Complete
Part 3
Daniel and Val'nor exited the servants' quarters of the palace and proceeded down a long portico bordered by an area of gardens and fountains. These, too, were in disrepair like the ones he'd seen on entering the city, but here there was a small group of slaves working to return them to their previous glory. They left the gardens and entered the main palace. The change was immediate and dramatic. The hall he found himself in was long with high ceilings supported with columns trimmed in gold. The walls were decorated with colorful murals of gardens and wildlife. The floor was covered in intricate designs of inlaid tile. A memory surfaced of walking down a similar hall to see another Goa'uld. Jack had been with him then as they were being led to their first meeting with Ra. He hoped that's where the similarity ended and that he could make it through this meeting without getting killed. Jack would only be with him in spirit this time, along with Sam and Teal'c.
He continued to be distracted by the murals and mosaics, many now telling stories of the "gods'" accomplishments. It was like reading a history of ancient Egypt, only these weren't the ancient Egyptian gods he was reading about, but the Goa'uld versions of them. He hadn't realized he had come to a stop until he felt the tap of Val'nor's staff weapon on his shoulder. He glanced at Val'nor and saw the warning there—he was unrestrained for now, but he knew that could change if he didn't "behave".
He resumed walking, not letting himself get distracted again. After several turns they entered an even larger hallway with two huge golden doors at the end. A guard was standing on either side and in the center, waiting for them, was Kresh'nar.
"Eyes down," Val'nor whispered.
Immediately Daniel turned his gaze from Kresh'nar to the floor. Val'nor came to a stop and Daniel did also.
"My lord."
"Val'nor," Kresh'nar acknowledged him. "Is the slave ready to be presented?"
"He is, my lord."
"Then let us proceed. I will enter first and then present you and the slave to our god."
At a nod from Kresh'nar the two guards opened the huge doors and the three of them entered the throne room. It was all Daniel could do not to lift his head and take in the opulence of the room. He did, however, have a good view of the tile floor which depicted rows and rows of bound captives. He had seen this in Egypt and knew the symbolism of the pharaoh walking on his enemies.
Kresh'nar brought the group to a halt and Daniel immediately went down on both knees. He heard voices and sensed other people in the room, but couldn't tell how many. A hush fell and Kresh'nar began.
"My lord Thoth. I am here to present a slave who I believe could be a valuable servant to you. Your loyal Jaffa, Val'nor, is in charge of this slave and is familiar with his skills. Please allow him to tell you about the slave."
The unmistakable dual voice of a Goa'uld filled the hall. "You may proceed."
Val'nor stepped forward, bowed, and began. "My lord, this slave was acquired several weeks ago. In that time I have found him to be very intelligent and have also discovered that he speaks many languages, including Goa'uld. He has proven his ability to communicate with several groups of recently acquired slaves who speak unfamiliar languages. He would be useful in training the new slaves as he would be able to translate their orders. I believe his skills could be of service to you as a teacher and translator."
Daniel heard the Goa'uld rise and descend the steps, his sandaled feet coming into view before stopping in front of him.
"What is your name, slave?"
Here was the first test. Daniel knew people had heard his name, so changing it could only bring suspicion on him. He decided a slight variation would be the best choice.
"Danyel, my lord," he replied, stretching the syllables as much as possible.
"Where is your home, Danyel?"
"Patras, my lord." Again, that was where they had found him, so no one could dispute it.
"What was your position there?", he asked as he began to pace slowly back and forth in front of Daniel.
"My lord, I was a keeper of our history and languages. I was also responsible for learning the languages of those who came to our world through the chappa'ai looking for trade. And I was responsible for passing this knowledge on to others."
"Rise and look at me."
Daniel took a deep breath and let it out, getting his nerves under control. He stood and lifted his head, looking upon Thoth for the first time. The host was young, perhaps Daniel's age, with dark hair and eyes and bronze skin. He wondered what kind of life this host had been ripped from and how long ago it had happened. He remembered Apophis' host as he lay dying in the infirmary, talking about his life and family left behind in ancient Egypt. He realized Thoth was also assessing him. Thoth was looking at him with the usual air of superiority, enjoying having power over another. But Daniel also saw curiosity. Could he tell Daniel was hiding something? He held his gaze as steady as possible. Jack always told him he was a bad poker player. "It's your eyes, Daniel. They give you away." He prayed they wouldn't give him away this time.
Their mutual appraisal was ended when Thoth spoke. "How is it that one so young attains a position of such importance and has the knowledge of so many languages?"
"My lord, I was trained from childhood for the position. I showed an aptitude for languages."
"Are you as intelligent as Val'nor claims?"
"My lord, I simply use my skills to the best of my ability. It is for you to decide how intelligent I am and how best to use those skills."
"A very diplomatic answer," he replied, smiling. "I believe Val'nor is right about you."
