In Deed, In Thought, In Spirit.
AUTHOR: Wilma Hoogland.
CATEGORY: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship between Jack and Daniel.
SPOILERS: Serpent's Venom, The Curse and Pretence.
SEASON: Couple of weeks after The Curse.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Violence, angst. [This story is focused a lot on Daniel]
SUMMARY: Daniel doesn't need a mother hen; he needs a friend.
STATUS: Finished.
DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the authors. Not to be archived without permission of the authors.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: This story is made in honour of Daniel and all his fans out there. It was so nice to hear that Daniel would come back, that it gave me new inspiration in writing. This story is the result.
Many, many thanks to Carrie. Without her I wouldn't have finished this at all. It's been a good learning experience, although I still have a lot to learn, but she encouraged me to go on.
This story was written before watching Full Circle. Hope you enjoy this.
"The best friend is a sacred loyal and loving, protective
and supportive companion. The best friend is a confidante,
a keeper of secrets, a maker of memories, a weaver of dreams.
Near or far, the best friend is always there,
in deed, in thought, in spirit."
[I have no idea who the author is of this poem]
"Daniel, open up, come on."
Daniel knew he was being unreasonable. Jack's voice uttered concern from the other side of the door, and he knew he had been avoiding Jack the last couple of days. Or, had it been weeks? He was sick and tired of the older man tracing his every step like he couldn't hold his own at the base, much less take care of himself on missions. He really didn't need a babysitter, sometimes he just needed a friend.
After the last mission to the Toban system with Jacob Carter, Daniel had avoided Jack. He needed some rest. Jack and he had been going from bantering to really hurting each other with their words, at least that was what was happening for him. He couldn't really say for sure how or if Jack was as affected as he. In any case, Daniel needed to sort out why that was. Jack didn't talk to him much, just followed him around like a shadow.
The whole Osiris thing was still fresh in his mind as well. It had been weeks ago now, but somehow he still had this 'thing' about it with Jack. The colonel hadn't been there to help and Daniel admitted to himself that he had missed him. Not the babysitter, but the friend. He lost Sarah, and there was no one more qualified than Jack to help him get over that. Instead, Jack just kept walking after him like he was an incompetent part of his team. Maybe Jack was blaming himself for what had happened? Was he losing Jack as well?
Daniel really didn't want to deal with the strange, almost evasive behaviour of Jack's tonight, so he moved onto the balcony, sitting down and staring up at the stars. The tiny expanse jutting from his apartment had become a haven for him, a place where he could feel at peace as he pretended he could see Abydos. *Go away, Jack.*
"Damn it, Daniel." The voice sounded muffled, but then he heard a key turn and the door creak as it was pushed open. He sighed. Maybe it hadn't been a very good idea to give Jack a key to his apartment. The man just didn't take no for an answer.
"Daniel?"
*Just go away, Jack.*
Footsteps to the balcony. He wondered how it was sometimes possible that Jack knew him better than he knew himself. The man just headed straight towards where he was, without any hesitation. Unbelievable.
"Ah, here you are."
*Well, yes Jack, here I am avoiding you. Not working well, it seems.*
"Are you alright, Daniel?"
*Wanna talk about it, Jack?*
"Daniel?"
The voice sounded concerned, nothing else. Maybe he was wrong, and Jack, his friend Jack, was still in there somewhere, beneath the surface of the overprotective mother hen act? He had no choice but to look up.
"Hey, Danny."
"What are you doing here, Jack?" *Did that sound kind of bitchy?*
Jack coughed and let himself slide down on the floor next to him.
Crossing his legs, he didn't look at Daniel, but instead he stared upwards to the sky.
"Nice night."
"You came all the way to my apartment to tell me that?" Now he sounded pissed off and he knew Jack felt it too, as the man blinked rapidly to Daniel's reaction. Yep, he was being unfair. Jack never had been a talker. He should give the man a chance. "Sorry."
Jack looked at him now, sorrow it seemed in his eyes. "You are right, you know…"
"Excuse me?"
"I came here to talk, I guess." Jack was about to stand up. "But, I really don't know how to start."
The man looked so lost that Daniel got cold inside and instinctively reached out touching Jack's arm. "Sit down… Talk…"
Jack let out a sigh, sat down and tried to start over again. "How are you feeling, Daniel?"
"Fine…" *Like a piece of shit, Jack, and I really need you to be here as my friend.*
"I am very sorry, Daniel."
"For what?" *Mother henning me all over the place?*
"I wasn't there when Osiris almost killed you. I should have been there to help you," Jack exclaimed in a rough voice.
"That's all you can think about, right?" Daniel felt anger rise again. Jack probably thought he was doing the right thing, but it truly had the opposite effect on him right now. "I'm not a toddler who needs a daddy to look after him you know. We did fine with Osiris."
Jack just stared at him now, mouth slightly open and a steely glint in his eyes. "You almost got your brain fried, Daniel. You call that fine?"
"Jack, you sometimes really are a true pain in the mikta, you know that?" He was on his feet in two seconds flat and just ignored the man next to him. The man he thought was his friend, the man he trusted. The man, it seemed couldn't get away from the fact that Daniel was a grown up who could make his own decisions and be responsible for his own actions. He wanted his bodyguard to leave and needed his friend to come back.
"Daniel."
"I need some coffee."
He stalked inside the house, not waiting for Jack to follow, the outstretched hand of the other man falling helplessly to the ground.
He didn't need more mothering, he needed a strong cup of coffee, and didn't care what Jack would do. Placing the coffeepot under the tap to fill it with cold water, Daniel stopped suddenly when he felt a presence behind him. Jack must have followed him like he normally did, standing in the door opening of the kitchen watching him now. Well, he was sick and tired of talking. Jack'd better go home and think it over.
Turning around he only saw a large shadow looming in the door opening. He heard a soft hissing sound and something connected with his chest. Looking down in shock, he saw a tiny dart sticking out of said chest. What the hell… Before he could even open his mouth, the tall shadow came towards him in one swift move and grabbed his arms, the coffeepot crashing to the floor. The only thing he could do was kick out, hard.
The shadow didn't even wince and pulled him in. Lights were flashing in front of his eyes as he struggled to get loose. That dart must have been some sedative. The lights were slowly blackening and the only thing that left his mouth was a croak. Jack, he needed to,
"Let him go!"
Jack's harsh voice jarred him enough so that he could maintain a little understanding for what was going on. He could feel the man holding him tightening his grip and as Daniel winced, he could hear Jack again.
"I said…"
There was the sound of electricity, and the sentence ended with a gurgling sound. The man holding him had shot Jack with something that had sounded like a zat gun. Jack could be hurt, he needed to do something. His brain registered motion as they moved. *Jack?*
All went black.
Things were going downward fast from Jack's point of view. One minute he was trying to stop a large shadow from attacking Daniel, the next he was a trembling figure on the floor of Daniel's kitchen, drawing in air like a mad man.
The thing that had hit him looked like a zat gun, felt like one, only in what seemed to be a double dose. Still, normally he would be out by now, but that wasn't the case. His skin tingled for a few minutes, then dulled to numbness. Everything dulled to numbness, actually. Legs. Arms. Lips. Brain. No, not brain. That seemed to work just fine, allowing awareness of the horror taking over his body.
Phone. He needed to reach a phone. He *really* couldn't move, not even lift one finger from the floor. *Damn it!* Concentrating on breathing alone, he just lay there staring along the floor. This couldn't be happening, this was absurd. He didn't want to die here in Daniel's kitchen. No way.
There was a knock on the front door. Maybe the guy who grabbed Daniel was coming back to finish him off? No, stupid, he wouldn't knock. Sure as hell didn't the first time. Oh, crap, why couldn't he move, God. There had to be something he could do. Yell for the neighbours would
be an idea. Making a lot of noise always scared away creeps with dark intentions. Well, almost always.
He opened his mouth, at least tried to open it. Nothing happened, he couldn't even move his lips. More than numb, they were immobile. He was paralysed. As the pain ebbed away from the zat, or whatever it had been, he became aware of saliva slowly dribbling out of his mouth and onto his hand. *Crap!*
Then the front door opened and a familiar voice accompanied the footsteps in the little hall. "Daniel, are you in?" It was Carter. So, he wasn't the only one with a key to Daniel's place. Jeez, what was he thinking? He was lying here, thinking of some stupid key.
*Major. I am here, look in the kitchen.*
He tried to move, shout, swear, anything again even though it was futile. He was going to turn into a soggy lump of wasted muscle and skin and crap, crap, crap! A freaking vegetable, useless. Couldn't help find Daniel…oh, no, he couldn't even let Carter know what had happened.
"Sir?"
Yes. Carter had found him, he could feel her hand on his neck and her intakes of breath, fast and harsh. "God, sir… What happened?"
Jack knew she was looking around assessing the situation, just like he wished he could do. "Sir, where is Daniel? Can you hear me, sir?"
*Yes, Major, I can hear you. I'm just peachy, but I can't talk, can't even move. Some hulk of a man grabbed Danny, and I'm lying here doing nothing!*
"Sir?" Fingers were moving over his face now and opening his eyes even more by pulling on his eyelids. *Jesus, Carter, don't do that.*
"You can see me, can't you, sir?" She sounded confident, that was good. He could go with confident right now. Doc Fraiser would check on him and he would be just fine. Than he could go find Daniel. They could, Jack corrected himself.
"I'm calling the base, sir."
*You do that, Major, you just do that.*
"Dr. Jackson?"
*I'm awake, I'm awake, stop yelling.* Daniel slowly lifted one hand to his head, tried to pry his eyes open a minute later. He felt like he'd been run over by a bus, all his muscles aching and a headache from here to the end of the Earth. Who was yelling in his ear now?
"Dr. Jackson?"
The voice sounded familiar. It had to be someone he knew, maybe someone from the SGC? Maybe he was in the infirmary, or waking up on base to a bad dream? He was definitely sitting on some couch, that was clear as his head was tipped back at an awkward angle and the material underneath him was soft. After a few long minutes of attempting, Daniel finally managed to open his eyes a slit. Who he saw did nothing to ease his mind.
"I hope you are feeling okay, Dr. Jackson. My apologies for any actions that caused you pain."
He was looking into the eyes of one Lt. Colonel Samuels, General Hammond's former right hand man and an altogether huge weasel. NID as well and as he heard from Jack, it was better these days to deal with Harry Maybourne than this guy. As far as Daniel was concerned, Samuels had vanished off the planet. Until now. He wished he had paid more attention when Jack had ranted about him.
Jack! Oh, God, the zat blast. What had happened to his friend? Lifting his leaden head up, Daniel made a quick search of the room to see if Jack had suffered the same fate as he. There was no one except him and Samuels.
"We just want you to help us."
He blinked, trying not to show his confusion. He stupidly looked around the furnished room again and back at Samuels, who was grinning down on him. "You could have asked, maybe, Samuels?"
"You still know my name…"
"How could I ever forget?" *You're the son of a bitch who almost had the Stargate program put down, together with your buddy Kinsey.* Kinsey. Maybe he had something to do with this as well? Daniel's mind raced with the possibilities until they threatened to drown him. 'What if' was not a question he could even begin to answer and, he thought, it wasn't appropriate to waste time on it.
"Why do you need my help for anything? And what did you do to Colonel O'Neill?"
Before Samuels could answer, the door behind him opened and a tall, dark man walked in with a face even more stoic than Teal'c could manage at the best of days. More NID?
"This is Raf'no rean from the Tok'ra. He needs our help."
Tok'ra? What in the world was a Tok'ra doing here, on Earth, not at the SGC, and how had Samuels contacted him? There was something very wrong with this picture. Daniel knew the Tok'ra. They would never pass up the opportunity to gloat at the people of the SGC, but with Jacob Carter in their midst now, they would also never even think of passing the SGC. Thinking of SG-1's last mission with General Carter, he frowned.
"How did you get here?" Daniel automatically shifted his attention to the operative, who was stiffly standing next to Samuels with the superior and aloof attitude of a true Tok'ra.
"Dr. Jackson." The Goa'uld voice still gave him the creeps, even after knowing this was a Tok'ra. He could never get used to it, and he would much rather speak with the host than the symbiote inside any day of the week.
"We came here by teltac to get your assistance." A smile came to the edges of the guy's mouth. "We heard from Jacob Carter that you are the one who can read the language of the Toban mines."
"So?" He had a bad feeling about this. Why in the world would a Tok'ra contact the NID and not the SGC? It didn't make sense at all.
"We need you to come with us to reprogram several of those mines."
He let out a sigh, staring at Samuels now. The man stood there like he was an arrogant Tok'ra himself. Daniel couldn't shake the feeling that there was something going on that not even Samuels knew. Maybe he should try to get this Tok'ra to come out of his shell? Jack was always trying to do that, maybe he could try as well? "Been there, done that, only recently. Ask Jacob Carter."
"We just need your help again."
"You should've let Jacob come over and ask." He smiled sweetly at the dark man, who was now getting tight lines around the edges of his mouth. The man was going to lose it and tell the whole story if he just pushed on a little longer. "Why not visit the SGC and ask?"
Raf'no rean looked back at Samuels and waved one hand in the air.
"I want you to contact my men, Colonel."
"Now?"
"Yes, we need to be leaving in a short while. They need to get the teltac ready."
Raf'no rean sounded like a man teaching an eight year old, and Samuels definitely had no problems with following his orders. Narrowing his eyes, Daniel wondered just how a Tok'ra had managed to assume so much power over the man. This was Earth, where home field advantage was supposed to be practised. The sports analogy instantly called Jack to mind again, and he barely held in the wince of concern that sprang up.
"We all need to do this to save the Earth from the Goa'uld, Colonel Samuels."
"Of course." Samuels saluted and turned to leave. "Dr. Jackson."
As Daniel expected, as soon as Samuels left the room, Raf'no rean was all over him. The man grabbed his arms, lifting him almost an inch from the floor. Yep, that Tok-not-so-ra, had lost it.
"You listen closely to what I say, Dr. Jackson."
"I have been doing that the whole time." Daniel was feeling bold today, apparently. Worrying about Jack probably had him thinking a little less clearly than usual, which always upped the chances he'd say or do something a little more outspoken than his usual method of operation. Besides, did the impostor Tok'ra really think he was some idiot who believed everything he heard? Well, this was not the day to argue, but a day of action it was indeed. "You are no Tok'ra."
"True." Raf'no rean now lost his smile entirely and pushed him back on the couch, hard. He leaned over while Daniel tried to rub some feeling back in his arms where the Goa'uld had grabbed him.
"Thought so." Daniel looked up trying to give the alien his most defiant glare. "Samuels doesn't know, does he?"
"That man is of no concern." The Goa'uld blinked once and the red glow of his eyes betrayed his annoyance. "You will speak no longer and do as you are told, Dr. Jackson. We know about the Toban mission you have had with Jacob Carter. He knows you can read the colour codes to control the mines. My Lord needs you for that."
"Uhm, I don't think so." One of the things Daniel would never do was helping a Goa'uld in any way. He hated them way too much to even think of breaking that rule. "Your master can find himself another to…"
The impact was tremendously forceful, ending his words before he could finish his snide comment. His head snapped back, the stinging sensation of the Goa'uld's hand still on his cheek. He lifted his hand, thinking to rub his sore face, but was rewarded with another blow to the head. Biting on his lower lip to prevent the groan from coming out of his throat, he focused and glared up at Raf'no rean.
A hand landed in his hair and pulled his head even further back, giving him the feeling his neck was about to snap. The Goa'uld's face was only inches from his. "You do not speak again until I tell you to speak, is that clear?"
Without giving it much thought Daniel managed a chuckle. "Well, that's kind of dumb." *Yep, that did sound a little like O'Neill.* Jack did have some influence on him, whether he liked it or not.
The hand was suddenly gone and he blinked. He was expecting another blow to the head, but Raf'no rean had done one step backwards and raised something in his hands. Something Daniel would rather not see. Something he just knew would hurt him a whole big bunch, though, judging from the massive burn marks Teal'c had had after his torture in the hands of Heru'ur. He raised his hands, slight panic rising like the tide from his gut into his throat. He couldn't swallow it away.
"You don't have to do that, you do want me to deprogram those mines, right?" Daniel nervously asked, feeling as though he had to talk, had to do something to stop the alien from using the fire stick in its hands. "I won't be able to concentrate too much if you start using that thing."
The Goa'uld just smiled down at him, condescendingly, as if it knew some deep, dark secret and was about to share it with Daniel. A cold shaft of base fear cut into him and he knew his argument had been seen through for the plea it really was. Raf'no rean knew precisely how terrified he was and took pleasure in it. Why did he even think negotiating would work? He should have known better. He should know how to get himself out of this, like he had only just been telling Jack. Oh, God, Jack was right. He *did* need protection.
Desperately, Daniel sought a different way out. Words weren't working, he had to take action. He dived with all his power against the Goa'uld, who was taken by surprise and wavered for just one second. One second wasn't enough for him to get more than a step, and then Daniel saw the stick coming right at him, and he couldn't jump out of the way in time.
Pain, stinging, hot fire blazed through his body as he crumpled to the floor. He couldn't stop the scream from escaping his mouth this time, but it was like the fire inside him swallowed up the sound and backfired it at him. Pure agony raced through his muscles and nerves, and he couldn't get away from the pain. It lasted forever, curling, swirling, killing. Unconsciousness promised, beckoned to him. He couldn't resist it, and felt himself fading toward it as the pain ricocheted on and on and on…
Then it stopped.
"What are you doing?"
A voice came to his ears from far away. It sounded like Samuels to Daniel's abused systems. He wasn't sure, but it had to be. The colonel had probably walked in on this torture session. Slowly, Daniel became aware of his own state. His head rested on the floor, his arms were folded in a protective embrace around his own body. Chills wracked him, his entire being filled with agonized misery as residual shock from the fire stick trailed through him. God, he felt like shit.
