In Need of Rescue
by taylyn10
Gen
Angst, Humor, Friendship,
It was and is for the citizens of Tok'ra Flats with thanks for the tea, the cookies, and the warm welcome.
Summary: Jack goes in search of his missing deputy, only to find him in a rather unusual predicament.
Feedback is always welcome!
An alternate universe story set in the small western town if Tok'ra Flats in the 1860's. Jack's a sheriff, Daniel's a deputy, and there might be a couple of other names you recognize as well.
"Doc Frasier, have you seen Daniel?"
Janet turned to see a worried sheriff standing in the infirmary doorway.
"Haven't seen him in about an hour," Janet said. "Why? Is something wrong?" She put down the bottle she'd been labeling, concerned now about their deputy.
"No, nothing's wrong," Jack said, "I just can't find him. He left this morning to go run some errands around town and I haven't seen him since. That was a couple of hours ago."
"Did you check with Siler? Daniel said something this morning about helping him and Sam with some new doohickey they're working on."
"I checked there already."
"How about the telegraph office or the post office? He might have gone to see if any new wanted posters came in."
"Checked the post office first thing. He was in early this morning but no one's seen him since." Jack stuck his head back out the door looking up and down the street as if his deputy would just appear out of nowhere. "And I checked the judge's office, the saloon, and the ice cream parlor. I even checked Mz. Devra's porch." He pushed a hand unthinkingly through his hair mussing it up like a small boy.
Janet held back a smile. It wouldn't do to laugh at the sheriff of the town, now would it, she thought, but some days he was like one of the young 'uns at Mz. Bab's school with his hair all standing up on end.
"Ah, well now I see your problem," Janet said. "He's not on the porch at Mz. Devra's, he's out back."
"Out back? Are Hawk and Feather okay?" Once Jack got himself into the worried sheriff mindset, it was hard to bring him out of it. Because Mz. Devra, the town veterinarian, had a small barn out back for any sick animal she was looking after, Jack thought Daniel must be looking after one of their two horses. "We checked 'em last night before bed and they both looked fine."
Janet finally took pity on her overprotective friend. "They i are /i fine, and so is Daniel. He's out back in the peddler's wagon." Jack looked puzzled. "You remember the peddler who came into town a couple of days ago, Mz Taylyn? Mz. Devra told her she could park the wagon out back of her place."
"So what's that got to do with Daniel?" Jack asked.
"Well, it seems Daniel wanted to know about the name of the horse so he stopped by for a visit."
"Prospero," Jack said, "Yeah, I can see where that would interest Daniel. Not exactly a common name around here, for a horse or anything else." Jack gave a little snort.
"No," Janet laughed, "not a common name at all. Mz. Taylyn says she saw a play with a character named Prospero and liked it so much she named her horse that."
"Hmmm, yeah. The Tempest by William Shakespeare."
"You know the play?" Janet asked in surprise.
"I know the guy uses ten words when he could use one," Jack answered gruffly.
Janet had to bite her lip to keep the smile back this time. They all knew about the sheriff's attempt to make everyone else believe that he was unread and uncultured. Most of the town turned a blind eye to it and let him think they were fooled by his act. The only person who never let him get away with it was Daniel.
"So what's Daniel doing in the wagon? You don't need to get into a wagon to ask about a horse."
"No, you don't. But Daniel, Cassie, Mz. Devra, and I got invited to see the inside of the wagon--which is quite impressive, by the way--and Daniel stayed to read."
"Read?" Jack asked.
Seeing his impatience, Janet gave him the information he was looking for. "Mz Taylyn has a copy of Shakespeare's plays in the wagon, along with some other books that Daniel thought were interesting, so after we were done with our tour, Daniel and Mz Taylyn started to talk about books."
She saw Jack smile. He knew that Daniel was never happier than when he was in the company of his books.
"They were taking turns reading lines from the plays when I left. Still," Janet said, trying to keep a straight face, "you might want to go rescue him."
"Rescue him?" Jack was looking at her intently now.
"Well, yes. You see Daniel was reading out loud from some play, and I wasn't sure if Mz Taylyn was going to kiss him or adopt him." Janet couldn't hold the laughter in any longer.
Jack snorted. "Yeah, Daniel does have that affect on people, doesn't he?"
"Yes, sheriff," she said looking directly into his eyes, "He most certainly does."
Jack cleared his throat a little. "Well, I...uh...I'll just mosey over there and see if everything's all right."
