Disclaimer:
The usual stuff, I don't own anything (shame that) and I didn't get any money from writing this story.Spoiler:
S1 'The First Commandment.'A/N:
Thank you to newromantic and ALL for reading this and giving me their opinions on it, give them a round of applause for putting up with itJThe First Commandment
The sun no longer bore down on the two remaining members of SG-9 but the burning heat that had, during the day, burnt their skin, had hardly lessened with the rising of the moon. Connor sighed heavily, closed his eyes and leant back against the pole that he was bound to "we should never have stayed" he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
His friend turned slightly, fighting back the wave of dizziness that washed over him "nothing we can do about it now" he replied in a regretful tone "maybe he'll give us another chance…"
"He stuck us out here to die. Besides, after what he's done I wouldn't want to join him…he's insane" he added in a shushed tone. He heard the sound of tumbling stones a small distance behind them, then, there was silence, both men waited impatiently "just show yourself Hanson!"
A hand clamped over his mouth and in the light of the moon he saw the glint of a knife "do you want him to hear us!" an angry voice spoke out in the darkness.
Connor's eyes widened in surprise "Dr Carter?"
Carter hurriedly cut the ropes that bound Hanson "you have to get back to the SGC" she told him.
Connor rubbed his wrists and took the knife from Carter then set about cutting Frakes loose "what about you?"
"I managed to loose one of the guards he has watching me but if I don't go back he'll something wrong. I'll buy you some time, go! Now!" she said in a quiet voice.
The two men waited a few more moments as though debating whether to leave without their comrade, they made their decision and ran in the direction of the Stargate. Carter turned back the way she had come and ran back inside the cave, it was dark even with the fiery torches that illuminated the tunnels. She made her way to her and Jonas' chamber, she stepped inside and looked around the large 'bedroom' "Jonas?" he'd been in there half an hour earlier.
"Sam honey" he entered and stood behind her, putting a hand on her shoulder, he turned her around "I had such high hopes for you" he said sadly "you were going to be my goddess."
She smiled at him innocently "what are you talking about?"
"You're a very smart woman don't play the blonde bimbo. Do you really think I had only one guard watching you?" he took her by the hand and led her out of the chamber, his trusted friend stood waiting nearby "lock her up then follow me." Carter was grabbed by the arm by Jonas' friend, her husband took one last look at her before walking through the tunnel to the exit.
*
Connor and Frakes charged through the forest intent only on reaching the Stargate, focussing on the dirt path before them. Their breathing was hard and ragged, blooding pumping, out of breath but still they ran Connor called to his friend that ran behind him, telling him to hurry.
Frakes stopped and dropped on all fours "I lost the remote!" he cried out.
Connor stopped and turned back, orange lights burned bright, moving through the trees and coming closer. Connor grabbed something off the floor "go it!" he yelled, they ran on again, Conner reached the DHD and began dialling home. He paused and looked behind him, his friend was missing. He ran back along the path shouting his name, not wanting to leave Frakes behind.
He saw him then, crawling before him, his weary and muddied face looked up, a dart in his right shoulder. "Go" he said but Connor stayed where he was "go!" Frakes shouted more fiercely this time. Then he fell to he floor as men in tribal paint and carrying spears advanced. Connor fled back towards the Stargate, the next thing he heard was a gunshot and he knew his friend was gone, and he was alone.
*
Colonel Jack O' Neill leaned back in his chair and tapped his pen on the pad that lay on the table in front of him, he looked around the room at the people in front of him. General Hammond was sat at the head of the table with an impatient looked on his face. Across from Jack was Daniel Jackson, he looked like he wanted to be anywhere but in the briefing room, he was probably in the middle of deciphering some relic O' Neill mused. Then there was Teal'c who was sat to the right of the Doctor, his expression was unreadable, the one person that was missing from the table was Doctor Samantha Carter, and she had been with SG-1 since the second mission to Abydos where they had met Teal'c.
Jonas Hanson had requested a week or so earlier that she join him and the rest of SG-9 whilst SG-1 were on downtime. "You did tell this guy to be here today, right?" O' Neill asked impatiently "SG-9 could be in serious trouble and we're waiting for someone we don't even need."
General Hammond glanced at his watch "he should be he--."
They were interrupted by a nervous sounding cough "Uh, sorry I'm late Sir's, Doctor…uh…Jaffa…" he held out a hand and Hammond shook it "I'm so glad of this opportunity to help SG-1, I mean, I…I've heard so much about you." He said to them "I'm Captain Robert Gordon, you can call me Rob, everybody else does…"
Jack rolled his eyes "this is going to be a long day."
*
SG-1 arrived on the planet the sun was shining brightly and it was extremely warm, uncomfortably so. Tall trees surrounded them, it was impossible but it really did look as though they reached the sky, O' Neill shielded his eyes as he looked up and descended the steps. Daniel looked about him then at Jack "for a planet with a UV radiation as high as this one is supposed to have the plant life seems to be doing very well" he mused.
Daniel passed the sun cream to Gordon and he took it gratefully, he rubbed the cream over his hands and face as he listened to Daniel banter on, he wasn't really listening, he was too busy surveying the area, he felt exhilarated. He was on another planet! He heard Teal'c reply to something Daniel had said and the new member looked up in surprise, it was the first time he'd heard the Jaffa speak.
"Okay…" Gordon listened up as O' Neill spoke "lets take a quick look around the gate before we move out to find SG-9" they started to move away from the Stargate. Gordon looked up into the large trees and seconds later jumped as he heard the deep voice of Teal'c beside him "is there a problem Captain Gordon?"
"Uh nothing…it's weird this place looks just like earth but there's no birds…this place is deserted" Gordon shrugged and moved on forward.
Daniel continued on ahead of the others, he spoke loudly so the others could still hear him "so there should be a road up here or something…" he said as he ducked under a tree branch. Daniel looked around him as he saw the lack of his friends "Jack? Guys?" he got no further as he was grabbed from behind and his own gun aimed at his neck "okay, okay don't shoot."
