As much as Daniel wanted to deny it, he was ready to collapse into bed the moment they stepped through the door. Annika on the other hand was wide awake, however she feigned being tired, claiming drug induced sleep wasn't as refreshing as natural rest. Daniel knew it was a ruse, and Annika knew he knew, but other than the deeply appreciative kiss he gave her, neither 'mentioned' it further. Annika simply waited until Daniel's soft snores started, then flicked on the bedside light, selected one of the books from her 'to read' pile and settled in for the night, contentedly reading in her sleeping husband's embrace.

She must have nodded off, because the next thing she knew she felt the book being carefully removed from her slack grip and Daniel was reaching over her to turn off the light. Opening her eyes she saw the grey light of dawn was lightening the room. Too comfy to consider getting up just yet, she snuggled deeper into deliciously warm arms. "Good morning."

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you." He placed a kiss to her neck.

"I've had more than enough sleep." She stretched against him. "How about you?"

"I had the best night's sleep that I can remember." His arms tightened around her. "Until my body reminded me of a very unpleasant fact."

"The need to pee?" she teased.

"Worse," he replied seriously. "That's it's been five days since we made love."

"Technically, it's only four," she contradicted. "We were still 'playing' long after midnight on Thursday."

"Still too long," he complained.

"I suppose we should rectify that." She shimmied against him, feeling his body respond.

"Most definitely," he agreed, already trailing a string of kisses along her shoulder.

Annika twisted around so she could capture his lips, very quickly losing herself in the taste of him, her body tingling with need.

They took their time reacquainting themselves with each other. It was a good thing they had set the alarm, for it seemed losing track of time wasn't only restricted to SGC related 'work'. They managed to balance their desire for each other with the duty to get ready by finishing their love making in the shower. Then happily sated they headed downstairs for a quick cup of coffee. Annika was just rinsing out her cup when there was a sharp familiar rap on the front door.

"Teal'c's watch must be fast." Daniel glanced at the wall clock on his way to open the door, double checking that they weren't running late. Nope, there was still a good ten minutes before they had to brave the morning traffic. Gave a smile of welcome to his friend, who was standing as formally as ever on the threshold. "Morning, Teal'c, we won't be a minute."

"I realize I am early, however I wish to discuss a matter with you."

"Oh, okay." Daniel stepped aside for Teal'c to enter.

Annika didn't need psychic abilities to guess the big guy wanted a private word. He was tense, even for Teal'c, his smile while genuine, was a little strained. She grabbed her bag and keys from the hallstand. "Hi, Teal'c, is Keelah ready?"

"I believe she will finish her morning routine presently."

"I'll give her a lift in," she suggested easily. "Let you give that new car of yours a spin." Giving Daniel a farewell kiss, she could feel his bafflement and curiosity of what Teal'c wanted that he couldn't say in front of both of them. She had to admit to being just a tad curious herself. "I'll see you soon."

"Uh, yeah sure, love you, drive safe."

Annika chuckled at his absent response as she closed the door behind her. Daniel had a new kind of mystery to unravel. She took the short cut over the small fence to her neighbor's. Before she could knock, Keelah was opening the door for her with a warm smile. "The guys apparently want to powwow. You game to be the passenger with me driving?"

"Life is about new experiences, is it not?" the young woman grinned. She picked up her coat, making sure her base ID was in her pocket. She grabbed a shoebox that contained some small artifacts from the base. They were trinkets that she was sure had originated from her home planet and General Hammond had given permission for her to take them home to see if they jogged her memory. Studying them in the quiet privacy of her room, without the constant interruptions of the base, had prompted a few memories of her people, but hadn't revealed any information on their location. Carefully she locked the door behind her and put the key in her pocket.

They drove in companionable silence for a few minutes, until it occurred to Annika that she had forgotten to do something. "Hey, I didn't thank you."

Keelah looked at her in surprise. "For what?"

"For alerting Jack to Daniel's caffeine energizer bunny episode."

She chuckled at the image Annika had created, having seen the TV advertisement for the battery company. "No thanks are necessary," she said then tilted her head hesitantly in question. "That is what we do, isn't it?"

