Cassandra! I'm not imagining it.
I mean, she was here, was she not?
Yeah, for almost the entire time
she was opening her presents.
Cassie!
Cassandra: What?
I thought you were
wearing the top that Sam bought you.
Oh, well, that's, like, for school.
Hey... ah.
Make a wish. Yeah.
Dominic's waiting.
Fine. Invite him in.
I'm sure he'd love to have a piece of birthday cake
that Sam went to all the trouble to bake.
Buy. Bring.
I'd love to meet him.
You said I could go.
Yeah, I did—— after.
We're meeting a bunch of people.
You know,
considering that you have not been feeling well,
ithinkyou're just lucky I'm letting you go out at all.
Fine.
You know, I could just—...
Hyuhhn!
She is going to have a piece of birthday cake.
You stay right where you are.
Coffee? Yes, please.
They're not letting me leave yet, so...
If you want to go and meet up with everybody, then—...
Wait a sec. Here. Happy birthday.
It's just like the ones from class.
Yeah, well, you said it was pretty, so...
This one's for decoration, though.
I thought you could,
you know, put it in your room.
(Music playing)
(Light buzzes)
(Shatte rs)
(Th ud)
Cassan dra?
Dominic: Help!
What happened? Nothing. She just fell.
She's running atemperature.
What was she doing when she just fell?
I——I kissed her. You kissed her?!
It's her birthday, all right?
I'm telling you, the light just exploded,
and she just passed out. That's what happened.
I want to get her to the infirmary.
Get the car keys. Cass? Baby? Cassie?
Cassie.
(Music playing)
(Dramatic music playing)
How's she doing?
Her fever still hasn't come down.
Sam...
I need to get a sample of your blood.
Cassandra's bloodwork shows the presence
of a retrovirus.
Didn't she just get over the flu?
Whatever this is, it isn'tthe flu.
Do you thinkthere's a causal relationship
between the retrovirus and the e.M. Field?
Possibly.
What?
Cassandra's body is somehow generating
a low—level electromagnetic field.
It's periodically spiking.
That could be why the light exploded
on the porch.
And why I can't do an mri to find out
what other effects this retrovirus is having.
Mom?
I'm here.
I couldn't finish the harvest.
That's ok.
I have to go into the forest.
It's ok, Cassie.
(Lights buzz)
Do I need to putthe base under quarantine?
I don'tthink it's contagious, sir.
Major Carter and I show no evidence
of the retrovirus in our blood.
Then where did Cassandra contract it?
I'm guessing her home planet.
Cassandra has not been to that planet
in several years.
Retroviruses can exist in the body
for years UN detected
before the first symptoms appear.
When it does emerge, it starts to rewrite
the individual's DNA in order to replicate.
I've compared this one with every retrovirus on record,
and it doesn't match any of them.
So there's obviously no vaccine.
I've been giving her antiviral medications,
but her most recent tests
showthatthe virus is now spreading
into her cerebral spinal fluid.
Atthis moment, I'm more concern ed about brain damage.
I just finished going through sg—7's reports
from p8x—987.
Morning.
Morning. In their 3 months on Cassandra's planet,
sg—7 witnessed 2 incidents of high fever
and hallucination in teenagers Cassandra's age.
The villagers called it the "mind fire."
I found some digital video footage.
Man on tape: Hurry! This way!
She's over here!
Second man: What happened?
Girl: We were just walking along—...
Man: She just dropped and started convulsing.
What's wrong with her?
(Girl coughing)
Girl: She started making these sounds and—...
There's more, but you, uh, getthe idea.
How did they treat it?
Sg—7 offered medicine, but the village elders believed
that these children were touched by the gods
andthat interfering would tempt retribution.
What happened to 'em?
They were sent alone into the forest near the village,
and after several days, they came back... cured.
How?
Sg—7 tried to find out, but the elders insisted
the child had to make the journey alone
as some sort of religious rite.
Cassandra talked about going into the forest.
She was delirious.
Well, it's worth checking out, sir.