He heard the click of a gun then a most welcome voice "very sound advice" Jack said to the man who held Daniel.
Then his captor spoke "Colonel O' Neill" his grip on Daniel lessened.
"Lieutenant Connor" said Jack. He got no reply as Connor began to fall, Jack grabbed him and with Daniel's help held the man upright.
*
Gordon sat on the steps leading up to the Stargate, he listened intently as O' Neill questioned Connor who was lay on the steps. He heard Connor say a name but it didn't ring any bells in the Captain's head.
"No!" Connor suddenly shouted.
"Why?" asked Jack, it seemed that Connor wasn't too anxious to see Hanson again. Connor abruptly sat up on the steps then ran away from the group, the others followed him at a run.
When they reached Connor they saw him kneeling before a pile of black and grey powder, he reached forward and pulled something out, dog tags, the power was ashes.
"Conner" began O' Neill "I need to know what happened."
Connor looked up "permission to speak freely about a superior officer Sir."
"Yeah, go ahead," replied the Colonel.
Connor swallowed and looked solemn as he spoke "he's lost it, he's out of control."
For the first time in a while Gordon spoke "uh, you're talking about Captain Hanson?"
"Connor continued on "maybe it was the sun, the radiation…"
Daniel interrupted him "are you saying the sun did this to Frakes?"
"No Sir" Connor answered gravely "Captain Hanson did this to Frakes, for trying to get through the gate."
Jack shook his head "I don't buy that."
Connor turned to look at the Colonel "Sir. We were trying to warn command about what's really going on. The people here, they believe he's their god" he informed them.
"Because you cam through the gate" stated Teal'c.
Connor turned his attention to the imposing Jaffa "no, no you don't get it, Hanson believes it too" he got up off the floor and Jack motioned for Gordon to come towards him, the captain nodded and walked away from the group. O' Neill rubbed his eyes "I want you to take Connor back through the Stargate, report to General Hammond what's happened here."
Captain Gordon looked at him indignantly "no Sir."
"No Sir" O' Neill repeated.
"I'm on this team now, Sir, I…I know you don't want me here but I want to help, just give me a chance Colonel" Gordon said in an almost pleading voice. Jack sighed in frustration "I want to go with you, to help bring Captain Hanson back."
Connor interrupted them "wait! You can't do that."
"He agrees with me," said O' Neill with a slight smile.
"No. None of you can go, there are hundreds, probably thousands of them. He's their god, they'll die for him, kill for him in a heartbeat."
Jack looked up "that's not your problem," he said firmly "now I need someone to report back to the General and that is you" he stated.
"No Sir" was Connor's reply.
"No Sir? Does it say Colonel anywhere on this uniform?" he asked sarcastically.
"I know the planet, the situation. I think it's suicide, but if you're going, I'm going" he answered softly.
Teal'c joined them "but you are not physically able."
Connor looked to the side to where Teal'c now stood "Frakes was my friend."
Daniel walked over to them and stood behind Teal'c "you know…this isn't about revenge."
"Maybe not for you" he started to walk away from them "we gotta move now, in the daylight."
O' Neill looked around at his team "well, we're off to see the wizard" he quipped.
Connor stopped walking "I hope you brought lots of sun block."
"Well we're mostly under cover," said Daniel.
"Being in the shade ain't gonna help you, it gets real hot here" Connor said to them.
Jack looked across to where Connor was standing waiting for them "then why on earth are we travelling during the day?"
"We're not on earth. The people here live in caves, I think they used to mines, they only come out at night. They're probably still after me
Sir."
O' Neill put his sunglasses back on "to Oz" the group followed Connor who led the way, Jack looked up at the bright blue sky "I guess this would be a perfect time to work on my tan."
*
Gordon took a 'seat' by the fire next to Daniel, the Captain smiled politely "uh that…looks nice" he indicated Daniel's food. It was a straight out lie but he wanted to start a conversation and he wasn't doing too good a job at it.
"It tastes like chicken" Daniel replied.
Gordon shrugged "so what's wrong with it?" he asked as he dug into his own food.
"It's macaroni and cheese," Daniel said in disgust.
The Captain heard Teal'c and O' Neill speaking behind him and he and Daniel lapsed into silence. The others joined them after checking the security of their small camp; the Doctor put his bowl on the ground "how could something like this actually happen?" Daniel asked, "The SG teams are supposedly well trained professionals."
"Well when we first met the cave dwellers they immediately bowed down to us, thought we were gods" Connor reminisced.
"Well it's a fairly common phenomenon, I mean…it happens," said Daniel as he thought about the number of times that that had happened to SG-1.
"Except Hanson didn't deny it, he told us it might be safer if we let them believe he was their god for a while…" answered Connor.
Gordon listened to his story intently as Connor continued to tell them what had transpired "and you were okay with that?" he heard Daniel Jackson ask.
"Frakes was our anthropologist, he agreed with Hanson that it might be safer. Well we all agreed except for Doctor Carter, when she got here and Hanson told her what we were doing she made it plain straight away that she didn't like misleading these people. We should have listened to her," he added as an afterthought.
The newest member of SG-1 listened to their conversation intently "why would Captain Hanson keep her alive but kill everyone else?"
"They're married" Jack told him softly "he wouldn't hurt her. Not like that."
Connor looked from Jack to the newest member of SG-1 and back again "so who is that?"
"Oh, Captain Robert Gordon, Sir, you can call me Rob, ev--."
"Everybody else does" Jack finished off the Captain's sentence.
Connor nodded politely and carried on with his story, he told of how Hanson had rescued a child that had disappeared. The Captain had been missing for two days. Not the work of a maniac. Gordon pulled himself out of his thoughts and began to once again listen to Connor's tale. "There were a few cave dwellers who got the idea that Hanson was just a man, like they were. Thanks to Frakes and I he had them tied to stakes and left out in direct sunlight." Gordon paled upon hearing that, he opened the notebook that he carried with him and started to write down what he knew about the situation so far. "If they lived seven days…"
Connor said, "they were allowed back in the caves."
