Disclaimer: Not mine - see top of Reunion for the important stuff.

Quick AN: Explicit language warning, one word begins with 'S' used once.

I thought the second half of the story would be short with a bit of action thrown in. Heh, shows what I know...

AWAKENING - PART 2

Fanfic soundtrack: "Holiday" by Green Day

--ooOooOoo--

The alarms around the gate room echo down the corridor as the SFs race to their positions.

The event horizon wobbles as SG-6 dashes through the Stargate, closely followed by several flashes of an energy weapon blast.

"Close the iris!" shouts the team leader. He turns towards the gate P90 held at the ready to cover the gate while the iris is closing.

The iris remains open.

A goa'uld stun grenade bounces through the open wormhole, he only needs to see it for a fraction of a second before he is ducking for cover. Unfortunately not everyone is as quick as he is, leaving little response as the first Kull warrior steps through the Stargate.

General Jack O'Neill runs down the stairs leading to the control room, "close the iris! Why isn't it closed?"

He immediately notices the fallen form of Walter next to the console, and wishes he was armed as the zat blast hits him.

Jonas Quinn watches Jack slump to the ground before turning his attention back to the gate room monitors.

He smiles.

Two fingers come into his field of vision, clicking a couple of times in front of his face. He refocuses on Daniel Jackson.

"Thanks a lot, Jonas. I didn't think Maenotopian funeral rites was that dull." Daniel stabs another piece of his lunch with his fork.

Jonas feels Sam Carter lean towards his position so she can get a look at the direction he was staring at.

She smirks at the view, "sorry Daniel, there are four things more interesting than crystal urns right now."

Daniel twists around to the direction Sam nods. Seeing the table of nurses he turns back, "okay, I can see why you'd be thinking of other things."

--ooOooOoo--

Teal'c steps aside to narrowly avoid colliding with the man walking backwards out of the gate generator room.

"Hey, Teal'c," smiles Jonas, "sorry I was just… wow." He gestures towards the room with the lollipop he is unwrapping. "It's amazing isn't it? How much technology there is around."

They start to walk towards the elevators.

"It's not just the technology, the base itself is just so well designed. What was it before?"

"I believe it was designed to launch large projectile weaponry."

"Oh yeah. I stay away for a few years, actually seeing daylight. No, come to think of it where I was, not so much daylight. Anyway, I go away, and I come back and everything just seems so incredible."

Teal'c looks around at the dull monotone walls they are passing, it isn't Chulak.

"In what way, Jonas Quinn?"

"Well, having everything available on base, with the protection of being deep underground. The security set up is pretty amazing too, you know, the split base thing and being able to lock sections down. But yet," Teal'c watches as the lollipop makes an arc to cover the corridors, the overhead cables, the oval door set in the wall, the elevator, "you can access almost anything in an emergency if you know where you are. And what I remember from the mission reports, there are enough emergencies around here."

Teal'c nearly smiles, "that is indeed true."

They stand by the elevator doors watching the numbers spin up towards their level. After a thoughtful pause, Jonas pulls the lollipop from his mouth.

"Why are you still here Teal'c?"

Teal'c raises an eyebrow.

"It's not exactly Chulak is it? I mean, shouldn't you be away dealing with the rebellion?"

The elevator doors open.

"I no longer believe it is a rebellion when there are no false gods to rebel against." The smile is dark and genuine.

"Ah yes," says Jonas stepping into the elevator as Jack O'Neill steps out, "no goa'uld system lords, freedom for everyone." The doors start to shut, a cheery call floats through the gap, "go Jaffa!"

"Damn," says Jack. "Wrong floor." He frowns at Teal'c. "What's up, big guy?"

"I am not sure."

"Oh." Jack stares at the closed doors. "You missed your stop."

"I had intended to speak with you in your office."

"That's lucky, 'cause that's where I'm going. Let's walk."

--ooOoo--

Daniel smiles at the blonde head half hidden behind a stack of boxes. "The new lair of the Jabberwocky."

"Temporary lair." Sam pushes a lock of hair behind her ear, "as soon as they get the wiring fixed, I am out of here."

Daniel lifts the flap of one of the boxes, "at least you get easy access to the artefacts the teams have brought back… Look, okay, you can work in my lab if you want."

"I'm stick with this, at least I've got half a table of space here."

"Ouch, you wound me."

Sam grins at him. Leaning back she clicks the mouse of the computer near by, "you looking for this?" The monitor displays fast moving rows of ancient text.

"Yes, any luck in breaking the code?"

"Not yet, and before you ask I don't know how long it's going to take. Could be hours, could be days."

"Oh. Well, it makes my job explaining our progress to Jack easier."

--ooOoo--

"I can't say I'm surprised," states Jack, "have you spoken to Carter?"

"I have not. I am still unsure this is the course of action I wish to pursue."