A few more paces in silence and Thoth continued. "It is true that I am in need of a teacher and a translator. We lost many of our scribes and have been lacking someone to teach our young charges. I believe you could be useful in translating information we obtain and in training the new slaves we acquire. I am offering this position to you, Danyel of Patras. Will you faithfully serve your God in this manner?"
Even though this was what he had been hoping for, Daniel could hardly bring himself to pledge his loyalty to this snake. He choked out his reply, "I would be honored, my lord."
"So be it." He turned to one of his guards. "Bring in the children of the gods so they may meet their new teacher and see him complete his ceremony of loyalty."
The first thing he realized was that he was about to see his daughter for the first time. His heart began to race with anticipation. But he was distracted by the second part of Thoth's statement. My ' ceremony of loyalty'? What the hell is that? He glanced surreptitiously towards Val'nor. Why hadn't he told him? But Val'nor had a slightly unsettled look himself. Maybe he didn't know, either.
At that moment a group of children and youth entered the hall and clustered around Thoth's throne. Daniel began searching the group, wondering if he would be able to pick out Dan'e. There were a boy and girl who appeared to be in their mid-teens. He assumed they must be getting close to the age when the Goa'uld would send for them to be their new host. Did they know what was ahead of them? There were several who looked to be about 11 or 12, several a couple of years younger than that and four who were probably between 6-8 years old. Dan'e would be in that group. Three of them were girls and he saw they all had dark hair. Which one was she? Two were looking at him with curious brown eyes, and the third was partially blocked by an older child. She pushed her way to the front and looked straight at Daniel. That has to be her, he thought as he looked into a pair of eyes as blue as his own.
His heart was pounding and it was all he could do not to rush forward and take her in his arms. Here was all of his and Sha're's dreams come true standing before him, but out of his reach.
His attention was pulled away from his daughter as Thoth spoke again.
"We will now proceed with the ceremony of loyalty. Kneel, servant Danyel."
He did as he was told, wondering what he was going to have to do. He could lie and swear his loyalty, but he had a feeling there was going to be more to it than that.
Thoth stepped forward and lifted the ornate collar off of Daniel's shoulders and over his head, handing it to a servant.
"Do you pledge your loyalty and service to your god, Thoth?"
"I do, my lord."
"Do you promise to keep our secrets safe from our enemies, and to defend your god if called upon to do so?"
"I do, my lord."
"Then rise and receive the mark of your god."
Daniel tensed. That doesn't sound good.
As he rose to his feet, Kresh'nar stepped up beside him and lifted Daniel's right arm out to the side, holding it tightly and tucking it between his own arm and his body. He motioned for Val'nor to do the same with the left arm. Daniel looked into Val'nor's eyes again and realized that Val'nor didn't know what to expect, either. Another Jaffa walked up to Thoth and handed him a metal rod. To Daniel it looked a lot like a Goa'uld pain stick, and even though he didn't think that's what it was, he had a feeling pain was still going to be involved.
Thoth approached him and extended the tip of the stick towards him. Daniel could see the end was in the shape of the crescent moon surrounded by the full moon. The mark of your god. Thoth activated a switch and it began to glow. Daniel clenched his jaw and braced himself. Thoth extended it to the right side of Daniel's chest just below the collarbone, and touched it to his skin.
Agony shot through Daniel's chest and he felt like he had been stabbed. He jerked in the Jaffas' grasps, but they had effectively immobilized him. He bit his tongue in an effort to keep from crying out. The only sound that escaped was a low moan. Fortunately, the pain began to subside as soon as Thoth pulled the rod away. Daniel looked down and saw the mark of Thoth imprinted on his chest. Thoth stepped away, handing the rod back to the Jaffa. Turning to the crowd, he announced, "Here is Danyel, newest scribe to Thoth." All of the people in the hall Daniel hadn't paid attention to before were now bowing their heads towards him at the announcement. Thoth turned to Kresh'nar and said, "Take him and prepare him for his new duties."
"Yes, my lord."
Val'nor and Kresh'nar each kept a hand on Daniel's arms as they picked up the staff weapons they had laid aside and led him from the room. The last thing he saw as they left the hall was Dan'e staring back at him.
The good news was the pain had subsided quickly after the rod had been removed. The bad news was that Val'nor had learned and shared with him that it was more than a simple brand. Thoth had acquired new technology that implanted a tiny chip under the skin. With it, he could locate and track a person and had the added bonus of being able to inflict pain. All designed to make sure Thoth didn't lose valuable "property" to either escape or kidnapping by another Goa'uld, while giving him an easy way to administer punishment. Just peachy, he thought, hearing Jack's voice in his head. He wondered how many people were being implanted with the chip. It also crossed his mind that it could complicate their plans for rebellion, but they would cross that bridge when they came to it.
Daniel had spent the remainder of the day, plus the next one, being shown his personal quarters and the areas where he would be working. It was capped off by a visit to Thoth's library. It was a massive place that encompassed an entire wing of the palace. He was definitely living up to the title "God of Knowledge." In addition to the computer-like terminals where information could be accessed, there were walls filled with books, scrolls, and maps. The amount of knowledge contained here was overwhelming. Sam would love this. Daniel wondered how much time he would be allowed to spend here and if he could research Goa'uld technology without getting caught. But that would be secondary to his main goal—getting himself, Dan'e, and anyone else wanting freedom out of here.
