"The mixture of Goa'uld and plant...stuff...the natives concocted is what's responsible for Dr. Jackson's genetic changes, according to my report."

Hammond looked at Maybourne, not even bothering to ask where that report came from, knowing that even if Maybourne answered, it would probably be a lie.
If he were as brash as O'Neill was, he'd probably have made a comment about how well crutches and a big cast looked on the offending man.
As it was, he enjoyed in silence the pained winces Maybourne exhibited every time he moved.

"So?"
"So...this is a breakthrough in genetic warfare. Soldiers...voluntarily, of course..."
"Of course."

Hammond's snide interjection didn't slow Maybourne a bit.

"...could be engineered with animal DNA or whatever it is in there that actually performs the changes. Dr. Jackson is a pitiful waste of this material, his pacifistic attitude apparently only altered when the need to mate with Dr. Fraiser arises."
"Or when an idiot gets too close to her and their unborn children, making threats."

Hammond allowed himself a smile as Maybourne's face flushed with the memory of his very own personal introduction to Dr. Jackson's tail.
Hammond had been behind Dr. Jackson when Maybourne had come in, believing he'd gotten enough authorization to override the General.
He'd made it clear that Dr. Jackson was to stand to and let Dr. Fraiser be moved to the helo waiting to fly them all to Area 51.
Hammond didn't say a word, letting Maybourne come too close, knowing the man hadn't been fully briefed on the extent of Dr. Jackson's transformation.
Dr. Jackson had moved so he was between Maybourne and Dr. Fraiser, his tail swishing ominously with each step Maybourne had taken.
Maybourne stopped, curiously looking at the tail, a sneer contorting his mouth when the object of his scorn slashed at him, the impact sending him backwards.
Maybourne's leg had been broken in three places in the landing and he'd proven that even crawling he could scurry out of there, his armed escort following him, carefully wiping the smiles off their faces whenever he looked their way, dragging his leg behind him until he passed out in the corridor.

"I'd hardly call them children."
"That, Maybourne, is what's going to truly endear you to Dr. Jackson."

Maybourne paused.

"You can't keep them here forever, General. Unless you find a way to reverse this process, Dr. Jackson's mine and even if you do reverse it, those children aren't human and have no human rights."
"You're right...except for one thing, Maybourne."

Maybourne simply raised his eyebrow, waiting for the General to finish.

"Those children will be born in Colorado, in the United States of America. They may not be humans, but they are Americans, and that means they're covered by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Inalienable rights, Colonel. And nothing you or anyone else can change the fact that when those children were conceived, both of their parents were American citizens, too. You can't take those children, even if we can't reverse what's happened to Dr. Jackson and if you try, I'll help their parents fight you through every legal system on the planet if that's what it takes to protect an American's birthright. Is that clear...Colonel?"

Maybourne had turned white from the quiet confidence and menace in the General's voice.

"You can't reveal the Stargate program."
"If I don't, eventually you will, so what do you care?"
"I don't appreciate that accusation, General."
"I don't care. Get out of my office and when I have something to say to you, I'll summon you. Until then, you stay away from everyone and everything on this base without my authorization. You'd better not even use the shower room without a hall pass from me. Dismissed, Colonel."

Hammond knew he hadn't bought even time with that order, but...it sure felt good.

"How long until she gives birth?"

Dr. Warner sighed at the General's question.

"I'm not sure, sir."
"An educated guess?"

Dr. Warner rubbed his nose, the dark circles under his eyes betraying the long hours he'd been putting in as Acting Chief Medical Officer.

"I'm pretty sure it'll be less than a human nine month gestation period, but even that's iffy because we don't know what's normal here. These babies could grow to be huge or grow to a certain size and use the rest of the gestation time to grow extra parts we haven't identified yet so, sir, I really don't know."

General Hammond sighed in disgust.
Not with Dr. Warner, but with the entire situation.
For the last week, the two linguists who'd figured out the native language had been hopping between Earth and P39-XX4, accompanied by a medical aid with a knack for languages.
He'd been indispensable, able to ask medically oriented questions while the linguists had concentrated on everything else.
What they'd brought back was not promising and Maybourne knew it.
Hammond was getting more and more frustrated at the chance of Maybourne being able to take them without him being able to do a thing about it.
He'd gone to visit them every other day, when his duties were light.
Dr. Jackson was practically glued to Dr. Fraiser's side and the connection between them had become like crackling lightning.
Not much sound, but the flashes from the eyes of one to the other made everyone in the room feel like intruders.
Except SG-1, apparently.
They were in there whenever allowed.
Dr. Jackson worked on a laptop so he didn't have to leave and artifacts were brought to him.
Everyone knew that arrangement wasn't changing until Dr. Fraiser was cleared to leave the infirmary.

