Author: Flatkatsi

Email: flatkatsi@optusnet.com.au

Status: Complete

Category: Hurt/Comfort Angst

Pairings: None

Spoilers: None

Season: One

Rating: PG

Content Warnings: Language, Jack whumping

File Size: 225 kb

Archive: Incoming Wormhole, Jackfic, Helio

Summary: A seemingly boring mission is the start of a strange journey for the Colonel.

Disclaimer: Stargate Sg-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author.

Author's Note: Thanks again to The Usual Suspects, especially Yllek for her 2am advice and wonderful help in the face of computer problems.

"This is so frustrating!" Dr Daniel Jackson ground out through clenched teeth, barely managing to restrain himself from kicking the side of the featureless shape in front of him. "There must be a way into this thing!"

"OK, Daniel. We've been here for three days and so far all we've found is a large, very boring pyramid and lots of sand. Lots and lots of sand." Colonel Jack O'Neill's voice cut into his friend's complaint. "If you can't work out where the door is by 1300 tomorrow we will just have to shut up shop and go home."

"Come on Jack! I've barely had time to map the site, let alone investigate it properly."

Jack sighed and shook his head. He had heard this particular refrain many times before. "Sorry Daniel. No more time. Face it, the mission's a wash out. Nothing to see here. May as well go home."

"But..." Daniel pleaded.

"No arguments, Daniel. We go home at 1300 tomorrow." The Colonel's tone made it very clear that there would be no further discussion on the subject.

Captain Samantha Carter gave Daniel a sympathetic look. She turned to the Colonel. "I've finished my soil samples, Sir. Permission to help Daniel. Maybe if we go over your notes again, Daniel we might find something that you missed."

'OK Carter, if thumping and pushing the sides of a large lump of stone," Jack waved his hand theatrically at the item in question, "is how you want to spend your last few hours on this beautiful planet, then you go right ahead. Teal'c and I will keep watch." With that, the Colonel returned to his seat on a nearby rock and settled himself, prepared for an afternoon of boredom.

Jack had found the hours before nightfall interminable. He had kept up the appearance of guarding the site, while watching Carter and Daniel with some amusement. They had paced round and round the pyramid and back and forth past the pyramid and climbed up the pyramid and slid down the pyramid. Actually the sliding down of the pyramid had been the best part of Jack's day. Watching the two scientists slipping down and landing in the sand drift at the bottom had been the highlight of the mission. Pity from their reaction when he laughed, that they obviously hadn't appreciated how funny it had looked. Despite all their investigations, the pyramid stayed as unyielding as it had been when they arrived on P3X-983. In the evening Daniel had gone to his tent after they had eaten, in a very foul mood, determined to review his notes once more.

Colonel O'Neill sat staring up at the stars shinning brightly in the deep black sky. The moon was absent, making it the darkest that he had seen in years. He got up and moved a few feet away from Daniel's tent, the light from the reading archaeologist distracting him from the beauty of the night. The heat from the endless stretches of sand kept the air warm and dry. Jack turned slowly in a small circle, scanning the surrounding dunes. All was silent and still. Peaceful.

The storm hit without warning, travelling at the speed of a jet plane. The driving wind filled the air with sand that flew into Jack's face like daggers. He staggered back, desperately shutting his eyes, hurrying to find the sanctuary of the tents. The force of the wind blew him sideways and Jack found that he was unable to stop himself from moving with it. The storm gripped him, pulled at him and lifted him from his feet, throwing him bodily into the large mass of the pyramid looming beside him. His head hit the stone with a resounding smack and he barely managed to stay upright by clutching desperately on to the edge of the building that was his only lifeline. Jack pressed his back against the stone as the hurricane force winds tried to suck him away. Without warning he felt himself falling backwards into an opening that had not been there a moment before.

_____________________

It was pitch black inside the structure, with the storm obscuring even what little light there may have been from the doorway. Jack knelt on the hard stone floor, giving a small but heartfelt "thankyou", as he blinked his eyes trying to rid them of sand. He brought his hand to the side of his head, feeling a warm trickle of blood running down his face and under the collar of his shirt. With an effort, he straightened up, but waves of dizziness swept over him. His last conscious thought was "Oh crap!" as he stumbled forward hitting his hand against an object on his left. The crash of clay smashing on the stone slab floor coincided with the thud of Colonel O'Neill falling alongside it.

_____________________

The sound of the wind woke Sam from her sleep. Pulling herself from her sleeping bag, she edged to the zipped up flap of her tent. The sudden rush of sand and wind that poured into the partially opened flap caused her to rapidly shut it and retreat to the far side of the tent, brushing the sand from her hands.

"Colonel O'Neill." She held her radio to her mouth and shouted over the noise of the wind. "Come in." When the answer came it wasn't from the Colonel.

"Captain Carter, are you receiving me?" She was able to hear the anxiety in the voice of the normally unperturbed Jaffa. "Has Colonel O'Neill contacted you?"

"No, Teal'c, I haven't been able to raise him." Sam knew that the Colonel had been sitting on watch on the far side of the campfire. There was no shelter what so ever there.

"I will search for the Colonel, Captain Carter. Daniel Jackson will remain in the tent in case he manages to reach shelter."

Sam stayed silent for a moment. She wanted Teal'c to find the Colonel, but she also knew that venturing into a storm of this magnitude was tantamount to suicide.

"No, Teal'c, stay in your tent. It's too dangerous." She paused, "That's an order, guys."

"As you wish, Captain Carter." Sam could tell that Teal'c understood the implications of her decision and supported her in it. She only hoped that she hadn't just condemned her commanding officer to death.

_____________________

The wind did not die down for hours. Hours in which the other three members of SG1 lay huddled in their tents worrying about the Colonel out there at the mercy of the storm. Captain Carter had tried continuously to raise him on her radio, but there had been no communication from him at all. It wasn't until dawn that the wind lessened enough to allow a very concerned team to begin looking for their leader.

"Anything, Sam?" Daniel's voice crackled over the radio.

Sam paused and reached down to switch on the transmitter. "Nothing yet, Daniel. I've just reached the east side of the pyramid. I'll contact you again in ten minutes." She pulled her cap down over her eyes and squinted in the bright sunlight. Teal'c was searching the area behind the camp and so far they hadn't found any sign of the Colonel. Sam was getting more worried as each minute passed. The Colonel could be lying somewhere unconscious, covered by sand. She scanned the area around her carefully; looking for any indication that Colonel O'Neill had sheltered there in the night.

"Colonel!" Sam ran towards the shape that she saw lying at the side of the pyramid. As she ran, she reached down and switched on her radio. "Teal'c, Daniel, I've found him. Near the corner of the east side of the pyramid. Hurry!" Without waiting for acknowledgements she knelt beside the huddled figure, brushing sand off his face.