The third day had been spent instructing Daniel on specific things he was to include in his teaching and on how his schedule would be divided between teaching the youth and working with the various groups of slaves. Finally, he had met the surviving scribes—all three of them. Two were actually young apprentices, still learning themselves. The other was an older man named Wajan, who wasn't quite up to the task of teaching children anymore. He was kind and always had a proverb to share, and he reminded Daniel a little of Shamda. He was going to spend most of his time training the two apprentices while Daniel would work with the group of young people. Daniel did not miss the fact that all three men carried the mark of Thoth.
On the morning of the fourth day, Daniel was retrieved from his quarters, fed a small breakfast, and led to his first meeting with the slaves. With Val'nor accompanying him, he left the palace and reentered the gardens. It felt good to breathe in the fresh air and feel the sun warm his skin. Regardless of its spaciousness, the palace felt very confining.
They arrived in the area of the slave quarters and soon entered a large plaza. There was a raised platform in the center, and waiting at the top of it was Mal'rac.
Daniel and Val'nor climbed the short flight of steps and came face to face with the Jaffa. Daniel was nervous at being in the presence of the man who had beaten him, but he was determined not to be intimidated. Mal'rac glared at Daniel, obviously unhappy that Daniel had been placed in a position of having any kind of power, no matter how small. Daniel stared steadily at the Jaffa, refusing to back down under the hate-filled glare being directed at him.
"Mal'rac, Danyel is here to translate and to determine what special skills any of the slaves might have." Val'nor no longer called him "my lord", having been promoted to a position equal to Mal'rac's. It was clear Mal'rac was not happy with that decision either.
"Very well," Mal'rac replied with a scowl.
A group of about a dozen slaves and their guards entered the plaza and stopped in front of the platform. "Begin!" Mal'rac barked.
Daniel tried greeting them in several languages before hitting on the right one. He then explained that he would be translating their work orders, determining what skills they had, and choosing someone to be taught Goa'uld. Mal'rac gave Daniel the details of the work he wanted the men to do and Daniel translated the information. The work was more detailed and required more explanation than the Jaffa had been able to communicate to the slaves. Next, Daniel questioned each person as to their skills and recorded the information, along with their name, into a recording device he had been given. Finally, he chose a man who already spoke several languages to be the one to learn Goa'uld. As the first group left, another entered the plaza. The process was repeated with the second group and they were soon on their way.
A third group entered and Daniel was happy to see Cimon and his former work crew. He started to descend the steps to greet them but was stopped by Mal'rac's hand on his arm. "You will remain here to perform your duties." Daniel hesitated and Mal'rac's grip tightened. He knew there was no point in arguing and returned to the top of the platform.
He completed his translation of their instructions and the skill survey, and then chose Cimon to be the one to learn Goa'uld. Daniel and Val'nor had already decided that the "language classes" would be the perfect way for them to make rebellion plans with the slaves. Daniel wanted Cimon in that group.
Mal'rac, however, seemed intent on spoiling those plans. "This man will stay with the work crew. Choose another."
Daniel took a deep breath and faced Mal'rac. "I know this man and he has an aptitude for languages. He should be the one to learn Goa'uld."
Mal'rac was fuming now. "Do not cross me, slave. You will regret it."
Val'nor stepped between them and addressed Mal'rac. "Danyel is no longer a slave, but a valuable servant chosen by Thoth for this task. He has been given authority to choose whom he sees fit. Should I tell our lord Thoth that you disagree with his decision?"
Mal'rac, red-faced with anger, looked from Daniel to Val'nor. "Very well," he hissed, "take the slave."
Daniel completed his tasks without any further confrontations. He was keenly aware, however, that they had both made a powerful enemy in Mal'rac.. He had seen six groups of slaves in all and he would see four more the next day. The language lessons would then begin after the evening meal.
As the last of the slaves and Jaffa exited the plaza, Val'nor turned to Daniel. "Let us go to the kitchens for a mid-day meal. It will then be time to meet Dan'e and the others."
Daniel's heart skipped a beat. He was finally going to meet his daughter. What would she be like? What would she think of him? His mind was still swirling with questions as he sat eating in the palace kitchen a short time later. Or rather, not eating. Picking was more like it. The anticipation of meeting Dan'e was making him too nervous to eat.
"Daniel, you must eat."
"Sorry, Val'nor. All I can think about is Dan'e. I know Makare told her about Sha're, but what about Apophis?"
"Daniel, Dan'e is an intelligent child. Not long ago, Makare told her that Apophis was not her real father. She told her that her real father was a warrior and scholar of the Tau'ri and that he helped defeat Ra. She believes that she and her mother were then taken by Apophis. She also knows this is a secret she must tell no one." What a burden for a young child to carry, he thought. Of course, he had carried his own burden at a young age, but he thought it paled in comparison to Dan'e's.