"A number of significant biblical events took place over the course of seven days" Daniel told them.
"By then they were blind…" Connor's face was blank but his eyes were so full of emotion over what he'd witnessed, he stared into the fire as he spoke, remembering "there were giant bleeding burns all over them…just took them longer to die, personally, I'd rather take a bullet."
An eerie silence descended on the group as they all thought over what they had just heard, they tried to take it all in. Nobody could hear something like that and not feel anything, Gordon closed his notebook and pocketed the pen. Colonel O' Neill broke the silence; there were no witty remarks to try and break the tension this time "I'll take first watch" he said softly. They all stayed sat around the blazing fire.
It was later that night when the fire had died out that Connor awoke; he looked about him before standing. He walked past the silent, seated figure of Teal'c to where O' Neill stood on watch "Hey Colonel, I'll take watch now," he said to him.
They heard a noise somewhere in the forest and they both turned, alert, on their guard. Connor stayed where he was while O' Neill moved through the camp to wake Teal'c then Daniel "let's go, we've got company" he said to the Doctor. Gordon too heard the noise, he stayed put, his heart pounding, his hand moved to the gun at his side.
"Are you sure?" Daniel asked upon hearing about the intruders.
A dart whistled through the darkness to become embedded in some wood to the right of Daniel's head. "Pretty sure" the Colonel replied as he stood.
The cave dwellers edged closer and closer, the alarm that O' Neill had set up blared throughout the forest. He fired his gun at the advancing intruders, Connor did likewise, and the cave dwellers began shooting their darts. Then they charged forward, yelling loudly, Teal'c fired his staff weapon and a tree caught fire, the cave dwellers jumped back at the blast. Gordon knelt on the ground and watched all the commotion going on around him, as he stayed motionless, then the alarm stopped and the cave dwellers backed away, both parties ceasing fire. The cave dwellers disappeared back through the wood "It appears they are gone," said Teal'c.
"Connor?" Daniel looked around, not seeing the SG-9 member "Connor?" O' Neill surveyed the now deserted area; he was nowhere to be seen.
*
A new day had begun and work outside the caves continued in the same way it had the day before, Jonas watched over his people carefully, like a hawk watched over it prey "the work on the temple is taking too long to build."
Baker, another member of SG-9 stood a few feet to the right of his 'god' "they're working as hard as they can" he protested.
Jonas' voice rose slightly as he answered "but not as long as they can. Divide them into shifts day and night" he ordered.
Baker turned to face him "you can't."
"What!" he demanded sternly.
"They'll die."
Jonas looked emotionless as he answered "sacrifice…" he shrugged "their way to salvation."
Carter tested the strength of the bars that kept her imprisoned, they were too strong and sturdy, escape was impossible "let me out" she shouted. She knew someone would be out there, watching her. "Let me speak to Jonas."
A voice in the darkness answered her "your god is watching over his people," an almost timid voice said.
"He isn't a god," said Carter as she tried to see through the darkness the person she was speaking to.
"But he has power."
She shook her head "that doesn't make him a god" she replied. "Let me go and speak to him" she heard the person walk away and she sighed in frustration, she was trapped.
*
SG-1 walked through the forest at a brisk pace it felt as though they had been travelling for hours and the harsh rays of the sun made them more uncomfortable the longer they stayed out in the open. Teal'c held up a hand and they halted behind him, Jack walked past Daniel and Gordon to stand beside the Jaffa "what have you got Teal'c?" he asked as he followed his friend's gaze.
"This way" Teal'c replied then led them forward. They came to the edge of a cliff and crouched down low the group peered over the edge to see many people working below them. They carried boxes back and forth along the large space to a large structure below the tall hills. Others mined below, lifting heavy pick axes high above their heads and bringing them down into the rock. Teal'c passed the binoculars he was using to O' Neill "the road out of the valley towards the mountain.
O' Neill trained his binoculars on that area he saw two men that were burned red by the sun, they were bound to stakes that jutted out of the ground, their heads bowed forward on their bare chests. Next to them was Connor he was bound in the same fashion, people walked past them, ignoring them and concentrating on their work. The Colonel passed the binoculars to Daniel "I'll be back in thirty minutes" he told them.
"If you are thinking about rescuing Connor --" began Teal'c.
He was interrupted by his Tau'ri friend "not yet" he said as he stood. "Everyone stay here, lay low and keep out of trouble. I don't want to have to come and rescue you too," he said with a brief smile, and then he left them watching the people in the valley below.
Gordon watched him leave "shouldn't we do something to help?"
"We will when the time right" answered Teal'c. His gaze fell on the hard workers "there will be no one left to worship him if this continues."
"Like Abraham" Daniel mused.
Teal'c turned to the side to look at Daniel "who is Abraham?"
"Biblical figure believed to be the father of man, God tested his faith by instructing him to make a great sacrifice…" explained Daniel "his son Isaac."
"Did he sacrifice his son?"
"He gave it a good shot before an angel stopped him at the last minute."
Gordon watched with a disgusted look on his face as Baker beat a man who had collapsed through exhaustion, the Captain slipped away from Teal'c and Daniel intending on helping the man. He was half way down the hill when he heard someone behind him, one of the cave dwellers stood there with a spear in his hand "come" he said harshly. Gordon reached to his side to draw his gun but a hand grabbed his wrist and wrenched it behind his back.
Daniel followed Baker with the binoculars as he strode away from the half dead worker "he just had to try and help" he said as he witnessed Gordon being grabbed by Baker "now he's in trouble."
Teal'c nodded "Indeed, O' Neill will be most displeased with Captain Gordon" he said as the Captain in question was dragged away.
O' Neill ran back to where the two remaining members of SG-1 waited for him "Connor looks bad" he informed them "there's two guards but…" he trailed off when he spotted Gordon being led into the cave. "He just had to try and prove himself," he said as he shook his head.
