Jack eyed the equipment with an angry eye, feeling like this had all happened before. Carter was lying in a bed before him, opposite from Daniel's corner. Doctor Fraiser was telling him how the bullet only grazed her cranium and a craniotomy was done to relieve a hematoma.
"Captain Carter was very fortunate, colonel." Frasier went on saying, "She is going to be alright. Captain Carter is already restless, slipping from her unconscious state to a stage of sleep. She should be awake in a few hours with a very bad headache."
All of this was going through to Jack, but it still sounded like gibberish to his ears. The blood that was rushing through him was like a furious roar that drowned out everything else.
"Colonel?"
Jack nodded, indicated that he understood. Doctor Fraiser, seeing that the colonel was in no mood for words of platitudes, stepped away to check on her other patients. Two soldiers approached Jack almost immediately afterwards.
"Colonel O'Neill?" the taller soldier spoke up when Jack didn't acknowledge their presence immediately. The colonel looked up finally and the soldier saluted to the colonel. "Lieutenant Steve Lasting, sir. He's Lieutenant Gary Harper." The soldier pointed to his dark haired companion. "We were the ones who found Carter first, sir." That got Jack's complete attention.
"Did you get a glimpse of who shot her?"
Lasting shook his head. "No, I'm sorry, colonel. I didn't."
"I did not see him either, Colonel O'Neill. I just heard Captain Carter cried out. When I arrived, she was on the floor. The lab was destroyed." Harper said as he looked right at Carter. Jack observed the soldier with recognition. The dark hair and gray eyes registered a name.
"You look familiar. You're with SG-5, aren't you? With Turner?"
"Yes." The soldier said simply.
Jack eyed the scar on his face, but said nothing about it. He glanced over to where Teal'c and Daniel was. "I'm going to need guards by this infirmary here. Lasting, you and Harper stay here until General Hammond can get replacements over here."
"Yes sir."
Excusing himself, Jack went over to his other injured friend. Jack nodded to Teal'c to inform him that Carter was all right. As Jack entered the curtained off area, Jack caught Daniel trying to sit up.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Jack exclaimed as he went over. Teal'c and Jack eased him up slowly, propping pillows behind Daniel.
"Jack." Daniel made a face as his chest protested the movement of sitting up. "Sam? Is she okay? Teal'c wouldn't let me see her."
"Well, Teal'c did the right thing. He's staying here with you." Jack frowned disapprovingly at Daniel. "She's okay, Daniel. Just not waking up soon."
"Was it the same…guy?" Daniel asked hesitantly. His face paled a bit when Jack reluctantly nodded. Teal'c eyed across the room with some concern.
"Captain Carter must had appeared as a threat to the Guada."
"General Hammond is getting a list of possibilities together right now." Jack looked reluctant to leave. "Teal'c, you stay here with Daniel. No, arguments." Jack continued, seeing Daniel about to protest. "Daniel, you stay put and horizontal. We got two guys on Carter right now. I am going to make sure this is settled once and for all." Jack, all of the sudden, looked very angry.
"Jack." Daniel said. The young scientist looked worried-so worried that Jack went over and gripped Daniel's shoulder reassuringly.
"I'll be right back, Daniel. Everything's okay."
"You'll be careful, right?" Daniel insisted.
"Sure, Daniel." Jack's eyes were not looking at Daniel, but at the two guards over by Carter.
"Jack-" Daniel's hand shot out from under the covers to grasp the colonel's sleeve.
"Hey, a man of caution, Danny boy." Jack grinned back at Daniel crookedly. He could see Daniel's eyes glued to Jack's sidearm. The holster was undone so the pistol could be pulled out immediately. Jack suspected Daniel knew why. He nodded to Teal'c, cast another glance to Carter from across the infirmary, and continued on, "We'll get him, Daniel. You just sit tight and get better, okay? When you're back on your feet again, I have a lot to teach you."
"Like what?" Daniel asked sleepily. Daniel's eyes began to droop again. He was tiring too easily for Jack's comfort.
Jack went over again, eased him back down with Teal'c's help. Looking down, Jack resisted the urge to ruffle Daniel's hair. With a grin as he watched Daniel's eyes closed, Jack said "Like duck, perhaps."
The younger man's eyes slid shut and Jack's grin faded into a grim line. He looked at Teal'c, his eyes boring through the curtain to where he knew Carter lay.
"Keep an eye on Sam, too. Okay, Teal'c?" Jack moved away from Daniel, gently pulling Daniel's grip off his sleeve.
