***********************


LAST TIME ON STARGATE SG-1 . . . .


ALDWIN: A warning. The Jaffa have breached the tunnels. (goa'uld voice)


A glider starts to fire on them. One explosion throws them forward. Aldwin lands on his neck and it is obviously broken. Jack and Teal'c are okay though. Teal'c checks on Aldwin and his eyes glow one last time showing the symbiote has died.


TEAL'C: He is dead.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Scene: Tok'ra tunnel


Jack and Teal'c are making their way back in to Sam.


O'NEILL: Carter!


CARTER: The ceiling in the lab collapsed, Sir. Ren-al and Major Mansfield are dead.


TEAL'C: As is Aldwin.


***********************


Aldwin awoke slowly. Sitting up, he found that he was whole . . . he was not dead and that his Tok'Ra outfit had been replaced by a looser fitting garment. He had not idea where he was, nor any idea how he came to be there. All he remembered was running through a field behind Colonel O'Neill and Teal'C. An explosion had sounded directly behind him and after that, all had turned to darkness.


Aldwin slowly sat up, his mind brushing that of his symbiote, comfortingly. Akatis was slightly disoriented, but fast recovering. It was good to know that wherever he was, he was not alone.


Glancing around, he noted the nondescript nature of the room. However, it was definitely Goa'uld design.


The door slid open, "Welcome Tok'Ra, to my ship." The harsh, Goa'uld voice purred the words, "You are my prisoner."


Aldwin remained seated, impassively and unemotionally watching as the woman and two Jaffa entered. His face betrayed curiosity, but no fear or anxiety. He merely waited, for an explanation. The two Jaffa loomed above him menacingly, but his eyes remained on the woman, whom he recalled carried Osiris within her. He met her gaze unblinkingly.


"You will assist us." Osiris stated plainly.


"I will not."


"I saved your pathetic life . . . and I can take it away again."


"Then do so. I will not help you."


Osiris studied him for a long moment, then spoke to the Jaffa, "Bring him."

The grip of the Jaffa on his arms was not a gentle one, but Aldwin managed to remain upright and walk rather than being dragged.


The Jaffa brought him into another bare room, containing only a sarcophagus.


"Sit." Osiris ordered him.


Aldwin obeyed, knowing that at this point he had to choose his battles carefully. This one wasn't worth it - yet. He watched as Osiris slowly and deliberately slid on the ribbon device. He remained impassive, but dreaded that particular sensation again.


"The Tok'Ra believe you are dead. And we managed to capture O'Neill and the Shol'vah. They are dead as well. No one is coming to help you. If you help me, I will allow you to go free."


"It is well known that the words of a Goa'uld are not to be trusted. Do not expect me to believe you." Aldwin stated.


"Then do not expect me to be kind." Osiris hissed.


Aldwin raised an eyebrow, looking at him quizzically. His expression seemed only to infuriate Osiris more and he glared at him.


***********************


Jack had a monster of a headache. He'd had it since returning from the mission. A mission during which they'd lost several Tok'Ra, including Aldwin. Now, Jack had never considered the Tok'Ra great buddies, but Aldwin was actually a good person . . . people . . . whatever.


Anise was still alive and kicking . . . much to Jack's chagrin, and so was his headache which seemed to only grow worse by the hour. If it kept up, he might actually go talk to Frasier about it . . . The only reason he hadn't is because he knew that many tests awaited him in the infirmary, should he tell her about the headache. She would be convinced it was some foreign parasite or something.


"Jack?"


He turned, "Yeah Jacob?"


"Everything okay?" Jacob was giving him a funny look.


"Oh yeah, I'm fine."


"Okay." Jacob said, obviously not buying the act. He had just finished speaking with General Hammond about his part of the mission and was ready to return to the Tok'Ra base. "Hey Jack, I'm sorry about Aldwin. I know he was your friend."


Jack nodded silently and shrugged, not wanting to have any discussion about the mission . . . not right now.