"Colonel, are you alright?" His head had obviously been bleeding. There was a thin line of dried blood running down the side of his face. She was relieved to see his eyes open.

"Damn, what hit me?" He winced and pressed a hand to his head.

"You got caught in the storm, Sir. It was pretty bad. You're lucky to be alive" Sam saw the slightly unfocused look in the Colonel's eyes. "Are you OK?"

Jack nodded, getting to his knees. As Sam put out a supporting hand, he slowly got to his feet, holding on to the stone.

"I'm alright, Carter. Just the mother of a headache. Are Daniel and Teal'c OK? Any injuries?" Jack inquired, looking round for the missing two teammates.

"We are all uninjured, O'Neill." Daniel and Teal'c had arrived just as the Colonel had regained his balance and got to his feet. "I am glad to see that you survived the storm."

"You look terrible, Jack." Daniel watched as Jack shut his eyes for a moment. He took Jack's arm and began to lead him back towards the camp.

Jack felt totally divorced from his surroundings. He allowed his team to lead him back to his tent, where Carter cleaned and dressed the cut on his head. He lay without protest on his sleeping bag.

"I think that we should take you back to the SCG and let Janet have a look at that wound, Colonel."

Jack could tell from Carter's voice that she was worried. He looked up at his three friends and answered in a firm voice. "Just give me a half hour rest, guys. You pack up camp and we'll head back." He cut off the protest that he knew Carter was about to make. "I promise that I won't fall asleep."

"I'd better stay with you, Sir. You may have a concussion." Sam could see that the Colonel was exhausted and her suspicion was confirmed when he didn't argue with her. She watched as he lifted his left arm over his face.

Jack let his thoughts drift as he tried to rest. His mind went completely blank.

_____________________

"What happened, Colonel?" Doctor Janet Fraiser asked as she shone a penlight into one of Jack's eyes. She had given him all the standard post mission checks as soon as SG1 had returned from the planet. Although he appeared tired, she could find nothing wrong apart from a superficial cut to his head.

"I don't really remember, Doc." Jack batted away the offensive light. "The storm must have blown me into something. Must have hit my head. I woke up just as Carter found me." He was seated on one of the infirmary beds. "I had a headache for an hour or so, but it seems to have gone now."

"He didn't look too good when we found him, Janet." Daniel interjected from the side of the room.

Jack gave Daniel an irritated glance. "You wouldn't look too good either, if you had spent the night in a sand storm. I feel fine now." He began to swing his long legs off the bed. "Can I go now, Doc?"

"Yes, Sir. You can go." Janet smiled slightly at the Colonel's eagerness to leave. "If..."

"If what?" Jack knew that it had been too easy.

"If you promise to sleep in the infirmary tonight, so that we can make sure that the head injury isn't worse than it seems." Janet's voice was firm.

The Colonel looked for all the world like a little boy having his sweets taken off him. "Do I have too?"

"Yes, Colonel. You have to." Janet answered in a stern voice.

"You did seem to zone out a little back at the camp, Sir." Sam added in support of Janet.

Jack looked up into the faces of the two women and raised his hands in a gesture of defeat. "All right, I know when I'm outgunned." He grinned evilly at Janet. "I'll be back home before bedtime, Mom. Remember to have the milk and cookies ready." He hopped off the bed and started towards the door. "Coming, guys? I think that it's debriefing time."

With a laugh Daniel followed him out of the room, leaving Teal'c and Sam to catch up.

_____________________

Doctor Fraiser had been pleasantly surprised when Colonel O'Neill appeared at the door of the infirmary that evening. He had given a crisp salute.

"Colonel O'Neill, reporting for duty, Ma'am"

She had smilingly returned the salute

The Colonel had seemed to be relaxed, a far cry from his usual mood when visiting the infirmary. He had gotten into a bed without protest and settled down for the night. Janet had given the nurses orders to watch the Colonel for any signs of discomfort and she had fully expected him to experience one of his bad dreams, however the night had passed without incident. In fact, the Colonel had woken after what appeared to be a peaceful night's sleep. She had passed him as fit for duty without hesitation.

_____________________

Jack felt the headache lurking in the back of his head, but something was stopping it, preventing it from taking over. Well, he wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth! If it meant getting out of the Doc's clutches and back to duty, then he was all for it. Maybe the good night's sleep that he had had was the answer. For once he hadn't experienced any nightmares. He had slept like a baby. Jack mentally chuckled at that thought. He remembered Charlie's sleep patterns as a baby being anything but quiet.

Whistling, he strode down the corridor towards the commissary, knowing that his team would meet there for breakfast. He was pleased to see them sitting, just where he expected, at a table against the far wall. He detoured to the counter and collected some food and a large cup of coffee.

"Morning, Sir" Sam looked at the Colonel's plate in amazement. "Decided to go healthy today?"

"Huh?" Jack didn't have any idea what the Captain was talking about.

"You do not have your usual breakfast of bacon and eggs, O'Neill" Teal'c pointed out.

Jack looked down at his tray. There sat a cup of yoghurt, a bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice. Strange!

"Doctor's orders, Jack?" Daniel could see the look of puzzlement in the Colonel's eyes.

"Nope. Guess my body just felt like being healthy, but it didn't bother to tell my brain." Jack grinned at the startled looks that his friends gave him. "Hey! I just woke up, OK." He began eating with obvious enjoyment.

"How are you feeling today, Colonel?" Sam asked, resuming her own interrupted meal.

"Fine, thanks Carter. In fact, I feel great." He turned to Teal'c and Daniel. "I was thinking of heading home about lunch time. Why don't you all come round later and we'll order in some pizzas?"

"Sounds good, Jack. I haven't exactly got a lot of notes to write up about P3X-983." Daniel sounded a little wistful.

"I would be pleased to come, O'Neill" Teal'c gave a nod of acknowledgement.

"How about you, Carter? Want to come share beer and pizza?" Jack looked questioningly at the Captain.

"I'll be there, Sir." Sam answered. "Is 1800 OK?"

Jack finished his orange juice and stood up, wiping his mouth. "Great, see you then, kids. I'm off to finish paperwork." With a cheerful wave he left his confused team to their meal.

"Does it not seem that O'Neill is unusually pleased at the prospect of paperwork?" Teal'c raised an eyebrow in puzzlement.

"He does seem in an strange mood, Teal'c." Sam couldn't help smiling. "But let's see how he is after a morning of reports."

_____________________

Singing along to the song on his car radio, Jack pulled into the driveway of his house. So far he had had a good day and it could only get better with the prospect of his friends coming over. He pulled the bags of groceries from the back seat and strode up path to his front door. As he reached to put his key in the lock, he felt a soft movement against his legs.

"Well, hello." He bent down to stroke the small black cat that was intertwined between his legs. "You're old Mrs Pearson's cat, aren't you?" He pushed at the door, only to have the cat slip through and into the house.