"Liking us tau'ri too much?"

Teal'c smiles.

"Gotta say, I'll be sorry to see you go. Seems like I've got too many geeks and nerds around here these days." Jack pats him on the shoulder, "it's always good to have someone who knows which way round a weapon goes."

They turn the corner into Jack's office. He groans at the sight of the man from the NID taking up space in his office.

"What are you still doing here?"

--ooOoo--

"It's all marked to go to Area 51. It's goa'uld stuff, nothing we haven't seen before." Sam types a couple more instructions into the computer.

Jonas pulls a goa'uld ribbon device out of the nearest box. With his back to Sam he puts it on his hand.

"You know how it all works?" Jonas turns his hand palm up to look at the centre of the large gem. Nothing happens.

"It reacts to the naquada in the body left by the symbiote."

"That's a shame," he says quietly.

"Pardon?"

Quickly removing the device out of Sam's line of sight.

"I was thinking it's a shame not everyone can use it. I'm sure it would be useful to have access to weapons like these." He holds up the ribbon device for Sam to see.

"You need to be snaked first, as the General would put it."

"Like you were," he pauses, as if fishing for a memory, "by Jolinar of Malkshur."

"Yes," says Sam, a small frown starting to form. Something not quite right.

"So you can use this?"

Sam moves to take the goa'uld device out of Jonas' hands.

"Not well." She takes a moment to look straight at him, "Jonas, are you feeling okay? You know all this already. The mission reports… actually, everything on the base."

Jonas smiles, "sorry, I forgot."

Sam's frown moves up a notch.

"I think the machine might have scrambled my brain a little," laughs Jonas as he backs out of the room. "I'll pop by the infirmary later," he calls back, leaving Sam standing in her lab with a perplexed look on her face.

--ooOoo--

Daniel presses himself against the wall as a furious man stalks past.

"Hi and goodbye," he frowns at the retreating back. He raps his hand against the door frame. Jack doesn't look up from his position with his head buried in his hands.

"Jack?"

"Whatever news you bring, Daniel, it better be good."

"Only if you go with the phrase 'no news is good news.'"

Jack lifts his head up. "I'll buy that."

Without waiting to be asked, Daniel settles himself into a chair on the opposite side of the desk. "Sam and I are still working on cracking the code from the computer we brought back from 485. Sam's running through a number of different decryption programmes trying to pick up a pattern, but we haven't found anything else obvious yet. I tried to get Jonas to have another look, but he hasn't come up with anything helpful."

"I think he's a bit fritzed."

Daniel frowns, "is that a word?"

"It is now."

"So, who was the guy you pissed off?"

"Some goon from the NID."

"More inter-departmental co-operation I see. Let me guess, we've either overspent our budget, or we've got something they want. And since I've managed to lower my coffee intake this month, I'm pretty sure it's not the former."

"Jonas."

"Oh. They have grasped the concept of the whole… allies thing?"

"You're forgetting. NID."

"Yes, you scratch my back, and I'll secretly put you under surveillance and blackmail you."

"Have they?"

"Not recently."

"That'll be the new regime."

"I thought something was different. So…?"

Jack looks at him blankly, "so?"

"Jonas?"

"Oh. The usual. Safer with them. Snowballs chance in hell. Minor threats. Major insults."

--ooOoo--

With a steady hand Sam solders the last wire onto the experimental naquadria reactor.

Something close by beeps, and it takes her a few seconds to locate the source as the computer running the decryption programme. As she sets the soldering iron down on the worktop she realises she's missing the dulcet tones of John Cleese shouting "Albatross for Christ's sake!" every time a calculation is finished. Even though it only appeared on her computer a week ago, much to the amusement of some people.

"They really aren't letting you out much on Langara are they?"

"I'll have you know it's a party every day of the week… Okay, I'm lying. It's a party almost never. How about spam?"

Well, she muses, it made a change from what she had on her computer for the last year and a bit. Moving over to the monitor she finds herself humming the 'Lumberjack Song'.

--ooOoo--

Daniel rests the top of a pile of folders against his chin to give himself a free hand to fish out his security pass. One of these days he'll work out how in the galaxy Jack managed to con him into dealing with these reports.

The door of his lab slides open. Classical music drifts from the stereo.

"Hi, Jonas. Are you okay?"

Not looking up from the book he is reading. "Uh huh."

Pushing some manuscripts further up out of the way, Daniel drops the folders onto the desk. He frowns at the chalk moving across his sketch pad. Turning to Jonas he opens his mouth to mention -

Hey, isn't that my journal?

The sketch pad temporarily forgotten, he bites back his annoyance.

"Jonas, can I have that back? I need it."

"Oh, yeah. Sure. Sorry, just fascinated by what's been happening recently."

