The Linguist and the Beast

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, merely borrowed by my muse to abuse. Thank you!

Summary: After the events of the First Ones. Missing Scene/POV and an additional plot. In Beast of Burden, Daniel admitted he had been back to see Chaka, leaving him energy bars so the primitive Unas would know who had come calling and the main reason why Chaka was captured by the Slave Traders. I always wondered how those visits might have gone.

Thanks to my beta and good friend Vivi26

… … …

Chapter one: Precautions.

It was over and as Daniel watched the young Unas walk out of sight into the back of the dimly lit cave, only now did the civilian truly relax.

"What did that mean?" Jack inquired as the Air Force Colonel moved to stand by the younger man.

"I have no idea." Daniel admitted. "But I think I've been invited to come back and find out." It was a prospect that both terrified and intrigued Daniel, the last twenty-four hours had, like he said earlier, been a 'hoot' but he had also been genuinely scared. The prospects of being a meal for these creatures was not an appealing one.

"Yeah, well next time put in an official request," Jack said with a wry smile, one barely visible in the dim light of the cave. "No wandering off again thank you very much."

"I'll try to remember that." Daniel rolled his eyes and held out his hands to be cut free of the bonds that he had worn since this whole mess began. Jack's knife made short work of the damp and dirty coils, the skin beneath red and chaffed in places. Daniel winced as he rotated his wrists and flexed the fingers which had long ago ran cold and numb. He could almost feel the blood running freely into his fingers once again. "Thanks..." he muttered but was quickly looking at Jack in some shock as one nod from him and Teal'c had his Zatt primed on Daniel.

"Just a precaution, Danny." Jack soothed and indicated he should start walking.

"Guess you guys ran into the Goa'uld in the lake..."

"Something like that." There was an underlying tone of sadness in Jack's voice that was rarely heard and Daniel looked at his friend who simply pressed forward without elaborating further. Something bad must have happened and Daniel felt his empty stomach churn.

"Who?" He asked, it was all he needed to say. Jack knew what he was asking.

"Hawkings," Jack's head dipped and as they exited the cave, standing once more in the light of day he continued, pulling on his sunglasses. "Rothman."

Daniel closed his eyes and turned away standing apart from the others.

They got another of his friends...

… … …

Jack watched as Daniel stood in silence looking off at nothing as he slowly come to terms with the news. If he knew Daniel, and he did, the guy would be looking back at everything that happened, blaming himself and the Colonel couldn't let him do that but right now, there was the small problem of not knowing if Daniel was even Daniel.

"Come on, we gotta regroup with Major Coburn." Jack reached out a hand to clamp on Daniels shoulder and the civilian finally looked up at him once more. "Not your fault, Danny." He added softly and Daniel just nodded before he started walking ahead of Teal'c who had taken it upon himself to guard the weary man.

Once they were clear of the cave and once Jack was sure they weren't being followed by any Unas, only then did he call his team to a halt. Teal'c had taken them a different route, one that avoided the water at all costs. They had lost too much already and he was damn sure no more losses would be tallied up this day.

Daniel hit the ground first, knees up and arms rested on them with his head down. It was clear the civilian was exhausted, just a little over twenty-four hours after his capture it all had to be catching up with the guy. Teal'c still had Daniel in his sights, uneasy with the prospect that Daniel could well have been infected with a Goa'uld. Jack looked the younger man over before kneeling down before him. The thing he noticed first was his hands. Daniels wrists were red and cut in places, no doubt from his struggles to get free and Jack was reminded of Hawkins and Rothman once more. Both had caused themselves physical injury in order to break their own bonds. Was this like that? Or was it just Daniel, trying to escape the hold of a primitive Unas on some kind of quest into adulthood?

"Hey," Jack said softly and Daniel slowly looked up and met the Colonel's eyes. "Looks painful." He indicated Daniels wrists.

"I'll live." The tone used was bitter, not meant for Jack, but himself.

The Colonel sat down properly, knees creaking and cracking in protest but he had more to be concerned about than those old bones of his. He quickly fished out the medical pack, broke it open and routed through the organised mess inside for what he needed. The first being a blister pack of Tylenol. He handed it to Daniel before arranging the antiseptic wipes and sterile bandages and just as Daniel finished dry swallowing the pills, he gently took hold of the civilians right hand and in his opinion the most cut up.

"Well, this might sting a little." He warned and started to wipe the reddened area. Daniel hissed and turned away but didn't struggle.

"Where are they?" Jack knew who he was asking about.

"About half a mile." Jack replied softly and continued to clean the wounds.