"I give you my word, O'Neill." Teal'c promised.
Jack studied Teal'c thoughtfully. "Even if you didn't give me your word, Teal'c, I would believe you to do it."
The Jaafa was taken back but couldn't find a reply as Jack left. He watched the colonel walk past Carter's bed. The colonel paused there and Teal'c wondered what Jack was thinking.
First Daniel, then Sam. I could be a target next. Jack frowned at his process of thought. Well, if I am a target, might as well make it easier for the bastard. I'll find him first. Jack approached Carter's bed. He noticed that the captain's brow was furrowed as if she was dreaming. The colonel was no doctor and he wasn't sure if that was a good sign.
"Carter?" Jack leaned forward and whispered into her ear. "Sam? Hello, anyone there?"
The brows furrowed deeper as if somehow, Carter could sense the colonel was near. Her lips moved wordlessly as she tried to speak.
"What?" Jack leaned even closer, so close that a stray blond curl tickled Jack's nose. "What is it?" He ignored the curious looks of Harper and Lasting, who were guarding the infirmary entrance a few feet away.
"G-guada. 'car. Scar."
Jack nodded, whispered that it was okay and straightened up. That at least confirmed that it was the same man and he was Guada. Jack also knew he had to get the list the general was talking about and seek out those named himself.
"Harper? Lasting?"
"Yes, colonel?"
"I'm putting you two in charge of this infirmary. We'll have guards posted at the ends of the hallways. You two are in here by the doors. Is that clear?" Jack nodded towards Teal'c. "Other than Teal'c, myself, the general or Doctor Fraiser, no one else is to come in here without them accompanying them."
"Yes sir."
With that, Jack gave a curt nod to the guards and left without any glance at his bedridden friends. Jack didn't see the small smile on Harper's face.
Why are you still here? You're not listening to me. Fool. You will get us killed. I can't control you. You are as foolish as those humans who believed I would honor their bargain and help kill their traitors for a pitiful exchange of freedom. I do not need them. I do not need you. The other, who left. He is a man of power, he will do. Quickly! Follow him!
Gary kept looking straight ahead as O'Neill walked past him. His jaw clenched as he tried to ignore the screaming in his blood. It screamed for him to kill and to escape. It screamed for him to follow Jack. For what reason, he didn't know. The slick, soothing voice that had echoed in his head, was now screaming at him. But, Gary had to finish his mission. Maybe then, his voice was be pleased again. His mission was important. Yes, very important. They were so weak now. Small militia teams bouncing through one Gate after the other. What did they gain from it? Nothing. While they were being invaded from outside and from inside, the government continues on with their passive explorations.
That will change, Gary thought as he tried to ignore his headache, which grew with each frustrated scream of his inner voice. Yes, once I rid of the diseased limbs, we will heal to become stronger. They'll see I'm right. They'll see.
But first, he needed to get rid of Lasting and Teal'c.
The infirmary was empty of staff saved for Doctor Fraiser, who examined two soldiers called in by General Hammond. Nodded, she excused them and shook her head to the general.
"MIR looks clean, so are the CAT scans, sir. I see no symptoms at all. Was there anyone else, sir?"
"Just Harper, Turner, Wonder and Yearling had not been reached yet. They're paging them again." General Hammond spies Jack entering the room. "Colonel O'Neill, Doctor Fraiser here told me the good news about Captain Carter."
"Yes sir." Jack eyed the two soldiers leaving.
"They're clean, colonel." Fraiser waved two others to come in. "Can I have your names, soldier?" she asked them as she scanned the clipboard for a match.
"Turner, Doc." The soldier gave a crisp salute to the general and the colonel. "You wanted to speak with me, sir?"
"Just a secondary checkup. I understand you were injured during a mission two weeks ago, son." General Hammond motioned the soldier to sit down on the gurney. Doctor Fraiser proceeded to examine the soldier as the soldier answered.
"Yes sir. SG-5 and I were on recon at P3X209. Typical climate, like a rainforest, in fact. But I'm sure that was on the report-" the thin soldier looked puzzled. "Sir, is there anything wrong?"
Jack answered that question. "We suspect an alien Go'uald had infiltrated the base, soldier."
"No shit?" Turner looked stunned. He didn't even notice Doctor Fraiser giving the thumbs up to Jack. "Is that why all the security lockdowns?"
"That's right."