***********************


Aldwin fell to the floor but the pain didn't stop. Every nerve in his body felt as if it were on fire . . . Every movement only made it worse. He had been on the verge of passing into unconsciousness several times but Osiris never let it happen. He stopped, allowing Aldwin enough time to regain some strength, before starting the cycle over again. In the beginning, Akatis had tried to take the brunt of the torture, but as the treatment persisted, his already weak symbiote could not handle it.


So he was virtually alone in this . . .


"Do not think that help will come, Tok'Ra." Osiris spat from somewhere above him, "They believe you are dead. They saw you fall."


Aldwin didn't respond, allowing the coolness of the tiled floor to seep into his body.


"Pick him up." Osiris ordered the Jaffa, who moved to do exactly that.


Aldwin, on the other hand, suddenly found himself elsewhere.




General Hammond nodded at him, "Report to the infirmary."


When he got there, he found Dr. Frasier was already waiting for him, to run the MRI and other medical crap.


"Sit right there." She gestured towards one of the tables.


He did so, "Aw do I hafta?"


Janet looked amused, but said nothing. Moments later, a bright light shone in his eyes.


"Geez, Doc. Do you hafta do that?"


Twenty minutes later, everything was done - all test and everything.


"Colonel, you're in perfect health."


"Thank you doc." He jumped down off the infirmary table and hurriedly left, massaging his forehead. He felt a headache coming on . . .




Aldwin gasped as he was returned to the cold reality of his surroundings. His mind went out to Akatis, searching for some sort of comfort . . . but for once Akatis was silent.


***********************


Jack entered the briefing room, "Hello Campers." His effort was half-hearted. His headache was pounding.


Teal'C nodded at him, and both Daniel and Carter glanced at him curiously, with concern. They knew something was wrong.


"Sooooooo," Jack started, "What's up?"


Carter responded, "General Hammond wants us to survey P3X-0524."


Jack could see her eyes light up . . . great . . . some scientific mission. Jack sighed. This stupid freakin' headache wouldn't go away. Oh, it got a little better sometimes, a little worse other times, but it wouldn't go away . . . And no medicine seemed to help it. He'd crashed the night before and had woken up to find the headache still hanging on . . . which totally sucked.


He slid in the chair next to Daniel as General Hammond entered the room.


***********************


When Aldwin woke again, he found himself chained to the wall of the cell he had been placed in. The shackles dug into his wrists, painfully. And his wrists were already encircled in a ring of blood.


Osiris was practically in his face, "I will not waste more time attempting to force information from you." he said slowly, "As much as I enjoy it."


Aldwin shivered. That meant one of two things. Either he was going to die or things were about to get unimaginably worse. He started as something pricked his arm.


"This drug should make you more cooperative." Osiris said, removing the restraints from his hands. "Unfortunately, you will not be able to give me the information I require . . . but no matter . . ."


Aldwin tried to jerk away, but his movement slowed as the drug began to immediately take effect. He struggled to hang onto his identity . . . but felt his mind slipping with each passing second as the liquid coursed through his body. It was as if a great nothingness had entered his mind, sucking his life away a memory at a time . . . A black void of a monster from which he knew there was no escape. A storm that relentlessly ripped through his mind . . . tearing him apart.


//Akatis!// his mind screamed, terrified. //Help me!//


//I am sorry. I can do nothing// was the only reply. And it barely came through the invading mental haze. //I am trying but I am as trapped as you.//


Akatis' fear and helplessness was as tangible to Aldwin as his own.


//Whatever happens, Aldwin my friend, I am here with you.//


He was losing his mind . . . literally. Aldwin glanced over at Osiris, who grinned wickedly. Aldwin shivered.


"You see, Tok'Ra. You will help us. One way or another."


"No . . ." Aldwin moaned, fighting the drug.


Osiris moved closer to him, "You will serve me now. With your help, I shall soon defeat the Tok'Ra and the Tau'ri. Then we'll move on to the other system lords . . ."


"Please no . . ."


***********************


Jack's headache suddenly spiked . . . to a level of blinding pain. The action in the briefing room had slowed . . . as if everything were happening in slow motion. He couldn't hear anything that was being said and his head felt as if someone were inside it, pounding all over with a hammer.


