Sam felt her heart was breaking; that same useless despair that had swamped her as Daniel lay dying in the infirmary washed over her emotions once again. She strained her eyes until the soles of his boots disappeared from her view. She stayed focused on the broken walls and archways visible outside.
Jack’s voice echoed that despair as he said quietly, ‘I guess it’s too much to hope for a miracle this time. So, what - this is our penance? We’ve screwed up so monumentally as a friend to him that we get the joy of knowing he’s being tortured by Ba’al, while all the time he’s thinking he’s killed us? Because if that’s what’s happening here...’ He paused, the words choking his thoughts but needing to get them out. ‘What did we do that was so wrong that he needs to be punished like this? He’s never wanted anything but the best for people, and this is the reward he gets? It’s not fair. It’s not damn well fair.’
His shout echoed in their minds, blending with the muted prayer coming from Teal’c.
‘Huh.’
‘Carter?’
Sigh. ‘Not that it alters anything, sir, but I think I know where we are.’
‘Do tell.’ Jack didn’t even make the attempt to sound interested.
‘Vis Uban. We’re in the field with all those broken walls and archways, a couple of klicks from the Stargate.’
‘Vis Uban was a city of the Ancients.’ Teal’c perked up a little.
‘Ancients?’ snarled Jack. ‘Don’t even mention them T. I’ve had it up to here with them and their non-interference. They used Daniel up and just spat him back out when they were done, not even a ‘thank you, sorry about sucking your memory out’ as they went. There’s not one of them I’d trust as far as I could spit at them.’
‘Orlin!’
‘Even he was a bit loony, Carter.’
‘No, sir. I mean - he’s here. He just - popped out of nowhere.’ She stared at Orlin who was standing not six feet in front of her, that same familiar sweet smile on his face. ‘How, why… Orlin where did you come from? Oh, why am I even asking, you can’t hear me.’
Orlin was still smiling at her, seemingly a little disturbed at their predicament.
“Hello, Samantha. I can hear your thoughts. As soon as we were alerted by the escape pod’s arrival on Vis Uban, and we became aware of the identity of its passengers, Oma sent myself and another to assist you.”
‘Escape pod?’
‘There is another with you?’
‘For crying out loud, will you two shut up and you - glow boy - get us the hell out of this stuff. Better yet, forget us. Three Jaffa have dragged Daniel off, and if they haven’t already done it, they’re gonna haul him through the ‘Gate and present him to Ba’al. For god’s sake, do something.’
Jack was at the end of his patience and was going to kick the first butt his boot came into contact with.
Orlin walked over to Jack and squatted down in front of him, peering up into the Colonel’s face.
“Do not fear for Daniel, Colonel. The Stargate has been deactivated. The Jaffa will not take him anywhere.”
Relief surged through them all. Jack felt as if his knees would give out. Okay. Step one, Daniel safe. Step two -
‘Thank you. Now please, get us out of these things.’
“Of course.”
Orlin stood up and stepped back a few paces. Eyes closed in concentration, his body seemed to shift, waver and glow from the inside. With an audible pop and a sensation like a plane suddenly de-pressurizing, the crystal pods vanished, leaving the three staggering for balance.
Jack did crash to his knees, ears ringing and popping, the pool of blood and phlegm from Daniel soaking into his BDUs. Almost immediately he bounced back up, hands ratcheting the safety off the P-90, feet gaining momentum as he lurched for the open doorway.
Commands were unnecessary. Teal’c was a bare step behind him, Carter close on their heels. They burst out of the ship into a rain soaked grassy field. A quick orientation and Jack was heading at a fast clip through the ruins. Broken archways, pillars and walls flashed by them as they sped towards the forest walk that led to the field where the Stargate lay.
His team flanking him on both sides, Jack slipped easily into the zone of a hunter on the trail of his prey. His vision narrowed to the trail ahead, mind running scenarios on what to expect at the ‘Gate. If Ba’al had left troops on Vis Uban after Anubis had departed, odds were he was hoping the SGC would return one day, maybe in search of more weapons - weapons Ba’al could appropriate for his own use. If there were three Jaffa here, there were bound to be more.
