Letting the Future In
By
AnnieB
There is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in.
Graham Green
Colonel Jack O'Neill looked up into the bright alien sunshine and adjusted the brim of his cap to shelter him from the glare. "Nice day for a walk," he said, nodding towards the well-worn path that looked like it led from the dais he and his team had emerged onto, down into the village he could see below them.
"Indeed." Teal'c moved up to stand alongside him. The Jaffa looked relaxed but alert, his staff weapon held ready just in case this turned out not to be the walk in the park they were expecting.
Jack glanced back over his shoulder at the other two members of his team. Major Samantha Carter, military to the core, was checking her sidearm. She looked up at him and smiled. "It'd make for a nice change of pace from running for our lives," she said.
"That it would, Carter. Daniel, you with us here?" Jack asked as his archeologist riffled through the pockets of his tac vest. "Lost something?" he asked then grinned as Daniel held his sunglasses aloft with a triumphant smile.
"I knew they were here somewhere," Daniel said, stuffing back in place the Kleenex pack and sundry other items he'd pulled from his pockets during his search. "Let's go." He took off down the path at a fast clip and Jack shook his head then set off after him. "Easy, big fella," he said as he caught up with him, grabbing Daniel's arm to keep him at his side. "Me Colonel, Teal'c Jaffa, you archeologist, remember? Teal'c, take point. Carter, you've got our six. Daniel, you stay with me."
"It's not my first picnic, Jack," Daniel grouched but he kept pace with Jack though Jack could tell those long legs of his were just itching to break into a run.
Jack ignored him and kept walking, casting a look around every so often to be sure there were no unfriendlies waiting to take a pot shot at them.
They made it to the village relatively quickly without any of Jack's dark thoughts coming to fruition and Jack looked around as they stopped in the center of a large open square. It looked like some sort of marketplace with stalls set up all round the edges. About twenty people milled about the stalls, some buying, some selling.
A kid of about ten walked over to them and stood in front of Jack, seemingly unfazed by their sudden appearance and alien clothes.
"Hi," Jack said.
The boy reached a hand out and touched Jack's chest with his finger. "Who are you?" he asked.
Daniel stepped forward. "We're travelers," he said, going into his usual spiel about how they came from far away and in friendship.
Jack tuned him out. He'd heard the routine at least a hundred times before. He took a more careful recce of the place. It looked pretty non-threatening. No overt signs of Goa'uld activity nor any indications that these people might suddenly turn on them and decide to sacrifice them to whoever their god might be.
"Jack."
Jack turned to see they'd been joined by a wizened elderly man dressed in a long robe.
"This is Molnar," Daniel said. "He's the village elder and priest."
Jack inclined his head as Daniel introduced them all. "Nice place you have here," he said.
"Thank you," Molnar said absently, not taking his eyes from Daniel's face.
The man's intent gaze unsettled Jack and he stepped forward as Molnar reached a hand up to cup Daniel's cheek gently. Teal'c bristled as well but stayed where he was when Daniel simply smiled and made no attempt to move out of the man's hold. "It's okay," Daniel said and Jack stopped, though his gut continued to churn uneasily.
"You are Ancient," Molnar said and Jack just knew he wasn't talking about Daniel's age.
"No," Daniel said as Molnar moved his hand away.
"But you once were," Molnar insisted.
Daniel shrugged. "Not exactly. You know about the Ancients?"
"Of course. They came here once, on their travels. They promised to come back and teach us of Ascension so we too could rise above the toil and sorrow of this world and be as one with the Universe," Molnar said. "However, it has been many generations since their last visit and they have not returned," he added, his voice laden with clear regret.
"What made you think Daniel was an Ancient?" Carter asked.
Molnar smiled. "I have a gift," he said. "One passed down through generations of my family. I can see a person's soul."
Daniel grinned. "I think he means like an aura," he said. "You see colors surrounding people," he explained to Molnar who inclined his head in agreement.
