Fanfiction: Unmasked

[rachel500]

Fandom: Stargate SG1
Series: Aftershocks
TAG to Episode: S3 Foothold
Rating: PG-13
Author's Note: Team friendship.  Mild Sam/Jack UST.
Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.  Written for entertainment purposes only.

 

Unmasked

Teal’c came out of his meditation slowly. He stretched languidly; his tall, limber body unfolding to fill his small quarters. He took his time blowing out the candles he had lit and decided a shower would revive him fully. He made his way from his quarters, through the corridors of the SGC and to the locker room. He undressed, stuffing his clothes into the laundry chute before he stepped naked under the pounding, steaming water. For a long moment, he let the spray run uninhibited over his smooth head, cascading over the sculpted muscles of his back and chest, before he swept his hands up to swipe the water from his face.

It seemed like an entire week had passed since SG1 had come back from their last mission and stepped straight into an alien incursion into the SGC although it had only been a couple of days. The strange insect-humanoid creatures had used mimic technology to infiltrate the SGC staff but fortunately, the technology hadn’t worked on Teal’c and Samantha Carter. Teal’c had been able to escape and rescue the young Air Force Major; she had managed to get help and find a way to subvert the alien’s technology. She had deserved the praise heaped on her at the briefing they had both attended after they had retaken the SGC although she had been quick to acknowledge Teal’c’s own contribution to the rescue, Teal’c remembered.

Both of them had been exhausted after the briefing. Janet Fraiser had recommended both of them rest and Teal’c hadn’t protested. One hand briefly touched the symbiote pouch. The Goa’uld larva was still within the dark womb. The kel no reem had helped it regain a lot of its innate resilience but Teal’c knew it would need more time to heal fully from the experiments it had been subjected to by the alien double of Janet Fraiser. Teal’c shuddered as he washed. He knew that it hadn’t really been the petite doctor who had tortured him; he knew that. Convincing himself of it was entirely different matter. His fingers grazed over his upper arm where he had been shot. The wound was healed but it ached; a sign of his symbiote’s weakness and his own.

He shut off the water and wrapped a towel around his lower body, tying it firmly at the waist. He grabbed a second and began to dry his torso, rubbing his head thoughtfully. The locker room door opened but Teal’c’s attention was caught on a glint of metal on the floor. He bent to examine it. An earring blinked up at him and he picked it up to stare at it curiously.

‘You sure this place is empty?’

Teal’c froze at the voice, recognising it immediately; Colonel Maybourne. He sank to a crouch, his instinct to keep out of sight. He waited.

‘It’s empty.’

The Jaffa’s eyebrows both shot up in shock and he sneaked a hesitant peek around the corner to check he had identified the second voice correctly. The SG3 leader, Colonel Robert Makepeace stood in the middle of the locker room facing Maybourne.

‘I’m not comfortable meeting with you like this.’ Maybourne said briskly. ‘It’s too risky.’

‘And maybe I’m not comfortable being the one taking all the risks anymore.’ Makepeace snapped.

Maybourne stared coldly at the marine. ‘You knew the set-up going in.’ He gestured impatiently. ‘What do you want?’ He smiled. ‘More money.’

Makepeace bristled. ‘I’m not doing this because of the money. I’m doing this because it’s the only way to keep our country safe.’ He thrust a finger at Maybourne. ‘Because it’s the right thing to do.’

‘Please.’ Maybourne sneered. ‘Save me the self-righteous justifications and get to the point.’

Makepeace stared him down for a moment but it was clear Maybourne wasn’t moved by the ferocious glare. The Marine officer sighed. ‘I think we’re going to have to cool it for a while.’

His co-conspirator’s pale blue eyes narrowed. ‘Why?’

‘I’m being watched.’ Makepeace said briskly.

‘By whom?’ Maybourne inquired, clearly startled.

‘About three months ago, one of my men was reassigned without warning.’ Makepeace informed him. ‘I wasn’t consulted on his replacement.’

‘And you think he’s a plant.’ Maybourne stated.