“Teal’c, how many do you figure?” he panted out, leaping over fallen branches on the path.
“An outpost such as this would merit at least a squad, O’Neill. Anywhere between eight and twelve men, perhaps more.” Teal’c pounded along on his right, staff weapon already primed and lowered for action.
“When we get to the tree-line, spread out - fifty metres on either side. Pick a target and take them out. No fannying around on this.”
Teal’c’s acknowledgement was implicit. Carter’s breathless “Yes, sir,” to his left made Jack grateful all over again to Hammond for giving him a 2IC whose long legs and lighter body weight enabled her to keep up with a hundred year old Jaffa and his own bad knees and badder attitude.
The end of the pathway loomed ahead, opening out into a vast green field with the Stargate sitting slap in the middle of it. The others peeled away as Jack dropped to his stomach, gun sight already up to his eye, targeting the group gathered at the Stargate. Thankfully, there were still only three of them, gathered around the DHD and pounding ineffectually on it. Daniel was a huddled heap of green on the ground five metres to their left.
One of the Jaffa raised a staff weapon and let loose a mighty whack to the central crystal of the DHD.
“Oh, I don’t think that’s gonna do it, Sparky.” Jack’s finger stroked the trigger with the gentle touch of a lover. The sound of the single shot rang out and the recoil had barely hit his shoulder when an answering crack reverberated from the direction of Carter’s special, accentuated by the snap and whoosh of Teal’c’s staff.
Jack fully expected the Jaffa to be cut down instantly, only to be vastly outraged as a brilliant flash of light appeared over the Jaffa and spirited them away.
“Oh, don’t you dare!” He heaved himself to his feet, sprinting into the open toward Daniel before the words had left his lips.
The distance to his fallen friend was the longest he had ever run.
Jack thumped to his knees beside Daniel, weapon secured and hands reaching for a pulse as Carter’s call of “Clear” sounded above him. Teal’c dropped to the other side of Daniel, one large warm hand easing Daniel’s face off the wet grass.
Daniel’s pulse was racing erratically, his breath whistling in rapid, shallow gasps from his lungs. He was quite awake but not totally aware. At the touch of his friends he jerked back and uttered a despairing “Don’t.”
“Easy, Daniel, it’s Jack. Teal’c’s here too. Just relax, let us help you.”
Daniel’s eyes darted over their faces, confusion and grief and hope combining in a terrible muddle.
“I killed you.”
“No, no, you didn’t kill anyone. We’re all safe and alive and we’re going to fix you up and be home for supper.” Jack forced a smile on his face, hoping it didn’t come off as too desperate.
“But, but, the stone things…”
Teal’c gazed down at his friend with deep concern and affection. “We were encased within the crystals and could not escape them to help you, Daniel Jackson. We are unharmed.”
“Med-kit sir.” Carter dropped to her knees at Daniel’s feet, med-kit open and ready, her eyes crinkled with worry at the sight of Daniel curled around the pain in his chest; sweaty, pale and in deep trouble.
“Not dead. Not dead? How?” Daniel broke off as pain speared through his chest. His whole body constricted and he cried out in agony, coughing up a torrent of blood and clotted fluids all over Teal’c’s hand and arm.
“Crap. Carter, dial us out. Hang on Daniel, we’ll get you home.” Jack nodded to Teal’c and together they began to slide their arms under Daniel, preparing to lift him as soon as the Stargate was up and open.
Sam sprang to her feet and spun around - only to bump straight into Orlin.
“Oh! Jeez, Orlin. Please, can you reactivate the ‘Gate. Daniel’s badly hurt and we need to get him home,” she said.
Orlin smiled at her, his eyes compassionate and full of sympathy. “Please allow us to help Daniel, Samantha.”
Jack released his hold on Daniel and stalked over to Orlin, eyes flashing in anger. “I thought you guys refuse to help anyone when they need it. And what’s with the ‘we’ again. Who else is here? Is it Oma?”
He whirled around in a 360 and bellowed her name at the cloudy sky. If she was here he was so gonna give her a piece of his mind.
“Oma is not present. It is I. Shifu.” Jack completed his circle and found himself chest to face with young Shifu; standing serenely with arms tucked into desert-brown robes and peering intently up at him.