"Yes, fascinating." Plucking the book out of Jonas' hands. "Actually I was going to say," he glances over Jonas' shoulder and sees the chalk has stopped moving, "never mind. Anyway, busy, busy."

"Can I help?"

No, get out and stop bothering me.

"Nah, I'll be fine. It's only a few things." They both regard the pile of folders. "There isn't as much there as it looks. Everything's been produced in triplicate. It's really only this much." Daniel holds his thumb and fore-finger to indicate a third of the height of the pile.

"If you're sure."

"Yes, yes. I think Dr. Lee was looking for a helping hand earlier."

"Was he?… You want me to leave don't you?"

"No I… well, yes."

"No problem. Busy, busy," replies Jonas, strolling out the door.

Sitting down, Daniel shakes his head to rid himself the feeling of having been watched like an interesting lab specimen. He considers the pile of reports. There must be something more interesting he could be doing right now.

His fingers snag the sketch pad as he grabs the phone before it's completed its first ring.

"Hello?"

Tighter grip, pulling it towards himself.

"Daniel, the computer from 485. I think we might have a problem." Waiting for a response. "Daniel?"

"Not might. We definitely have a problem."

--ooOooOoo--

"No, no, no, no, no."

"Jack?"

Jack puts the sketch pad down on Daniel's desk, hoping the distance might make it a little less real.

"This really isn't happening. It's a joke. This is a joke. Ha-ha, rolling in the aisles."

"Yes, because Jonas is well known for his practical jokes."

"Daniel, your negativity is bringing me down."

"It's a goa'uld, Jack."

"He doesn't look like a goa'uld. He doesn't sound like a goa'uld. He doesn't smell like a goa'uld. Does he?"

"He does not, O'Neill."

"See!"

"He's a goa'uld, Jack."

"But Teal'c just said –"

"Jack!"

"And there's no snake. Can't be a goa'uld without a snake. Well known fact!"

Sam turns Jonas' cry for help towards her. She traces the writing with her fingers.

"It doesn't matter, sir. The Tok'ra prove that it's just a mindset."

"How? In simple terms."

Sam lets Daniel take this one. "Somehow, at some point, I'm not sure when we're still trying to translate the computer, goa'uld memories were uploaded into the repository. So when Jonas put his head in it it just downloaded it all. We didn't notice because it worked the same way as the other repositories."

Jack remembers his own two experiences with the ancient technology. "It's still Jonas though, isn't it? When I put my head in them it was still me."

"I'm not so sure, sir." Sam pauses, "I didn't really think much about it, but something about Jonas has been bothering me recently. Just a bit… off."

"That's Jonas, everyone knows he's a bit odd. It's that superbrain of his."

"His manner at times has seemed unlike Jonas Quinn."

Jacks looks at Teal'c and deep down he knows there is only one way this conversation is going. "It's Jonas," he whines.

"Who is quite likely to be heart-stoppingly evil," offers Daniel.

"But it's Jonas!"

"With super powers." Daniel frowns, "you're right, my negativity is bringing me down."

Jack sighs, "so we contain him while we find out how and who, and how we get it out of him."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea." Sam finds herself facing questioning expressions. "We don't know how strong he is. Right now we have the advantage of knowing what he is. If we show our hand before we're ready to remove the 'consciousness' I'm not sure we'll be able to stop him."

"We just let him wander the base?"

"He hasn't made any move to leave."

"He has appeared most interested in the SGC."

Jack takes a deep breath. "Fine. Teal'c, get together with three and five. Keep an eye on him. Carter, Daniel, that computer better have everything I want to know."

--ooOoo--

"It could have been any of us. If I hadn't... just tie my hands behind my back next time we go through the gate."

"It's not your fault, Daniel."

Daniel waves away Sam's words with the computer printouts he's attempting to translate. "How? As usual, I didn't listen. I touched something, and Jonas got zapped."

"Come on, Daniel. He was just standing in the wrong place at the wrong time. It's done now. We just fix it, like we always do." She gives him an encouraging smile.

"You're right. I should just concentrate on this." He stares at the paper in front of him. "This large amount of text previously coded in ancient. This seem familiar to you?"

"A touch."

"Anubis."

"Yeah."

"I'm so going to pretend I didn't just say that."

Sam sends a few more pages to the printer. "Think positive. We keep looking, and we'll dig ourselves out of that idea."

"Where do we start?"

"The text is more complicated than we've experienced with Anubis' technology."

"That's a positive?"

--ooOoo--

"Dixon, did you find anything?"

"No sir," comes the voice over the radio. "I've left Wells behind just in case they reply while we're speaking, but to be honest, if the asgard were going to contact us they would have done it by now."

--ooOoo--

"Two members of SG-3 are currently accompanying him in the commissary," states Teal'c, as they seat themselves in the briefing room.

Jack places the radio on the desk, he raises an eyebrow to Carter.

