TITLE: Getting in Touch with your Wild Side
AUTHOR: CritterKid
EMAIL:
CATEGORY: Action, Drama
SPOILERS: General knowledge.
SEASON: 7. Set after' Grace'.
RATING: Teen
WARNINGS: Nothing explicit.
SUMMARY: Another mission, another Goa'uld. What could possibly go wrong?
STATUS: Complete. I will be posting 1 chapter a night until the entire story is available.
ARCHIVE: Anywhere, just let me know.
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1, it's characters, and all related entities are property of Stargate SG-1 Productions (II) Inc., MGM Worldwide Television Productions Inc., Double Secret Productions, Gekko Film Corp, and Showtime Networks Inc./ The SciFi Channel. No copyright infringement is intended. This story is for entertainment purposes only and not intended for commercial profit.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: I have no medical knowledge. Any mistakes made are my own.
"Welcome to P5X-639. I'll be your tour guide for the day. The temperature is hot, the humidity is high, and be careful 'cause it's a jungle out there." Colonel Jack O'Neill grinned as he turned to the rest of his team as they exited the Stargate. Dr. Daniel Jackson rolled his eyes and went to the DHD. Major Samantha Carter gave him a small smile as she joined Daniel. Teal'c merely raised an eyebrow as he scanned the area.
"The Stargate is secure," Teal'c said moving down the stairs.
"Carter, send the MALP back. Teal'c, you and Daniel start searching for signs of intelligent life." Daniel nodded, quickly scampering off to the edge of the clearing. Jack watched as his two friends started examining the jungle. As Carter sent the MALP back, he thought back to the mission briefing.
The first images the MALP sent back showed nothing interesting. The Stargate was in a clearing surrounded by jungle. Daniel, however, was convinced the clearing wasn't natural and General Hammond had agreed to get more information. Since there wasn't enough room to launch the UAV, Hammond had authorized a reconnaissance mission. He had offered it to SG-1.
Jack knew he could turn it down if he wanted to, nobody in their right mind would want to go traipsing around a hot jungle for five days. But he also knew why he had first dibbs on it.
It would be Carter's first mission since her disastrous trip on the Prometheus. Her nasty head wound had forced her to spend several days in the infirmary under the watchful care of Dr. Fraiser. She was also restricted to light duty for weeks, most of which was spent in the lab working on the prototype weapon for the Kull warriors. Although with her help they had made great progress on the weapon, he knew she was itching to get back out there. And this was the perfect milk run to let everybody get in sync again.
"O'Neill." Jack was brought out of his thoughts by Teal'c's voice. Looking around the clearing, Jack saw the Jaffa on the far side of the Stargate. Daniel was nearby, uncovering a column that the jungle had grown over. Motioning for Sam, they soon joined their friends.
"What is it Daniel?"
"I'm not really sure. If there were any markings or etchings they've been rubbed off. It matches the one we found earlier," he pointed to a large pile of rocks a few feet away, "although that one was knocked down sometime ago. I think it's some sort of marker, possibly signifying a road leading to a city."
"And you want to go look for the city, right?"
"We are on a recon mission," Daniel said with a smirk.
"Teal'c?" Jack asked the big Jaffa who had been studying the jungle.
"There is a path here, although it does not appear to have been used for many years."
"Alright," Jack agreed easily. "Teal'c, take point, then Daniel, then Carter. I'll bring up the rear. Move out."
The group quickly headed into the jungle. Once they got going, they could easily see where the road had been, but the jungle had done a good job reclaiming it. The road was overgrown in some places, while others had huge trunks and limbs crash over the path forcing the team to climb over them. Teal'c's sharp eyes found the easiest way but it was still exhausting work. After five hours of hiking, Jack was unsurprised to find they had only covered a few miles. When they came across a natural clearing, Jack decided it was a good place to eat. Everyone gratefully slid the heavy packs of their backs and slumped to the ground. They dug up some MRE's and quietly ate their food.
"So," Jack said after they were finished, "anybody else ready to call it quits and go home?"
"We just got here Jack," Daniel protested.
"And we've been here five hours and haven't seen anything besides trees."
"General Hammond gave us seventy-two hours to look around," Daniel pointed out.
"Up to seventy-two hours Daniel. He did say if there was nothing here we could leave early."
"We don't know nothing's here yet. We haven't even scratched the surface of what's here Jack. Who knows what's beyond the jungle." Their voices were getting louder and louder.
"Assuming the jungle ends. Maybe it just keeps going."
"Sir," Sam interrupted, not in the mood to be listening to one of their legendary arguments.
"Carter?" Jack and Daniel both turned to look at her.
"Maybe a compromise is in order sir?"
"How so?"
"Even if we headed back to the Gate now, I don't think we'd make it before nightfall." Jack thought about that for a minute. He knew they would be cutting it close, but he was thinking they could make it. Now, looking at Sam, he could easily see how tired she was. He reluctantly agreed with her self assessment. Nodding, he motioned her to continue. "What if we continued on 'till nightfall and then decide whether or not to continue?"