“Oh.” Jack stepped back a couple of paces. This kid seriously creeped him out. “Well, whatever. We need to get Daniel home. Just do your thing with the ‘Gate and we’ll be on our way.”
Orlin stepped up behind Shifu looking completely out of place in his Earth-style jeans and sweater. “We can return Daniel to health, Jack, if you will permit us?”
“Oh, what? You’re just gonna break those pesky rules again? What do you want in return?” Jack paused, a sudden chill running through him. “You are not taking him away again. Do you hear me?” His hand fell automatically to the grip of the P-90, more for moral support than actual threat - can’t shoot holes in a cloud.
Shifu stepped forward and laid one hand over Jack’s. “The fault is ours that Daniel is injured. It lies to us to restore him, Jack.” Those big brown eyes were so like his mother’s that Jack had to look away.
“How do you figure that?” he said over the top of the boy’s head.
“The craft you became trapped in was an escape pod. The large vessel it was contained in crashed many millennia ago. All trace of the Ancients had been removed from the ship, but the escape pod had not been deactivated. When you entered the pod you triggered an automated response in the ship to engage the travel husks and proceed on its pre-programmed course. Its destination was Vis Uban, where the rest of the ship’s passengers journeyed all those years ago.” Orlin paused and looked down regretfully at Daniel.
“The travel husks were designed to protect any living entity who was not of the Ancient’s race. The Ascended Ones had no need to be protected from the gravity stress or debilitating effects of what could be a long voyage. The ship’s systems identified Daniel as an Ascended One and therefore did not protect him.”
Jack narrowed his eyes and backed up a couple more steps, irrational fear surging through him that Daniel was once more about to float away from him. “But Daniel is not ascended any more.” Nor is he going to be.
Shifu was planted in front of Jack once more, his little hand warm and alive on Jack’s own. “No, he is not, but his body retains the memory of ascension. Do not fear, Jack.” The boy gave an enigmatic smile and turned toward Daniel.
Teal’c gave a respectful nod of his head to the two Ascended Ones and gently laid Daniel’s head down on the grass. He rose gracefully to his feet and moved back several paces.
Orlin and Shifu moved over to Daniel, standing either side of his prone body. Heads bowed, and arms crossed over chests, all three were gently enveloped in a warm yellow glow of light. The light grew until it obliterated them all from view.
“Sir?” Sam could not keep the fear out of her voice. The three remaining members of SG1 stood together, waiting forlornly for their friend. None of them would give voice to the fear that Daniel might be taken from them once more.
“I do believe the Ascended Ones will return Daniel Jackson to us,” Teal’c rumbled softly and they all clung to that thought.
After an interminable wait of what must have been only two or three minutes, the light pulsed and faded, to reveal Daniel lying on the ground; body relaxed and eyes blinking in surprise. The blood that had drenched his face, neck and clothes was gone, even his glasses returned to him. Gingerly he sat up, staring at Orlin, and the little boy with his dead wife’s eyes.
“Hey, guys,” he said softly, cautiously.
Jack had to forcibly unclench his fingers from his P-90. “Yes. Thank you,” he mumbled to no-one in particular.
Sam crouched down beside Daniel and wrapped her hand around his. “Daniel? How are you feeling?”
“Um, okay. I guess.” His eyes flickered to Shifu and Orlin. “I’m still human, right?”
“Yes, Daniel. You are very much human,” replied Orlin. “I believe none of us should remain here for very long, however. There are many Jaffa on their way from their base in the city ruins.”
Jack snapped to attention and clapped his hands. “And we’re outta here. Thanks guys, it’s been a blast. Kids, let’s go.” He nodded to Carter and sent her scrambling to pack up the med-kit and headed towards the DHD. “T, Daniel! C’mon.”
“Maybe you should take me with you.”
Those words, spoken so softly, so filled with bleakness, cut through Jack, Teal’c and Sam like ice.
“What?”
“Oh, no way is that gonna happen.”
“Your place is by our sides, Daniel Jackson,” added Teal’c in a voice filled with steel.