"Hey!" Jack looked around, but could see no sign of the small invader. "Better put the frozen stuff away first," he thought, walking into the kitchen, "Then I'll get rid of it." After four trips the car was empty of groceries and Jack could devote his attention to finding the missing cat. He began with the living room, but after finding nothing there, or anywhere else downstairs, he decided to have a quick look in the bedrooms.

"What the hell?" He couldn't believe his eyes when he found not one but three cats curled up, seemingly asleep on his bed.

"Where the heck did you come from?" he asked, forcibly ejecting the cats from their comfortable position. The others must have come in the open front door while he was bringing in the groceries. Then the problem struck him. He couldn't get all three downstairs and out at once. Two he could manage but not three.

"OK. I'm a Colonel, I can get rid of cats!" He walked purposefully to the bedroom door and in a tone that broached no argument, firmly ordered "Out!"

One cat decided that this meant wash, and did. The next obviously was very tired, because it folded its feet under its chest and closed its eyes. The third looked up at Jack and twitched its ears. Then it scratched the carpet.

"That's it! Out! Now!" Jack had never been a cat person. Dogs he liked, they were uncomplicated and loving. Cats were just...well they were just...cats! He didn't feel like chasing cats all over the house.

"Shit!" Jack looked in exasperation at the cats. "Alright, stay there. You'll get hungry soon and leave on your own." With a snarl of "Stupid cats!" Jack stormed back downstairs.

_____________________

"Hi, guys." Samantha Carter greeted Daniel Jackson and Teal'c as she found them on Colonel O'Neill's doorstep. "You knocked yet?"

"We have just done so and are waiting for O'Neill to answer, Captain Carter" Teal'c eyed the large box that Sam held. He lifted one eyebrow inquiringly.

Laughing, Sam opened a corner of the container, to show him a selection of doughnuts. A slight smile broke over Teal'c's otherwise impassive face.

"O'Neill will be very happy to see you carrying such as gift."

""What, and you're not?" Daniel snorted.

"The Colonel seems to be taking a while. Why don't you knock again? He may not have heard." Sam adjusted the box in her arms. "This is getting heavy."

Daniel gave another, slightly louder knock.

"Alright already! I'm coming!" A very grumpy voice came from behind the door. The door was flung open and Colonel O'Neill stood there, glaring at them.

"The good mood has obviously gone", thought Daniel as he waited to be invited in.

Jack turned his back and stomped over to his couch, plopping down with a disgruntled mutter of "Don't even have room to sit."

The others stared in amazement, as the reason for the Colonel's mood became clear. As soon as he had sat down, three very affectionate cats had moved from the cushions and on to his lap, each competing for space.

"I didn't know that you owned cats, Sir." Sam had always thought that the Colonel was more of a dog person.

Jack pushed the tabby cat off his chest, brushing fur from his black sweatshirt as he did so. A small black cat quickly took the tabby's place.

"I don't own these cats, Carter." The Colonel glared at her. "They seem to have adopted me and I can't get rid of them." He looked down at where the big, fat orange cat was dribbling on his arm. At the sight, Daniel and Sam couldn't help it. They burst out laughing, much to the Colonel's disgust.

Seeing the look on Jack's face, Teal'c walked over to the couch. "I will assist, O'Neill," he offered, picking up one of the cats and tucking it under his arm. He then grabbed another by the scruff of the neck.

"Hey! Don't hurt it." The Colonel lunged forward and retrieved the second cat - the small, black one. "Mrs. Pearson would never forgive me."

"Do you not wish me to rid you of these animals, O'Neill?" Teal'c was confused by the Colonel's seemingly contradictory actions. "I was not intending to hurt the cat, merely remove it."

"Yeah, well OK." Jack reluctantly handed the black cat back to the Jaffa and watched anxiously as he opened the front door and pushed them both out. He looked down at the large wet patch spreading across his sleeve as the orange cat purred contentedly, his green eyes staring up into Jack's face with what seemed akin to adoration. "This one better go too." Jack gave Teal'c a pleading look. "Can you put him out? I don't think that I can do it. He looks so comfortable."

Jack watched nervously as Teal'c took the last of the animals to the door, Sam and Daniel watching in bemusement.

"This is seriously weird, Jack." Daniel sat down next to his friend, oblivious to the cat hairs adhering to his brown jumper. "First breakfast and now this."

'He's right, Sir. Are you sure that there's nothing wrong?" Sam was growing increasingly concerned as she watched the Colonel. His fingers were drumming against the couch in an incessant rhythm. "Colonel?" She tried to catch his eye but failed as his gaze travelled to every corner of the room except towards her.

Jack ran his fingers through his hair and stood. "Nothing's wrong, Captain. I ate some food and cats walked in to my house through an open door. I don't think that those are grounds for concern. Do you?" He still refused to meet her eyes. "I feel a bit tired. Maybe we should do this another night?"

"Are you sure that you do not wish us to stay, O'Neill?"

Jack replied, with a grateful smile. "No thanks, Teal'c. Listen, Kids, I'm tired. I just need a good night's sleep in my own bed."

"If that's what you want, Jack?" Daniel was still reluctant to leave.

"Yeap, I'm sure, Daniel." Jack walked with them to the door. "Sorry about the evening. Maybe next week?"

"That's OK, Sir." Sam looked back as they walked to the cars. "Will you go see Janet in the morning?"

"If I still feel tired I promise to see the Doc, Carter. Now quit worrying." Jack gave her a wave and shut the door.

"Damn!" exclaimed Daniel, lifting his hand to the side of his face.

"What's wrong, Daniel?" Sam asked.

"We left the doughnuts in the kitchen!"

_____________________

Jack shut the door gratefully and walked slowly up the stairs to his bathroom. He was getting more tired by the minute. His legs were beginning to feel like lead and the damned headache was back with a vengeance.

"Maybe I should see the Doc in the morning," he thought as he turned on the cold faucet. He cupped the water in his hands and scrubbed his face, straightening to look at himself in the mirror.

"God, Jack. You look like shit!" Even as he watched his eyes seemed to become more and more bloodshot. He grabbed a towel from the nearby rail, dried himself off and staggering into the bedroom, fell on to the bed and was asleep instantly.

_____________________

It only seemed like a few minutes later when Jack woke up, his head pounding. With a groan he pulled himself from the bed and went in search of some Tylenol. With the tablets in one hand he once more turned on the faucet and prepared to pour himself a glass of water with which to wash them down. He raised his eyes and caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror above the basin.

"Oh Christ!" Jack lurched back, dropping the glass, his breath coming in short gasps. He shook his head to clear it and fearfully looked up again. His reflection had not changed.

"No!" Colonel Jack O'Neill stared into his own eyes. Glowing back at him with a white-hot light.

