Embedded Files
The Sun On The Horizon
Twelve
The Game's Afoot
undercover, under stress
It was rush hour at the SGC. 1130 hours and already SG-8 and 14 had returned to base, SG-10 had departed on their next mission, SG-16 and 11 were gathering in the ready room and Gateroom, preparing to head out.
Jack was hovering, getting in a little practice intimidating the newbies on Fisher’s 11, while waiting for Teal'c to gate home with 5. He’d been gone four days, assisting on first contact with a group of former Jaffa hiding out on a pretty little moon. They had long ago fled Goa'uld service when their ‘god’ Bastet lost a major battle, and Teal'c was keen to gain their support for the Free Jaffa movement.
“Perkins. There is such a thing a being too prepared,” Jack said. The guy was a seasoned lieutenant, Iraq vet, highly commended and trained, about to head off on his first full-fledged mission. He was buttoned down so tight he could barely breathe. Jack reached into the man’s personal space and unzipped his jacket two inches. “Relax! You’ll do fine.”
“Yes, sir! Thank you, sir.” Perkins managed a fleeting smile, then began checking his gear all over again.
Way to go intimidating the guy. You’re losing your touch, Jack.
He ambled out of the ready room and back to the Gateroom. Daniel’s rubbing off on me. He stepped around an outbound MALP and an inbound FRED loaded down with the spoils of 14’s mission, vainly trying to shake the urge to glance over his shoulder, driven by the annoying sense that something was missing.
Damn right he’s missing. Daniel should be here, getting in the returning teams’ way, firing questions at them like a verbal Gattling gun, chasing down the outbound teams and making sure for the fourteenth time they knew the correct words to say for ‘take me to your leader’ or ‘which way is the latrine?’.
A dull clunk announced the Stargate’s activation. The claxons went off again – Jack was so used to the noise he barely registered it. Seven chevrons lit and the wormhole blew into the Gateroom. He hung out behind the 50 Cal. and glanced up at the control room.
“IDC received, SG-5 inbound,” Walter declared with a nod to Jack.
The iris spiralled open and soon Harvey, Peddington, Florence and Linley were tromping down the ramp, Teal'c in the rear, watching his team’s six as usual. The big satisfied smile on his face was pretty unusual. Sergeant Weston hollered out a ‘stand down’ to his squad of Gate guards, and Jack slipped into the clearway and grinned at his Jaffa.
“T! How’d it go?”
“Our meeting was most productive, O'Neill.” Teal'c dipped his head in greeting.
Lt. Colonel Linley stopped next to Jack. “Looks like the Senusi people will be happy to join the Free Jaffa, sir,” she said.
“Sweet. Good work, colonel, men, T.” He nodded to each and sent them on their way, falling into step with Teal'c.
“What news of Daniel Jackson, O'Neill?”
“Well, the Carters have been gone six days now, trying to contact Boch. He keeps missing appointments. Carter thinks he’s trying to blow them off, but they’re staying until they pin him down.”
A low, thoughtful grumble came from Teal'c. “That behaviour does not seem to match the character of the man we met originally.”
“No, it’s all a bit weird. But, he’s our best chance at finding a way onto Ba'al’s home world, so we’ll stick at it for now.”
“Perhaps Bra’tac—”
Claxons blared out, followed by the Master Sergeant’s declaration of “Unscheduled offworld activation.”
Jack and Teal'c shared a glance and as one, reversed course and jogged up the steps to the control room. Hammond was halfway down the circular staircase.
“Confirming IDC from the Alpha Site, sirs.”
Eyebrows rose all over the room. “Open the iris, sergeant.” Hammond looked at Jack, both realising this would be something important.
The woman who stepped out of the Stargate strode down the ramp and headed for the C-2 door. Major Toveson was 2IC of the Alpha Base, career Air Force and a fine soldier. They met her at the top of the stairs.
“General, Colonel, Teal'c.” She nodded to each in turn. Before anyone could respond, she went on. “I have a message, sirs. From Doctor Jackson.”
