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Inside the prison cell, Carter, Fraiser and Senga had made themselves as comfortable as possible on the cold floor. Carter finally plucked up the courage to ask the question plaguing her, "Senga, why did you send us home, knowing the men were infected?" Senga gazed at her steadily, "I did not know that they could be infected so quickly," she said. "In the past, men have not shown signs of the curse for several hours, I hoped that if you left quickly they would not be affected." "Well they are." snapped Fraiser. Senga hung her head. "I am sorry," she said quietly, "I have done your world a great disservice." Fraiser softened. "It's okay. The disease can't survive on our planet." She looked around their cramped quarters. "We'd probably be able to beat this thing if we weren't in here." She broke off as marching footsteps were heard outside the door. The footsteps passed by and faded.
"Where does this disease come from, Senga?" asked Carter. Senga looked over at her, "It was a punishment, a parting shot from the Goa'uld. We rebelled against their rule, expelled them from our planet," she grimaced, "But if there is one thing a Goa'uld hates, it is to lose. They poisoned our air. Within a year every male on the planet was dead. At first we did not realize what was happening. Any man who came to this planet died, even the Jaafa who were trapped when the Goa'uld fled. Our doctors tried everything." "Why didn't you leave?" asked Fraiser. "Our ancestors had a greater concern for our neighbors. They were afraid that we would spread the plague wherever we went. It was many years before we discovered we only carried the disease, and since we had no children, we could not pass it on. Since then our doctors have become experts in genetic engineering. Our children are grown in laboratories, but they do not carry the plague." "And without males, you can not procreate." "Exactly. It would appear that the plague is as virulent as ever. We can not cure it. And yet, we still need a varied genetic pool. That's why the law was passed."
"That law!" exclaimed Carter. "What, exactly is it for?" "The law states that any male found on the planet must be turned over to the Medical Ministry for gene extraction." said Senga. Carter and Fraiser looked at each other in horror. Senga nodded, "I hope you will forgive me, for allowing you to leave," she said dryly. "What do we do?" asked Fraiser. Senga was thoughtful, "You said the plague could not live on your planet?" Fraiser nodded. "Then you already have a head start." Senga grew quiet as footsteps returned outside. Again they passed the cell door. Senga checked her timepiece. "Very well, we will go to the Medical Ministry, we will see if there is anything there that you can use. Then you will return to your planet. If you discover a cure you will share it with us." "Fine by me." said Carter, "But aren't you overlooking something?" she gestured round the cell.
Senga grinned. She crossed to the door and prised a panel off the wall, then reached in to the gap with a tooth from the comb that held back her hair, "It took a while ..." she said. There was a brief flash of light and then the door opened. Senga checked both ways then stepped out waving her hand for the other two to follow. Neither Carter nor Fraiser needed a second invitation, they hurried out after her. "How did you do that?" asked Carter in wonder. Senga was smug, "They should have remembered that I commanded the Parliament Guard for three years." Madam Portia stood in the centre of the parliament chamber, she watched as her principal ministers filed in to stand in front of her. As the last one entered she nodded to Matep to close the doors. For a moment she regarded the women, "Forgive the late hour, my friends, but this matter could not wait." She beckoned Matep forward. "We have been contacted by a race of people whose planet is resistant to the plague." announced Matep. "They also possess a portal between the worlds. If we can take control of that portal we will have a regular supply of genetic material to ensure our race's survival."
The surrounding women broke into conversation. Portia held up a hand for silence. Then spoke; "Councillors, we have the best opportunity we have had for three centuries! The Goa'uld thought that we would crumble, dwindle away, but we did not! Our ancestors made hard choices to ensure our survival, and now we must do the same. We have the chance to guarantee our continued existence, without giving up our independence. I say we take it!" The women looked on in silence. One at last said, "You mean to farm this planet?" she shook her head, "We will be no better than the Goa'uld!" Portia turned to her in displeasure, "There is no question of that, Minister Salia. They will be well treated."