‘I know he’s a plant.’ Makepeace responded. ‘So far I’ve managed to avoid detection but he almost caught me picking up the last item.’

Maybourne pursed his lips thoughtfully. ‘Off world activity is dangerous.’ He said casually. ‘Accidents happen all the time.’

‘Are you suggesting I kill him?’ Makepeace replied evenly.

‘I see the thought has occurred to you.’ Maybourne responded.

Makepeace smiled humourlessly. ‘Gillmore is a marine. He’s not that easy to kill and besides,’ he folded his arms and rocked back on his heels, ‘if he is watching me, and I kill him…’

‘It will only attract attention.’ Maybourne completed. ‘I’m impressed. You actually have a brain in that jarhead.’

Makepeace glowered. ‘Are you going to help me or not?’

‘I don’t see what I can do.’ Maybourne said.

‘If I’m caught I’m no use to you.’ Makepeace pointed out.

Maybourne sighed. ‘Very well. We’ll cease retrieval activity for a period of time.’

‘And the Marine?’

‘I’ll see what I can do to get him replaced.’ Maybourne agreed. ‘It may take some time.’ He glanced around him and Teal’c made certain he was out of sight. ‘What about your own surveillance mission?’

‘O’Neill?’

Teal’c frowned as Makepeace referred to the SG1 leader almost dismissively.

‘He and Hammond seem to have resolved their differences since the incident with the girl.’ Makepeace murmured.

‘Stay on it.’ Maybourne said thoughtfully. ‘I’ve read his file; O’Neill is his own man and, if he is coming round to our way of thinking, he could be very useful.’

‘If.’ Makepeace snorted derisively.

Maybourne’s lips tightened in irritation. ‘I should leave and complete my business.’

‘What are you doing back here anyway? I thought you’d gone back to Washington.’ Makepeace asked as they stepped toward the door.

‘I came to oversee the retrieval of the mimic devices and the duplication machine.’ Maybourne informed him. ‘We’re transporting them to Area 51…’ His voice trailed away as the door clanged shut behind him.

Teal’c rose and stared at the door thoughtfully as he considered his next course of action.

o-O-o

Sam made a final check of her appearance in the mirror. The dark, puffy circles under her eyes gave away her inner tiredness and lack of sleep. She shrugged and left her quarters. She headed for the commissary. She ignored the brief flicker of concern that Janet would order her back to bed or worse, restrict her to the infirmary, if she ran into the doctor. She had rested, Sam thought defiantly, unaware that her blue eyes flashed brightly with the emotion as she stepped into the elevator. She’d managed a whole six hours of sleep before she had woken up abruptly with a nightmare sharp and clear in her mind.

She was too wired to sleep anyway, Sam acknowledged. The past couple of days had been exhausting but there was nothing like saving the SGC, and the world, from an alien incursion, to get the blood pumping and the adrenaline racing. She briefly basked in the remembered praise she had received at the briefing before the elevator delivered her to her destination. Not that the rescue had all been down to her; she hoped she had made that clear at the briefing, she mused as she made her way into the mess. If Teal’c hadn’t rescued her to begin with, her own heroics would never have been successful.

She pondered briefly over the choices and settled for a glass of blue jello and some coffee to take to the lab. Sam figured the combined sugar and caffeine would wipe away any lingering hint of tiredness. She absently wandered out with her food, her mind already turning to her work and the waiting alien technology.

The mimic devices were an incredible, she considered as she returned to the elevator and waited for it to return. If they could learn how to use them and the duplicating machine, they would have an advantage in covert work. She didn’t think the third part of the technology, the mind connector that allowed the alien to read the original’s thoughts would work human to human but they wouldn’t really know until they tried. But if the mimic devices were going to have a practical application, she was going to have to come up with a way to stop them being affected by the harmonic interference…

Sam shivered as she got back into the elevator. If the plane noise hadn’t caused the image of Colonel O’Neill to flicker…she sighed. She had been so tired by the time she had met with Maybourne at the side-walk café. The fact that Maybourne had disregarded protocol and contacted her command shouldn’t have surprised her. She had taken a risk in contacting him at all but she had figured that even a subverted Jack or General Hammond would never have trusted Maybourne. The appearance of Jack and Daniel at the café had caused confusion. The duplicates had seemed so real; so like them, and their story had been plausible if improbable. For a moment, she had doubted herself.

