EVACUATING SMMMOKEY SMOOOKEY CLOUDS

~ Җ Δ Γ λ μ π ω Σ ≡ µ Π Ψ~

ℷ

How difficult could it be, three of them. To capture them it was first necessary to understand what they wanted. Luckily General O'Neill already knew what they wanted. As the talkative infected Peanna and Kennedy had so pseudo-cleverly put it, they wanted to take over.. ..everything. That being, then surely their focus at The SGC must be General Jack O'Neill, top ranking military officer and Commander in Chief of the Base.

Unyet.. ..however..

~ Җ Δ Γ λ μ π ω Σ ≡ µ Π Ψ~

Majors Griff and Pierce, who had been in the Gate Room annex, checked in at the Briefing Room on their way up to Level twenty-six. General O'Neill was still in his office. He came out to speak with his men.

"I'll be Briefing on the situation in fifteen, Conference Room. In the meantime Majors, goggles, as many as can be issued."

"General we've got nowhere near enough of those goggles. Got quite a few dozen but nothing like the amount we need."

"Yeah I know. I realise that. Medical a must, kit out Doctor Carmichael and Medical and front line forces. That's the best we can do Griff."

"We'll get on that now."

"Good."

Majors Griff and Pierce left the Briefing room and went straight to stores, they then headed first to the Control and Gate Rooms, after, to the infirmary.

General O'Neill advised against a full medical sweep until the Nebulium were deemed contained. He said it was a futile exercise to begin testing immediately since no sooner had personnel been tested and cleared, then they would still be just as much exposed to the possibility of infection. Futile!

~ Җ Δ Γ λ μ π ω Σ ≡ µ Π Ψ~

"Tell me?"

"All done. Pings away. Sir what was that actually for? Oh em, sorry. As ordered we're now at Code Five."

"Keep that ping business to yourself Carter."

"Of course General."

"Okay. These Nebulium, when they infect a person, how soon after can they come out of that person and go into another person?"

"Ah, em, no idea Sir."

"Could they do it straight away or do you reckon once they get inside the body they'd have to stay in there for awhile?"

"Why Sir?"

"Just trying to work out what they're up to that's all. How long?"

"Well the way they seem to cloak, it's a very complicated process. They insinuate themselves on the atomic or sub-atomic level. Sir we've seen the effects oxygen has on them. The Nebulium begin to lose the integrity of their cloak, their super imposed molecular map. It begins to break down leaving them with two choices, either leave the shell or be subjected to the ravages of the body's natural defences.

Under these condition if the Nebulium remain inside the infected person, the body would attempt to absorb the foreign matter into its system, resulting in a breakdown of both the Nebulium and from that toxic process, the body itself. Now given this already intimate relationship between the Nebulium and the shell, I'd say I don't think they can just infect and then come out. I think it would take a bit of time for them to molecularly rearrange themselves, or whatever."

"How long?"

"I'm sorry Sir, I don't know."

"A day?"

"Well yeah, I mean it could be because that would be like the start of their incubation period, it could be. What are you thinking Sir?"

"They've been here for forty eight hours Carter. We know they wanna take over everything. They've already had a go at me. Tried to infect me. They're here at my Base. At my facility. Doubtless they'll try to infect me again. They've been here for two days up to now, they've not got at me. Why?"

"Ah because they've been stuck in somebody else's body Sir?"

"Well I can't think of any other reason Carter, can you? What else could they be doing here, showering and shaving, I don't think so."

"No definitely not Sir. Em, yeah, that err, yeah. Yeah.. ..which means Sir, they'll be loose any time now."

"Yes Carter. Have you got goggles?"

"Yes Sir I've got them here."

"Well put them on."

"Sir what about you?"

"Front line Carter. I'm not on the front line."

"General you're a prime target!"

"Err, just carry on. Carter is there any chance I'm..?"

"No Sir, no chance, no!"

"Okay. Listen, before we can get underway I want all the officers tested!"

"Good idea Sir. I'm just going to.. ..I'll be back in a minute."

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"About time. Where was he?"

"In his quarters."

"T where've you been?"

"I was looking for Sergeant Harriman."

"What for almost an hour?"

"No O'Neill, I was looking for him for sixteen minutes. I then retired to my quarters. I needed to perform Kel' noreem."

"You've got pains haven't you?"

"Yes. Painful pains O'Neill."

"T we're still gonna do that later, we'll sort it out don't worry. Surgerys still on. You know I can arrange for Doctor Carmichael to do it now."

"It is most needed O'Neill, though I will wait until we are ready."

"Okay. Okay T. For now why don't you take a rest."

"O'Neill we are at high state of alert, it is not possible to rest."

"He won't have it Jack, I've already told him. Ah Joe Begly, Hes got some news for you. He said hes been in touch with his office and as far as they're able to tell, those four unidentified recovered personnel were not working for the NID."

"Crikey Daniel you know what that means!"

"Theres more than one Nebulium gateway to Earth."

"Trouble!"

"Trouble O'Neill. I understand there is good news too. Daniel Jackson has informed me the Kresh'taa have agreed to your demands."

"Yep. What do you think, any tricks?"

"Not yet O'Neill, not yet. Perhaps after, if they are successful and once again become system lords, they will display all the tricks they utilised in order to survive the underworld."

"Yeaahhh right! Something to look forward to. But you think they'll just hand the stuff over, the shields and whatnot?"

