The Price of Knowledge

 

Story Notes:

See Chapter One

Chapter Thirteen

Continuing the Search

 

             Ally hadn’t had this much fun in years.  The linguistic and archaeological departments had thrown themselves into the pretend-search for Daniel.  They were brimming over with helpfulness.  They explored every child-sized nook they could find, and whenever Elaine suggested she and Ally move on, someone would think of another cranny they hadn’t checked.  “No stone left unturned” took on an entirely different meaning when it was applied by archaeologists, especially ones trained to Daniel’s exacting measure of thoroughness.

             Two hours later, they had investigated every lab, library, and archive on level 18 and every office except for Daniel’s.  The office belonged to Jonas now, but Ally, like most of the SGC, thought of it first as Daniel’s office.

             “I’m sure he’s not there,” Ally said as she led Elaine down the corridor.  “He doesn’t like to bother Jonas.”

             “We should check,” Elaine insisted.

             Ally shrugged and offered a cheery wave to Siler, who was headed in the opposite direction.  Just before she and Elaine reached Daniel’s office, Jonas and Teal’c exited it.  Jonas shut the door quickly.  Elaine stared suspiciously at the closed door while Ally went through her by-now-well-practiced-with-no-mention-of-NID explanation for Elaine’s presence.

             “Well, he’s not in there,” Jonas said.  “I’d let you see for yourself, but I opened a canopic jar that must have had something in it that had spoiled.  You don’t want to go in there until the air system’s cleared it out.”

             “Actually, I do,” Elaine said.  “Step aside, gentlemen.”

             Jonas and Teal’c exchanged glances and moved not only aside, but also several feet away from the door.  Elaine opened the door.  Both she and Ally reared back at the awful stench that rolled out of the office.  Ally gagged and pinched her nostrils.  Elaine breathed deeply through her mouth.  Then, face grim with determination, she plunged into the office.  Ally decided to wait by the door.

             “What was that?” Jonas asked Teal’c in a whisper.

             Teal’c’s reply was equally low-voiced.  “It is a weapon of Tau’ri children known as a stink bomb.  Cassandra Frasier gave it to me.”

             “Potent.”

             “Indeed.”  Teal’c crossed his hands behind his back, looking quite pleased with himself.

             Fighting a grin, Ally retreated to their position.  Elaine emerged minutes later, red-faced and gasping for breath.

             “He’s not there.”  She glared at them all.

             Jonas opened his eyes wide in that innocent manner he had.  “I told you.”

             Teal’c said nothing, but his gaze was murderous.  Ally had heard some of the stories about SG-1’s past dealings with the NID.  She hoped Elaine would have the sense not to say anything to Teal’c.  The Jaffa looked as if he were a breath away from beating the NID doctor into a bloody pulp.  Of course, if they spent the next four hours in the infirmary, Ally wouldn’t have to worry about accidentally finding Daniel.

             Elaine’s lips tightened over any remarks she might have made to Teal’c.  She marched toward the elevator, and Ally jogged to catch up.  Elaine shoved past Siler, who was waiting for the elevator.  Since Elaine needed some time to cool off, Ally engaged Siler in conversation.  When she and Elaine stepped out onto Level 19, Elaine was back to her calm, suspicious self.

             “Didn’t that Siler person pass us on the way to Jonas Quinn’s office?”

             Ally smiled brightly.  “Probably.  He pops up all over the place.  He’s our general handyman.”

             However, the last time Ally checked, a radio receiver tucked inside his ear was not part of his usual equipment, nor was the radio stashed inside his toolbox.  She had looked back shortly after she and Elaine had exited the elevator and seen Siler pick up the radio.  He was whispering in it when the elevator doors closed and hid him from Ally’s view.

             “We’ll search Major Carter’s lab first,” Elaine announced.

             “It’s down this way,” Ally said, pointing out the door covered with Daniel’s colored pages.

             At that moment, Nyan bustled out of Sam’s lab.  His face lit as he spotted them.  “Doctor Michaels, I was just coming to see you.  I can’t make out these inscriptions.”  He handed Ally a scrap of a paper and slanted an apologetic glance at Elaine.  “This won’t take long.”

             Nyan grasped Ally’s elbow, turned her with a tug, and drew her back toward the elevator.  “You see how the lines intersect?  I think it might be a numerical equation.”

             Behind them, the click of Elaine’s heels continued toward Sam’s lab.  Ally peered at the completely blank paper she held and then at Nyan, who had never before called her “Doctor Michaels.”  When she started to glance over her shoulder, Nyan shook his head.

             “Don’t,” he whispered.  “Don’t look back.  Not yet.”