"It is time," Val'nor said, rising from the small table. Daniel pushed the half-eaten meal away and rose to follow.
They made their way through the palace and arrived at the room Daniel had been shown earlier where he would be teaching. It was spacious and contained an area of tables and benches and another area covered in floor cushions. There was also a large balcony that looked out over the city and beyond to the river.
Daniel took a few minutes to get settled, checking to see that the books he'd requested from the library had arrived. Then it was time. Several women entered, escorting his new "pupils." They lined up and waited for Daniel to speak. His eyes scanned down the row of youth and came to rest on Dan'e. He couldn't take his eyes off her. He knew it was her—her mouth, nose, everything about her face reflected Sha're, except her eyes.
Those she had gotten from him.
"Danyel?"
He looked up to see Makare standing behind Dan'e and realized they were all waiting for him to speak. Great first impression I'm making.
"Welcome. I am Danyel," he said in the Abydonian form of ancient Egyptian. "Can all of you understand me?" There were nods and words of affirmation. He knew they had all come from worlds where the people had been transplanted from ancient Egypt and had hoped they would all understand this language.
"Good. How about now?" he asked, switching to Goa'uld. There were fewer "yes's" this time, but Daniel knew some of the kids hadn't been here very long and were probably still learning it.
"That's all right," he said, switching back to Egyptian. "That's one of the things we will be learning. Let's get acquainted first. Why don't you each tell me your names?" He moved to one end of the line, coming to stand in front of the oldest teen boy. He looked at Daniel warily but still gave his name.
"I am Ankhu, my lord."
"You do not need to call me 'my lord'. Just call me Danyel."
"As you wish, Danyel."
Next was the oldest girl. "I am Nebet," she said, giving him a shy smile.
He continued down the line and finally reached the last child. "I am Dan'e," she said, looking at Daniel curiously. "Your eyes are the same color as mine," she added.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Where I come from many people have blue eyes."
"But I have not seen anyone here in the palace with blue eyes."
"One of my parents had blue eyes and passed that on to me. Maybe someone in your family has blue eyes."
She seemed to consider this and began to ask another question. "But..."
"Dan'e, enough," Makare admonished gently. "You can ask questions later." She glanced nervously at Daniel.
Was she worried that someone would put two and two together and figure out who he was? He hoped not.
"Sorry," Dan'e said, lowering her eyes.
"It's all right, Dan'e," replied Daniel. "We can talk about it later," he said, smiling at her curiosity. She looked up at him with a smile of her own. Oh, yeah. She's mine.
The women left their charges in Daniel's care and he invited them to sit on the cushions where they could get acquainted. He also discussed the things he would be teaching.
Ankhu had been fairly quiet and didn't seem to be happy with the situation. Daniel had learned that Ankhu thought he would be returning home to be a noble and warrior in the court of Montu. When Daniel mentioned learning languages and history, he spoke up.
"Why do I need to learn other languages? Or what happened in the past? I will have servants to translate for me. I know everything I need to know to serve my god."
"What if something happens to those servants," Daniel challenged, "as it did with Thoth's servants? What if these servants aren't with you when you are confronted with a new language? What if the servants are not trustworthy?"
"I... I don't know," he replied, obviously never having considered these points.
"What if you are on a strange planet or traveling in a ship and receive a communication that says, 'Waarschuwing! U bent een mijngebied ingegaan,'" he said, wondering if his grandfather would be proud of him for remembering his Dutch. "What would you do?
"I don't know," Ankhu said, his former bravado gone.
"That's all right. Just understand that it's important to know what's going on around you and that you can't always depend on someone else for your information. As for the history, it can be helpful to know what did and didn't work in the past in order to plan for the future."
"Very well, Danyel. I will try. But tell me something?"
"What?"
"What did those words mean that you spoke?"
Daniel chuckled. I said, "Warning! You have just entered a mine field." Isn't that the truth!
Three weeks later
"Unscheduled offworld activation," Sergeant Harriman's voice echoed through the corridors accompanied by the blaring of the klaxons. At the sound, Sam looked up from the equipment on her workbench. She could hear people moving quickly down the halls. She glanced briefly back at her work and then jumped up from her stool and headed for the doorway. She met Teal'c who was also making his way towards the gateroom.
"Who do you suppose it is?" she asked him.
"I do not know. There are several teams offworld, but none are due to return at this time."
That's what Sam had been thinking, which meant someone else was trying to dial in, or one of the teams was in trouble. They took the stairs up to the control room and came to a stop behind Sergeant Harriman. Looking through the observation window, they could see the SF teams already in position.
"It's SG-12's IDC, sir," the sergeant informed General Hammond who was standing next to Sam and Teal'c.
"Open the iris!" the general ordered.
"Isn't that the team Colonel O'Neill went with to search for Daniel?" Sam asked.