"Can we-"

"No." Still not pausing in his ministrations, Jack did however look up to meet two angry blue eyes. "Not today. Today we get you home." Apart from the fact that he couldn't be sure if this was just a Goa'uld ploy to get away or to some how bring more bodies for its buddies in the water to invade, Daniel – if it really was Daniel – looked fit to drop.

"I'd like to come back then." Daniels gaze was unwavering, if a little more emotional and Jack had to look away. He had started to wrap the bandages now so he had a convincing 'out'.

"Not my call, Danny."

"But I-"

"Daniel-"

"He came out here for me!" Daniel snapped, his voice to strained with emotion to shout, so all that emerged was a strangled cry and the younger man quickly turned away as the Colonel looked up in time to see evidence of the tears that marked his face. Carter who was standing guard glanced over, her own large blue eyes full of sympathy and anguish for their team mate. Jack nodded once in her direction, silently exchanging worries.

"Yes, yes he did." Jack kept his tone gentle. Any other time he would have been harder, firm. The last few months had been unbelievably hard on Daniel, the loss of his wife being the one 'hard' that stuck out most. "And I am going to honour his memory and make sure, we complete the mission he started." In other words, to get Daniel home again.

Daniel still didn't look up and Jack nodded to Teal'c who slowly and some what solemnly handed Jack the bonds. He hated to do this, considering the fact that Daniel had been bound like this for well over a day, for his friends and team mates to do it again had to be the most cruel kind of irony. At least the soft bandages would offer some comfort and providing Daniel didn't struggle, no further injury.

Jack sighed when he heard the bitter chuckle from the man before him as he snapped the restraints in place.

"It's just-"

"A precaution, I know." Daniels voice was again bitter, despondent and had a familiar congested undertone, like he had a cold. If Jack hadn't seen the tears, he would have put it down to allergies.

As Jack stood again, his knees creaking and a weary sigh of his own escaping, he realised that the last twenty-four hours had to have been some of the longest in his life. Good men had died, even if one was a complete nuisance, Rothman was still a good man. He had willingly returned to a planet full of certain dangers for a friend, a comrade. Civilian or not, it was people like this that made the SGC such a great team to be a part of, but it also made it even harder to accept the losses and move on. With so few people in his life that he still cared about, it hit Daniel harder than most even if a lot of the time he never showed it, right now it was clear he was having trouble disguising his emotions and as such was lashing out at those still around him. Jack could handle that, he'd suffered worse.

"Carter," Jack called to his 2IC as he clipped his pack back into place. "Take point, Teal'c you got our boy. I'll take the six. Lets try and cover as much ground as possible before it gets dark."

"Yes sir." Carter nodded once and headed towards the tree line while Teal'c hoisted Daniel back to his feet by hooking one powerful hand under the civilians shoulder, leaving the supporting limb there till Daniel was balanced and started walking after the Major.

With one final look back at the way they'd came, Jack was soon following. It had taken them a full day to get out this far, it would likely take them just as long to get back, longer still if Daniel couldn't keep up the pace. Over the years the civilian had bulked up and was the most battle hardened civilian in the SGC, but he had still been marched relentlessly across an alien world, with no fresh water and probably no food. The Colonel would inquire with Daniel and see just how accurate his gut instincts were, right now, the guy clearly needed some time to himself.

… … … …

It was official.

Fate had a twisted sense of humour. Not only had it decided to rob him of yet another friend, but he was now in exactly the same position as he had been the day before! Hands bound and being marched across an alien countryside. Granted he was now with his own people but because they couldn't be sure if he really was who he was claiming to be, he was regarded with cautious affection and fingers on triggers.

With his head down, Daniel placed one foot in front of the other and pressed on, ignoring his situation and focusing on getting home, getting the all clear and then with luck getting smashed with Jack that very night. He might not have been able to pay his respects to Robert by visiting his last resting place, but he was going to give the incorrigible man a send off that, Daniel probably wouldn't remember.

'I'll remember the hangover at least...'

Daniel had no idea how long they had been walking this time his mind was lost in thoughts as such he was operating on autopilot as he unknowingly set the pace, a pace his former Unas keeper would have been proud of. It was a completely unconscious act, Daniel not entirely aware of the fact his body still seemed to be in 'don't piss off the native beast' mode.

It was not to last.

At first he thought it was nothing more than a rock that had possibly caused his ankle to rotate in the wrong direction seeing him stumble, but as one leg caved beneath him the other seemed to want in on the act and down he went. Teal'c was as fast as ever and with one deft hand he caught the archaeologist before gravity had fully claimed him.

"I have you DanielJackson." Teal'cs voice was always deep, for some reason now it sounded even deeper and Daniel looked up as he leaned against the Jaffa, his still bound hands at an awkward angle and pulling painfully.

"T-thanks..."