Annika reciprocated the head tilt, confused. "What?"

"We...look out for one another."

"Yes, we do." The redhead understood where her friend's hesitancy stemmed from. "It's still a new concept for you, isn't it?"

Keelah nodded, staring blindly at the scenery that blurred by. "My Master's world, everyone looked out for themselves, took what they wanted, more often by force than not. I developed a mental...shell...to cope. Being here, with all the goodness and kindness you have shown me, I feel that shell cracking, but I'm scared of totally letting it fall away."

"Because you think it might be just a really long dream?" Annika asked softly.

The woman beside her nodded, a little embarrassed at the admission.

"Feel the wind in your hair, Keelah. Breathe in the smell of the bakery we just zipped by. Feel the bounce of the road beneath you." She removed a hand from the wheel and tickled the woman's side with her index finger. "It's all real."

Keelah did as bid, and wound up catching a whiff of bad exhaust from the car ahead with a faulty muffler. Both women crinkled their noses at the offensive smell, then burst out laughing.

Annika gave a rueful shake of her head. "Typical. Try to make a point and it backfires..." she glared at the offending car. "Literally."

"It didn't," Keelah assured, with a shy, thankful smile.

A few minutes later Annika was flashing her ID to drive onto the base and then headed for her favorite parking spot. It wasn't until they were well into the five minute walk to the Mountain's main entrance that Keelah spoke again.

"Annika, can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"It's a little personal."

"Okay."

"For a while now I've had this sort of ache."

"You're in pain? We should tell Janet."

"Oh no! It's not that kind of ache...it's kind of...nice."

Annika frowned. "Okay. Where is this ache?"

Self-consciously Keelah gestured to her hips. "It comes and goes."

It took a moment for comprehension to dawn. A small smile touched her lips. "And does it come more when you're around a certain Jaffa?"

She nodded, her cheeks turning pink.

"And is it often accompanied by a little tickle in your belly?"

Keelah paused, then shook her head. "I have that all the time since arriving at the SGC. But that also increases when I'm around...him."

"Welcome to the world of being in love."

Keelah cocked her head in confusion.

"It's good old fashioned desire, Keelah. Since meeting Daniel that little ache and butterflies in the stomach is my constant and welcome companion."

"It doesn't go away?"

"Nope, not really. It can be sated for a while. If I'm lucky it gets sated once or twice a day," she grinned, "but it always comes back."

"So it's a good thing?"

"Hell yeah. I'll be devastated if one day I stop feeling it. Equally devastated if Daniel stops feeling it."

"Then it's not just a female...affliction?"

"Nope, but for once we got the better end of the stick. Men have a very obvious physical reaction which is a little harder, no pun intended, to hide than flushed cheeks." Annika found these questions odd considering that Teal'c and Keelah were living together. She'd assumed that meant they were sleeping together as well. Either they weren't or Teal'c had a lot to learn about pleasing a woman. "Keelah, if you don't mind me asking, how far have you and Teal'c gone sexually?"

"We are taking things slowly. Teal'c is letting me set the...er...pace. He doesn't want to rush me."

Annika couldn't help it, the relief in her sigh was obvious.

Keelah misinterpreted the reason. "You thought Teal'c was...pressuring me?"

"Oh no. I'd just assumed you and he had already taken that next step...and if he hadn't, um, relieved that ache for you then...er...how can I put this...I don't quite know how to begin to give a theory lesson on how to make love to a man of Teal'c's years."

"Oh. Rest assured that what Teal'c has shown me has been quite enjoyable."

"Thank the heavens for small mercies."

Approaching the first sign in point, Keelah stopped short as she pulled out her ID badge. "Oh...crap."

Annika grinned at her friend's language. It seemed Keelah had fallen victim to the 'curse' of hanging around Jack too much. "What's up?"

"I left the artifacts in the car."

"Oh well, I need the exercise after three days in bed," Annika turned to retrace their steps.

"Oh no, I know my way. No point in both of us going back."

"You're sure?"

"Positive."