"Indeed it is," replied Teal'c.
General Hammond gave them a tight-lipped scowl, his concern confirming their fear. The iris opened and seconds later SG-12, along with Colonel O'Neill spilled onto the ramp. One man was limping and leaning on another man while O'Neill and Major Hadden were firing back through the gate.
"Close the iris!" O'Neill shouted.
Immediately, Sergeant Harriman obliged.
"Stand down," General Hammond ordered over the speakers, quickly turning to descend the stairs to the gateroom. As he entered, he saw the injured man sitting on the ramp, blood oozing from a wound in his leg.
He looked up at the observation window and said, "Sergeant, order a med team to the gateroom."
"Yes, sir," Walter replied, immediately putting in the call.
Hammond turned to O'Neill once again. "What happened, Colonel?"
Jack took off his cap and wiped the sweat from his face with his sleeve. "Well, sir, the natives weren't too keen on having company. Captain Hill tried to communicate with them, but the only thing they were interested in communicating was for us to get the hell out of there."
"Any sign of Doctor Jackson?"
"No, sir. The people were fairly primitive and we didn't see any sign of Goa'uld occupation."
"Very well. Report to the infirmary. We'll debrief in one hour."
"Yes, sir." Jack looked up and noticed Carter and Teal'c watching him. He shook his head "no" at them before turning away and heading for the infirmary.
Teal'c could see the distress on Major Carter's face. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she turned to look at him. The continued absence of Daniel Jackson was hard on all of them. It was especially hard on Major Carter because he knew she felt the burden of finding a solution rested on her shoulders. He also knew there was nothing he could do but give comfort and support. She reached up and squeezed the hand that rested on her shoulder, grateful for his presence.
An hour and a half later, after being poked, prodded, and showered, Jack was sitting at the conference table listening to Major Hadden wrap up the details of their excursion to PXP-312. Lieutenant Myers had been patched up in the infirmary and Doctor Frasier had confirmed he was going to be fine.
"Do you have anything else to add, Colonel O'Neill?"
"No, sir. I think that about covers it. Obviously, the intel on the planet was way off. I don't know who the Tok'ra got their information from, but it was worthless," Jack replied, trying to control his anger at the rising number of useless planets they had explored looking for Daniel. He knew Teal'c had returned from a similar mission that morning, again with nothing to show for it. At least they had come back without any injuries. He didn't know how long he could continue to do this and stay sane. There was an endless number of Stargate addresses—what were their chances of finding the right one? He sighed. Who was he kidding—he would spend the rest of his life searching every gate address they had until they found Daniel. His sanity would be a small price to pay.
The briefing ended and the members of SG-12 rose and began making their way out of the briefing room. As Jack prepared to leave, Hammond stopped him.
"Colonel, could I see you in my office, please?"
"Yes, sir," Jack replied, not liking the look on the general's face or the serious tone of his voice. Hammond ushered him in, closing the door behind him. Not a good sign.
"Have a seat, Colonel."
"Thanks, but I think I'd rather stand, sir," Jack replied, bracing himself for what was to come.
Hammond's face softened as did the tone of his voice. "Jack, please, sit down."
The use of his first name increased Jack's feeling that he was not going to like what he was about to hear, but he pulled out a chair and sat down.
"Jack, I have been ordered by my superiors to end the search and rescue missions."
Even though Jack had known the time would come, it still hit him like a punch in the gut. He also knew there was no way he would let them abandon Daniel.
"Sir, we've got to keep searching. We can't just leave Daniel in the hands of some snakehead."
Hammond's demeanor softened even more as he looked sympathetically at his 2IC.
"It's been a month, Jack, and the missions we've been on have turned up nothing, and have even resulted in a few injuries. We have no new leads to go on. My superiors say we have spent too much money on missions that gain us nothing."
"You're putting a dollar value on Daniel's life?" he asked, his anger inching up a notch.
"You know I would never do that, Jack," Hammond sighed, "but it's out of my hands."
"We can't let them pull the plug completely on this. Let Teal'c and I continue to look," Jack pleaded.
"I can't do that," Hammond replied, shaking his head. "I've been ordered to resume normal operations. We are to focus on missions that will bring us something of value."
Jack stood, resting his hands on the desk. He spoke, his voice carrying only a hint of his restrained fury. "Daniel is valuable, sir. A hell of a lot more valuable than any toys we're going to find out there."
"I agree, Jack, but it's not up to me," Hammond replied, trying to contain his own anger over the situation. "However, Major Carter will be allowed to finish her work on the crystals. She's almost ready to test her research on a working DHD. If she's successful, you'll have your address and you can go and retrieve Doctor Jackson."
"And if she's not?"
"She will resume her duties with SG-1 and it will be business as usual."
"No, it won't, General. Not until Daniel's home again."