Å
Jack sank into a briefing room chair, torn between admiration that Daniel – kidnapped and held captive by the Goa'uld – could manage to get a message through, and astonishment that he obviously had done just that. Whys and wherefores can wait. His fists clenched with impatience as Toveson activated the player as fast as she could. Hammond took the chair beside him, but Teal'c hovered standing behind them, concern radiating from him.
A holographic image sprang up over the table, twelve inches high, crisp and clearly portraying Daniel.
Relief gusted out of Jack’s lungs. “He’s alive,” he muttered. More than the glimpse of his blue eyes in Yu’s throne room, here was real proof Daniel lived and breathed. He stood naked and wet, his hair stirred by moving air. He focused out of the image, directly meeting Jack’s eyes.
“This is Daniel Jackson, SG-1. Please relay this report to General Hammond or Colonel O'Neill as soon as possible.” He spoke softly, but precisely.
“Ah, well, as you can see I’m alive. I was kidnapped from Earth by Aris Boch, under the orders of the Goa'uld, Ba'al.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Did he say Aris Boch?” Jack bellowed, drowning Daniel out.
Toveson hit pause on the player, rewound and replayed.
“Boch is dead,” was all Jack could manage.
Daniel had also paused, then added. “Don’t be too hard on him, Jack. It was a business deal and I got the impression he was remorseful. Anyway, I’m being held on Ba'al’s home planet, Tsydon. I’ve been treated well. Mostly. So far.”
Jack didn’t like those qualifications Daniel was making.
“Ba'al started off insisting he’d brought me here to help broker a peace treaty between all the Goa'uld and Earth.” He crooked an ironic eyebrow. “Yeah, I didn’t believe that either. Then the story changed, he needed knowledge from me that would help him face the threat Anubis poses, and bring ever lasting peace to the galaxy. He says he’s working with two other Goa'uld, one of whom is Osiris. Apparently. No name on the second one though. It could be Zipacna – he paid a visit here a few weeks ago.” Daniel’s lips curled up, amused at something.
“But I don’t think it’s him. Or Yu. The Goa'uld, Yu. I am eighty percent sure he has no interest in Earth. He hasn’t asked anything about us. What he is interested in is other Goa'uld, specifically ones I have had contact with. He’s… Jack, you remember Aunt Bertha and her magic doodad? Ba'al has one that’s naquada powered.” Daniel stared hard at Jack for a moment, willing him to get the reference. Jack nodded and as if his friend could see him, Daniel nodded back and continued.
“You remember my stepson, how I found out about him? It appears I might have found out more than I realised, from the other person in the tent.” Daniel’s forehead scrunched up with the effort of being so cryptic. “Ba'al’s doodad is uncovering memories from her and also from Sarah’s little buddy, from before she… took off. If what I think has happened, then it’s happened a couple of other times.”
He paused and glanced over his shoulder. “I really don’t know if this presents a threat to Earth. Ba'al’s ambitions are boundless. But he has always said he wants to stop the fighting and loss of life.” His eyebrows did a believe-that-if-you-want dance. “Ba'al is very different from other Goa'uld. He’s got a sense of honour, at least in regard to his personal life. He seems to genuinely care about the welfare of the humans living here. Whether that extends outside this planet, I really don’t know. And his consort, well, main consort – could even be a queen – er, ah, yeah, she likes me. She’s also completely fruit loops.
“General, I’m not begging for rescue. I don’t particularly want to stay here, but every person on this planet adores Ba'al. I’ve had no luck finding anybody sympathetic enough to help me escape. If pressed, I think they’d fight to the death for him. I can’t ask you to risk our people. I don’t know where the Stargate is. There is a spaceport, miles from the citadel. His fleet is in orbit too, I think. Lately he’s been keeping me drugged on Nishta…, not at the moment, but he’ll do it again. It seems to affect me a lot like Seth’s did – you know, that resistance is useless kinda thing.” Daniel grimaced fleetingly.
“That’s the situation. If I can, I’ll try to get in contact again, but if I manage to send this... well, he won’t be pleased. I hope Sam is okay. Oh, could someone feed my fish please?” Daniel stared at them for a moment, clearly reluctant to end the one-way contact. “Okay. Daniel Jackson, signing off.” He reached out and the image faded away to nothing.