"Sir, from the descriptions of the Kohlach, Dr. Jackson may simply be in the first stages. The children completely fit the descriptions, though, as far as we can tell. Tiny fangs and a row of sharp teeth have already appeared on one of them, we think that one's female, and the other two, who we think are male, have tails the same shape as Dr. Jackson's."
"The female doesn't have a tail?"
"Not yet, sir, if she'll ever have one. Remember, sir, we're not sure of any of this. The way they're wrapped around each other, literally sharing food and nutrients with each other is unlike anything we've ever seen before."
"How is Dr. Fraiser doing?"
"Well, we've been monitoring her closely for any allergic reaction, physical rejection, and so far, her body has simply conformed to the fetuses' needs. The umbilical cord is covered in small nodules we were insecure about until one of the fetuses touched it and it connected to the child briefly. That fetus glowed for the connection time and when the connection severed itself, the glow dissipated."
"You don't know what..."
"No, sir. Not a clue. We're theorizing it may have to do with the colors Dr. Jackson changed before the transformation took place and the glow in his fingernails before he extends his claws. However, until the babies are born, we aren't able to do more than monitor Dr. Fraiser."
"She's wanting to move around, I hear."

Dr. Warner shook his head.

"To be honest, if she stays like this for another week, I really don't think there's much to keep her in the infirmary all the time. As long as she stays on base, is checked at regular intervals each day and is accompanied by someone to keep an eye on her and report anything new, besides Dr. Jackson, I don't mind her leaving the infirmary next Monday."

Hammond smiled to reassure the harassed doctor before leaving to go back to his office.
He'd been convincing the President for the last week that it was too risky to move Dr. Fraiser, but he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out.
He'd have to find a new argument and make it sound like he wasn't just making something up.

Janet smiled at the way Daniel was purring as she left his soft, pliant mouth and trailed her lips long his jaw.
Anytime the babies were restless, she just kissed Daniel senseless so he'd start purring and the vibration would settle the babies immediately.
They reacted to his voice, too.
If he yelled or spoke angrily, they began kicking and rocking, making her nauseous, only quieting when he touched her, his voice soothing their agitation.
Whenever they were the only ones in the private room, Daniel would stop working, putting aside his laptop.
He'd wrap himself around her, just holding her, his tail caressing wherever his hands didn't.
Janet smiled as she remembered how shy he'd been whenever they were alone at first.
He's been so insecure, afraid of hurting her physically, unable to voice the feelings churning inside him.
She knew he wasn't in love with her, she didn't think she was in love with him, either, but they had an incredible attraction, a strong friendship and a lot of respect for each other.
That was a good enough basis for now.
He began touching her in earnest a couple days ago, arousing her while he slept.
At first she thought he was just reliving what had happened, but when he woke up, the fire making his tawny cat eyes blaze with unfulfilled desire, she knew she wasn't the only one suffering sexual withdrawal.
Neither was allowing the other one to go too far, unsure of what was safe for the children, but as soon as the children were born...oh he was going to be comatose by the time she was finished with him.

"Daniel?"

Janet whispered, realizing he'd fallen asleep.
She smiled contentedly.
Part of her was still terrified for her children and her herself, but the General had sworn he wouldn't allow anything to happen to her.
Daniel murmured in his sleep, moving only slightly.
Janet smiled again, wondering what he was dreaming of.