Janet took his exit for what it was, a strategic retreat before anything got too serious. Calling out the door after the sheriff she said, "And send Cassie home, will you? It's time for chores."
She turned back to the little bottles spread out on the table in the infirmary. Yes, Daniel certainly did have an affect on people, and not just the newcomers. She'd sat and listened to Daniel read for almost an hour before she'd been able to tear herself away from the beautiful voice. Mz Devra hadn't been any better, and the hero worship on Cassie's face was totally understandable. Even watching Daniel turn the pages of the book, something he did with such reverence, was enough to make her sigh.
With another sigh, this time for all the work she had in front of her, she picked up a label and the paste and went back to work.
Jack came in by way of the barn because the pathway from the house to the back of Mz. Devra's was full of people. Voices that he thought he recognized drifted out to him as he tried to find a place where he could get a good view of whatever it was that was going on without being seen. Daniel's voice was there, and Sam's, Cassie's maybe, and another couple people he couldn't quite put a name to. But what they were talking about was a mystery. No one else was saying anything just those four or five voices back and forth. Everyone else was sitting on the ground, rapt expressions on their faces.
Mz. Babs was there with the schoolchildren. Mz. Jude and Mz. Devra were on the back porch steps sitting on purple cushions, and many other townsfolk seemed to have found their way to any convenient grassy spot. Jack spotted some of the new townsfolk on the porch with Mz. Devra. What they were going to do with all these new folks, Jack really didn't know.
It occurred to Jack, looking over the sizable crowd, that they didn't usually get this many people to a town meeting. Speaking of which, he spied Judge Hammond and Mayor Debi enjoying a spot of shade under a scrawny tree just over to the right. He thought to wave at them but all attention was centered on the wagon.
Daniel sat in the middle of a group of four or five, all of whom were crowded on the steps of the peddler's wagon, a big book held between them. Sam was on his right holding one end of book, and Dave Siler was on the left holding the other end. Cassie was squeezed in just behind so that her hands rested on Daniel's shoulders and her face peeked out from between Daniel and Sam. Another boy, who looked to be of an age to be a classmate of Cassie's, peered over Daniel's other shoulder. Jack wished he could have a picture painted of this. Each person in the tableau had a look of fierce concentration and they circled Daniel like a halo.
Finding an out-of-the-way spot next to the barn and on the edge of the action, Jack finally made out both the sound and the sense of the words. They were reading from The Tempest. He wasn't about to admit it to Janet or anyone else, but he liked the plays of Shakespeare—at least the ones he'd read or seen. It had been a long time, though, since he'd heard any of it out loud. Hearing it now reminded him that the poetry was beautiful.
The rest of the audience seemed to agree. From his vantage point, Jack could see more of the audience than the actors. Each person, from the oldest to the youngest, was entranced by the words that flowed from the readers. Cassie was the magical sprite Ariel, Sam the beautiful daughter, Miranda, and Daniel, the wise magician Prospero. For Jack, Daniel's voice carried over all the others.
When Daniel's group finished reading, the crowd clapped enthusiastically. They were thrilled by the performance but disappointed it was over so soon. Many asked for more, throwing out suggestions from their favorite plays. Abashed by the attention, Daniel stood, shook his head, and gave the book back to Mz. Taylyn with a smile. Cassie reached from behind him to give him a big hug before she was swallowed up in the admiring crowd. Hammond patted Daniel on the back and gave Cassie a squeeze; Mayor Debi shook Daniel's hand. Through it all Daniel looked embarrassed, his face faintly pink from all the attention.
Jack grinned. Sometimes Daniel didn't understand the fact that people around here not only admired him, but liked him as well. They were beginning to know what Jack had known for years: Daniel was a man of many talents. Along with his bravery and courage, he spoke several languages fluently, understood the customs and cultures of others, was a diplomat and a statesman--and now it seemed, he was an actor.
Daniel eased his way out of the crowd of admirers who beamed at him when he promised he'd be back to read some more another day. The rest of the fledgling troupe promised to return as well.
Daniel finally noticed Jack standing out of the way and gave a small wave. Jack tipped his hat to his nervous deputy and walked out of sight behind the barn, sure that Daniel would follow shortly. In less than a minute, Daniel was at his side.