Follow your spirit
They sat there in silence, staring at the holo-player. Jack tried to accept that Daniel was gone again. Seeing him, hearing his familiar voice, it was so easy to believe Daniel was just reporting in from a mission, and would be home in time for supper.
Hammond was shaking his head in wonder. “Doctor Jackson is a remarkable man.”
Teal'c finally stirred and moved to sit next to Jack, casually brushing his shoulder in welcome support. “Indeed he is.”
Hammond turned to Toveson. “Major, how did you receive Doctor Jackson’s message?”
“Sir, it came through the Tok’ra listening array. There were no security codes prefacing the message, but it did have the SG team emergency SOS. Colonel Fields authorised its opening. As soon as we saw the content, he ordered me to bring it to Base. He’s trying to trace its original coordinates, sir.”
“Very well, major. Thank you. Feel free to freshen up and requisition any supplies you need before you head back to the Alpha Site.”
Hammond dismissed Toveson, then looked at them. “Teal'c, do you know the location of this planet, Tsydon?”
“I regret, I do not.”
“But Aris Boch does. I can’t believe he’d betray Daniel like that,” Jack growled. Permission to go beat the crap out of Boch, sir?”
“Granted,” Hammond muttered. “But first, recall Major and General Carter. They need to be briefed on Doctor Jackson’s report. Then I’m authorising you to take SG-2 and use whatever means necessary to secure the location of Ba'al’s homeworld from Boch.” He rose and paced over to the observation window, staring thoughtfully down at the bustle of activity around the Stargate. After several minutes, he turned back. “Furthermore, I believe it will be more expedient for SGs one and two to continue working offworld. When you get the coordinates to Tsydon from Boch, I don’t want you wasting time gating back and forth to the SGC. If you feel you can immediately proceed with Doctor Jackson’s rescue I want you to go ahead. It will be an in-field decision, Jack.”
“Yes, sir.” Jack shared a look of grim anticipation with Teal'c.
Å
Three hours later the Carters had returned, and they were gathered in Jack’s office while Hammond debriefed SG-14 on their completed mission. Jack stared at Daniel’s little statue of Ra, which sat on his photo shelf and glared pugnaciously back at him.
Daniel’s message ended for the second time. Jack saw Carter reach out to Daniel, then divert the movement to scrub a hand through her hair.
“Well, that explains why Boch was doing his best to avoid us. I’m guessing Danny’s using his own code.” Jacob shook his head. “Who’s Aunt Bertha?”
Carter slid an embarrassed glance at Teal'c, who proceeded to examine the ceiling with great interest.
Jack cleared his throat. “Well, ah, it’s er… Anise, actually.”
“Anise?”
“She reminded me of someone I used to…. Don’t ask.”
Jacob grinned, and Jack knew he was filing the name away for a later conversation.
“So, the doodad is…?
“Anise’s brain-sucker thing. A version that’s way stronger if that’s what he means by naquada-powered.”
“And his stepson, Shifu? Didn’t Daniel find out about him from his wife?”
“Sha’re communicated with Daniel through the ribbon device, Dad,” Sam said. “She told him the name of the planet on which Amonet hid the child.”
“Wow, I had no idea that could be done. And Daniel thinks she passed on other information?”
“Not Sha’re – Amonet. The ‘other person in the room’,” Teal'c said. “Although, I do not believe it was intentional. If the same thing occurred with Osiris….” Teal'c paused, unusually lost for words.
“Osiris attacked Daniel with the hand-device?”
“Yeah,” Jack replied, and went back to glaring at the statue. “Put Daniel and a Goa'uld together and brain melting seems to be the first thing on the menu.”
“And it’s happened how many times?”
“Three,” Jack said curtly, ruthlessly squashing the memory of Skarra and Klorel.
“Dad, does Selmac know anything about the hand-device? Can it transfer messages from the Goa'uld as well?”
“I don’t know, honey.” Jacob frowned while he communicated internally. “Neither does Selmac. She’s just getting a vague sense of alarm. Nothing specific.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Jack stood abruptly. “Whether Ba'al wants the secrets of the universe or Daniel’s recipe for Harissa tagine, we’re going to get him out. Hammond’s decided we should go ahead with the extraction as soon as we get the coordinates from Boch. Teal'c and I have put a few scenarios together. We’ll decide which way to go as soon as Boch cracks.”
