Year One

By: MusketeerAdventure

Chapter Four: Transformation

Summary: The dark side of the planet offered horrific challenges; however with the help of his team mates Daniel emerges into the light and finds his way home.


Daniel was perplexed.

When he exited the gate with Teal'c, he knew the mission parameters; but he had to draw the line somewhere right? After all she was helpless out here, alone – at the mercy of the Touched.

Lifting Melocia from the ground, he couldn't understand Teal'c at all. He couldn't just leave her here. He wouldn't do that. The last time she was among the Touched, he witnessed her distress and would not be witness to it again. She deserved better.

Stubbornness kicked in as he pressed his lips together. He couldn't listen to Teal'c's rationale, let alone hear it; and then suddenly they were surrounded, with no time to think. Teal'c's directive to pull out his weapon… lost amid the confusion.

Darkness, Tealc's rapid gunfire – placed precisely over their attacker's heads; and the weight of Melocia in his arms was the last thing he clearly remembered. When he became aware, stripped of his weapons, helmet and protective gear; all he could comprehend was the chill on his bare skin where much of his clothing had been ripped from his body – pain and Melocia cowering within the tree line.

Attempting to move toward her, to protect her – the brutal force of assault rained down about his shoulders; his back… his head. Hands, fists, rocks, and parts of tree limbs – beating him down; cutting his skin… left him groaning, unable to lift his arms to either protect or defend himself.

Everything Jack had tried to teach him about self-defense was forgotten. Only fear settled in which left him defenseless. Jack would be disappointed.

Balling up in on himself, he could see Melocia out of the corner of his eye – giving it all she had to fend off the Touched and their advances. Neither of them it seemed was strong enough to fight back.

An image of alpha Jack beating the crap out of him back on base flashed before his eyes, as now he was being mercilessly kicked in the ribs. One, then two broke with a sickening crack. Screaming, he let himself succumb to the terror. Terror that hurtled him back to the past.

Horrible, violent memories from his childhood leapt into his psyche of dysfunctional foster homes with unfit people who saw nothing wrong with slapping; or starving a child – intimidating by force; attempting to gain control through sheer force of dominating physical will.

This was no different.

As the beatings subsided, Daniel lay perfectly still, so as not to draw unwanted attention to him. He had learned that lesson all too well growing up and would apply it now. Be small, keep quiet – don't fight back.

Ear to the earth, body battered; he could taste blood in his mouth…the need to vomit imminent. Closing his eyes – breathing deeply, Daniel willed himself to slow down his heart rate; settle down. He needed to think; think of a way to escape.

He should have listened to Teal'c. He was right. The mission was to get a blood sample… find a cure for this parasitic disease; a disease that was on the verge of decimating the men and women back on the mountain. But now here he was captured; leaving Teal'c to fend for himself with no back up; leaving Melocia vulnerable and exposed.

Admonishing himself, Daniel yelled out as a hand pulled him up by his hair and shook him hard. Teeth rattling, head exploding, confusion like a fog came to rest over his brain and turned his thoughts to murky mush.

In moments he was no longer himself; and dreamed of horrors unimaginable.


Jack sat up and surveyed the small quarters. His vision was clear. The cobwebs which dusted his thoughts with aggression were unexpectedly swept away.

Touching his face; his mouth – gliding his tongue across his teeth he sighed with relief. His muscles no longer ached and his headache was gone.

He was himself again.

Leaping to his feet, the events of the past several hours rushed at him like a tidal wave. Teal'c's genuine regret echoed in his ears, "I have lost Daniel Jackson on the dark side of the planet." Now that this serum worked, it was time to find Daniel and bring him home.

Pounding on the door, it took a minute for Teal'c to realize that he was okay, no longer in the grip of this disfiguring disease. It took some convincing, but finally the door opened. From now on he would need to tamp down on Earth culture references.

Released from quarantine, he raced by Teal'c to the infirmary …eager to find Dr. Fraiser. Eager to let her know of the vaccine's success – eager to get General Hammond, Captain Carter, SG-3 back on their feet. They had to hurry before it was too late. What if Daniel…..?

A sense of foreboding lay in the pit of his stomach. Teal'c's confession weighing heavy. Daniel was lost on the dark side of that godforsaken planet. He needed to find him… alive. It was imperative. If he did not find him, he was sure – something inside him would break; and this time he would not recover.

Barreling into the infirmary, Teal'c close on his heels, Jack stopped, aghast at what was before him. The room was packed wall to wall with men and women in varying degrees of transformation. Most strapped down on gurneys; sedated, unaware – his Captain one of them.

Amidst it all, rushing from patient to patient was Dr. Fraiser – looking tired and worn out. Jack observed her demeanor and admired how outwardly calm she appeared, understanding that beneath her commendable bedside manner she was scared shitless. This virus could have somehow left this mountain, infected surrounding homes…then what?

Moving toward her, he smiled his most enigmatic; letting her know without words that her concoction had worked. Earth had nothing to fear from this unintended outbreak. They could go back to the Land of the Light, save the Touched; save Daniel.

When Dr. Fraiser caught his gaze, she smiled back and was off to the races – pulling her staff together; her body language; urgent and commanding.