"What's up guys?" Teal'c by now had pushed Daniel back onto his feet and held him steady as Jack approached. Daniel was quite out of breath and couldn't offer an explanation at that moment, Teal'c however kept the Colonel apprised.

"I believe DanielJackson requires rest, O'Neill."

"N-no, I'm fine." Daniel said around gasps which obviously didn't help his argument.

'Of course you are Danny-Boy.'

Daniel cringed as Jack's unspoken retort bounced around inside his head. They knew each other to well.

"Alright, let's set up camp." Jack stated and started looking for a suitable place to erect the tent.

"I'm really fine!" Daniel called but Teal'c urged him on to the slightly higher and level ground while Jack got on the radio to Sam. She couldn't have been more than a few yards ahead but it was enough to be out of ear-shot.

"High tail it back, Carter, Daniel just hit empty."

"On my way, sir."

"I have not hit empty..." Daniel grumbled as Teal'c sat him down on a rock, the Zatt still primed and ready to fire should Daniel, in fact be a Goa'uld.

The stubborn civilian looked up at Teal'c, still dragging air into his lungs as they fought to establish a comfortable rhythm and get the oxygen to his over worked muscles. He hadn't realised how tall Teal'c was though and his head seemed terribly heavy. Suddenly the whole world done a wonderful dance, streaks of green, blue and dark coloured Jaffa were zipping across his eyes as he toppled back off the stone. The jolt as he hit the ground behind him righted his vision and ceased the ferris-wheel like ride long enough to see Jack and Teal'c peering down at him.

"Now...now I've hit empty." He said, voice slurring slightly as he relinquished his consciousness to the abyss that opened up behind him.

… … … …

"...asy."

"W'at?" Daniel's voice sounded too strange to be his own. It was too raw and quiet but as he got the first sensation of taste he realised why it sounded so bad. His mouth was terribly dry and his lips cracked in places as he moved them.

"Here," Out of the near blackness a soft hand reached behind his head and lifted it just enough to feed him the water in the offered tin mug and he drank greedily. "You've been out for hours, I haven't been able to get you to take more than a sip at a time." As the fog receded Daniel realised it was Sam assisting him. Slowly as his vision cleared he could make out her blond hair and kind smile.

"Hey." He greeted her in his usual, flippant way, his voice sounding a little stronger for having the water. He looked around finding himself inside a tent, wrapped up quite snugly in a sleeping bag though his wrists were still bound. Sam noticed the object of his gaze and her eyes filled with an unspoken apology. "I know, a precaution." He sighed and slowly with Sam's help, sat up. His head was pounding the second he was raised and it took a moment for the ferocious thump to recede long enough to open his eyes again.

"You're dehydrated," Sam explained. "Get this down and I promise you'll start to feel a whole lot better."

"Well, better at least." He took another drink feeling Sam's hand rub up and down his upper arm.

"I am sorry, Daniel." She said softly, the sincerity in her voice made the familiar choking sensation return to his throat so he quickly drained what was left in the mug. "Were you...close?"

"Not in the sense I am with you, Jack and Teal'c." He admitted. "Robert was just, I dunno... I guess he reminded me of me when I first started at the SGC." Daniel smiled fondly at the memories, "At the time the jibes and sometimes bullish behaviour of the marines especially, left me feeling deflated and worthless, after a while, I took it for what it was."

"Guys being guys?"

"Yeah." Daniel chuckled and shrugged, wincing slightly at the ache it brought to his neck and shoulders. "Pretty soon the remarks and playful jabs rolled off my back. I even managed to play a few practical jokes of my own."

"Like?" Sam was smiling.+

"I'd rather not say," Daniel snerked. "So when Robert came into the program, I'd pretty much gotten the hang of life on the base and of the people in it."

"It wasn't till I saw him struggling with the same social awkwardness that plagued me most of my life that I realised, we were...the same." Daniel blew out a breath as he twirled the now empty mug in his bound hands.

"I just wanted to help him, wanted to make him feel like he wasn't alone. That the guys weren't as bad as he feared. That everyone was part of the same team, the same family. All trying to do the same thing." Now he was finding it hard to speak and he had to swallow, the trouble was that was a little difficult too.

"When he first started in the department he was, the most closed minded person I have ever worked with, even when faced with the reality of the Stargate and all of the alien worlds and cultures out there, Robert still refused to speculate, to debate. He wanted the facts right in front of him before he would even consider discussing anything. It drove me nuts." Sam chuckled softly. "But I, persevered. It was easier since I realised some time ago you don't have to agree on everything to be friends."

"Might you be talking about a certain Air Force Colonel by any chance?"