But there had been something off…a personal connection missing between her and the guys even as they expressed their concern for her. She chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully. If she were honest, her main clue had been her lack of attraction to Jack. The alien might have looked like Jack…but it hadn’t felt like Jack. Not that she would be mentioning that in her report, Sam considered with a smile. She took a sip of coffee as she stepped out of the elevator and made her way to the lab.

Her doubts about Jack and Daniel had led her to remain seated by Maybourne in the plane; unconsciously aligning herself with the one person she figured, even with his stupidity in calling the SGC, wouldn’t be an alien. She had seen his start of surprise when Jack’s image had flickered and had grabbed his gun. She hadn’t hesitated in firing the weapon when the alien had lunged for her; telling herself it wasn’t Jack. Her nightmare came back to her; she had dreamed of firing the shots and Jack not the alien lying dead. She shook herself. She hadn’t killed Jack; she had killed an alien.

Noise from the lab filtered through her thoughts and she frowned. She quickened her step, rounding the corner and coming to a surprised halt at the sight of Sergeant Siler and his men, packing up the equipment and loading it onto trolleys.

‘Sergeant,’ Sam greeted him quickly, ‘what’s going on?’ She waved her coffee mug at the activity around them.

‘Orders, ma’am.’ Siler gave her an apologetic smile. ‘The alien’s technology is being transported to Area 51.’

‘Who ordered that?’ Sam demanded, pushing her coffee and jello onto a nearby bench.

‘I did.’

Sam turned at Maybourne’s voice.

‘I thought you’d gone back to Washington.’ Sam blurted out, surprised to see him on the base.

Maybourne raised his thin eyebrows at her. ‘Not that it’s any of your business, Major,’ he stressed her rank less than subtly causing her to flush, ‘but I wanted to ensure this technology made its way to Area 51 for examination without delay.’

Sam bristled. ‘With all due respect, Colonel,’ her less than subtle stress of his rank had his lips tightening, ‘I was about to start examining it here. I could have a preliminary report in a couple of hours.’ She was aware of the slowing activity as the men stopped to watch her confrontation with Maybourne.

‘Major, may I remind you that you are not the only scientist involved with the Stargate programme.’ Maybourne retorted huffily, his chin puffing out in a way that made Sam itch to thump him.

‘I am, however, the scientist with the most experience with this technology.’ Sam argued passionately.

‘What’s going on?’ Jack O’Neill’s question cut through the tension and Sam spun to face her CO with relief. She gave a brief nod of acknowledgement to him and Daniel Jackson stood next to him.

‘Colonel Maybourne is attempting to remove the alien technology, sir.’ Sam replied briskly.

Jack gave a deep sigh and shoved his hands into the pockets of his BDU pants. ‘Just couldn’t wait to get your hands on it all, could you, Maybourne?’

Maybourne glowered at Sam and focused on Jack. ‘General Hammond has been informed. I think you’ll find this is all in order.’

‘I’m sure it is.’ Jack muttered.

‘Why can’t Sam examine it first?’ Daniel asked, his blue eyes bright with curiosity behind his glasses. ‘You have to admit she’s the one who figured out how to counteract the devices.’

‘Major Carter is not an expert in this kind of technology.’ Maybourne responded defensively.

‘It’s alien, Maybourne.’ Jack pointed out. ‘Who is?’

‘And, forgive me, but isn’t Sam our resident expert on alien technology?’ Daniel pressed.

‘Doctor Jackson, this has nothing…’ Maybourne interrupted.

‘Doesn’t she deserve something for saving us all from an alien invasion?’ Daniel continued on blithely ignoring the military man. ‘You said yourself she should get the credit.’

‘I don’t have to listen to this.’ Maybourne said exasperated. ‘The technology is being transferred to Area 51.’

