Title: I Am a Rock, I Am an Island
Author: LeeLee Robinson
Email: LeeLee
Rating: PG-13
Category: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama
Summary: SG-1 follows the trail of a mysterious stranger who kills Goa'ulds and their larva inside the Jaffa with a toxin, and who then cures the immune systems of the Jaffa. Jack's intrigue with the stranger leads to some odd turns when their paths finally cross.
Spoilers: Innumerable through Season 7
Content notes: violence, non-graphic sex, minor swearing
Sequel: Two sequels to this story are Bridge Over Troubled Water and Hello Darkness My Old Friend.
Disclaimers: All characters are the property of those MGM & Gekko guys et cetera. My original characters and the story are mine, and if those other guys want to use them, I'll let them for a writer's credit. (Not bloody likely, I know.)
I Am a Rock, I Am an Island
Chapter 1 - Jaffa Kree, Jaffa Free?"Teal'c, what do you make of this?" General Hammond asked.
SG-1 gathered around the video screen in the Control Room to view the MALP transmission from P2X-808, a hot, dry, and dusty looking world. Two Jaffa aimed staff weapons at the MALP. They appeared puzzled.
"That's a new one," Colonel Jack O'Neill exclaimed cocking his head towards Teal'c. "What happened to 'shoot first, ask questions later?'"
"I am as puzzled as you, O'Neill. These Jaffa do not seem to perceive any serious threat from the MALP. Perhaps they are aware that its technology is . . ."
"Lame?" interrupted O'Neill. "Never stopped them from shooting up one before." Everyone but General Hammond chuckled. The price tag of the MALPs was a reason to groan in his mind.
"Major Carter, let's see how they react to some slow movement of the MALP's cameras, but let's try not to give them cause to shoot it up."
Major Carter remotely caused the MALP's camera to pan slowly around the gate on P2X-808. All they saw were a few simple dwellings. Five children and two men were engaged in some sort of chase game outside of the huts.
"Snakehead's away, mice will play?" queried O'Neill.
"I do not see what mice have to do with anything, O'Neill," Teal'c said stone-faced.
Daniel, Carter and Hammond stifled chuckles.
"Letting their hair down while the boss is away? Oops. Guess that analogy doesn't work for you so well either, Teal'c," O'Neill shrugged.
Daniel rescued a puzzled looking Teal'c. "I don't think so, Jack. It's odd. The gate guards seem almost . . . nonchalant."
"I agree. They fail to display the vigilance any Goa'uld master would demand. Perhaps something happened to the Goa'uld they serve and no other Goa'uld has claimed them as yet."
"Any idea of who that Goa'uld might be?" O'Neill asked.
"I am unfamiliar with their symbol."
"No clue," Daniel added.
"I believe we should investigate this world more closely, General."
"For all we know there are three thousand armed Jaffa a half mile away. Until we know that we can safely take the gate and hold it, it's a no go."
"We could try talking to them through the MALP, General," Daniel suggested.
O'Neill shook his head at Daniel. "The General's right. Unless we know what more is out there, the only reconnaissance will be remote operated."
"Since they've spared the MALP," General Hammond said, "let's ascertain what we can about what lies beyond the gate. Major Carter, let's prep the UAV."
"Yes, sir," Carter replied crisply. "I can have it ready in one hour, sir."
An hour later, General Hammond ordered Sgt. Walter Davis to dial up P2X-808.
"Major, let's see how they react to moving the MALP. Move it in the opposite direction of the children."
SG-1 watched further MALP footage with increasing interest. The Jaffa made no effort to interfere with the movement of the MALP. Indeed, they began to lose interest in it.
"That's odd," O'Neill commented.
"Major Carter, would it be possible to zoom in on the Jaffa playing with the young boys?"
"You want to count their chest hairs or something?" O'Neill joked.
"Will do, Teal'c." Carter zoomed in on the two shirtless Jaffa playing with the children.
Teal'c's eyebrow rose and he looked puzzled. "Major, can you zoom in further, focusing on their abdominal regions?"
"I see what you're getting at Teal'c," Carter said wide-eyed.
Teal'c unconsciously put his hand over the pouch where his prim'tah once had been, before he became dependent on Tretonin for his continued survival.
"These Jaffa do not appear to carry symbiotes any longer. Their pouches are scarred over. They may present great hope for the future of all Jaffa if they have rid themselves of the Goa'uld larva. General, I would like to visit this world as soon as possible."
"Teal'c, l agree this looks exciting but we've been tricked before. This could be a trap like Urgo's looping picture of paradise," the General cautioned. "Let's see what the UAV shows first. Major Carter, you have a go to launch the UAV."
Major Carter distracted the gate guards out of the way by suddenly maneuvering the MALP in a new direction and then launched the UAV. By the time the gate guards turned back, it was too late to even attempt to fire at it.
"The UAV is fully operational General. I'll focus reconnaissance on a loop of twenty miles around the gate."