*
"All right we're gonna have to get one of them alone" O' Neill said as he watched the exhausted workers.
"They could give away," said Teal'c as he eyed the people in the valley.
Daniel also watches the natives but through the binoculars "maybe not" he spies a young man stumbling away from everybody else, unseen "I think I've got just the candidate.
The native who had broken away from the others knelt before a clear and trickling stream, he dipped his hands into the water and brought them to his mouth, he pulled out a cloth and began dabbing a wound on his arm with it. Daniel moved out of the trees and squatted down beside the young man, he turned to the side and looked at Daniel who gave him a friendly wave. The native turned to the right to get away only to see O' Neill, he stood up and turned around to bump into Teal'c who stood towering before him. The Jaffa put a finger to his lips "ssh."
*
A native led Carter to where Jonas was waiting for her, seated on a small chair atop a small platform "you wanted to see me honey" he motioned for her to take a seat, which she reluctantly did. "Why are you doing this Jonas?" he looked at her blankly "your slowly working these people to death," she said in disbelief.
"We're building a civilisation Sam and there are going to be sacrifices, it's better than rotting in caves, living and dying in squalor. I'm creating a people," he said with a smile.
"In your image?"
He nodded "yes. It's going to be wondrous you'll see, you'll see."
She looked up at him sadly, pityingly "what happened to you?"
He looked around the room that they were sat in, thinking, "these caves were once mines, they permeate the hillside for miles but these people have been multiplying like rabbits" he said with a small laugh "they don't have the technology to dig themselves more space. It's like a third world country in a bottle."
"And you think you're saving them?" she asked him though she already knew the answer, she had seen what he'd been doing and she was disgusted by it.
"Oh I know I am," he answered as he stared at her, his wife, his goddess "these people they're human beings, they're like us. How can we turn our backs on them? Kidnapped from earth and forced into slavery for centuries--."
Carter interrupted him in mid sentence "we can't change that."
"Yes! We can! We must help!"
"By posing as a god?" she asked, she was smart really smart, but even she didn't understand his logic in this.
Jonas looked annoyed then "I hate that word! Stop using it I am not posing!" he told her angrily. He stood up off his chair and walked towards her, standing tall before her "my people need me, they believe in me and because they believe, they work. Trust me honey, you'll see."
*
The native backed away from the SG members; he huddled against a bush clearly afraid of them "my name is Jamala…" he said in a scared tone of voice "Jamala…please don't kill me, please don't…"
*
Jonas was crouched by a wall pointing out various images in the rock that had been drawn, he gazed upon them as if thinking, and Sam stood watching him as he spoke to her. "I really wish I understood these drawings," he said.
"Why don't you just ask your people?" she asked coolly.
He stood up and looked at her with a slight smile, he held out his arms ruefully "all knowing" he said as he walked away from the wall to go to a small ledge in the wall.
"Why did you ask me to come here?" she asked him.
He folded his arms and looked at her kindly for a moment "I wanted you to be my queen. Sam honey, are you really that unhappy with me?" he asked as he looked in to her eyes as she peered coldly into his. "
I'm not…you're different Jonas you've changed so much" she told him sadly. "You knew I'd come didn't you?"
He reached into a colourful pot on the ledge "how could you not? Healer of the emotionally wounded…" he dipped a wooden ladle into the pot then took a sip of the water inside "you see now that I'm your one failure, the bird with the broken wing that will never heal."
"You seem to be flying well enough on your own" she retorted.
His smile slowly disappeared "I had hoped you would understand" he tipped out the remaining water onto the ground and returned the ladle to its place. His back was facing Sam, she saw her chance and she took it. A gun on the seat, his gun, she grabbed it and aimed at him her finger on the trigger.
"I do understand, you're sick and you need help."
He slowly faced her "that your idea of help?"
"Yes…" she said to him firmly "you're coming back with me."
He shook his head "well, you're going to have to use it Sam…" he paused for a moment and neither of them moved "go on…" he said as he indicated himself, telling her to shoot him. He began taking small steps in her direction and still Sam did not shoot "it's still loaded pull the trigger" he looked perfectly calm. She stared at him stony-faced "do it!" he shouted. Sam jumped slightly at his sudden raised voice and her hand shook ever so slightly "so help me God that is the only way you're going to stop me! What are a few deaths compared to the survival of my people!" He stopped walking momentarily then began again "killing their saviour might irritate them a little but at least I'd be gone, and you'd be free."
The gun was still aimed at him but she didn't shoot, couldn't shoot "don't make me do this" she replied as he reached his arm out towards her.
"Go on pull the trigger one more fraction of an inch" he was perfectly calm not worried about what she might do in the least. Then he reached out and took the gun from her, she closed her eyes, collecting herself, her heart pounding in her chest. "You had the gun you appeared to have all the power yet I was in control, that is the strength of a god…"
*
Daniel crouched in front of the scared Jamala "no, we won't…"
"Jonas said you would come, devils with power like him come to destroy us!"
"No, no…" Daniel said reassuringly, he took his glasses off "we're not devils we're men like yourself, we're…I'm Daniel, this is Jack, he's Teal'c" Daniel introduced them, pointing to each man in turn as he said their names.
"Hi" said O' Neill with a smile.
Jamala didn't seem completely convinced he looked at them one by one his gaze finally falling on Teal'c "is he Jaffa?"
"Yes" Daniel told him.
Jamala leaned away from them again his panicked expression returning "Oh! Don't kill me!"
Daniel spoke again "uh no it's okay uh he's friendly…" Jamala's unconvinced look returned, "He's a friend" Daniel stood and went to stand beside Teal'c, he patted him on the back "see smile, friendly." Teal'c opened his mouth slightly, he…smiled…sort of, he didn't look convincing but it was a good attempt, his smile was reminiscent of Wednesday's first smile off The Adams Family, just more…unusual.
Jack watched him "we're gonna have to work on that a little bit" he quipped.