When we were last on p8x—987,
the atmosphere had been contaminated
by the Goa'uld nirrti.
Well, that was 4 years ago.
The toxin could be non—persistent.
But we can send a malp to be sure.
Sir?
It's worth a try.
Jackson: There's something.
It's a han dprint.
A fire burned here.
Carter: Maybe we should collect
some samples of the local vegetation.
It's possible there might be a natural cure around here.
Yeah, let's collect some of that flora.
Hello.
(Humming)
Carter? Daniel?
I believe we are in a Goa'uld laboratory.
Whose, do you think?
Nirrti.
Yeah.
(Humming)
It's ok. It's just us.
So, where are we?
I believe we're in the laboratory of nirrti.
Well, sir, if this is where the children ended up—...
You're right about that.
She didn't finish her sentence.
This place was what the initiation rite
was all about.
Hankan children suffering from the mind fever
wan der alone into the forest,
it gets dark,
they're drawn to the han dprint on the tree,
then to the warm fire,
then the rings sweep them to this lab.
And then they come back cured.
Nirrti cured 'em?
Yeah, it makes sense.
No, it doesn't.
Indeed. It seems a plausible explanation.
No. She killed everyone on this planet except Cassie.
Why would she cure a bunch of kids?
Well, if I'm reading this right,
it's part of some experiment she was conducting.
Now, see, that sounds like a Goa'uld.
The last we saw of nirrti,
she was a prisoner of the system lords.
Which means she's in no position to help us,
even if she would.
(Humming)
Oh, boy.
I did that.
Let's take it with us.
(Crickets chirping)
(Monitor beeping)
Cassie?
Cassandra, what are you doing?
I have to go.
Honey, you're not well enough to go anywhere.
I have to go into the forest.
I need you to get back into bed, ok?
You're not my mother!
Ok, then what have I been to you these past few years?
You don't understand!
All right, listen to me.
If nothing else, I am your doctor, Cassandra.
Now, let's go. So what?!
I care about what happens to you.
Honey, don't you know what you mean to me?
Don't you get it? It doesn't matter!
It's the only thing that matters.
Please, let me try and help you.
You can't! If you want to help me, then let me go.
Ok, just hear me out.
Let's get you back into bed and then we'll talk. Ok?
Sg—I'll be back soon.
No! Leave me alone!
Cassie!
(Panting) No, no, no, no!
Let me go! Let me go!
I can't do that!
You're killing me!
(Crackling)
(Alarm sounds)
(Whoosh)
Major?
Colonel O'Neill wanted me to report back, sir.
Daniel and Teal'c wanted more time to search the lab.
Let's hope they find something.
Is she getting worse?
You should see for yourself.
We had to move her in here.
She still running a fever?
It seems to have peaked.
But her blood work says otherwise.
There's no antibodies.
No indication that her body's trying
to fightthis thing, just more retrovirus.
Does she know what's happening to her?
She seems driven to go back to the planet.
I don't know if that's instinctual
or a side effect of this retrovirus.
(Sighs) What are we going to tell her?
Hey.
How are you feeling? Any better?
Why are you keeping me in here?
We have to. Your body's generating
something called an e.M. Field.
See? You can see the effect it's having
on the monitors here, so this room
is shielded from the rest of the base.
If you let me go back to the planet,
then that won't happen anymore.
That's not true.
You don't know that.
You don't know anything.
You're just keeping me here because you're afraid.
We foundthe place where the initiation rite
was supposed to happen.
Then let me go there.
We think the place in the forest
you've been feeling drawn to
led to a Goa'uld laboratory.
One that belonged to nirrti.
She killed everyone in my village.
Yeah.
She also tried to use you to kill all of us.
We think she was using your initiation ritual
to conduct experiments on the children of your planet.
Why?
We don't know.
It's possible that the retrovirus
you're carrying was part of her experiment.
What was the experiment?
All we know so far is that this retrovirus
is changing the way your cells
generate electrical fields.
So your body is generating heat
and your eeg is showing
that your brain activity
is increasing—...
You don't know why, do you?
No.