‘I was right yesterday at the café.’ Sam said furiously.

‘Just because you were right about the aliens, doesn’t mean that…’ Maybourne began.

‘I meant I was right about you.’ Sam shot back. Her eyes held his angrily.

‘Careful, Major.’ Maybourne said tightly. ‘You’re dangerously close to insubordination.’

Sam opened her mouth to reply when Jack shook his head.

‘He’s not worth it, Carter.’ Jack looked disgustedly at the NID man.

Maybourne whirled around to the Airmen who had stopped packing. ‘What are you waiting for? Get on it with it.’

Siler looked over at Jack who nodded, giving the Sergeant permission to continue. Maybourne’s jaw tightened and he spun on his heel, marching away down the corridor.

Jack nudged Sam. ‘Come on. Let’s leave them to it.’

Sam nodded despondently and followed her team-mates back down the corridor to the elevator. They were in the compartment when she spoke.

‘I can’t believe I called him yesterday.’ She muttered.

‘You did the right thing. You had to call someone.’ Jack assured her. He turned to her inquisitively. ‘So what were you right about at the café?’

‘Uh,’ Sam stared up at the floor counter, ‘I don’t think I can tell you, sir.’

‘Tell me.’ Daniel suggested. ‘Just pretend Jack isn’t here.’

She looked over at the archaeologist with a small smile. ‘I would be admitting to disrespecting a senior officer by calling Colonel Maybourne an idiot, Daniel, I don’t think I can do that.’

Daniel smiled at her appreciatively. ‘Probably not.’

Sam caught Jack’s eye tentatively across the small space.

Her CO grinned back at her. ‘Sweet.’

o-O-o

Teal’c entered the commissary and spotted the rest of his SG1 team-mates sat at their usual table. He watched as Sam and Daniel left through the entrance by the tables and he made his way through the crowd to stand beside Jack.

‘Teal’c. Where’ve you been hiding? We couldn’t find you.’ Jack swallowed a mouthful of cake. ‘Want some cake? This is great…’

‘I must speak with you in private on a matter of some urgency.’ Teal’c interrupted solemnly.

Jack looked up at him surprised. His brown eyes regarded the Jaffa for a long moment. ‘Sure.’ He threw his fork on the plate beside the half-eaten dessert and shoved his chair back. The two of them left the commissary side by side in silence. They stepped into the elevator and both froze at the sight of Janet.

‘Doc.’ Jack greeted her a little cautiously.

‘Colonel O’Neill.’ Her warm dark eyes slid to Teal’c. ‘Teal’c.’

‘Doctor Fraiser.’ Teal’c bowed his head and ignored the urge to take a step away from her.

‘How’s your arm?’ Janet asked.

‘It is healed.’ Teal’c confirmed.

‘I feel I should apologise…’ Janet began hesitantly, taking in the Jaffa’s stiff demeanour.

‘There is no need.’ Teal’c replied. ‘I am aware that it was not you who tortured me.’ He met her uncertain gaze. ‘I know you would never perform such experiments on me.’

Janet gave a small smile. ‘Thank you, Teal’c.’ Her eyes flickered to Jack who was avoiding her gaze; her smile faltered.

Teal’c raised an eyebrow at Jack’s behaviour and wondered at what the alien Fraiser had done to the military man. The Colonel barely managed a nod as the diminutive doctor left the elevator at the next floor.

‘You seem unusually uncomfortable in Doctor Fraiser’s presence.’ Teal’c noted when the doors slid shut.

‘So do you.’ Jack shot back.

‘I have a reason.’ Teal’c returned smoothly. ‘I was captured and tortured by her alien double.’

Jack gestured at him. ‘I have a reason too.’

Teal’c’s eyebrow arched delicately in query.

‘I, uh, kind of hit her. Well, not her – her double.’ Jack admitted. He rocked back on his heels and stared at the ceiling. ‘And then I, um, might have undressed her a little.’

‘I see.’ Teal’c murmured.

‘It was an alien.’ Jack said defensively.