Daniel rubbed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, wishing he still had his glasses. But he didn't—he had lost them on his second day on the planet when a Jaffa snatched them from his face, examined them, and then ground them into the sand. The small light on his desk illuminated the stacks of books piled on the desk, casting shadows around the room. It was late—very late. He had been unable to sleep and had come to his "classroom" in hopes of clearing his mind. No one stopped him—they were used to him working late here. Besides, he would be easy enough to locate with his implant.
But he had not found peace. His thoughts continued to center on events that would soon be unfolding. He and Val'nor had been carefully forming their plan for rebellion over the past three weeks, using his language sessions to pass information to the slaves. The slaves were making good progress and would soon take over the responsibility of translating for the other slaves. This was a blessing and a curse. Once the slaves learned Goa'uld well enough to translate the Jaffa orders, Daniel knew they would be going offworld looking for more slaves. Which is exactly what they needed to put their plan into action. Having a group of Jaffa go through the gate would leave Thoth's forces on the planet short-handed, which in turn would give the slaves the opportunity to make their move. But the curse, for Daniel, was that because of his actions other people might be ripped from their homes and families and brought here to be slaves. They were hoping that if the rebellion was successful, they would be able to handle the group of Jaffa when they returned with more slaves. It wasn't an ideal situation, but it was the best they could come up with for now.
He rubbed his eyes again and sighed. Who was he kidding? There was no way he would be able to take his mind off of things to come. He wished he felt more confident about their plans. He had most all of his pre-ascension memories now, and he was pretty sure military planning was not his forte. He wished Jack was here to offer his tactical expertise. And Sam. Sam would have a plan. She would know all the statistics concerning both sides' firepower. And Teal'c. Teal'c would inspire them all with his bravery and dedication to his cause.
He looked up from the desk to the doors opening onto the balcony. Moonlight poured into the room, beckoning him to move outside to look for solace. He rose from the desk and walked out onto the balcony. The moon reflected off the river in the distance and illuminated the landscape. A warm breeze blew gently, bringing the song of a night bird with it. It reminded him of nights spent camping offworld with his team. The feeling of melancholy was overwhelming. He missed them. Even with Dan'e in his life, things weren't quite complete. He needed to get her back to Earth—to unite her with the rest of their family.
Thoughts of Dan'e lifted his spirits and brought a smile to his lips. Even the fact that he was stranded on this planet as a slave to a Goa'uld couldn't dampen the happiness he felt at being with Dan'e for the past three weeks.
She was a beautiful child and so much like Sha're—soft-spoken and a little shy, but hidden underneath was a fiery spirit. And her curiosity knew no limits—"why" was her favorite word. Guess she got something from me, too. Dan'e especially enjoyed having Daniel teach her words in different languages. She was a quick study and would surprise him by repeating the words to him the next day. Guess she got a couple of things from me.
All of the children liked for him to tell stories. Ankhu, aspiring warrior that he was, found the tales of the Trojan War particularly enthralling. Daniel tried to impress on him the futility and waste of war, but the youth could only see the thrill and glory of battle. The younger ones liked his stories about the adventures of four friends as they traveled to strange new worlds. Daniel was careful when crafting his tales so as not to give anything away about Earth.
Just that day, Daniel had told them a story about two of the friends visiting a world where the people were slaves of a cruel and evil ruler who forced them to work in his mines. Daniel had told them how the two friends had helped the people rise up and defeat the ruler, freeing themselves from a life of slavery. It was at this point that Dan'e had crawled into his lap, leaning her head back against his chest. It caught him by surprise, his words catching in his throat. This was the most contact he had had with her so far. The closeness made him want to wrap his arms around her and hug her. He wanted to tell her that he was her father, but he knew it would have to wait for a private time when he could explain it all to her.
He hadn't even realized he had stopped talking until Dan'e spoke. "Danyel, what happened next?"
He looked down at her, blinking. The memory of Kaytah asking him the same question came back to him, along with all of the feelings of longing for a family that he had experienced. Had it only been a few weeks ago? He had lost one family and gained another in that time. Was it too much to ask to be able to have them both?
A hand on his cheek brought him out of his musings. "Danyel, are you all right?" Dan'e asked with concern in her young voice.
"I'm fine, Dan'e. I was just thinking." Daniel finished his story, telling them how one of the friends had fallen in love with one of the beautiful young women of the planet, staying behind to marry her and live with her people. Nebet had thought it was the most romantic story she had ever heard. Ankhu had just turned away, shaking his head and muttering something about "foolishness."
Dan'e had twisted to look up at him. "Is it a true story?" she asked, searching his eyes as she did.
The desire to tell her the truth took hold of him again. But he couldn't—not completely. "It's just a story, Dan'e. However, I have been told it is based on true events," he replied, turning his gaze away from her, unable to look her in the eye without telling her the whole truth.
Standing now on the balcony with the fragrance of the desert filling his senses and stirring memories within him, Daniel wondered what life would have been like on Abydos with Sha're and Dan'e. He could picture himself teaching the people while Sha're took care of their home and growing family. But he would never have a home on Abydos—that chance was gone. And the ache over the loss of what could have been filled his soul. He wondered if he would ever have a home with Dan'e.