Daniel laughed softly but let the rise and fall of his brow answer that for him. "So, we weren't close. But he was my friend." Daniel looked back down at the mug. "And I am going to miss him." Again he felt Sam's hand on his arm, squeezing in silent support. "So anyway, my whole collapsing thing..." He quickly changed the subject. "You still think I could be a...snake-head?" He used Jack's terminology to lighten the mood since this subject was still pretty grim.

"Well, Teal'c says that a Goa'uld is capable of inflicting pain on its host too, and since they can do that, it can probably withhold the regenerative effects in a bid to conceal itself."

"Crafty."

"That's one word for it." Sam smiled and plucked the mug from his hands. "I'll get you some more water. Think you could eat?" At the prospect of food his stomach chose that moment to speak, no, scream its vote as it grumbled loudly. Daniel covered his midsection, partly to try and muffle the embarrassing sound and partly to soothe the cramp that came with it. "I'll take that as a yes." Sam nodded and slipped out of the tent.

… … … …

Jack O'Neill looked up as Teal'c exited the tent he had been resting in and strode over, staff weapon in hand. Night had fallen some time ago and each member of his team had been sleeping soundly while the veteran Colonel stood watch. Now, it was his turn to get a little shut eye and with Teal'c taking the last watch of the night, it was a straight four hours sleep till sun-up and hopefully an uneventful home-stretch.

"O'Neill." The Jaffa bowed his head in greeting and the Colonel lifted his left hand briefly to wave. "You may retire O'Neill. I have the watch."

"Sure thing, but before I go," He sat up straight from resting upon the butt of the P90 and tossed the high-tech peekers to Teal'c who caught them deftly with one hand. "Take a look on that ridge."

With a customary lift of the left brow, Teal'c done as he was instructed and peered through the binoculars, homing in on the point of interest.

"An Unas, by a fire." Teal'c stated calmly and returned the binoculars to Jack who shoved them into his pack.

"Yeah, I noticed it yesterday. It's been following us since the cave." The Colonel stood as Teal'c regarded him curiously.

"You did not inform us of this."

"No," He sighed. Honestly he wasn't sure why he hadn't brought it up until now. Back at the cave when they had finally caught up with Daniel he was all for shooting first and asking questions later, but then one of them put its own life on the line for Daniel. If Jack hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed it. Their previous run ins with the species weren't exactly smooth as each time it involved one or all running for their very lives and even this particular episode started with Daniel being dragged off by one. "It's kept its distance. So long as it keeps doing that, I think we're okay."

"Do you believe this is the Unas who first captured DanielJackson?" He didn't look it, but Teal'c was a sharp as Jack's trusty knife.

"I'm not sure. They all look the same to me." He shrugged and headed to the tent, patting the large shoulder of Teal'c as he passed. "If it moves, come get me."

"I will. Sleep well O'Neill."

"Ha!" Teal'c also had a wicked sense of humour.

Inside the tent was warm and Jack shivered slightly as it hit him, his body reminding him how cold his lonely sentry had been. He tread carefully, aware of the man curled up on the right side of the tent dead to the world.

Daniel was laid on his right side, bound hands curled up under his chin. The position had to be uncomfortable, not being able to move his hands as freely as he would have liked, but it was a necessary evil. With the ever present possibility that Daniel could be a Goa'uld, Jack slipped the Zatt under his jacket within easy reach should the worst come to pass, before kicking off his boots and slipping as quietly as possible into the next bag.

"I'm sorry if I snapped at you before." Came a sleepy voice.

Jack lifted his head and looked across the narrow space between them at Daniel. He could just about make out the younger man's features.

"It's okay, Daniel." Jack smiled and beat some air into his pillow, which in this case, was his jacket.

"No, it's not." Daniel sighed softly and twisted a little, his hands resting awkwardly across his chest.

"Well, you haven't had the best of days." Jack offered.

"Neither have you."

"Granted, I've had better yes. But today could have been a hell of a lot worse."

"I don't see how."

"Might not have got you back either." He could see Daniel's head turn ever so slightly to look back in Jacks direction and the Colonel lifted himself up on one elbow, before reaching across and gently patting his friends shoulder. "Sleep Danny. We'll be home in a few hours and you can finally get the use of your hands back." He grinned and Daniel chuckled softly.

"First thing I'm gonna do is punch you."

"What for?!"

"For tying me up."

"Pffft! Keep talking like that and I'll make sure Fraiser has you in restraints for a week!" Jack tried to sound serious but Daniel's laughter was making that particular façade very difficult. "Sleep. Now. Order."

"Yessir."

"Stop giggling."

"Can't."

"You're worse than Carter."

"I heard that sir." Came the distant but clear call from Sam in the next tent over.

"Busted." Daniel said with another snigger and Jack was very tempted to Zatt him there and then. Still, it was good to hear him laugh.