"Okay, I'll see you down there."

Keelah hurried off back towards the car park and Annika pulled out her own ID for the sign-in log. Signing her name with a flourish she smiled in greeting at the two Marines on duty. "How are you doing this morning?"

"Just fine, Mrs Jackson," the first Marine replied, adding his own name next to hers.

Her smile faded a bit and her nose wrinkled for the second time that day as an unpleasant scent wafted in. "What is that god-awful smell?"

The second Marine grimaced. "Kasuf and Skaara were up here at dawn doing some kind of prayer ritual thing, puffing away at a really odd looking pipe."

"Dawn? And the smell is still so strong?" Annika's eyes widened. She didn't mind the smell of tobacco, especially from a good cigar. This just smelled rotten. Wondered how long she could hold her breath.

"This is nothing compared to what it was and they were standing over by the trees." The first Marine gave a chuckle. "I think it was their version of weed, they were pretty happy when they came back in."

Annika hit the button for the elevator with a good-natured eye roll. "Great, that's all we need, a tribal elder running around high as a kite looking for munchies."

The Marines gave snorts of laughter. "Have a good day, Mrs Jackson."

"You too, guys." She waved, then quickly stepped into the lift before the doors had fully opened. Only once she was sealed inside did she expel the breath she'd been holding. Exiting for the elevator switch on level eleven, she greeted the Marines there and once again signed in. She was just passing the twenty-third level when the emergency klaxons began wailing through the speakers. It took her a second to recognize the slight difference in the sound of the alarm, having only heard it once before. Praying that it was only her ears playing tricks on her, she stabbed at the button for level twenty-seven in the irrational hope it would make the elevator travel down faster. Her prayers weren't answered as a voice was clearly heard over the klaxons.

"This is not a drill. Emergency lockdown in five, four, three, two, one. Emergency lockdown has been initiated..."

Daniel gestured for Teal'c to take a seat. "Did you want some tea?" he offered. "It'll just take a second to boil." He wasn't just using the question as the stereotypical ploy to kick off the conversation. He could see Teal'c was uneasy, and having some inanimate object like a mug to focus on, normally helped in these kind of situations.

"No, thank you." Teal'c sat stiffly at the kitchen table.

Daniel sat opposite, sipping what was left of his coffee and waited for his friend to gather his thoughts.

"I trust you have rested well."

The Jaffa was making small talk. That was unprecedented and thus was not a good sign. Daniel hid his concern that it must be serious. "Yes. It's amazing what a night in your own bed can do."

"Indeed."

Daniel waited patiently for Teal'c to continue. When he didn't, Daniel cleared his throat. "And you're settling into the house alright?"

"I am and I believe Keelah is adjusting well to her new environment."

Were they going to discuss the weather next? Daniel wondered.

Teal'c pondered his words carefully. "I require your advice. Keelah and I have yet to engage in sexual relations."

The archaeologist found himself considering that he was dreaming or had woken up in an alternate reality. Teal'c asking him dating seduction tips didn't even make his short list of possible discussion topics. Hell, it didn't even make any list. "Um...Teal'c, I'm honored that you chose to share that with me, but I don't think I'm the right person to be talking to." Jack would be better, Daniel thought a little desperately. He'd had more experience in just the years of working at the SGC than Daniel had had in his entire life.

"I disagree."

He recognized from Teal'c's tone that he wasn't going to change his mind about his choice of confidant. Floundering at what to say he came up with, "Um...this abstinence worries you?"

"Not at all. After years of abuse it is understandable that she is wary. We have an agreement that she will let me know when she is ready," Teal'c paused. "I believe that times draws near."

"Oh...er...congratulations?"

"I find myself in a situation which I have had no previous experience on which to draw from."

Yeah, I'm really missing something. He knew Teal'c had had sex; the man had been married and had lovers for goodness sake. "And you think I've had this experience?"

He nodded. "I know it."

What could I possibly know that Teal'c has somehow missed during his ninety odd years of being sexually active? Teal'c's next comment, which Daniel felt was a total change of topic, baffled him even more.