"I do O'Neill. Yes. It is all important to them to reclaim their positions."

"Looks that way. Here you are, put these on, both of you."

"Jack wheres your?"

"Em, err, I'll put them on later."

"What after you've been infected?"

"You do not have a pair O'Neill. You must take mine."

"You're joking right?"

"No O'Neill, I am in pain, not joking."

"We'll get that sorted for you T. Anyway put those on."

"No I insist, you must wear mine. As the Commander of The SGC it is absolutely essential that the Mas'darr Knu'ha do not invade your system."

"You know hes right Jack. So come on.."

"Err, err.."

~ Җ Δ Γ λ μ π ω Σ ≡ µ Π Ψ~

"Hey Teal'c, where've you been?"

"Colonel Carter, as I told O'Neill, I have been in my quarters performing Kel no'reem."

"Is that because you were not feeling well?"

"Yes. However by this evening I will feel much better."

"After your examination, thats good, you will feel better. Sir all the front line Colonels and Majors are assembled in the Conference Room. We're ready for you now General."

"Sam he won't put goggles on."

"That because theres not enough to go round. Besides he doesn't need goggles."

"Indeed he does Colonel Carter. He most certainly does."

"He needs them a lot more than I do Sam and I've been given a pair."

"You're front line Daniel and no he doesn't need them, not when hes got these."

"Ha hahh, Carter what have you got there?"

"Your flying glasses Sir, I got them out of your locker. We can make them airtight."

"Thank you all, very thoughtful. Lets go!

~ Җ Δ Γ λ μ π ω Σ ≡ µ Π Ψ~

The Conference Room was full. There was an interactive map of the Base on the wall.

"..Field medical, Major for now the best thing to do is set up a small station down on twenty-eight. Suppose the best place to start would be the Gate Room, no, the Control Room, test everybody on the fly. Sweep through the Level anti clockwise taking in the Gate Room second.

This in no way represents an all clear medical, we merely wanna make sure the critical Ops are not being compromised. How many people does that take?"

"Just two Sir."

"Plus a Team as armed back up. Do that on both Levels, twenty-eight and twenty-seven. Move on that now Major, but first of all get your people down here, we all need to be tested, pronto please!"

"Won't be a minute General."

"Wait, wait, wait, sit down Major. How we gonna do this!"

"General??"

"Okay folks we all understand the nature of this Nebulium foe. We've lost people to it. And now its back for more! No More!! Okay, Colonel Carter and Major Griff, as soon as we're tested we'll all move down to the Briefing Room. What I want you to do is seal off twenty-seven thru twenty-eight. Theres only two access points, lifts and shafts on each Level."

"Right Sir, I think you want the same arrangement we had at the NID HQ, airtight seals."

"Yep, that'll do it. Theres no reason for these minkies to stray very far from central Ops so.. .. is everyone's Team in place?"

"Yes Sir!!"

"How long will it take you to sort the access points?"

"Major can you go up to stores and get what we need, I'll meet you at Level twenty-eight elevator in ten."

"On it Colonel."

"Sir with Sergeant Siler as well and if you conduct the medical testing down in the Briefing Room, twenty minutes from now, tops."

"As fast as you can colonel."

"Whats your plan Sir?"

"In the making Reynolds, but in the main we establish status on the Gate and Ops Levels, if we don't find what we're looking for we go hunting the next two Levels up, same procedure, seal the place off et yada."

"Right Sir."

"Questions?"

"Sir what do we do with them once we track them down?"

"Okay Harper, I know whats on your mind. Lieutenant Friez was a good man. We all feel it too."

"Yes Sir!!"

"Fact of the matter is I'm not specifying that until we actually have them, I'll make that choice when I'm faced with it."

"General, understood Sir."

"Err, Colonel, go."

"We're on it Sir."

"Daniel, Teal'c, can you see to it that a Base wide head count gets under way, after which confine everybody to quarters. Okay everybody, Briefing Room!"

~ Җ Δ Γ λ μ π ω Σ ≡ µ Π Ψ~

All the personnel in the Briefing Room were medically cleared. The field nurses, Berry and James, arrived to the Control Room. SG-15 accompanied them. Major Pierce would catch up to them after the Briefing.

Testing in the Control Room was going well. The field nurses had nearly finished when all of a sudden the stacked synchronicity and dampening and calibration monitoring hardware units, standing eight feet tall against the west wall at the end of the Dialling console, crashed to the floor with a walloping bang.

Nobody had been in the direct path of the equipment so there was no injury but everyone was completely stunned. From being completely stunned to then being completely startled as well, everyone in the Control Room, to their utter horror, saw the drained and harrowed looking Master Sergeant Walter Harriman leap out from behind what was left of the fallen hardware equipment. Jeeeeezass Walter, man in the machine, he must have been hiding behind the unit for a day and half. Good gad almighty!!

Nobody knew what to do! They all looked on in sheer shock as Walter got his foot stuck in the patch cables and went a cropper down on top of the smashed amplifiers. He scrambled to his feet but by then everyone was beginning to question his appearance.

"Sir, Sergeant, just hold on a minute."

SG-15 stepped in. They went to grab hold of him. He was clear of the wires now and very fast. He violently knocked into the nurses and shot by SG-15. As quick as anything he leaped down the Control Room steps and into the Gate Room corridor. He fled the scene.