_____________________

The morning light was barely showing through the bedroom curtains when Jack raised his head from the pillow.

"Shit! That was some freaky dream! Perhaps I should talk to the Doc." Jack lay for a while, mulling over his options. If he told Janet about how off kilter he felt, she would probably restrict him to base. Maybe even keep him in the infirmary. Run lots of tests. Poke in places not meant to be poked. Stick needles in him. The Colonel shivered at the thought.

"Not a good idea."

"No, Jack it isn't. Stay home today. Ring the base. Tell them you've got a cold. Say you'll be in tomorrow. Spend the day in bed resting."

Jack reached for the phone on his bedside table. He called the base. Told them that he had a cold. Said that he would be in tomorrow and lay back down in bed to rest.

_____________________

The headache just wouldn't go away. Jack tossed and turned, fighting the urge to get up, but finally he just couldn't stand it any longer. With a muttered "Shit!" he swung his legs to the floor and walked to his bathroom. If he just took one tablet, the pain might stop long enough to get to sleep.

"Ouch!" There was a small stabbing sensation in his left foot. Looking down, he was stunned to see the glitter of broken glass on the tiles.

Time seemed to stand still. The glass was there. A small puddle of water. The memory of a dream. Breathe Jack.

Jack's hand flew to the back of his neck. Rationally he knew that there was no way that the Doc could have missed anything as obvious as a Goa'uld entry point. But he couldn't stop himself. His groping fingers didn't find a wound.

His heart beat faster. A small voice in his head was telling him to calm down. Calm down. Calm down.

"Shit! Oh crap!" A small voice in his head! With a sudden blinding flash of revelation, Jack realized just how many times lately that a small voice in his head had told him what to do. That breakfast. Getting rid of the team last night. Ringing the base. And what was it with those damned cats?

"Calm down"

"I'm not going to fucking calm down! Why the fucking hell should I calm down?" He lunged for the phone.

He tried to lunge for the phone.

The phone seemed so far away.

Jack's hands shook with effort.

"Jack. Let me explain. Talk to you"

. "There is nothing you can say that I could possibly want to hear." He could feel his heart racing as he strained to reach the phone. His breathing sounded harsh as he struggled to rise before, slumping, defeated on top of the sheets. "I'll fight you every step of the way. I may not win, but I'll never stop trying. I'll never let you rest." A thin band of sweat appeared on his forehead as he waited for the inevitable pain that his rebellion would cause.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Jack. Will you please just listen?"

The veins stood out on Jack's arms as he strained to rise.

"My name is.."

"I don't give a shit what your name is! Just get the fuck out of me!"

"I am Bast. I've looked into your memories. I've seen how your friend Kawalsky died at the hands of one of my kind. I understand how you must feel now."

Jack shut his eyes as the memories flooded in. "You can't understand!" His voice was raw with anger. "You're a snake just like the one that was in Charlie. All you understand is power and evil and causing as much pain as possible."

With horror, Jack found himself settling back into the bed. Inside, he was screaming.

"Don't fight me, Jack. Let me explain. I am not like those of my kind that you have already encountered. I am one of the first. The elders". Jack could tell that Bast would be smiling if she could. "You could even say that I am a goddess, Jack"

. "And just how is that different to the way your snakey friends see themselves. The Great God Ra. Bow down before your god. I didn't do it for Apophis and I sure as hell won't worship you." Jack didn't even know why he was bothering to argue. He could feel his control slowly slipping into a small dark corner of his brain.

"You still don't understand, Jack. I was a goddess to the Goa'uld. The mother to their race"

. "Oh shit! So I'm host to some sort of super Goa'uld. Couldn't just be an ordinary snake. No! Jack has to get the snake that is so all powerful that the others bow down before her." He shuddered. "Christ!"

"Hardly, Jack! Although I do have some special qualities that my children lack" Bast's quiet voice laughed inside him. Then she sobered. "No. They have forgotten everything that I tried to teach them when they were young and they have taught their children to follow the wrong path. Not all of my kind wanted to subjugate their hosts. Some listened to me and rebelled". She paused and continued sadly. "They fought bravely, but the few that survived fled. I can see nothing in your memories to show that they continue the fight"

. "Yeap. I can sure see that. Good Goa'ulds. There's a concept that I can get my head around."

Jack's sarcasm wasn't lost on Bast. "It is true. My children argued long about my fate. In the end, they decided to imprison me a pyramid on a barren and unwanted planet. That way, their conscience was clear". She paused. "I do not think that they would be worried by conscience now."

Jack couldn't help giving a small smile. "Nope, I don't think that their conscience bothers them at all." Despite his best intentions, he found that he was curious about this odd Goa'uld. "So, how did you get into me? I suppose you were in that pyramid on P3X-983? How did you get out?"

"I didn't. You got me out"

. "Like Hell I did!" There was no way that Jack was going to be responsible for freeing a snake. No way!

"You smashed the container in which I was imprisoned. When I found you on the ground beside me and realized that I had a chance to be free after so much time I entered your body through your mouth. Then we went outside"

The image of this snake crawling its way into him through his mouth made Jack feel like throwing up. If he had any control over his body, which he didn't, he'd be emptying the meager contents of his stomach. He obviously hadn't had any control back on the planet. He couldn't remember getting into the pyramid, let alone getting out again!

"I hid within you until your medical tests were over, then I began to meld myself completely with your body. When I looked into your mind and saw the hatred that you have for those of us that you have encountered. I could not continue to join with you."

"OK, this is strange." Jack felt himself relax slightly. Maybe he could use this reluctance to fully join to his advantage.

"You forget, Jack. I know exactly what you are thinking." Bast's voice seemed to take on a slightly amused tone. "You will not be able to trick me into leaving you that easily. But I promise you this. I will leave you as soon as a suitable and willing host is found for me. I will not be returned to imprisonment. However, I also promise that I will not take control of you unless you threaten to expose my presence to your colleagues."

Jack had listened to this without interruption. The realization that the snake had access to all his memories of the Stargate Program was devastating. Now he allowed his anger to explode through his mind.

"Yeah, like I'm going to believe you! You expect me to just happily go back to the SGC with a fucking Goa'uld in my head and act as if everything was normal. Not going to happen. Never. Hell would freeze over before I let you anywhere near the base."

Bast's voice was silky. "You don't have any choice. I would rather we did this with your cooperation, but I don't really need it. Let me demonstrate."

"Fuck fuck fuck." Jack was standing and moving across the room. He struggled to turn, stop, sit down, to do anything but that which Bast desired. He couldn't even swear out loud. Sort of took the point out of swearing. He shut his eyes and just went along for the ride. It didn't help. His eyes snapped open as soon as he stopped.

His reflection stared back at him with a glowing, white-hot glare.

