Chapter 4
Breathless, Leske ran past the cameras as they panned away from her, allowing her unseen access to the storage locker down the corridor from the infirmary. She swung open the door and slipped inside, dropping her file on the floor.
Sitting on the hard concrete floor, Leske pulled a small recording device from her pocket and opened the file to the records made during Dr. Jackson's stay on Carcel. As she flipped through the file, she recorded every page, transforming it into *real* data. Real data on real media that could be sent through the Stargate to Earth. To the real Dr. Fraiser.
So intent was she on her task, that Leske jumped, catching her breath, when her ear communicator sprang to life. In her head, she could hear a familiar voice.
*"Leske! Leske, can you hear me? I can't see you on any of the monitors, so I guess you've already started. Listen, we've got a problem. Talin is going into the Environment as Hammond. You've got to get it to them now! Leske! I really hope you're getting this… he's talking about a finale, Les. He's gonna end it. You've gotta do it now!*" Leske froze as Markhen's panicked voice echoed into her ear. She couldn't respond, he knew that. The only thing she could do was act on the information he had given her. If what he told her was true, and she was sure it was, coming from him, SG-1 was living on borrowed time.
Leske recorded the last pages of the file and stood up. Looking around the locker, she saw a medium-sized box, lid partially off. She walked over to it, opened it, and dropped the file into it. She picked up the box, opened the door, and confidently walked out into the corridor, carrying the supplies Dr. Fraiser had gone into the locker to find.
* * * *
Daniel sat on his office couch, limbs heavy with exhaustion. Mackenzie would have a field day with the condition of his office just then. The most obvious issues were the smashed camera parts littering the floor, followed by books from shelves strewn over the length of the desk and work table. Each volume opened to random points…all with words. Words on every page. Words in every book. In the past few months, doubt had accompanied Daniel every step of the way. Feelings of doubt with regard to friendships, teammates, his work at the SGC, and his own sanity.
Scrubbing his face, Daniel grimaced as his hands made contact with the healing cuts littering it. The cuts from the glass he had shattered on Kelona…a horrible mix of fantasy versus reality that had brought him back to earth, and before Daniel had an opportunity to halt them, the harsh reality of memories assaulted him.
The feeling of impending doom as he listened to Dr. Fraiser was so overwhelming that Daniel had felt like he was drowning. He didn't want to give up, but this time he knew there wasn't going to be any sarcophagus in the next room waiting to heal him. Janet hadn't wanted to be blunt in her explanation of what would occur in the last hours of his life, but Daniel demanded it. His quest for knowledge was how he lived and he wanted all the knowledge possible as he lay dying. In reality, he was truly afraid of being alone and the longer he could keep Janet in his company, the better he would feel. Daniel could remember the first waves of nausea starting and he became overwhelmed with anxiety as he watched the hands of clock move towards his final hour. Janet administered medication to ease both the anxiety and nausea. Months of fantasy clashed head on with reality when he awoke from the injection.
//Daniel opened his eyes in a tiny, pristine room with only a chair and bed for comfort. Sitting up cautiously, waiting for the waves of nausea to come rushing upon him, he was pleasantly surprised that he felt fine. Daniel swung his legs over the side of the bed, taking note that he was no longer dressed in hospital scrubs, but rather in his SG1 uniform. Finding no signs of radiation poisoning or any injury at all save the marks on his face from the glass, he jumped as a tinny voice from the ceiling speakers filled the room.
"Well, well, Dr. Jackson. Glad you could join us for your final 'episode'."
Daniel's voice took on a slightly hysterical edge as he demanded, "Who are you? Where are you?"
Talin emitted a chuckle. "Just follow the yellow brick road, and it will bring you to the great and powerful Oz."
Leske sat at her monitor shaking her head…the reference to Oz, how ridiculous. Another of SG1's colloquialism that the people of Carcel were using in their daily lives. Why was Oz so great and powerful and where the hell did the yellow brick road go?
She heard Talin's voice take on a soothing, almost placating quality. "Daniel. I may call you Daniel…I feel like I know you intimately. Come on, don't be shy." The door to the room slid open and Daniel stepped forth into what could only be described as a control center. Numerous monitors, each one manned by some type of technician …speaking through wireless headset microphones.
"Daniel, hello! Glad to finally meet you. My name in Talin, and this," Talin turned with a broad sweep of his arms, "is your life."
"Am I dead?"
"Is he dead?" Talin reiterated. A few of the technicians in their vicinity laughed. Daniel caught the eye of one of the techs who looked at him with what he could only call 'pity' in her eyes. She broke contact as Talin headed her way. Talin had placed his arm around Daniel's shoulder in an act of camaraderie, but Daniel knew it was anything but that and made an attempt to shrug the contact away.