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The officers up in the Briefing Room hearing the fracas had all jumped up. Led by General O'Neill they ran down the stairs to the Control Room. As they got to there Colonel Pearson was running towards the steps down to Level twenty-eight.

"General it was Sergeant Harriman. Sir he went this way."

They all gave chase. The Gate Room defence Units were standing their ground whilst the officers all tore along the Level twenty-eight corridors, chasing after Walter Harriman, Master Sergeant and StarGate soft engineering flight Operator

~ Җ Δ Γ λ μ π ω Σ ≡ µ Π Ψ~

Colonel Carter, Major Griff and Sergeant Siler were waiting at the Level Twenty-seven elevator bay for Daniel and Teal'c to return from Level sixteen Security. It was the only access point left to be sealed, enclosing both Levels and containing any loose Nebulium therein, contained to the total square footage of Levels twenty-seven and twenty-eight of The SGC.

~ Җ Δ Γ λ μ π ω Σ ≡ µ Π Ψ~

Hare and hounds. Walter was springing through the corridors, but there was actually nowhere for him to hide. He was running west ways now, coming back upon himself via the Gate Room annex. Full circle, almost.

Colonel Pearson had dropped out of pursuit. Instead he ran back towards the Gate Room, turning up to the Control Room. He started inputting at Walter's station.

"Em, Colonel em, what are you doing please?"

"General O'Neill's orders Sergeant."

"Right Sir."

"Colonel Sir, could I ask what those orders are?"

"Of course Lieutenant, just.."

Colonel Pearson turned to face Lieutenant Mardan, as he did he collected the Dialling computer keyboard with both hands and slammed the deputy Operator, goodness me, smack, bang, right in his face. The man didn't even have time to scream out. He just fell down, bleeding, all round the mouth.

The staff in the Control Room stopped what they were doing and moved forward. The problem was they couldn't quite read the situation. Had Colonel Pearson just captured a Nebulium, a shell, or.. ..the Colonel actually looked quite normal to everybody.

"Sir?? Colonel??"

"Its okay. Keep your eye on him. I'll just go and get General O'Neill."

Colonel Pearson practically jumped down the Control Room steps. As he reached the Gate Room corridor the StarGate began to Dial. Everyone on Level twenty-seven and twenty-eight could hear the Gate Dialling.

~ Җ Δ Γ λ μ π ω Σ ≡ µ Π Ψ~

The elevator door opened on Level twenty-seven. Daniel and Teal'c stepped out.

"Oh, whats that Sam?"

"Follow me!"

Colonel Carter ran towards the Briefing Room.

"Major finish off!"

"On it Colonel."

She reached the Briefing Room with Daniel and Teal'c and literally fell down to the Control Room.

"What the hecks going on?"

She saw the bloody deputy Operator being comforted by other members off Staff.

"Whats this??"

"Colonel, Colonel Pearson Ma'am."

"What about him. Where is he?"

"Hes just gone down to find General O'Neill."

"Whats happened here?"

"He hit Lieutenant Mardan, he just struck him down, knocked him out."

"Why? Has he been tested?"

"Who Ma'am?"

"Well em, both of them. Lieutenant have you been tested?"

"Yes Ma'am."

His teeth were red and there was blood dripping down Lieutenant Mardan's chin.

"Yes Colonel. He was tested. I tested him, hes clear Ma'am. And hes had his goggles on since being tested."

"And Colonel Pearson?"

"We didn't test him. We've not tested him yet Ma'am. That's when Sergeant Harriman.. ..well you've seen the damage hes done, so we didn't get a chance to test the Colonel."

"Is somebody coming in?"

"No Ma'am, that was Colonel Pearson, under orders from General O'Neill."

"Under orders from General O'Neill. General O'Neill wouldn't give orders to Dial up the Gate. Code Five!"

"Well that's what Colonel Pearson said."

"Wheres the keyboard?"

"There it is Ma'am, and there as well."

"Oh my gawd!"

"Is it broken Sam?"

"Completely. Its in bits."

"Do you need the keyboard?"

"Yeah of course."

"Well okay what about this one, I can unplug it."

"No we need the.. ..gawd!"

"Colonel Carter I will get a keyboard."

"Special Stores Teal'c."

"Yes."

"We're sealed off."

"..Yerss. I can ask Major Griff and Sergeant Siler to provide access for me into the utility.."

"Oh gawd! Teal'c just hold on a minute."

"That was Chevron Three Ma'am!"

"Yeah I can see that. Wheres General O'Neill? Pass me that radio! General. General, Carter here."

"Yeah reading you."

"Colonel Pearson's compromised. Did you give orders for the Gate to be Dialled?"

"What?? No! We're heading to the Gate Room now. Isn't it incoming??"

"No Sir. Colonel Pearson is compromised, hes infected."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes Sir. Hes Dialled up the Gate.

"Tell me we know where he Dialled?"

"We know Sir. Nifla!"

"Shut it down!!"

"We can't get in, hes wrecked the keyboard."

"Theres one in my office Carter."

"Sir a Chevron keyboard."

"In the locked cabinet in my office, came through about a week ago, I didn't get round to sending down to Stores. Get onto Bowkervale, he'll sort it."

"Colonel Carter, Reynolds here."

"Tony whats up?"

"Which way did Pearson go?"

"No idea hold on. Which way did he go?"

"Colonel we don't know, he went down the steps to Level twenty-eight. He said he was going to find General O'Neill. I'm sorry Ma'am, we didn't see."