"Colonel Samuels," Raf'no rean greeted the colonel without the slightest bit of surprise in his tone. Like he'd been waiting for the NID man to come in and see this. Samuels was a dead man if he wasn't clever enough to turn and run, right now. Daniel knew he had to try to stop this.
"With compliments of my Lord."
Daniel peered up to see the Goa'uld towering over him raise a zat gun and point it at the door, no doubt at Samuels. Then he also heard another voice, like it was coming from behind Samuels.
"Sir, what is going on?" Another NID guy?
The zat gun fired and he heard someone fall to the floor. Without waiting any longer, Daniel braced himself and kicked his legs out against the alien next to him. The minute Raf'no rean fell backwards, he blinked at the young man crawling behind Samuels.
"RUN!" His body didn't want him to stand up and he waved at the young man frantically. "Goa'uld, Get out of here! Get help… SGC."
The man stared at him in shock for a couple of seconds. Their eyes connected with each other and then Daniel could see the surge of the zat gunfire over his head, missing the young man by inches. The NID operative bolted out of the door and the blue lighting came down again on Samuels.
"NO!"
Daniel was on his knees in seconds, pain all but forgotten. A strong hand pulled him back, and he fell with force against Raf'no rean. The alien had just killed Samuels, and he felt he hadn't done enough to stop it. It made him feel nauseated.
Jack stared at the ceiling of the infirmary. He hated this place, he hated the ceiling, the nurses. Hell, he hated lying on his back doing nothing. Carter had called the base and Fraiser and Co. had picked them up in an ambulance. Nice orange stripes on the side. He would have enjoyed the free ride, were it not that they were all worried sick over him. Worried also about where Daniel could be. He wanted to tell them, oh boy, really.
The highlight of his not-so-fun time had to be Doctor Fraiser's examination, as she hadn't had a clue what was going on with him and had whispered right next to his bed that it seemed like he was in some kind of coma. Hell, he wasn't, or was he? He could still think, although his thoughts were kind of foggy. And becoming more so with every passing minute.
A very long night had passed, Carter maintaining watch at his bedside for the bulk of it. Trying to get some sleep himself had proven hopeless, as the IV in his hand itched terribly and the catheter was a constant source of discomfort and embarrassment. Outside of physical worries, though, Jack was kept awake by the image of Daniel in the clutches of that big goon. God, Daniel had been so limp, almost lifeless. Almost, that was the key. His friend *was* still alive and he *would* stay that way. Shit.
The soft droning sound of his 2IC's voice strangely helped soothe his frayed nerves. She sounded confident that he could hear her, and he was grateful for that and her reassurances that everything would be alright even though Jack knew them to be tentative at best. Thinking on it, he was glad he had some knowledge of what had happened to Daniel. To not know anything would be so much worse. His head grew thick.
"Sir?"
Carter's voice seemed louder than it had a few moments ago. Startled by the appearance of her face smiling above his, Jack wished he could actually manifest the flinch physically. Okay, so he apparently had fallen asleep after all. Had no idea a person could do that with his eyes open.
"How are you feeling, sir?" Carter asked, ending her words with a small sigh of resignation.
*Like some mummy, buried alive, Major. But I'm still here.* That would have been fascinating to Daniel.
"There is something I need to tell you, sir."
*What is it, Carter? Don't let the old colonel wait.* He hoped it would be something important. Something to make him better, or even better, something to find Daniel. Maybe they found him already?
"General Hammond is talking to an airman from the NID right now, Colonel." She murmured in his ear. "He claims to know where Daniel is, sir."
*WHAT? Was this some kind of NID action? Kidnapping Daniel to do what? Get back at them, at him for something?* He couldn't believe his ears and really wanted to curse out loud. If one of the creeps of the NID shot him like this, Jack would get back to him, wherever he was hiding.
"It has something to do with the Tok'ra, sir…" She unconsciously rearranged the hair on his forehead and he wanted to frown; the motion was one he had seen her do for Daniel and was yet another needless reminder that his friend was missing. In serious trouble. "Dad is coming over so we can talk."
*Tok'ra? NID? What in the world was going on here?*
"Will you excuse me, sir?" Carter gestured at the door. "There is a briefing now, but I will come back to inform you about what is going on." He could see the worry in her eyes. Wished he could close his eyes to erase the sight, though doing so would do no such thing. "Hang in there, sir."
*Jeez, Carter, just go. See what you can find out. And you better well be getting back soon.* Jack couldn't even blink his eyes to tell her he understood. Maybe this was just temporary, and he would be much better in an hour or so. He had to stay positive, but it was getting damn hard.
Sam was nervous. She was also more upset than she was letting on. Always the military mind; keep your emotions in check and do the job as best as you can. She could only guess what had happened to Daniel and to the colonel and guesswork only led her to a tightly knotted stomach. She needed solid answers. Maybe she would finally get some in this meeting.
Walking into the briefing room, the first person she saw was her father. He immediately stood up and gave her a hug. It felt good, even in the presence of General Hammond and the other people in the room.
"How are you, Sam?"
"Fine, Dad," She tried a smile, sitting down on the chair next to his, but figured that he would know exactly how she was feeling at the moment. He had been getting good at picking up on her emotions over the last years. Since he'd been with the Tok'ra.
The other people in the room were General Hammond, Janet, Teal'c and
an airman in a blue suit. He looked nervous, sitting next to Teal'c, who appeared intimidatingly stern in a way that would even make the toughest marine wince. She almost smiled at the thought; if the situation weren't this serious, she probably would have.
"What do we know, people?" General Hammond came straight to the point as ever. He gestured at Sam to make a start and she let out a small sigh as she turned towards her father.
"I had loaned a video from Daniel and brought it back last night.
When I arrived at his apartment, he didn't answer the door and I got worried. I have keys, so I let myself in and there in the kitchen of his apartment, I found Colonel O'Neill, and he appeared to be in some kind of shock." She swallowed, thinking of how the colonel had just been lying there, staring into nothing. Like he was still doing at the moment. "Daniel was nowhere to be found, General, sir."
"Doctor?"
Janet didn't look confident at all. Normally she was the one with the answers to the ailments of the teams. But now she seemed to be at a loss, and that was apparent on her face. Cold dread sat in Sam's gut like an ice cube, freezing there and expanding until the feeling encompassed her whole body.
"Colonel O'Neill seems to be in some sort of coma," she stared at them, guilt in her eyes like she'd been the one who did this. "I don't know for sure what caused it, but some of the effects are like that of a zat gun. Only much worse and obviously longer lasting."
"When do you think he will wake up?" Hammond interrupted, asking what they all thought, all of them fearing Janet's answer.
"I don't know, sir." Janet's mouth was a tight line as she answered and she seemed to avoid looking at them. "I only know that he's alive and can probably hear us."
"Jacob?"
"I don't really know for sure, George," her dad said, with a grim look on his face. "Sounds a lot like a zel'namatek. Not very popular with the Goa'uld, as the victim will stay in a coma-like state for a long time."
"Could be what this is, General," Sam agreed before anyone else could react. A hopeful feeling just came over her. Maybe, just maybe this wasn't permanent and the colonel would be alright.
"I believe General Carter is correct," Teal'c stated. "It appears likely DanielJackson has been kidnapped by a Goa'uld."
"That's where we hear our young friend's story." Hammond gestured at the airman, who looked like he wanted to disappear inside the table. "This is Airman Broady and he was working for Colonel Samuels. Tell us what you know, son."
Airman Broady coughed and stared at the tabletop. "Colonel Samuels was contacted by the Tok'ra a couple of weeks ago. I do not know how he was contacted but they apparently needed our help with some of the mines from the Toban system." He swallowed, finally looking up, at her dad. "They came to Earth in a cloaked teltac as they didn't want the SGC to know about it, so they said. They wanted this to be a secret operation."
Jacob frowned, bending over the table towards young Broady. "I don't know anything about a secret operation."
"I know, sir," Broady continued. "They weren't Tok'ra, which I found out this morning. They are Goa'uld, and they shot Colonel Samuels."
"What about Daniel?" Sam couldn't stop herself, she had to know. This airman, or at least Samuels, had made a terrible mistake. But how in the world would it be possible that some Goa'uld could land on Earth without them knowing it? It made her think about cloaked Goa'uld ships and the ease they could land on Earth without their knowledge. Maybe this ship was spotted and they just didn't get the info?
"Colonel Samuels invited Dr. Jackson to the office to ask him for help with the mines. The so-called Tok'ra guy knew that Dr. Jackson had worked on the codes of those mines before. He is the only one who can read the Phoenician language, and every mine is different, so…" Broady shakily continued. "Then the Goa'uld shot Colonel Samuels and Dr. Jackson saved me from being shot at well."
"Then there must be a spy in the Tok'ra hideout." The dual tones ringing through the room signified Selmac had seen fit to emerge.
Sam blinked at the sudden change, head throbbing from the continuing influx of bad news from Broady. "We must go back and report this immediately, or all the Tok'ra will be in grave danger."
"What about Daniel?" Sam asked. It seemed like Selmac didn't care that much about what happened to him. Broady should know where Daniel was, so maybe they could still save him if they hurried. "You know where that teltac is?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Than let's go, right now!"
She was already standing when a hand from General Hammond stopped her. He looked around the table for just a minute and then nod his head. "Major, Teal'c, take SG-2 with you, and be careful."
"Yes, sir."
The hangar was almost identical to the one they had once tried to stop the rogue group of the NID in. It was an old abandoned Air Force shed in the middle of nowhere. Well, not exactly nowhere. It was not far away from the suburbs of Colorado Springs, it seemed. This was just another place from where the NID did its dirty business from.
Daniel tried to blink away the image of Colonel Samuels disappearing into thin air. Like the man had never even existed, erased and forgotten. Raf'no rean had made a show of it, and it made Daniel hate the Goa'uld even more. Not just this one, but all Goa'uld.
The anger inside of him would explode sooner or later. Thinking about the life he had on Abydos made him even angrier. So peaceful and calm and with people who cared for him, loved him. The things he'd been through these last years had made him harder and stronger. He didn't think it was for the better, as with those feelings, the anger had started to surface even more.
Daniel realised he had started taking his frustrations with those unhappy changes out on Jack. Ignoring him while his friend only wanted to help. As if Jack didn't have his own share of grief in the last years. Shit, Jack. The image of Samuels vaporising was instantly replaced with imagined pictures of Jack crumpling in his kitchen, vanishing as his attacker unleashed two more blasts into his friend's body.
No! That hadn't happened. Jack was alive. He was. He had to be.
A tall man who looked human but who was clearly working for this Goa'uld, had driven him and Raf'no rean to this hangar in a van. He had thought of escaping right there and then, but he had been feeling weak after the fire stick drill, and the Goa'uld had been holding his arm all the way, pinching a little harder than absolutely necessary, of course. Maybe he would get a chance later on, as there was always an opening, somewhere. Jack had taught him that as he swallowed away the lump in his throat thinking about it.
Daniel stumbled further into the hangar. Raf'no rean held his arm and made him walk faster. His breath threatened to stop in his throat as he looked up, seeing the teltac on the other side of the expansive room. There were four Jaffa standing to attention all around it, and no sign of any members of NID. This was not good, no, this was definitely bad.
"When can we leave?" Raf'no rean asked one of the Jaffa in a tone like he didn't really trust them with what they were doing. Daniel knew that Jaffa were very loyal to their masters, but maybe Teal'c's rebellion against Apophis was known even here? It could be a reason for the Goa'uld to be more careful with trusting their Jaffa? Maybe he could take advantage of that, somehow.
"The intercom is not functioning properly, my Lord," one of them did a step forward. "We need to repair it before taking off, as we almost immediately need to contact the mother ship after take off. It may take some time."
"How much time?" The Goa'uld snarled, and the grip on his arm turned into a grip of solid iron. Daniel's free arm and hand came up automatically to free himself. It proved to be a mistake.
"Ah…"
The alien hit him full force on the chest with his fist, and he sailed several meters through the hall, his chest burning and his lungs trying to get some air back inside. He choked as a hand suddenly clawed around his throat.
"You behave," Raf'no rean ordered and smiled in his face.
"Al- always a pleasure…" He ground it out between his teeth in a way that would have made Jack proud. *Take that, you, you, snake!*
"Guard him." The hand eased up and the Goa'uld waved at two Jaffa to follow him to the teltac. He definitely seemed in a hurry. Maybe his master didn't like to wait? It made Daniel wonder who the head master was this time. Apophis? Maybe Osiris? Massaging his neck, he breathed in deeply.
Slowly his breath returned, the pain in his chest reduced to a dull throb, and he was able to look around the hangar. Always assess the situation and look for the nearest exit. It was something Jack could have taught him, but he already knew this himself. There was one door several meters behind him. There was his only chance for escape. Now for a plan to have a diversion that would allow him to flee.
Casually looking up, Daniel noted the Jaffa guarding him wasn't paying him much attention. For good reason – the alien's arms were easily the same size as Teal'c's, maybe bigger, so Daniel posed very little real threat to escape. Also, like most 'good' Jaffa, he looked quite likely to shoot first and ask questions later. What to do next? Maybe he could throw in a little diplomatic discussion somewhere.
Staring up, his eyes fell on white round projections on the ceiling. Smoke detectors? Maybe he could get the Jaffa to shoot at them and that way the sprinkler system would start working. He just had to hope that the system was still working, but since this was a hangar still in use by the NID, it should work alright. It was a plan to begin with.
"Excuse me?" He turned to the alien next to him. No reaction at all.
"Hello?" He was about to stand up when a staff weapon was pointed at his face and he swallowed, sitting down again.
"Oh well, I just wanted to point something out to you." He waved in the air with one hand pointing at the smoke detectors. The Jaffa looked up and back at him with a non readable face.
"You, uhm… you really don't know what they are for?"
"You are not allowed to talk, Tau'ri." The Jaffa really bit it at him, but he not only looked at Daniel but also at the smoke detectors with more than a little concern. This had to work.
"Okay, but just so you know that it's important."
"Shut up." The Jaffa waved a staff weapon in his face. And it was more the idea to have him point that weapon at those detectors.
"You don't want to be run over by Tau'ri in a minute, right?" Daniel feigned a hurt expression staring around at so-called threats to the Jaffa. The tall alien's eyes turned to slits and a cold feeling inside him told Daniel it was now or never. "Well, I for one don't like that idea, you know?"
The alien guard did two paces and pointed the staff weapon at his chest. "You tell me what they are right now, Tau'ri."
"Oh, I don't know if I…" The staff weapon came down on his shoulder in one swift move. It hurt like hell, but it wasn't quite enough to really damage his shoulder. He bit his lip to stop himself from crying out.
"Tell me," the Jaffa insisted with a growl.
"Cameras," Daniel spit out, rubbing his shoulder. "The Tau'ri can see what you are doing here through these."
"Why are you telling me this?" The alien wasn't so easily fooled, damn.
"Because," he let out a sigh, blinking up at the Jaffa. "I don't want people of the Tau'ri to rush in and shoot everything they see, friend or not."
"You are a coward," the Jaffa exclaimed in a proud voice and started to raise his staff weapon at one of the smoke detectors that would in no doubt activate all the sprinklers in the hall, he hoped. Daniel sighed. He couldn't see he other Jaffa and Raf'no rean. They were probably still working inside the teltac, further on in the hall.
The staff weapon opened up and the shot was a direct hit on the detector. Sirens started blaring through the hall, and all the sprinklers activated at once, raining down on them like cold showers. The Jaffa next to him was stunned for just a second.
Daniel scrambled to his feet, and with all his strength, the pain forgotten, he grabbed the staff weapon and smashed it hard in the alien's face. To his surprise the Jaffa fell down like he just walked into a brick wall.
Turning, he registered the door through the film of water falling down on him. He was already wet to the bone, his clothes were heavy and the water on his glasses obscured his view. He ran as fast as he could, voices of the Jaffa behind him. Only three steps to go…
He heard the sound of a zat gun just before the electrical charge hit him, his body shuddered, making him fall to the floor, a whimper escaping his mouth. He was still conscious when a large booted foot came down on his back.
"That was a dumb move, Doctor." The boot left his back and he was turned around. Blinking into the face of one pissed off Raf'no rean, he knew he was in really big trouble.
The hangar was empty.
Sam looked around while SG-2 secured the area. They were too late. Couldn't these things just work for once? It was so frustrating to always come up empty. The hangar was almost bathed in water that splashed over her boots. What in world had happened here?
"Major Carter?" Teal'c was on the other side of the hangar, his Jaffa tracking nose almost on the ground.
"Found something, Teal'c?"
"There has been a teltac here, Major Carter."
She walked towards him, a frown on her face. "I'm not even going to ask how you know, Teal'c." She splashed with her boot in a puddle of water. "Damn it!"
"Are you alright, Major Carter?"
*Was she alright? Was she?* The colonel was lying in the infirmary in some kind of coma. Daniel had been kidnapped by some Goa'uld and they had been clearly too late to help him. She needed to go tell the colonel that they had failed to find Daniel in time. It wouldn't help for his recovery, she knew. She wasn't alright, not by a long shot. She was pissed off and wanted to hurt something small and cuddly just to vent her negative emotions.
"I'm okay, Teal'c," she managed a smile. "Let's head back to the mountain. Leave a team here to find some traces."
Teal'c just stared at her with one of his all knowing glares. They always made her feel like that anyway, like the Jaffa knew more than all of them on many things. He was just not stating it most of the time. "DanielJackson will be alright Major Carter."
She let out an involuntary sigh. "How can you be so sure, Teal'c?"
Thinking about all of it again she stamped her boot in a puddle of water. "And what do I tell the colonel?"