"It has been impossible not to notice during our time working together that you and I are of a similar size..."

Daniel blinked blankly. He wouldn't agree with that assessment. They may be almost the same height, but he couldn't compare to the bulk of muscles Teal'c had spent decades building up.

"...And as such I assume you need to take as much...care...copulating as I."

Recognition dawned and Daniel almost choked on his coffee. Teal'c wasn't taking about body size, just the size of one particular appendage. "Um...yeah, I do." He willed his cheeks not to turn red. He had never been one to participate in locker room bragging of conquests. And neither had Teal'c. Both of them kept their private life private and gave everyone else the same courtesy. Which was why this was going to be classified as one of the most bizarre conversations he had ever had.

"I wish to know of your first sexual intercourse with Sha're."

And now this conversation has just topped the most bizarre list. Daniel did his best to hide his discomfort, knew he didn't succeed in the slightest. "What precisely is it you want to know?"

"Sha're was a virgin when she went to your wedding bed." Teal'c had known that without any confirmation from Daniel, from the moment he had first learned of how Daniel and Sha're had met. The Abydonians would not have offered a 'gift' that had known the touch of a man to a god as they had thought Daniel to be. It would have risked offending Ra, something they would not have dared at that point. "I have never been with a virgin. I need to know if there are any actions I can take to ease the pain I understand a woman experiences from the breaking of the hymen."

"Oh." For the moment, Daniel couldn't find any other response.

"I would want to spare any woman such discomfort," Teal'c said quietly. "However, it is more so with Keelah. She has suffered so much pain already. I do not want her first experience at making love to have any negative moments even if the pain is a natural one."

"I believe the degree of discomfort varies for each woman," Daniel began hesitantly. I can have this conversation, really I can. "There's no way that I know of to tell until the actual...er...penetration."

"I see."

What Daniel could see was Teal'c's earnest desire to make Keelah's first time special. So much so, that he had put aside his own discomfort at needing to ask the question; that he broke his own cardinal rule of prying into his friend's life to get details of one of his most intimate experiences. If Teal'c could do that, then Daniel could ignore his own embarrassment to help. However, he couldn't just launch into a clinical description of what had been one of the most special events in his life up to that point. "The first night of our marriage was a bit of a disaster," he admitted. "We were both nervous and tense, Sha're more so once she...um...saw me naked." He gave an embarrassed laugh at the memory. "Apparently the women who had prepared me for the ritual 'gift giving' had surmised I was...well equipped. It only convinced them more that I was a god, the idea of which lingered even when we had defeated Ra, and Jack and the others had returned to Earth." He recalled how for at least a month afterwards it had been a nightmare whenever he had used the steam tents, the only version of a bath on the desert planet where water was scarce. There had always been some woman, maiden or grandma, who had tried to sneak a peek at his 'endowment'.

"How did you overcome this?"

Teal'c's question brought his thoughts back on track. "Alcohol." He saw Teal'c's frown and hurried on. "Not enough to get drunk. Just enough for both of us to relax, to release Sha're's inhibitions of the stupid god persona affixed to me. The first couple of nights we didn't actually have penetrative sex. I thought it would be a good idea for us to spend some time getting to know each other first. We were officially married, but I wanted to court her, learn more about her as a person, before making it physical."

"It sounds like a suitable course of action." Teal'c tilted his head quizzically. He'd caught an underlying tone in his friend's voice. "Things did not go according to plan?"

"Not exactly," he sighed. "Though Sha're kept wanting to make it physical, I could sense that she was reluctant at the same time. I finally got her to tell me why. Unbeknownst to me at the time, according to Abydonian tradition there was time limit for consummation. If it didn't happen after three nights the marriage was annulled. We had people checking our bedclothes each morning for signs of blood. Neither of us wanted the marriage annulled, and with Ra out of the picture there was no need to keep the Chieftain's daughter as the pure sacrificial lamb anymore. There were other suitors lining up on the morning of the third day, already approaching Kasuf. Hence, my courtship lasted a grand total of two days and that's when the wine came in. I guess what I'm trying to say, is that there wasn't enough time to prepare her... God," he ran a hand through his hair, "that sounds so callous."