Jacob rose. “We’re with you, Jack. We’ve got an appointment with Boch in four hours. We’ll get the answers out of him, no matter what.”
Teal'c stood as well, his voice like a prophet of doom. “Indeed we shall.”
“Gear up,” Jack ordered. “I’ll meet you in the Gateroom in fifteen. I’ve got a phone call to make.”
Å
Å
The call was answered on the second ring.
“Malone.” The FBI Special Agent sounded quite chirpy.
“Colonel Jack O'Neill, here.”
“Colonel, nice to hear from you. I’m just putting an update together for General Hammond. We’ve tracked down three of the suspects in Doctor Jackson’s kidnapping. We’re hoping for an arrest in the next twenty-four hours.”
“Guess it’s too much to hope that Chahine is one of them?”
“Sorry, colonel. We haven’t managed to pin him down yet.”
“Listen, I just wanted to let you know. General Hammond advised you about the sighting of Daniel?”
“Yeah, a confirmed sighting of Doctor Jackson, somewhere overseas. Don’t suppose you’re gonna tell me where?”
“No can do. But I wanted to tell you we’re preparing for an extraction. After all the help you gave us in New York, I thought you deserved to know.”
“Really? That’s great news. I wish you the best of luck, colonel.”
“Thanks. Of course, if you tell anyone, I will shoot you.” The humour in Jack’s voice made Malone laugh.
“Understood, colonel. I just hope you find Doctor Jackson. We’ll keep doing our part and find the kidnappers.”
“Thanks, Malone.”
“God speed, O'Neill.”
Å
Jack and his expanded team gathered in the Gateroom, each dressed in the unofficial uniform of offworld traders – long duster coats, leather trousers and vests. They were all loaded down with enough supplies, equipment and ammunition to support an extended stay. News of Daniel’s message and their mission had spread through the base with predictable speed. Personnel, techs, and even the medical staff had poked their heads around corners to wish them well as the eight of them made their way through the hallways. Jack was still debating the merits of taking a medic with them. There weren’t any medics currently on staff who had the training for a long-term undercover mission, but Daniel, or even one of the team might require more extensive medical help than their first-aid knowledge could provide.
He caught Frazier’s gaze as she wandered into the crowd of well-wishers filling the Gateroom, dwarfed by tall marines and SFs. She was thinking the same thing, he could tell, and she’d go with them in a heartbeat. But he couldn’t justify taking her away from the rest of the units who might need her. Conflicted, Jack glanced over at Carter. She had a small leather bag hanging from the belt over her tunic. “What’s in the bag?”
With a glance up at the observation window, she opened it. Inside lay the gold and ruby brilliance of Kendra’s healing device. She looked up at him, defiant and hoping for approval.
“Nice.” Jack turned back to Janet and gave her a not-so-subtle wink.
The Stargate gushed into life, and General Hammond’s voice rang out. “SG-1, SG-2, you have a go. Bring our boy home.”
Å
Boch arrived, finally. He kept them waiting in the back room of a tavern, well off the main street of Gaidhlig, the city in which they had first found the bounty hunter. SG-2 were loitering discreetly in the front tap room. The door closed behind Boch, and to his credit he didn’t flinch when the cold muzzle of Jack’s 9mm pressed against the back of his neck.
“Colonel O'Neill. Hardly surprising, but you weren’t invited to this meeting.”
“You have two seconds to explain why you kidnapped Daniel and sold him to the Goa'uld. Then I blow your brains out. One.” Jack cocked the pistol. The anger that had built inside him ever since Daniel’s revelation began to slide away, replaced by an icy remoteness that would see him get this job done – one way or another.
“How—well, I guess that’s not important,” Boch rattled out as the gun pressed harder. “Yes, I accepted the commission to take Doctor Jackson. He was unharmed, O'Neill. I made sure. Even Major Carter suffered no ill effects from the drug. I only took the job on the condition Doctor Jackson would not be hurt – before or after I delivered him to Ba'al. I’m sorry I did it, but I had no choice.”