"That is so. You have the same soul as the Ancients. My father told me of the beautiful colors that surrounded them, blue as the sky in summer." He gave Daniel a small smile. "You have ascended?" he asked. "And chose to return to live amongst your friends once more."
Daniel stayed silent and Jack could have kissed him for remembering that they didn't give away too much information on a first date with a new alien race.
"Will you speak to me of this?" Molnar asked and Daniel looked at Jack inquiringly.
"Maybe next time we visit," Jack said firmly. His spider senses were tingling and he'd already decided they were going to cut this visit short. It didn't look like these people had anything remotely technological to offer for trade and the way Molnar was looking at Daniel was creeping him out big time though Daniel seemed to be his usual oblivious self.
Molnar nodded even as he turned and gave Jack an assessing look through narrowed eyes. "Before you go, I have something the Ancients left us that I would like to share with you, Daniel," he said.
"Just with Daniel?" Jack asked.
"If he believes it has merit he can take it back with him so you may investigate it further," Molnar said. He turned back to Daniel. "Some say it is a time traveling device, others that it is the real source of our legends of the fountain of youth." He shrugged. "I have not been able to get it to work."
"Well, Sam's the expert on technology," Daniel said.
"Women are not allowed within the temple and only those men who have been touched by the Ancients may enter," Molnar said and Jack hid a smile as Carter bristled with indignation at that. "If you believe it is worthwhile you may bring it out to show it to them," he added placatingly.
"Jack?" Daniel looked at him pleadingly and Jack sighed, took off his cap and rubbed a hand through his hair. He was pretty sure Daniel was singlehandedly responsible for every one of the gray strands he now bore but he nodded reluctantly. "All right. Daniel can go with you and check out the gizmo but we'll be right outside the door," he warned.
"Of course." Molnar smiled beatifically and Jack wondered if he'd read the old geezer wrong after all.
"Look, I'm sorry," he said as he fell into step beside Molnar on the way to the temple, "no offence. It's just Daniel's something of a trouble magnet on legs."
Molnar seemed to understand the analogy well enough for he nodded. "And you wish no harm to come to him. He is important to you. Your friend, yes?"
"Yeah, that and a whole bunch of other things besides," Jack muttered. "He's given us a few scares in the past, that's all."
"I understand." Molnar turned at the door of the temple and bowed his head to Carter. "I apologize. I realize that on your world you obviously are considered an equal among your menfolk. But this is our way and has been for hundreds of years. I mean no disrespect to your skill."
"It's fine," Carter said with a faint smile. "Yours isn't the first world we've been to where the Women's Liberation Movement has yet to be heard from."
"Daniel…" Jack said quietly.
"I know. I'll be careful," Daniel replied, following Molnar eagerly through the heavy wooden doors. "I promise not to turn anything on."
"Don't even touch anything," Jack said, "until Carter's had a chance to check it out."
Daniel waved a hand in acknowledgment and Jack settled down with his back against the temple wall, while Teal'c took up a sentry-like position right in front of the doors.
Carter sat down next to Jack. "It could be something really important," she said. "I mean, a time travel device…" Her voice trailed off and Jack bumped his shoulder against hers.
"Don't get your hopes up, Carter. It could just as easily be a toaster the Ancients forgot to take with them when they left."
That at least got a grin out of her and Jack returned it, though the niggling worry in his gut remained. He was just about to dig into his backpack for an energy bar when a loud wailing cry cut through the air. Jack was on his feet in seconds, Carter with him as Teal'c turned from his position and ran toward them.
"Sounds like a kid," Carter said as they looked towards where the sound was coming from, the building Daniel had entered just moments before.
"Yeah, well, let's find out," Jack replied, unhooking his P90 from its clip on his tac vest. "Whoever it is sounds like they're not happy about something."
Carter and Teal'c both nodded and drew their zats then took up position at Jack's back as he headed towards the doorway.
Before they could enter the door flew open and Molnar stepped out, cradling something in his arms. "I don't understand," he called out. "The device did what we were told but he has no knowledge of ascension to give us." His words brought what seemed like the entire population of the village stampeding over and Jack dropped the barrel of his weapon and pushed his way through the throng to where Molnar stood.