The elevator opened and Teal’c was saved from having to make a reply he led the way to his room and ushered Jack inside.

‘So, what’s this about?’ Jack asked as soon as the door was closed.

Teal’c assumed a firm stance; feet planted firmly apart, hands clasped behind his back. ‘I overheard a conversation today that I believe will be of interest to you.’

Jack motioned for him to continue; his brown eyes serious as they took in Teal’c’s sincerity.

‘I was in the locker room when Colonel Maybourne entered with Colonel Makepeace.’ Teal’c said bluntly. ‘They were unaware of my presence and I did not alert them.’

‘Go on.’ Jack encouraged, his eyes glittered expectantly.

‘Colonel Makepeace informed Colonel Maybourne that he was being watched by a member of his team; that he had considered killing the man but that it would draw too much attention to him.’

‘And?’ Jack prompted.

‘Colonel Maybourne agreed that retrieval operations would cease until the matter could be resolved.’ Teal’c finished. ‘They also spoke a little of keeping you under surveillance in order to assess you as a potential member of their conspiracy.’

Jack ignored the last sentence and focused on the first. ‘Retrieval of what?’

‘They did not say.’ Teal’c said.

‘Damn.’ Jack whirled away and paced to the other side of the room. He rubbed a hand through his silver hair furiously.

‘I assume you suspect Colonel Makepeace of being the inside man for the rogue group responsible for stealing the Medronan Touch-stone.’ Teal’c theorised out loud.

Jack sighed and turned to face his friend. ‘Yeah.’ He waved a hand at him. ‘But we haven’t been able to get anything on him.’

‘Are you not attempting to draw him out by pretending to hold the same beliefs?’ Teal’c asked.

‘We tried just after the incident with the Orbanians and Hammond had me do the night shift as a punishment for taking Merrin off base.’ Jack admitted. He sat down on the end of the bed and linked his hands together loosely. ‘Makepeace nibbled; he didn’t bite.’

Teal’c’s brow creased in confusion at Jack’s analogy. ‘I believe he may have bit more than you thought.’

‘Maybe.’ Jack said quietly. ‘What time did all this happen anyway?’

‘Approximately one hour ago.’ Teal’c confirmed.

Jack nodded. ‘I can get the surveillance tape from security from the corridor. It should show them going into the locker room or leaving the locker room.’

‘Perhaps.’ Teal’c said.

‘But that’s not going to be enough to put him away.’ Jack thought out loud. ‘And we can’t use your testimony in a court-room so…’

‘You require further evidence.’ Teal’c stated.

Jack nodded. ‘And it doesn’t look like we’ll get it if Makepeace knows he’s being watched.’

Teal’c shifted his weight a little. ‘I have often found it is only when a traitor feels completely safe that they will make a vital mistake and reveal themselves.’

‘You mean take the pressure off and wait for him to feel comfortable again?’ Jack sighed. ‘You could be right.’ He stood up. ‘I’d better get that tape before Makepeace gets to it.’ He headed for the door and paused before he opened it. He turned back to Teal’c. ‘This stays between you and me, Teal’c.’

Teal’c inclined his head in agreement. ‘I understand, O’Neill.’

Jack patted his arm and left.

Teal’c let out a deep breath. He had done the right thing in alerting O’Neill and he knew his friend understood he was no longer alone in facing the traitor.

o-O-o

‘You have a minute, sir?’ Jack O’Neill hovered in the open doorway of Hammond’s office with just enough formality in his stance to suggest a military position rather than a casual pose.

Hammond waved him in with a swift motion of the pen he held. ‘Of course.’

Jack entered, closing the door behind him and noting that the second door to the office – the one connecting the room with the corridor – was also shut. He made his way over to stand in front of the desk.

‘Actually, I’m glad you came by, Colonel, I’ve been meaning to speak with you about our infestation problem.’ Hammond gestured for him to sit.

‘Excellent, sir, because that’s why I’m here.’ Jack confessed.

Hammond blinked at him. ‘Really?’

‘Yes, sir.’ Jack nodded and fingered the CD he held.