"Daniel, let me introduce you to Leske, my head technical advisor. Leske, why don't you fill the good doctor in on the activities of SG1 for the past few months."
Looking up at Daniel, who was blinking at her myopically, she motioned for him to take the empty chair next to her console. Daniel flinched from Leske's touch as she pressed a pair of glasses into his palm and motioned for him to put them on. Once on, the glasses brought everything into focus for Daniel and he rotated his head in obvious awe as to the activities that were going on around him.
"Dr. Jackson…Daniel," Talin sighed. "Please give Leske your full attention. The question and answer period will take place at the end of the show."
Leske reluctantly began to regale Daniel with the tale of SG1's initial encounter on this planet, tapping into their memories and their holographic adventures. She played back various "missions" of SG1 and their life at SGC from her console viewscreen. Leske explained the use of the implanted neurofilters, but drew the line at telling him how Talin was using them to tweak little incidents of friction between the team members. Daniel watched the screen intently, never speaking, barely breathing, as far as Laske could tell.
"Why?" Looking at horror from Leske to Talin, Daniel repeated the question. "Why?"
"Tell him why Leske." Talin commanded.
"For the ratings. These adventures, your everyday life at home, SGC and through the Stargate have had the highest ratings out of any of our story lines." Shame filtered through every pore of Leske's body, unable to meet Daniel's eyes.
"We're… what? A television show? You've played with our lives for *entertainment*?"
"Daniel, Daniel…not just entertainment. THE entertainment. SG1's adventures have brought more revenue than could ever have been imagined! You and your teammates are ingrained in Carcel's *life*. You and yours are the topic of conversation around every watercooler, transport depot, workplace, dinner table, and lunchroom on this world. Your words, your language, your….what's the word…slang have become part of us. Look around you, Daniel, *look*." Talin pulled Daniel into a standing position and rotated him 360 degrees. Posters adorned the walls of the control room. All depicting SG1 and their missions from the past year. Cassie lying in bed in the infirmary, Chaka, Teal'c shooting down Tanith's ship, Reese, replicators…Daniel squeezed his eyes shut against the onslaught of images. As he slowly opened his eyes he took in what he had missed before. Adorning Leske's desk were magazine covers and action figures of SG1. If the situation wasn't so dire, he would laugh at the ludicrous image of Sam as a Barbie Doll.
"Leske, show Daniel what is happening now at SGC. As a matter of interest, Leske, let's show everyone." Leske caught one of Daniel's hands and guided him back down to the chair by her side. She tried to offer him the small comfort of a smile, but Daniel would have none of it, as he plastered an unreadable mask of emotion on his face.
The lights in the room dimmed and the farthest wall became a screen, putting forth an image of a shrouded form lying on a hospital bed. "Look familiar Daniel?" Talin inquired wickedly. "Increase the volume, let the good doctor, hear the touching words his team mates are saying to him."
Tears filled Daniel's eyes as he listened to the words Sam imparted on the person she thought was Daniel. He saw Jacob try to heal him, then the scene cut to him in the gate room with… who was that? His sharp intake of breath when his "other" self called her Oma Desala…Oma from Kheb. What was she doing there?
Thoroughly confused and more than a little concerned and frightened for his team mates, he turned imploring eyes first on Talin and then Leske. Leske chose to answer. "We have the ability to morph ourselves with special devices into anyone in your lives, your memories."
Talin laughed. "Isn't technology wonderful Daniel?"
"What's going to happen to the person who played me? What about the radiation?"
"The mind and our technology are a power combination Daniel. A complete scenario, from Jonas to the Naquadria to Kelona… just a stage for the actors. Albeit, a very convincing holographic stage, but a stage nonetheless. There is no radiation poisoning, but that is not what your teammates were led to believe. Hammond, Dr. Fraiser, Jacob…all actors from this planet. See Daniel, you were getting too close. Little things were piquing your interest, you should have left well enough alone. Stopped asking questions. SG1 has a number of years before the populous grows tired of Stargate travel. So we have to remove you from the play…in a very convincing way. Didn't want to kill you off and have to take the chance of Colonel O'Neill wanting to retire again, so viola! Enter our Oma and throw a little ascension into the mix and its bye-bye Daniel. Always the possibility of you returning, so everyone sticks around until Daniel makes another appearance."
"Ascension?" Daniel squeaked.
"Oops, sorry…gave it away…" Talin motioned to the screen. "watch…see how it all turns out."