The noise in the room had stopped as well.


Daniel glanced at his friend worriedly, "Jack?"


That got everyone's attention. Carter stopped in mid-explanation of the science behind their next mission. "Sir?"


"Colonel O'Neill? Are you all right?" General Hammond asked, immediately concerned.


Jack opened his mouth to make some crack . . . to say that he was fine and they all sounded like a freakin' broken record . . . but he couldn't. He couldn't move . . . What was wrong with him? Could he really have some sort of alien virus? Had he waited too long? Why couldn't he move?


Before he lost consciousness, he could hear movement start again . . . as Hammond called the infirmary and Daniel and Carter moved to his side.


Or maybe there really was someone or something up there . . . tapping inside his head . . . It would explain a lot.


***********************

***********************


Jack groggily returned to consciousness an hour later. The bright lights of the infirmary hit his eyes hard.


"You know, I'd be willing to bet this is caused by exhaustion. How much have you slept lately Colonel?" Frasier's voice asked from nearby.


"Yeah, guess so . . ." he moaned, though he knew, he KNEW it wasn't that. He'd actually gotten more sleep than usual the last few nights. It wasn't that . . . Was it?


Frasier continued, "General Hammond is giving all of you a few days of leave and has ordered all of you off the base."


"Thanks Doc. Can I go now?"


Frasier smiled and nodded, "Go ahead. Just make sure you take it easy."


"You know me Doc." Jack grinned.


"That's why I'm telling you."


Jack nodded and walked out of the infirmary. His headache was gone, but his mind was crowded. The last few nights he'd had dreams that he couldn't remember, but he knew they were intense. Several had woken him up in the middle of the night, allowing a few images and feelings to linger.


"Jack!"


Jack turned to see Daniel rushing down the corridor, trying to catch up with him.


"Are you okay?"


"Doc says I'm overtired."


Daniel nodded, "Yeah, the last week's been rough on everyone. General Hammond's making us leave the base. I was wondering if you wanted to hang out or what?"


Jack grinned at Daniel's tone, but said, "I'm going fishing, and no offense Daniel, I'd rather go alone."


Daniel nodded, "Okay. Then I'll probably spend the weekend catching up on some journal reading."


Knowing Daniel, that was exactly what he'd do. Normally, Jack would have tried to distract him from work, but this time he needed some time to think. Needed to clear his head . . . get away from work . . . completely away.


***********************


4 Months Later


Jack strolled into the briefing room, whistling very quietly and off key. After his collapse four months prior, the headache had gone away completely and not come back. Well, at least not like that one. Daniel seemed to have a talent for giving him headaches.


The rest of SG-1 was already there and moments later, Hammond entered, followed by Martouf and Mar'Non. They were deep in discussion.


"Hey Carter, how's your dad doing?" Jack turned to look at her.


"About the same." She bit her lip worriedly. About a month beforehand, Jacob had been severely injured on a mission. No one had been able to get any details and Sam had not even been allowed to see her father. The Tok'Ra kept telling them that the mission was classified and that details would betray their security. Martouf had kept Sam informed on her father's recovery . . . but in that month little had changed.


"Colonel O'Neill." Martouf finally acknowledged.


"Soooo," Jack asked, glancing at his team, "What's going on?"


"We have come to make a request of SG-1." Mar'Non said, bowing his head slightly.


"Yes?" Jack's tone was sarcastic.


"Osiris is expecting a shipment of naquadah from P4X-1125. We've managed to stop the last few shipments ourselves but require your help in stopping this one."


"Why?" Jack asked bluntly.


"Because of the recent Goa'uld activity, we do not have the resources to get a team there within the needed time. That is why we need your help. Mar'Non will accompany you."


"Great." Jack replied unenthusiastically.


"What exactly are we supposed to do?" asked Daniel.


"You will stop the shipment from being transported off world." Martouf replied, as if it should have been obvious.


"Why is this so important?" Jack asked.


"We often disrupt Goa'uld shipments." Mar'Non said.


"Yes," Sam nodded, "But why is this one so crucial that you came to us?"


"I'd like to know what's going on as well Martouf, before I send my people off on this mission." Hammond agreed.