"If they wanted to kill DanielJackson, we would have found the body."
"They need him, Teal'c," she spit out the obvious a little too harsh, but Teal'c didn't move one muscle. "But he could be hurt."
Staring at the puddle she was standing in she almost jumped when a hand landed on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw Teal'c next to her; his dark eyes seemed concerned. "Do not worry, he will be alright. He is a brave man."
*A brave man.* Sam bit her lip, knowing Daniel as she did, that bravery would likely be something that got him into more trouble. They knew that Daniel hated the Goa'uld like no other, and that he could say or do things that could harm himself in a situation like this. And this time they weren't around to take the heat off. Reminding herself that Daniel was also very stubborn and could take care of himself, she smiled up at Teal'c.
"Yeah." She was glad she still had Teal'c to help her out. She had to stay positive, think of solutions. It was her job to do so. "Stubborn, too."
"Like O'Neill," Teal'c answered. "You must tell him, Major Carter."
The colonel, she had to tell him as soon as they got back. It wouldn't be easy, but they'd always been honest with each other, even when it hurt. Maybe he was about to wake up and bouncing up and down to go out and help? *Keep the positive thoughts coming, Sam.*
"Oh, I will, Teal'c, I will."
The Jaffa nodded gravely. "I will stay here for a while and see if I can find other traces of Goa'uld activity myself."
"Thanks, Teal'c.
Jack was anxious and frustrated, but had no way of showing it to the nurses walking in and out, checking him and leaving again. Which, of course, only served to add to his mounting frustration. Why in the world was Carter not back yet? He had no idea of time, but it seemed like forever to him. Right now he really needed someone to tell him what was going on.
Janet had been back for a minute to tell him that the thing that probably shot him was something Goa'uld, something with a difficult name, he couldn't remember what it was. The effects should be temporary and he should be fine. It was good to hear that, but it didn't stop him from getting more upset by the minute.
Maybe concentrating on his body and getting angry would help him move? He could always give it a try. He felt so damn helpless not being able to go look for Daniel himself. He had let his friend down, again. It was like his whole body was covered in fog now, the same as his mind, and it was hard to think of anything for long. Anger was indeed building up inside and Jack mentally shouted at himself. Not that there was any sound, but it helped.
"Colonel?" Was that a nurse next to his bed?"I'm going to give you something that will help you sleep."
*What? No! He didn't need sleep, he needed to get out of this bed!*
The minute he thought he was about to explode, the world around him started to blur, the fog getting thicker. He was indeed feeling very tired all of a sudden. Then he felt her fingers closing his eyes, and he drifted off into sleep.
A face came into his vision. He felt a light shock going through his body and he blinked in confusion. The disorientation persisted until a random thought that he was getting better at long last infested his mind. He held a hand up in front of his face, never so pleased to see his fingers waggling. Wait, he was standing? None of this made sense; he'd been sleeping in the infirm…sleeping. Was he dreaming? He was very cold, like an icy wind was blowing over him but he felt no dispersion of air. Then, suddenly, the face became clearer. He realised with utter fascination who it was.
*Daniel!*
Jack came awake instantly. Darkness surrounded him once again as the vision of Daniel's face vanished abruptly, replaced by harsh, medical sounds. Unable to open his eyes, he was left in a strange limbo of lingering cold, dread and fear. This wasn't like the feelings he had been experiencing since the minute he'd been incapacitated. No, this was deeper. Separate. Not him. A sick feeling crawled into his stomach, adding to the coldness already there. He knew there was something totally wrong, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
*Of course something was wrong. He was lying in this bed and his best friend was gone, that was what was wrong!*
It had been a long time since he'd considered Daniel to be his best friend. Maybe he hadn't shown it all that much the last years. Shown that he cared, that he respected Daniel's judgements as well as his own. That he trusted Daniel. He knew he really did, but he didn't always show it.
He hoped he would get a chance to tell Daniel… soon.
Leaving Earth gave Daniel a strange feeling of being abandoned. Normally he would leave Earth through the Stargate, with his team, his friends. This time, sitting on the floor, staring out of the teltac's front window into space, watching planets like Jupiter and Saturn approach at high speed, hurt him inside deeply.
He wondered what Jack would do right now. He wondered if Jack was alright. He still didn't have an answer to this question and it made him feel very uncomfortable. Jack had tried to stop his kidnapper, and he was shot. But then again, Jack had been shot by zats before, if it had been a zat, so he should be okay. He had to admit to himself that his anger with Jack had all but disappeared and was replaced by worry.
When the teltac raced into hyperspace and Earth was totally out of reach, he swallowed. He was on his own now.
His chest still hurt from the hit Raf'no rean had given him and he was trembling, feeling cold, as his clothes were still soggy from the water of the sprinklers. Maybe being wet made the after effects of the zat worse? He was feeling really shaky. The combination of ailments made Daniel think that any given minute now he'd lose the contents of his stomach, send them splattering all over the floor. That would be as
bad for the Jaffa as for him though. He tried to concentrate on his breathing to keep it all in check.
Raf'no rean had not hurt him any further after his attempted escape, but Daniel had the feeling he wouldn't get away with it this easy. The Goa'uld just needed to find a way to hurt him a little more. He already knew how that alien mind was working. He hoped he was wrong this time. He let out a sigh and looked at the Jaffa standing next to him.
"Where are we going?"
No answer…
"Excuse me." Instead of getting an answer, the Jaffa turned to make way for Raf'no rean. The Goa'uld wasn't smiling this time; the lack of expression was just as chilling, however.
"Didn't I tell you that talking is not allowed?"
Daniel swallowed and tried not to be intimidated too much by the alien standing in front of him. "I just want to know where we are going."
Raf'no rean didn't say a word but sat down next to him on the floor.
His shoulder rubbed up against the Goa'uld when he sat down and Daniel pushed himself away from the touch.
"You want to know what happened to your friend?"
It was a question out of nowhere and it made Daniel blink. Was Raf'no rean talking about Jack? He had to be, judging from the smug look on his face. Daniel felt a cold hand surrounding his heart. He desperately wanted to know what happened to Jack, but still it scared him.
"Samuels told me he is the infamous O'Neill," Raf'no rean smiled down on him, still too close for comfort. "Or should I say, was."
Was? Oh, God. Jack was dead?
Daniel struggled to maintain his composure. Struggled to breathe. No. No. This wasn't true. Jack couldn't be dead. This was a lie. Raf'no rean just wanted to hurt him, making him believe this. He wasn't going to fall for it. Jack was alive and looking for him. Daniel could almost feel their connection, like his friend was actually here with him.
"I don't believe you." Daniel did his best to stare into those cold eyes without flinching. "You need to come up with a better story to convince me of that."
"Very well, suit yourself." The Goa'uld jumped to his feet. "We will reach Abydos in a couple of minutes."
Abydos? They were going to Abydos? It was like a stone just dropped into his stomach. What is the world did Raf'no rean and his boss want with Abydos? They wanted him to deprogram mines, so why in the world…
Wanted *him* to. He stared at Raf'no rean when realisation dawned. This had to be their way to get his cooperation. Oh, this Goa'uld was well informed. Way too informed. Daniel would do anything to stop them from hurting the people of Abydos. This Goa'uld knew that.
He wondered who the Goa'uld could be they were about to meet.
"Sir?"
Jack jerked inside, startled by his 2IC's seemingly sudden appearance. He must have fallen asleep again and wanted nothing more than to open his eyes and see the news written all over Carter's face. A moment's reflection told him he wouldn't like what he'd see, as her voice was clear and sad. *Sad?*
It was like she could read his thoughts, as fingers carefully pried open his eyelids and worried blue eyes looked down at him. "I'm sorry I haven't been back earlier."
*That's alright, Carter. Just tell me what you know.* She sat down and let out a sigh. *Oh, that was a bad sign, very bad indeed. Just tell me Carter, get on with it.*
"I will keep it short." Carter didn't look at him now, but at the bed sheets as if they were totally fascinating. "Daniel's been kidnapped by a Goa'uld, we don't know which one. We do know that they came to Earth in a cloaked teltac as Tok'ra, and they had contacts with Colonel Samuels and NID."
*So, what do they want with Daniel, and where is he?*
"They apparently want Daniel to help them deprogram some Toban mines," she said, answering his thoughts like she could really read them.
*Damn!* Daniel was the one with the bad luck again. Why did they always come after Daniel? *Tell me more, Carter, come on!*
"We missed the teltac, sir," she said and swallowed, clearly trying to get her emotions in check. Always the military mind, Carter was. Jack wondered if she knew how easy it was to see through her bravado. "We missed catching up with Daniel, and now we just don't know where to find him, sir." She grabbed his hand all of a sudden. "I'm so sorry."
They didn't know where Daniel was? This information hit him like a brick. He was hoping that Daniel would still be on Earth, and that they would find him. What were they supposed to do now? Sit back and wait for Daniel to return? There had to be something they could do.
Suddenly his whole body felt cold again. Daniel was in the hands of god knew which snakehead, and he couldn't do anything to help him. It was bad enough when Jack knew his friend was in just regular Earth-bound trouble. This went above and beyond, and left him sick to the soul.
"My dad is doing an investigation along the Tok'ra lines to find out anything that can help us, sir. Maybe we can find out which Goa'uld got his hands on some Toban mines."
Jack still heard her, but his brain didn't seem to register all of it. Cold dread deep inside him made him fear that none of them would ever see Daniel again.
The Goa'uld mother ship hanging in the air not far from Abydos made Daniel swallow, reminding him too much of their fight against Ra and the suppression of the people on the planet. It hurt thinking of the wonderful time he had on Abydos for a year, happy with Sha're and her family. Skaara was again living with Kasuf in the main settlement on the planet and his happiness regarding this was marred only by the desire that he and Sha're had not also been able to join them there. Almost three years had passed, and still the pain of her loss would not lessen.
Was this going to start all over again? He had lost Sha're, would he lose his second home as well? It wasn't good to think this way. They won against Ra, they could do the same to this Goa'uld. They? What they? He was alone now, where he had had Jack by his side on the first Abydos mission. Daniel had to admit again that he missed his friend's wise cracks and sarcastic humour. Not that he would ever, even upon penalty of death, tell Jack this. Oh, God, penalty of death was probable and suddenly his internal joking was not even remotely funny. It backfired at him, making the ache of his loneliness all the more apparent.
"Let's meet my Lord."
Raf'no rean took his arm in a firm grip, like he was afraid Daniel would jump ship or something. The Jaffa followed them in place where the transport rings would bring them into the mother ship. The teltac itself was docked in what looked like some kind of tractor beam that held the ship in place. Frowning, he thought about commenting on the strange positioning but changed his mind when the Goa'uld dug his fingers deeper in a silent order to move faster.
"Can't wait to meet him," Daniel muttered as the rings came down, and the inside of the teltac disappeared in front of his eyes to be replaced by a large room with feathers and golden statues. He lifted his brows and sighed at the tastelessness of the room's decorations. All Goa'uld were real show masters.
"My Lord." Raf'no rean turned around, taking him along in the progress.
"Raf'no rean, welcome."
Daniel recognized the voice immediately. Zippacna, it was the Goa'uld Zippacna.
He wondered why these aliens were always so hard to kill. He thought Teal'c had taken care of this one on Tollana when they had had the triad and had freed Skaara of his Goa'uld symbiote. Zippacna had managed to escape though. Didn't Teal'c tell them that when they were hiding with Lya?
The very tall Goa'uld came down from a throne with ostrich feathers, walked towards them and grinned. "Welcome to my ship, Doctor Daniel Jackson. It has been a while since we met."
Daniel tried his most sarcastic smile, craning his neck to look the alien straight in the eye. "Good, a Goa'uld who knows my name, very clever. Now, am I invited for tea and cookies?"
"You are not on Tollana now, Doctor Jackson." Zippacna started to circle him while Raf'no rean bowed his head to get out of the way. "Your friends are not here to help you, neither are the Tollans."
Daniel was well aware of the Goa'uld slowly circling him and it gave him the shivers. "You are still mad about losing the triad, right?
"The host Skaara will soon be in my reach again," Zippacna said and stopped while looking down on him. "Unless you are willing to deprogram some Toban mines for me."
Daniel knew this was going to come up sooner or later, so he let out a deep sigh and put on his most defiant voice. "May I ask what you will do with those mines? You could blow up Abydos anyway even if I help you."
The Goa'uld lowered his head far enough to let Daniel feel the alien's breath on his cheek. He didn't flinch and stood his ground. "You help me, or I will blow up the planet right now."
"No choice, right?"
"Right." Zippacna grinned, his hand coming down to grasp Daniel's cheek like he was some little kid. Then he turned away waving his hands in the air for him to follow. "Let's go deprogram some mines."
Daniel looked around the large room he and his merry band of archenemies had just entered.
There was a transport ring bay in the middle of the room and there was some sort of control panel that monitored the whole ship and mines as far as he could see. Looking at one of the screens, he could also see about ten Toban mines hanging in space in a row, like they were attached to the ship in some kind of tractor beam, similar to the Teltac.
A woman, tall with long red curls, glanced up from a monitor when they walked her way. Daniel stared at her. She was a stunning beauty, like a lot of hosts to the Goa'uld. Her green eyes seemed to look straight through him as he and Zippacna stopped next to her. Daniel felt cold, even more when she started talking in that dark inhuman voice.
"My Lord," she greeted, lowering her eyes and bowing towards Zippacna.
"Everything going according to plan, Nawa'ri?" Zippacna inquired. He touched her hair with one finger and grinned at Daniel. "Nawa'ri is our mine specialist, she's good."
"So, I can go home then?" Daniel couldn't stop himself from asking.
After a prolonged, rather awkward silence in which he thought he was going to be on the receiving end of more punishment, the Goa'uld finally smiled slyly and laughed deeply. The tension left the air almost immediately.
Zippacna lay one hand on Daniel's shoulder, making him wince. "You are very amusing, Tau'ri."
"I do my best."
Zippacna stiffened slightly at his continued sarcasm but was still grinning, though now in an unnerving way. "You are here to help with the mines, Dr. Jackson. Nawa'ri here is no expert in translating codes, and we know that you are. As our Tok'ra spy has confirmed, you have done that before."
Daniel swallowed, they had a spy among the Tok'ra? Of course, how else would they know about all this? "My reputation seemed to have gone before me."
"With these mines," Zippacna continued as though he didn't even hear him, "I can blow up every fleet of every System Lord."
"Great idea," Daniel let out in his most sarcastic voice. Finally he knew Zippacna's intention and it made him think of the things Jacob Carter always said to them - better to deal with more System Lords than one all-powerful Goa'uld. This was not good at all.
"We can start right away, my Lord." Nawa'ri pushed some buttons and behind them one of the mines was transported into the room. She must have figured out some program that would keep the mine steady and in one place, as it hovered but didn't move the way the mine did when Jacob had ringed it into their teltac weeks ago.
"Yes." Zippacna nodded and was about to turn and leave the room when he did one step back towards Daniel and grabbed his hair in a not so gentle way, making him yelp.
"Don't even think you can escape or not help with this. The people on Abydos will suffer if you do not comply, is that clear?"
Forced on his toes to get away from the pain, Daniel could only whisper between clenched teeth, "Yes." Then the hand was gone and he was left alone in the room with Nawa'ri and two Jaffa guards.
"Sam…"
"Dad," Sam sighed, hugging her father as he came through the door of General Hammond's office. She had been sitting there for a while now, waiting for him to show up. He transmitted a message an hour before that he had some news. Time had never passed so slow, but finally her waiting was over.
"George."
"Any news, Jacob?" Hammond gestured her father to sit down and come straight to business. It made her smile inwardly, as she knew they would do anything to find Daniel. Not every general would do what Hammond did for his subordinates. For SG1 in particular.
"Yes, I have some news." Her father was holding her hand when he sat down next to her. This wasn't good news, she could see it in his eyes. It was the way he always looked when something was wrong, the way he had looked when he'd told her about her mom's accident.
"Zippacna is the Goa'uld who has Daniel."
"What?" She didn't want to interrupt but it hit her like lightening.
They hadn't heard from Zippacna in months, not since the triad on Tollana. Maybe he was like Apophis, and kept turning up every now and again like a bad penny.
"Let me finish, Sam," Jacob said with a deep sigh. "The Tok'ra have a spy in Zippacana's ranks to blow up his biggest mother ship before he can do damage to other System Lords." Her father looked rather guilty. "I didn't know they were planning this or that they wanted to do so with Toban mines."
"So, there is no Goa'uld spy among the Tok'ra?" Hammond asked before she could say anything.
Sam was rather upset that her dad didn't know about this operation. Apparently Tok'ra worked in small groups, not knowing everything that was going on. Just like any Earth government, she thought wryly.
"That's correct, George," her father replied, regret noticeable in his voice. "The Tok'ra High Council planned this, and they heard about Daniel through my reports about the mission to blow up Apophis and Heru'ur's ships. Our spy among Zippacna's ranks must need Daniel to help blow up Zippacna's ship now or the potential danger to him would have been revealed to you."
She closed her eyes for a minute. A Tok'ra who encouraged a Goa'uld to kidnap Daniel to help blow up a ship with a couple of mines? What if something went wrong? What if… This was so stupid, the Tok'ra were their allies, they could have asked.
Her father seemed to read her thoughts. "I'm so sorry I didn't know this, Sam. I would never have allowed such a mission."
"So, where is Zippacna?" She didn't want to argue at the moment, she was too angry. Getting Daniel back now was the most important thing. If they knew where Zippacna or that Tok'ra spy was, than it stood to reason they would find Daniel.
"I don't know, Sam."
"You don't know?"
"It's a secret operation, and Zippacna could be anywhere," he quietly said, reaching out and touching her shoulder. "I'll do anything to find out where he is, Sam… I promise you that."