Everyone watched quietly as Carter interpreted the incoming data. "So far, the planet appears perfectly habitable. Good oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide ratios. Mostly grassland conditions near the gate area. Land rapidly transitions into a deciduous forest."
"Whoa, Sam," interrupted Daniel, "can you loop the UAV back towards the forest? I thought I saw the top of a building in the upper left corner a few frames ago."
"Sure, Daniel. It will take a minute. Hold on." Sam remotely maneuvered the UAV into position. "Good catch. I'll take it in closer."
"The Goa'uld have definitely been here at some point, sir. That's the top of a pyramid. And there's another off to the left of that," noted Daniel.
"I don't think soooooo, Daniel. That one's a big honkin' mothership," said O'Neill.
"Shall I take it in closer, sirs?"
"Don't look at me, Carter. The General signs UAV requisition slips!" the Colonel deferred.
"Yes, do, Major. Nice to know that you've actually read one of those budget memos recently, Colonel."
"Holy cow! Graffiti!" O'Neill gaped.
The rest of SG-1 and General Hammond leaned in closer to the monitor. All of them were startled.
"I believe it is, O'Neill. It says 'Death to the Goa'uld' among many other less polite expressions." Teal'c grinned.
"And check out the pictographs too," exclaimed Jackson. "Those would appear to be representations of the symbiote . . ."
"Daniel," O'Neill interrupted to avert a long winded explanation of the obvious. "I think we all get the universal sign for 'No snakeheads!' General, if it's alright with you, I'd like permission for SG-1 to visit PBS-whatever as soon as possible."
Carter's eyes rolled at the Colonel's undoubtedly intentional mangling of the planet code.
"Permission granted, Colonel O'Neill."
Thirty minutes later, SG-1 returned to the control room in desert camouflage with full gear.
"I have a question, Jack," Daniel asked. "Seeing as we're gating right into a settlement, what exactly is the point of the camouflage?"
"To demonstrate our overwhelming coolness."
Carter broke into a weak smile and rolled her eyes at the Colonel's crack.
General Hammond returned to business. "Alright, gentlemen – and I use the term loosely as to some," (he looked at Jack) – "and Major, let's get on with this. Sgt. Davis, redial P2X-808."
O'Neill playfully parted the event horizon with a flourish of his free hand before he entered. It never failed to amaze him, this most incredible amusement ride. By the time he reached the other side, he would be all business. The rest of SG-1 followed and emerged with weapons pointed.
The two gate guards met SG-1 with weapons aimed. "Kree."
There we go with that "kreeing" again, Jack thought. Okay, time for Daniel's "peaceful explorer" speech. As Daniel launched into his spiel, he, Carter, and Teal'c maintained the stand off.
Then the unusual occurred. As Daniel finished, Teal'c lowered his staff weapon.
"Tek matte, my brothers. I am Teal'c. There are no Goa'uld among us, nor do we serve the false gods. My prim'tah, like yours, is gone. We come in peace and brotherhood on behalf of free Jaffa and the Tauri."
"Tauri?" One of the guards approached to examine Teal'c more closely. He did not sense the presence of the symbiote in him or among this group. Barely audibly to SG-1, the two guards whispered. "Did not the stranger tell us to consider an alliance with the Tauri if they should come?"
"Guys, I think it would be a goodwill gesture to lower our weapons now," suggested Daniel.
As SG-1 lowered their weapons, so did the two Jaffa guards. Jack's version of weapon lowering was not quite as complete as the others. His fingers remained loosely wrapped on the trigger. Still, all breathed a collective sigh of relief.
The situation defused, Jack quickly checked out. He left the meet and greet to Teal'c and Daniel, a necessity since he'd steadfastly refused to learn more than a handful of Jaffa terms. He walked around, smiling pleasantly and milling about yet alert for signs of danger hidden under any dust ball. He found none.
Soon Jack admitted he lacked any hint of that "it's about to hit the fan" feeling in the back of his neck. So he meandered towards the children. He watched for a minute or two and quickly found himself invited into their game.
Major Sam Carter browsed his way. Until Teal'c and Daniel reported their findings, she also had little to do. The Jaffa men, much to Carter's chagrin, did not treat women as equals and would not talk freely to her. So she watched the Colonel in a rare moment of on the job relaxation. She delighted in seeing him play with the children. He had so little life outside the SGC and what he did always revolved around children. She wished so much more for him. Sam's reverie and Jack's playtime were cut off abruptly by Daniel and Teal'c's approach with two Jaffa.
"This is She'nac; he is twelve. This is his father, Dan'ac. They have told us a most interesting story. They have also volunteered to submit to any testing, medical or otherwise, to help us understand the death of their prim'tahs and the apparent regrowth of their immune systems."
Carter could not contain herself. "Do we know how it happened yet? Do they have a source of Tretonin?"
"Patience, Major Carter," Teal'c counseled. "We know some, but there is much more to be learned. Dan'ac asks us to join him in his home so that we may be more comfortable while he tells the entire story."