"I've restricted his access to most of the base. It'll come up as a card error, so it shouldn't look too suspicious."

"So, have we got a name for our new friend?"

Daniel tidies up the pile of paper in front of him. "Not quite."

"Not quite? What's up, your translation skills on the fritz?"

"No, we just haven't found a name. It's… strange."

"Strange?"

"Jack, you've met enough goa'uld to know they aren't exactly backwards in coming forwards. Almost every significant portion of goa'uld text we come across mentions the 'god' by name. Intergalactic graffiti. But here," he points to the paper on the table, "here there are a lot of references to a type, a representation. Nothing definitive. It talks about change, storms, knowledge, chaos. Also references to war and destruction, but we're talking goa'uld, so nothing new there."

"So, cross-reference it all with your 'Big Book of Gods'."

"Do you know how many deities this description covers? Looking at the description 'war' would give you over a hundred different gods to choose from. Then you have the word 'chaos' which in Egyptian mythology alone gives you –"

Jack holds his hand up, "fine Daniel, I get it. It's going to take a while. I just thought it'd be nice to know just whose butt I'm going to be kicking."

Agent Anders quietly turns from his position by door of Jack's office. Making his way down the corridor with a simple mission plan.

--ooOoo--

Colonel Jake Harper tries his best to display an aura of calm normality as he and Williams walk along Level 18 chatting to Jonas Quinn. There was a nervous moment when they picked up the switch coming out of the commissary. They were marines. Okay, sometimes they had to do the cloak and dagger stuff, but mostly it was turn up and shoot things.

He watches Jonas as he and Williams discuss New England weather. There wasn't that much difference between how Jonas used to be and now. In fact, there wasn't much difference to how he was last Tuesday. Admittedly, less apologetic. You couldn't play table tennis with a telekinetic, or you could play, you just couldn't win.

They are coming up on Dr. Jackson's lab where they'd have to subtly find a reason to stay hanging around. Jake hopes it won't appear too odd. Good thing he pulled Williams in on this turn, he'd be able to bring out his inner nerd for just these situations.

That was the difference. Not quite as observant. He'd been worried it would never work. Two of eight guys quietly being around everywhere Jonas went. Eight guys with radios and sidearms. Jonas would have definitely noticed that.

Is that a radio in your pocket… Jake smirks. Unless he just isn't mentioning it.

Jake almost pulls up short at that thought. He pushes it away, the kid can't shut up, not mentioning it is probably beyond him.

They stop outside the open door of the lab. Williams has barely paused for breath in his dissertation of the family opinions on the weather on the Eastern and Western seaboards. Jake keeps half an eye on the corridor. Reynolds was meant to send one of SG-3 by soon. Probably Bannerman, the new guy, who was developing quite an interest in alien cultures, and not in the usual marine way.

His gut instinctively tightens as he spots a suit and two SFs walking towards them. The focus of the suit on Jonas. He moves to intercept the man, his gut telling him if he didn't do something it wasn't going to end well.

--ooOoo--

"No asgard when you need them. As usual. You'd think they'd have a bit more time on their hands now."

Sam watches the General spin the radio like a bottle.

"We're going to have to find our own way of fixing this."

"And what do you suggest, Daniel?"

"Upload it back?"

"Carter, can we?"

"I don't know sir. We haven't even translated an eighth of the information on the computer. If there's a way of doing it the instructions will probably be contained in there."

"How long before we know?"

She glances at Daniel, "it's a lot of work. It's more of a long term solution."

"Can we put him in stasis? The pod in Antarctica would probably hold him until we get hold of Thor."

Sam shakes her head, "we don't have a consistent enough power supply to run it."

"Then what?"

She chews her lip thoughtfully.

"Come on, Carter. I know that look."

"The asgard are still our best chance of fixing it."

"But we can't contact them," says Daniel.

"We might be able to. The naquadria reactor I'm working on would theoretically provide us with enough power to open a short window to the asgard home world."

"Theoretically," asks the General, suspiciously.

"I haven't tested it practically on any level. If I'm wrong, the amount of naquadria I'd need would probably take out Colorado."

--ooOoo--

This was worse than he thought. Subconsciously his hand moves to his radio to check it is on, he had better not have missed the new orders.

"Sir. I really do require you to provide me with some identification."

"I don't have time for this. We don't have time for this."

"With all due respect, I think we should ensure we have as much time as possible." Keeping his words low, and calm, Jake checks back towards Dr. Jackson's lab. Williams is standing in the doorway watching them, Jake can see him making frequent glances to the inside of the room.

Just keep calm and keep you hand loosely near your weapon, we don't need Jonas noticing that.

"And with all due respect to you, Colonel, your orders are worthless. I know how the SGC is run, and I'd be hard pushed not to describe it as badly. Now, I order you to let me pass and help me contain the situation."