Jamala appeared to calm down a little "now hoe do you know he's Jaffa?
Have you seen one before?" Daniel questioned.
The native shook his head "no…just stories from when I was a young boy long ago…" he told them "he is a servant of the old gods, yes?" he looked at Jack for an answer.
"Well yes and no, he's from another place, so are we" the Colonel told the man truthfully.
He looked confused "another place?"
"Earth, it's way, way out there…" O' Neill replied as he motioned with his arm "where we're from, Jonas too. See he's not a god he's just a man, a crazy man granted but --."
He was interrupted by Daniel "okay, okay Jonas is bad…" Jamala looked about him upon hearing that and looked scared again, he moved back against the trunk of a tree as though that could offer him some protection, Daniel looked frustrated at him attitude.
"But its alright he can't hear you right now" Jack said gently "he can't hurt you."
Daniel took over "but he will if you and your people continue to believe in him and follow him…"
"No…" disagreed Jamala "he will save us!"
Teal'c began to speak now, sternly he said "by labouring you in the sun until extinction?"
"If we finish the temple Jonas will make the sky orange" Teal'c looked to Jack "it will be safe to come out in the light there will be no more sickness" explained Jamala.
Jack looked at him not believing what he was hearing "the sky orange?"
"The sky…up there" the native pointed upwards.
"Yeah I know what the sky is…why?"
"When the sky is orange its good, there is no more sickness."
"And Jonas can make the sky orange?" Teal'c asked.
Jamala looked from Jack to Teal'c "yes, he can" the native certainly looked like he believed in Jonas' 'power.'
"How do you know?"
"He says he can," he sounded more doubtful now.
"Do you know what he's talking about?" O' Neill asked the Jaffa.
"I believe so," he answered.
*
Jonas had led Sam outside to look upon his hardworking people, he said she would come around to his way of thinking but she couldn't. He was killing the very people he thought he was saving. There wouldn't be anyone to worship him if he continued working the natives as he was, she'd said but he didn't listen to her reasoning. She couldn't be apart of what he was doing, he said he had faith in her but he would be sorely disappointed. Sam would never agree with what he was doing, never.
*
Teal'c drew something on a notepad; it looked like some type of machinery, technology in a world of people who lived in caves. "What is it?" asked Daniel as he looked at the sketch.
"It is something I have seen the Goa'ulds use, it creates an energy force high in the air."
"Protection from radiation? Like this planets sun?" Daniel wanted as much information he could get.
"The device I saw appeared to turn the sky orange," Teal'c informed them.
Jamala looked at the drawing intently "the cave paintings tell of this, they show this symbol."
"Have you ever actually seen one of these things he's talking about?" asked O' Neill.
Jamala nodded "where?" Daniel wanted to know.
Not too long later SG-1 had worked out their plan to infiltrate Jonas' people, Jamala and O' Neill had switched clothes so now to any unknowing person Jack was a native to the planet. Jamala sat beside Teal'c, speaking to him, he seemed at ease among the travellers now "so you betrayed you gods as I am betraying mine?" he asked.
Teal'c looked up from his drawing "the beings I betrayed are not gods, they had power but power alone does not make one a god. Do you understand?" he asked, Jamala barely visibly nodded.
O' Neill sat beside them rubbing sun cream over his face, neck and hands, Daniel stood in front of him "we can't leave Connor out there another day he'll die."
"Well we also have to do something about Dr Carter but if Teal'c can do something about this device we can seriously undermine Hanson's power" Daniel replied.
Teal'c looked over his shoulder at his two friends "there is a problem with your plan Daniel."
Daniel walked over to where Teal'c and Jamala sat "what? Don't tell me you don't know how to turn it on" his heart sank.
"Yes I can turn it on…" Daniel's hope returned "but there must be two."
"What are you talking about?"
Teal'c began to explain, "The shield technology involves a force field being bounced back and forth between two devices."
I have only seen one in his cave," said Jamala.
"Hanson may not know he needs a second device" Daniel theorised as he looked to each of them.
Teal'c pointed to his quick sketch of a map of the area "this is the valley…this is the Stargate…here is the temple…"
"Good drawing" praised Jamala.
Teal'c looked up at the younger man "thank you" he went back to the map "where was the first device found?" Jamala pointed it out on the map it was to the right of the Stargate, Teal'c marked the area "then the second device…" he put an X to the right of the temple where the other device should be, he then drew a line from one to the other.
O' Neill stood up having listened to their conversation "you're assuming the Goa'ulds just shut them down and left them in place."
"That is correct" Teal'c said.
"I'm sorry Teal'c but your calculations could be way off and Connor doesn't have time for us to be wrong…I'll go after him, you try and find that second device I'll try to meet you back here" with these instructions he left them, now they had a plan. They just had to execute it.
*
Sam followed Jonas as he led her into a medium sized cave; he pulled a large blanket off something in the centre to reveal the Goa'uld device the cave painting depicted. Sam walked around it looking at it "what is it?"
"It looks like something the Goa'uld left behind, what I've gathered from the local folklore is that the ancient gods used it to make the sky orange to protect the people from the sun sickness" he explained to her.
"Some sort of shield."
Jonas nodded "yes" he said curtly.
"You don't know how to work it" Sam stated, it was true and she knew it, he didn't have a clue.
"Not my area of expertise" he said lightly.
She shook her head in disgust "you never cared about my coming here because you wanted me Jonas you just wanted me to figure how to turn this thing on for you" she was hurt, she was his wife and he was using her to advance his own needs.
He took a step towards her "oh no that's not true…" he put a hand on her arm "I sincerely hope that one day you will agree to be my goddess…turn it on" he ordered.
"What if I won't?" she had to know what he would do if she refused him, needed to know how far he would go to get what he wanted.
"Then we will watch every cave dweller die in the sun before I kill us both…" well, 'til death do us part Sam thought briefly. He walked away from her then shouted; "he hath not failed one word of his good promises" he quoted. He then took a bible out of his 'robes' and said in a normal voice "I've been carrying this for years…" he opened it to a marked page "all along I've been looking for God…" he looked up from the leather bound book "and here I am."