At that moment he heard a sound coming from the room behind him. He turned and peered into the semi-darkness.
"Hello? Is someone there?"
A couple of seconds passed and then Dan'e stepped out of the shadows and into the doorway of the balcony.
"Dan'e? What are you doing here?" he asked, wondering how she had gotten past the guards and why she had risked it.
"Don't be angry, Danyel."
"I'm not angry," he said, softening his voice, "I just don't want to see you get into trouble for leaving your room and coming here."
"I'm sorry. I just wanted to talk to you," she said with her head down.
"It's all right. Come here," he said, motioning her to him. "What's so important that it couldn't wait until tomorrow's class?"
She walked out onto the balcony with Daniel, and he lowered himself to one knee so that he was on her level.
"The story you told today—it's true, isn't it." It was a statement, not a question. "You were talking about Abydos." She lifted her eyes to his. "The woman was my mother," she hesitated, then added, "and the man was you."
Daniel was taken aback by her words—she had figured it out. This was not the time or place he wanted to tell her, but looking into her hopeful, pleading eyes, he knew there was no way he could deny it. In that moment he realized she needed him as much as he needed her.
"Yes, Dan'e, it true. I'm your father," he said, relief flooding through him at finally being able to say it. He only hoped he wasn't putting her in danger by doing so.
At his words, Dan'e launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, squeezing tightly. Without hesitation, Daniel did the same, standing up with her held tightly in his arms. She sobbed softly and his own tears joined hers. They stood like that for a few moments in the moonlight, silent except for the sounds of the night bird and Dan'e's soft sobs.
Daniel whispered to her, "It's okay, Dan'e. Everything's going to be all right."
Her words were so soft he barely heard them. "I've wanted..." she trailed off and took a gulp of air, calming herself.
"What, Dan'e?"
With her head still resting on his shoulder, she answered, "I've wanted you to come for me for so long."
His heart ached for the losses she had suffered. He knew what it was like. He wished he could take away the pain of those losses and make her understand things would be different from now on.
"Dan'e, look at me."
She lifted her head and pulled it back to look at him.
"I'm here now and I'm never leaving you. No matter what happens, we'll be together."
She laid her head on his shoulder again, but the crying had stopped. He carried her to the edge of the balcony and looked out at the moonlit desert. He felt linked to it. All of the important things in his life were tied to it—all of his happiness and all of his sadness. What would it bring him this time? He had just promised Dan'e safety and security, knowing full well that sometime in the next few weeks all hell was going to break loose on this world. But he had meant what he said—he and Dan'e would be together no matter what.
The night stretched on in silence as the two souls clung to each other. Finally, Daniel spoke. "Dan'e, you know that you have to keep this a secret. You can't tell anyone, except Makare," he said, fear for her safety once again asserting itself.
"I know," was all she said, and he hoped she understood his fears.
"Things are going to be changing here soon and we can't raise any suspicions."
She looked at him again with curiosity. "Are you here to free this world, too?"
"We're going to try." He knew he didn't have time to explain everything to her. "When the time comes, I'll tell you what to do. For now, you need to go back to bed and so do I. We'll talk again later."
"Danyel?"
"Yes?"
"Could you hold me just a little longer?"
"Of course," he said, welcoming the chance to hold her close once again. Surely a few more minutes wouldn't hurt.
Neither noticed a shadow cross the room behind them, disappearing into the hallway beyond.
"It's Sg-1's IDC, sir," Sergeant Harriman informed General Hammond, who was standing beside him, looking towards the gate below them.
"Open the iris," came the anticipated order. The general headed down the stairs and entered the gateroom just as SG-1 and their accompanying scientists came down the ramp. It was obvious from the expressions on their faces what the answer to his question would be, but he asked it anyway.
"Welcome back, people. Was your testing of the DHD successful, Major Carter?"
Major Carter looked as though she barely had her emotions under control, but control them she did. "No, sir. It appears the only address that can be retrieved is the last one dialed. Any beyond that are lost. I'm sorry, sir."
"So am I," the general replied, noting that Colonel O'Neill had been uncharacteristically quiet. "Let's take this to the briefing room, people." He turned and left the gateroom, the returning teams following.
Soon everyone was seated at the briefing room table. General Hammond scanned their faces, all showing varying signs of disappointment, frustration, and sadness, and in Colonel O'Neill's case, resignation. He was sure the colonel had already skipped over the upcoming discussion and was contemplating the outcome—well aware this had been their final chance to get Doctor Jackson back, and well aware of the general's directive to resume "normal" operations.
"Major Carter, you stated that only the last address could be retrieved?"
"Yes, sir. We had hoped the crystals would be able to retain the signatures of previous addresses, but, unfortunately, that didn't work. Only the last address dialed can be retrieved."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Is there any hope that future research might be able to obtain this information?"