Daniel was still sitting on the ground, forehead crumpled in thought. “Oma sent me back to do good, but if all I do is cause harm to you - maybe she made a mistake. Maybe I don’t belong here.”
Even as he said the words the thought of being isolated from his friends again send chill spears of ice spreading out from his heart. Worse, though, was the thought of being responsible for the death or injury of one or all of these three people who meant the world to him. Those long despair-filled hours on board the little ship were something he didn’t think he could ever face again.
Jack opened his mouth, hoping something inspiring and intelligent would fall out. Before he could speak, Shifu was crouching down beside Daniel; his little face earnest and compassionate.
“Oma did not send you back to the mortal realm, Daniel. You chose to return.”
Daniel’s eyebrows shot up. “I did?”
“Yes. You had the choice to stay where you were, to live in peace and happiness. But you chose to return to the mortal world because you thought you could do more good here. You are too much a mortal creature to be constrained by the limits of ascension.”
Daniel was lost for words. “Oh.”
Teal’c, who had been facing away from the group towards the direction of the city, stiffened and called for O’Neill when movement began to show through the trees beyond the edge of the field.
“Carter,” Jack snapped out, sending her to dial out. He stayed standing behind Daniel, ready to drag his unascended friend bodily through the Stargate if that was what was required.
The priming of Teal’c’s staff weapon spurred everyone on.
“I don’t want to hurt anyone I care for again,” Daniel said, searching reassurance he knew the boy could not give.
“Your strength, compassion and love will far outweigh any inadequacies you may have, Daniel.”
Shifu smiled at him. The resemblance to Sha’re was heartbreaking. He leaned close to Daniel and gently touched his mother’s husband on the forehead. “Remember,” he whispered.
Daniel blinked and frowned at Shifu who was now standing several paces away next to Orlin. What just happened?
“Be happy in life, Father.” Shifu raised a hand in farewell, then melted into that beautiful waving form of the Ancients. Orlin gave a nod of blessing to them all and joined Shifu in their natural state.
Together they rose up into the sky, and in a blink were gone.
The Stargate whooshed open; Sam sent through the code and waited patiently for her team.
“Daniel?” Jack crouched down next to his friend, alarmed to see Daniel’s face pinched in a furious scowl, chin trembling in an effort to hold back a wave of emotion. Blinking rapidly, he looked at Jack and smiled - a shaky attempt at best.
“He called me father, Jack. Father.” Wonder filled Daniel’s face.
“I understand, Daniel. Let’s go home, buddy.” Jack rose to his feet, pulling Daniel with him. Turning to check their situation, he was alarmed to find Teal’c had advanced a good thirty metres toward the oncoming Jaffa, staff weapon raised and commencing to fire. “Crap. Teal’c - pull back.”
He pushed Daniel towards Carter, and thumbed his radio to contact the Base as staff fire began to rain down upon them. Carter was firing over his head from the top of the steps.
“Close quarter’s withdrawal, it’s gonna get ugly,” he yelled into the mike.
Hammond’s voice over the radio was a welcome relief after one bitch of a day. “Acknowledged, Colonel. We’ll be ready, just give us the word.”
“Teal’c, let’s go.” Everyone was firing steadily now, ducking staff blasts that splattered against the ring, some even going through the wormhole. “Base, this is it, we’re on our way.”
Jack turned and sprinted up the stairs. Behind him, Teal’c was now running pell-mell for the Stargate under the cover of Carter’s fire. Jack hit the platform, grabbed Daniel’s arm and pulled him through the wormhole.
As Teal’c hit the steps he shouted at Sam to go and he flung himself through the wormhole, only a few feet behind her. Mere seconds before the cold embrace of the wormhole enveloped him he caught a glimpse of a Jaffa leaping up the first of the steps. He must be ready to avoid the fire of the Gate-room guard upon exiting the Stargate.
And sometimes, just when things seem to have worked out well - another spanner is thrown in the works.
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Epilogue
A month passed before they found themselves on Earth, off duty, out of the infirmary and with a free Sunday. A tradition had started many years ago of spending an occasional Sunday together, particularly following stressful missions. One would pick the destination and the rest would follow, generally with little complaint. Just being together without anyone shooting at them was all the incentive needed. By the fifth year of missions both good and bad, the tradition had begun to slip. Days out were rare and the need to be together even rarer. After Daniel departed, no-one felt like enjoying the freedom of life in a civilised democracy. The glaring absence in their ranks was the reminder of the price they had paid for that freedom.