Sam opened her mouth to say something more when they were interrupted by a cough, Captain Gordon was pushed in front of Jonas by Baker "and who is this?" the self-proclaimed god asked. His arms were folded in front of him and he stared down at the man who had been forced to his knees before him "I haven't seen you at the SGC before."
"I just joined SG-1…Captain Robert Gordon at your service Sir…"
"Tie him up outside" ordered Jonas.
*
O' Neill treaded inconspicuously past the large carts that were topped with a huge block of red stone on each, he halted and surveyed the surrounding area, watching out for guards, one stood half way up a rocky hill looking out at the workers. O' Neill inserted a dart into the top end of a long carved blowgun, he put it to his mouth, inhaled and blew into it, the red feathered dart soared through the air to meet its mark. The guard pulled it out of his chest and looked at it in surprise before tumbling down the hill. Connor who was still tied to the stake heard rocks falling and turned to see him land motionless at the bottom, O' Neill looked about him before making his way across the busy valley to Connor.
"Kill me," the man muttered.
O' Neill looked at Connor as he withdrew his knife "you sure? I've come all this way." Connor looked up his spirits soared; he rubbed his wrists as his hands came loose of the ropes "walk" Jack told him "lets go." They walked as fast as they could without looking two much like escape artists, they stopped as workers walked by them then carried on once the people had passed them "think we can pick up the pace a little here?" O' Neill asked, they began walking a little faster.
They heard a voice behind them "you" Baker shouted as he exited the cave with a small group of followers. The rescuer and the rescued carried on walking until another native blocked their way, a spear pointed at the Colonel.
They turned to see Baker "hey! How you doing?" O' Neill asked with mock cheerfulness "you know we'd love to stick around but some brain dead sycophant left my buddy out here to die, so we're outta here…" Baker struck the side of O' Neill's face "ow" he said as he rubbed his nose."
Baker removed Jack's gun from where it was concealed in his belt behind his back, then the knife that was used to cut Connor free was taken too "move" Baker pushed him forward towards the cave entrance.
Gordon was pulled to his feet and dragged away "no wait!" he shouted "I…I believe in what you're doing!"
"Wait" Jonas walked over to where Gordon now stood; he looked at the Captain in disbelief "you do?"
Gordon nodded "I do, really, I want to join you Sir…you have vision" Gordon stared at the man awe.
Jonas appeared lost in thought in for a minute or two "lock him up" he said to one of the natives. Gordon breathed a sigh of relief as he was led away; Jonas tore his gaze away from his possible new recruit when he heard his name being called "what is it?" he asked.
A loyal subject looked at him, stern faced "we caught someone trying to free the prisoner."
Jonas smiled "SG-1."
Carter didn't know whether to feel relieved or worried for her friends, she knew all of them wouldn't have risked coming to help her and the punishment would depend on who walked into the cave to meet Jonas.
*
Teal'c, Daniel and Jamala finally made it to the area where they believed the Goa'uld device to be, then, there ahead of them surrounded by trees was what looked to be the remains of a stone temple. Daniel ran up the steps to the platform and looked up at what once would probably have been a large structure, Jamala was crouched on the platform "this place is like where the other one was found on the far side of the temple."
Daniel knelt down and cleared the soil and leaves off part of the stone platform, part of it was raised slightly "this is like solid rock we'll never be able to get through this."
Teal'c walked up the steps and prodded the area with his staff weapon "stand aside." Daniel looked at him immediately knowing what he intended to do; he stood and pulled Jamala down the steps and away from the structure for his own safety. Teal'c also walked back down the steps then he turned once to face the structure once he was back on the soil ground. He aimed at the raised part of the platform and fired his staff weapon at the stone, the blast blew the area, a brief fire appeared and a cloud of smoke filled the air.
A large hole remained and the Jaffa, Tau'ri and cave dweller walked back up the steps, Daniel peered inside "I just hope it still functions."
*
Gordon had been taken to the cells in the depths of the cave and until O' Neill was brought before Jonas Carter was alone with him. She was trying to get the Goa'uld device to work; she couldn't protest to his orders as if she did it would mean the deaths of the natives.
Sam knew a piece of the Jonas Hanson she knew and loved was in there somewhere and she had tried to reach that part of him but her efforts were futile. The real Jonas Hanson had been suppressed by this 'God' in a way not completely dissimilar to how a Goa'uld suppressed its host. She crouched by the device and glanced up at Jonas every few minutes to check on his whereabouts in the cave "the main control boards seems to follow the same basic circuitry patterns to the gate technology" she told him before going back to running some scans.
He didn't look up from his reading as he answered her "just make it work" he answered in a bored tone.
"What if I can't?" she asked in a tone more sharply than she had intended, she didn't get an answer however as O' Neill was led in by Baker and a couple of natives, she stood an action that didn't go unnoticed by her husband. "Colonel O' Neill" she greeted; she couldn't hide her relief at seeing a friendly face.
"Dr, hope you haven't gotten too comfortable, we're going to be leaving real soon" he said.
Jonas put his book down and rose "don't bet on that" he stood tall before O' Neill, which was quite an accomplishment as he was smaller than the Colonel, he removed his restraints and returned to his seat. "Shoot him" he commanded.
"No!" Carter shouted as rifles were aimed at O' Neill, Jonas stared at her "all right I'll make it work" she knelt beside the device.
"Wait you're gonna turn that thing on?" O' Neill asked her.
Jonas looked at her coldly "do it now." So she could either listen to her husband or the Colonel, the decision wasn't too hard the leader of her team was the one with a gun to his head and her husband was the one doing the ordering. She looked to the device then back to Jonas "if it works I'll spare him" now why would he spare someone he couldn't use later?
Carter looked at O' Neill and he nodded and motioned for her to do her stuff, she presses something and stepped back as the device began to operate.