"Thank you, Jacob." Hammond's voice reached her ears, but she was still too upset to react herself. They didn't know, they didn't know where to find Daniel… God, what were they supposed to do now, wait for her father to return with more news? How was she going to tell the colonel?
"I'm sorry, Sam." The hand on her shoulder squeezed lightly. Her hand reached for his and squeezed back, making clear that she was expecting he'd do everything in his power to find Daniel.
And he would, she knew he would.
Daniel was glad Zippacna had left. He wasn't all that fond of the Goa'uld; he wasn't fond of any of them for that matter. He also really didn't want to meet Raf'no rean too much. His arm was still sore from the alien's grip. Maybe Nawa'ri was someone he could handle. Maybe.
She waved her arm as an impatient indicator for him to follow her to the mine. Writing in a small book, she didn't even look at him. A Goa'uld writing notes in a book… Daniel wondered why she wasn't using any sophisticated technology like they normally did. It looked kind of weird and had a familiarity to it he wished he could place.
"Come over here, Tau'ri, and hurry up!"
There was that dark voice again. He closed his eyes for a minute, trying to blink away the image of Sarah, or rather Osiris. The whole thing was still so fresh in his mind, the way Sarah's beautiful warm eyes had turned into that inhuman stare. Just like Nawa'ri's look right now. It made his stomach turn and his blood boil. Maybe she had been as brilliant and lovely as Sarah before this Goa'uld overtook her. As lovely as Sha're for that matter. Sha're… He was about to get more than a little upset. He was starting to get furious, at the symbiote inside, taking all what had been and turning it around to his own benefits. His hands clenched in tight fists.
"Don't even think I'm going to work on any mine."
Daniel felt like kicking something or hitting one of the Jaffa on the nose just to make a point. It was stupid, of course. He didn't want the people of Abydos to pay for his actions. He started to relax, slowly breathing in and out, his fists the only visible thing that showed how he was still feeling.
Nawa'ri just looked at him. "Oh, I think you will."
Daniel stared back at her. He decided he didn't want to let her see any of his anger. He slowly unclenched his hands. She looked quite smug, like she thought she was very important and had 'beat' him. Typical. Even reminded him a bit of Hathor, and he really didn't want to go there.
"You will probably blow up Abydos anyway, am I right?" He had made the same assertion with Zippacna, but he somehow couldn't help reiterating it with Nawa'ri. Seconds after the words left his mouth, though, Daniel considered that he might have made yet another tactical error. She could be as bad, or worse, than the other Goa'uld when it came to snide comments.
She waved at the Jaffa. "Leave us!"
They did what she said and as soon as the doors were closed behind them, she walked over and started circling him. Why were all these Goa'uld always circling him? It was eerie, like a cat playing with a mouse. Well, maybe it wasn't all that weird, as humans seemed to be no more than lower caste animals to these aliens anyway.
"Well?" Daniel asked, still riveted on hearing the answer to his question, as if having one of the Goa'uld confirming his helplessness was important. He knew he was powerless.
"No."
"No?" What was she telling him? Was she telling him to shut the hell up, or was she not planning on blowing up Abydos? The hairs on his neck stood up automatically when he felt her walking around until she stood in front of him.
Her voice was no more than a whisper as she leaned closer. "I am of the Tok'ra, and my plan is to blow up this mother ship."
"You are…" He stared at her. Was this some trick to make him cooperate or something? Maybe she thought he would be stupid enough to fall for her convenient explanation?
She continued whispering, but her voice still held that superior little tone. "I do not like to admit it, but you can be helpful."
"Oh, sure," he casually said, managing a smile as he did one step back. "How do I know you are speaking the truth, you could be a spy for Zippy as far as I'm concerned."
"Zippy?"
"Zippacna."
Nawa'ri nodded her head and turned away from him. When she turned to face him again the superior stance seemed to be gone. She even smiled, her green eyes still seeing straight through him, but in a different way. "Interesting name," her voice was human now. "I am Kevala, Nawa'ri's host."
Daniel knew only the Tok'ra let their hosts talk freely like this; that this was a partnership and a co-existence. Still, there were Goa'uld who could make it look like they were Tok'ra, or even human. He couldn't trust her this easily.
"How do I know you're telling me the truth?"
She let out a sigh, and started to pace the room like she was impatient. "Are all Tau'ri this stubborn?"
He couldn't help but smile at that. "Guess so."
She stopped pacing in front of him, getting even closer than she had been minutes ago. Again, a nasty reminder of Hathor came back to him, like bile rising in the throat. Daniel swallowed deeply and hoped he didn't look nearly as nauseous as he felt.
"We infiltrated Zippacna's ranks months ago. His plan to use the Toban mines against some important System Lords has to be stopped."
Daniel stared at her when she turned and walked towards the mine. He didn't know what to think of her. Here he was in a Goa'uld mother ship, thinking he would be on his own, and now there was this Tok'ra woman who could probably get them out of here. He had a choice – trust her or not. If he was wrong, he'd be dead, but then, he'd be dead in any case.
"Better to deal with them than an all-powerful Goa'uld, right?"
"Right." Her head slowly bent down, coming up the voice of Nawa'ri, which for some reason, almost made him reconsider working with her.
"We have placed two beacons inside this ship. They still need to be activated for the mines to hone in on them and destroy it."
"You seem to have everything under control then?" Daniel didn't care much for her tone. It was still like she knew it all and he was just someone standing in the way. A huge knot fisted him in the middle of his back, tenseness taking an all too physical form. Daniel wasn't sure why he was being so mistrustful but he did know it wasn't a feeling he particularly enjoyed. Jack would be pleased at his ability to…Jack. Suddenly, Daniel had never felt more alone.
"These mines need to be deprogrammed." Nawa'ri looked at him and her eyes seemed to shoot daggers. "I have made notes, but I still need your help for translating some of the codes."
A weird feeling crept up inside him. The Tok'ra had been planning this for months, and after the mission with Jacob they knew about his ability to read the Toban Phoenician language codes. This was all way too simple to be a coincidence. It was like they planned it this way.
"You arranged to have me brought here, didn't you?" This was so unbelievable. Jacob would never have said yes to a plan like this.
She didn't even look guilty, just lifted up her shoulders and waved at the mine. "This is a very important mission, Doctor Jackson. We needed you."
"Oh God," he sighed, waving his arms in the air in frustration. He couldn't believe the Tok'ra would go through this much trouble to ask him for help. "You could have just asked."
"There was no time for that, and I was already infiltrated in Zippacna's ranks. We knew he was planning something to do with the Toban mines, but we didn't know what," Nawa'ri explained as if she were talking to a two year old who'd just claimed her last ounce of patience.
"And now you do." Daniel suddenly felt tired. He didn't even want to hear more about the who's and why's, he just wanted a plan to get out of here. "So, you wanna blow up this ship. And then?"
"Mission accomplished." She took up her book.
"Great."
He should have known she had no real plan to get off the ship when it blew up, if it would blow. They would die in Tok'ra honour. Well, she would anyway. He was just going to plain ol' die. Maybe they could talk about changing that while working on figuring out these new mines. Because if he didn't survive this, Daniel knew of at least one Air Force colonel who was going to kick some Tok'ra butt.
Daniel didn't think he'd object to force in that instance.
Walking through the corridors of a mother ship was getting way too normal for Daniel's taste. Two Jaffa were following his every move, which made the situation just a tiny cut above the norm. But so not for the better. He was struck by a wholly inappropriate impulse to start playing hide and seek with them. Smiling to himself, he thought Jack O'Neill would probably approve. His smile faltered as he realised that, no, Jack would most definitely not approve. In times like these, the other man would gladly draw attention to himself and away from the rest of the team. God, would he ever see any of them again?
Nawa'ri had been quite adamant towards Daniel to get it right, which was no surprise. The Tok'ra did have a tendency to find shortcomings in others while remaining completely oblivious of their own. The host, Kevala seemed to shush things every time Nawa'ri was about to get very upset by Daniel's progress in understanding how to activate one of the beacons.
Daniel thought himself a fast learner and that he was doing pretty well under the stressful circumstances, but Nawa'ri never seemed satisfied. There was not much time left. Zippacna was waiting for their results to start using the mines himself. Daniel got what she was referring to as 'the short course.' He, in return, told her as much as possible about the colour codes on these mines. It was hard to remember it all without his books and own notes, but somehow enough stuck in the back of his mind to do the translations. It took more time because of that, though. Nawa'ri had made notes of it, and she had listened closely to his mumbled translations.
After he finally finished most of it, she had argued with a couple of Jaffa to let them roam the ship. Nawa'ri had done her best to convince them the necessity of going over calculations in various locations in order to get the mines correctly positioned. Letting them know there was no other way they could complete the task otherwise, and of how displeased Zippacna would be if he found out the reason for the failure of the task was their reluctance. They couldn't refuse her.
And so it was that he walked along with two Jaffa still on his heels, on his way to activate some kind of beacon without them noticing.
Like most Jaffa still faithful to their god, these two seemed to be no mental giants and thus Daniel thought he wouldn't have a problem outsmarting them. Unfortunately, they *were* incredibly observant and diligent in their guard. He hoped that applied only to physical stimulus and that they wouldn't pick up on his subterfuge. Nawa'ri had left them with the instruction to take him on a particular path only, then back to the mines, where he'd meet with her again to program them to hit on the beacons' frequency.
"I need to go in here," he said, choosing a simplistic method to gain access instead of something overly detailed. Daniel turned and nodded at the door in front of him, knowing it was the room where the ships defence shields were sending out their signals. According to Nawa'ri, he'd only need a few seconds to activate the beacon.
"Why?" One of the Jaffa did one step towards him. "Lord Zippacna did not grant you access to this room."
"You want me to reprogram those mines, right? I need to check out the defence shields to see how the mines would react on them if we would reprogram them." He let out a fake sigh of exasperation. "You don't want them to accidentally blow up this ship, right?"
There was a growl, but one of the Jaffa opened the door. "You better do your job well, Tau'ri, or the people on Abydos will have a very bad day."
Daniel bit back a comment. He needed to find a reason for the Jaffa to stay back a bit when they entered the small chamber that was described earlier in detail by Nawa'ri. Making snide comments to these Jaffa wouldn't help his cause, so maybe he could find something else to say that made them stay back?
Taking a look around, he discovered the area was clear. The lights in the small cramped room were like green tubes shining on metallic, golden pillars. One of the pillars had a console inside that seemed transparent. That was where he would find the beacon. He felt his palms start to sweat and he found himself hoping Nawa'ri hadn't run into any trouble finding and activating the corresponding beacon.
"Could you wait outside please? I need to concentrate on this task, as I don't want something to go wrong, and…" Daniel waved dramatically in the air… "Boom, you know?"
One of the Jaffa let his staff weapon come down on the floor, and Daniel could feel the tension rising in his chest. They didn't move, but stayed where they were. "You can do your work like this, or not at all, Tau'ri. Orders from Lord Zippacna!"
Daniel swallowed. These Jaffa were no engineers of course, so they probably didn't know what he was doing anyway. He just needed to be quick and keep them back a little. That should work.
"At least stop breathing down my neck, okay?"
There was no answer, but when he walked forwards, they didn't follow, so he assumed they would stay where they were, near the door. Daniel let out a giant puff of air and felt the lump of tension in his chest dissipate slightly as he quickly set to work.
Zippacna felt restless. He waited for his First Prime Jaffa to bring out report on the progress Nawa'ri and the Tau'ri were making on the mines. His mines. A wave of pride went through him and he grinned to himself. The System Lords would never know what hit them if he played this right. It was a brilliant plan. He was brilliant.
He started pacing the large throne room, when his First Prime finally arrived bowing. "My Lord."
"Well?"
"Nawa'ri told me they are making good progress, my Lord."
"And?" He felt impatient and frustrated. He wanted to use those mines as soon as possible, make the System Lords run for cover. The thought alone made him proud. "When can we use them?"
"Soon, my Lord." His First Prime looked up at him now. "They still have to get the mines back inside to start the reprogramming."
"I thought they already did that?"
"To do the first check up, yes, my Lord. But they had to transport them back outside to update some information in several parts of this ship first." The Jaffa tried to inform him as fast as possible. He was almost tripping over his own words. "Nawa'ri said it was necessary, or the mines could accidentally hone in on this ship."
"Yes." Zippacna let out a loud sigh. "Call me when they are ready to test them."
"My, Lord?"
"Anything else?"
His First Prime seemed to look for the correct words. The Jaffa always did that in front of him, especially if there was something wrong. It made Zippacna feel powerful, and he smiled at that.
"The Tau'ri was in our defence shield room, my Lord. It was one of the rooms Nawa'ri told us to bring him concerning the mines"
"To do what?" He frowned at his First Prime. This was strange. Even when they had to calculate things for the mines to not hone in on this ship, it was in violation to even go inside the defence shield room. Even for Jaffa.
"We do not know, my Lord. It were Nawa'ri's orders. I thought you knew about this."
"My Lord, my Lord!" The urgent voice of a Jaffa made him look up in disturbance. The Jaffa ran into the throne room and saluted.
"What is the meaning of this disturbance?" Minor Jaffa servants and guards should know not to run in on him like this. Not when he was in conversation with his First Prime. It made him cranky, and he always had the urge to kill someone when he was cranky. Preferably not his own Jaffa, of course, but some gave him no choice.
The Jaffa bowed deeply and looked from him to his First Prime, who had a disgusting look on his face. "It is an emergency, my Lord!"
"It better be good."
"My Lord," the Jaffa bowed even deeper. "I have overheard a conversation between Nawa'ri and the Tau'ri. She is not what she appears to be, my Lord. She is of the Tok'ra."
"What?" That could not be possible, he trusted Nawa'ri. Correction, he had trusted her, even with the Tau'ri. She was good at what she did. Too good? A Tok'ra spy among his ranks. Zippacna could feel his face flush in anger as he glared down at the Jaffa. "Are you absolutely sure?"
"Yes, my Lord," the Jaffa said. "I heard the host of Nawa'ri talking to the Tau'ri.
"About what?" Why wasn't this foolish Jaffa talking and explaining faster? If there was some plan going on among the Tok'ra to strike against him, they would make a great mistake. He would wipe them out, all of them. Starting with Nawa'ri.
"She explained something about the mines and some sequence codes they needed, she and the Tau'ri, my Lord." The Jaffa mumbled. "That is all I know."
Zippacna ignored the mumbling and turned to his First Prime. "Get Raf'no rean and find out." Anger almost made him choke. "I want to know what that spy is up to."
"Yes, my Lord."
First the note of his First Prime that the Tau'ri did something in the defence shield room, although it was explainable because of work on those mines, and now it seemed a Tok'ra had infiltrated. He gritted his teeth. They would all pay for this, whatever it was.
The Jaffa who brought the message was still bowed at his feet. He may have overheard this conversation of the Tok'ra, but he didn't even find out what it was he really heard. That was his mistake.
His last mistake.
"There is something wrong."
"What?" Daniel looked up towards Nawa'ri. He was still making and checking notes about the sequence codes. Zippacna's First Prime had been looking in on their progress and they only had to bring in the mines again to be ready for business. They had to be careful not to blow anything up before it was actually time, so it still needed some calculations. After bringing the mines in, it was his duty to activate the colour codes.
Nawa'ri stood near the door to the corridor and stared at a monitor there. Daniel knew that the monitor showed the whole corridor. She looked worried when she looked back at him. "There is a group of Jaffa coming this way."
Daniel chuckled softly and said wryly, "That doesn't necessarily mean anything. There are Jaffa all over this ship. From what I've learned over the years, they really enjoy tromping around together."
"No, there is something wrong," she was insisting as she walked his way. "Quickly, hide the notes,"
The only thing he could come up with on short notice was to drop the book under the huge ornamental feathers in one corner of the room.
The door burst open and a couple of Jaffa walked in, staff weapons raised, and Raf'no rean was right behind them. The Goa'uld had a smug look on his face, as if he knew something they didn't. Daniel frowned at that sight, and knew instinctively that there was something very wrong. They knew about the Tok'ra plan?
"What is the meaning of this?" Nawa'ri wanted to know in a superior voice. Daniel had to admit that she was good at that.
"Don't play the innocent with me, Tok'ra!" In a blink of an eye Raf'no rean was next to her, his hand landing on her throat. "Your host has a very pretty voice."
"I don't know what you are talking about." Nawa'ri didn't even blink, but Daniel froze. They must have overheard them talking, Kevala and he. But when?
"And what did you do in the defence shield chamber?" Raf'no rean now had his attention on Daniel and let go of Nawa'ri. Blinking red eyes were glaring right through him and he swallowed.
"Uhm… We had to calculate some things to overcome the problem of the mines suddenly using this ship for target practice."
Was he doing the right thing to tell it this way? Raf'no rean was not stupid; he could easily figure out that the opposite was true.
The Goa'uld turned back towards Nawa'ri. "What is the important thing about the sequence codes you both talked about?"
"My Lord does want us to programme the mines in the correct order, does he not?" Nawa'ri looked so calm, like nothing was wrong at all.
Daniel knew they couldn't get away with this story. They had heard Kevala talk, they would not believe them. He felt it.
Raf'no rean suddenly smiled, but in one blink of an eye, he lashed out with his hand and hit Nawa'ri on the cheek. She fell on her side and he grabbed her hair in a way that made Daniel flinch. "You do not fool us anymore, Tok'ra!"
"Hey!" Daniel was about to say more when a Jaffa hit the back of his legs with a staff weapon. Landing painfully on his knees, he decided it would be better to stop saying the first thing that sprang to mind without thinking.
This was not at all going according to the great Tok'ra plan.