And now she's gone.
Yeah, she is.
So... you won't be able to stop it.
We didn't say that.
What's this for?
What do you think it is for?
Jackson: "Evolution."
What?
"Of the h—hok'tar."
Teal'c, what's hok'tar?
I have not heard that word in many years.
Well, it's in reference to the children
that underwent the initiation rite,
so obviously it has something to do with children—...
(Humming)
Hello.
Oh, sorry, guys. I think I may have just done that.
Well, do it again.
It's time to go.
(Humming)
Hey, kiddo.
It's Saturday.
So?
So, every other Saturday,
at least while I'm on earth, we play chess,
and since I'm on earth and it's Saturday...
I know what's happening to me.
Oh. Ok, what?
I'm changing into something.
And there's nothing you can do to stop it.
You know how me and your mom feel
when someone issues a challenge like that.
Dr. Fraiser isn't my real mother.
She died...
When nirrti poisoned my village.
I know that. Jan et knows that, too,
and, please, don't call her Dr. Fraiser.
Why?
Because she loves you and she deserves better.
We all love you, for that matter.
That doesn't change anything.
You're wrong about that.
It's different now.
I'm different now.
I can do things.
How did you do that?
I just... thought it.
I thought I wanted a knight and it flew into my hand.
Jack calls them horses.
Yeah, well, that's colonel O'Neill for you.
He always pretends he's not as smart as he really is.
You know, if you take a close look,
they really are horses.
What do you see when you look at me now?
I see you.
And until your head starts spinning around,
and probably even then, I will still see you.
How can she do that?
Magnets.
Magn ets. Every on e of those pieces
got a little tiny magnet in the bottom of it
to hold it on the board when you're driving
so they don't rattle off.
Anyway, every one of those magnets
has got a little electrical field around it.
That's how she was able to manipulate them.
Magnets.
They do look like horses.
I have no idea how she was able
to do it physiologically, sir.
Actually, Teal'c filled me in on something that might explain that.
Hok'tar is actually a hybrid of 2 Goa'uld words—...
"Hok" ——which means advanced,
and "tar" ——which I believe is a sort of slang.
For? Human.
So, essentially, it's "advanced human."
"Hoktauri."
Anyway, nirrti was studying the children of hanka
because she believed they were evolving into hok'tar.
You're saying Cassandra is becoming
some form of advanced human?
And the retrovirus is the catalyst?
Such an advanced human would represent
a powerful host for the Goa'uld.
Which explains why nirrti was performing the experiments.
And it also explains why she exterminated
the entire population when we came on the scene.
She didn'twant her experiment exposed.
Prior to our arrival on p8x—987,
and for as long as sg—7 was there,
none of the villagers exhibited
advanced intelligence or the ability
to manipulate e.M. Fields.
So nirrti created the retrovirus
in an attemptto engineer her own host.
It seems almost inconceivable
that anybody could do something like that.
Well, it never worked.
According to all the reports,
the children went into the forest sick
and they came out well again.
If this was some sort of transformation
or evolutionary process,
somewhere along the line it was stopped.
By nirrti.
Why would she do that?
The retrovirus rewrites DNA.
If the carrier died before they were able
to pass on the altered genes to the next generation,
evolution couldn't take place.
So the experiment was long term.
With each generation getting closer
to truly becoming hok'tar.
The question is, how far along is Cassandra?
What if maybe she really is
transforming into something else?
Shethinks so.
Whatever she believes, her fever is still rising,
admittedly more slowly
and she seems able to handle it better,
but... I can't control it.
Let's find the answers. Dismissed.
Cassandra... what are you doing?
It helps to do this.
How?
It's like the heat is leaving my body
and going into the chess piece.
You haven't found a cure, have you?
No. We're still trying.
It's all right.
No, it's not. We may still learn something
from the bio samples that sg—I brought back.
There might be something there that may help your body
produce some antibodies.
I want this to happen, Janet.
Don't say that.
It was going to happen anyway.
You're ill.
You know that it's
more than that now.
I can feel the power inside me.