Knowing now that things were headed in the right direction, Jack wearily took a seat next to Captain Carter's gurney as Teal'c stood at his side – back as straight as ever; expression unreadable. Squeezing Carter's hand, the knot in his stomach relaxed. She was going to be okay. Everyone was going to be okay. "We're going back" he announced to his team. "We're bringing Daniel home."


Hands pushed deep down in pockets, Daniel plodded along behind the others to the gate. He ached all over, found it difficult to breathe and wondered how he was able to put one foot in front of the other.

Earlier upon waking up in the isolation chamber, he had been so weary; his body painfully battered. But seeing Jack, Teal'c and Dr. Carter had lifted his spirits. He was glad to see them all alive, well and cured of the virus. They had found a way to save the Touched – to restore the Land of the Light.

Studying his team mates he felt a sense of pride. To be a part of doing something good for these people was commendable. If today was not the day to save Share'… then at least he had helped someone.

However, now that his adrenaline was ebbing, he could feel every ache and pain. Leaving behind the Land of the Dark was like waking up from a nightmare. Images of being assaulted; and physically intimidated assailed him.

Without warning he found himself on the ground staring up at the sky. Frowning, he did not remember falling; but reached for his ribs and groaned as an insidious pain travelled throughout his body.

Jack was leaning over him with an anxious look on his face. He was talking but the words were carried off by the breeze before he could catch their meaning. "What?" he whispered, but everything went black and suddenly he was lifted from the ground.

Through a haze Daniel could hear the familiar sound of the gate opening and was glad to be going home.


Racing to the gate, Teal'c holding Daniel to his chest as if he were a child; Jack felt his heart pounding through his chest.

One minute Daniel was walking behind them, tired but on his feet; and next he knew was in the dirt, staring up into nothing – pain etched on his face; unresponsive to his requests to speak to him.

What the hell…he thought as they stepped through watery depths; feet pounding on the ramp, Carter yelling for medics and SG-3 following in their wake.

Dr. Fraiser and her team must have been waiting as it seemed that within in seconds they descended, lifted Daniel from Teal'c's embrace and were running away from them to the infirmary …their boy laid out the gurney, white as sheet beneath dirt and crusted blood. Watching them go, Jack looked to Teal'c, then Carter for answers they couldn't give.

Everyone else had seemed fine – recovered. Why not Daniel?


Pulling aside the privacy curtain Jack took in a shuddered breath as he witnessed Dr. Fraiser cut away what was left of Daniel's clothing. He swallowed down the lump in his throat.

My God, he thought as he gazed on the bruised and battered body of Daniel Jackson. No wonder he had collapsed, there seemed... not part of him was untouched - unaffected by abuse. Turning away he heard Dr. Fraiser give out orders for multiple testes. Heart hammering, feet rooted to the floor… he thought, I cannot stay here, as flashbacks of Charlie in the hospital – on a gurney, bleeding to death because of his mistakes accosted him.

"Please leave Colonel", Dr. Fraiser called out to him and was grateful as someone pushed him back and placed the partition of curtains back in place. Rubbing his face, Jack knew. This was his fault. Daniel wasn't really ready or prepared for this way of life. What had he been thinking?

Knees buckling, he fell heavily into a nearby chair – stunned. Over time he could feel Carter and Teal'c's presence – his gear removed – his weapons taken away; SG-3 taking up residence alongside his team… waiting; anxious for word.


The first time Daniel escaped the Touched and entered the Land of the Light, Dr. Carter met him there and reached out her hands. Her smile was so bright that it reached her eyes and competed with the sun.

"It's good to see you", he said. When she reached up to ruffle his hair, he could feel his neck, then his cheeks burn with embarrassment.

When he closed his eyes, the dark side of the planet engulfed him, and the Touched held him captive.

The second time he escaped from the Touched and walked into the light, Teal'c was standing just beyond the trees, hands behind his back as stoic as ever; but he could tell the Jaffa was glad to see him.

"I'm sorry", he said, as the Jaffa raised an eyebrow, leaning forward to hear. "I should have listened to you. You were right. Things could have been resolved much quicker; and my actions left you alone to fend for yourself. Do you accept my apology?"

Teal'c nodded and intoned, "Indeed" and looked as if he wished to say more; but he was so tired and closed his eyes; and there waiting were the Touched who gathered around welcoming him back to the dark side of the planet.

The third time he escaped from the Touched and stepped over into the light, Jack stood up from the tall grass and said, "Follow me." Obediently, he walked beside the man who seemed to have nothing to say, but was confident in their destination.

Before he could ask where they were going he saw the Stargate looming before them.

"Let's go home", Jack declared and without second thought he approached the DHD; put in the coordinates to Earth; closed his eyes and stepped through … Jack's hand on his shoulder guiding him within the wormhole.

This time when he opened his eyes, there standing around his bed; under the florescent lights of the infirmary was Dr. Carter, Teal'c and Jack – who pressed his shoulder and announced with genuine warmth, "Welcome home."


Thank you for reading. Please leave a review to let me know what you think. These are missing moments from the season one episode, 'Broca Divide'.