Jack tried to relax, but he couldn't. Carter had been over to visit and she had told him what Jacob had told her. He could see she had been very upset, but there had been no way to tell her that they would find Daniel, that all would be fine. He didn't even believe it himself at the moment, so how could he really expect anyone else to? She had left to see her father off after only a short stay and so Jack was alone again, with his unhappy thoughts and his unmoving body.
Zippacna. The name alone seemed to ring ominously, and it wasn't all that hard for him to imagine the alien's smug face. That ugly smiling face on that tall superior body, not even talking about that fruit basket that the damn Goa'uld had worn on his head. He would have laughed if this weren't so serious.
Fog, this damn fog in his head. It seemed to move inside of him, making him sleepy and aware at the same time. Maybe he could blow and it would disappear? He just wanted to jump up, run outside and go in search of Daniel. He knew the others would do anything possible to find their friend, but he felt it was ultimately his responsibility.
"O'Neill."
Teal'c's voice almost made him jump. That idea made him laugh as his body wasn't moving one inch, while he could have sworn it was flying up in shock of the solemn voice near his bed.
*Teal'c buddy, it's nice to see you.*
"I know you hear me, O'Neill," Teal'c quietly said, reaching for a chair and sitting down next to the bed. "I want you to know we will do everything to help you and DanielJackson."
*I know, Teal'c. I know you will.*
"I investigated the hangar where the teltac left with DanielJackson." Did he hear regret in the Jaffa's voice? "I have found no traces that could lead us to him in the immediate future, O'Neill. I am sorry."
*We all are, Teal'c. It's not your fault.*
Silence fell as his friend probably didn't know what else to say. It must be hard to talk to someone who wasn't talking back, even for a Jaffa. It didn't matter, because he was glad Teal'c was nearby to let him know he was not alone in this.
"I will read to you, O'Neill," Teal'c suddenly announced. "Doctor Fraiser said it would be good for you."
*Read to me?* Jack really wasn't in the mood for a story, but there was of course no way to let that be known. Maybe he could just drift off into sleep and Teal'c wouldn't even be aware?
"It is a book called 'The Hobbit.'"
*Oh, crap!* He was going to kill Fraiser later for her good thoughts. He didn't need a bedtime story to take his mind of things, he just needed to wake up out of this nightmare. A loud protest formed on his lips, but nothing moved.
Teal'c started to read and soon Jack could hear the tone of that dark voice, making him drowsy. It was like his mind suddenly concentrated on something else. He could hear muttered words from far away, but he couldn't hear what they were saying. They sounded upset, though.
As quickly as he heard the words, they were gone. Teal'c was still reading to him, so maybe it had been Teal'c he had heard? No, it hadn't sounded like the Jaffa. A dreadful feeling slowly crept up inside of him, something that made his mind drift towards Daniel. He knew he was worried sick about Daniel, could that make him feel this way?
Daniel. What in the world was happening to him now?
Daniel suddenly knew what it was to have problems with the knees. He let out a sigh, thinking of Jack and the way he always complained about his knees. He would be a little more understanding the next time the colonel complained. Provided he ever saw any of his friends again.
The Jaffa who had hit him was standing with his fellow Jaffa on either side now. Nawa'ri was also treated the same way. She stared at him, regret in her eyes, from the other side of the room. Maybe if they were lucky Zippacna wouldn't find out about the already activated beacons.
The problem with getting caught like this was that he didn't know if they would get any chance to also reprogram the mines and blow up the ship. He cursed himself for getting caught in the first place, although it probably had been a case of bad luck.
"Defying Lord Zippacna is punishable by death!" Raf'no rean loudly announced.
Daniel pretended he didn't hear this declaration, and looked at Zippacna, who had joined them and was walking up and down across the room. The Goa'uld looked upset, muttering to himself about security and traitors. He stopped in front of Nawa'ri and Daniel swore he felt his heart beat in his throat.
"You are of the Tok'ra?" Zippacna asked looking down on the woman, who looked him straight in the eye. Without bothering for confirmation, he continued on, "What were you trying to do?"
"Deprogram some mines," she lifted her head in a way that made her look taller. "I'm sorry we couldn't finish."
"You wanted to use them yourself?" Zippacna let out a sound that was something between a contempt laugh and a roaring bark. "You would never have succeeded."
He pulled her up, looking at her and coldly smiling. "Such a shame you will be killed for what you did."
He knew what was coming, knew he couldn't let it. Coughing loudly, Daniel attempted to draw Zippacna's attention onto himself. As the Goa'uld glanced his way, he was suddenly struck by how his actions now precisely mirrored the ploys used by one Jack O'Neill. He experienced a momentary flinch of worry about his friend, which then quickly eased in favour of a surreal feeling that he was not alone. That Jack was with him. It was crazy but reassuring.
"My Lord," Daniel said, making his voice as meek as possible and putting his own spin on the diversionary tactic. "I need Nawa'ri's help with the mines in order to do what you're making me do."
"I don't think you do anymore."
"But…"
Zippacna raised his hand to silence him. "I know she made notes on the sequence codes. You can figure out the colour code yourself as that is why you are here, Tau'ri."
Daniel shrugged. "If you say so. But I'll never get them reprogrammed. I'm not an engineer or mathematician, numbers aren't my thing."
"Don't take me for a fool!" Zippacna was next to him in a second, the smile on his face now a vicious leer. "Later on we will also talk about where the sequence notes are. You know where they are." He lowered his hand to touch Daniel's cheek making him shy away slightly, then stalked away towards Nawa'ri, who was roughly pulled to her feet.
Zippacna snatched a staff weapon from one of his Jaffa and pointed it at Nawa'ri, who was standing straight and proud. Odd how the pride and superior air she embodied did not seem offensive to him at all now. Instead of his usual frustration, it made him strangely sad. Her green eyes stared at him, through him, as she nodded. God, he couldn't watch this. He had to do something.
"Stop!"
Jumping up, Daniel felt the blow of a fist contacting with his jaw and he fell back on his knees, lights dancing around the room. Big, unforgiving hands grappled at his shoulders, keeping him still where he wanted to resist.
"No, don't," he managed to whisper, struggling to get up.
Staring into Nawa'ri's eyes he saw something else; the pride obvious in her stature was accompanied by strength, hope and the clear belief that this was alright. That while she might die today, the fight of the Tok'ra would go on. Daniel understood, finally and couldn't turn away as she looked at him. Then she smiled at him, an almost invisible smile that vibrated through his very soul, where he was sure it would resonate there for a long time. Perhaps for as long as he lived.
The blast of the staff weapon hit her straight on the chest and she sagged down, her eyes losing contact with his. "I am proud to be Tok'ra, and the Goa'uld will never rule the galaxy," she ground out through clenched teeth. Her body convulsed terribly, and then went limp.
Zippacna walked towards her body and kicked against her back. There was no reaction and he grinned. "She's dead, get rid of the body, it contaminates my ship."
Daniel, still on his knees, was trying to regain his calmness, but he couldn't. His breathing came in angry short gasps as he looked at Nawa'ri's body and the smiling face of Zippacna. That face was now focused on him and he wanted to jump up and hit the stupid grin off it. All he could do was just sit there. He should have done something, he should have tried harder to talk her out of this. Deep in his heart, though, he knew there had been nothing he could have said to save her.
Zippacna pulled him up by his shirt with one hand. "You've been stupid, Tau'ri, but I still need you or you would be lying next to your Tok'ra friend right now." Then he laughed, a sound that made Daniel cold inside. "Abydos has a great number of human hosts. Do you think we should land and obtain some?"
That was too much for Daniel. Blind anger came over him and his fist flew towards Zippacna's face. "You bastard!" He couldn't help himself anymore as he yelled, trying to hit the alien. The Goa'uld grabbed his arms easily, pulled him into a tight grip and laughed.
Just laughed.
The fire stick had probably left a burn mark on his chest, Daniel thought as he tried to get up and away from the pain the damn thing gave him. Zippacna had just been waiting for a chance to use it on him, and finding a Tok'ra spy on board helping a Tau'ri, had maybe been enough to use as an excuse. The Goa'uld hadn't even asked about the sequence codes… yet. Torture, it seemed, was a much higher priority.
The Goa'uld, after killing Nawa'ri, had personally hauled him off to his own private chamber, the fire stick already in one hand and that ever-present smile on his ugly face. Daniel had been overcome by the need to let out all the swear words that he had ever learned, and had again had the strange sense that Jack was with him.
But Jack *wasn't* really here, and wouldn't be coming soon either.
Zippacna towered over him in the small, dark room. Wondering if the Goa'uld ever got tired of using his height as a poor means to intimidate, Daniel smirked softly to himself. Of course not, what was he thinking? On his knees again, he blearily blinked up at his tormentor, who looked like some mean giant from a bad Sci Fi movie. He almost laughed, though the fact this movie wasn't going to end happily ever after was incredibly unfunny.
Flickering his gaze down, Daniel saw something glint in the low lighting. He squinted at Zippacna's hand and the device in it. For a moment, he thought it was a healing device until he noticed the centre glowed ominously in black light. Still trying to deal with the pain the fire stick had inflicted, he couldn't quite figure out what it was. He didn't even want to find out. He just wanted to disappear, right there, right then.
Zippacna would probably kill him eventually, and use the mines to blow up parts of Abydos anyway, after taking lots of hosts. He just wished he wasn't feeling so alone. Breathing rapidly as the Goa'uld approached, Daniel struggled to regain the feeling that his friends were with him. That Jack was. God, unless Jack was dead… No, he couldn't be dead! He had to hang on to that thought.
The black light came down on his head and it felt like he was driving a car into very thick fog. The fog then penetrated his senses, losing the muffled effect and shrieking like a thousand fire alarms at once. Oh, God… He tried to raise his hands, reaching for his head as it seemed to explode. Intense agony. Fire. Pressure. Ripping him apart and condensing down on him at once. Killing him. He heard himself scream, voice getting weaker with each blow of the device. Darkness edged his senses and he reached for it, to stop the pain. Please. Please.
The pain stopped.
Jack was still trying and trying to get out of the fog. The longer he existed in this purgatory, the more Jack thought he would never break from it. And, truth be told, he didn't even really care if he were admitted to heaven or sent to hell. Anything would be better than this endless non-existence. Anything to get him to *feel* something again.
With shocking abruptness, his wish was granted. It was as though a switch had been thrown, sending electrifying currents of agony into every ounce of his being. Trying to squirm away from it, Jack slowly realised that it was not his own pain he was feeling. He had no idea where…Daniel? There was no reason for this belief but he knew he was right.
Shocked, he realised the pain was getting unbearable. He could almost feel it vibrating through his soul. Daniel was about to give up. This was so clear to Jack that it made him gasp. He couldn't let Daniel die in some place, alone. He needed to help him.
Daniel. He needed to tell his friend that he was there, reaching out. Daniel only needed to grasp Jack's thoughts, feelings. This was the weirdest thing, and still it suddenly felt absolutely normal to Jack.
He could finally do something to help. His mind formed the words, his feelings rushing out like they were actually the words he needed to say. Daniel needed to wake up, needed to live, needed to save the people of Abydos, needed to come back home.
Abydos? Where in the world did he get that idea? Could it be the place where Daniel was right now? Concentrating on the other man's pain, Jack tried to wipe it away somehow. He wished he could hold Daniel, tell him all was well and he would be fine. No! Wallowing in pity for his own inability to provide real, physical support to his friend was a waste of time and energy. He didn't understand this strange connection but that didn't matter; he needed to use it.
"Daniel, wake up!"
The younger man lay on the ground, fog all around him. Slowly, he opened his eyes and blinked at Jack, confused blue eyes locking with his. Blue eyes full of pain. God, this was hard. He wanted to rush over and tell Daniel he was real and with him. But he knew he couldn't. He had to help in the way he could, and not think of what he couldn't do.
He needed Daniel to wake up, he knew he had to push, as it felt like Daniel was an inch away from giving up.
Concentrating, Jack felt his feelings rush over to help his friend.
"Daniel, wake up!"
Was that Jack's voice calling him? He slowly pried his eyes open and only saw a thick fog all around. What was happening, was he dreaming? A figure was standing not far from where he was. A familiar form.
"Jack?" Daniel called, voice echoing back to him slightly and hanging in the air like a phantom.
"Wake up, Daniel," the voice said and the figure, more of a shadow, moved away from him into the mist.
"Don't go." Feeling desperate, he tried to stand. It didn't work so he reached out to the indistinct shape. This couldn't be real.
"You can save the people of Abydos, Daniel."
He could… How? The voice was clearer now, was definitely his friend. But it couldn't be. Could it? Was it really Jack talking to him?
Raf'no rean had told him Jack was dead. He couldn't believe that, still didn't. This had to be some dream and he had to wake up… Now!
"Very good," Jack's voice murmured softly, like it was guiding him out of the fog, back to the light. Back to the pain… He coughed, drew breath and blinked.
He was in the small, dark room where Zippacna had been together with him only a minute ago. Had it really been a minute? Still feeling utterly confused about the dream he just had, Daniel stared around. He was alone now it seemed. No, not alone this time. He could feel something inside, like someone was watching over him. He hadn't felt this in a long time. It felt like… *Jack!* A real feeling, not a vague impression or idea.
"Jack," he whispered.
His friend couldn't be dead. Daniel needed to believe that Jack was out there somewhere, together with Sam and Teal'c and searching for him. But why did he see Jack like this? Why was he in his dreams, urging him to wake up? The feeling that his friend was close by suddenly melted and was replaced by the image of a dead Jack. He blinked tears away in distress. No, Jack was alive, had to be.
Nawa'ri was dead. The look on her face, the way he couldn't help her. Just like he couldn't help Sarah, or Sha're for that matter. All of it came back to him in waves of pain. He blinked again. Now it was up to him to blow this damn ship to pieces with these stupid mines before anyone else could get harmed. That had been the message of his dream and he knew he had to try.
Shutting away the pain shooting through his body, he slowly stood and made his way to the door. Maybe he had got lucky and Zippy had left him without a guard. *Think again, Daniel.* The door would be locked as well, of course. Without expecting anything, he pushed the button on the panel to open it. Then the door slid open and so did Daniel's mouth.
There weren't even guards standing in the hall. This was too good to be true, this really had to be a dream. Maybe Zippacna had thought he would be too weak or even dead after torture session number… something? Maybe his luck would come back now? It could be a trap, of course. Well, he wouldn't know unless he tried. At this point, there wasn't much for him to lose.
His body protested his moves as he slowly made his way through the familiar corridors. Now he was glad the mother ships all looked alike because he'd remembered plenty of places to hide if any Jaffa came his way. He just hoped that the hall where he could reprogram the mines wasn't guarded either, that Zippacna hadn't found out about the beacons already.
Voices around a corner made him press himself into one of the niches leading to other parts of the ship. The movement almost made him lose his balance. Grabbing onto the golden coloured walls, he waited out the voices as well as his dizziness.
The voices slowly ebbed away and he was on his way again. It took far too long, he needed to go faster. His legs moving on automatic pilot when he finally reached the familiar part of the ship where the mines were waiting. Looking around a corner, he saw two Jaffa in front of the door of the room.
Yep, his luck was staying true to itself – bad. Cursing under his breath, Daniel stared at the latest stumbling block. Blocks. Even in good condition, he'd never be able to take out those mountains of men. Now? He could barely stand. Still, he needed to get inside without being seen.
Suddenly the Jaffa turned around, like they were hearing something, although Daniel couldn't hear a thing. They looked directly towards where he was hiding. Stumbling back, the only thing he could do was press himself against the wall and hold his breath. A thought popped up in his mind. Maybe this wasn't a real escape at all, and Zippacna had planned the fact that he was standing here now. It could be a trap, although that made no sense whatsoever.
It seemed like ages, but nothing happened. No footsteps in the corridor, nothing. He carefully peered around the corner, blinking in confusion. The Jaffa were gone. Where were they? Slowly walking into the corridor, he stared at the door. Maybe they were inside waiting for him to show up? He had to go inside and reprogram those mines. Thinking of the people on Abydos, he knew he had no other choice.
Daniel opened the door, slipped in and locked it behind him. Looking around, he could see the room was empty. So, where in the world had those Jaffa gone? A small red light from where the control panels of the room were situated was blinking at him. Walking towards the monitor next to it, he could see a message in Goa'uld, and it made him swallow.
*Tau'ri escaped, all units to level four.*
Now he knew why those Jaffa left their post; they had been summoned to find him. And they would be back very quickly if they found out he was not on level four anymore, but trying to transport the mines into the ship. They would probably be on their way, right now.
He had to hurry to reprogram those mines.
"Two to the blue, three to the orange, two to the blue," he counted aloud, the notes Nawa'ri and he made earlier when working on the mines clamped up in his hand.
It was his luck that Zippy hadn't found those notes where he had hid them. Hadn't even asked him while torturing him. Snuffing out a slight smile, Daniel thought perhaps he'd underestimated his good fortune a bit. He swallowed, sweat marking his forehead. One mine was almost finished. Only one to go.
He could blow up this ship. He would! Now the right sequence code and the mines could be ringed off the ship, fly off in space, make a turn and hit the ship in two places. One hopefully destroying the weak part in the defence shield, the other the ship.
The beacons would react, or he would be in bigger trouble than before. Turning around to the golden doors on the other side of the room, he wondered when Jaffa would blow them and march in. There was no sound… yet. He tried not to let his hopes get up that this solitude and luck would continue.
The second mine hummed loudly as he finally finished up, then closed itself. This time there would be no going back. He pushed the button for the transport rings to teleport it off the mother ship and stared at the door. About ten minutes before detonation.
A loud banging on the door made him jump. There had to be a way for him to get to the teltac and escape off the ship before it exploded.