"Could we not ally with these people?" asked one of the women. Matep snorted, "Ally? Forgive me, Madam Portia. How could we ally with them, Doctor? What could we offer them? Death? No, conquest is the only answer." "Peace, Matep!" said Portia. "I have considered that option, Doctor, and it is too dangerous. We must never again be slaves. We must have sole control over this endeavour. They cannot have a choice!" Portia looked around at the council. "Matep will lead the expedition. I assure you, fellow councillors, that there is no other way. Until we find a cure for the disease we must be strong." As she said this, Portia stared at the doctor, who looked away. Portia continued, "Be strong! And pray for our success!" The council bowed to Portia and filed out, some of them were subdued, others talked excitedly. Portia beckoned Matep over. "You do know how to find this world?" she asked. Matep squared her shoulders. "Not at present, Madam Portia. But I know the best way to find the route." "Our prisoners?" Matep nodded, "One of them will tell me, otherwise ..." Matep paused, "the other will watch her friend die." "So be it." Portia left the chamber.
In an observation room off the main SGC medical bay, three teams of doctors and technicians were working. The doctor in charge paged through the papers on a clipboard. "We're missing something!" he exclaimed Behind him orderlies monitored the vital signs of the male members of SG-1. Daniel Jackson lay on his side, above him a T.V. screen was showing an ice hockey match, the mute was on. Jackson stared vacuously at the screen, a thin thread of spittle escaping from his mouth. Teal'c lay flat on his back, an oversized plastic flower protruding from a top pocket, his hand pulsed rhthymically at the plastic bulb for the water, but nothing emerged from the flower. Between them lay Colonel O'Neill. His breathing was laboured, yet rapid. Abruptly all his movement ceased. Immediately the monitors sounded an alarm.. Orderlies rushed over to the bed side. CPR was administered, then adrenaline. One of the doctors brought out the de-fibulator. They had to shock the Colonel three times before his heart responded. But respond it did. The doctor breathed out in relief, then looked up to the observation deck where his superior was watching. "That was close." he said. Through the glass the doctor nodded, then turned to his teams, "We're running out of time." he said.
Senga, Fraiser and Carter hurried along the corridor of the Medical Ministry. Senga paused outside a door and keyed the lock. The door swept open. Inside all was dark. Senga motioned the others inside, and quickly followed. Once inside with the door closed, Senga turned on the lights. Fraiser gasped when she saw the ranks of test benches and filing cabinets around the walls. "This is it," said Senga. "Everything you need will be here..." she looked around, then said somewhat forlornly...somewhere." "Split up," ordered Carter. The others nodded. Fraiser started at one end, Senga in the middle, Carter at the other. Frantically they opened drawers, desperately searching for anything to help them. Suddenly Fraiser called out. She withdrew a tray from the blocks as if she had just found the holy grail. "This ... this ... this is a cure for cancer!" Senga looked up, "Is it of any use for our particular problem?"
Fraiser stared at her in shock, "Not exactly," she finally admitted. "Then put it away and take it with you." said Senga impatiently. Fraiser nodded, and settled the tray of antigens in a container. All of a sudden they heard the lock mechanism sound as someone keyed in the code. Senga reacted immediately, she shut the drawer she had been rifling through, grabbed Fraiser's arm with one hand and propelled her towards an alcove in the wall. Carter ducked down behind a workbench. Senga turned off the lights and ducked behind another bench. None of them dared breathe.
Matep strode confidently down the prison corridor with two guards flanking her. When they reached the right cell door, Matep motioned one of the guards forward. The guard moved up to the door and entered the code. Nothing happened. The guard punched the keys again. Still nothing. She looked at Matep nervously and then tried a third time. The door remained closed. In exasperation Matep tried, when there was no response she lowered her staff weapon and fired at the door until it melted through. The guard stepped forward. "There is no one there, Commander!" "Senga!" Matep growled. She punched the wall in frustration. The door to the laboratory opened and the lights blazed out. Minister Salia followed the doctor in to the room, "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Minister." said the doctor as she entered, "Normally I would not trespass on your time, but these are not normal circumstances." The Doctor made sure that she locked the door behind them. "What is the meaning of this?," asked Salia, her nervousness apparent. "I have something you should see, Minister." said the doctor crossing to one of the cabinets. She pulled out one of the trays and laid it before the minister.
The minister stepped forward. "What is it?" The doctor stared at the tray of samples, "It is a cure for the plague, Minister." Salia gaped in shock. Behind her work bench Senga gasped, then deciding that she had nothing to lose, she rose from her hiding place, "I'll take that, Doctor." The minister and doctor jumped round in fright. Senga moved over to the bench. She looked down at the tray. She saw the dust coating the plastic. "Why?" she asked helplessly. The doctor could not look her in the eye. She turned to the minister, "We have had this cure for decades," she said. Then she turned back to Senga. "I was ordered not to reveal it's existence. And I saw what happened to those who disagreed with Portia. Doctor Shira died in an 'accidental' fire. I didn't want that to happen to me." the doctor hung her head.