Times change, however. Daniel felt more relaxed and comfortable in his skin than he ever had since returning to the mortal plane. It was a fine spring day and they were out enjoying the air and each other’s company. Teal’c had almost fully recovered from the staff blast wound received in the Gate-room, and in honour of the return of his mojo he had been rewarded with the choice of destination for the team’s first day out. Teal’c had picked the zoo.
Daniel strolled along the pathways between exhibits, half listening to the discussion floating back from Jack and Teal’c walking in front of him, on the merits of warrior animals. Sam ambled next to him, her arm linked through his - both just happy to enjoy the time together.
The pathway took them through the open range exhibit, past grazing antelope and bison. The less glamorous animals attracted fewer visitors and it was quieter here away from the bustle of tourist kiosks and fast food vendors.
Daniel was about to suggest a break for lunch when a young boy running around the bend in the path attracted his eye. The child was laughing and chasing a bright red ball that had bounced away from him. A chill ran up Daniel’s spine and over his head sending his hair up on end. Captivated, he stopped walking and watched the boy until he had disappeared from view.
The sounds and smells of modern day Colorado Springs melted away to be replaced by snatches of another time and place. Dimly, Daniel was aware of Sam asking him what was wrong. He shook his head, trying to place the images that were seeping into his memory; somewhere familiar, somewhere comfortable. It felt dear to him, like - home. There were faces he could almost recognize - strong, dependable people whom he loved.
“Oh, oh, no, no, please, not…” Daniel staggered, eyes squeezed shut by a sudden barrage of memories flooding through his mind.
Kasuf, Skaara, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends young and old. People he had fought alongside, people he had taught and those he had learned so much from during his one precious year on Abydos. It was Nagada, the city in all its splendour; not battle scarred and weary from thousands of years of life but shining and clean and vibrant.
The chaotic jumble of images steadied and became clear. He had been so angry with Oma, so full of despair at the fate of his family and all the people on Abydos that he had been incoherent with rage. Oma had stolen him away from the confrontation with Anubis right at the moment when he could have done something, anything to stop the half-ascended Goa’uld. Destruction was the only result - the only home and family he could call his - gone. And yet, not completely gone.
Now he knew, now the memories were there of where he had been during the months after the loss of Abydos. While the Ancients debated what to do with their renegade new recruit, Oma had secreted him away with the Abydonians. He had been there, lived with them in their ascended state. Oh, how wrong he had been these first few months back on Earth, nearly consumed at times with a silent guilt over his part in the death of Abydos. He was so, so wrong.
“Daniel?”
Daniel opened his eyes, surprised to find himself on his butt on the ground, surrounded by his teammates, his friends.
“I was wrong. God, Jack, I was wrong.”
Jack’s face creased with concern. “About what exactly, Daniel?”
“I thought they blamed me. All this time and I thought they blamed me for killing them.” He forged on quickly, not liking the shuttered look in Jack’s eyes. “Kasuf, Skaara, everyone on Abydos. I thought they would blame me for Anubis destroying the world, but Jack, they don’t. I was there, with them. I remember.”
“Daniel, when were you there?” asked Sam.
“Oma hid me on Abydos, well the ascended version of Abydos really, while the others debated what to do with me. They were happy, Jack, they were happier than they’ve been in a long time.”
“Really? ‘Cause I would have thought that whole dying thing would have soured them somewhat,” Jack remarked.
“Well, in a way they were grateful to Oma for ascending them. For the first time ever they don’t have to worry about struggling to exist. There’s no trying to make do with poor crops, no scraping a living out of the desert. They have the luxury to really enjoy their lives, and they’re happy, really happy.” He looked up into the faces of his three friends and finally knew that the choice to return had been his alone.
“I’m going to miss them, so much. But I’m glad I came back. I’m glad I came home.”
The end.
“ Enk hetep em kab hek-en-mess”
“I am content in the company of friends”
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