He stared up at the transport ring bay. Maybe, just maybe he could get the rings to jump to the teltac instead of into space? He really missed Sam's ideas. It would also be an option to try and get to Zippy's throne room, to the rings located there. Could he outrun the guards and Zippy and do this in ten minutes? No way. Every muscle and ligament in his body ached in unnecessary confirmation.
The banging on the door got louder and he swallowed. He thought back to Apophis and Klorel – how there had been a Stargate on Klorel's ship. There might be one here as well, though Daniel couldn't fathom why. They were close enough to Abydos to give that a try. Still, he didn't know if there was a Stargate or where to find it. Not enough time for that option, he decided.
Daniel quickly did one step towards the control panel and the button that lowered the rings. If he could program a mine, he could at least try and program these rings. The teltac was still situated outside the mother ship in that tractor beam. He almost knew for sure these rings could transport him to it, but that needed some reprogramming, and he didn't know how.
He'd barely touched the panel when the door blew in a sparkling firework of red and yellow. Smoke filled the air and two Jaffa ran in with raised staff weapons. "Get away from there!" One of them yelled at him and before he could move, the staff weapon opened up and fired, hitting him directly above his left knee.
Air was knocked out of him, along with a scream of pain as he fell on the floor trying not to fall on his injured knee. It was like someone was burning a hole straight through his leg. Clutching at his leg, Daniel numbly looked down to make sure just that hadn't happened. Smoke and the smell of charred flesh filled the air, and he choked back both vomit and another cry of pain.
"Get up!"
The Jaffa were on both sides of him now, poking him with their staff weapons. One of them deliberately poked him above his injured knee. He let out a suppressed groan while he grabbed his knee harder, trying to hold in another scream of agony. The Jaffa just laughed.
"Let's go."
"No!" Biting his lips, Daniel vehemently shook his head. "The ship… the ship will blow!"
"What?" He certainly had got their attention now. They were looking at him like he had grown horns on his head. "What do you mean, Tau'ri?"
"Five minutes." A plan was forming in Daniel's head at top speed. Maybe these Jaffa knew a fast way off the ship? He wasn't certain they would try to save their own lives. Jaffa were very loyal to their Lord, and they could still bring him to Zippacna. He had to try something, though. There was no other option. "This ship will blow in about five minutes!"
"You are lying!" One of them bent down and grabbed his injured leg with one hand, squeezing.
"Argh, God… No!" He closed his eyes as the pain shot straight up his leg and he couldn't get away from it. "Check… check the, mines!"
His breathing came in short gasps. *Come on, check them!*
One of the Jaffa turned his back on him and ran over to the control panel that showed what the mines were doing. The Jaffa next to him finally let go of his knee when the other turned around at them with a worried expression on his face.
"He's right, this ship will blow up in less than five minutes."
"What?" The alien turned back towards him, anger readable all over his face. Again, he got hold of Daniel's leg. "What did you do, Tau'ri?"
Pain shot through his leg again and he winced, trying to push himself away from the fingers squeezing into torn flesh. It was so hard to stay focused on a plan when your mind was blurred and your voice only wanted to scream instead of talk. He kicked out with his other leg, but the Jaffa just grabbed his foot and turned.
"Stop!" Sweat poured down Daniel's face. "Escape. You can still, es… cape!" His hands waved at the ring bay next to him. "The teltac."
"There is no time to stop the mines, sir. But we should take the Tau'ri to Lord Zippacna," the Jaffa near the control panel said while he frantically pushed buttons as if he could do something about it.
"No time to tell Lord Zippacna," the Jaffa was still holding Daniel's foot, but wasn't turning anymore. "He is a God, he will know for himself to leave the ship!" Lowering down, his face came close to Daniel's. "You will stay here, and we will meet with Lord Zippacna on the planet and destroy all the people there."
Daniel bit back an angry comment. His plan was to leave this ship together with the Jaffa. His mind raced, as there had to be a way for them to take him along. Before he could think of anything, the Jaffa fumbling at the control panel put down his staff weapon. "We can transport to the teltac, sir."
"Can you fix the rings?"
"One second, sir," the harried Jaffa called out, then turned towards them again. "Ready to go."
"Good." The Jaffa next to him grinned. "Time for us to go, Tau'ri, and thank you. Lord Zippacna will be pleased when we can destroy all the people of this planet to compensate for the loss of this vessel."
"No!"
Daniel kicked out with his right leg and when the Jaffa almost lost balance, he grabbed on to the alien's staff weapon with both hands and pulled. When the Jaffa tried to compensate for the imbalance he pushed…hard. He heard a low groan and realised he had hit the Jaffa in the face. Falling to the ground, his attacker rumbled low in his throat and he felt a spark of pride that he'd managed to incapacitate a Jaffa in his condition. There was little time for self-glory, though, and he snatched the staff weapon up, firing at his other guard. The blast hit straight on the chest, immediately felling the Jaffa.
Shaking all over, Daniel crawled as fast as he could on hands and one knee to the control panel, avoiding looking at the dead Jaffa next to it. He lifted himself up on one leg, wincing. Quickly, he pushed in the shiny red button activating the transport rings.
Then he fell down with a groan and slithered gracelessly into the ring bay. When the rings came down, he closed his eyes, breathing in and out in concentration. He still needed to get the teltac away from the mother ship. He needed to stay conscious long enough.
He only had minutes…
"Daniel?"
Jack opened his eyes in shock and looked around to find the familiar face of his friend. Daniel wasn't there. His own voice woke him out of a terrible feeling of loss, a feeling that still lingered on his skin. He felt like he had just lost a connection that was needed. Daniel was in terrible pain again. He had felt it before losing the link to his friend. And this time he wouldn't be there to help.
His whole body hurt in ways he didn't even want to describe, so he just grabbed a handful of the sheets and clenched his teeth. Then he realised he could move, and that he had heard his own voice. His heart almost leaped out of his chest. But joy quickly making way for sheer desperation and almost something that could be described as pain. Daniel, he had to get to Daniel. He knew where Daniel was, he knew for sure. Abydos!
His hand, still stiff, but definitely doing what he wanted it to do, reached for the call button above the infirmary bed. Before he was even halfway, Janet Fraiser herself leaped through the door and just stared at him.
"Colonel, you are… Colonel!" She was next to him in seconds, pushing him down softly on his pillow. Jack didn't even realise that he'd been sitting up or how his muscles were taxed and shaky. "Sir, relax. Do you know who you are and where you are?"
There was that no nonsense voice, but this time with a very happy undertone. He wanted to grin up at her and her penlight, but knew he had to talk to his team, pronto. "Colonel Jack O'Neill, United States Air Force. I am in the infirmary with Doc Fraiser." He raised his hand to stop her penlight from reaching his eyes. "I'm back, Doc. Now get Carter and Teal'c in here on the double. I know where Daniel is."
She looked shocked. It was kind of weird to all of a sudden be talking like this again, of course, and she was obviously thinking the same.
He could see the questions in her eyes. They could all be happy and celebrate his come back after they reassured Daniel's come back as well. No time for talking too much now.
"Hurry, Doc."
When she spurted out of the room, Jack let out a sigh. It still felt like he lost something by waking up. Like the connection he had with Daniel was gone. Well, not entirely gone, he still felt like something was totally wrong, but there was no physical pain anymore. Not like the pain he felt when he was still in that coma. This was different, and he wasn't sure if it was a good thing. Still totally exhausted, he closed his eyes. He knew Janet would be back soon, but he couldn't help it. He was so tired. His head was getting light now and he seemed to lift off.
Jack was flying. His arms to his side, his eyes wide open, the wind touching his face and making it tickle. Beneath him, he saw sand dunes. He was flying over what looked like a desert, the sand ever changing in colour, shadows and hills. He felt free, finally all the fog in his head had cleared and he could just fly like this forever.
Suddenly the desert started to change, the wind was no longer tickling, it was blowing in his face. Colours were fading and it felt like he was thrown in some kind of tornado, making him disorientated. Panic, he felt panic, but not his own it seemed. It vibrated through him and he seemed to fall down. Swirling, helpless, no way to stop. One word echoed in his mind and he clung on to it. Daniel! Trying to lift again, trying to catch his breath he reached out in his mind to stop Daniel from falling.
Daniel was slowly getting his breath back as he hobbled as fast as he could to the control panel of the teltac. He sat down with a wince, still shaking. He had to get that shaking under control, but it just seemed to get worse. His leg pounded in protest, and now his chest seemed to be burning up. Probably some after-effects of that fire stick. He wondered why he hadn't felt it before.
"Come on," he muttered, pushing a couple of buttons and the ship began to shake a little. It was definitely time to leave, he was sure there wasn't much time left before the mother ship exploded. He switched off the tractor beam device that held the ship in place and pushed the acceleration handle. The teltac seemed to fall forwards with a shock, but then glided away from the mother ship, direction Abydos.
The mother ship blew up the minute two death gliders skimmed straight over his head. Daniel blinked at the them, a fireball in the sky, holding on to the steering device as the teltac got hit by all kinds of debris from the mother ship. A direct hit made the ship jump and spin. He had to try and keep it level and slow down. Clenching his teeth, he looked down at two flashing lights.
He couldn't slow down his descent. The teltac shook fiercely and made a head dive straight towards the surface of the planet. Disoriented from the pain, exhaustion and shaking, Daniel tried to manoeuvre the ship and save the landing. He pulled on the steering device and the ship sputtered and groaned, but in a flash he saw the ship pull itself steady, still not slowing down, though.
He braced himself, the surface clear in a gleam of sunlight and sand, the so familiar dunes passing his view way too quickly. Daniel grabbed his seat and clenched his teeth. Then the bottom of the ship hit some dunes and he could feel himself topple over, his head hitting the steering console.
The lights dancing in front of his eyes went black.
Jack felt shocked, no physical pain, but a lot of angst. This was a dream, he knew it was and he couldn't get out. He wasn't falling anymore, not helplessly trying to reach Daniel. He was still flying though. A tiny voice inside him whispered that he needed to land. Looking down, he saw a huge tent standing near a cluster of trees that could only be an oasis.
He felt something pull at him, pull hard, and suddenly he was standing inside the tent. The inside was dimly lit, and in one corner there was a bed, a bunk of some kind, and someone was on it. Jack's legs automatically moved him over to look down at the figure lying there, fast asleep. It was Daniel.
"Daniel?" Was that his voice speaking? It seemed to come from very far away. His friend didn't move and he carefully reached to touch Daniel's forehead. It felt cold. "Daniel?"
"Jack?" The younger man frowned in his sleep, muttering now in a language Jack didn't understand. He didn't wake up though. The frown was even getting deeper, as in concentration. "Is that you?"
"Seems that way." Jack could hear his voice but didn't seem to control what he was saying. Daniel seemed confused, even in his dream, as his body started to toss and turn and he let out a low groan.
"Help me."
Daniel sounded lost and hurt and Jack not only seemed to hear it the words but also feel them. He reached out but his arm stopped in mid air as he was strangely pulled back from his friend, as if an invisible force had control of him.
"Just hold on, Daniel, you'll be fine."
"No…Jack, don't go, please…"
Daniel's hand reached for his, and he felt that pull on him again, harder this time. He was losing the grip on his own body, losing Daniel. Jack had to let his friend know he would be there. He reached. Couldn't reach far enough.
"Colonel O'Neill?"
He blinked, feeling totally disoriented and confused. Where in the world was he, where was that tent, and what had just happened? A concerned female face hovered over his, and he recognised it as nurse Ford, who was on duty in the infirmary today.
"Sir, are you alright?"
"Bad dream."
Jack knew it came out rather annoyed, but he couldn't help himself. The dream he just had was still making him cold inside, like it hadn't been a dream at all. Maybe the connection to Daniel he had felt when he was in that coma was still there in some unexplainable way? He thought he had lost that connection when he woke up earlier, it had all felt so different to him. Maybe that wasn't the case? Maybe in his dreams he…
He was definitely awake now, tired, but awake. He had seen Abydos again, and it made him absolutely sure Daniel was there. Was Janet still on her way to get his friends? How long had he been out of it anyway?
"Sir, you need to rest." Nurse Ford pushed him back into his pillow without much success.
"Get doctor Fraiser and my friends, will ya?" Jack was way too tired to go into any argument right now.
"I'm sure they are on their way, sir." She smiled at him but was still holding him down as his body started to shake.
"Just get them," he growled and glared at her, knowing he wasn't all that friendly at the moment. He had no time to be friendly, he needed to tell them about Abydos, about what he went through and they had to go to Abydos to find Daniel, fast! "That is an order."
She let out a sigh. "Yes, sir."
"Do not move, Danyel."
God, why did people think he would move? He had the feeling he was in a merry-go-round and it was going faster and faster. He knew he was going to be sick. On top of that everything hurt, his head, his legs, his chest. Breathing easily wasn't even an option. Where was he anyway?
"Jack?" He could hear his own voice, but it came out in a whisper.
"O'Nearr is not here, Danyel."
*Not here? Why? Where was Jack?* Pain clouded his thoughts, he had to think, had to concentrate. Jack had been there, in his dreams, his thoughts. Not real, Jack wasn't really here.
Another memory froze his heart. Jack being shot, and a Goa'uld telling him that Jack was dead. That must be why his friend wasn't here. Wasn't here to help and comfort him. Jack was dead and no one wanted him to know. Anger mingled with pain and all he wanted to do was yell and scream and tell them to leave him alone. Alone with his thoughts.
"Danyel, stay calm!" A worried voice now, and he felt a cool hand on his head. "He has a fever."
Blinking, Daniel looked into the worried faces of two tanned men. Feeling very unsettled and dizzy, his view blurry, he felt panic welling up inside him. Didn't he just escape the Goa'uld? What in the world was going on? Two hands landed on his shoulders, pushing him down on something slightly soft and yielding.
"No!" They killed Jack, he had to get away. Waving his hands through the air he hit one of the men and heard a loud curse. Not English, his mind registered, it was in another language, and it sounded familiar. Trying to get up again, pain shot through his head and he gulped for air. The two hands easily pushed him back down. "Let me…"
"Danyel, it is us!"
*Us? Why couldn't he focus? He had to try and focus on the worried voice near him. They sounded so familiar, so friendly.*
"Look at me."
He could now see the young man sitting next to him. A face he could never forget, a face that had haunted his dreams for years, together with another familiar and beautiful face. He suddenly knew where he was.
"Skaara," Daniel hoarsely whispered.
The young Abydonian man smiled down at him as another face also came into view. It was Kasuf and he looked worried. Yes, he remembered landing on Abydos in a teltac, he'd managed to blow up Zippacna's ship. Landed? It had really only been a notch above crashing. Throbbing, his head was only one of many aches coming back to the surface as reminders of his recent ordeals.
"You are hurt, good son, we gave you something for the pain. You have been senseless for a long time, but it was clear you were in…" Kasuf trailed off, deeply upset, and Daniel's hand was held in a grip that was both concerned and comforting. "You need help from your Earth friends, though."
"Yes," Skaara whispered, suddenly holding his other hand. "Where is O'Nearr?"
Daniel felt himself drift off and he blinked to concentrate. He needed to tell them what was going on, needed their help more than ever. He wondered how they managed to find him, but first things first. Breathing in, he gasped and choked. Kasuf's hand holding his squeezed a little and another hand supported his head.
"Breathe in and out slowly, my good son, you are still very weak. There was a great flash in the sky, but we do not understand why. It looked very much as it did when we defeated Ra."
"Is O'Nearr here helping you again?" Skaara worriedly asked.
"Jack doesn't… doesn't know I'm here," he managed to say it without feeling like he was about to choke again. "You need, need to con- contact Earth, Skaara."
Skaara let out a sigh. "I saw your teltac coming down, not far from where we have our wells to get water, Danyel." The young man was also squeezing his hand. "I took some of the village men to check it out, as we don't want any Goa'uld to come to Abydos ever again."
Daniel could hear the hate inside that voice and he squeezed back into Skaara's hand, to let him know he understood. It hadn't been all that long since Skaara had been reunited with his family.
"We found you, Danyel, and you were badly hurt and unconscious," Skaara went on. "Meanwhile, father saw Goa'uld death gliders land near the pyramid. We went to see who it was and saw Zippacna." Skaara paused and looked as though he wanted to spit. "I wanted to kill him there and then, but father would not let me."
"Revenge is not a good thing, my son," Kasuf chided, wetting a cloth, putting it on Daniel's head. "But you must be tired, my good son, you need to sleep."
Daniel tried to bring all his strength into the next line. It was even hard to pronounce, but he managed. "Can you even contact… Earth?"
Zippacna had landed on Abydos. He must have been in one of those death gliders. There couldn't be more than four Jaffa on the planet, though. He didn't see any other vessels escape the mother ship before it blew up. Only those two death gliders skimming over the teltac. Zippy could get more Jaffa, though, through the Stargate.
"Zippacna and another Goa'uld are near the Gate, and two Jaffa are guarding it." Skaara waved through the air, looking frustrated and angry. "We can not dial O'Nearr this way to let him know you are here with us."
Another Goa'uld? Raf'no rean, Daniel thought with a reactive shudder. Involuntarily, the torture sessions inflicted by both Goa'uld's replayed in his mind at top speed. The shortness of the memories did nothing to lessen the pain associated with them. Oh, God. He needed to tell Skaara just how bad these two could be.
"We can take them out, I am sure, Danyel."
Skaara had a look on his face that didn't lie. It was a look he hadn't had before he was taken over by Klorel. Skaara had lost so much of his innocence over the years, like they all had. Daniel hated the Goa'uld even more because of that. Kasuf growled at them.
"I will not risk good men for such an action."
"But Danyel needs to go home, you said so yourself, father," Skaara argued and seemed about to fight heaven and earth, or rather Abydos to let Kasuf see that there was no other choice. "He is hurt."