Daniel watched as his "other" self convinced Jack to let him go. Jack had fought to clear Daniel's name, but in Daniel's mind, he seemed to let him go with Oma without a fight. He was willing to let him ascend without question. And he "admired" him. Five years of friendship and all he did was *admire* him? Not even *like* him? Tears sprung unheeded to his eyes with the thought of what he had just seen. He had seen enough, and it was time to get the hell out of this place.
Talin brought his hands together in glee, as the screen rose and the control room resumed normal lighting.
For a second all Daniel could think of, was that he wasn't crazy. Talin was, but he wasn't. Then something dawned on him. Daniel stood and faced his captor. "Talin, what happens to me…this me?"
"I'm sorry Daniel, we are going to have to return you to earth…"
A smile lit up Daniel's face, he would go back to the real SGC, get Hammond and…
"Oh, but without the benefit of a GDO code."
Daniel's mouth dropped at Talin's unspoken implications. Hammond wouldn't open the iris without a code. Daniel's trip would be a short and… well, short.
Talin patted Daniel's cheek. "You are so naïve, Daniel. Think about it, how could we keep you alive? This is much better, our ratings will go through the roof on this show."
Talin motioned for two security guards. With weapons pointed at Daniel, two more guards stepped up and physically escorted a kicking and screaming Daniel out of the control room. Daniel wasn't going down without a fight as the doors closed effectively shutting out Daniel's cursing as he was led to his fate.
"Ronar, do your hear me. If you do, beep back." Leske whispered into her headset.
A returning beep was all the confirmation that Leske received but she smiled. Ronar was in the control booth, as Sergeant Siler, the man not only responsible for inputting the chevrons for earth, but unbeknownst to Talin, the GDO codes as well. "Listen, Talin and the guards are bringing Daniel now. As soon as the wormhole is activated, put in the GDO codes and let's just hope that Earth will still accept them, otherwise it is going to be a very short trip for Daniel Jackson. Good luck."
Daniel opened his eyes. When he was physically thrown through Carcel's Stargate to earth, he never expected to hit the ramp on other side.//
The sounding of the klaxons in this reality and a call of his name to report to the control room interrupted that line of thought as hopes of his team mates returning took foremost precedence in his mind.
* * * *
"Thank you. No..no just guard the door as unobtrusively as possible. Yes. The same standing order as before. Thank you Sergeant." Hanging up the phone, he turned to Dr. Fraiser who was still intently studying the results of Dr. Jackson's scans.
"Doctor?"
"Sorry, sir. The technology of this device is amazing. If we can remove this from Dr. Jackson's brain intact…the advances it will help make in the medical study of the human brain and brain stem injuries will be invaluable." Pausing in her diatribe, she noticed the look on General Hammond's face. "General, is there a problem?"
The man, who always seemed to spit in the eye of adversity, who always held his head high in battle looked defeated. "That was security, Doctor. It seems Dr. Jackson got a little angry at the security cameras in his office, and took them out with a stool. I am afraid this may only be the tip of the iceberg. I'm not sure how we can actually get his team members back, and I don't know if he will survive another loss."
Janet's response was cut short by the reverberating klaxons and the announcement of "off world activation". Down in the control room, the General had a sense of déjà vu, as the technician informed him that they were recieving SG1's codes. For the second time in two days, General Hammond gave the command to open the iris, Janet called a medical team to the gate room, and the General paged Dr. Jackson. Minutes later, Dr. Jackson joined the General and Dr. Fraiser in the control room, concern etched on his face.
* * * *
Leske took the back corridors to the gateroom. Even though the cameras were on, the feedback would not be focused on her, but Daniel Jackson's teammates and how they were coping with his 'ascension.' Entering the gate room, she proceeded up the stairs to the control room. Ronar was again on duty as Sgt. Siler. Ronar nodded in acknowledgment of her presence as Leske took out a small stun gun and immobilized everyone in the control room, save Ronar She also took out the ever present cameras in the room. Even though the screens were not following her actions, she didn't want the playback tapes being viewed. Signaling to Ronar, he rolled away from the console as she shot out the controls for the cameras in the gateroom. "Ready? You have Daniel's records?"
Holding up the disc she said, "As ready as I'll ever be." Pocketing the disc, she issued a warning to Ronar. "Be on your best behavior. Talin is entering the Environment as Hammond."
"Will do. Be careful…you be careful Leske," he said, his eyes betraying his thoughts. "We don't know if Daniel ever made it through to earth, Leske. We have no proof if the iris ever opened. You may be risking your life for nothing. We don't know if the GDO codes were accepted then, and we certainly don't know if they will accept them now."