“No choice?” Jack grabbed Boch and slammed him into the centuries-old door frame. Boch bounced off the iron-hard wood and met Jack’s fist, which punched him back against the wall. “It really is just all about the money with you.”
“Money? Boch smiled bitterly. “You think I’d hunt a good man like Doctor Jackson for money? Give him to the Go-A-Uld for money?”
“Then what?” Jack growled.
“Your son?” Teal'c’s quiet question sounded as menacing as Jack’s snarling.
Boch paused and threw the four of them a calculating stare. “Okay. I don’t have a son. Or any family being held by the Goa'uld. Normally I would never have considered taking a Hunt against someone I considered a friend. Yes, friend,” he stressed as Jack sputtered. “I wanted to test Ba'al, see if he’d meet my price. I never thought he would, but he did. And then, you see, I was in a dilemma. Do I Hunt a perfectly innocent man and hand him over to his enemy, or do I do the one thing I’m good at and get the antidote to the poison that has held my entire planet in slavery for centuries?”
“Roshna?” Carter said in the ensuing silence. “Ba'al gave you the cure for the Roshna drug?”
“Why would Ba'al do such a thing?” Teal'c asked.
“Because it was Kali who enslaved my people. Because he wanted Doctor Jackson enough to antagonise her by giving me what I asked for. Who knows? I was choiceless. Besides, it’s not like the famous Tau’ri managed to discover the antidote, even though they said they’d try.” Boch slowly fished out a small vial of orange coloured liquid. “I’ve already given it to my leaders. They’re manufacturing it and spreading it to everyone back home. I hope Doctor Jackson will understand.”
“How nice for you.” Jack spat, not wanting to acknowledge that Daniel would, and already had, forgiven Boch. “Now you’re gonna give us what we want – the address to Ba'al’s home world.”
Boch was smiling again, sincerely this time. “I’ll do better than that, O'Neill. I’ll take you there.”
Å
The planning session stretched long into the night. In various stages of undress, Jacob and the combined team sprawled on the beds, chairs and floor coverings of one of the two rooms they had rented in the tavern, listening as Boch divulged everything he knew about Tsydon. The first was a surprise – no Stargate.
“How can he not have a Stargate?” Feretti complained. “Every Goa'uld has one. Don’t they?”
“Not this one.” Boch reclined on Jack’s bed, picking over the remains of his roast… whatever dinner. “I’ve checked my contacts. All transport is done by ship – freight, people, Goa'uld, everything. The spaceport is twenty miles from the city. The electric rail pod system is the only transport into the city. Apart from the ships.”
“Al’kesh” Jacob asked, “or cargo?”
“Sailing.”
“Sailing?” Lieutenant Adams choked in disbelief. “You gotta be kidding.”
“Ba'al has a fleet of sailing ships, which he uses to move trade goods around the planet. He’s very proud of them. No Goa'uld ships are allowed to fly over the city.” Boch fixed Jack with a stern glare. “The only way in is to masquerade as traders, and take a ship full of goods in through the port.”
He’d been saying the same thing for ages and Jack was faced with having to believe him. “Alright. In the morning, Boch, you will arrange a ship. Buy it, hire it, steal it – I don’t care. Teal'c, Carter and Conroy will go with you. Jacob, you, Martin, Adams and I will find a cargo we can use as our cover. Feretti, head out to niner one zero and report in to Hammond.”
Hammond had set up a MALP with a radio relay on the deserted plain on P3R 910, so that the mission could contact Earth without the populace of Gaidhlig listening in.
“Get some sleep.” Jack checked his watch. “Only four hours of night left.”
“I shall stand guard, O'Neill,” Teal'c offered.
“Okay, thanks, T.”
Everyone crawled to their feet and shuffled off to bed. He let Boch get two feet from the door. “Boch, you stay here. You don’t leave my sight until Daniel is safe.”
Boch opened his mouth to protest, then thought better of it. He made a move toward Carter’s bed but she glared him off. He settled for a chair and shut his eyes, oblivious to the hostility around him.