Major Carter lowered her eyes to her folded hands resting on the tabletop. "No, sir. "I'm afraid we're at a dead end."
"General?" Doctor Lee interjected.
"Yes, Doctor Lee?"
"There is one positive outcome." Seeing the general was waiting for his explanation, he continued. "We think we may be able to create a portable device that can be attached to a DHD that will allow the last address dialed to be read. This would mean that an SG team could attach the device to a DHD on arrival at a planet and be able to read the address if the Stargate is used."
If we'd had this device sooner we would have been able to find Daniel, Sam thought. Too little, too late.
"That's good to know, Doctor Lee. Keep me informed of your progress."
"Thank you, sir."
Now comes the hardest part, the general thought as he once again scanned the faces around the table. He took a deep breath and delivered the final blow.
"As you may or may not know, I have received orders from my superiors to resume normal operations." He saw Major Carter's head shoot up, her eyes locked onto Colonel O'Neill, who continued to remain silent. It was obvious he hadn't shared that information with his team. "This means there will be no more search and rescue operations and all SG teams will resume regular missions through the gate."
"Sir, we can't just abandon Daniel," Major Carter pleaded. "No one gets left behind," she added, her words directed at Colonel O'Neill.
Before O'Neill could reply, Hammond continued. "If we receive indisputable evidence of his location, we will act on it. That's all we'll be allowed to do. I'm sorry. Now, report to Doctor Frasier. I expect your written reports on my desk tomorrow. SG-1, you have two days of downtime, after which you will resume missions. Dismissed."
With that he left the briefing room and entered his office, closing the door behind him. The other scientists also left, leaving SG-1 alone. The room remained silent for a few seconds before Carter spoke up.
"You knew about this, sir? Why didn't you tell us?"
"Hammond told me after the last S & R. I argued with him to let us continue looking for Daniel, but he has his orders. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to put any more pressure on you."
"So, that's it then?" she asked, frustration evident in her voice.
"Yeah. That's it," O'Neill said. He'd known for two weeks that this would be the possible outcome, but he'd held out hope that Carter would be able to pull off another technical miracle. Seems they had used up all their miracles.
"Is there no possibility General Hammond's superiors could be persuaded to let the search continue?" Teal'c asked.
"I don't think so, T," O'Neill replied, "It all comes down to dollars and cents. It costs big bucks to operate the gate and they want the missions to focus on getting us something for our money."
"Is not Daniel Jackson worth something?"
"Yeah, that's what I said, but I guess we don't see eye to eye on the subject with the powers that be. Surprise, surprise."
"It is no surprise, O'Neill. These people have previously shown a lack of intelligence."
"You got that right, T."
"There's got to be something else we can do," Carter said, refusing to concede that the subject was closed.
"There is, Major. Take your two days of downtime and then report back for our next mission."
Sam was shocked at the colonel's willingness to let go of the matter. It wasn't like him to back down, especially when it involved one of his team.
"Yes, sir," she said with more shortness than she intended. She quickly turned and left the briefing room, heading to the infirmary.
"I fear Major Carter blames herself for being unable to come up with a way to bring Daniel Jackson home," Teal'c said.
Jack sighed. "You're probably right. I'll go talk to her before she leaves."
"Do you wish me to accompany you?"
"No, that's okay. You go do your kel-no-reem."
"Very well," Teal'c replied, heading to the infirmary for his own check-up with Doctor Frasier.
Alone in the room, Jack left his seat and walked to stand in front of the observation window. He closed his eyes, letting the events of the last seven years flow through his mind. He was tired. Tired of fighting—the Goa'uld, the Replicators, the politicians. Tired of losing people—some more than once. He wondered once again how long he could continue to do this.
His thoughts were interrupted by Hammond's gentle voice. "Jack? Is everything all right?"
Jack gave a bitter chuckle. "No, sir, it's not."
Understanding, Hammond replied, "I wish there was something else I could do. I've called every contact I have at the Pentagon. I even tried the President, but he's been unavailable."
"I know. You've done everything possible. I just... I just don't know how long I can keep doing this," he said, waving his arm to encompass the gate.
"You're not thinking of retiring again, are you?"
"I don't know."
"Jack, this isn't the same as the last time we lost him. We know he's out there and we know he's doing everything he can to get himself home. If you retire, who's going to go after him when we get the information we need to find him? He's counting on you, Jack, to fight as hard to find him as he is to get home."
Jack sighed. Wasn't it just a couple of weeks ago that he had vowed to spend the rest of his life searching for Daniel if he had to? Hammond had a way of saying the right thing to get him back on track. How could he have been considering giving up? Daniel would never give up. He wouldn't, either. He turned to face the general.
"You're right, sir. Daniel has a knack for getting himself into trouble, but he also has a knack for getting out of it, too. He's counting on me—on us. We'll find him."
"I'm sure we will, Jack. Now, why don't you go see if you can convince Major Carter of that fact."
"Yes, sir, and thank you," he said, his resolve strengthening again as he left the briefing room.