"Did you get that Colonel?"

"Yeah. Okay. We're heading back east ways towards the Gate Room corridor. The General and the others are going round towards the annex."

"Copy that."

"Chevron Five engaged!"

~ Җ Δ Γ λ μ π ω Σ ≡ µ Π Ψ~

Daniel and Teal'c stepped out from the Control Room and down onto the Gate Room corridor. They were literally swept off their feet by a milky white blur.

"What the hell was that?"

Daniel was on his back on the floor. Teal'c was half kneeling down. He nodded to Daniel, indicating to him to look further up the corridor. An SF was flaked out on the floor in a shell like crumble.

Astonished, Teal'c felt himself being tugged. He was being pulled backwards by the milky white cloud like Nebulium tugging on his vest. He got up onto his feet to confront the creature only to fall back down again on to one knee. He was clutching at his tummy. The pain was out of control. It was drenching his body. He couldn't even open his eyes let alone look around.

Daniel was getting himself up off the floor, he wanted to help Teal'c. He felt a sharp pain in his back. Colonel Pearson had deliberately run into him, leading his foot hard into Daniel's lower back. He then ran passed Daniel groaning on the floor and dived at Teal'c who was now in so much agony he couldn't resist.

Colonel Pearson and the milky white Nebulium began to pull Teal'c backwards into the Gate Room. They were undeterred by the presence of the Gate Room defence force.

Sergeant Walter Harriman entered the Gate Room from the other side. The defence Teams began to advance on Walter and the other two doing their damnedest to pull Teal'c along the ground.

Walter held his hands up as if to surrender but still continued to move towards Teal'c, the shell and the raw state.

Chevron Seven was Dialled, locked and engaged. The Gate was still Dialling. Instead of waiting for the StarGate to initialise Colonel Carter activated the automated oxygen release system Sergeant Siler had recently installed.

The Gate was still Dialling.

Walter leapt high and came down round behind Teal'c. He grabbed hold of Teal'c who really was in no condition whatsoever to be moved, put upon or resist. As soon as Walter took a hold of Teal'c the milky white effort flew off, springing and darting and jumping all over the place, out of the Gate Room and down the eastwards Gate Room corridor. As quick as a storm it passed Daniel and sped on unknowingly towards crisis, Colonel Reynolds, Major Harper and Major Furness.

The Nebulium flipped over the heads of Colonel Reynolds and Major Harper and kicked into Major Furness at speed. As the Major fell to the ground the Nebulium, still in flight, snatched at the goggles covering his face. It ripped them off. As Reynolds and Harper looked on helplessly the Nebulium sank itself into Major Furness. They couldn't shoot it as Major Furness was the backdrop.

"General! General! Major Furness is down. We're in the Gate Room eastwards corridor. Sir hes just been infected. Hes here Sir on the floor. Its gone in him. We need one of those helmets."

"We're on our way!"

General O'Neill split the group. He sent some forward to continue pursuing Sergeant Harriman. He turned back to cover his tracks down to the Gate Room corridor. He took Pierce and Green with him.

"Stand over him. Don't let him move! Pin him down. Don't let him move! We're on our way."

"Yes Sir."

He moved! He moved very very quickly. Seconds after the last milky wisps disappeared into Major Furness's eye, he jumped himself up and started to continue running along the Gate Room corridor.

Daniel with a sore back, was just about getting up. He drew his zat'nik'atel on Furness but decided not to fire. Daniel was aware that shots on the shell from the zat'nik'atel induced the Nebulium to break down, invariably killing the shell. Daniel allowed Furness to pass without further injury, into the Gate Room.

Colonel Reynolds and Major Harper caught up to Daniel. They too had drawn zats. They too had not fired on Furness.

Chevron Eight was locked and waiting for Chevron Nine.

Major Furness got to the Gate Room and stopped leaping. He walked in casually and gestured to the forces to lower their weapons. They did so but very unwillingly.

"Sir??"

He made the hand signal for okay.

Nobody was buying that, but he was a senior officer and as such.. ..they lowered their weapons but did not stand down! Because this terrible situation had arisen during the Briefing the officers had not yet instructed their Units to switch to open broadcast.

"Carter! Carter!"

"Sir?"

"The Iris?"

"Open."

"Carter we need that Iris! Close it down. Now!!"

"Sir keyboard, we can't just plug it in. Problems!"

"Doesn't matter, close it down! Throw the thingy switch, the em, the thingy switch Carter!"

"Yeah, Sir, got it, got it. The synchronisation switch, reset switch."

"Is it on??"

"Sir its coiling now."

"Standby!"

"You men, raise your weapons, that's an order!!"

Colonel Carter had been underneath the Dialling console looking for away in, she hadn't seen Furness enter.

"Major Furness stand down!!"

The officers who had continued the west ways pursuit turned up at the annex. General O'Neill and Majors Pierce and Green came into the Gate Room corridor.

"Chevron Nine locked and in place!"

Whppsshhh!

A wormhole formed but the Iris had prematurely rebounded its vortex. After about two minutes the Iris began to thunderously shake and vibrate. It was making a hell of a lot of noise. You could feel its shaking underfoot throughout the whole of Levels twenty-seven and eight. It made you tremble. The vibrations from the StarGate were making people shake. As they walked and ran they trembled.

"Carter what the hells going on? The whole Base is shaking."