*No other choice?* Daniel's mind was clouded, but he was doing his best to think around the pain. Suddenly he knew: Skaara knew enough about teltac's to use the intercom to try to contact Earth. Abydos was close enough to give that a try. It was the only way.
"Skaara…"
It came out as no more than a whisper. It was too hard to speak, it took away all the energy he had left. Daniel still had to tell the younger man, had to let him know.
"Danyel?"
"Teltac, can you… reach, reach…"
"No talking, good son." Kasuf's voice was so nearby that he could almost feel the man's breath. "What is he saying?" That seemed to be directed towards Skaara, not to him. He was drifting away it seemed, trying to hold on but failing miserably.
"Yes, that's it." Skaara's voice was far away. "I can use the teltac's intercom system to try to contact Earth and send a message."
"And you know how to do that?" Daniel could still hear the scepticism in the older man's voice. Kasuf was a good man, but more stubborn than a mastadge on a good day. Of course there was the fact that Kasuf hated everything Goa'uld, and their technology even more.
"Yes."
Was that a hand touching his cheeks? A voice was talking to him again, but he didn't know who it was, or what it said. The clouds in his head turned dark and blinking didn't stop that. It was like gliding into a tunnel.
It wasn't all that bad and he didn't resist.
The colonel was muttering to himself when Sam walked into the infirmary. She had been so very happy that the colonel had awakened from his so-called coma state, that she hadn't even wait for Janet to give her the okay sign to visit.
With Teal'c close by her side, they had made their way to the infirmary to see a very alive but frustrated Jack O'Neill. Her happy thoughts had almost vanished entirely seeing him this way, and even more so when he had told them they had to go to Abydos to find Daniel.
Daniel. The thought of them not knowing where he was had been very hard, and now the colonel claimed he knew? Sam had told him she believed him, they all did, but did they because they had to calm him down, or did they, she, really believe him? Then Janet had taken over and did all kinds of tests on the colonel that made him even more frustrated.
They had waited for Janet's first tests results, and in the meantime she had considered going to Abydos. Waiting for the doctor to finish, Sam had thought about the time where Daniel told them he had been in some kind of alternate universe. They didn't really believed him then, just like they didn't really believe the colonel now.
When Janet had come back to tell them the colonel had been experiencing some kind of connection with Daniel, and that was why he wanted them to go to Abydos, Sam's belief in the whole thing had been less than fifty percent. She wanted it, so bad, but there was no explanation. Janet thought it could have been something the device had triggered, but she wasn't sure and needed to run more tests on that. General Hammond had agreed with her to wait for those test results before launching any mission to Abydos.
"Sir?" She approached the bed while he kept on the muttering act. He looked very tired, and he looked helpless. It was a sight she didn't see often with her CO. It made her flinch and swallow hard.
He looked up, and his eyes seemed to look right through her. "So, you don't believe me, Major?"
She felt her cheeks flush, couldn't help it, couldn't stop it. "Sir, I…"
His raised his hands stopped what she was about to say. "Don't bother, Major." His words cut through her, and she felt venom, but also pain in those words. She couldn't even blame him, she wanted to believe him, still. But they had to wait for those test results. They couldn't run off to Abydos just like that. It was the General's order, and she agreed.
"Major Carter to the control room!" A voice loudly interrupted the silence that had fallen between her and the colonel, making her jump slightly.
"I better…" Sam gestured towards the door, trying a smile.
"Yes, you better, Major."
It still sounded more than a little frustrated. She really cursed herself for not believing his Daniel-is-on-Abydos story one hundred percent. It sounded way too wonderful to her always-rational mind, and not a little farfetched. Of course she also wanted Daniel to be found, they all did. But she just couldn't give up her scientific mentality. She never could.
There was no good explanation why the colonel knew about this. She did hope Janet could give her an answer though, soon. Maybe she just had to believe him on his word? They had seen and been through weird things before, but this was absolutely unbelievable. The colonel just couldn't know for sure that Daniel was on Abydos. It made no sense.
Sam coughed, quickly opening the door. As soon as it was closed behind her, away from the colonel's stare, she ran towards the control room. Maybe it was something important.
*Keep up that thought, Sam,* she thought as she ran up the stairs and was greeted by an anxious Hammond.
"You should hear this, Major."
"Skaara!" The familiar handsome face greeted her from one of the monitors. A wide grin plastered on the young man's face and it seemed clear he was very happy to hear her voice. One thought suddenly raced through her mind. The colonel's story, Abydos, Daniel! Skaara's voice gave her no more time to think. "Can you hear me, Sam?"
"We can hear you loud and clear, son," the general next to her answered instead. Meanwhile, nerves raced through her body, and a soft voice repeated the same sentence in her head. The colonel was right, the colonel was right. At least she hoped he was at this time.
Skaara's face turned around on the screen, like he as awaiting something, then he turned back to them, haste apparent in his words.
"Tell O'Nearr he must come to Abydos. Danyel is here and needs your help!"
"Daniel." Sam let out a loud breath of air. The colonel was right. She didn't know how, but she could dance and cry all at the same time. Daniel was on Abydos, they found him. Almost losing her professional stance, she also felt a dread feeling creeping up inside her stomach. "Is he alright?"
"Yes, yes." Skaara looked behind him again. To Sam that answer didn't sound very convincing, and she wanted to know more. Skaara didn't give her any chance. "I have to go, I am in a teltac. Death gliders landed near the pyramid. Zippacna, another Goa'uld and two Jaffa are at the Stargate. You must hurry!"
The monitor started to blur and Sam had the urge to hit the screen with her fist. They still didn't know if Daniel was okay. God, she really wanted to know. A hand on her shoulder almost made her jump and she looked into the eyes of General Hammond next to her.
"You have a go to Abydos, Major." Hammond squeezed her shoulder in comfort without others around them noticing. "Take SG-2 with you."
"Yes, sir!"
Daniel tried with his whole might not to fall asleep again. Of course he needed to rest and sleep, but every time he as much as closed his eyes, Nawa'ri's face came into vision. And it wasn't just the Tok'ra woman haunting his dreams. Sometimes her face changed into Sarah, or was joined by another one. Jack!
Daniel never had more doubts than he'd had in the last days. He feared that the connection he felt with Jack was because the other man was dead. And the dreams, where Jack seemed no more than a mirage, added to that fear.
His physical pain was making thought more difficult, and he felt like his body had made some kind of plan to go against him. He had been sick for so very long now, it seemed. Skaara had told him it had only been two days, while Kasuf continually gave him some herbs that helped against the pain and told him again to get some sleep.
He slept, no doubt about that. But the nightmares came. Waking up for the tenth time, disoriented to a world that now existed as a constant pain, he decided he would try to stay awake. The pain going through his body, and especially his left leg, seemed to even work to his advantage. He wouldn't fall asleep as long as he was in pain, and as long as he didn't take any more of Kasuf's herbs.
Closing his eyes for just one second couldn't hurt though, not more than it already did. A voice seemed to whisper in his ears, calling his name. Fog cleared and standing not far from him was Jack. Daniel wanted to scream at the image to go away, as if that would ease the pain when his friend disappeared again. He knew he couldn't cope with another image of Jack vanishing before his eyes, even if it were only in his dream.
But the feeling was different than the other times. Unlike the other times, it didn't feel like a dream, he felt completely awake and aware. Jack was actually standing nearby. Suddenly, such a calmness overtook him that it almost made him reach out to touch.
"Jack?"
"I'm fine, Daniel."
"Why are you here, Jack?"
"To tell you I'm fine, don't worry." The voice slowly faded as did the image and Daniel let out a scream to keep the image intact, to ask Jack if this was real, if he was really alive.
"I am, Daniel." The voice chuckled when the image faded and he blinked at the ceiling of the tent. His dream had ended, but had it been a dream? He still felt calm, as if Jack had been really there, and not just his image.
What in the world was happening to them?
"Sir. Janet." Carter stood not far from Jack's bed. Janet checked his pulse and gestured with one hand for her to come nearer. She was still not moving, though, and it made Jack feel like he was left out of something.
"Major?"
"We have a go to Abydos, sir." She started to rearrange her hair, showing Jack how nervous she was. "Skaara told us only two Jaffa are guarding the gate, and there are two Goa'uld. Zippacna probably left to get more troops in, so we have to hurry."
"You do not know for sure, Zippacna could still be there… Sam?" Janet asked, meanwhile feeling Jack's forehead like she had done every hour since he woke up. Jack was getting pretty fed up with it, with her and the whole infirmary even though he knew his irritation was irrational and misplaced. What he was fed up with was his inability to offer any real help to Daniel. God, the last time he'd…linked to the younger man in yet another dream, he'd seen how bad off his friend…
"We can never be sure," Carter interrupted his thoughts. "But Zippacna leaving to get more Jaffa sounds logical. This is our only chance to get Daniel back."
"I'm coming!"
Jack couldn't stay here, he needed to go with them. He knew that was why Carter was acting like she had done something bad. She was probably also feeling bad because she hadn't believed him on his word. He couldn't blame her for that though, and he didn't. Now she had to tell him they were going, but on the other hand knew he wasn't allowed and would be pissed off.
"No way, Colonel!" Janet's strict voice sliced the air near his ear. "You are not well enough to be out of bed yet, so a mission off world is the last thing you want to be doing."
He knew he needed to complain. He knew it would make her even more pissed off than he was at the moment, but he didn't care. It was the way he felt. "I need to…"
"Colonel!"
"Doc!" Was he raising his voice to her?
"Colonel!"
"I have to go, Doc. You know I have to… hey, what was that for?"
She looked down on him in mock satisfaction, the needle that gave him an injection in his IV still in her small hand. "This is just something to make you sleepy, Colonel!"
"What, but I…"
"Ah." She raised her hands and pushed him back down easily. "You are fit to go when I tell you. Now is not the time."
"But, Daniel."
"They can get him without having to take care of you, Colonel." Her voice had this final tone is it, and Jack was smart enough to stop arguing about it. He was starting to feel sleepy anyway. Damn drugs!
What if his team came across Zippy and his Jaffa? What if Daniel needed him to be there? It wasn't that he didn't trust Carter, but this was his responsibility, his team was, and Daniel was part of the team. Period!
Sam's face was suddenly hovering over his and she bent whispering in his ear. "Sorry I didn't believe you, Colonel."
"'s 'kay, Carter." He barely had enough strength left to smile up at her. "Go, get… Dan…"
Sam's face was replaced by Janet's. "You rest, Colonel, and I will let you know when Daniel's back."
*Ooh, you'd better Doc, you'd better…*
"Father, Zippacna has left through the Stargate." Skaara bounced from leg to leg. Dust was accompanying this action and Daniel coughed. Even coughing hurt like hell, so he raised his hand to get Skaara to stop.
"Zippy left?"
"Yes, Danyel," Skaara said, kneeling beside the bed. "He has left his two Jaffa to guard the Stargate, but the others are all gone. O'Nearr can come now before he brings other Jaffa to Abydos!"
"What about the other Goa'uld?"
"He was nowhere to be seen."
Daniel grabbed the young man's arm and squeezed. "You've done well in contacting Earth, my brother."
Skaara beamed at that, making Daniel smile. Smiling also hurt and another coughing fit made him gag. Kasuf was next to him in a second, holding him as he scowled at Skaara. "You let Danyel rest now."
"I'm fine, good father," Daniel weakly assured.
"You are fine when I say so." Kasuf glared at him. "Now you rest until your friends get here."
His friends. He hoped they would be able to get through the gate before Zippacna would get more troops and come back. He trusted SG-1 to be faster. Hell, he trusted Teal'c to run through and knock those Jaffa off their feet. Sam might even do a nosedive to knock them out.
Jack would be here, soon. Maybe it wouldn't be bad to let his friend mother hen him for a while, an idea that had been so terrible to him before all this had begun. He had thought of Jack so much lately and he really felt like he managed to get through his frustrations regarding his relationship with Jack with the help of Jack's voice in his mind constantly. Jack had even been in his latest dream. He knew for certain that his friend was alive. He could feel it.
Kasuf would take care of him until Jack came, no doubt about that. He closed his eyes and drifted off into sleep.
"People, be careful… you have a go!"
Sam looked up into the control room at General Hammond. SG-2 was standing nearby at a ready, as was Teal'c next to her. The plan was to throw some smoke shells through the gate and follow, taking out the Jaffa and maybe the Goa'uld by surprise. It was a risk, but they had to do it.
The colonel waking up and cursing that he couldn't come with them gave her strength, though. Sam had had to promise him several times she would bring Daniel home, safe. Even Teal'c had had to promise to him. But she was too tense to smile at the memory as she checked her P90 one last time when the gate opened up.
Prepared for the worse, Sam just grimaced at the sight of two dead Jaffa and SG-2 checking out the rest of the room when she rematerialized on Abydos. Major Ferreti came her way, also with a grim expression on his face.
"All clear, Major Carter. No more hostile activities in this room or outside."
"Thank you, Major." Then she looked around, searching for Teal'c. He was checking out the bodies of the Jaffa and it made her stomach clench. "Anything, Teal'c?"
Her friend lifted his head and sniffed. "These are indeed Jaffa in service of Zippacna." He started walking towards the exit and she followed him automatically. "We need to find DanielJackson soon."
"Sam!"
The voice was coming from outside and she raised her arm to stop members of SG-2 going off shooting. She recognized the voice of Skaara, and she quickly walked out into the bright sun, shielding her eyes. The young man came towards her with a smile on his face. Before Sam could even utter one word he hugged her and then looked at her, his eyes full of concern.
"You must come."
"Daniel?"
"We are taking care of him." Another voice said, startling her for a moment, but she relaxed when she saw Kasuf coming their way. "My good son is waiting for you."
Daniel was cold, but was also sweating. His fever was probably getting worse again. He wanted to sleep some more, but couldn't. His friends would be here soon, as he had seen Kasuf and Skaara leave to greet them. All would be fine.
He wondered how long they had been gone. It seemed to have been an eternity, but waiting was always hard. He could see outside the tent a little, as the flaps of the entrance were pushed back. The sun was setting, tinting the inside of the tent with golden light. It made him realise once more that he missed being on Abydos, missed his life here.
Then the flaps moved and he saw a cloaked figure coming in, stooped slightly at the waist. The figure didn't look like Kasuf, Skaara, or any other Abydonian. An icy feeling came over him, and he was certain that he was in a very dangerous situation. Daniel closed his eyes until they were open just a slit, instinctively feigning sleep while he tried to determine if who had joined him was friend or foe.
"Doctor Jackson."
The figure stopped next to him, he could feel his presence, smell him. He also recognised that voice. Raf'no rean! Why did things always have to be this complicated? The iciness in his body increased until it felt as if he were frozen solid.
"I know you are awake." A hand landed on his left leg and pushed on the bandage there.
He couldn't help but let out a pained gasp as the wound protested against the pressure. Intuitively, Daniel kicked out at the alien with his right leg. Hitting something and hearing a soft groan, he opened his eyes to see if he needed to repeat the same action. Before he could even blink, a hand grabbed his shirt and he was pushed back.
"How nice to see you again, Tau'ri." A hand landed on his throat and pushed. "You will pay for what you have done!"
God, he couldn't breathe, couldn't move. Panic overtook him as he gasped for air, desperate to get loose. His hands waved through the air, trying to hit the Goa'uld, but a little voice inside him said it wouldn't do any good. Raf'no rean was far too strong. Everything started to blur and he was about to give up.
Then a voice, seemingly not his own, yelled in his ear, *Don't give up, reach out!*
*Jack?* Daniel didn't know how, but his right hand suddenly grabbed the large wooden water cup standing next to the bed. Grabbed it and hit Raf'no rean on the head with all his power.
Suddenly, he could breathe again. As he took in a lungful of air, everything inside seemed to burn. Darkness overwhelmed him.
Sam looked around and waved at Teal'c to stand guard. The Goa'uld were gone now, but it never hurt to be safe. Kasuf and Skaara, interrupting each other all the way, had told her the story of the teltac coming down and Zippacna and his Jaffa. Daniel was lucky to be alive. Kasuf led her into a huge tent. They must have decided Daniel couldn't be moved so far and had built a small cleverly hidden camp not far from the pyramid instead of taking him to their village. Sam was glad that they didn't have to walk too far in the desert heat.
"He is asleep, Major Carter," Kasuf whispered and gestured at the wooden bench in the far corner. "He really needs your help."
She took his arm. "Thanks, Kasuf."
When he turned and left she had to restrain herself from running over to her friend and do a joyful dance. Instead, she carefully walked towards the man lying on the bed, covered with some greyish sheets, with a pile of cloth under his head. Sam suddenly saw another figure lying on the floor near the bed. Grabbing her P90, she walked over and pushed the knocked out man with her foot. Was this an Abydonian man who had gotten unwell? Bending over, she got a cold familiar feeling inside and did one step back.
Damn it, it was a Goa'uld. She could feel it, there was no doubt.
There was an unconscious Goa'uld lying on the floor near the bed, near Daniel. What if Daniel was? His face was pale, a bruise standing out on his forehead and throat.
"Daniel?" Sam quickly touched her friend's cheek and flinched as she felt heat vibrating from his clammy face. Thank God, he was alive, but he was running a fever. "Daniel, can you hear me?" She needed to give him something for this fever, soon.
She also had to deal with that Goa'uld in a minute as he was still out of it, but for how long? She wondered what had happened here meanwhile taking out a couple of plastic cuffs from her field pack. Binding the
Goa'uld, hands and feet, she once again turned her attention to Daniel.
"Jack?"
"It's Sam, Daniel."
She looked into worried and tired blue eyes that seemed to see right through her. Then he grabbed her hand so tightly she winced. "Where's Jack?"
"He's at the SGC, Daniel," she whispered and didn't pull her hand back, afraid that the loss of contact would upset Daniel even more. "You seem to have a fever, how are you feeling?"