"The situation is being contained. Ambassador Quinn is –"

"Ambassador Quinn is a goa'uld. A goa'uld with free run of a high security base." Anders steps up so their noses are practically touching. "You will remove yourself from my path, or I will have you removed."

Jake looks back at the two SFs. Twitchy, he thinks. This is so bad.

He feels himself being pushed out the way. Spinning around and starting to follow he can see Williams is no longer at the doorway. He hopes Williams has taken Jonas out through the other door.

"Sir, I think it would be best if we spoke to General O'Neill first." He tries to get in front of Anders, trying to buy a bit more time.

Grinding to a halt as they cross into the room. Seeing a prone Williams in the centre of the room. Seeing Jonas Quinn riffling through Williams' pockets, pulling out his security pass. Half a broken ceremonial staff in one hand. The one SG-1 brought back from P2T-212. The one with the matching head-dress, make-up, and dance Sam had such a great time describing to him in O'Malley's. The one they spent over a month winding up Dr. Jackson over.

Jake's hand grabs his sidearm. He can hear the SFs readying their weapons.

"Jonas, drop your weapon."

Jonas turns his head to watch him, glancing down at the pole before dropping it. Jake listens to the tell-tale wooden 'clank' as it hits the floor.

Now what?

Jake doesn't move. It's still a stand-off, of sorts. He had to get help down here without triggering the situation.

Out of the corner of his eye he sees Agent Anders take a step towards Jonas.

As his head hits the wall the last thing his conscious mind thinks is; "crap."

--ooOoo--

Jonas casually drops the security pass on top of Williams' body. Stepping over the man in the suit he reaches down to grab the leg of the soldier who had been thrown against the wall outside of the room. He drags the form deeper inside the room before bending over to pull out the man's security pass.

He stands, eyes resting on the bookshelf. He plucks an object from the shelf then steps out of the room, locking the door behind him.

With a quick check along the corridor, he slips inside an oval door, and makes his way up the emergency ladder.

--ooOooOoo--

What came first?

The call from the control room about the sudden lack of control, the lock down alarms, or the call over the radio telling him that the body formerly known as Jonas was no longer being contained.

Right now Jack didn't care, but he thinks he should find out before he has to write the damn report.

"Walter?"

"Sir, the computers stopped responding five minutes ago. At first we thought it might be a cabling issue between the computers and the gate, but Sergeant Siler insists it isn't."

"Carter?"

Carter, now sat in front of the computer, presses a complicated series of keys on the keyboard. She shakes her head as she rolls herself over to another computer a couple of metres along the desk.

"Locked out, sir." She pointlessly indicates the screen with its rolling gobbledegook. "Someone's overridden the security protocol from the secondary control room."

"I think we can guess who," says Daniel.

"Carter, I want my base back."

"He hasn't managed to trigger the full lock down yet, certain security personnel levels still have full base access. We should be able to get up to level 16, and regain control of the base and the gate room from there."

Jack nods to SG-1, "go." He holds up his hand against the next statement. "We're going to have to find Jonas, I know. Walter, get hooked into the base security cameras." Waving off his former team, "now, go!"

SG-1 race towards the elevator. Teal'c barely pausing in his stride to relieve a startled airman of his P90.

--ooOoo--

Jake Harper resists the urge to kick the still prone form of Agent Anders. His head hurt more than the last time he got zatted. He kicks the lab door instead as he pulls out his radio.

"Sir, we'll need help getting out of Dr. Jackson's lab."

--ooOoo--

Jack turns to the tall man beside him.

"All yours Siler."

"Yes, sir."

He switches his attention back to the numerous monitors showing endless bland corridors.

"That one," he says, "go back!"

--ooOoo--

Sam pushes her way into the second command bunker. She notes the two fallen soldiers, but leaves Daniel and Teal'c to check on them as she heads directly to the keyboard.

Fingers flying over the keys, she feels the presence of her two team-mates behind her.

"There is Jonas Quinn." Teal'c points at a monitor screen.

"Level 19." Daniel pauses, "your lab?"

"The naquadria reactor. Guys…"

"We're going."

They slip out the door as Sam continues her work on the computer.

--ooOoo--

"Daniel."

"Jack?"

"Level 19, I think –"

"Sam's lab. We're already on our way."

"Good, SG-3 will meet you there. I'm on my way up."

--ooOoo--

Siler applies his screwdriver to the covering of the security scanner. He knew it wouldn't be as easy as whacking it with a large wrench.

--ooOoo--

Daniel can see Jonas Quinn stepping out of the lab holding the reactor easily in his left hand. The goa'uld ambles down the corridor with barely a concern for his own welfare.

"Jonas, stop!" he shouts, as he watches Jonas heading away from him.