"Sir it's the wormhole. Its em, I don't know Sir, I don't know whats going on. I think its something to do with not letting the vortex perform, Ninth Chevron Nth Dimension General. Unknown quantity."

"I know this much Carter, we need to get it shut down! Now!!"

"Working on it Sir! At this rate, if it keeps up, it could even pull the Iris in."

"Almost there Carter."

Daniel, Colonel Reynolds and Major Harper we're trying to talk to Colonel Pearson and Major Furness.

General O'Neill and Majors Pierce and Green came into the Gate Room behind Colonel Reynolds, Major Harper and Daniel. General O'Neill was genuinely shocked and upset. The sight of seeing Teal'c half kneeling and hunched up on the floor and being dragged backwards by Sergeant Harriman and Colonel Pearson was making him feel sick.

Colonel Pearson had unholstered his 9 mil revolver and was holding it against Teal'c's temple.

"No hesitation. keep your distance. Open!"

He pointed at the StarGate's Iris.

It took General O'Neill half a minute to regain himself.

"Carter??"

She was at the Control Room viewing window. Before she could plug the Chevron keyboard in she had to shut the Dialling computer down. The only way to do that was to jump the system. It would need to completely reboot before it would operate with a new keyboard attached.

She had an idea. She dropped to the floor, crawled under the control panel and plugged the Chevron keyboard in the secondary systems hardware.

"Get the secondary systems on line now. Hurry please! Hurry, urgent!!"

"Its hot Ma'am!"

"General, got it!!"

As soon as the system came on line she flipped priority, crashing the master system but retaining auxiliary control. The wormhole cut away and the StarGate came to ground.

"You will release us."

"Teal'c? Teal'c??"

Teal'c was in so much pain he couldn't talk.

"Open the #!!"

General O'Neill guessed the Nebulium was referring to the StarGate. It said something, some ear popping sound, but at the same time the Pearson shell gestured to the StarGate so.. ..doubtless.

"What? What do you want?"

"You release us now!"

"What, do, you, want??"

"You are human!"

"And you are hiding inside my men. Get out!!"

"Release us!!"

"Listen me amigo, you're under some kind of de, lusion, if you think you're getting out of here with my people. You're not going anywhere."

The Gate Room defence force was very imposing. They were inching in on the infected. The blast door to the annex was now closed and the main door to the Gate Room was only slightly open, and well guarded.

"Look, just tell me what you want I'll consider letting you go."

"Human slave we do not accept your attitude."

"Really? What, do, you, want??"

"You are not real."

"What? Then why are your lips still moving?"

"Mark my word, we do not accept you. Inferior!"

"Well if you insist, you're marked!!"

Ou, sinister O'Neill.

"T? Teal'c can you hear me?"

"O'Neill I am not.."

Teal'c may have passed out.

Colonel Pearson aimed the gun at himself while he and Major Furness dragged Teal'c to the bottom of the StarGate grid ramp.

"Come no closer to us!"

General O'Neill issued the hold signal.

"Human open the #!"

"No can do. You give me back my people and I'll let you go!"

Colonel Pearson spoke to Sergeant Harriman, shell to shell..

"Rost i ma, rost err marr"

He then began to bark inaudible sounds at Walter. Sergeant Harriman stepped out from behind Teal'c and Major Furness and begad something wicked you ain't never before seen, Walter started shaking his head about and screaming madness at the troops, he then ran at them from the ramp and leapt unbelievably high up to the Control Room viewing glass.

He slammed into the glass full force. A horrified Colonel Carter and Control Room staff saw blood splatter on the re-enforced glass as Walter slid down and disappeared out of view.

There was complete silence in the Gate Room. Everybody was terribly upset. How in heavens name could they stop the shells from hurting themselves. If they went for them the infected personnel would shoot themselves and Teal'c too.

You couldn't see it but General O'Neill had closed his eyes as he saw Walter aiming for the Control Room glass. He heard the crunch though good and loud. Actually he heard a skull fractured, they all did. Everyone in the Control Room had ducked down, fearful that Walter was going to ram through the glass.

General O'Neill made well informed decisions. He signalled to Colonel Carter to cut the automated oxygen delivery. It was obvious to him the Nebulium had become excessively desperate. And the more desperate they became the less chance he had of recovering his people. He had a plan!

"Wait there!"

Colonel Pearson's creature did not expect that.

"Release!!"

"Okay. You release Teal'c. I release you!"

Without further ado General O'Neill turned and left the Gate Room. He nodded to Daniel who then flanked him out of the Room. Everyone else held their positions. The tension was so thick even the shells were not moving. A hurt and bleeding Walter had since sprung back to the grid ramp. Three conjoined units of military men and Nebulium. The three shells we're holding themselves as well as Teal'c hostage.

~ Җ Δ Γ λ μ π ω Σ ≡ µ Π Ψ~

Major Griff and Sergeant Siler were in the Control Room now. Colonel Carter was bringing them up to speed.

"General!"

"Sir!"

"Sir what can I do?"

"Griff round everybody up and get back here pronto. Oh, err, elevators, use 'em. 2, 3, 5, no not 5, 6, 8, 15. Not a sound. Have everyone stay back down the corridor. Not a whisper! Geared up and ready Griff."

"Yeah I'll get on that."

"Everyone out of sight and sound Griff, but as soon as that Gate deactivates with this lot I want everyone ready to go."

"Right now General, on it!"