Å
The ship was—unique. Several centuries ago it had been an Al’kesh… maybe. Now it was a gaudily painted, half rusted, much patched and modified cargo ship, bought for a song from its owner who promised it would serve them well, or die trying. It reminded Jack of a certain bus he’d trekked across the States in, in 1969.
When he and his team caught up to Teal'c and his crew of first time owner-drivers, he found Carter and Conroy rather desperately scrubbing out the bathroom facilities, both their faces hidden by old respirator masks. Jack took a sniff and rapidly retreated to the control area where Teal'c and Boch were attempting to reconnect about six miles of wiring.
“How did you fare with the cargo purchase, O'Neill?” Teal'c looked up from a small explosion of sparks. “That linkage is incorrect, Aris Boch.”
“Ah.” Acrid smoke made Jack cough. “Not so well, T. Looks like we’re going to need more cash to secure a cargo that’ll get us into Tsydon. We got a line on a few tons of some pigment they use for—something. Jacob’s gone offworld to get us more currency. You didn’t actually pay for this hunk of junk, I hope?”
“Aris Boch traded his personal vehicle for it.” Teal'c cast a reappraising look at the bounty hunter, and went back to work.
“Oh. Well. Okay.” He was not saying thank you to Boch. The debt was still stacked way too high against him. Boch glanced up, shrugged and went on with his task.
“How long before this… thing can take off?” Jack asked.
“A couple of days,” replied Boch.
A gagging sound behind them heralded Carter and Conroy. “It’ll take weeks just for that smell to fade. Ugh.” Carter sagged down the wall while Conroy wavered, then rushed outside.
Jack cringed at the sounds of the young soldier hurling up his lunch.
“Might need some porta potties, sir,” Carter added faintly.
Å
The next day Jacob returned with a large bag that clinked enticingly. By the end of trade, the bag was empty and the newly acquired cargo hold was being filled with sacks of powdered dye. Halfway through loading, another merchant turned up with a small truck filled with barrels from which drifted wonderfully fragrant scents.
Jacob paid the man and beamed at Carter and Conroy. “A little sweetener for the ride. It’s some kind of spice, smells like cloves to me.”
Conroy, Feretti’s tall gangly anthro expert, took a whiff and smiled. “Oh, gen—er, Jacob. This is a life-saver.”
“So. We’re set then?” Jack was itching to get moving.
“Not quite, O'Neill.” Boch joined them by the cargo hatch.
“What do you mean, not quite?”
“We need clearances. There’s custodial inspection of the cargo, departure fees, duty taxes, and intent to land and trade notifications to be transmitted to Tsydon. We turn up there without them, and they’ll blow us to dust.”
“Oh, for crying out loud.”
“The whole galaxy runs on red tape, Jack,” Jacob informed him.
Jack gave Boch his harshest glare. “Fix it. We leave tomorrow.”
Å
So here they were. Cargo loaded, belongings packed, weapons hidden – that part had been easy, one step inside the bathroom had sent the inspector on her way. A final report had been delivered to the SGC. They were signed, sealed, ticked and approved.
Sandolus Thane, aka Jacob Carter, was cleared to depart with his crew of two women and six men. Destination – the cargo port on the planet Tsydon.
Teal'c had been warming the engines for an hour, and now brought them up to full capacity.
Jack stared out the view screen at the busy airfield around them. Ships were coming and going all over the place, both planetary and inter-planetary craft in a stunning range of designs. At any other time he would have been drinking in the sight. Not today. He was on edge, nerves chewing at his gut in anticipation. Just getting onto Ba'al’s planet would be the first step in a difficult insertion. They still had to find Daniel, secure him, and retreat without bringing Ba'al’s entire army down on them.
One step at a time.
“Cargo vessel, Spacemonkey. Stand by.” A voice crackled over the comm system. “Traffic control has received instructions to halt all vessels departing for the planet Tsydon.”
Teal'c arched an eyebrow at the speaker. “Please explain the nature of the delay.”
“Spacemonkey, we have received an automated warning from port authorities on Tsydon. All civilian vessels are warned to avoid the planet until further notice. The planet is under attack.”
Once more unto the breach
Dear friends
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