"Sounds good to me," Daniel said, looking expectantly at Jack.
"Okay," Jack agreed, "but if we're still in this jungle we're outta here first thing in the morning." The team agreed to that and Jack looked back to where Sam was sitting. She was resting against a large tree trunk, her head tilted back and her eyes were closed. "Daniel, Teal'c, I thought I saw a stream a little ways back there. Why don't you take the canteens and fill them up?"
"Right," Daniel said after glancing over to Sam. Teal'c and Daniel soon had the canteens and left, leaving the two officers alone. Jack went over and sat next to Sam.
"Sir," she said without opening her eyes.
"I didn't think you heard me come over."
"I'm full of surprises," she said grinning. The jovial moment passed and soon Jack grew concerned again.
"How ya doing Carter?"
"Fine Sir," she automatically said, opening her eyes and looking at him. He raised an eyebrow in response, obviously not buying it. "Okay," she gave in, "I'm really tired. A lot more than I thought I'd be."
"I know the feeling," Jack told her. "The first mission is the hardest. Anything else?"
"Headache," she reluctantly admitted. Jack was immediately concerned.
"Anything I need to be worried about?" Jack knew headaches were common after a concussion, but he also knew they could be signs of something worse.
"Just the heat," she said dismissively.
"Let me know if it gets worse." She nodded just as they heard Daniel and Teal'c coming back. He quickly got to his feet and reached his hand down. "We better get going. Hopefully we'll find some ruins so Daniel will quit moping," he said as he helped her up.
"I heard that," Daniel said as he and Teal'c came out of the bushes. They quickly distributed the full canteens.
"Good," Jack quipped as they got their gear on. "Let's go find the wizard. Carter, you're the point man." Sam nodded and took off, Teal'c right behind her. Daniel lingered for a minute before turning to Jack.
"She okay?" he asked, the concern obvious in his voice.
"Just tired," Jack answered. "This would be a tough one for anybody, and it's Carter's first mission since her fun space adventure."
"You couldn't have chosen an easier mission for a milk run?" Daniel asked incredulously.
"I didn't think it would be this bad," Jack said defensively before he saw Daniel's grin. "We'll make sure she doesn't overdo it."
"Yes we will," Daniel agreed with the older man before they went off to catch their friends. Thankfully the rest of the journey wasn't as bad as the first. After an hour, the jungle thinned out a bit. The road became more defined and less cluttered and the team found the path much easier. Soon they had left the jungle and entered a grassy plain.
They decided to follow the road, which now was clearly visible. The road curved along gently, sloping mounds and led into a valley. Standing at the mouth of the valley, the team could see a small village, tiny houses and rows of fields. Daniel couldn't hold back his smirk as they walked.
Nearing the village, they found the road passed through several farms, abundant fields on either side of the road giving it away. They could see small houses and barns in the distance and could hear the farmers working in the fields, but hadn't seen anyone yet. That changed when a lone farmer was spotted riding down the road. As soon as he saw them, he stopped his wagon and got out to greet them.
"My lords," he said, bowing slightly.
"Hi," Daniel said, stepping forward to talk to the man. "My name is Daniel. This is Sam, Jack, and Teal'c. We're explorers from far away."
"It is an honor to meet such important people," the farmer replied. "My name is Vlad and it would be an honor to serve you my lords." Vlad bowed again.
"Umm," Daniel started, looking back to Jack for guidance. "We're interested in learning about your people and culture."
"The Czar," Vlad exclaimed. "You should see the Czar."
"The Czar?" Daniel questioned.
"Yes, the Czar. He is the leader of our people. He will be able to help you more than a humble farmer." Jack was starting to shuffle his feet impatiently.
"Where can we find the Czar?" Daniel asked wanting to get moving before Jack's attention span ran out.
"Simply follow the road. It will lead you to the city. Continue to follow the main road to the palace." He looked around quickly before addressing the team. "It is several miles to the city. I would take you myself, but there is no one to take my tools, and my dusty wagon isn't nearly regal enough for foreign lords." He bowed again apologetically.
"For cryin' out loud," Jack muttered under his breathe. "We're not lords, just ordinary people."
"Of course, my lord." Vlad remained bowed while Jack sighed in frustration and shuffled passed him. The others lingered for a minute before deciding to join him. Daniel, glancing back a few minutes later, was surprised to find Vlad back in the wagon and going about his business as if they were never there. He quickly put the thought out of his mind as his curiosity got the best of him.
After an hour, the fields gradually began to change into homes. They could see a large wall in the distance and, true to Vlad's word; the road appeared to lead straight towards a gate. As they got closer, more and more people could be seen. Some of them were staring at the newcomers, while most of them were pretending they didn't see them.
"Welcoming bunch of people," Jack commented when the door of the house they were passing suddenly slammed shut. A few seconds later the door reopened and the man casually walked out, going about his business.