Carter and Fraiser emerged from their hiding places at the same time. Fraiser rested her hand on the doctor's arm, "We bide our time." she said, gently. The doctor raised her eyes and smiled. Minister Salia nodded, "Take this cure." she said, "Return home. We will make sure that this never happens again." Senga looked at her in gratitude.
Suddenly an alarm rang out. Everyone started. "They can't know what I've told you!" exclaimed the doctor. "I think that means that they want to talk to us," said Senga. The minister handed the specimen tray to her. "Hurry!" she cried. "You must get out of here!" Carter and Fraiser swiftly moved to the door. Senga hesitated, "What about you?" The doctor pushed her towards the door. She braced herself. "We will stay here. There must be some voice of opposition in the council." "Besides," said Salia, "You must get back to the portal, and destroy it." All three turned back. "What?" asked Carter. Salia nodded, "Portia intends to invade your world. Don't let her!" she turned to the doctor. "We will remain." The doctor nodded. Senga looked from one to the other, she grasped their hands, "Thank you" she breathed. Abruptly she turned away. They hurried out the door. The doctor locked it behind them.
Matep stood before Portia in the parliament chamber. "They have escaped, Madame Portia." she confessed. Portia was remarkably composed, "Find them." she said, tightly. The fugitives approached the base camp of the Door Watch. Senga pressed a finger to her lips, Carter and Fraiser held fast, Senga walked boldly up to the fire in the clearing. "I have returned!" she cried. "Let the Door Watch be summoned!" All around the warriors stepped forward. "Speak, Senga!" they cried. Senga took a deep breath, knowing that what she had to say meant life or death. "Loyal warriors, our council has lied to us! There is a cure for the plague!" The guards looked at each other in consternation. "We must stand firm! We cannot allow our race to become like the Goa'uld, like parasites! Living off others! Will you join me?"
As one man the women stepped forward. Senga looked around proudly. "Thank you" she said. She beckoned to Carter, Fraiser and Hatka, "Make sure they go through the portal." she said to Hatka. Hatka nodded and ushered the SGC members through the trees. Senga gathered her troops, "We must protect their escape." she said.
Matep moved through the forest at the head of her troops. She saw the firelight of the Door Watch ahead and paused. She remembered the loyalty those women had displayed towards Senga. Just outside the clearing she held up her party and yelled with all her might, "Senga is a traitor! She has been removed from command! She is under sentence of death. Any one who stands with her will share that fate!" Slowly she moved forward. The clearing was deserted. Matep nodded to herself and urged her troops forward. They could see the DHD, tantalisingly close. Carter turned to Hatka. Hatka nodded and Carter ran forward to begin dialling home. Pulse fire erupted in the forest. Several door watch guards were cut down by the lasers. The air was full of the stench of burning flesh and the screams of the dying. Figures could be seen between the trees, firing back into the forest. Suddenly a whole section of the tree line was lit up. Matep was using some kind of explosive. Instinctively Fraiser rose to go and help, but Senga pulled her back, "You can't do anything for them," she hissed. Fraiser shuddered as she saw some of the women writhing on the ground, their hair and cloaks ablaze. Senga scanned the tree line looking for the enemy, the ones that only yesterday had been her close colleagues. She saw one of the parliament guards aiming for Carter, still struggling with the DHD, and without hesitation Senga raised her own weapon and fired. The woman was propelled back into the forest. Senga looked round to see how the fight was going. Some of her troops had managed to get to cover and they were holding back the parliament guards' advance, but on the other side they were pressing forward. Senga could see that Fraizer was in danger of being cut off from the Stargate.
Behind them Carter activated the gate. Senga had never been so relieved to see the liquid surface of the gate. However it did mean that Matep could see that she was losing, her troops laid down blistering fire from their weapons in a last attempt to stop them escaping. At the DHD both Carter and Hatka were firing at the approaching troops. Hatka spun round as movement caught her eye. She was just in time to see Matep fire at Carter. With a yell Hatka knocked Carter out of the way, taking the shot high on her shoulder. Carter scrambled to her knees and hurriedly dragged Hatka behind the DHD for cover. Hatka handed Carter the staff weapon, "Do you know how to use these things?" Carter took the weapon, "It's been a while since I had to," she said. Carter jumped up firing, with two shots she had disabled two of the parliament guard. She ducked down again. Hatka grinned widely, still nursing her injured shoulder, "You haven't lost your touch!" Across the clearing Senga made her move. She grabbed Fraiser and together they ran for the DHD. "Cover!" yelled Senga as she ran still firing. Carter rose from her position drawing the enemy fire. Fraizer stumbled as a blast from a weapon hit the ground near her. The two containers she had brought from the medical ministry spilled from her grasp. Fraiser made a grab for one, but the other rolled away. She was about to go after it, but Senga was there beside her pulling her away. "There's no time!" she yelled.