             He smiled as if he had a secret.  Suddenly a flash of light filled the corridor.  From the vicinity of Sam’s lab, Elaine shrieked.  Ally blinked away residual blots in her sight left by the flash and saw that Nyan’s smile had widened.

             “Thank you, Doctor Michaels,” he said loudly.  “You’ve been very helpful.”

             He strolled away, leaving her to wonder what exactly was going on.

             “Felgar!”  Sam’s annoyed voice called out from her lab.  “I told you to watch the door!”

             “I was watching it.  You didn’t tell me to stop anyone from coming in.”

             Ally whirled and raced to Sam’s lab.  Sam, Doctor Lee, Doctor Felgar, and Felgar’s assistant Chloe had gathered in a circle.  Each of them wore darkened protective goggles, except Sam, who had apparently pushed the goggles upward to rest on top of her head.  Elaine stood in the center of the circle.  She was pressing the heels of her hands against her eyes.

             “Are you all right?”

             Ally heard concern in Sam’s voice, but Sam was grinning like a hyena.

             “What happened?” Ally asked.

             “Ally!  Is this a friend of yours?  We were testing one of those devices from PR4-839, and she walked in on the flash.”

             Ally wondered how Sam could speak so coherently through that grin.

             “I can’t see,” Elaine grated out.  Tears streamed down her cheeks, smearing mascara in their wake.

             Sam patted Elaine’s shoulder.  “Don’t worry.  The same thing happened to me last week, and I was much closer to the flash.  It goes away.  Give it an hour.  Then you’ll be photosensitive for a day or two.  Hold on.  I still have my sunglasses here.  You can use them.”

             Sam retrieved a pair of sunglasses from its conveniently-handy location on her workbench, gently pried one of Elaine’s hands away from her face, and dropped the glasses into her hand.  Elaine fumbled them on.  Even through the dark lenses, Ally could tell Elaine was blinking furiously.

             “Better?” Sam asked, still oozing solicitude.  The grin, at least, had vanished, though it lurked at the corners of Sam’s mouth as if it simply waited for permission to make a reappearance.

             “Not much,” Elaine said through gritted teeth.

             “It really does go away.”  Sam helped Elaine to a chair and urged her to sit.  “There won’t be any permanent damage.  I promise.  Would you feel better if I called Doctor Frasier?”

             “No,” Elaine said.  A quick, almost panicked refusal that made it clear Doctor Frasier was not on the top of her favorite people list.  Elaine drew in a breath.  “No, it’s all right.  I’ll take your word for it.  Ally?”

             What?  Oh, yeah, the spiel.  She launched into it.

             “Are you sure he’s hiding?” Doctor Lee asked when she finished.  He looked confused.  “I mean, what if he went out of phase again?”

             “Or ascended?” Felgar offered happily.  “He’s good at that.  Or, or--I know!  Did you check with Walter?  Maybe he went on a secret mission through the gate!”

             “He’s six, Jay,” Sam said.

             “So?  He’s still SG-1, isn’t he?”  Ally had heard that Felgar had a rather inflated view of SG-1’s abilities, but this was her first opportunity to witness it.

             Sam exchanged grins with her and steered the other scientists out of the lab.  “You just rest and let your eyes get better, Doctor Rosenberg.  We’ll look for Daniel.”

             An hour later, the scientists trooped back in to report their failure.  Elaine had recovered most of her sight, her make-up, and her poise.  She still needed the sunglasses and Ally’s steadying hand on her arm.  Sam apologized repeatedly as they shuffled their way to the elevator.  Elaine brushed her off with an accommodating smile, but as soon as she and Ally were alone in the elevator, the smile transformed into a scowl.

             “What’s wrong?” Ally asked.

             “Given the SGC’s opposition to past NID activities, everyone seems unusually cooperative.”

             “They don’t know you’re from the NID.”

             “Don’t they?” Elaine mused.

             “I haven’t told anyone!” Ally said, throwing a little more effort into the “dumb blonde” role.

             Elaine gave a noncommittal hmm.  There were brains hiding behind that pleasant demeanor, and Ally could practically see them cogitating.  Ally smiled to herself.

             Stuck, aren’t you?  You’re pretty sure we’re snowing you, but you can’t complain because we’re bending over backward to help you.  We’ve been nothing but cooperative, and that’s exactly what General Hammond will tell anyone who asks.  

 

 

 

Back to Chapter 12                                                                                 Chapter 13, cont.>>

Back to Little Danny Home                                                                  

 

 

Disclaimer:  The Stargate characters all belong to Gekko Film Company, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions, MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Showtime, Sci Fi Channel, and Stargate SG-1 Prod. Ltd. Partnership.  This fanfic is not intended to infringe on any of those rights and is meant solely for the purpose of entertainment.  All other characters, the story idea, and the story itself are the sole property of the author.