"They do not appear to welcome strangers," Teal'c commented.
"Maybe they're shy," Sam suggested.
"I'm not so sure. It's almost like if they pretend we're not here, then we won't be here," Daniel replied.
"Of course," Jack quipped, "it all makes sense now."
"O'Neill." The group quieted at Teal'c's warning. They were now quite close to the wall. A few feet away was the gate. The team was surprised to find the gate opening for them. Even more surprising was the man waiting for them.
"Follow me," the man ordered before abruptly turning and walking off. The team had little choice but to follow him. They were quickly led through the city and into the palace. Once in the palace they were led to a large room. The doors were shut and locked behind them.
"That was strange," Jack said as he looked around the room. The room was large, about the size of a large meeting room or ballroom. The walls were decorated with murals and tapestries. On the far side of the room several large statues stood a few feet away from the wall. Daniel was already examining the walls, while Teal'c and Sam were examining the room.
"The door is secure; however we will be able to extricate ourselves quite easily."
"Let's not go there quite yet Teal'c." Jack casually wandered over to where Daniel was studying a mural. "Anything?"
"Not here yet," Daniel replied, turning to look at Jack. "But did you see the cathedrals and homes in the distance?" Jack opened his mouth to reply only to be interrupted by Daniel. "I can't be sure because they really didn't give us enough time to look around, but if I'm right this place will be a great discovery..."
"Daniel."
"What?" He looked at Jack confusedly before remembering what he was saying. "Oh. I think these people are descendants from ancient Russia."
"Wow. Let's go home and tell the Russians. They'll be thrilled."
"Don't be such an ass, Jack," Daniel said as he turned back to the mural. "These paintings tell some of these people's history. I just need to study them some more."
"I think you should start here Daniel," Sam said from the other end of the room. Sam was standing at the base of the middle statue staring at the wall behind them. As Jack and Daniel neared, they could see a series of painting across the wall.
"Wow," Jack exclaimed as he saw what Sam was looking at. "Is that what I think it is?"
"If you believe it is a representation of a Ha'tak class warship, you are indeed correct."
"It looks like something made the ship crash," Sam said, pointing to her right.
"Daniel?"
"I think Sam's right," Daniel said, scurrying from end to end. "It tells the story of how the people gained their freedom. A powerful and vengeful God ruled the land mercilessly until another God came from the sky. Instead of saving them as the people had prayed for, the new God began destroying their villages with his mighty power. Their God used his own magic powers to destroy the mighty flying fortresses of his enemy.
"The two armies began to fight each other on the ground, and proceeded to destroy everything in their paths. When the battle reached the palace, their God ordered every man, woman and child to fight in his name while he remained safe behind the palace walls.
"That action provoked the villager's anger and they turned against their God. In fear, their God ran onto the battlefield commanding his army to protect him. The villager's anger was too great though, and within a few days both armies were defeated. Nicholus, one of the organizers of the rebellion and the man to kill both Gods, became the first Czar and his family has ruled in peace ever since."
"Do you know which Gods they were?" Jack asked interested.
"No, Daniel admitted. "There's two symbols here, which I assume represent the different Goa'ulds, but I've never seen them before. Teal'c, do you recognize these?"
"I do not," Teal'c said.
"According to the pictures, this Goa'uld had the technology to bring down a Mothership. That would be a definite advantage in our fight against the Goa'uld."
"That's assuming these people didn't destroy it," Jack pointed out. "And they haven't exactly rolled out the welcome wagon."
"They haven't been aggressive either, Jack," Daniel argued. "Let's just talk to the Czar before you decide on anything."
"Okay," Jack agreed. "Any idea how to get in to see the old guy?" Just then the door opened revealing the same guard who led them to this room.
"Follow me," he ordered before turning and hurrying down the corridor. SG-1 quickly grabbed their gear and followed after him, barely keeping up with his quick pace. He stopped abruptly in front of another door. "In here," he said, gesturing to the large set of double doors, while doormen opened them simultaneously. They could hear chattering inside the room, all of which stopped as soon as they entered.
The room was similar to the one they were in before, except instead of statues at the end there was a raised dais with a single throne atop. The room was full of people who regarded the strangers carefully and quietly whispered amongst themselves but still parted to allow SG-1 to reach the throne. When they reached the front, a herald stepped forth. "Presenting his majesty, Czar Nicolus IX."
All the whispering stopped as an honor guard emerged from a door behind the throne and tool their positions around the dais. The people bowed as a figure started to emerge from the door.
He had barely cleared the door when Sam's posture stiffened slightly. As she brought her P-90 to bear, she whispered a quick warning to everybody. Her warning was unnecessary though, as both Jack and Teal'c had their own weapons trained on the Czar, alerted through her small movement. The sound of zats priming could be heard behind them, but before they could turn, they were engulfed in the blue energy and they knew no more.