Dark and Light
Daniel doesn't have to say it. His expression says it all...he thinks I'm being a cynical bastard, but please, in my line of work? Trust me, you get plenty of practice. Sitting in the infirmary, trying to pretend my butt isn't exposed for the world to see, I've been distracting myself by listening about early Christianity. How Daniel can be so damn enthusiastic about something I never want to think about again amazes me. But, as I'm not really a cynic, I keep my mouth shut. Course, that doesn't stop me from thinking it as I raise my hand and try to batter Doc's penlight from permanently blinding my right eyeball. I've said it once - I've said in a million times- how does a penlight in my eye help...anything?
SG-1 had a rough time, and as I look at my team's faces, I can see how exhausted they are. Gotta tell ya, people this young shouldn't look that old. This mission took a lot from us, and to add to the misery, we all thought we'd lost Teal'c. I still have to wonder how he actually survived; guess Carter will explain exactly how a Jaffa can drown but not actually die. That man has more lives than a cat, but I figure he used up few up in the last forty eight hours. Anyway, those nut-jobs on Planet Medieval decided he was a demon, beat the crap outta him, and threw in him a river. Did I mention the bastards chained a rock to his leg? A real fair fight. Daniel informed us this had been common practice in the Middle Ages, weigh a person down and then throw them in the water. If he sinks, he's innocent, if he doesn't, he's guilty. Like Danny said earlier, they didn't call them the dark ages because it was dark. Got that right.
The day started okay, lots of trees to make bad jokes about, plus the extra joy of listening to a Jaffa me teach bible studies. Told him I hadn't finished listening to the tape and not wreck the end. Guess the Almighty heard me, because we walked into a crap cloud and didn't see light for days. That'll teach me to be a smart ass.
Anyway, after strolling into the village square and seeing a young girl chained to an iron post, we figured the day may not be as promising as Sister Mary Teal'c had predicted. When Danny translated the writing on that stone pedestal, I knew we'd found ourselves in another damn nightmare. What was that he said it meant again? The Suffering of Souls? When I saw the girl, chained like a dog, I figured that she knew all about suffering.Yep, suffering was on this world's menu morning, noon and night.
These poor bastards had lived in fear all their lives; the stink of despair was everywhere. No one dared make eye contact with us, the kids were scrawny and timid, and the women looked terrified. Any world that has a Goa'uld infested unas pretending to be a demon has to be peachy place to live. A Goa'uld named Sokar, or Satan, as he liked to be called, had been terrorizing these people for hundreds of years, and I figured enough was enough. Brave words, and by the time I was done I'd learned a few more. Trepanning was a real treat. These nut jobs drilled a hole in the person's head. By drilling a hole, the evil spirits were supposedly released, thus saving the person from eternal damnation. I'll never look at my shed tools the same way again.
Speaking of tools, Daniel hit the nail on the head when he said this particular snake wasn't playing god, he was playing the devil. Nice, huh, and *bingo* we were in trouble. The spiritual leader enigmatically called the Canon was a real piece of works. I'd known his type all my life, a mean sonuvabitch, not fit to lead roaches. This *leader* of men, and I use the word leader loosely, picked who lived and who... did not. How is it that these slimy, self serving bastards always manage to rise to the top? That's right; it's a wonderful green universe. How remiss of me to keep forgetting this.
The Canon took a demonesque dislike to Teal'c, and throwing him into the lake, magnanimously decided to let the rest of us go, providing we didn't return. Guess he knew if I did come back, with another couple of SGC teams, then he may not come out so good. But, if wishes were horses... and while he wore that Goa'uld ring to stun us, we had no choice. Daniel then made a bad situation that little bit worse. Yep, he refused to leave. It seemed he had philosophical issues with drilling holes in a young girl's heads. As he ran off *back* into the village, as I was running *from it*, he asked if I'd care to join him. One day, folks, I really will take him out the back and beat the...nah, I won't. He's one of the good guys and the universe needs as many of those as it can get. Might slap him upside the head though.
We saved Mary from being tortured by the one man that was supposed to love her, and then, as luck would have it, we got more trouble. Teal'c didn't drown in that lake after all, apparently Junior had kept him alive. Way to go, Junior! Teal'c woke up while being prepared for burial and you could say the good villagers were less than impressed. You'd think they'd never seen a man rise from the dead before. So, any way, they screamed, feelings were hurt, and it was back to square one for us, chained to a post ready to be taken by Sokar's pet lizard. Found out more good news, there is more than one Unas. Now, to me, Unas means one, but what would I know? Unas actually refers to the race of creatures who were the first host to the Goa'uld. Teal'c then went on to tell me there are a whole bunch of them out there. Isn't that special?
It would be fair to say things weren't going according to plan, but after a bit of persuasion, Simon grew a spine and came through for us all. It took a lot of guts, he'd been terrorized by a creature he thought was a demon all his life, but the good in him won out. He couldn't drill a hole in Mary's skull and he couldn't let her be taken by the Unas. I admit I wasn't very supportive of his religious mumbo-jumbo, but I was keen to be gone, before things got any worse. Naturally, though, they did.
The cranky Unas came along, introduced himself, tried to strangle me, and off we went. Hi-Ho-Hi-Ho, it's off to the Sokar mines we go. We were linked by chains, and dragged off through the woods, which meant at least we were all in one place. Tactical error by lizard-boy, but there was never ever evidence Unas were all that bright. We came to a ridge, and we took our best shot. We all took a tumble down the hillside, and it almost worked, but not quite.
We finally got an even break. Simon managed to take our weapons from the village goons, and tracked us. Kid was actually a lot tougher than he looked, and we had a fighting chance. That's all SG-1 ever need. Simon fired Teal'c's staff weapon and hit the Unas several times giving it a nasty case of heartburn. Badly wounded, it still managed to run after Simon. Damn, these Unas are hard to kill.
The kid must have been half out of his mind with fear, but he led the thing away from us, straight into the arms of his ever loving Canon. It seemed that Simon saved him from the demon, and now, he saw the light. Halleluiah! Would have believed him too had Carter not sensed the Goa'uld in him.
It seems the Goa'uld left the dying Unas and taking up residence in the Canon, fooled us into thinking all was well. Simon's people would have swapped one nightmare for another. They had a lucky break.
The Canon's eyes glowed; I shot him, no more trouble. The days of tyranny for this world are over, and real freedom is a possibility. They need to bury the Stargate, and who's to know? We gave them an even chance and it's up to them what they do with it. Now, they can practice their beliefs while never having to sacrifice anyone again.
Thank God.
If I wasn't such a cynical bastard I'd say the universe isn't such a bad place after all. Now, if I can get out of this backless job....
The End