Teal'c tried to put his friend's mind at ease, knowing how hard discussing this was for him. "I saw how Sha're loved you when Amaunet slept during her pregnancy. Such love does not exist through callous actions. I have no doubt you were tender and gentle when you made love to her, no matter the words you use now."

Grateful at Teal'c's understanding, Daniel continued on. "There wasn't enough time to prepare her as much as I would have liked." He paused thinking about the physical act itself from that night. "I didn't do anything different than I did with any of the other lovers I'd had, it just got condensed all into one night." He tried not to wince as he got down to the specifics, unable to come up with a better turn of phrase. "I've always had to...test...if a woman could accommodate me." He held up his index finger, then added a second and a third. "If she couldn't take three fingers then I held off and..." he scissored his fingers, indicating stretching her opening. "Took that first penetration extra slow to find out how much of me she could take." A small smile touched his lips as he recalled there had been one exception. Annika hadn't let him play the gentleman. Right from their first time she had wrapped her legs around him and practically forced him entirely inside her. It still amazed him that she could take all of his erect member; no other woman fit him as perfectly as His Angel did. "With Sha're there were a few moments of pain, but to use her words, 'the fire in her belly numbed it', and we...um...continued on."

"So despite the initial pain, Sha're enjoyed the experience?" Teal'c hated to press the issue, yet he needed to know.

Daniel's smile widened though it held a tweak of modest embarrassment. "If her orgasm was anything to go by, then yes, she did." The memory of the morning after flitted across his mind. When they had exited their tent there had been a lot of sideways glances thrown their way accompanied by pleased knowing smiles. As much as he was embarrassed that it seemed the entire tribe had heard the result of their lovemaking, the male pride in him had taken note that some of the women were looking a bit enviously at Sha're for being 'blessed' with such an 'accomplished' husband.

"Thank you, Daniel Jackson." Teal'c gave his friend a formal head bow. "I know it was not easy for you to share such intimate details. I am greatly appreciative."

"You're welcome." Silently he prayed never to have such a conversation again.

"If I can ever return the favor, you need only ask."

"Um...thanks, I'll keep that in mind." He caught sight of the time and stood up. "We've gotta go."

Teal'c also rose, removing his keys from his shirt pocket and followed Daniel to the door. "I shall ensure we will not be tardy."

"Oh good, because I really don't want to give an explanation on why we're late," Daniel chuckled, locking the door behind them.

A few minutes later Daniel was reconsidering that comment while he held on to the seatbelt for dear life as Teal'c screeched around a corner and began to weave between the slower cars, that is, the cars obeying the speed limit, on the main road. He supposed, as he saw his life flash before his eyes, that's what happened when a man accustomed to flying death gliders got behind the wheel of a much slower combustion engine. Daniel kept reminding himself that Teal'c had fantastic reflexes; the tretonin hadn't altered that. He just prayed that the SUV could keep up with those Jaffa reflexes. When they stopped at the main gate of the base, it gave Daniel's heart, which he was positive they had left behind on that last intersection, a chance to catch up. He managed to pry his fingers from his death grip on the belt long enough to show his ID. And then Teal'c revved the engine and they were off again, although this time, thankfully, no g-forces were felt.

Teal'c pulled into the spot next to the jeep with a wide smile. "We have arrived on time. Two minutes ahead of usual arrival."

Daniel hopped out the car feeling it would be highly appropriate to kiss the ground. "Yeah, note to self. Hide Jack's 'Daytona' game whenever Teal'c decides to use the PlayStation."

"That was a quick talk."

Both men turned with surprise to see Keelah approaching.

"Nope, quick ride," Daniel contradicted dryly. He titled his head enquiring as to why she was returning to the car.

"Forgot the artifacts," she said, reaching onto the backseat of the jeep for the box.

The three of them set off at a quick pace for the first checkpoint to the inside of the Mountain. They were approximately two hundred meters away when they heard the high-pitched alarm blast from the outside speakers. The two members of SG-1 immediately recognized it. Without a word they began sprinting towards the entrance. Keelah, only understanding the urgency, ran after them.