Martouf responded, "We have reason to believe that Osiris is building another, more powerful ship. We believe that this shipment is the last, or one of the last that he requires for its completion."


General Hammond and Jack exchanged a look. Jack nodded slightly, "We can be ready within the hour, Sir."


"Okay." Hammond told Martouf, "We'll help you out on this one."


***********************


One Hour Later

On P4X-1125


Jack and Teal'C stepped out the Gate, followed by Sam, Mar'Non, and finally, Daniel. After scanning the area and finding no Jaffa in the immediate vicinity, at least, Jack allowed them to move out. Mar'Non led the way, through a thick growth of trees. When they came out the other side, they found themselves standing in front of something that looked like a huge Egyptian pyramid.


"Well, looks like we're in the right place . . ." muttered Jack.


"Indeed O'Neill." Teal'C agreed.


"So what now?" Daniel asked, and they all glanced at Mar'Non.


"Sunset is approaching. Perhaps we might be able to use the C-4 you brought to cause the tunnel to cave in then." Mar'Non suggested quietly.


"Works for me." Jack said.


They didn't have a long wait, because night fell quickly and Jack, Mar'Non and Teal'C were able to sneak down and get close to the door. Daniel and Sam had remained behind in the grove of trees as backup - just in case.


Entering the mine wasn't difficult at all. The lighting was poor and the guards were spaced out enough to sneak by. Slowly, they made their way deeper into the mine, bit by bit . . .


"This place will be sufficient." Mar'Non finally said.


Jack sat down the bag full of C-4 and moved to take one out, when their weapons were knocked out of their hands and a force field suddenly went up around them.


"I'm guessing this isn't good." Jack said.


Mar'Non gave a half smile, "I would agree that there is a good chance that your assumption is correct."


He was proven correct when moments later a swarm of Jaffa surrounded them.


"Hey guys, how's it goin'?" Jack quipped.


The Jaffa just glared, not speaking a word.


***********************

***********************


Moments later, Daniel and Sam were led into the room and shoved inside the force field 'cage'.


"Are you two okay?" Jack asked.


Sam nodded. Daniel added, "Yeah, Jack we're fine."


"You will be fortunate to simply remain alive." a familiar voice said from the doorway.


Jack jerked his head in the direction of the voice . . . not believing what or rather who he heard, until he saw the face. "Aldwin."


"Who are you and how do you know my name?" Aldwin demanded.


"Colonel Jack O'Neill . . . don't ya remember me?"


Jack saw Aldwin tense, then wave an arm at the Jaffa. Staff weapons raised at the group, they lowered the force field and several Jaffa grabbed Mar'Non and Jack. They then raised the field again. Aldwin made another movement with his hand, and the Jaffa exited, taking Mar'Non with them, and leaving Aldwin alone with Jack and SG-1.


"Answer my question. How do you know my name?"


Jack noticed that Aldwin held a zat gun. "Ummm, well see . . . you're a Tok'Ra and you've worked with us a bunch and on one of our missions you died . . . or so we thought." he paused, "So where are they taking Mar'Non?"


"Quiet!" ordered Aldwin.


"What are you doing here?" Jack asked quickly.


"Osiris wished me to insure that there was no disruption in the latest shipment of naquadah to the ship." Aldwin stated. "I assume you are here to cause such a disruption."


Jack shrugged and changed the subject, "So how's old . . . um . . ." he started, searching for the name, " . . . Akatis doing?"


"This is a trick. You could not know me. I have no memory of you. Is this a test of loyalty from Osiris?"


Jack shrugged and looked around, "Nope."


"You will come with me. We will speak with Osiris on this matter."


"Do you honestly think you'll get an honest answer, if what I've told you is true?"


"What do you advise, Tau'ri?"


Jack rolled his eyes, "Please, call me Jack, or O'Neill or Colonel. Just please, don't call me Tau'ri."


Aldwin glared at his insolence. "O'Neill, I asked what you might suggest. I expect an answer."


"Gosh you're arrogant when you're brainwashed." quipped Jack, "If you'll come with us, I can prove everything I'm saying."


