The Way Of the Warrior

Jaffa tag to Episode 5:18 The Warrior.

Prompts: fear, food, frankness, Free

Beta: Thanks to Eilidh17 for looking this over and making it better as always.

Jack raised his canteen to his lips, taking a small sip and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, but the bad taste remained. The whole thing had gone FUBAR and all he wanted to do was take his team and go home before something else happened. He pasted a smile on his face as he was approached by one of the Jaffa children holding out a plate of food. He took it and gave the child half of a chocolate bar. The child laughed and hurried off to share his treat with his friends. Once the boy was out of sight, he handed the plate to the next Jaffa women who walked by.

"You people need this more than I do, take it and make sure the children are fed." She tried to refuse, but Jack waggled his finger. "Ack! Please do it for me. I have food, no need to take it from the mouths of children."

The woman hesitated for a moment and then nodded gratefully. "Thank you, O'Neill," she said, and then was gone. Jack knew he would never forget the look on her face, as it morphed from despair to hope.

With a jerk of his head, he called for Carter and Daniel to meet him off to the side where they had set up camp.

"So, how much longer are we here?" Jack asked resting his arms on his P90. "How long until we can leave this gong show?"

Carter looked around her and shrugged. "I don't know, sir. We're still waiting for the relief and medical teams to get here. I've done what I can, but I don't have much in the way of supplies left and what little we got from the SGC is almost gone, too. Things just don't look good for them right now. They have no food or shelter. What we've managed to cobble together from the Alpha Site, and what little was salvaged from the planet after the attack isn't going to be enough to last more than a couple of months. Unless they find somewhere to put down roots and build homes they will need long term help from the SGC."

Daniel pushed up his glasses before taking a final spoonful his meal, which Jack noticed was an MRE. It seemed Daniel wasn't taking food from locals, either. "I agree with Sam, but there's another problem. This planet isn't the ideal choice for the Jaffa to settle long term. We need to find them somewhere better suited for farming; some place more self-sustaining resources. I need to speak with Brat'ac about getting more shelters set up. There are too many children that need somewhere to sleep."

The scorching sun beat down on Jack's head. The other planet had been much more temperate and didn't remind him of Iraq as much as this one did.

Taking a moment, Jack surveyed the free Jaffa scattered around the small oasis and he hoped this whole movement wasn't going to come back and bite them in the ass. He really wasn't a happy man. Jack O'Neill had been through a lot of crap and didn't like it when his advice was ignored, especially when he knew he was right. And, in this case, very right. If this first shot at an alliance was any indication, then the SGC was in a peck of trouble from this fledgling nation.

He understood the Jaffa's desire for freedom, but their naivety had almost got them all killed, including Teal'c. Jack shook his head, he was sure Teal'c was a smarter Jaffa than that, but he had bought into the dream. There was a difference between following and blindly being led. It was one thing to die fighting for freedom and being a dupe.

He scanned the crowd and saw

Teal'c step out of the refugees only tent. The Jaffa had tried to insist that Teal'c take it since he was now their leader, but he had refused and given the shelter to the women and children who needed it much more.

Jack looked Teal'c over, noting his wounds. They would heal, but could the same be said about his friend's faith in his people? Jack caught his friend's eye, and the Jaffa made his way to Jack's location, greeting people with a small nod he passed.

"So, Jack said as Teal'c joined him. "Where do your people go from here?"

Teal'c considered O'Neill's questions as he studied his displaced people. Would they ever have a home again? Once again they were refugees, a wandering people.

"I do not know, O'Neill. We thought we had found someone to lead us, to help us learn what it means to be free, but now I fear my people will never be able to take charge of themselves. We will forever be tainted by the Goa'uld."

K'anto's betray hurt him more than he would have thought. His people were still very vulnerable, but could he leave the Tau'ri to help them when they too needed him? He was so very conflicted.

O'Neill slapped him on the back. "Don't worry about it. You guys will muddle through. We humans have done it time and again and you will too."

Nodding once, Teal'c felt inclined to agree.. "K'anto was a lie but what brought us here was not. We will be free. I will not let him taint what has started with the Jaffa. These people are the first of many and, as the Goa'uld fall, many more will flock to us. I will not rest until it is so. Bra'tac is right… our time will come. We survived today, and there is always tomorrow. The Jaffa will one day be a great nation. I only hope I will live to see that day."

Jack nodded. "Of that, I have no doubt." Turning away Jack hoped he was right.

As always there are more storied posted on my site including two chapters of a Daniel Jackson whomp fic. You can find it by Googling my penname. If you feel like it leave a note telling me if you liked this story, they really do make my day.