They ran, eyes fixated on the massive blast doors that were grinding closed. Even though they picked up their speed, they knew they were never going to make it in time. Chests heaving, hearts pounding with more than exertion, they saw the doors seal shut with them barely five feet away.

"No!" Daniel slammed his fist against the metal wall blocking their path into the SGC. He ran to the Marines at the checkpoint that was just off to the side. "Let us in."

"I'm sorry, Doctor Jackson," the most senior officer said apologetically. "You know we can't do that."

"We are part of SG-1." Teal'c followed Daniel just as quickly. "We will be needed inside."

"I'm sorry, sirs. Even if we wanted to break protocol we couldn't. Once lockdown has been initiated it can only be overridden from inside."

Daniel's shoulders slumped. He'd known it had been a pointless request. "But my wife is in there." He took a calming breath then reached for his cell phone, hitting the speed dial. All he received was the recorded message that the number was switched off or out of range. "Dammit!" He spun around to grab the landline at the checkpoint desk, only to see Teal'c had beaten him to it.

After a few tense moments Teal'c hung up. "There is no answer in General Hammond's office."

"Try the briefing room," Daniel anxiously suggested.

They waited with baited breath for someone to pick up. One ring, two rings...three...four...

"O'Neill."

Teal'c immediately hit the speaker button for the others to hear, but before he could speak Daniel jumped in.

"Jack, what the hell is going on?"

When SG-5 returned in the early morning hours from their three day mission, they were surprised by the first question asked of them when they descended the ramp. It wasn't a query from the night shift OIC about how the trade negotiations had gone. Instead a medic wearing a disposable surgeon's mask and double gloved, was asking if any of the villagers had shown signs of illness and handed them each a mask to put on.

Major Harper, the team leader, raised an eyebrow, but dutifully put on the mask. His team did the same. "Only hangovers from last night."

"Are any of you feeling queasy, flu-like or any other malaise?"

The four members shook their heads, noticing that the Marines guarding the 'gate room were wearing the more heavy-duty gas masks and the blast door was closed.

"What's going on?" Captain Lobetski, 'Ratty' to his teammates, wasn't the only one to realize that the masks they had just donned were to protect the rest of the personnel. The people in the control room weren't wearing them, only the personnel having contact with returning teams had them.

"Temporary change in post-mission procedures," the medic replied brusquely, waving a hand to the control room. "Quarantine has been doubled."

There was a loud whirring of fans and they all felt the strong gust of wind as the air was sucked out through the ventilation duct on the left of the room and new fresh air was pumped through the duct on the right. The procedure took just a few seconds and then the blast doors were released. "Follow me."

"Why the bump up?" Harper asked, motioning for his team to follow him out of the 'gate room. Unless there was an obvious reason rarely were the returning teams isolated, as they were so clearly being now. Usually once they went through the med check, debrief and got cleaned up, the official quarantine was over and they were free to go.

"Precautionary. Mrs Jackson had a vision but no specifics of who or when."

The men accepted the reason.

"But I take it she saw a 'what'?"

The medic gave a nod, as they reached the lift. "An illness of some kind. No real details."

Exiting the elevator they passed the members of SG-2, who had just received medical clearance for their mission later in the day.

"Hey, Harper, how'd the mission go?" Ferretti asked, holding the lift doors open for the rest of his team to hop on, intending to have a hearty breakfast before their pre-mission briefing.

"If only all our missions could be so easy," Harper grinned. "Nice tropical planet with very friendly natives!"

"How'd you score that?" Ferretti grumbled. "We always get the desert rocky places with Jaffa chasing our asses."

"Just lucky I guess," Harper smirked beneath his mask as the doors closed.

The team continued on to the second isolation room, the first already occupied with another returning team, and submitted to the routine med procedures.

Double checking the labels on the vials of blood he'd just drawn, the medic said, "I'll be back in three hours to take another sample."