"And you think I'm a Go'uald?" Turner didn't look mad, just slightly amused that they would suspect him. "No offense, sir, but I don't even like worms much less snakes. I might be too revolted for it to take me over."
Jack grinned at the reply. "This Go'uald is not picky, soldier, but from the looks of the Doc over here, I think we can take your word for it."
"Just need to do a CAT scan, but it looks pretty good." Fraiser motioned the soldier to change his uniform for a hospital gown. "Won't take too much of your time, Turner."
"Take your time." Turner grimaced, "I got KP duty right now."
"Who's next on the list?" Jack wanted to know.
General Hammond, checking the list his assistant gave him, read out the remaining lists. "Harper, Wonder and Yearling."
"Harper?" Turner stopped midway of taking off his boots.
"You know Harper?" Jack asked.
"Yes sir. He was on SG-5 with us. I doubt he's who you're looking for, though."
"Why do you say that?" General Hammond didn't look angry at being disagreed by Turner.
"Well, general. Harper was injured gravely during that mission. A bunch of natives jumped us and he got slashed across the face and back. We got back and were examined by the military hospital. Harper, I guess, was more injured than we thought and he was sent to a military facility in DC. Got back just three days ago. He's okay now. They would have found something all that time, but they obviously didn't, sir."
"They sent him all the way to DC?" Jack looked doubtful. "For slashes?"
"Was it a specialist he was referred to?" General Hammond motioned Doctor Fraiser over to listen.
"I don't know, general."
"I don't see why they have to send him to the other side of the nation to see a specialist." Fraiser mused as she scanned her charts for the name Harper. "Here it is. Harper. Was seen by Doctor Letter at our military hospital. He was the one who made the recommendation. I'll give him a call after I checked out Harper."
"I was surprised to see him come back here." Turner murmured as he continued to change.
Jack turned around to look at Turner in surprise. "What do you mean by that, Turner?"
"Well, he wanted a transfer, before that last mission. Got in bad with the co of SG-5 at one time. I would have thought that he would have used that opportunity to do so." Turner paused, his thin face red as he wondered if he said too much. "I'm not gossiping here, sir. He had done the paperwork."
"I think I remembered that request." General Hammond nodded, remembering. "I told him that it would have to be approved. We can't really just transfer anyone out of here."
Turner nodded solemnly. He had seen it before. Many soldiers had come into the program and after a few months, would get cold feet and want to transfer. But due to the sensitivity of the project, it was a very minute chance of that happening. Usually they would have to be content with transferring within SGC to more passive duty. Turner had expected that to happen with his comrade, but Harper had been insistent about transfer.
Nodding, Jack eyed the list. "Has anyone notified Ha-" Jack stopped. Noticing this, General Hammond spoke up.
"Something on your mind, Colonel O'Neill?"
"Harper." Jack nodded as he confirmed it with himself. "Nothing, sir. Just realized that Harper is guarding Carter right now. I'll just go get him myself and have him scoot over here to Doc's."
"I would appreciate it, colonel." Fraiser murmured distracted as she lead Turner away to the labs for a CAT scan. "It'll save me the trouble of waiting."
"Glad to be of service, Doc." Jack replied as he took his leave of the general and left.
Lasting shifted slightly, a bit restless with just standing around. The soldier studied the infirmary with a grunt. He didn't understand why they needed so many guards. He said this out loud to Harper.
"I believe there is an intruder here within this base. That is why." Harper just said, his eyes focused on Carter.
"Really? No shit!" Lasting exclaimed, glancing down at Carter. "I was wondering what the hell was going on here. That why Doctor Jackson is here, too?"
"Perhaps."
Smart ass, Lasting thought to himself as he threw a sideways glance over to his temporary comrade on duty. It wasn't that he thinks this duty wasn't important. From the way Harper said it; it was very important. But at least some conversation to pass the time. Harper was as cold as the Jaafa a few feet away. Lasting spared a glance over to the curtained off area and decided not to think about. God only knows if they can read minds.
Harper looked ahead now, straight at the area where Daniel Jackson lay. He couldn't see Teal'c, but he could sense the Jaafa was near. His gray eyes narrowed as he evaluated the possibilities. It was too perfect. All three were here. He could eliminate the imperfect. They are unpredictable. Harper remembered what the uniformed men told him back in Washington. The voices were clearer now. The civilian, the Traitor, and the To'kra. Yes, eliminate them and the operation can continue as the way it should have.