"Sorry, Jack," Daniel apologized, still flustered by all the attention. "I meant to be back a while ago but I couldn't get away. Cassie wanted to read and I--"
Jack cut him off. "Don't apologize. It's no big deal. Unless, of course, you're thinking of running away to New York to start your acting career."
"Very funny, Jack," Daniel muttered doing his best to regain his composure. He glanced nervously over his shoulder waiting for someone to discover his hiding place.
Jack noticed that Daniel had been edging his way toward the street all during their conversation, undoubtedly trying to escape the crowd. Jack wondered if Daniel even knew he was doing it or if it was an instinctive reaction to an approaching threat. Following along, Jack couldn't resist ribbing Daniel a little more.
"I've heard those Shakespearean actors wear tights and shirts with big poofy sleeves when they act."
Daniel was peering around the corner of the building making sure the coast was clear.
"It'd be a good look on you," Jack said.
Still slightly distracted Daniel turned back with a perplexed look on his face. "What?"
"Poofy sleeves, tights, a sword," Jack said, branding the imaginary weapon in front of him. "An actor's life, Daniel. 'The play's the thing' and all that. Could be a possible career change. Maybe I could be your manager."
"Maybe you need to get out of the sun," Daniel said moving quickly in the direction of the jail.
Jack chuckled, lengthening his stride to keep up with Daniel. "Too much to leave behind, eh? Well, you're probably right. I guess we still got stuff to do here. And I can't see Carter and Teal'c in the big city. Carter would go around blowing things up and Teal'c would scare everybody in town just by looking at them. We're better off here."
By now they'd reached the boardwalk in front of the jail where Daniel turned to glare at his boss.
They entered the cool, quiet interior of the jail and Jack decided he'd teased enough. "Sorry Daniel. You did a good job, you know, with the Shakespeare thing. It really gave everybody a treat." Daniel was still looking at him suspiciously trying to decide if Jack was serious. He glared at Jack one more time and then retreated to the back office.
The jail and the sheriff's office were certainly public places, but most of the time it was pretty quiet in there. Jack made sure that he and his deputies were out walking the streets most days, helping the townsfolk and dealing with minor disturbances before they became major problems. Unless someone was locked up in one of the cells, the jail was merely a place to stop and rest or have a meeting or do paperwork.
Jack had set aside the little study in the back as Daniel's private refuge, a place that he could go to read, and a place where he could be alone. Sometimes, Jack well knew, Daniel was person who needed to be alone.
Jack puttered around the office putting on a pot of coffee and sorting through the stack of papers on his desk. Was there any job, he wondered, that didn't require endless stacks of paper? Even as a colonel in the army, he'd had to do paperwork. Scowling at the ever-growing pile, he pushed it aside for later.
At the coffee pot's final gurgle, Jack poured two cups, one for himself and one for his deputy. He made his way to Daniel's study only to find him cross-legged on the floor in front of his bookshelf.
"We have chairs, you know," Jack said handing Daniel a cup of coffee.
Without even noticing what he was drinking, Daniel took a sip and then placed the cup on the floor beside him. His hand went back to the book he was holding.
"Daniel?" Jack said.
"What?" Daniel looked up to see Jack standing over him. "Oh, hi Jack. I needed to look something up. He bent his head over the book.
Annoyed, Jack wondered if Daniel had even noticed that the thoughtful town sheriff had just handed him a cup of delicious, freshly brewed coffee.
"Thanks for the coffee," Daniel said without looking up.
"How do you know I even gave you coffee?" Jack asked. "You never even looked at it. I could have given you ink."
Daniel took an appreciative sniff before he said, "Ink doesn't smell this good." He took another large gulp and went back to reading his book.
"Well, I'm glad you noticed something," Jack grumbled.
The cup was placed softly on the floor again so that Daniel could run a finger down the page. The finger slowed and stopped.
From the chair across the room, Jack watched as Daniel smiled at the page in front of him. Curious now Jack asked, "Watcha readin'?"
Daniel's eyes stayed on the page in front of him. "One of the speeches I read from The Tempest. It's one of my favorites."
"Read it to me, Daniel," Jack said. "I came in a late and I didn't get to hear most of what went on." That was a little white lie on Jack's part. Actually, he'd heard a lot, but he'd find any excuse to hear Daniel read again.
"You sure," Daniel joked. "Most of the time you don't want to hear me talk."
"I don't want to hear you talk, I want to hear you read," Jack said smugly.