"I know Ronar, but just start dialing before I change my mind." Stepping forward, she gave him a small peck on the check. "Like before, as soon as the wormhole engages, send through the IDC. I'm sorry, but I will have to stun you…I can't have you go down with me."
"Chevron 7 is locked, Leske, IDC is being sent now. Good Luck."
"Thanks for everything, Ronar." As she raised the gun, they nodded to each other and Leske stunned Ronar, ran down the metal staircase and up the ramp to the event horizon…hoping that this trip to save Daniel and the remaining members of SG1 wouldn't end in disaster.
* * * *
The iris opened and three people collectively held their breaths. Daniel gave a silent prayer as the horizon fluctuated, spitting out one Janet Fraiser. Daniel looked from the Dr. Fraiser on the ramp to the one standing next to him. Daniel started to descend down the stairs, the doppelganger of Dr. Fraiser, stunning the gate room into inactivity.
"Dr. Jackson?" General Hammond questioned, as Daniel made his way out of the control room, no doubt headed for the person who had just emerged from the gate. Jackson ignored him, and the General did a double take toward the gate as it disengaged, leaving the room in relative darkness. Next to him, Dr. Fraiser moved to follow Daniel, jerking him back to reality.
The… woman… on the ramp didn't move, wary of the SF's in the gateroom pointing large, ominous weapons precisely in her direction. Smart girl. She was perfectly motionless, arms wrapped around herself in a defensive posture. She grasped a small object in her hands. Her face… well, Janet Fraiser's face, wore an expression of pure relief. She appeared glad to be alive. Like she knew that coming through with outdated codes would be a terrible risk.
Tearing his gaze away from the gateroom, Hammond turned and headed for the stairs himself. The SF at the blast door swiped his card through the reader, allowing Jackson, Fraiser and Hammond access to the room.
Without speaking, Daniel strode up to the ramp, his face set in determination, as he came face to face with the woman. She straightened and tensed, setting her jaw as if she knew what was coming. Hammond and Janet stepped into the gateroom as well, the General motioning to the armed guards to lower their weapons. He started walking toward the still silent pair on the ramp, but Janet gently touched his arm and shook her head slightly. Perhaps it was best to just see what would develop.
* * * *
Daniel slowly and deliberately walked up the steps of the ramp, never taking his eyes off the woman. Her eyes darted uncertainly around the room, but she didn't move a muscle. When he stopped, inches away from her, she finally looked him in the eyes. She may look just like Janet, but her eyes were a different color… and vaguely familiar.
"Who are you?" he asked quietly. Her eyes darted again. Daniel was quickly becoming impatient. "Let me phrase this another way," he said, the picture of nonchalance, shifting his balance to his left leg and putting his hands on his hips. "Who the *hell* are you?!" Daniel shouted. The woman took a step back. She looked like she was about to cry.
"I… I'm sorry!" she pleaded. "Daniel, you have to believe me! I'm so sorry! I tried… we tried to…"
"You tried to what? Huh? You tried to what? Are they okay? You tell me, are they okay, or did that… madman Talin or whatever do to them what he tried to do to me?" Daniel was a good several inches taller than the woman, and was trying his damnedest to intimidate her. Surprisingly enough, he was doing a fair job.
"Daniel, please! Listen to me for a minute, I'm trying to tell you!" she finally screeched, putting her hands up to her face. Daniel stepped back for a moment, as she waved her arms about in near hysteria. "God!" she breathed. "I… I… I *risk* my *life* trying to get here, and now I don't even know what the hell to *say*!"
"Okay, okay… hang on a minute!" Daniel took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose, squinting his eyes, as he tried to think through the situation, totally oblivious of the dozen or two people staring intently at him, anxiously awaiting his next move. He took a deep breath.
"Well…" he said softly, looking back at her face. "You could start by telling me who you are. I mean, you're *obviously* not Janet." He motioned toward the Doctor, still standing by the blast door with General Hammond.
"No, I'm not. Not really. But I…"
"But you what?"
"But I have been," she whispered, and reached a hand down her blouse. Within seconds, the 'Dr. Fraiser' façade melted before his eyes, and Daniel gasped in sudden realization. She pulled her hand out of her shirt and produced a round object. She dropped her arms and her shoulders slumped as she lowered her head in defeat.
"It's you… Leske. You…" Daniel shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. "What… what are you doing here?"
"I'm… well, I'm trying to save your life, Daniel. And theirs."
"What do you mean? I could understand saving them, but what's there to save me from?"
"Yourself."
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