"You realize that is impossible. If you are who you say you are, prove it now."


Jack thought a minute, "I'm not sure I can. If they wiped your entire memory . . . You and I have both carried that symbiote. Granted, I carried him for about 48 hours until you were found, but . . . we share a lot of the same memories now or we did." Jack paused to gauge Aldwin's mood. The zat had lowered slightly, so he continued, "I know about Jabez and how much it hurt you to lose your first symbiote. You know about Charlie, my son."


"I remember none of this."


"Come on, let's go get Mar'Non and all take a field trip. Besides, why would I make it up?" Jack asked.


"To capture me in your attempt to gain my knowledge." Aldwin answered, "Mar'Non is dead."


"We don't need any information. We know about Osiris' little thing going on here . . . and on P3X-3799. And we know where the fleet is and his nice huge mothership . . ." Jack knew his bluff was a dangerous one, but chanced it anyway.


Suddenly, without warning, Aldwin brought his hand up and Jack noticed for the first time that he wore a ribbon device. Without hesitation, he raised it to Jack's forehead. Jack prepared himself for the pain, but the moment the pain came, it stopped. Jack forced his eyes open and saw that Aldwin lay on the ground, unconscious.


"O"Neill."


"Jack!"


"I'm alright." Jack struggled to his feet from where he'd fallen on the ground. Stumbling over to the wall, he was able to hit the button to deactivate the force field. Daniel was by his side instantly, which was good since he nearly fell again. "I'm okay." he insisted.


"What happened?" Daniel asked.


Jack shrugged.


"I bet the ribbon device malfunctioned and sent a feedback loop into Aldwin rather than you." Sam said.


"Sounds good Carter but we can discuss feedback thingies later. For now, I think we better get out of here."


"What about Aldwin?" asked Daniel.


"Bring him. They did something to him. We've gotta help him."


"Are you sure that is wise?" Teal'C asked. "We observed his death."


Jack nodded, and Sam added, "They could have resurrected him in a sarcophagus afterwards. Maybe Martouf can help him."


Teal'C leaned over and lifted the Tok'Ra.


"He killed Mar'Non." Daniel observed.


"Yeah," sighed Jack, "The Tok'Ra aren't gonna like that."


***********************


SGC Infirmary

A Short Time Later


Aldwin lay on the infirmary table, unconscious. Dr. Frasier hovered, watching closely. She knew as well as the rest of them that Aldwin was dangerous until they were able to determine what was wrong with him. Jack, Sam, Teal'C and Daniel, were all standing around as well.


"I've contacted the Tok'Ra council." Hammond said as he entered.


"And?" prompted Janet.


"Basically, they said that he is no longer their concern."


"What?" Jack asked loudly.


"I don't understand," added Daniel, "He's one of their own."


"They don't see it that way." Hammond said. "And they said that unless we wanted to waste time, resources and energy, we might as well get rid of him as well."


"Sounds about like them." Jack said.


Sam looked confused, "Why would they do that? He could have valuable information on the Goa'uld."


"The Tok'Ra believe that the cost of attempting to aid him will greatly exceed the potential benefit of any information he possesses." Teal'C stated.


"Did they give any reason?" Daniel asked.


Hammond started, "They did. They discovered just recently that he killed one of their operatives."


"Who?" asked Jack.


"Anise."


"Anise?" Jack choked.


"Also," Hammond continued, "Jacob's injuries were caused by Aldwin. And you already know about Mar'Non."


Sam nodded solemnly.


"Oh man," Jack sighed, glancing at her.


Janet interrupted, changing the subject, "The test results should be in shortly . . . and then we should know why." She paused a moment. "You should probably go get some rest yourselves, especially you Colonel."


"I'm not tired." he insisted.


She glared at him. "Well, I'm not going to have all of you standing around."


Jack shrugged and slipped out the door. Everyone else soon followed.


***********************

***********************


Hammond and SG1 were in a briefing when all hell broke loose.


Janet entered, "Aldwin was able to knock out the guard. We don't know where he went. I already called security . . ."


