Rascals - Chapter 22


[ Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16 | Chapter 17 | Chapter 18 | Chapter 19 | Chapter 20 | Chapter 21 | Chapter 22 | Chapter 23 | Chapter 24 ]

-----
Several months later, the SGC scientists and the Tok'ra scientists had still not been able to solve the problem of reversing the effect of the alien device. They claimed they were getting closer to a solution, though O'Neill was beginning to doubt they would ever succeed.

He thought back to some of the recent 'memorable' moments. The children were a bit better behaved now. Janet thought they were less confused and so better able to fit in. Going through what they had, must be an experience that requires time to adapt.

Personally, in his most cynical moments, he thought they had just tested most of their nefarious plans, though now and then they would get a new idea and something would still happen.

As it had a few weeks ago.

SG-8 had succeeded in capturing one of Anubis's Jaffa and he was being held for interrogation. He had said nothing, and just gone on and on about how the Goa'uld were divine and Anubis was the greatest god and would punish all that stood up against him. Yada, yada.

Somehow, Garshaw had managed to get into the room with his holding cell - and at a time when the guard was away, even. Suddenly, someone had spotted the little girl on the surveillance videos, and O'Neill and a couple guards had run to the room.

There Garshaw was standing, in the middle of the room - holding Mister Fluffy towards the Jaffa and demanding he answered to him! O'Neill would never forget the expression on the face of the Jaffa. Garshaw had been using her voice distortion , of course - and had apparently presented herself as Garshaw of Belote, flashing her eyes for greater effect.

Well, one thing was certain. That Jaffa would never again believe any Goa'uld was a god! O'Neill smirked.

He looked at the clock and decided it was time to check on the children, and then it was off to bed.

-----
Knocking on the door, there was at first no answer, then he thought he heard a voice from inside. Worried, he opened the door and hurried inside.

The room was brightly lit, but he could see no one. The television was on, showing end-credits of some movie.

"Hello? Anyone here?"

After a few moments, a face appeared under one of the beds, looking out at him with scared eyes. Sam!

"What's up, Carter?"

"Did anyone - or anything else come in?"

"No, of course not." He began to feel irritated. What was going on this time?

"Good." Freya's face appeared as well. Soon after Daniel, then Martouf, and lastly Yosuuf crawled out from under the bed.

"Okay, would anyone like to explain what is going on?" O'Neill demanded.

"We watched a movie. Some scary sci-fi movie." Daniel explained.

O'Neill sighed. "Did you hack the parental lock on the TV again?"

"Umm..." Sam looked embarrassed.

"There were nasty creatures in it!" Lantash added, quickly looking all around him, making sure no one else was in the room except them. He quickly jumped up on the bed, making sure not to let his legs dangle over the side.

"Evil aliens. Body-snatching parasites." Garshaw said, looking terrified. She crawled up on the bed and sidled up to O'Neill. "Please...tell me no such creatures exist!"

"Eh..." O'Neill looked at her, disbelieving.

A pillow slid to the floor, knocking over a small lamp. It fell with a loud crash. All the children screamed and jumped on the bed O'Neill was sitting on, pressing themselves close to him.

"Please save us!" Anise cried.

O'Neill had no idea what to say. They could not seriously expect him to try and convince them body-snatching parasites did not exist? Seriously? Finally, he just put his arms around as many of them as possible.

"Don't worry. I'll protect you."

-----
They had tried contacting the Asgard, and Thor had answered. After hearing what it was they wanted his help with, he told them that it was possible, but not advisable.

While the Asgard could probably grow the children back to adult size, their personalities would be another matter.

When the Asgard made clones and grew them to the desired age, they did not transfer the memories, personalities, feelings...that which was the person...until the body had been grown to the desired age. It was an adult personality transferred to an adult body.

However, in this case, the alien device had transferred memories, knowledge, and feelings faithfully, but for some reason the personalities were those of children. The only thing that would transform them to their adult personalities was time.

This meant, that even if they were grown to adult size, they would still behave like children for another perhaps 10-12 years. In short, they needed to mature naturally.

So the Asgard 'solution' was off and it was back to hoping for the Tok'ra and the Tau'ri scientists to figure out how the alien machine worked.

Great.


<< Previous | Next >>

Review/comments