It's only the beginning.
And along with it, your body is undergoing
an enormous physical strain.
You think it's gonna kill me?
I'm worried about that possibility, yes.
I don't care.
Well, you should.
I know the limitations
of the human body—...
Maybe I'm not human anymore.
Of course you are.
Maybe dying is part of
the transformation.
I don't care
whether it is or not!
(Gasps)
I'm sorry.
(Sighs)
Sweeth eart, sometimes
when a person is sick,
it's important
for them to fight.
I want you to fightthis, ok?
That can't be right.
The e.M. Field must be interfering.
No. She'll be able to control that now.
I ran the test 3 times. The results were consistent
and it corresponds with the eeg.
That's a 25% higher level of activity than normal.
How could her body sustain that?
She's found a way to channel the heat from her body.
Don't ask me how, but I don't know how long
she's going to be able to keep it up
what I'd like her to do is sleep
she's been awake for 30 hours straight.
I was about to go and see her.
Thank you.
(Sighs)
(Clicking)
Hey.
I hear you don't want to sleep
you want some company?
Cassandra: You wouldn't leave.
When the Goa'uld planted
the bomb inside me,
you wouldn't leave.
Even though your orders
were to leave me there alone,
you stayed with me.
Yeah.
Why?
I don't know. Just an instinct.
That I was going to be ok?
Yeah, ithink so.
But you didn't know for sure.
No.
Well...
That's how I feel about
what's happening to me now.
Do you understand?
Yeah, ithinki do.
You want me to stay with you for a while?
No, it's not time yet.
Don't say that.
Well, when it is time,
will you be here?
I promise.
Ithinki can sleep now.
For a little while.
Carter: Ok.
(Door squeaks)
Man: Sir? Yes, lieutenant?
Sam?
She's asleep.
Good. Listen, the bodies of the villagers,
what happened to them?
They were cremated on 987. We sent a team back.
Good, there could still be a bone fragment.
Now, if we just find one from someone
who's been through the initiation,
there still might be antibodies—...
Jan et! That was 4 years ago.
The chances of us even find—...
(Alarm sounding)
Oh, no.
Cassan dra?
It was a Goa'uld.
What? I was asleep
ithought it was a nurse coming in to take more blood,
buti did sense its presence.
I haven't sensed anything.
It was after you left.
At first, there was no one there,
but when it got closer, I saw someone.
(Sighs)
Carter: This is a code 3 alert.
We need zats and ters in isolation room 4 now.
Are you all right?
It ran away when I screamed.
Hammond: Major?
Apparently there's a Goa'uld on the base, sir.
O'Neill: What?
Hammond: How's that possible?
Teal'c: Nirrti possesses th e tech nology to become invisible.
Cronus is dead.
The system lord that was holding her prisoner.
So she's out?
The rings in her lab—— That wasn't me, that was her.
She came back through the Stargate with us.
That would mean she was waiting for us
in her lab the whole time.
We may have inadvertently triggered a device
alerting her to our presence.
Hammond: Go level by level. Check everything.
Keep in radio contact.
If you locate her, do not shootto kill.
Colonel? I'm staying here, sir.
I figure you fought her off the firsttime,
I'm safer here with you.
She was here the whole time you've been back.
We'll find her.
No, she's right.
Why did she wait until now to come after Cassandra?
(Alarm sounding)
Level 22 is clear.
(Beep)
Teal'c, on radio: Level 21 clear.
Rog er th at.
She wanted to know if her experimentworked.
We don't know what she wants.
No.
If the transformation was going to kill me,
she would've just let it happen.
Don't you see?
Honey, not now.
No, but it did work.
Cassandra...
No.
Look out!
Unh!
Easy! We need her alive.
Security to iso room 4. All search teams stand down.
(Rattling)
Cassie? Cassie, don't do this.
Please get her out of here!
Come on, let's move! Roll her over.
Easy!
(Beep)
What's going to happen to Cassandra?
What is her condition?
She just lost consciousness.
Then the end is very near.
If she dies...
So do you.
And what do you offer in return?
