport rings whisk them to a living room above. Armed guards take their weapons.

Jack laments, "I hate it when that happens!"

They are thrown down on their knees in front of Seth, who greets them in a deep voice, "Welcome! Who are you?"

Jack quips, "I'm Larry," he motions to Sam, "Moe," finally Daniel, "and of course everyone's favorite...Curly!"

Seth's eyes glow, "Say goodbye to your impure military past. We're always happy to welcome new disciples to the bliss that only Seth can bestow!" He waves his gloved hand and two statues of the Setesh animal pour out a greenish vapor. As SG-1 collapses, Jack exclaims, "So help me! If I wake up and I'm singin soprano!"

Gently they are awakened to begin their service to their god, Seth. They are now dressed in homespun, hooded robes. When Teal'c hears over the remote system that they are awake, he is anxious to activate the electric current. Selmac says no, at least an hour more must pass, to be certain all the tissue has been permeated.

Tommy's Dad comes in the tent for coffee and conversation, Jacob tells him he can't stay. He quickly tells how he and his son hadn't spoken for six months prior to his being taken in. Teal'c can't understand how a father couldn't talk to his son for so long a time. Jacob sits in pained silence through this.

As the man leaves, Teal'c asks Jacob, "Do human parents not love their children unconditionally?"

Jacob can only answer, "Well, sometimes things get complicated..."

SG-1 is brought to Seth, and Sam sits adoringly at his feet. Seth orders his disciples to repeat over and over, "Seth is life, Seth is happiness, Seth is almighty!" Suddenly, he grabs Sam's chin, "You were once blended, were you not?"

Sam seems confused, "Blended?"

Seth examines her neck and back, "No entry marks, but still, I sense a trace...Bring those who came with her!"

Teal'c knows there's a big problem now.

Seth commands an answer, "Who sent you? The System Lords? The Tok'ra? I AM YOUR GOD! YOU WILL TELL ME WHAT I WANT TO KNOW!"

Sam struggles to comply, "I have a vague recollection of what you're talking about...the Tok'ra!"

Teal'c nervously asks, "Is it not time enough?"

Selmac nods, "No choice! Do it now!" Teal'c flips the electric current remote switch.

Jack winces slightly and answers Seth, "We work for a deprogrammer who hired us to remove one of your disciples."

Daniel chimes in, "But now we are enjoying the bliss that is Seth."

Seth knows they are lying, "How is it possible you enjoy the bliss when you are able to lie to Seth?" He orders them taken off and killed.

Jack overtakes their guard and Sam zats him. The guard turns out to be Tommy Levinson! He shows them where the other zat guns are stored. The team starts zatting and transporting disciples out of the complex. Sam goes with one of the groups to escort them safely outside.

As Jack and Daniel prepare to leave, Seth enters the room, "How dare you challenge the power that is Seth!" Daniel and Jack zat the disciples that are with him, but Seth activates his protective shield. Then he fires his glove weapon at them, hurling them across the room and leaving them half-conscious on the floor. As they struggle to wake up, he sets a bomb next to them and transports out of the room, dressed in a hooded robe.

Daniel squints at the bowling ball shaped device next to them, "Bomb?"

"BOMB!" Jack echoes, as they drag themselves to their feet and run for the transport rings. They transport just as the bomb goes off, bringing pieces of the building down around them as they exit the underground chamber.

Above ground at the tunnel exit, Levinson greets his son and hugs him, as Jacob Carter watches.

Jacob and Teal'c now head into the tunnel to help fight Seth. Jack and Daniel are also looking for him in the mass of followers. It is Jacob who lifts Seth's hood, and Seth angrily yells, "Tok'ra kree cho!" firing on Jacob.

Sam rushes to her Dad's side, Selmac speaks, "You father will survive! Stop Seth!"

"How?" Sam asks.

Selmac hands her his glove weapon and she shrinks back, "I can't control this!"

Selmac insists, "You have the will within you! You must summon it!"

Sam puts on the glove weapon, sees Seth and fires at him. He goes down. Then he fires at her, and she returns fire, killing him. Daniel and Jack arrive just in time to witness this. Sam stares blankly at them.

"You killed him!" Daniel reacts.

"Hail Dorothy!" Jack adds.

Sam is in a state of shock and doesn't comment, simply walks past them.

Sam and Jacob approach a house, Sam hugs her Dad and he goes to the door. A young man answers, and Jacob embraces him. He returns the hug. Sam enters and they hug as well. A beautiful blonde haired smiling granddaughter greets them as well...

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