"Jack's not dead, is he?"
"What?" She looked down at him in surprise now. Why in the world would he think that the colonel was… Sam swallowed. Daniel had probably been there when the colonel had been shot in Daniel's kitchen. They all thought that O'Neill would die, but he hadn't. Daniel's thoughts weren't all that unusual, she realised.
"Please tell me Jack's okay!" Daniel insisted, breath now coming in short gasps. He was still squeezing her hand with strength that shouldn't have been possible in his state of health.
"He's fine, Daniel."
"Really?" She could feel his hand getting damp, and sweat was running down the side his face. "Then why isn't he here?"
"God, Daniel," she knew she had to get this thought out of the way as fast as possible. "He's been ill, but he'll be fine. He was just way too weak to travel." She carefully smiled at him. "Can you imagine the colonel, not being able to come looking for you? He was almost breaking down the infirmary walls."
Sam felt and heard him relax as a low sigh escaped him. He closed his eyes, leaning back. "Can we go home now, Sam?"
"Right away." She felt his pulse and was happy to feel it was strong.
The blast of a staff weapon made them both jump. Turning around, her P90 coming up in one movement, she saw Teal'c, his weapon still pointed at the Goa'uld on the floor behind her. What the hell…
"He was about to get loose and away, Major Carter!" Teal'c's face showed no regret as he lowered his staff weapon.
How could she have been so stupid? She should have kept her attention on the alien as well as Daniel. A Goa'uld would be strong enough to even damage plastic cuffs in no time. She had been too focused on Daniel to take measures against it. Maybe in her mind's eye she knew that Teal'c had been there to take care of it, but it was no excuse, as they could have been killed.
"I'm sorry, Teal'c."
"It is okay, Major Carter."
A hand touched her arm, she turned and she looked into a pair of concerned blue eyes.
"Sam?" Daniel squeezed her arm. "Can we go?"
"Yes," she tried a smile. "Yes, we can."
It was time to go home.
"Daniel?"
Jack knew that Doctor Fraiser would be more than upset if she found out he was out of bed right now. He didn't really care, he had to see if Daniel was fine. They had brought him back from Abydos and he hadn't been allowed to see Daniel. To talk to him. Sam had told him the story she knew from Skaara's point of view, but Jack needed to know more.
Jack was still very tired himself from his ordeal. From what Skaara
had relayed to Carter and Teal'c, it seemed like Daniel had had some nightmares on Aybydos. He'd already suspected this. Didn't know why, but he did. Like he'd been inside Daniel's head again. It was still rather scary, but it just kept happening, and he was almost getting used to it.
Janet told him that his friend had a severe concussion, a nasty infected burn on his left leg, and blood works that were through the roof. Probably the effects of a zat or fire stick, and he had bruises and burns everywhere. Then she had told him he would be alright.
*Alright? Yeah, maybe he would be…* physically anyway. But what about his mental state? Being kidnapped from your own house and tortured could do things to your mind that weren't all that positive, and that was an understatement. Jack knew, as he had found out the hard way in Iraq. Still gave him nightmares in stressful times.
Of course Janet was not dumb, she knew this as well as he did. She probably just wanted to protect him. After all he had been a coma for days, and scared the shit out of everybody. But he was feeling much better now. A little sore, still dizzy, but that was it. He was scared, though. Scared for Daniel.
When he woke up out of that coma, the connection he had with Daniel had been different. He had only felt it in his dreams, not as much as when he was in that coma though. It left a hole somewhere inside and Jack knew almost for sure that Daniel would feel it, too. Now, every time Jack fell asleep he could feel it coming back slightly. Perhaps there was still something left that gave him the opportunity to feel Daniel's emotions. It was scary and fascinating at the same time.
His friend seemed to be in a peaceful sleep, lying in his infirmary bed with white sheets. His face looked almost as pale as those sheets did. Observing him carefully, Jack could see Daniel wasn't at peace at all, despite his unconscious state. There was a continuous air of tension around his friend, one he wished he could relieve.
"Daniel?" He wondered if he should reach out and touch his friend, or if he should just wait until he woke up by himself? Daniel needed rest.
"Jack." A soft whisper made the decision for him, as blue eyes blinked up at him with a smile. "Good to see you."
"Yes, you too." His tongue suddenly seemed to be stuck inside his mouth and he coughed and stared at Daniel, making sure he was alright and alive, that was the most important thing.
"Are you alright?" Daniel asked, still in a whisper. It seemed to Jack that they had told Daniel what had happened to him. *Well, Daniel was there when he had been shot, right?*
"Yeah, you?" *That was a very stupid question Jack O'Neill.*
"Just a little dizzy and tired." Daniel closed his eyes to confirm this. "Must be the pain meds Janet gave me."
"Yeah," Jack smiled down at him. "You go get some sleep."
There was no answer. Daniel was asleep again and Jack pulled up the sheets on the bed. It was good to see Daniel, to know he was alive, even though he was ill. Jack knew Daniel's ordeal wasn't over, but he also knew he'd be there to help Daniel through it.
He really needed to get some sleep himself.
Daniel was walking through a dark city. Tall buildings crowded in on him. He saw flashes of light coming his way. He had to get away before the lightening would hit him.
But he couldn't move. He seemed to be stuck in a puddle of mud on the narrow street. There was no one around to help him. Panic overtook him as he clawed at the ground to release him. A lightening bolt hit the ground in front of him, and he saw sparkles of fire coming his way. He had to get out of this mud!
"Daniel?"
The soft but steady voice called his name. He looked around and saw Jack standing on the edge of the mud pool. Brown eyes locked with his. "This is not real, Daniel," Jack called out to him. "You are dreaming, wake up."
"Jack?"
The figure was gone in an instant as he woke up to a dimly lit room and the smell of antiseptics. His breathing slowly came back from gasps to a normal level. Sweat was running down his back and he swallowed. He was in the infirmary, and just had a nightmare. Still, Jack had been in his dream… Again. Every time he had a bad dream these last nights, Jack had been there. Just like when he was tortured by Zippacna. It was weird, but comforting at the same time.
*Zippacna…* Daniel reached for the light above the bed and switched
it on. He shivered as he looked around frantically. Yes, it was the infirmary, no doubt about that. He knew that he wouldn't be able to go to sleep again now. He just couldn't get away from the image of that damn Goa'uld, not even with Jack in his dreams. And then there was Raf'no rean, also someone he'd much rather not think about. But he knew he wouldn't be able to stop, now that he had started.
But then a face appeared through the curtains around the bed. It was Jack and this time real brown eyes locked with his. "Bad dream?"
"Oh, yeah…"
"Anything I can do to help?"
What could he tell his friend, that he'd been appearing in his dreams? That he had been with him all the time in thought when he was kidnapped? It just sounded so ridiculous and sappy.
"You are helping, Jack…" *Now where did that come from?*
"I am?"
"You are here now, aren't you?" *Good thinking, Jackson.*
Jack seemed to look disappointed at that, but that could be Daniel's own imagination. He wasn't sure about Jack anymore. The familiar mother hen was replaced by almost a strange man who looked guilty and tired.
"You want some water?" Jack asked.
"Sure," Daniel said and tried a smile. Even better would be a cup of steaming hot coffee, but Janet had been very clear about that. 'No coffee until you're off your meds and home!' Great… But he was feeling much better, he should be able to go home soon. Like Jack, who was being an absolute horror to all the nurses. Jack, who almost dropped the pitcher refilling the paper cup on his nightstand.
"Are you okay, Jack?"
"Great," came the muttered reply. "I just don't like the infirmary very much, been here too long already. And you?"
"Fine."
Jack handed him the cup and the smirk on his face was replaced by a serious one. "Physically maybe, but what about up here?" He tapped with one finger against his forehead.
"Fine, Jack."
Daniel let out a sigh… He felt okay, he could deal with the dreams. He had had them before, lots of times. They'd been through enough shit the last four years. He could handle this as well as all those other things. He just needed some rest, at home… Do some reading.
"It's normal to have nightmares, Jack." He looked up at the tired face of his friend. "You also seem to be doing great."
Maybe it wasn't fair of him to push the attention back towards Jack, but his friend did look like he hadn't been sleeping for nights. He knew what Jack had been going through must have been even harder than his own ordeal. Not being able to move or talk, but hear everything. It sounded like a nightmare to Daniel.
"I'll be fine, Daniel."
Daniel let out a sigh. He really wanted them both to think of something else right now. "Maybe we should beg Janet to let us out of this place?"
This diversion seemed to work as Jack smiled. "Sounds like a plan to me…"
The apartment looked normal, like it always looked when he came back from a mission. Everything in the right place, nothing abnormal. Still, there was a silence in the air that made Daniel wince. He knew he had to get used to being here again after what happened, as soon as possible. But it hit him harder than he thought it would have.
"You okay?" Jack closed the door behind them and had an intense gaze that focused on him. The older man passed him in the hallway to walk to the kitchen, but Daniel couldn't follow. It felt like his limbs were frozen and he couldn't move.
"Come on."
Jack's voice startled him, and he cursed himself that the man was having this effect on him. But then again, everything seemed to have an effect on his nerves, not just Jack. Jack took his arm and pulled, careful but insistent. Not that his body moved one inch. It seemed to fight any movement.
"Aren't you feeling it, Jack?" *There, it was in the open now. No way back it seemed.*
Jack, his hand still holding Daniel's forearm, stopped his pulling and looked at him, still having that intense gaze. He could be another man reminding Daniel of the father he hadn't had for so long. Wasn't he tired of the mother hen acts? But Jack not only looked sad, he also looked guilty in some way.
"Yes, Daniel, I do." Jack dropped his hand and let out a sigh. "Best way to beat this is to keep on living, Danny."
"Like nothing ever happened?"
Daniel knew he was being unfair, that Jack meant well. He just had the feeling of this huge stone inside his stomach that turned and turned, making him feel sick.
"That's not what I mean, Daniel, and you know it," Jack let out, regret apparent in his voice. "Want some coffee?"
Daniel crossed his arms around his chest and stared at the floor. Anything to avoid Jack or the room he was in. "Sorry," it came out in a way he didn't want it to. Way too much like the Daniel he used to be when he first met Jack. Daring a glance at Jack, he straightened his shoulders. "I could go for coffee, yes. Thanks."
"Good. " Jack gestured toward the living room. "Why don't you go sit down and I'll make us some."
Hands were leading him towards the room, and his thoughts registered that it was Jack again. Why was he still standing next to him? He could find his way in his own apartment, now could he? A warm hand on his shoulder made him shiver. He had thought Jack was dead, shot here in his kitchen.
God, he couldn't stay here, he had to go!
Daniel looked like crap.
Jack stared at him, at the haunted look that was visible in those blue eyes. He was glad that Daniel agreed he'd go and bring him home after Fraiser released them. Sooner or later Daniel had to come here. Sooner better than later was Jack's opinion.
He tried to ignore the security men from the SGC standing to attention near the building where Daniel lived. They were incognito, but Jack knew them very well. Daniel also knew them and had been upset about the fact that no one had told him about the precautionary surveillance crew. Jack knew better than to argue about it.
Walking into his apartment, Daniel had just freaked out. He was standing there in the hallway without moving, arms crossed in that oh-so-familiar gesture, and with fear in his eyes. Jack knew that fear. He had seen it in the mirror for years.
Trying to make conversation, Jack was about to push Daniel gently into the living room when his friend turned away from him towards the door. The only thing he could do was hold him back and grab him in a tight, rough embrace.
"Daniel, relax, it's me."
"I can't stay here, Jack. I can't, I…" Daniel was trying to pull out of his embrace, meanwhile keeping in the sobs that threatened to escape. Jack knew he had to hold on now, let Daniel know that this was normal post-traumatic stress behaviour, and that he was there to help. Janet had warned him this would happen, but he had thought he could handle it. Now was the time to handle it indeed, before anyone like good old Doc McKenzie came in sight. He wished he wasn't feeling so damn guilty.
"Hey, hey, take it easy!" He took the younger man's hands and guided him to the couch. "Sit down, I'll make the coffee."
"Wait, no!" Daniel grabbed his shirt still that haunted look in his eyes. The look that made Jack wince in sympathy. "Don't go to the kitchen!"
"It's where you keep the coffee, Danny." Of course he knew what Daniel was on about, as there was a silent plea that told Jack that Daniel also feared being left alone right now. But the best way to beat this was to do what you feared to do. Beat the fear. Easier said than done, of course. "You'll be fine."
"But, you…" Daniel hadn't looked so lost since Sha're's death, and they've all been through a lot after that. This was bad.
He sat down and took Daniel's hands in a firm grip. "I will be fine, Daniel." Well, he was sure he would be in a while, so it was no lie.
It looked like the younger man was trying to fight his fears and also his tears by staring at the floor. Jack felt his heart was almost falling out of his chest by the way Daniel looked. So scared, so lost. It scared Jack more than he was willing to admit. Daniel had been so strong the last years, after all that had happened to them. Daniel wasn't a naïve scholar anymore.
"Daniel." One of his hands found a way under Daniel's chin and lifted it. Jack had to look at him, had to let him know he was there to help this time. He just wished that Daniel would accept his help, and forgive him for not being there. Twice now.
"Daniel, you can't do this alone. Come on, let me help you."
"What if they come back, Jack?" Daniel's voice was so soft that Jack almost didn't hear what he said. "They could, you know…"
Jack let out a huge sigh and took Daniel's shoulders in his hands, squeezing softly. He wished there was something reassuring he could say to his friend, but he knew there wasn't. They could come back, yes. But he would do anything to avoid that.
"I'm not going to lie to you, Daniel. You're right, they could." He bit his lip as he saw Daniel's face turn one shade paler. "But if they do, we will be ready for them!"
"We will?"
"Yes!" Jack carefully shook Daniel's shoulders. "Yes, we will, Daniel. You've got to believe that!"
Daniel sniffled and did his best to let out a faint smile. "I look like crap, don't I?" It wasn't even a real question. "I think I definitely need that coffee now."
When Jack came back with two mugs of steaming hot coffee, he saw Daniel sitting on the couch as if in a trance. One knee was lifted up under his chin while the other one, the hurt left one, was propped up on the coffee table. Blue eyes were staring into nothing, not even hearing him.
"Daniel?" He sat down on the couch and carefully took Daniel's hand, passing his friend the mug. "Here, drink."
"Jack." Suddenly there was that smile on Daniel's face. Like Jack was some long lost relative that had just come back after many years. Then the moment was gone and Daniel blinked at him. Like he knew something that Jack didn't. He took the mug and let out a sigh. "Can I ask you something, Jack?"
"Sure." Jack wondered where this was going as he took a sip of the coffee. "Don't make it too hard, though, you know me."
Daniel chuckled and also sipped his coffee. "You feel guilty, Jack?"
At this, Jack almost dropped his mug and sputtered, looking at Daniel. "I, uhm…" He really thought he'd been hiding his feelings, wasn't he an expert on hiding his feelings? Damn, why was Daniel always reading him like an open book? The younger man had raised his brows now, waiting for him to answer.
"I wasn't with you this time, Danny." Regret was noticeable in his voice and he cursed himself. He had to go on and say it, though, before he lost his nerve. "Just like I wasn't with the Osiris case, and the days after. But still, I just acted like you were not able to do things on your own."
"You were really with me all the way this time, Jack."
"I was?" Jack blinked almost dropping the mug out of his hands again.
Maybe it was better to put the thing on the table? Was he hearing what he thought he was hearing? Had Daniel been having the same connection to him as he had had the other way around?
"You saw me, right?" Jack had to know now. Had to ask.
"In my dreams, yes." Daniel put down his coffee mug on the table and sat up straight. "You saw me, too?"
"Uhm, yes." Jack didn't know what else to say. He had been coming into Daniel's dreams and Daniel had known the whole time. But then he also knew that he was only trying to help. That the device that shot him somehow triggered the connection. Or at least it had been what Janet had told him after running all these tests on him, and it sounded logical now. "It started happening when I was in that coma, Daniel." *Did he sound apologetic enough?* "I couldn't help it."
"I didn't mind and I still don't mind, Jack."
"I didn't want to, but it just… wha- what?" Was there something wrong with his hearing? Daniel didn't mind?
"It helped, Jack." Daniel was definitely blushing. "It helped me find a way out of there." The blush grew deeper. "Still does."
Jack let out a small smile and suddenly got the urge to grab Daniel and hug him fiercely, as if to show him that he was really glad his friend was still alive and back. When he gave into his urge, he could hear Daniel chuckle into his neck.
"Jack!"
"So, I was there to help after all then…" Jack let go and looked into amused eyes and a red face.
"Yes. In deed, in thought and in spirit." The amused look was gone and serious blue eyes looked up at him. "Couldn't have done it without you."
Jack swallowed. He wasn't all that good in showing his feelings like this. He wasn't a man of words, he was a man of action. But he knew he owed Daniel an apology for something. The fight they had before this all happened still in his head. "Sorry about being a pain in the mikta sometimes."
Daniel looked surprised. Probably because Jack still knew about what his friend had said to him weeks ago. "That's okay, Jack. I was just going through a rough time, with Sarah and all. I shouldn't have said that to you."
"Wanna say it again?" Jack couldn't stop himself. "Maybe it helps?"
Daniel let out a laugh, raising one hand to hit Jack on the arm. The sound was music to Jack's ears. "Maybe it does, Jack, maybe it does!"
They would make it through this. It would take some time and a lot of nightmares, but they were able to help each other. It seemed to Jack that they were more connected than they had been in a long time. And he didn't care anymore if that was because of his coma, or that it had just been something, lying beneath the surface, trying to get out.
Jack wasn't about to mess things up again, happy to think of Daniel as his best friend.
In deed, in thought and in spirit.
*The End*