"He'll head to the Gate." Daniel said.


Jack added, "Let's go."


The Control room for the StarGate was already buzzing with panic when Hammond and SG1 entered.


"Sir, someone's inside the database . . ."


Sam moved to the computer, "Sir, someone is transmitting all our files to another location." She was already typing furiously.


"Shut it down." Hammond ordered, "Shut everything down NOW. And keep it down until we find the source." When everything was finally shut down, he looked at Sam, "How bad?"


"Sir, whoever it was, got over half our files transmitted."


"Transmitted where?"


"From the location, it appears to be coming from an area the Tok'Ra claim is controlled by Osiris."


"So, you're telling me that a Goa'uld has over half of the knowledge held in this base?"


Sam nodded, "It appears that way, sir."


Hammond turned to Jack and Teal'C, "Find Aldwin -- now."


Jack nodded wordlessly, and hurried away.


***********************


They began their search on the Gate Room level. As Jack turned the final corner on the level, a shot whizzed right by him, narrowly missing. Instead, it hit Daniel in the shoulder. He fell back in surprise. Jack reacted quickly, grabbing Daniel and pulling him into one of the rooms off the corridor and then began inspected the wound. "You know, it's just our luck. Tok'Ra gets brainwashed. We bring him to Earth and he gets his hands on a gun with bullets."


Daniel winced, but forced a weak grin, "It hurts but I think I'll be fine."


"It's a flesh wound." Jack said, relieved.


Daniel caught the relief in his voice and the concern and fear in his eyes as Jack picked up the handheld radio to tell Hammond what had happened.


Jack's report was abruptly interrupted by the clicking of a gun. Turning around, he saw Aldwin, holding his stolen gun to Daniel's head. Jack mentally cursed. He'd become so concerned for Daniel that he'd allowed himself to get careless. Plus, Daniel had been sitting with his back to the door.


"You will allow me to return to Osiris." Aldwin stated calmly, "Dr. Jackson will accompany me. Osiris will be most pleased."


"We can't let you leave. You know that."


"You will, or your Dr. Jackson will die."


Jack responded, "Tell ya what, I'll go with ya. He's injured and you wouldn't want him to pass out on ya or something."


Aldwin considered a moment. "Very well. Remove your weapon."


Jack slowly put his gun on the table. Aldwin motioned for him to step into the hall, which he did and they made their way to the GateRoom.


General Hammond met them just outside, obviously having been notified by Daniel. "Put the gun down."


"This will only end one of two ways. Either allow us to leave through the StarGate or I will kill your officer."


Jack nodded at Hammond.


General Hammond thought a moment, then spoke, "Very well. Give us the address and we'll start the sequence."


"So you can follow us?" Aldwin's eyes narrowed, "Clear your control room. Now."


"I can't let you go through the Gate . . ."


"As I told you before, General, there will be no negotiation."


Hammond finally nodded and motioned for everyone to leave the room.


Jack went inside first, followed by Aldwin. "Lock them out of the Gate room." Jack hesitated, but nodded and hit the button. "Dial the address as I tell it to you."


Jack hit the symbols exactly as he was told and moments later, they stepped through the StarGate onto a really green planet - with lots of trees.


***********************


"We've got the coordinates." Carter said, grinning, "Colonel O'Neill saved them for us. Permission for Teal'C and I to go after them sir?"


Hammond gave a nod, "Granted."


"We'll be ready in five minutes." She got up and exited the room.


"Are you sure the Tok'Ra won't help us?" Daniel asked. Janet had bandaged his shoulder and given him a mild painkiller.


Hammond shook his head, "They won't." His attention turned to Daniel's injury, "How are you holding up?"


"Oh, I'm fine." Daniel paused, "How are we going to get through to him?"


"It shouldn't be that long before he starts to realize something's wrong." A new voice input.


"What did you find, doctor?" Hammond asked.


"There's a drug in his system that I'm fairly certain is causing his wonderful devotion to Osiris. It could take a few days, maybe even a week or two, but it shouldn't last much longer, unless he ingests something with that in it. My guess is that Osiris has had it put in all his food and has completely brainwashed him."