In utter shock he stared at the bundle in Molnar's arms. Nestled amongst what Jack recognized as Daniel's BDUs and tshirt, was a small boy, about four years old. He had blond hair, large fear-filled blue eyes and the loudest cry Jack had ever heard in his life. "What the-" he began but Molnar handed the child over to him and said, "I promised you Daniel would not be physically harmed and he has not been."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Jack snapped, turning to thrust the child into Carter's arms. She fumbled with the howling boy and Teal'c took him instead, balancing the child with practiced ease against his broad chest. "Where's Daniel?"
"I have given him back to you," Molnar replied. "He is as he always was." He indicated the child in Teal'c's arms.
"If you're saying that's Daniel then I'd say he's nowhere near as he always was," Jack said angrily. "Carter, get in there and check out that device." He lifted his weapon and pointed it at Molnar's chest meaningfully but Molnar simply stepped back and allowed Carter to enter the building. "Oh, right, now the damage has been done, you'll let just anyone in!" Jack said sarcastically but he left his gun aimed where it was.
"He is still Daniel," Molnar said. "He now simply has the gift of renewed life."
"Yeah, well, maybe he liked his old life," Jack said, "so change him back."
"I cannot. The machine only reverts age, it is not possible to advance it."
"For what reason did you do this?" Teal'c asked, stepping forward.
The child had stopped howling and now he held his arms out to Jack, who took him instinctively. He burrowed his head into the crook of Jack's neck and Jack unconsciously rocked him back and forth.
"No Ancients before have been willing to impart this knowledge to us but we have long believed that if we could find an Ancient child, his mind would not be as guarded and he would be able to tell us that which we desire to know. "
"You couldn't find yourself an Ancient kid so you just waited, hoping an ancient would happen along that you could use this age reversion device on…" Jack was aware of the child stiffening in his arms as the tenor of Jack's voice rose and he soothed him with a pat to the back then lowered his voice. "You had no right," he whispered harshly.
"Indeed you did not." Teal'c had picked up his staff weapon from where he'd dropped it when he'd taken Daniel into his arms and Jack was somewhat satisfied to see a look of fear enter Molnar's eyes. "You must tell us how this may be reversed."
"I cannot. As I said, the machine only decreases one's years, there is no way to return them," Molnar replied nervously.
"How about we take you in there and use that machine on you," Jack snarled.
Molnar smiled faintly. "The device would not affect me. I am not an Ancient."
"Lucky you," Jack snapped. He looked over Molnar's shoulder as Carter stuck her head back out through the temple entrance. "Well?"
She shook her head ruefully. "No idea, sir. And there's some kind of force field in place that I can't take down. Daniel might have been able to translate the writing on the machine before but-"
"But right now he'd having trouble reading a fairy story," Jack said flatly. He canted a look down at the boy who looked back up at him, his wide blue eyes damp with tears but filled with something Jack thought might be trust. "You'll be okay, buddy," Jack said. He gave Molnar a warning look. "We're taking Daniel back with us. We will be returning. That device better still be there when we do."
Molnar nodded quickly. "If the child speaks at all of his time of ascension…"
"You won't hear about it from us," Jack replied firmly.
"Perhaps there is a reason the Ancients would not impart this knowledge to your people," Teal'c said as he turned away. "The fact you have tried to take this knowledge from our friend without his permission speaks to your lack of respect for the rights of others."
"In other words, the Ancients probably felt you wouldn't cut the mustard," Jack said sarcastically. He turned and led the way out of the village, motioning to Teal'c to pick up his and Daniel's packs on their way past where they'd left them.
They'd just entered the clearing where the gate was when Daniel sat up straight in Jack's arms. He smiled and pointed at the stargate. "Home," he said.
Jack swallowed and looked at Carter, who scrubbed a hand across her eyes. "Yeah, Daniel," he said, "let's go home."