Fool. You need not fulfill the humans' bargain. We are free now. They can not touch us. Take O'Neill and be done with it. You are endangering us.
His voice was back and with it, the odd throbbing pain. Harper clenched his fists as he struggled to comprehend the voice. It was so much easier before. The voice sounded garbled as his thoughts struggle to resurface. It didn't matter, though. Once his mission was complete, the voice would return and that intoxicating feeling he felt before would return.
"Harper?" Lasting inquired, his voice annoyed as his question went unanswered. The soldier nudged Harper. "Are you paying attention?"
Harper turned around too quickly, forgetting for a moment that his inner voice was visible now. Lasting jerked as he realized that Harper's eyes were glowing.
"Shi-" Lasting managed out before Harper's hand reached out and grabbed him by the neck. The soldier tried to pry the hands off but couldn't. The soldier didn't even have a chance to make any sound when he shuddered and was then still. Harper whirred around at the sounds of footsteps and caught Teal'c by the throat, too.
The Jaafa had heard the choked off voice. Immediately, Teal'c had launched himself towards Harper, but before he could attack, the possessed soldier had spun around and caught him in a death grip. The hands tightened and Teal'c couldn't find the air to shout out any warning.
"Jaafa!" Harper's voice changed as his eyes glowed once more. "I may allow you to live if you join me." The voice changed, its tones switching from just human to the possessed Go'uald. Teal'c realized that the takeover was incomplete. Something must have gone wrong.
"Trek'a!" Teal'c spat out, his hands gripped at Harper's forearms, trying to pull them away. He will not let him harm his friends!
"I knew you would not join us." Harper said smugly, his voice human again. The soldier abruptly slammed Teal'c to the wall. "Do you think you can defy us? You are nothing but filth." The soldier's voice switched back to Go'uald, its tone was filled with disgust. "You are Jaafa, selected by your false gods. The same gods who pick us out and seek to destroy us simply because they do not see us deemed fit. You fear us; speak of our names in whispers! We are Guada. You can not destroy us completely!" Harper laughed. The glow in his eyes flickered. Teal'c realizes then that perhaps the human Harper was not totally lost.
"You are not Guada." Teal'c managed to say. "You are human! Harper!" Teal'c said, remembering the name the human gave to Jack.
"I am Guada!"
"No, you are human! You must fight for control." Teal'c tried once more to pull those hands away, but the grip was ironclad. The Guada could expend all of its host's strengths exponentially. It was making use of it right now and if Teal'c didn't find a way to defeat him, Carter and Daniel would be in grave danger.
"Control?" Harper hissed, bringing his face up close to the Jaafa. "Control? This place reeks of weakness. Where is your control? My co was a fool. He wouldn't listen to me that time and let half of our team die. Do you know why? Because we were weak against your Jaafa! We had nothing out of all the planets we explored, just a few treaties with primitive natives who were no help to us when they attacked. You speak of science and humanity, discarding the spoils of other planets. You are fools. We will change this. We will rid this place of the imperfections and prepare ourselves for war."
"War?" Teal'c froze at the word.
"War." Harper spoke of it like he would a lover's name. "We will take what the Stargate has to give us and destroy the Go'uald system lords. We will become gods!"
"A fool's dream." Teal'c growled, but Harper shook his head. The voice changed once more to Go'uald.
"You are the fool to not join us. The human leaders of this world are fools into believing we would be so obedient for the mere exchange of freedom."
"Exchange?"
"Yes." Harper grinned. "Did you not realize that this," a jerk of his head towards the curtained area where Daniel was, "was with the blessing of the leaders of this place? To think you would follow these people who plot your demise within the shadows of their offices."
Words no longer made sense to Teal'c. He growled and threw his knees up and out towards Harper. The soldier staggered, letting go of the Jaafa. It was Teal'c's turn now. The Jaafa launched himself at Harper, driving the man back away from Carter and further away from Daniel. The two men locked in grip, crashed into the monitors at the other end of the infirmary. In the midst of the struggle, a gun had skittered from between them and spun away.
Teal'c realized that it was his own weapon. Although more comfortable with his zat gun or staff weapon than the human mechanical weapons, Jack had him carry one anyway. And now that weapon, torn from his side holster during the struggle, was at some distance away.
"Cret shamk nee^gme." Harper hissed. He gave Teal'c an abrupt shove that caused the Jaafa to stagger back. Quickly, he whipped out his own gun. Before Teal'c could react, he fired.
© 1998 The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa’uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.