Major Griff took off up towards the Briefing Room.

General O'Neill stood in the Control Room away from the viewing glass. He didn't want to see any more of what he'd already seen.

"Sir hows Teal'c?"

"Can you see him Carter?"

"Yes Sir.. ..yes Sir."

"Colonel, Daniel, straight up to Stores. Em, just wait. Sergeant go and get Lieutenant Bowkervale."

"Sir."

"Okay, straight up to Stores. Get as much C4, detonators et cetera as you can carry, as much, as you can carry!"

"Yes Sir. Is it..?"

"I'll tell you when you come back. Make it snappy!"

"Snappy Sir."

"Just that Jack?"

"Yep. ASAP!"

"General you sent for me?"

"Lieutenant call up to Stores, okay the requisition."

"What requisition Sir?"

"Whatever they want, Colonel Carter and Doctor Jackson."

"Sir."

Major Griff came back to the Control Room via the Briefing room.

"Sir just be a few minutes, they're on their way."

"Okay Griff. Em, oh, err, Pierce and Reynolds they're in err, okay, right, never mind. Right Griff, just waiting for Colonel Carter and Daniel to get back."

"Sir."

"Sergeant hows it looking?"

"General I think they've let Teal'c go, they're not holding him."

"Whats he doing?"

"Sir hes kneeling on the floor. Hes not moving."

"And where are they?"

"Sir they're a few feet away from Teal'c. They're to the left, towards the annex, to the left of the StarGate, of the ramp."

"Okay Sergeant. Start to Dial. You've got the coordinates?"

"General Colonel Carters already inputted the sequence."

"How slow can you go?"

"Sir shes done an automatic Dial."

"Hold on. Carter? Carter?"

"General, you said shes gone to Stores?"

"Thats where she is Griff."

"Theres a dampner round the munitions Stores, she won't pick anything up until she leaves the area."

"Of course there is. Okay. Start Dialling."

"Yes Sir."

"Whats Walter doing, Sergeant Harriman?"

"Sir hes just there next to Colonel Pearson and Major Furness. Sir they're just standing there, they're not doing anything."

"Um. Griff stay back. Don't go err, stay away from the glass."

"Whats up Sir?"

"Well lets face it we don't actually know anything about them apart from the fact that they, jeez, Griff we don't know if they can read body language, we don't know if they can read minds, gawd knows, just stay away from them. I don't want them picking up on what we're about to do."

"Sure Sir."

"Major Fielding come in."

"Here Sir?"

"Get in the Gate Room now please and attend to Teal'c."

"Doing that now General."

"Chevron Four locked Sir!"

"Let me see."

"Sir we took what was there."

"Daniel?"

"Jack we're using a primer detonator."

"Okay. What else have you got there?"

"Some P90 mags Jack."

"Good."

"Sir are we going to the pyramid?"

"You're going to the pyramid Carter, Griff as well. As soon as they go through the Gate, Carter you need to sort this out now, as soon as they go through the Gate you get that pyramid Dialled up straight away, get everybody through, rapid.

What we wanna do is erm, we should have at least a tiny bit of time from them leaving here to them Dialling up the Gate on Nifla. We're gonna beat them there."

"We're going to beat them there Sir..?"

"We can beat them back to the pyramid, lay a trap for them. Get our people back, take them straight through to the Beta Site.

What I want is this, Griff you're lead on attack group. Reynolds Team is, Sergeant just go and get Sergeant Jaspers and Major Yardly. Go that way."

General O'Neill pointed up to the Briefing Room.

"Sir."

"Griff I want you by the Gate, SG-8 by the Gate, Medical. Daniel, Carter, you two in the pyramid setting timers, I want you to set C4. Jaspers get in here. Right, SG-3, you're going to the pyramid any moment now. You're on SG-1's six. You follow them into the pyramid. You cover their six, fifteen, twenty meters on their six. Watch them at all times. Cover their back. They're going in, they're coming out. They're going in, setting timers, coming out."

"Right General, got it."

"Right thats you. Griff.. ..you, SG-8, Pierce's Team, and.. ..SG-6. Right, 6, Yardly I want you down at the Gate. The second the Gate disengages from here flank it on either side. I want Pierce's Team, err.."

"Sir I'll go and get him."

"Thanks Griff."

After a few minutes Major Griff came back in with Lieutenant Benson, SG-15.

"Jerry I want SG-15 behind the Gate literally. You stay up there on that platform. Watch for those winds because theres one heck of a drop down there. Colonel there shouldn't be any problem with them standing behind the Gate?"

"No Sir. Effectively they'll be behind the tear, they won't see the event horizon, they'll just see the shells appear, as if from nowhere."

"So there you go Lieutenant, should be fine. As soon as they come in from Nifla and the Gate disengages, 15 closes in behind them."

"General how will we know the StarGate's disengaged?"

"You'll see the people, the shells in front of you. Oh, Carter?"

"You won't know its disengaged, well you should hear it but even if you don't just come through when you see them. Rush through though, don't walk! Should be fine."

"Okay, so grab 'em and bag them, that's that. Get them shipped over to Colin over at the Beta Site. That's it. Just do it!"

"General totally doable Sir!"

"Good. Carter can you sort Griff out with the Nine Chev number for the Beta Site, oh shoot! Damn!"

"Sir its alright, we'll use the same procedure you Briefed everyone on for the em.."

"Yeah General its fine.."