_____________________

"Good Morning, Colonel." General Hammond greeted his second as he joined him in the elevator. "Over the cold?" He asked, noticing that the Colonel looked a little tired and strained.

"Yes, thank you, Sir." Jack replied with a smile. "It was just a head cold. I'm fine now."

"Glad to hear it, Colonel." The two officers stepped out of the elevator. "I've scheduled a briefing for SG-1, SG-2 and SG-3 at 1430. Doctor Jackson will be giving you all an overview of the current status of his research into Goa'uld history."

"Oh joy! I need a lesson on Goa'uld history like I need a hole in the head." The General distinctly heard Jack's distracted mutter

"I beg your pardon, Colonel?" General Hammond frowned at his 2IC.

"Sorry, Sir." Jack started a little and had the grace to look guilty. "I'm still a little tired. I apologize for my comment."

"Apology accepted, Colonel. I expect to see you in the briefing room at 1430 with a suitably enthusiastic demeanor." With one last frown, General Hammond entered his office.

_____________________

"Shit! Could this get any worse?"

Jack strode down to corridor towards the gym. He needed to hit something and hit it hard! Bast had been suspiciously quiet so far. Just the occasional nudge in the brain to show that she was still here. He had almost got as far as General Hammond's office, with the intention of telling the General about his unwelcome visitor, but he had found himself turning and walking away. Then he had tried the infirmary, but had only managed to confuse Janet by appearing, standing there for a second and leaving again without saying anything. He had met his team for lunch and found that the snake had decided that he needed better food while she was in charge. The other three had been astonished to see him with a salad and plain bread roll. So much for the issue of control.

No. He wasn't enjoying this one little bit.

"O'Neill. I am pleased to see you here." Teal'c stood next to the punching bag, watching as his friend entered the gym. He could see the tenseness about the Colonel's shoulders, the rapid twitching of his fingers against his legs. "Perhaps we can practice together." He looked pointedly around the room at the other occupants. "There does not appear to be anyone else here who would be a worthy opponent."

Jack hesitated for a moment as if debating with himself. Then he smiled.

"Yes. I would like that, Teal'c. I need a good workout." The two men took up positions opposite each other on the mat.

Jack swung his right leg in a rapid kick aimed at Teal'c's kidney. The Jaffa barely managed to avoid it by dropping and rolling. He was surprised by the ferocity of Colonel O'Neill's attack. Normally, his many years of experience as First Prime gave him the upper hand in such bouts as these. Something was different this time.

The fight began in earnest.

Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c circled each other, oblivious to the enthralled onlookers. The fight had been going for twenty minutes and so far Teal'c had been unable to score any points against the Colonel. He had taken several blows himself, some of which, although pulled at the last second, still hurt. Teal'c was beginning to tire, but he could see that his friend had barely raised a sweat.

This time Teal'c took the initiative, charging at Jack before feigning a blow to the head, then reversing it swiftly into a jab to the chest. He caught the Colonel just above the breastbone and felt a momentary sense of pleasure, before feeling himself flying through the air to smack against the far wall.

"Oh damn it!" Jack watched, horrified, as his friend slid gracelessly down the wall. He looked around at the astonished spectators. It seemed like half the SGC had been watching.

"Teal'c." Jack squatted beside the fallen man. He appeared to be unconscious. Looking up, he found Sergeant Siler bending over him. "Call the infirmary, Sergeant." His voice seemed loud in the silence.

To Jack the wait for the medics seemed to take forever, even though he knew that it was only a few minutes. With his help, they placed the injured man on a gurney and raced for the infirmary.

"What happened, Sir?" Janet waited as her patient was transferred to an exam table.

"We were sparring in the gym and Teal'c...." Jack stopped in mid sentence unable to continue. This was going to be so easy to explain. Not!

Doctor Fraiser glanced up from her examination of Teal'c. The Colonel was obviously at a loss for words. "I need to know what happened, Sir. Apart from a broken arm, Teal'c is unconscious and could well have a head injury."

It was one of the infirmary staff that answered. "I was watching, Doctor. Teal'c scored a hit on Colonel O'Neill and the Colonel threw him into a wall."

Jack winced. It seemed so cold-blooded when explained like that. "It was an accident, Janet. I just happened to throw Teal'c a little harder than usual."

"So he impacted with a wall?" Janet was still trying to get her head around the concept of the Colonel managing to throw the huge warrior that hard.

"How is he, Doc?" Inside, Jack was seething with anger. He had let his guard down with the snake for just an instant and this was the result. Even though he had to admit to himself that the idea of besting Teal'c in a fight was attractive, he never envisioned this happening. The insidious little voice inside his head was telling him to calm down. Not going to happen!

"I don't think that there will be any complications. I'm sure that Teal'c's symbiote is working on the injuries now." Janet gestured for her nurses to settle her patient in one of the infirmary beds. "We will just have to wait until he regains consciousness to be sure." She looked more closely at the Colonel. His reactions didn't seem to be quite right. He appeared to be angry rather than worried. "Are you alright, Sir?"

Jack gave Janet an irritated look. "I'm fine, Doc. Just fine. I'm not the one injured, am I? I'm just the one that has to explain this to the General." He turned on his heel and walked quickly out of the infirmary, without even a backward glance.

_____________________

Colonel O'Neill ignored the stares that he was getting as he hurried towards the General's office. From people's reaction when he glared at them, the news had obviously gotten around the base that he had somehow managed to best the big Jaffa in a fight. The Colonel was clearly in a foul mood and personnel scrambled to get out of his way.

_____________________

Sam and Daniel hurried into the infirmary.

"What's going on, Janet?" Sam had been told something about Teal'c being hurt and hadn't waited to hear the details. She could see him lying on a nearby bed.

Janet gave them both a reassuring smile. "It's nothing serious. He just got knocked out. He appears to be waking up already."

"How did Teal'c get knocked out?" Daniel moved to stand next to his teammate.

"Ah..." Both the visitors looked up at Janet. "It was Colonel O'Neill."

"What?" The doctor didn't know who was more startled, Daniel or Sam. Sam looked around as if she expected to see the Colonel skulking in a corner. "Where is the Colonel, Janet?" It wasn't like him not to be with an injured colleague, especially if he had somehow caused the said injury.

"I don't know, Sam. I think that he went to tell General Hammond." Janet had been equally surprised that the Colonel had left the infirmary.

"What exactly happened?" Daniel was still unable to understand how Jack could have hurt Teal'c and what could have made him leave the infirmary.

"I gather that the Colonel and Teal'c were sparing in the gym and Colonel O'Neill knocked Teal'c out."

"Jack knocked Teal'c out! In a fight?" There was an incredulous look on Daniel's face.

"Indeed he did, Daniel Jackson. Teal'c's deep voice came from the bed. "I must confess that it surprised me as well."