I don'tthinkyou're in any position to bargain.
I'm in the position to save the life
of a child you hold dear.
Release me.
We can't do that.
General.
With my invisibility device intact.
I also require
a sample of her blood.
Absolutely not.
Those are my terms.
She says that she can help Cassandra.
If you trust her.
No, if we let her go.
Do you believe that she can actually help?
Seeing as how we don't have a choice,
I guess it's worth a shot.
What about general Hammond?
What's he going to do?
He hasn't decided yet.
I——I really need to get back and see Cassandra.
We all know how tough this has been for you,
so if you need anything...
Thanks.
All right, give me 70 milligrams of dantrolene.
Doctor? Now!
I'm here. We're just giving you
something else to try and get your fever down.
It's happening.
Ok, I want you to do what we talked about, ok?
I want you to fight this.
I don't want to fight it.
You have to.
Honey, your body is not going to be able
to survive what this retrovirus is trying to do.
(Sighs) Where's Sam?
She's gone to see if she can get nirrti to help.
No. Let it happen. Let it happen.
(Monitor beeps)
Drop 10 of valium.
(Grunting)
Nurse: Valium's in.
(Panting)
Temperature's
dantrolene is not working?
General, with all due respect,
it's not like we're negotiating with terrorists.
It's exactly that, colonel.
You're letting your emotions get in the way.
Yes, I am. Shouldn'tyou be?
Jack—...
Sir, up until yesterday,
we didn't even know nirrti was still alive.
Exactly. Now, who cares if we let her go?
What difference does it make in the grand scheme of things?
There's one more Goa'uld running around.
If we were to allow nirrti to leave
with a sample of Cassandra's blood,
she could well succeed
in her experimentto create
a genetically advanced host and become dangerously powerful.
I am in agreement with general Hammond.
What?
The life of a child may be sacrificed,
but nirrti possesses valuable information
that would be lost if we allowed her to leave.
General Hammond would like me to check in on her.
(Beep)
(Hiss) Unh!
(Door bangs)
Teal'c, we're talking about Cassandra.
Of that, I am aware.
But her sacrifice would benefit both of our peoples.
Nirrti possesses valuable information
that could allow us to defeatthe Goa'uld.
We'll find another way.
We may never have
a Goa'uld as our prisoner again.
Sir, I don't have to remind you what
Cassandra has gone th rough because of the Goa'uld.
Now, if we're going to put what we may learn
or what might happen over her life—...
It's time to pack it in.
I agree.
P.A.: General Hammond to the holding room.
Dr. Fraiser, stand down.
I can't do that, sir.
I don't have a choice.
Janet, don't do this.
I can't help Cassandra, she can.
Dr. Fraiser, sg—I has already convinced me
to make a deal for Cassandra's life.
This isn't necessary. Then you agree to my terms.
Just one.
Once you've cured Cassandra of her illness,
you'll be free to go.
And how do I know you will honor this?
You have only my word.
Not enough.
Then I should remind you thatthe woman holding
the gun on you is Cassandra's mother.
(Beeping)
(Whirring)
(Beeping)
You have waited too long.
You try again.
(Whirring)
(Beeping)
(Coughing)
It is done.
Nurse: Vital signs are all returning to normal.
Mom?
It's ok.
I'm here.
I have honored my part.
Let's go to the gate.
We've never dialed these coordinates before.
I... sort of hope you know what you're doing.
It is not my final destination.
Without a sample of her blood,
iwill have to begin my experiment again.
Aw, nuts.
At least you have honored this much of our bargain.
In your place...
I doubt I would have done the same.
I'll keep that thought alive.
Hey, Janet. How's our patient?
Bored.
The, uh, homework stacked up a bit,
but other than that, she's just fine.
I getto take her home tonight.
Ah... Dominic awaits.
Stop it.
Oh, come on. That last kiss was impressive.
Stop it.
Lights exploded overhead.
Stop it!
It's Saturday.
Ok, but I won't be able to move the pieces around
by thinking about it. Sorry.
Good. Then we're even.