"You know where you're up to Griff?"

"Yes Sir, we just use the route you set up originally for the transfer from thirty-one A to the Beta Site."

"Nice one Griff. Carter can you sort Griff out with the Eight and Nine Chev numbers for the Beta Site from Nifla to jeez, from 377 to Nifla and from Nifla to Beta Site. Can you sort it out now, now!"

"Yep."

"Jack let me do it. I'll do it. I'll sort it out."

"Thanks Daniel."

"Thanks Daniel."

"Sir What we doing with the C4?"

"Well lets just say put paid to painful Carter. You've heard Joe Begly's news. They've got more that one access, more than one crystallo-system, they can come and go as they gawd damn please. They're not gonna give up, they're gonna keep on trying."

"Sir the Kresh'taa?"

"Well maybe they'll thank us. Or maybe they'll think the whole damn pyramid fell in on itself, just lets get our people back."

"Chevron Eight General."

"Carter can you speed up the Dialling?"

"Yeah I can do Sir. In fact, excuse me.."

Colonel Carter sat down at the Dialling console and began to create a new Dial sequence for the next Dial out to the 377 pyramid. She shaved off as much Dialling time as possible. It would be a quick Dial and it would be quick enough to beat the Nebulium Dialling from Nifla. The trick was to get everybody through the StarGate quick enough so as not to raise suspicions.

"Chevron Nine General. Locked! Engaged Sir. Established!"

Whppsshhh!

"Okay, just err, sit tight."

"Yes Sir."

"Are we alright with the Iris Carter?"

"Yes Sir its reset."

"The Shaking?"

"It will be okay for a few minutes."

"Griff?"

"Yes General. Just checked, everybody's lined up ready."

"Okay. Standby Griff."

"General. I'll be down in the corridor."

"Okay. Sergeant hows Teal'c?"

"Sir hes still there. Major Fieldings with him. Hes on one knee, looks like hes getting up. I think he probably feels fine now."

"What??"

"General I'm sure that's how he feels now."

"Sergeant don't give me gawd damn proxy, I can see how he feels, and I'll tell ya, its definitely not fine."

" Yes Sir you're right, I'm sorry Sir."

"Don't worry about it, just keep your eye on him. Carter how we doing with that?"

"Almost done."

"Daniel? In fact double your six and keep safe. Take SG-4 in with you as well."

"Okay Jack."

Daniel ran off. He actually ran down to the Gate Room corridor except that he went via the Level twenty-seven elevator. That was done in order to keep the noise factor down in the corridor. As soon as Daniel got down there he discussed it with Major Griff who in turn took off to rally SG-4, in record time.

"Jack?"

"Go on Daniel."

"Major Griff's just gone to sort it out."

"Okay. Tell me when they're ready."

"General, Teal'c's standing up now. Hes err, standing up Sir."

"I'd better get down there Carter. We're gonna need to open that thing up and let them out. Are we ready to go?"

"Sir just one more minute please."

"Okay Carter, quick minute."

"Jack we're ready!"

"Very good Daniel, standby!"

"Sir done!"

"I'd better get down there make sure Teal'cs okay. Okay Carter, announce it then open it up."

"Sir!"

Colonel Carter instructed Gate Room defence to stand down. She open the Iris. There was excitement on the grid ramp. Without looking round Sergeant Harriman made a break and ran into the event horizon. Major Furness did the same. He didn't look round just ran straight into the horizon, straight to Nifla.

General O'Neill entered the Gate Room in time to see Colonel Pearson barking at Teal'c. More inaudible sounds. Sickly sounds. Low tones. Pearson started to walk toward the event horizon. No hurry intended.

Teal'c started screaming at the top of his voice. It rattled everyone. General O'Neill's sharp intake of breath got stuck in his throat. For a long instant a one worded terror passed through him. Microwave. Teal'c was screaming and screaming. He began ripping at his clothes. He pulled his vest and jacket off. He ripped his black swat T-shirt off. Bare from the waist up. He fell down to his knees with a whack.

He tilted his head back and his arms were spread open.

"Aaaarrrrhhh!!"

He was shouting out but very quietly. Colonel Pearson was watching Teal'c suffer horrendously. The Colonel viciously demonstrated his infection's sneer of delight. A cold chill was running through the Gate defence's vein. To see a strong man like Teal'c brought down to his knees. It was a freezing cold shock for everybody.

Teal'c fell backwards injuring his head on the ground. His arms were still out spread. He was in so much pain. He couldn't speak. He couldn't move. General O'Neill's eyes were wild with emotion. He was steaming with anger. He wanted to make a run for Pearson but realised it would be pointless. The shell was practically in the horizon.

He ran to Teal'c and grabbed his hand.

"Teal'c? Teal'c? Teal'c buddy come on. Come on!!"

Totally unexpected, General O'Neill suddenly scrambled on the floor, rushing backwards a few feet away from Teal'c. Still down on the floor the General starred at Teal'c's stomach. His abdomen had become very distended and there was a lot of movement just below the surface. The General was shouting at him.

"T! Teal'c gawd damn it!! Come on man!!"

Defence had moved in closer with their guns all trained on Teal'c. Colonel Pearson was still at the StarGate's horizon scrutinising the situation.

"Teal'c!! Aaaahh!! Jeeezzzass!!"

A hand appeared out of Teal'c's stomach, all milky white and grabbing.

