Disclaimer: Stargate Sg-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended.
The Shroud
"Oh Daniel," the whispered accusation was heartbreakingly devastated and so faint the origin was lost. "What have you done now?"
From among the gathered villagers the Prior staff glowed gently, washing out once-blue eyes of their brilliance.
"Hallowed are the Ori." The shrouded man intoned, the villagers dutifully repeating his benediction.
"They are the Path; all roads traveled are guarded by their Light, in their wisdom, given by their mercy. He who has the courage need only accept the Ori's wisdom as his own. He who has the will need only take the Ori's gifts for his soul. He who has the strength must stand at their feet, willing to take the mantle of faith and walk the path of enlightenment."
And from the village square pale milky-blue eyes rose upward and gazed calmly at the hidden quartet, their faces shadowed by hoods but not from him.
"Hallowed are the Ori." He said to the crowd, eyes resting calmly on his former companions.
As one the village said, "Hallowed are the Ori."
With sick dread they retreated further into the shadows.
The Prior, because he was a Prior no matter whose face he wore, walked forward. Hands touching foreheads and brows gently, a small smile gifted as they accepted his words.
And finally he stood before them. Stunned Mitchell and his broken hero-worship; stoic Teal'c who didn't quite believe what his eyes said; fragile Sam who'd already lost him too many times, and angry Vala whose knight could be broken after all.
"Found a new gig?" Mitchell finally croaked his humor flat and wavering. And still hands rested stunned against weapons because they'd never seen him like that. They'd never understood this Daniel. They had known a Daniel that would fight and try and give his all against any odds and so it was not in them to see him as he was.
"You have traveled far; did you find what you sought?" The Prior with his face asked them.
"What have you done?" So mournful, so lost; the sister of his heart didn't want to believe him capable of this.
The Prior did nothing but smile at her gently. "Samantha…we didn't have what it took to win this war. You still don't."
"So you gave up?" Angry and biting, Vala eyes flashed her betrayal.
"How can you judge my path and remain blind to your own? Will you have me fight a losing war when you cannot do what must be done? Can you, Vala Mal Doran, sacrifice the child of your womb to win your war?"
"She is my daughter."
"And she was my wife; he should have been my son; they were my family. They and more have gone beyond my reach. War is loss and pain and for the first time you must fight for more than yourself."
"Once…" She whispered to the man he used to be. "I fought for more. I fought for you when I saw the first beachhead."
His smile was still sad and gentle, "And sometimes that isn't enough. Before this is over you will face your daughter and sometimes it isn't enough to want to save them. Sometimes it isn't enough if they want to be saved."
"And you, Daniel Jackson? Is it enough to want to save you?" The voice was that of a warrior, one who knew what it would mean to stand against a friend. One, perhaps the only one that would have the will to take him out now. Teal'c knew better than to hang onto a drowning man; perhaps he wasn't better for knowing but he knew it all the same.
"You cannot save me from my choices or their consequences. No one can; not this time." The words were ominous, said with such finality it left those who heard them unsettle by a subtext they could not see or understand.
"So...this…is it?" Sam said again, needing to hear the words.
The Prior turned back to the village, seemingly not caring about the vulnerable back he exposed to his new enemies.
"There are two nations who stand on opposite sides of a river, their words and warnings lost to the water's roar. And a threat rises from one side, threatening to devour all, but if one nation can see it and the other can not, what should be done?
"Should one nation do nothing as they see the other fall? Should one man swim the banks and risk falling beneath the waves? Then, who will swim knowing the end is an impossible goal but, perhaps…knowing they have traveled far enough to be heard?"
"Sam…Orlin traveled as far as he could though he did not reach the other end. The Ancients may have been as you are once upon a time but they have been something else for far too long. They have forgotten what it means to live and die so briefly and so brightly. That Orlin remembered enough to love you and your world was rare indeed. The Ancients cannot hear you, do not understand what it means to you for this battle to be fought so blindly and so desperately. And you…you cannot hear the Ancients."
"That's all nice and depressing but I gotta tell you Jackson, this isn't one of your smartest moves." Mitchell finally said. "So unless you feel like taking out your friends I'm thinking a strategic retreat would be a good call."
The Prior continued talking, not at all perturbed by the tensing muscles on his former companions. "You cannot hear the Ancients just as Ori cannot be heard by those on this plane. 'And the Prior were created to spread their message and guard their flock from the evils that walked among them.' The Priors hear many things…if they want to listen."
And he was moving faster than they could see, hands gripping a blond head. They didn't know what was happening only that Sam was crying out, eyes scrunched in pain and hands blindly gripping the man that held her.
"Let her go Jackson!" The command was barked, cold and furious from his former team leader. Guns raised defensively, unwilling to fire so close to their teammate.
"I knew you would find me; one way or another SG-1 always finds me." The Prior said conversationally, a suddenly still Sam held in his arms.
"But I think this time I've gone too far for you to find. You cannot save me this time." He apologized to them as he gently lowered Sam to the ground. "Sam will know where to go when she wakes."
"What the hell did you do Jackson?"
Milky eyes flashed blue for one stunning second, "What can I say? It's been a ride."
And in his private inferno he burned. Staff glowing brightly as ascended minds turned to his defection. Because despite everything he done, everything he'd suffered and fought for, no one had quite ever understood what he would do in the name of what he believed. What price he would see paid for what he wanted. And till the final moment, he'd never quite let them understand this part of Daniel Jackson.
And even as he was fateing, he heard a woman's voice say:
"The universe is vast and we are so small. There is only one thing we can ever truly control."
Alone now, in his private hell, he finally knew what do to. Sometimes it isn't enough to want to save someone but...sometimes thatwas all you had. Oma was gone now, beyond his reach, but she had wanted to save him, had seen something in him worth saving. Faint traces of a memory rose up, her patiant voice guiding him, "Release your burdens."
And Daniel Jackson knew what do to.