He ignores Daniel as he continues around the corner halting only at, what Daniel assumes will be, the raised weapons of SG-3. Jonas turns back the way he came, but stops when he sees Daniel, Teal'c and the SFs they've managed to collect along the way

Daniel hears Colonel Reynolds' order put down the naquadria reactor, and place his hands where they can be seen. He is surprised by Jonas actually following the orders while still facing them. He watches Jonas place the reactor on the floor slowly, before straightening up with his hands held at shoulder height.

Daniel's brain recognises the object in Jonas' right hand, the hand furthest from Reynolds' line of sight, and starts to pull up helpful information.

The death mask of Tutankhamen, the boy king of the 18th dynasty. Whose tomb was found and excavated by Howard Carter in 1922.

He manages to tear his eyes away from the object. Barely hearing the click of it being flicked open as one thought clears his mind:

That must be smile number 101.

--ooOooOoo--

Jack wishes his knee wasn't hurting so much so he could run a bit faster. As soon as he heard the alarm ring he knew it would be coming from level 19. Fire alarms were bad. Having fire alarms and Jonas Quinn on the loose was probably worse.

He raises his berretta as he nears Carter's temporary lab, indicating the SFs do the same as he carefully moves towards the figures on the ground. He sends a pair of airmen to check around the corner as he moves quickly to the two forms just inside the door of the lab.

He gently moves Teal'c so Daniel can extract himself from under the big warrior. He hopes the Tok'ra weren't being as flexible with the truth about the tretonin as they usually were about everything else.

"Teal'c?"

Jack removes his hand from the pulse point, "still breathing, get the medical team up here."

He hears Daniel speaking on the telephone while he moves Teal'c to a more comfortable position.

"Where did Jonas go?"

Daniel shakes his head. "I don't know. After Teal'c managed to pull me out of the way I heard him walk away."

"Crap. We need to find him again." He reaches for his radio.

"Gate generator room." Jack and Daniel look down at Teal'c.

"Level 25?" asks Jack.

"I believe he…" Teal'c tries to take a deep breath around the pain.

"Don't talk, I'm going to head down there."

"Jack?"

"Daniel, stay with Teal'c and the rest. Make sure the Docs sort them out."

"There is no need," says Teal'c, "I will be fine, but I may be incorrect."

Jack looks down at his friend and receives a slight nod in reply to an unspoken question.

"Fine. I'm going to the gate generator room," he passes the P90 to Daniel, "after the Docs get here, get down to the control room, just in case. I'll make sure Carter meets you down there."

--ooOoo--

Sam blinks at the reading in front of her.

"Carter."

"Sir?"

"Tell me you're done."

"Very nearly, sir."

"Good, I need you to join up with Daniel in the control room as soon as you're done. Oh, and make sure you put as many security personnel you can find on that door before you leave."

--ooOoo--

As the lab door slides open Siler feels a momentary stab of pride in a job well done. A submachine gun is unceremoniously shoved into his chest.

"Congratulations Sergeant, you're with me."

--ooOoo--

The trail through the SGC had been marked by alarms and scorch marks rather breadcrumbs.

Jack stands firm with his pistol raised.

Damn, where's Carter's toy?

"Do not make any sudden moves, because I will shoot you."

The fake snake cocks his head to one side, watching him. Probably calculating whether he is telling the truth. He makes a quick glance to the side to make sure the soldier beside him is ready.

He watches the right hand move up, and pulls the trigger without a moments pause.

The bullet stops half a metre from its intended target.

I've seen that magic trick before.

He pulls the trigger twice more, hearing the soldier matching his shots.

All four shots join the first suspended in the air.

"Okay, this isn't working."

Jack waits for the bullets to fall. Instead he sees Jonas' face move up from staring at the bullets, and a slight smile cross it. He feels the air shift slightly away from him.

Then he feels it coming back towards him with the bullets in tow.

--ooOoo--

"General O'Neill! Sir, are you okay?"

Jake crouches down beside his wounded CO. He can see the blood oozing out of the wound in the Jack's side, he's in no doubt the stubborn goat will say that it's nothing. He reaches out a hand to check the injury. It gets batted away.

"I'll be fine, Harper. Flesh wound." He winces in pain. "How's Finch?"

They both look over to Siler who shakes his head.

"Shit! Harper, help me up."

"Sir, I don't think it's just a flesh wound."

"Just do it!" Jake gently moves him upright. "I need you and Siler to check the generator. Move. Now!"

--ooOoo--

Sam slides her card through the security reader for the elevator. Willing it to arrive faster. She pulls out her radio.

"Daniel?"

"Sam?"

"Where are you?"

"I've just got out the elevator on 28, I'm on my way to the control room."

"When you get there get Sergeant Harriman to run a power diagnostic on the gate. I noticed a power spike when I was unlocking the system."

