CHAPTER ONE

"Unscheduled off-world activation."

As usual, the announcement made everyone who heard it wonder what surprise would be arriving through the Stargate this time.  One of those people was Jack O'Neill, who entered the control room and came up beside General Hammond.

"Any idea who it is, General?" he asked.

"Not a clue.  We have two SG teams out, but both of them are on follow-up missions to previously visited planets, so they shouldn't have run into any trouble.  Of course, we all know that even the most mundane mission can sometimes turn deadly."

"Oh, yeah.  Been there, done that."

A moment after the wormhole established, Sergeant Harriman announced that it was the Tok'ra who were calling.  Hammond told him to open the iris.

Jack let out a groan when the first Tok'ra who appeared was Anise.

"Oh, I really don't need this," he muttered.  He was glad, however, that the other Tok'ra was Jacob.

Jack and the general went down to greet the Tok'ra.

"Hello, George, Jack.  Good to see you again," Jacob said.

"You too, Jacob," Jack responded.  "Can't say the same for your companion, I'm afraid."

Anise looked at him with a calm, emotionless face.  "I can understand your reluctance to have dealings with me again, Colonel O'Neill.  The incident with the Atanik armbands was very unfortunate, as was that with the Zatarcs."

"Unfortunate?  Has anyone ever told you that you have a real gift for understatement?"  Jack turned back to Jacob.  "So, what brings you to our neighborhood today?  I'm afraid that your daughter isn't here.  She's off helping to bring the Prometheus home."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Sam's father said.  "I was looking forward to seeing her.  As to why we're here, it's regarding Daniel."

Jack's expression hardened, and he shook his head.  "Uh uh.  No.  Negative.  Niet.  Not gonna happen.  And if I haven't made myself crystal clear, not even if hell freezes over."

"Colonel O'Neill, don't you think that we should find out what this is all about before we say no?" Hammond asked.

"Oh, I already know what it's about.  They want to borrow Daniel for some special top secret mission."

The general looked at the Tok'ra.  "Is he right about that?"

"Yes and no, George," Jacob replied.  "Why don't we go to the briefing room to discuss it."

"I'll call Daniel," Jack said.

Daniel arrived at the briefing room a few minutes later.  The second he saw Anise, he knew he wasn't going to like this.  He definitely didn't like the way that the female Tok'ra was looking at him, like he was a fascinating specimen that she wanted to study.

"Okay, so what is this all about?" Jack asked.

"It is, of course, about Doctor Jackson's newly developed psychic abilities," Anise replied.  "The Tok'ra are quite fascinated by their development and the reason for it."  She turned to Daniel.  "From what we have been told, these abilities of yours are a direct result of your time as an ascended being.  Is that so?"

"Yes.  Oma confirmed that I was changed by my ascension and returned to human form a bit different than I was before."

Jacob looked at Daniel sharply.  "You've spoken to Oma Desala?"

"Yes.  Twice, in fact."

"That's interesting.  That must mean that she was immediately aware of what happened."

"Apparently."

"Did the Ancient tell you anything else?" Anise asked.

"A lot of things, most of which are things that you don't need to know.  One thing I will pass on to you is that she said I must not let others choose my path for me."

"Which is excellent advice, if you ask me," Jack said, "something that everyone here should take note of for future reference."

"So, what is this all about?" Daniel questioned.  "I should tell you right off that if you're here to run some tests, I will have to refuse.  I've already done the whole testing thing, and I'm not willing to do it again."

"Doctor Jackson, we have far more advanced equipment that could detect things that the equipment previously used on you would have been incapable of seeing," Anise explained.  "I assure you that you would suffer no discomfort."

"Boy, you Tok'ra sure do have trouble with the word 'no', don't you, that is except when you're saying it," Jack said.  "You heard what Daniel said.  No tests."

"We could gain a great deal of valuable information," Anise insisted.

"For what purpose?" Daniel asked.  "Since it's because of my ascension that I can do these things, no amount of testing is going to give you the knowledge you need to reproduce this in other humans.  It wouldn't be of any benefit to the human race.  So, what would be the point of running tests?  Just to satisfy your curiosity on how this works?  Sorry, but that's not a good enough reason."

"There is a possibility that, if we can isolate the difference in your brain from that of a normal human, we could find a way to artificially reproduce it."

Jack waved his hands.  "Okay, now, I have a real problem with that.  Did any of you by chance happen to hear about those lovely experiments that Nirrti did while trying to create psychic humans?  Well, I gotta tell you.  It was not pretty.  I saw two people dissolve into little puddles right before my eyes," he looked at Jacob, "and your daughter almost became number three.  So, there is no way that we're going to play any part in you guys doing the Frankenstein bit."