_____________________

Jack strode rapidly down the corridor towards General Hammond's office. He was working on autopilot. In a deep, hidden part of his mind, he thought that maybe if he got to the General quickly enough, the snake might loss control of the situation. He had to try. "I need to tell Hammond what happened. I need to tell the General what happened." He let the anxious litany run through his thoughts, overwhelming everything.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Colonel?" Hammond looked up from his desk, startled by Jack's abrupt entry. The Colonel's eyes had a vacant stare, almost as if he was thinking of something else entirely. The long fingers of his left hand beat a restless tune on his leg.

There was a momentary hesitation before Jack began to speak. He stood awkwardly, almost leaning against the edge of the desk.

"I have to report that Teal'c has been injured, Sir. I threw him during a practice bout in the gym." The words came out in a rush.

Hammond stared at the Colonel in some dismay. He noticed that Jack's fingers were now drumming incessantly on the desktop.

"How badly is he hurt, Jack?"

Again there was the slight pause before the Colonel spoke. "I'm not sure, General. I came to report to you before Doctor Fraiser had completed her examination."

The voice in Jack's head was becoming too hard to ignore. "What are you trying to do, Jack? Leave. Now, Jack." A sharp pain in his skull accompanied each word, as if a finger was prodding his brain.

Jack could feel the General's worried gaze upon him. "I have a slight headache, Sir. It must be the cold. With your permission, I'll check on Teal'c and then have a rest in my quarters before the briefing."

"Alright, Colonel. I want a full report about this incident after the briefing. Dismissed."

Hammond watched as his 2IC left the office. He looked thoughtfully at his retreating back, as he realized that throughout the whole strange conversation, the Colonel's fingers hadn't once stopped their tapping on his desk.

_____________________

Jack lay back on the bed in his quarters, resting his head on the pillow with a sigh. He hadn't gone back to the infirmary. The way that he felt now, he was sure that the Doc would suspect something and want to examine him and The Great Goddess Snakey wasn't going to allow that, no way!

"Thought that you weren't going to control me? That didn't last long, now did it!" The hatred in his voice was obvious. That and the frustration. This was going to go on his top ten list of shitty days.

"I had no choice, Jack. You were acting out of character and someone would have noticed very soon". Bast seemed almost conciliatory.

Jack knew that there was no point in hiding exactly what he thought of the whole situation. "Look, you stupid snake, of course I'm not going to just go along with this. You can see everything in my mind. What did you expect? That I would just spend the day as usual, doing my job, with a fucking Goa'uld watching my every move."

"You will obey!" Bast shouted, sending tendrils of fire through Jack's nerves.

Oh crap! That wasn't a voice in his mind. That nasty, weird sound was coming straight out of his mouth. Jack could bet that if he looked in the mirror right now, he would see those freaky eyes glowing back at him. Not good. So not good!

"I knew it! I just knew it! Super Goa'uld doesn't get what she wants so she starts laying down the law to her minion." He could feel a crawling sensation growing up his spine. The pain was excruciating. It seemed to permeate every part of him, from his fingertips to the ends of his toes.

"You will be silent!" Bast's furious voice reverberated through his mind. "I am now melding with you completely. It is obvious that there is no other way."

God! Jack could sense the alien mind of the Goa'uld overwhelming everything that he was, everything that made him Jack O'Neill. His body lay quietly on the bed, but inside he was fighting. Resisting every step of the way to retain something of himself. Something. Anything. A line from one of his favorite poems ran through his mind. "Rage, rage against the dying of the light." He was going to rage for as long as it took.

_____________________

Bast felt Jack's mind shut down under the relentless pressure. She knew that a tiny part of him was still there, hiding in a corner like a whipped dog. She really hadn't wanted to do this, but she was desperate to find a willing host and it seemed that Colonel Jack O'Neill was the only road to that goal. She shuddered at just what she was doing to him. Her momentary anger at his insolence had been replaced by a grudging respect for this most uncooperative human. She started to probe the parts of his memory that would help her to deceive his friends and workmates, help her to escape through the Chappa'i to somewhere more amenable.

_____________________

"Jack. Jack, are you there?" The voice that woke him was almost sobbing with anxiety.

"Carter?" What the hell just happened? Was he in the infirmary? Jack opened his eyes and looked about him. The familiar sight of his quarters greeted his eyes. For a moment he just lay there, his memory foggy, then with a rush, the whole mind blowing episode came back to him. Snakey.

"Jack? You are alright, aren't you?"

Crap! It wasn't all a dream. So what was going on with Goddess Bast? Why was he still able to think for himself? He slowly sat up.

"OK, that went well. I seem to be able to move if I want. Why isn't Bast controlling my body?"

"I won't control you anymore, Jack. I can't. When I joined fully with you, I saw all your memories, not just the ones on the surface. The deep hidden memories that make you what you are. I realized that if I controlled you, I would be no better than my children. I fought hard to change them. Gave up my freedom and yet I became like them at the first sign of your defiance." Bast's voice paused, "I am sorry. I will not ask you to forgive me, just to try and understand why I did it. I won't stop you from telling General Hammond that I am here."

Jack sat and thought for a moment, then with a slight feeling of astonishment he heard himself reply. "Not going to do that."

Bast was totally surprised by Jack's short, emphatic answer. "Why? Surely you wish to rid yourself of me as quickly as possible?"

With a rueful smile, Jack sat back against the bed, running a hand through his hair.

"Trouble is, I saw all your memories too. I know you as well as I know myself now and I know that you mean exactly what you are telling me. I saw the sacrifices that you made for your cause." He paused. Maybe this was a trick. A new ruse that the Goa'uld was using to gain his cooperation. Then he remembered everything that he had learnt from Bast's mind and knew that there was no way that she could be deceiving him. He had to help her. "You know, we also have the problem of what would happen if I did expose you. The NID would be the least of our worries." He thought for a moment or two. "For the moment, we better hide you." He gave a small snort of amusement as he realized just what he had said. "We. Shit, I'm already using the Royal We. I suppose it befits my status as a Goddess." He glanced over at the clock on the far wall. "Crap!" He jumped up and began straightening his uniform. "It's after 1430. I should be at the briefing."

_____________________

Daniel Jackson had already begun the briefing when Colonel O'Neill tried to slip into his empty chair unnoticed. Unfortunately, his attempt to remain inconspicuous failed as every eye in the room turned towards him.

"Kind of you to join us, Colonel." OK, the General was obviously seriously pissed. He glared at his errant officer. Out of the corner of his eye, Jack could see the amused look of Major Ferretti, the commander of SG-2.

"Sorry, General." He searched frantically for a logical reason for his lateness and decided to go with an almost truth. "I fell asleep."

Hammond could see the dark circles under Jack's eyes. "Alright, Colonel." He nodded towards Daniel. "Now that everyone is present, please continue, Dr. Jackson."