Together they ducked down behind the DHD. Anxiously Fraiser checked which container she had rescued, she breathed a sigh of relief when she discovered that it was the cure for the virus. "Nearly home!" exclaimed Senga, she turned to Hatka, "Will you make it?" she asked. Hatka hefted the staff weapon, "Just try and stop me!" Carter grabbed Senga's arm, "What about you?" Senga smiled, "We're winning." and right enough the parliament troops were falling back through the forest, only Matep and a few others were determined to stop the escape. "Get going!" Senga and Hatka rose and began firing, Carter and Fraiser ran for the worm hole. Senga and Hatka concentrated their fire on Matep's group, making sure that they did not have a chance to fire at Carter and Fraiser. Senga blasted away at one of the trees. With a loud tearing the tree started to topple over. Matep and her remaining troops scrambled back to escape it. Hatka fired into the forest causing them further confusion. Matep's troops turned tail and ran off into the forest. Only Matep was left to see Fraiser and Carter jump into the worm hole. The gate deactivated. Matep turned and ran.
Senga emerged from behind the DHD, Hatka leaning on her arm. The firing stopped and the surviving guards came out. They surveyed the battle field. The clearing was strewn with the bodies of parliament and door watch guards. Senga looked round sadly, then addressed her troops. "This is a sad victory. We have lost good people. But tomorrow we will fight again. And maybe our next victory will be won by words, not weapons." The door watch stood at attention and saluted. Senga returned the salute. She moved off still supporting Hatka, "We will tend to our wounded and bury our dead. Then we must return to Dux. The next battle will be in the council." The women followed their leader into the trees.
The medical bay of the SGC had been transformed. Instead of thick plastic to keep the patients in isolation, the ward was open. The orderlies moved around glad to be free of the bio-hazard suits. O'Neill and Jackson were still sleeping, but Teal'c was sitting up on the side of his bed munching an apple from a big fruit basket. Hammond, Fraiser and Carter surrounded him. "Well," said Carter, "I never thought I'd be grateful for global warming." General Hammond nodded, "No wonder we couldn't find a cure. Who would have thought of using carbon monoxide as a cure?" Fraizer smiled, "That's why the virus couldn't survive in our atmosphere. It's too polluted!" she checked Teal'c's chart. "They are all responding well. They should be up and about in a few days. Teal'c's recovery was the quickest, I guess his larva just needed a helping hand."
"I have never felt better, Doctor" said Teal'c gravely. Carter grinned mischievously, "Do you remember any thing you said, Teal'c?" Teal'c frowned, "Oh yes. In fact I've remembered why the city looked so familiar. I saw it once on a list of banned planets." "Now he tells us," sighed Hammond. But Carter wasn't to be put off, "No, Teal'c. I mean you owe me a new Shania Twain CD, and I do believe you owe Doctor Fraiser a dinner!" Teal'c looked blank. "Don't worry, Teal'c. I wouldn't be very good company anyway." said Fraiser, "I can't believe I had a cure for cancer in my hands and I dropped it!" "At least you know it's possible." Hammond assured her.
There was a groan from the furthest bed. Jackson creakily sat up in bed, cradling his head, "I feel like an entire defensive line just ran over me." he muttered. "Nice to have you back with us, Doctor Jackson." smiled Hammond. Beside them Colonel O'Neill also began to stir. "What happened?" he sighed. "It's a long story, Colonel." said Fraiser. "How are you feeling, Colonel?" asked Carter. O'Neill grimaced, "Peachy, just peachy." he said sarcastically. Teal'c leaned over and pulled a small peach from behind O"Neill's ear. "Then perhaps you would like one, O'Neill?" he offered. Jackson and O'Neill looked over at Teal'c in surprise. Fraiser, Carter and Hammond burst out laughing. Teal'c simply smiled smugly.
The End