A light illuminated the room in a warm red glow; the jet of light came from within the centre of the device. It shot up and hit the roof, it started out yellow and became darker near its peak, and Jonas stood with his gaze transfixed on the sight before him. He held out his arms "its beautiful" those in the room looked about them at the spreading light, Jonas watched filled with awe.
The group was taken to their 'rooms' for the night, the two cells were around five foot by six foot and were separated by cold iron bars, Carter and Gordon were put in the one on the left and O' Neill and Connor in the other on the right. Sam watched Gordon from where he sat, leant against the cold stone near the cell entrance "will you really join Jonas? If he gave you the opportunity?"
He shook his head "no Dr…I was just trying to buy myself some time, thought I could help or something."
"I take it you weren't supposed to be anywhere near the caves."
He chuckled, "not really --."
"Not really?" O' Neill spoke in a tone just above normal and just below angry "I told you to stay with Teal'c and Daniel!"
Gordon looked to the ground suddenly finding it the most interesting thing in the cell "sorry Sir" he mumbled.
"Forget it…it happens" he answered.
Gordon looked up hopefully "yeah?"
O' Neill looked at him like he'd just grown six heads "no…I was trying to make you feel better" he shook he head and rubbed his temples as if a headache was coming, Gordon shut up.
Sam leaned back against the rock and rested her head against the bars, O' Neill shook the bars to test their strength "there's no way out" Sam said, "I've already tried."
He pulled the bars again in a final effort but they stayed strong, he went to the back of his own cell and sat down beside Carter, the bars in between them "any bright ideas?"
"Not this time Colonel" she answered quietly.
Jack turned to look at her "you'll think of something."
She shook her head "he finally cracked and I didn't see it coming."
"Oh come on Dr…you couldn't have known, you weren't here when it started" his voice was low, soft and reassuring.
She sighed "I'm supposed to know him better than anyone I'm his wife --."
"Don't remind me," he muttered, at Sam's look he continued "don't beat yourself up about it." His right arm fit through the bars and his hand came to rest comfortably on her right shoulder "we'll think of something."
"We?"
He smiled "okay you'll think of something."
"And if we don't?"
"Then what I said earlier was true…" she looked at him questioningly "I really will get to work on my tan."
She shook her head "you're ah, you're fine as you are."
*
Some time during the next day near the ruins, the second Goa'uld device had been freed; Daniel brushed the dirt and stones off the bumpy top and looked at it "will it work?" he asked the Jaffa who stood across from him, eying the device.
"I do not know."
Jamala sped around the corner and sprinted towards them, he gulped trying to get his breath back "everyone's being forced to gather at the circle of the gods" he informed them.
"The Stargate" stated Daniel.
*
The Stargate had been laid flat on the ground and slabs of stones laid on top of it leading towards the steps on which the Stargate had been set earlier. The natives gathered around it and listened intently as Jonas spoke, Baker was on one side of him and Carter on the other and bound before him were O' Neill and Connor. The Goa'uld device occupied the spot where the Stargate once was, Gordon was in the crowd of natives, apparently Jonas trusted him now.
"My children…today is a great day, the sun hath stood still in the heavens and hastened not to go down about a whole day. I have the power to help and to cast down, but fear not…" he shouted, "Stand still and see the salvation of the lord. Today we will bury the doorway, which brings forth demons to threaten to undo us, but first I will send these evil undoers, who have already invaded our world, back from whence they came!" Connor and O' Neill glanced worriedly at each other, Jonas turned around to the DHD and dialled, the Stargate activating "fear not for I the lord your God control the gateway to the underworld!" The natives jumped back and ducked as the Stargate activated.
O' Neill and Carter looked to each other uneasily "you said you wouldn't kill them" she said to Jonas.
He just looked to her and smiled "I'm not, I'm sending them back to earth."
"Without sending the signal to open the iris they'll die" he knew that anyway, she tried to reason with him, it wasn't working.
"Please Sam I'm having a moment here" he chided before moving away from her, Jack glanced at Jonas as he spoke once again "I am the lord your God! There is nothing I cannot do, no one is greater than I, no one is more powerful than I!" he yelled. He turned to Baker "throw them in."
Baker pushed Connor then O' Neill forward while Carter watched helplessly and Gordon was in no position to help them.
They walked across the stone slabs and stopped before the shimmering blue watery effect of the event horizon, for a fleeting moment the situation he was in reminded O' Neill of pirates forcing their captives across the plank before pushing them into the sea. No sharks would kill him…but a huge metal iris would do the job just as well. A voice stopped them from proceeding "wait!" shouted Daniel as he ran towards them, Baker aimed at him but Jamala came from the forest and shot him once with Teal'c's staff weapon, a determined look upon his dark face.
"Back away!" he ordered. Jonas withdrew a gun and walked down the steps angrily it's now or never thought Sam, she kicked the weapon out of his hands and the gun flew from his grasp. In his anger and frustration he lashed out striking Sam and sending her to the stone steps, O' Neill looked on concerned for his teammate but at that moment he was in no position to help.
He had no need though, as Jamala fired the staff weapon again the blast narrowly missing Jonas who ducked out of harms way. "Listen to me…" Daniel addressed the crowd of onlookers "no matter what Jonas has shown you or done for you he is not a God."
"Don't listen to him!" Jonas shouted as he pointed to the SG members "they are demons! Agents of the devil! I am your saviour!"
"We're not demons for crying out loud!" yelled O' Neill, he looked around at the people.
"And this…" Daniel jumped off the rocks he was stood upon and retrieved Jonas' gun, then he got up on the rocks again held up the weapon "this is not a magical power it is called a gun and it is a machine." He withdrew the clip and let it drop to the ground. The natives watched and gasped, looking around in confusion.
Jonas pointed to the crowd "do as I say…" he needed to regain control "or you will all die!"
O' Neill was getting tired of the guys yakking, "do as he says and you will die!" he argued as he fiddled with the rope that bound his hands while Jonas focused on his people.