With an irritated glance at Jack, Daniel continued his review of the System Lords, placing them in their historical context in Earth's mythology. To Daniel's surprise, Jack seemed to be listening closely, without his usual fidgeting. In fact, Daniel found Jack's interest in his talk, disconcerting. He was even more shocked when Jack approached him as the group left the room.

"Interesting talk, Daniel. We should have this sort of briefing more often." Jack casually reached for the coffee pot on the side table, before speaking again. He was amused by the look of astonishment on his friend's face. "That information could be very helpful."

"Ah...thanks, Jack. I think!" Before he could say anything more, Daniel was interrupted by the General's voice.

"Colonel, my office, please." At the terse command Jack put his cup down, untouched and gave Daniel a brief smile, before following Hammond from the room.

General Hammond sat in his office chair, leaving Jack to stand in front of the desk. He gave his 2IC a long appraising stare before gesturing at him to sit.

"I've scheduled a mission for SG-1 tomorrow at 0800, Colonel, and I want to be sure that you are fit to go off world. I've reviewed the security tapes of the incident with Teal'c in the gym this morning and, to be honest, what I saw concerned me." He continued. "I would like you to have Dr Fraiser give you a full examination before the mission."

Jack's mind was in turmoil. He had known that if he went off world, the medical exam on his return would reveal his secret, but now, with the prospect of a full exam before the mission, there was no choice in the matter. He would have to explain the situation to the General and hope that he believed Jack when he said that Bast wasn't your average Gou'ald. Somehow, he knew that it wouldn't be easy. The SGC's experiences of Gou'alds up to now had been nothing but bad.

"Jack." Hammond's gentle tone broke through the Colonel's thoughts. "How in God's name did you throw Teal'c hard enough to break his arm?"

"How is he? I didn't get a chance to check on him before I fell asleep." Jack shuddered as he thought of the force with which he had thrown the big Jaffa. He had felt extremely guilty and worried when he had realized that Teal'c wasn't at the briefing.

"His symbiote is fixing his broken arm and fortunately he has recovered completely from being knocked unconscious. But, Jack, if it had been anyone but Teal'c it would have been much worse."

Jack leaned forward in his chair and put his hands to his face in a gesture that showed just how exhausted he was.

"I know, Sir." With a sudden movement he jumped to his feet and began pacing, the General watching him with concern.

"Sir, exactly what do we know about the Goa'uld?" Jack asked, rubbing the back of his neck as he continued to pace.

The sudden change of subject startled Hammond and he frowned up at the Colonel, answering with the first thing that came into his head.

"We know that they are vicious parasites with no feelings for the people that they use as hosts. We know that their sole purpose is to dominate and rule everyone and everything that they come into contact with."

Jack stopped pacing suddenly and moved over to his superior's desk, placing both his hands flat on its surface and looking the General straight in the eye.

"What if we are wrong?"

"What the Hell are you talking about, son?" Hammond was shocked by his Second's words.

"What if there are some Goa'uld that don't want that. Aren't we judging their entire race by the actions of some? Isn't that exactly what we try so hard not to do here on our own planet?" Jack resumed his pacing.

Hammond was beginning to become worried about the Colonel's state of mind. This didn't sound like the Colonel O'Neill that he had worked so closely with over the last year.

"Why don't you sit down, Jack." He moved uncomfortably in his seat. "And explain exactly what you are trying to say."

Jack could see the way that the General was appraising him. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. With a soft sigh, he moved into the chair, pulling it closer to the desk as he did so.

Leaning forward, he scrubbed a hand over his face and began "Not all the Goa'uld want to take unwilling hosts. Some find the idea abhorrent. They are willing to fight for their beliefs against the System Lords."

"How do you know this?" Hammond tilted his head to the side, frowning.

"There isn't any easy way to tell you how I know, Sir. Before I answer you, I have to ask you to try to believe what I am saying. Give me time to explain myself properly before you make any decision." Jack could feel his heart start to race as he continued. "You know me, George. Do you trust me?"

Hammond felt an emotion almost like panic as he watched the Colonel. He barely hesitated before deciding on the only answer that he could give to a question like that. "Yes, Jack. I would trust you with my life."

"Then you must trust us both." Bast spoke softly.

The General's chair fell to the floor as he leapt backwards away from the glowing eyes of his friend. The panic that he had felt before was nothing to the emotions that he experienced now. He reached a shaking hand towards his phone with the words "Foothold" already on his lips, only to find the long fingers of the person who use to be Jack O'Neill clutching his arm in a grip of steel.

"General, you said that you would trust me." The voice seemed to be the Colonel's.

Hammond looked up with trepidation to meet the eyes of - "Jack?"

"Yes, George. I'm still me. That's what I need to explain. If I let go of you, will you at least wait before ordering me arrested?"

"I don't really have a choice, do I?" The General's words echoed exactly how Jack had felt when Bast had first revealed herself to him. He understood. The look of defiance, the look of horror and the look of despair. He had seen them all when he had stared into the mirror that first morning. He understood.

"Yes, Sir, you do have a choice." He released his hold on the General's arm and stepped back, watching the older man carefully. General Hammond, in his turn, watched the Goa'uld. The silence stretched on.

A sudden laugh from Colonel O'Neill broke the impasse. "Jeez, General! We can stare at each other or we can talk. Personally I think that we should try talking." He sat back in his chair, running a hand through his already mussed hair. "Damn but I could do with a beer!"

"Alright, let's talk." Hammond straightened his chair and sat down, all the while holding the gaze of the figure sitting before him. "How did you get into my Colonel?"

"Who? The Goa'uld? You mean how did she get into me, Sir. I'm still here. Still Colonel Jack O'Neill, United States Airforce. I'm still me. I still have control of my own thoughts and actions. I need you to believe that." Jack could see the tiny bit of doubt creeping into the icy glare of the man behind the desk. "The Goa'uld inside me is named Bast." Jack saw Hammond shiver slightly. Revulsion was another emotion that he could identify with. He began to explain.

_____________________

Daniel Jackson had gone straight back to his office after the briefing. He was still slightly bewildered by Jack's attitude to his talk. Normally the Colonel would have been bored, fidgeting and restless. The soft buzz of the phone on his desk disturbed his thoughts.

"Dr Jackson, I'd like you to come to my office immediately with all the information that you have on a Goa'uld named Bast."

"Right away, General" came Daniel's startled reply. He stood, holding the silent receiver in his hand before giving his head a slight shake. He turned towards the large bay of shelves next to him and began hunting through them for information. He pulled several large books down, tucked them under his arm and headed down the corridor.

"Come in, Dr Jackson." The General's voice greeted Daniel as he knocked on the door. "What do you have for us?"

"Um... I can tell you quite a bit about Bast, General. Is there some special reason that you want this information?" Daniel's gaze moved from towards the person in the other chair. "Oh, hi Jack! I didn't know that you were here."