"I assure you that our methods would not cause the same damage that Nirrti's did," Anise told him.

"But you'd still be playing God," Daniel responded.  "The evolution of the human race into a higher form of life is supposed to be a natural process.  Trying to speed things along like Nirrti did can only cause trouble."

"Yet you are a living example of evolution being advanced through a process that was not normal."

"No, it wasn't normal, but it also wasn't unnatural.  Nobody toyed with my genes.  What happened to me wasn't through artificial means.  If your sole purpose for coming here was to use information gained from me to create a Hok'tar, an advanced human, then I'm afraid that you've come a very long way for nothing."

Anise opened her mouth to say something else, but she was silenced by Jacob.

"Anise, give it a rest," he told her.  "He gave you his answer.  Live with it."  He turned his attention to the others.  "There is another reason we're here.  The Tok'ra have had missions in the past where Daniel's psychic abilities would have been of immense help, and there is no doubt that more missions like that will come up in the future."

"Ya see?" Jack said.  "What did I tell you?  They want Daniel for some mission."

"Not at the present moment, Jack," Jacob told him, "but, yes, if a mission ever does come up where we could really use Daniel's help, we want to know if that will be possible."

"Well, if you'll recall, the last time you borrowed Daniel for a mission, things didn't go so well.  He was lucky to get out of it alive."

"I promise you that we would never put Daniel in that kind of danger again."

Jack shook his head.  "Doesn't matter.  You're not getting him.  I guess you didn't get the latest memo."

"Memo?" Anise queried, confused by the word.

"Doctor Fraiser determined that using his psychic abilities could pose a threat to Doctor Jackson's health," General Hammond explained.  "He suffered some trauma to his brain when he caused an Al'Kesh to explode while saving Major Carter's life."

Jacob's and Anise's eyes widened.  They stared at Daniel.

"You blew up an Al'Kesh?" Jacob asked.

"Oh, you didn't hear about that?" Jack asked, enjoying their reaction.  "Gee, I guess the Tok'ra grapevine isn't all it's cracked up to be."

"Such a level of power makes it even more vital that we discover how it works," Anise declared, her face more animated than any of the humans had ever seen.

Jack sighed in exasperation.  "Aren't you listening?  There's a chance that every time Daniel uses his psychic whammy, it could hurt him.  The more he uses it the greater the chance is that it'll either kill him or leave him some kind of brain-damaged vegetable."

"We had no idea that using his abilities endangered his health, Jack," Jacob said.  "Of course this changes everything.  The Tok'ra wouldn't want to do anything to cause Daniel harm."

"Um, excuse me.  Would anyone be interested in what I have to say?" Daniel asked, waving his hand slightly, as if to get their attention.  Once he had it, he looked at Jack.  "Jack, I appreciate you trying to protect me and keep me healthy, but I can't put my own life ahead of the lives of others.  If there is something that only I can do that will save lives, I need to consider it."

"Daniel."

"Jack."

"I'm not liking what you're saying, Daniel."

"Jack, how many times have you risked your life to save others?  How many times have all of us on SG-1 put our lives on the line to help people in need?  Why should it be any different now?  Has my life suddenly become so important that it's not worth risking regardless of the stakes?"

Jack did not reply, knowing that he could not say yes.

"Nothing has changed.  If I have the opportunity to save others, I need to take it."  Daniel looked at Jacob and Anise.  "However, I am not going to go on some mission just because it'll make things easier for the Tok'ra.  You can ask, but you need to accept my decision on whether or not I'll go."

"Agreed," Jacob said.  "We would only ask for your help if we feel that we have no alternative."

"And it had better be something big, really, really big," Jack stressed, still not at all happy.

"Very well," Hammond said.  "Now that we've settled—"

A sharp gasp from Daniel halted the general's statement.  Everyone turned to see him gazing with slightly unfocused eyes off at nothing.

"Daniel?" Jack asked in concern.

"Sam," Daniel whispered.  His eyes cleared, and he turned to Hammond.  "General, something's happened to the Prometheus."

"What?!  Are you certain of that?"

"Yes.  I don't know what's wrong, but something is.  Sam's in danger, possibly hurt."

"Daniel, how could you possibly know that?" Jacob asked.

"I guess that's something else you didn't hear about," Jack responded.  "Besides being able to control fire and move things with his mind, he can also see the future, and he can sense when there's something wrong."  Jack's eyes went to Daniel.  "In fact, you felt that something was going to happen before Carter even left."