"So how do we cure him?"


"Well, unless I can come up with some sort of counter-agent, he'll have to get through the withdrawl period."


"Not fun." said Daniel sympathetically.


"There's something else too." Janet paused momentarily before continuing, "Colonel O'Neill will experience the effects as well. He came to me right before the briefing earlier and told me that he believes he and Aldwin share a psychic link, because of Akatis. I looked at some of the Tok'Ra medical notes they sent us a while back and confirmed that it is a possibility. I was going to speak with you after the briefing, but by that time he had escaped."


"So you're saying that Jack and a Tok'Ra can read each other's thoughts?" Daniel asked.


"Not exactly. It's more of an empathic link. They can feel each others feelings. He told me that the intensity varies, but it's there."


***********************


Jack and Aldwin had been walking in silence for over half an hour, when Jack finally spoke, "Where are we going?"


"We are returning to Osiris."


"Do you think that's really wise?" Silence was the answer Jack got. He continued, "You know how Osiris treats prisoners. And you know how you reacted when you tried to use the ribbon device on me. You really wanna go there again?"


"I have no choice. Osiris will be able to get rid of this link."


"I don't think so." Jack responded, "Do you really wanna take that chance?"


"You don't understand." Aldwin said.


"Yeah, actually I know exactly what's going on here. You're the one who can't see it."


Aldwin remained silent.


"You know, what's going to happen when Osiris can't break this link we have?"


"Remain silent, Tau'ri."


"Why? Afraid I'm right?"


Aldwin stopped. "You are incorrect, Tau'ri. Sit."


Jack sat and leaned back against a rock.


"I could kill you now."


"But you won't," Jack said. "Number one, I'm too important. Number two, well, do you really wanna feel that?"


Aldwin glared daggers at Jack.


"Ouch." Jack quipped sarcastically. "Hey, do you even know where we're going?"


Aldwin again did not answer, but instead put a hand to his head, as if he had a headache.


"You okay?" Jack asked, moving towards him. The Tok'Ra suddenly collapsed. A heavy, weight also forced itself on Jack's mind. It felt like the sensation of wanting to go to sleep . . . He was tired and it was tempting, but he shook his head, forcing himself back to full awareness.


The first thing Jack did was to grab the gun Aldwin had taken. Then he leaned over the Tok'Ra checking to make sure he was still alive. When he realized that the Tok'Ra had simply blacked out, he sat back to wait.


Before Aldwin recovered, Teal'C and Carter trotted up.


"Sir?"


"I'm fine. He just collapsed or something."


"Dr. Frasier reported that there is a drug in his system, O'Neill."


Sam nodded, "Janet said that the levels of the drug are fluctuating. That could be why he collapsed."


Jack nodded, "Now, Teal'C if you please."


For the second time that day, Teal'C carried the unconscious Tok'Ra back to the Gate.


***********************


"The iris codes have been reset?" Hammond confirmed for a third time.


Sam nodded, "Most of what was transmitted was scientific data. However, some of our prototype weapons schematics were in it and some other classified documents."


Hammond nodded, "Keep compiling the list of what was sent and what wasn't. I'm going to check on Colonel O'Neill and Aldwin."


He entered the infirmary to find Jack making yet another quip about hating the place. "How are you Colonel?"


"Just fine General." Jack responded, "Doc Frasier says she told you about the link thingie."


Hammond nodded, "How do you feel?"


"I'm doing just great. Aldwin's still out so I'm not feeling anything from him."


"What is Aldwin's condition?"


Janet spoke, "He's unconscious, but the blood tests show that the level of the drug in his system is already dramatically falling. Withdrawl will hit soon. And it'll probably hit hard." She turned to Jack, "I won't order it, but I would strongly advise that you get some sleep now. If this empathic link is real . . . you may not get much sleep the next few days."


Jack nodded, "Okay Doc." With that, Jack got up and left the infirmary.


After Jack was gone, Hammond turned back to Frasier, "How dangerous is this link?"


"The information I have says that it is normally not a problem. I'll be watching it closely though."


"Agreed." Hammond said.


***********************