‘So, it has occurred to you too that Major Carter contacting Colonel Maybourne is a little suspicious?’ Hammond rushed out.

Jack stared at the older man wondering if he had heard him correctly. ‘Excuse me?’

‘I said,’ Hammond took a deep breath, ‘that Major Carter contacting Maybourne is suspicious.’

‘Sir,’ Jack shook his head and leaned forward, ‘you can’t seriously be suggesting that Major Carter is in anyway involved with the rogue operation?’

‘We automatically discounted your team as being suspects, Colonel, when we began this investigation.’ Hammond pointed out. ‘Perhaps that was a mistake.’

Jack felt like he’d stepped into another reality. ‘General, Carter called Maybourne because she was reasonably certain the aliens pretending to be us wouldn’t, not because she’s mixed up with him.’

Hammond held his gaze for a long moment before he stepped away from his desk and walked over to the internal window between his office and the briefing room. ‘You know about my relationship with the Carters, Colonel.’

‘Yes, sir. I do.’ Jack said softly.

‘It occurred to me after the briefing and Colonel Maybourne’s endorsement of the Major that I might have let my personal feelings about her interfere with my objectivity in this matter.’ He faced Jack, sadness in his pale blue eyes. ‘You’re her CO, Jack, and you trust her too…’

‘Yes, I do.’ Jack interrupted him, ‘and with good reason. She’s saved the world how many times now?’ He held up the CD to stop Hammond from replying. ‘And I know for certain it isn’t her.’ He handed the CD to Hammond.

‘What’s this?’ Hammond asked, gruffly.

‘Surveillance footage showing Makepeace and Maybourne entering and leaving the locker room together.’ Jack paused. ‘It’s a copy. I’m expecting Makepeace will wipe the tapes by tomorrow.’

Hammond sat back down in his leather chair heavily. ‘So it is Makepeace.’

‘Looks like it.’ Jack said.

‘How did you know they had met?’ Hammond asked, glancing across the desk.

Jack found himself lying without making a conscious decision. ‘I saw them.’ He said easily.

‘Gillmore reports that he hadn’t seen Makepeace do anything suspicious.’ Hammond pointed out.

‘What if he knows about Gillmore?’ Jack suggested, his heart pounding uncomfortably. ‘Makepeace is a good officer.’

‘I guess it’s possible.’

‘Maybe we should back off a little.’ Jack continued. ‘Give Makepeace some space.’

‘You think he’ll make a mistake.’ Hammond placed the CD on his desk thoughtfully.

‘Everyone does eventually,’ Jack said evenly, ‘and if Makepeace is on to Gillmore there’s no point keeping the guy assigned to SG3.’

Hammond nodded. ‘I’ll get him reassigned.’ He looked at Jack a little sheepishly. ‘So, it’s definitely not Major Carter.’ He said with relief.

‘No, sir.’ Jack confirmed as he stood up. ‘Apparently she even called Maybourne an idiot when he revealed he’d contacted the SGC after she told him it was a foothold situation.’

‘She did?’ Hammond smiled widely before he remembered he wasn’t supposed to find it amusing. He tried to drop the smile. ‘I didn’t just hear that, Colonel.’

‘No, sir.’ Jack agreed.

Hammond nodded and tapped the CD. ‘Let’s give Makepeace enough rope to hang himself, Colonel.’

Jack nodded as Hammond dismissed him. He wandered out of the office almost in a daze. He was at the elevator again before he wondered at his decision not to admit that it had been Teal’c who had witnessed Maybourne and Makepeace together. Maybe Hammond’s sudden distrust of Carter had given him pause, Jack mused, or maybe because he knew Hammond was keen not to involve anyone else and risk the operation; maybe because his special ops training suggested having a back-up even his CO, who he trusted, didn’t know about was good contingency. Whatever the reason, Jack felt it was the right decision. He felt better knowing Teal’c would back him up if needed. Teal’c had helped Sam reveal the aliens as impostors and he was sure the Jaffa would help him reveal Makepeace as a traitor. Jack’s face hardened in determination.

It was just a question of when.

fin.