"Yes, I did, and I realize now that I shouldn't have ignored what I felt.  But what I'm sensing now isn't something that's going to happen in the future.  It's happening right now, as we speak.  Something has gone wrong with the Prometheus."

"They're due for a check-in in three hours," Hammond stated.  "We'll wait to see if they call before we do anything."

"May I be excused, General?" Daniel asked.

"Yes, of course.  Dismissed, everyone."

Daniel left the briefing room and hurried away.  Jack started to follow him but changed his mind, guessing by the set of his shoulders that Daniel was planning on doing something that would be a bit too spooky for Jack.  Though he had mostly gotten used to the idea that Daniel had all these psychic powers, it still gave Jack the willies on occasion.

Daniel went straight to his office.  He shut the door behind him, needing complete privacy.  He sat in his chair and closed his eyes.  After he realized that the dream he had about Sam's death was a vision of the future, he talked to Eliza White about it.  The biofeedback therapist told him that the brainwave frequency he was at when he had the vision was linked to the power of ESP, extrasensory perception, though she had never heard of someone having a precognitive vision.  Now, Daniel was hoping that going to that frequency again would enable him to see what was wrong with Sam and the Prometheus.

Pushing his concern for Sam out of his thoughts, Daniel slowed his brainwave pattern until he had reached the desired four point zero hertz.  Not quite sure how to go about it, he attempted to reach out to Sam, to feel her, or see her, or something.  The minutes ticked by with no success.  Then, for a brief instant, he saw a huge alien ship, then something that looked sort of like a nebula.  The image faded, and, as hard as he tried, he couldn't get anything more.  Giving up for now, Daniel opened his eyes.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door.  At the same time, Daniel's sixth sense kicked in, but what it told him was puzzling.  There was a feeling of two entities that were strangely blended into one.  An instant later, he realized that what he was feeling was a host and its symbiote.

'Wow.  Wait till I tell Sam that I can sense Goa'uld and Tok'ra now.'

Daniel opened the door to find Anise on the other side.

"Doctor Jackson, may I speak with you in private?" she asked.

The archeologist was tempted to say no, but his natural courteousness kicked in, and he stepped back to allow the woman entrance.

"I have come to ask that you reconsider allowing me to conduct some tests," Anise said.  "The Tok'ra have never encountered an individual with all of the psychic skills that you now possess.  Any information that we could gain from studying how you are able to do these things could prove invaluable.  I assure you that no harm would come to you.  I would exercise great care."

"Anise, you just don't seem to understand," Daniel said.  "It isn't about me.  If I believed in what you're trying to do, I'd go along with your tests even if there was some risk.  I wasn't there when SG-1 tangled with Nirrti that last time – or, if I was, I have no memory of it – but I read the report, and I know what her experiments did to those people.  I also saw first hand what happened to Cassandra, Doctor Fraiser's adopted daughter, because of Nirrti's meddling.  She nearly died.  Okay, so you say that whatever methods you would use wouldn't be the same as Nirrti's, but that still doesn't guarantee that something won't go wrong, that innocent people won't suffer because of your efforts to create humans with psychic abilities.  You can't promise that won't happen.  Whenever people meddle with nature and try to change it, they are taking the chance of causing a catastrophe.  Now, while some genetic engineering can result in good things, the possible consequences of what you want to do are way too dangerous."

Daniel studied the woman's face.  There was one thing that he could offer her, though he suspected that it wouldn't be anywhere near enough to appease her.  "I know it's not what you want, but I can tell you that I was able to tap into these abilities by controlling my brainwave pattern and taking it to certain frequencies," he said.  "There have been studies done that show that certain frequencies can tap into a human's natural psychic potential.  If you're at all interested, I can direct you to information about it.  I can also tell Doctor Fraiser to let you see the results of the medical tests she ran on me.  But that is all I am willing to do, Anise."

"There is no way that I can change your mind?"

"None.  I'm sorry."

"Then I will not bother you again."

The Tok'ra left.  It wasn't even ten seconds later that Jack showed up.

"I saw Anise leave," he said.  "Did she try to convince you to go through with her tests?"

"Yes, but I gave her the same answer, and she accepted it this time."

"Really?  I thought she'd be a lot more pushy."

Daniel shrugged.  "I guess she realized that she'd be wasting her breath."

"So, what do you know about what's going on with Carter and the Prometheus?"