"We'll be here," the major grinned then dropped down onto one of the lower bunks. After the medic had left he tugged off his mask. "Ratty, you got your cards with you?"

The captain with the unfortunate nickname, which he'd been dubbed with because he had the tenacity of a rat terrier and the body-build to match, slipped a hand into his pants pocket. With a grin he produced the deck. "You still owe me for last week."

"Double or nothing?" Harper suggested.

"You're on!" Ratty began shuffling the deck.

"I'll take a piece of that action." Captain 'Chewy' Lewis, popped his trademark piece of gum in his mouth and parked himself on the end of the bed. "How about you, Shakespeare?"

The team anthropologist, Lieutenant Whittiker, who'd earned his call sign for his tendency to quote the English bard at the enemy to confuse them, tossed a pillow to the floor and sat down on the concrete. "Always looking to recoup my losses."

The men hung their masks on the end of the bed and pushed up their sleeves for an intense session of poker, more concerned about winning the game than any possible illness they may or may not have contracted.

It was actually three and a half hours when Janet, having just come on duty, went to the isolation room to conduct the second round of tests. The first results had come back clear, and having taken a quick review of the notes made from the security team watching the monitors, there had been no unusual behavior or signs of any kind of symptoms. Adjusting her mask over her nose, she walked in just as Ratty scooped up the kitty of matches from the mattress. Didn't really want to know just how much one of those tiny wooden sticks was worth.

"Major, you better quit while you still have the shirt on your back," she teased.

Harper tossed his cards down in disgust; he'd been so sure that no one could top his three queens. "I think you're right, Doc."

"Doc, don't suppose you can get them to up the air con in here, could you?" Chewy asked. "Playing poker is hot work."

Janet smiled, "Sure." She had noticed that the guys had removed their button shirts, but since Ratty was wearing his tied around his head as a good luck charm, and Chewy was using his as the 'nest' in the middle of the mattress to stop the match sticks from rolling, she hadn't thought anything of it. Still didn't. The next round of cards was already being dealt, so Janet decided to start with the only member of the team not playing.

Shakespeare had given up after the first hour, upon discovering he was still on the worst losing streak in his life. He'd hauled himself up onto the top bunk, deciding to catch a few zee's to recoup after the particularly long night of celebration the locals had thrown in honor of the trade agreement.

"Lieutenant, wake up." Janet was too short to really see the man sprawled out on the bunk.

She just received a snoring grunt for a reply.

"Lieutenant!" She spoke louder, tugging on his arm. He gave a grunt that sounded almost awake.

"Hey, Doc, you might wanna add a test for STD's for the good Lieutenant there," Ratty quipped. "He had those Cupidian maidens chasing him all over the camp last night trying to say 'thank you' for the chocolate bars he handed out. A couple might have even succeeded."

Her soft chuckle abruptly cut off as the man's teasing really sunk into her mind. "Captain, what did you just call the locals?"

"Cupidians. They're real name is really long and convoluted. Shakespeare's got it written down somewhere. We took a page from General O'Neill's book and shortened it."

Cupidians...cupid...god of love...love sick. As her mind made the connection to Annika's vision, the lieutenant finally rolled over, to peek down at her with bleary eyes.

"Doc, I don't feel so good."

Janet swallowed as she took in his clammy skin. Pressed her hand to his forehead and could feel his fever through her gloves. "Damn."

Over the loudspeaker she heard the standard announcement from the control room indicating the Stargate was being dialed for SG-2 to embark on their mission. She was across the room in a second to the intercom. "Lieutenant," she spoke urgently to the guard posted outside the room. "Contact the control room. Using my authority tell them to stop the 'gate activation and place the base into immediate lockdown."

"Yes, ma'am." Straight away he grabbed the phone on the wall.

Janet was on tenterhooks as she waited, listening for the official announcement.

The dial up sequence was aborted just as the sixth chevron locked. A second after that the alarm screeched through every corridor. Within a few moments everyone within the base was sealed in. Only then did she turn back to her patients, who were now looking at her with more than a touch of fear in their eyes. "Gentlemen, why don't we run a few more tests?"