"Oh, well, as long as there's a difference," Daniel said, adjusting the book in his lap. He sat for a minute running his eyes over the speech before he began in a voice almost a whisper:
I have bedimm'd
The noontide sun, call'd forth the mutinous winds,
And 'twixt the green sea and the azured vault
Set roaring war: to the dread rattling thunder
Have I given fire and rifted Jove's stout oak
With his own bolt; the strong-based promontory
Have I made shake and by the spurs pluck'd up
The pine and cedar: graves at my command
Have waked their sleepers, oped, and let 'em forth
By my so potent art.
Daniel paused before continuing in a stronger voice,
But this rough magic
I here abjure, and, when I have required
Some heavenly music, which even now I do,
To work mine end upon their senses that
This airy charm is for, I'll break my staff,
Bury it certain fathoms in the earth,
And deeper than did ever plummet sound
I'll drown my book.
Daniel was done.
Silence filled the room.
Jack coughed once before speaking, just to make sure that his voice was still in working order before he said, "That's nice...What does it mean?"
Daniel's eyes continued to skim the page and his lips moved softly as though he were reading the words out loud. It took him a minute to realize that Jack had asked him a question.
"Oh, sorry, Jack. This is so beautiful. Sometimes I forget that words have such power. Prospero knew that in his speech; he knew about the power of words."
Of that Jack had no doubt. Nor did he doubt that Daniel was a kindred spirit in that regard. But it didn't answer the question. "And? So? What's it about?" Jack waved his hand at the book.
"It's about endings." Daniel didn't say anymore.
Jack's frowned as he looked at Daniel. They both knew far too much about endings. Daniel had lost a wife, Jack a son. Daniel had lost his innocence, Jack his idealism. Too many endings for both of them. Too many painful endings.
Jack leaned forward to see if Daniel was all right.
Sensing the movement, Daniel looked up and smiled. "About endings and beginnings. Prospero knew that he had to let go of the past for something new to begin. He's making one last spell before he puts his magic away forever."
"He doesn't sound very happy about it," Jack commented.
"No, I don't suppose he was." He looked down at his hand resting on the page. "It's never easy to let go of the past, and even when we do, it never stops being a part of us."
Daniel looked up to see the understanding in Jack's eyes.
"Did it work?" Jack asked. "Did he get to see something new?"
"Yes, I think he did," Daniel answered. "He saw—"
Daniel's explanation was interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Excuse me sheriff," Mayor Debi said stepping into the room. She had Mz. Taylyn's large book in her hands. "I hate barge in, but we need to borrow Deputy Daniel just for a minute."
Mz. Babs stuck her head into the room. "The school children were so excited when we got back to the school that they've decided to put on a recital for the whole town."
From the other room, Jack could hear several more excited voices as Mz. Babs continued, "The younger children are going to help decorate the hall and the older ones will memorize scenes to perform."
"But we need the deputy here to help us decide what pieces need to be memorized." Mayor Debi looked expectantly at Daniel.
Putting his book on the floor he said, "I'll be right there."
The ladies withdrew and the noise in the outer room got louder.
Daniel gave Jack a pleading look. Jack gave his shoulders a shrug as if to say, "what can you do" and watched Daniel walk out of the room and into the lion's den.
"Make sure you bring him back," Jack called out to the ladies who were hovering over his friend. No one heard him. He chuckled softly, figuring he'd give them a couple of minutes before he went in to rescue Daniel.
In the meantime, he knelt down to put Daniel's book away. It was a large heavy volume with edges worn rough from much use. He ran his hand over the soft pages enjoying the dry, smooth texture of them.
Absently, he pulled his finger down the page. Like Daniel had a few minutes ago, he stopped when he found the words he was looking for. He tapped the page with his fingertip before closing the book. Yep, that Mr. Shakespeare knew what he was talking about all right--endings and beginnings.
The chatter from the other room made Jack look up. Through the doorway, he could see Daniel in the middle of a circle of ladies, carefully pointing out to Mz. Babs and Mz. Devra which passages he thought the children would enjoy. Cassie and her mother were discussing what costumes they could make for all the young performers; Mayor Debi and Mz. Sallye were trying to decide if the concert should be in the schoolhouse or at the Emerald City Saloon which would hold more people. Daniel's laughter could be heard over it all.
Jack looked down at the book in his hands before slipping it back into its place on the shelf. Under his breath he said, "Oh brave new world that hath such people in it."
He turned and walked into the other room. It was time to take a deputy to lunch.