"Not much, I'm afraid.  I tried to, um, see something more, but I didn't have much success.  To be honest, I really don't know what I'm doing.  I don't know how to control this.  Blowing things up and pulling weapons out of people's hands is a lot easier.  I just have this bad feeling that Sam and the Prometheus are in trouble.  I also have this feeling that she's hurt."

"Well, I guess we'll find out soon enough.  Let's hope that you're wrong."

At that moment, a request for Jack's presence came over the P.A. system.  With a sigh he left, telling Daniel that they'd talk later.

Daniel made an attempt to get some work done, but his concern for Sam was interfering with his ability to focus.

Giving up on work, Daniel decided to try again to get some information on Sam.  As his brain reached the right frequency, Daniel tried as hard as he could to see Sam.  For a long, frustrating moment, there was nothing, then, all at once, Daniel saw an image of her wandering alone and hurt through the corridors of the Prometheus.  The image lasted only a moment, then was gone.

Daniel's eyes blinked open.  This new vision worried him even more.  Why was Sam alone?  Where was the rest of the crew?  And how badly was she hurt?  She looked terrible, struggling to stay upright.

Sick with worry, Daniel almost didn't sense the person approaching his office.  When he did, he again felt that odd duality within the person.  He immediately knew that it was Jacob and his symbiote, Selmak.

"Hey, Jacob," Daniel said, not thinking about the fact that the man hadn't appeared in the doorway yet.  Sam's father came into view about two seconds later and stared at Daniel.

"How'd you do that?"

"Uh, it's something else I found out I can do.  I can sometimes sense when someone is near."

The Tok'ra shook his head and came into the office.  "Just don't tell Anise.  She's already pouting that you won't let her dig around in your brain."

"She'll get over it."

Jacob took a seat.  "This incident with the Al'Kesh that you destroyed.  What's the whole story behind that?"

Daniel gave him a brief rundown.

"So, you saw it all in a dream beforehand and realized that the dream was coming true?"

"Yes."

"And Sam would have died if you hadn't acted?"

Daniel nodded.

"Then I want to thank you for saving my daughter's life."

"There's no need to thank me, Jacob," Daniel said.  "I did what anyone else would have done for a teammate if they'd had the ability.  Also, Sam is my friend.  I couldn't let her die."

"Nevertheless, I owe you one."

"You don't owe me a thing, Jacob.  Sam has helped save my life more than once."

Jacob adopted a mock stern tone.  "Don't argue with me, Daniel.  I'm older, wiser, and I used to be a general."

A smile brightened Daniel's face.  "Yes, sir."

Jacob gaze at him searchingly.  "How are you doing, Daniel?  This must be a lot for you to take in.  I was pretty shocked when I heard about it and about yours and Teal'c's escape through the Stargate.  I also thought that the president was an idiot."

"Well, your opinion of the president was shared by more than one person."

"Jack?"

"Need you ask?"

"No, the answer's pretty obvious.  I'd bet that Sam was pretty ticked off, too."

"Just a bit."

"So, what are you intending to do about this?  I assume that, now that you're back on SG-1, the SGC will be making some use of your abilities, though it sounds like that use will be rather limited."

Daniel shook his head.  "Not unless it's necessary.  Janet is pretty insistent that I don't blow anything up or make anything float through the air unless I really have to, which is fine with me.  I never wanted any of this in the first place."

"Many people would give a lot to have that kind of power."

"Well, I'm not one of them."

"Even though you've already saved lives with it?"

"I'm glad that I could save my teammates and SG-3, but this kind of power is a scary thing to have, Jacob.  It's changed my life, and I can't say that the change is for the better."

"SG-3?"

"Oh, um, yeah.  They ran into a little trouble, and Teal'c and I just happened to be there to lend them a hand."

Jacob smiled.  "Why do I get the feeling that's an understatement?"

"Because Daniel is way too modest, that's why," Jack said, coming into the room.  He looked at Jacob.  "Hey, I heard the joyful news that Anise is leaving."

Jacob laughed.  "I get the impression that you don't like her much, Jack."

"Really?  Whatever gave you that idea?"

"Yes, she is leaving.  Since Daniel has refused to submit to her tests, she no longer has a reason to be here."

"Good.  Will you be leaving, too?"

"No, I'll be hanging around for a while longer, at least until we learn something about Sam.  However, I do have to talk to Anise before she leaves, so I'd better get to the gate room."

"Well, give her a kiss goodbye for me and tell her that absence does not make my heart grow fonder for her, but it sure does make it happier."

Shaking his head in amusement, Jacob walked off to the control room.

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