"Do not betray me after all I've done for you! I promised you I would bring you out of the caves, into the light, today I fulfil that promise…" he edged back to the Goa'uld device in a desperate attempt to make the natives listen to him." Behold the magical power of your God!" he activated the device "I give you the sun!" the light soared into the air "I give you the world!" his eyes followed the stream of light as it shot into the sky. Whilst everyone's attention was on the unusual sight, O' Neill yanked the last knot in the rope open, he put his hands together as though they were still tied. Nothing more happened to the light and upon seeing this, an agitated Jonas walked down the steps and grabbed Sam "what's wrong?" he hissed.
"I don't know," she answered truthfully.
He pulled her upright "fix it," he demanded.
Daniel spoke again "it's a machine, I can make it work and so can you just like Jamala there can fire that staff, now I will show you how. There are two devices and both must be turned on for the shield to work," he explained "watch" he nodded to Jamala and the native fired the staff twice. The blasts soared above the treetops and high over Teal'c who stood by the other device waiting for that signal. He activated it and the jet stream appeared in the same fashion as the first.
The two powerful red beams met high in the air in a rainbow shape, a dazzling yellow light formed in the middle and the two streams expanded. A red, orange and yellow shield developed and covered the planet, protecting it from the glaring light and harmful rays of their sun. The red light reflected in their faces and the atmosphere darkened slightly, the natives pointed to the sky staring in awe, they looked to one another in amazement. "I'm taking you with me" shouted Jonas, he grabbed Sam and pulled her down the steps. O' Neill acted quickly, he pushed Connor out of the way and literally jumped at Jonas, pushing him away from Sam. They tumbled off the slabs and fell to the ground, O' Neill rolled out of the way as the fuming natives attacked their 'God.'
The betrayed people shouted and grabbed Jonas then lifted him above their heads before throwing him through the Stargate, it happened so fast none of the SG members could have done anything, that didn't make Sam feel any better though. After all he had done he was still her husband, the bird with the broken wing that would never heal, perhaps given time she could have helped him fly again. O' Neill pushed through the crowd the get to Sam, her gaze was fixed on the now inactive Stargate "are you okay?" he asked as he cut the rope from round her wrists.
"I'll be okay, thanks" she didn't look away from the Stargate.
"No problem" he looked at her a little worriedly "you couldn't have done anything…"
She shrugged "maybe…"
Gordon walked towards them after seeing how Connor was doing "how --?" he began.
O' Neill waved him away like someone would an irritating fly "fine" Gordon nodded and backed away. Jack turned Sam around so she was facing him "I don't want you thinking about those 'what ifs'…if anything, the outcome could have been a lot worse" he told her gently.
He was crap at this sort of thing but Carter had to give him a B+ for effort, she smiled "okay."
*
The team was preparing to leave the planet, they would be leaving within the hour but first they were helping the cave dwellers gather some of their things to take outside. Now they could stand in the sun they didn't want to go back to the caves and Daniel couldn't blame them. He took a drink from a canteen and handed it to Sam who was sat resting beside him "you know these people are pretty strong in their beliefs and they can certainly make decisions on their own. I'm surprised Jonas managed to command them like he did, he was controlling them…"
"That sounds familiar," she answered as she watched the natives pass them by.
Daniel looked her way "which part?"
"He liked control."
"…Oh…" he paused for a few seconds then pressed on "so why did you marry him?"
"I don't know I guess I've always had a soft spot for the lunatic fringe" she answered "he was charming…"
Daniel nodded "that's good, charming is good."
"I guess I should have been more surprised about what occurred but I'm not. You know he had it in him Daniel" she said almost bitterly "to many years of black ops."
"Well that's typical of our governments evaluation of soldiers, the crazier they are the more extreme the situation they seem to be put into…" O' Neill wandered past and Daniel looked at him, he'd never do something like that, it wasn't in him.
Jack halted "get your things kids we're going home" he announced happily.
The SG members gathered around the Stargate later that day ready to return home, home…the thought of getting off another planet had never sounded so appealing. Sam approached O' Neill "uh, we're ready to go
"Think we should tell them to bury their Stargate after we're gone?" he asked conversationally.
They both looked at the object in question "Teal'c seems to think the Goa'uld won't be back…"
Daniel approached them and stopped by Sam's side "we should come back and check on these guys --."
"I think we've done enough, don't you?" replied Carter, her friend nodded and turned away.
O' Neill watched her as she appeared lost in thought "something else on your mind?"
She looked up at him "I had the chance to end this Colonel, he literally asked me to do it."
"Killing a man is no badge of honour, and its not you" he replied.
"I know" she answered and looked away.
"Look…" he indicated the bible he was holding, Jonas' bible "I'm no expert on this thing…" he flipped through the pages "but I generally remember one commandment I think it's the first…"
"I am the lord your God and you shall take no other Gods before me," she stated.
He paused "okay its not the first one…I'm talking about the no killing one, no matter what the reason every time you break it you take one step closer to Hanson."
"Thanks" she said, and she meant it. They nodded, an understanding passing between them; he handed Jonas' bible to her and left her to her thoughts.
"So you gonna be alright?" O' Neill asked the grateful Jamala.
"Yes" they shook hands "the world outside the caves…it's very big, yes?" he looked to Daniel.
"Yeah its bigger than you could imagine" he answered with a smile, they shook hands and grinned.
They turned away and Daniel dialled the earth's address, Gordon hung back feeling uncomfortable around the reunited SG-1, the Stargate burst into life and Carter sent through the IDC. She stepped through followed by Daniel then Teal'c, O' Neill and Gordon where the only ones remaining "would you hurry up? As much as I've gotten used to this place I don't want to have to come back to get you" said O' Neill, Gordon nodded and stepped through. They weren't friends just yet but in his own way Colonel O' Neill had acknowledged he was a member of his team and he didn't leave his men behind, Jack tipped his hat in farewell and followed the rest of SG-1 through the gate. The natives watched them leave.
Fin