"Power spike, gotcha." Daniel stops just inside the control room. Then moves to help a stunned looking Walter. "Um, Sam, the spike wouldn't be the gate dialling up would it?"

Sam steps into the elevator. "No, the amount of power needed for that would have been greater and more constant than what I saw."

Another voice cuts in. "It wouldn't be the same as, say, a small naquada reactor being attached to the generator would it?"

"What?"

Jake stares at the sight in front of him. Siler is already working on the security card reader with his screwdriver. "I haven't seen this many wires since the last time you cleared out your office."

"Tell me it doesn't have four green, two blue and one red wire on one side."

"What happens if I say yes?"

Daniel half listens to the conversation over the radio distracted by the images on two monitors.

"That's the naquadria reactor. Who have you got with you?"

One monitor showed the graphic representation of the third chevron locking into place.

"Siler."

The other showed Jonas Quinn walking toward the ramp.

"Lucky Siler."

A more distant "thank you, colonel."

Daniel presses the keys on the console experimentally.

"Can you see what it's been attached to?"

Jake looks over to Siler who replies, "not from here, sir."

"No, we can't."

"Crap. Daniel?"

Daniel seats Walter into a chair and points to the console. "Sergeant, shut the gate programme down." He clicks his radio. "One step ahead." He raises an eyebrow at the gate technician.

"Dr. Jackson, he's locked us out. It's going to take time."

"Sam, did you hear that?"

"Yes, stay there I'll be there soon."

"I can't, Sam," Daniel is already halfway out of the room as the monitor shows the fifth chevron turning into place. "There's someone I need to talk to."

He pulls the P90 against himself as he bolts down the stairs, hopping over unconscious SFs, towards the blast door.

"Daniel, don't you dare go near him!"

The voice is slightly breathless, but still unmistakably Jack. And still ignorable. He swipes his card through the reader.

Sam is running along the corridor before the elevator doors are fully open. She takes the stairs into the control room two steps at a time, eyes on the gate dialling screen. The image shows the last chevron starting it's turn. She brings the radio her lips.

"Colonel, better get yourself out of that room. The gate's about to connect."

Jake grabs the back of Siler's uniform and pulls him out the door.

Daniel's first "Jonas!" is drowned out by the sound of the wormhole whoosh. He hurries over to the man, grabbing him on the arm. "Jonas. Stop."

He has a moment to look the man straight in the face, before he feels hands moving and the sensation of flying through the air.

"Sergeant?" queries Sam, half expecting to be told about an uncontrolled power surge.

Harriman shakes his head, hitting a few more key strokes, and managing to raise the forward blast door.

--ooOoo--

Daniel rolls himself over to his side, easing himself to his feet. He imagines he can feel the bruise developing as he tries to take a step towards the figure walking up the ramp. P90 in hand.

Crap! Daniel checks the ground for his weapon, but knows he won't find it.

"Jonas. You have to stop. You have to fight!" He takes another two steps forward. "You're stronger than it. You just have to stay on the base. We can fix this."

The grinding metal against metal sound of the iris closing interrupts his train of thought. He glances towards the control room window, but the angle of his position prevents him from seeing much beyond the edge of a computer monitor. He watches the figure at the top of the ramp consider the barrier ahead of him. He eases himself another step.

"Jonas. I know you can hear me. No goa'uld has complete control. Help us."

"Open the iris." A calm command.

"What? No."

"Open the iris." Repeated just as calmly, but punctuated with the barrel end of the P90 aimed straight at him.

"Hey, that's not going to help anyone." Daniel holds his hands out placatingly in front of him. He glances worriedly up at the window, but still can't see any further. And yet he hopes no one is considering the request.

The man starts back down the ramp. Daniel stands his ground, trying to get eye-contact with the figure advancing on him.

"Jonas, help us. Fight."

Jonas stops at the edge of the ramp. P90 still aimed at him. Pausing, thoughtful.

--ooOoo--

The bang is loud, even through the thick window of the control room. Sam gapes for a second as Daniel slowly falls to the ground. Then she is flying down the steps towards the gate room.

"Carter, stop!" shouts Jack a fraction too late. He places one slick hand on the stair rail, and tries to get down the back stairs as fast his battered body allows him. The other hand brings up his radio.

"Carter, you need a zat. Bullets are no good. Carter!"

--ooOoo--

Sam stands firm in the perfect pistol firing stance she's learned over numerous stints on the range. She doesn't bother answering the General's radio message. There was really nothing to say, except maybe he should arm some of the gate's security teams with zats in future.

Behind her the blast door has already rolled back into position, accompanied by a very goa'uld roll of the eyes. Daniel is lying on the floor holding his leg and groaning. It's the groaning which stopped her running straight to him. If he could make that much noise he wasn't going to die anytime soon.

That, and the fact the P90 was aimed at her now.