"The information, Doctor." Hammond's curt command cut in before Jack could answer. Daniel couldn't help glancing back at his friend. He saw an odd look pass into the Colonel's eyes, but before he could identify it, it was gone, a blank mask settling over his features.

"OK" He launched into a mini lecture on the importance of Bast in early Egyptian mythology. He finished with, "In more modern times she has been closely associated with the cat." At this, Jack stirred slightly in his chair, a thin smile crossing his lips. "However, originally she was connected with the desert cat or serval rather than the domestic cat. There are depictions of her holding The Eye of Ra. Knowing what we do now, perhaps this could be some sort of Goa'uld device. If she was a Goa'uld, we have seen no references to her on any Goa'uld held planet."

There was silence for a moment before General Hammond cleared his throat. "Is there anything in your research that would indicate that Bast would be a threat to us if she reappeared?"

Daniel pondered the rather strange question. "Well, one of her names was Pakhet. That means She Who Rends. She was also known as The Divine Avenger. In fact, she seems to have been called a protector, avenger or destroyer in most sources. Not the most pleasant of Goa'uld to run across, I would imagine." He laughed. "Not that any are!" He didn't notice the way that Jack tensed as he spoke. He did, however, sense that the temperature in the room seemed to drop by several degrees.

"Thank you, Dr Jackson. That will be all." General Hammond ushered a surprised Daniel out of the door, shutting it firmly behind the puzzled man.

General Hammond turned from the closed door and moved to pick up the phone once more. Colonel O'Neill watched, making no move to stop him, a resigned look on his face. The General paused, before placing the receiver down. There was something so very Jack in the posture of the man. Something that still shone through despite him knowing that the body was occupied by an enemy. An enemy of everything that he held dear.

"You heard what Dr Jackson said. Why should I trust the word of a Goa'uld known as the divine avenger? What exactly did you have to do to earn that title? How many innocent people were killed in your name?"

"None, General Hammond." Even knowing that Bast was there didn't stop the General from jumping at the sound of her voice. "I was called the Divine Avenger because of the revenge which I took on my own children when they began to follow the path of evil. To the humans I became the destroyer of gods."

"She's telling the truth, Sir." Jack could see the General wavering. He rapidly tried to think of an argument that would finally convince him. "Think of the advantage that we would have with a Goa'uld on our side, even if only until we find a host for her."

"And how exactly are we going to do that, Colonel?" asked General Hammond.

"We would need to go off world, Sir." Jack tried to restrain himself, but a broad smile of relief broke through. "You do believe that it's me, don't you, George?"

The General couldn't help an answering smile in response. "Yes, I do Jack. No one else could cause me this much trouble. And you are correct. The tactical advantages in this situation are enormous. How do you want to handle this? What about your team?"

Jack relaxed in his chair, stretching his long legs out in front of him. "I would rather not tell them just yet, Sir. I'd have to pick the right time, lay in a little groundwork first. Teal'c has only just got out of the clutches of one Goa'uld. I don't know how he would react to another." He looked down at his hands. "And I know how Daniel would react." He thought of his friend's wife, taken as a host. No, Daniel would be almost impossible to convince. He regretted having to keep his team in the dark. Perhaps he could introduce them to the idea of Bast gradually...no, he had to be honest with himself, the repercussions of his decision would badly affect his relationship with his friends, but he couldn't see any way around it. He raised his eyes once more and met those of the General's. He could see that Hammond understood and sympathized, but could offer no easy solution.

"Alright, Colonel. We had better scrub tomorrow's mission. We can't afford to have something go wrong while you are off world." Hammond frowned as he looked at his 2IC. "I can't pretend that I like the situation, but we may as well make the best of it. There is one person that I will tell and that is Doctor Fraiser. I want you to take that medical examination. It could provide us with invaluable information about the Goa'uld."

"I understand, General. I will give you as much information as possible. However, you must remember that I have been a prisoner for many years. The only thing that I know about the current status of my children and their followers is what I have learnt from Jack and from Dr Jackson's briefing this afternoon."

To his surprise, General Hammond found that he was getting use to the sound of the Goa'uld's voice issuing from his officer. The eerie echoing sound was nowhere near as disturbing as the sight of Colonel O'Neill's eyes glowing as they turned towards him. He looked away. He felt Jack shift uneasily and knew that the Colonel had noticed his reaction. He stood. "We'll head to the infirmary immediately, Colonel."

Both men were silent as they walked towards the elevator. Jack was almost pleased to arrive at the infirmary door. He didn't relish the idea of telling the Doc, but he understood the reason for the General's order. Hell, he doubted if he would have been so understanding if he were in the General's shoes.

Doctor Fraiser turned as the door to the infirmary opened. She had been writing reports for the past hour, grateful that there were only two patients with minor injuries in her care. On seeing the familiar figures of General Hammond and Colonel O'Neill, she rose, straightening her uniform as she did so.

"Good afternoon, General, Colonel." She gave them an inquiring look. "How can I help you?"

"Let's go into your office, Doctor." The General waited until the three of them were all in Janet's office before shutting the door and taking a seat. Janet glanced at the set face of the Colonel. He was uncharacteristically silent.

"Doctor Fraiser, we will be the only ones that are aware of what I am about to tell you. It must remain confidential. Is that understood?"

The Doctor nodded. "Yes, Sir."

"I would like you to conduct a complete examination of Colonel O'Neill. I don't want the results of that examination accessible by anyone other than us. No one."

Janet thought for a second before replying. "I understand, General." She stole another look at the Colonel. He was sitting rigidly upright in his chair, his hands clasping and unclasping. "May I ask if I am looking for anything in particular?"

For the first time since entering the office, Jack spoke. "We know what you will find, Doc." He saw the General give him a nod of confirmation. "We need all the information that we can get about the Goa'uld that is inside me."

"The what?" Janet's stunned yelp echoed in the small room.

"The Colonel has become a host for a Goa'uld, Doctor Fraiser. It entered him during the mission to P3X-983." Hammond could see Jack's stricken face as he spoke. "We shouldn't mince words, Jack. That is what you are, a host, albeit a willing one for the moment."

"Jack does not like the term "host", General. For him it implies slavery of the worst kind. I would rather that you not upset him by using the word."

"I'm sorry, Sir. Bast just got a little twitchy there. I've told her not to worry so much." Jack looked over at the pale face of Doctor Fraiser. "Hey, Janet. Don't look so scared. It's still me in control."

"Sir?" Janet threw a panicked look towards the General.

"I understand your concerns, Doctor. Colonel O'Neill will explain everything during your examination." With a slight effort, he stood. "I don't need to tell you that complete discretion is the order of the day here. I will expect you to deliver your report and the Colonel to me ASAP." He turned and left the room, leaving his two officers staring at each other, both with slight looks of trepidation.