General O'Neill nimbly jumped to his feet and stood over Teal'c with his zat gun.

"Aw gad! Ah Jeez!! Jeez!! T? Nobody shoot!! No one shoot! Carter? Carter??"

He held up his zat gun to Colonel Carter. She shouted down.

"No Sir! No General, disintegration Sir!"

General O'Neill stepped further back away from Teal'c, all the time watching his friend wallow on the ground in the most severe amount of torment. He took a deep breath and ran at Teal'c, booting him in the chin with the flat of his sole. Teal'c stopped crying out. There was still progressive movement in his abdomen though. They all looked on helpless to help.

General O'Neill grabbed an SF's P90 and aimed it at Colonel Pearson. Pearson was still at the event horizon. He looked at General O'Neill and leered. General O'Neill didn't shoot his Colonel. He threw the machine gun back to the SF.

The ground around the StarGate was beginning to shake now. As Colonel Carter said it may well have been to do with the fact that the Iris prevented the Nine Chevroned wormhole from fully initialising. Pearson was still at the horizon. General O'Neill had already instructed that the wormhole not be disengaged until they were ready to Dial P7X 377.

The Nebulium twisted and drilled out of Teal'c's symbiote pouch. It darted in amongst the Gate Room defence force. Running and weaving between and around their legs. It was building up speed.

"Aw gawddd!! Jeeeezzas!!"

Everybody looked at General O'Neill who looked sick with anguish. Seeing the General's direction they all looked at Teal'c. This time a pair of hands appeared out of his stomach. It was absolute mayhem in the Gate Room. The StarGate was quaking the Base so much so that in the Gate Room it was difficult to be heard. One of the milky white fiends was ranting about and had the Airmen jumping to avoid it.

Thank goodness O'Neill had seen to it that Teal'c wasn't awake. The second Nebulium wasted no time. It stocked its exit velocity and literally threw itself out of Teal'c. It flew straight up high into the air and then began to spin and fall out of control landing down on the grid ramp. It hesitated, and then moved towards the horizon then hesitated again. It silently barked at Colonel Pearson and then leapt off the grid ramp down onto the Gate Room floor. It started racing around.

Colonel Pearson slipped into the event horizon and disappeared.

General O'Neill was down on one knee checking Teal'c out with Major Fielding.

The other Nebulium, the first one out, had now built up sufficient speed. It scampered up the wall and bounded off the Control Room viewing glass. It sprang over the troops aiming down, it hit the floor once and bounded up again. It flew at Teal'c fast passed General O'Neill and Major Fielding. It sank straight into Teal'c's eye. It shrank into his right ocular cavity, shrink wrap!

The force of the infection lifted Teal'c at least a meter off the floor and shunted him backwards nearer to the grid ramp. Teal'c hit the ground but didn't feel it.

General O'Neill didn't say a word. He was speechlessly gob smacked. Colonel Carter was shouting down from the Control Room but her words were talking a bit of time to be absorbed. The feeling in the Gate Room was that of unbelievableness. They were all reacting professionally but also they were all totally stunned. It was a feeling of detachment.

"Pin him down! Pin him down!!"

Oh. That's what Colonel Carter was shouting, it had sounded so far off and in the distance, miles and miles away from the Gate Room, away from normality. General O'Neill dived on Teal'c and tried to pin him down. Major Pierce and Major Green and Major Fielding followed the General's lead. Major Pierce and Major Fielding grabbed Teal'c's legs. Major Green grabbed one of his arms. General O'Neill had his forearm anchored across Teal'c's chest pushing him down against the floor.

The second Nebulium made a beeline for Nurse Berry. She'd raised her goggles in order to take a better reading off the thermometer she'd used to take Teal'c's temperature. The Nebulium had only one purpose. Purpose achieved! It hailed into Berry's ocular cavity and sponged into the auditory nerve.

After a moments paralyasion Berry dropped what she was doing and charged at the horizon. She was to quick and everyone was in to much of an array to stop her.

Teal'c broke free of the loose shell shocked grips they had on him. His body was a wave of movement. He rose up and practically did a back flip onto the ramp. He stumbled to the horizon but was resisting going through. Somehow he found the strength.

"O'Neill!"

General O'Neill was going nuts! He was on the ramp now moving towards Teal'c. He had both hands raised, palms open and in a friendly manner was gesturing for Teal'c to come towards him, away from the horizon. The General looked up at the Control Room, at Colonel Carter. He was looking for options. There were none. If she shut the Gate down they would loose the Dialling advantage to P7X 377. If she shut the Iris Teal'c would probably loose an arm, or worse.

"T, come on, walk to me, come on. T, look at me. Come to me."

"Do not follow O'Neill!"

His voice was weak, shattered.

"You must not! Colonel Carter. Daniel Jackson."

He had to pause to breathe.

"It is not safe! He must not!!"

General O'Neill dived at Teal'c. The Nebulium inside him pushed the Teal'c shell into the event horizon. General O'Neill had managed to snatch hold of Teal'c's leg. The General was on lying flat on the ramp as Teal'c reluctantly stepped into the event horizon. General O'Neill still had a grip of him. His arms went with Teal'c into the Horizon. He urgently let go and snatched his arms back. He shouted out in fear.

"Aaaaahhhhh!!"

Everyone panicked. General O'Neill held both hands up and shook them in the air.

Safe!

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© Richard Dean Anderson all rights reserved June 2006