She looks over at Daniel, she needed to get over there and stop the bleeding. Cautiously she takes a small step towards Daniel. When nothing happens she takes a larger step.

"Jonas, I need to help Daniel." She watches the face in front of her. Something is going on behind the calm, amused, expression. She takes another couple of steps, then stares horrified as the P90 arcs over to aim at Daniel.

"Stop!" She prepares to pull the trigger.

A tug, and all she can do is watch helplessly as the pistol bounces to the far side of the gate room.

"Open the iris. The first shot was a demonstration of the strength of my intent, the second will not wound."

Sam looks up into the control room, she can see General O'Neill shouting something to the poor gate technician. She guesses the reply runs along the lines of 'I can't, we're still locked out', but she's concerned at the confused expression on the Sergeant's face.

"We'd love to, but we can't." The speakers seem to amplify the voice much more than the empty room needs.

"Open the iris."

Moving carefully she walks slowly towards Daniel. The form using Jonas' body ignores her.

"Look. I'm not lying here! The computers are saying it's open. It won't let us do anything else!"

She considers for a moment rushing the man. That thought leaves her immediately as the weapon is readied to fire.

"I know. I wasn't speaking to you."

Instead she finds herself running to Daniel, attempting to place her body in the line of fire.

The shot rings out just she starts to crouch down to him, and she waits for the impact.

--ooOoo--

It's two words which cause her to raise her head and turn back towards the Stargate.

"That's impressive."

She nearly rocks back onto Daniel in shock when her eyes focus on the object in front of her face. Gingerly she raises a hand to push the bullet away. It moves with her hand for a moment before falling to the ground.

Jonas cocks his head to the side and looks at the P90 with interest.

"Interesting weapon. Fabrique Nationale P90 submachine gun. Fifty round double stacked magazine. And if I change this switch to full fire mode, capable of firing 950 rounds a minute."

The weapon comes back down to aim at them. Sam pulls Daniel closer, trying to protect him with as much of her body as she can. Trying to make them a smaller target.

"How many do you think you can catch this time?"

The reply comes in the form of metal sliding against metal as the iris parts.

"Good boy."

--ooOoo--

Jack braces himself against the console. His pain and frustration mounting as he watches the young man heading toward Stargate.

"Walter, get ready to redial as soon as it shuts down. If we can't stop him leaving here, we'll stop him using the gate on the other side."

--ooOoo--

Jake can see himself moving two rungs up Siler's ladder of respect.

"You know about the buffer system built in to the gate dialling system?"

"Yes, the one that kicks in and provides a regulating power when the gate shuts down, so we don't keep blowing fuses whenever we go from full power to nothing." Siler blinks at him between the trail of cables he is unravelling around the reactor. "Colonel Carter talks a lot."

Jake replies to the small smile with an encouraging one of his own. It was in everyone's best interest to keep Siler feeling calm.

Calm. Until the point the Stargate power level drops.

Then it was about running.

--ooOoo--

"Dial it."

In his peripheral vision Jack can see all of the monitors in the control room flash up a large, red warning. He looks down at Walter.

"We've lost gate power."

"Back up system?"

"It's not designed to dial the gate. Just to allow us to close the iris."

Jack punches the monitor in front.

"Close it. Get the doors open, and tell me why the medical team aren't already here."

--ooOooOoo--

Sam stands in the centre of the room, slightly amazed at how one person can accumulate so much stuff in a matter of weeks.

A small object on the bedside table catches her eye.

She leans down to pick up the ring. Turning it slowly in her hands. The gold band catching the light and hypnotising her into her own thoughts.

"It's not your fault, you know."

"Sir," Sam breaks away from the ring, "shouldn't you be resting?"

He gives her a half smile. "Oh, you know what I'm like when I'm stuck in the infirmary Carter." He gently leans his good side against the doorframe, "and sometimes there's only so much of Daniel you can take at once."

"Teal'c was feeling the same way about the infirmary. He's back in his quarters now."

"Yeah, I was just going to stop by."

There's a pause, and Sam thinks he's going to walk away.

"It's still not your fault."

"I know." She stares back down at the ring. "In our work we lose people too often. People die, it's part of the risk we've signed up to. But it… it feels strange this time. It feels worse."

"Because you were in charge?"

"Is that selfish?"

"I hope not."

"He was my responsibility, and he was…"

"Just a kid?"

"Yeah. A kid who managed fine with us for 18 months. I take him for one mission, and I lose him."

"Yeah, we lost him Carter. But he's only lost, we'll find him."

She closes her hand around the ring.

"Thank you, sir."

He nods an acknowledgement of her thoughts. He pushes himself away from the door, and starts to turn away.

"You know, we should get T some ice cream."

She looks down at her closed fist, then starts to walk after him. "I just have to drop something off in my lab, I'll pick some up on the way back."