"Yeah, well, I've seen Captain Carter," said Jack. "She POUNCED on me. Said it was some kinda instinct."
"Really, that's interesting," said Daniel, winking at Teal'c.
Teal'c raised an eyebrow.
"She 'pounced' on you?" asked the General, raising one eyebrow himself.
"'instinct'," said Daniel in the manner that indicated he thought it meant something.
"I see," said General Hammond.
"What?" asked Jack, aware that some conversation was taking place that he wasn't following.
"Oh nothing," said Daniel Jackson and General Hammond in unison.
Jack frowned and glanced at Teal'c. "That almost looks like a smirk."
"You must be mistaken," said Teal'c, doing a Vulcan impression that should have earned him an Oscar.
"Hmmmm," said an unconvinced Jack. "Okay, any chance we can use anti-histamines and she'll turn back?"
Daniel looked uncomfortable. "I asked. Doctor McKenzie asked me if I was smoking anything illegal. Then he asked me if I'd share."
"Doctor McKenzie's been under a lot of stress with the recent changes, I think after everything's back to relative normal he'll need a vacation," allowed General Hammond.
"Or he'll be cuckoo for cocoa puffs at this rate," said Jack. At everyone's looks he winced. "Sorry."
"Doctor McKenzie did have some useful information," said Daniel. "At the peak of the viral effects there's a sudden massive system wide alteration. The viruses apparently link up. He said something about it being like small software components all forming a single large program at the same time, then it's gone. He said it looked more like a software virus than what he's used to seeing as a medical practitioner."
"I have heard Nirrti is fond of using multiple part scenarios," said Teal'c. "One device which is a bomb being placed in one area, harmless until the other part arrives in that vicinity."
"So this fits with her M.O.?" asked General Hammond. "All right. That gives us a who, and a why - this desire for an enhanced host race. We even have a 'how' though we're not sure we can reverse or stop these effects."
"Sir, this 'special one' factor," said Daniel. "I don't think it's a preprogrammed loyalty measure."
"If there's even a slight chance, it's more than we can take," pointed out the General.
"Waitaminute. 'Special One'?" asked Jack.
"If it is then it is a pretty lousy one," said Daniel, pushing a computer printout towards the General. "Here's reports of these victims finding or choosing their 'special one' and in most cases it's someone already known to the transformee."
"So if it was some sort of loyalty compulsion, in the case of someone who's already selected their 'special one'," began General Hammond.
"-then they won't be loyal to a Goa'uld trying to command them as they'd be already loyal to someone else." Daniel shrugged. "Though I don't think the 'special one' idea indicates THAT so much as some sort of emotional bond. Possibly from the animal nature, possibly it's just something from the trauma of a physical transformation and the need for an emotional anchor."
The door opened.
"Hmmmm?" said General Hammond as everyone looked in that direction.
POUNCE! GRAB! THUD!
Jack groaned from where his back had suddenly met the floor again. "Why hello Captain Carter."
"Hi guys," said the Captain, wondering why she had just rubbed her cheek against her commanding officer. How strange.
"Emotion and instinct seem to take precedence over rational behavior for a few days after the transformation," said Daniel, sliding another printout across the desk.
"Ya think?" asked Jack. "Captain Carter? Would you terribly mind getting off my chest?"
"Sorry about that, sir," said the Captain. "Just some sort of instinct."
"Ah, 'instinct'," said Daniel.
"So it's 'instinct'?" asked the General.
"Indeed," said Teal'c.
"Would you guys cut that out?" complained Jack.
"Cats are predators," pointed out Daniel. "So instincts dealing with hunting prey is perfectly understandable."
"I am NOT a mouse," pointed out Jack.
"I just wanted to say, sir, that I'm ready to return to at least light duty," said Captain Carter, standing at attention and firing off a quick salute. Even her tail was at attention.
"I see," said General Hammond, wondering if seperating the Colonel and Captain was advisable until that instinct/emotion phase was over with.
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(Posted Wed, 20 Apr 2005 11:37)
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