Daniel stood before Apophis and Apophis's queen.
He refused to look at Amaunet, knowing his wife was being mentally tortured every second of her life.
His heart broke every time he thought of it.
Apophis made some condescending speech and Daniel flushed angrily at having to hear it again.
Only...this time was different.
He pivoted in slow motion, his leg bending into a round house as he brought it higher and higher, finally slashing down across the nearest jaffa's shoulder, forcefully pushing the man's head sideways, obviously breaking his neck.
Apophis called out to fire at him and fire they did.
Daniel felt blast after blast of energy hit him, filling him with heat and adrenaline.
His tail snapped out from its resting-place against his leg, flattening a groove across another jaffa's face.
Then, Daniel turned to see Apophis running, holding Amaunet in front of him as a human shield.
That was fine with Daniel.
He ran forward, pulsing with something he didn't recognize, feeling a power building inside him.
His eyes changed, taking away color and putting acute alertness to movement in their place.
He saw the different shadows he couldn't see before; able to actually see where Apophis would be moments before he got there.
Daniel leaped, his form sinewy as he flew effortlessly through the air.
His claws raked down Apophis' face, slicing him cleanly before turning to Amaunet.
Grabbing her as gently, but firmly as possible, he twisted her gold-covered hand behind her back so she couldn't use her ribbon device on him.
Then, apologizing to Sha're, he kissed her, allowing the power in his body to go into her, feeling her scream against his lips as Amaunet ripped herself out of Sha're, tearing her neck in her pain-filled screams until she hit the floor, twisting in agony.
Daniel continued kissing his wife; the power filling her, too, until she healed, her arms around him, sharing the kiss with the same passion she'd always shown him.
He would never let her be hurt again.
Finally, pulling back, he picked up Amaunet's twitching form.
His hand heated until she steamed, and the Goa'uld queen's death howl filled the air until she was dead, cooked from the middle to the edges.
Daniel knocked her head against the wall a few times until it fell off, and then he lifted her to his mouth, wondering if she would taste as good as Heru'hur had.
Just as he was about to bite down, a noise sounded in his ear and he turned to see what it was.
His eyes opened...he hadn't realized they were closed.
He looked around him wildly, realizing he'd been dreaming.
Janet was looking at him, a curious expression on her face.
His arms were embracing her, holding her close to him and disappointment filled him, its sharpness cutting into him.

"Daniel, what were you dreaming of?"

Daniel shook his head, not wanting to even remember that dream, much less talk about it.
He didn't feel he'd betrayed Janet, nothing like that.
They'd talked about that, knowing it was best if each knew where the other stood.
It had been so real.
Sha're had finally been there, in his arms, so close...and he'd wasted the last moments of his dream taking vengeance on Amaunet.
He was a fool...even in his dreams.
He sighed, curling protectively around Janet and his babies.
He had failed Sha're, but he was not going to fail Janet or his children.

Janet sighed as Daniel moved around her, carefully putting only a little pressure on her abdomen, knowing she was sensitive there.
He wasn't going to tell her, but she bet it was Sha're or something similar.
He was having children with a friend instead of his wife.
Janet felt a twang of jealousy streak through her.
This was why she'd never made any moves on him, keeping her distance except when in a medical capacity.
She'd known he'd be only partly hers if at all because a huge part of his heart and his pride was out there...somewhere.
Janet bit her tongue; forcing herself to concentrate on the pain it caused and ignore her emotional state.
Daniel didn't deserve that.
It wasn't his fault.
He loved her and he loved their children.
So what if it wasn't all enduring love for her.
She'd had that love before and remembered bitterly how betrayed she'd felt when her husband had revealed just how much respect he really had for her.
Daniel respected her first, loved her second.
She could live with that.
She had to live with that.
Her children needed her as much as they needed him.
Janet winced, her stress giving her a migraine.
She realized Daniel was staring at her, his normally blue eyes grey in distress.

"I upset you."

Janet sighed again.

"It's not your fault."

Daniel grimaced and she knew he'd blame himself anyway.
He leaned up, kissing her cheek.

"I'm sorry."

Then he snuggled up to her, his head beside hers on her pillow; his legs entwining with hers as his tail framed their children, protective in its movements.
Janet listened to his breathing even out, surprised when the babies settled enough that she felt like she could actually sleep.

Daniel deliberately controlled his breathing, hoping Janet would think he was asleep.
He knew her feelings for him were stronger than she'd told him, but also knew acknowledging them would just make things worse.
Unless he was going to confess to the same feelings, all talking about it would do was drive home that he didn't feel the same and humiliate her in the process.
So he stayed quiet, hoping the love he felt for her would be enough.
He just hoped this physical need for each other wouldn't push them faster than it had already pushed them.
So far, they'd only had a few out of control urges, stopped only by the babies restlessness knocking Janet out of her aroused state.
After they were born...Daniel wasn't sure he'd been able to keep his hands off her.
Just at the thought of how soft she was his body reacted and he tried to stem his thoughts so as not to wake her.
Keeping his mind off that took it other directions and he winced.
He tried not to think of Sha're, but she was in his blood and he swore again he would free her if it took his last breath to do it.
He prayed, though, that Janet's heart wouldn't be broken in the process.

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DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognizable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret Productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on Copyrights or trademarks were intended. Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are Copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Miau Graphics Copyright © 1997-2000 Ursula Adler
Janet's Kitty and anything else not otherwise mentioned Copyright © 2000 Garnet Hyneman