Chapter 7

"Jack."

The voice hovered on the edge of the blackness. Jack groaned, blissfully floating, free of pain.

"Jack."

The voice was beginning to sound angry. Unwillingly, Jack found himself moving toward consciousness.

"Jack!"

Jack awoke with a start. For a moment, he didn't know where he was. Then he looked up into the eyes of Delki and everything came back to him in a flood of pain that exploded with awareness in his back.

"Gah," he said, as he tried to sit up, "What happened?"

Delki grinned. "You fainted."

Jack stopped and gave his full attention to Delki. "I did...what?"

"You fainted. You didn't make a sound through the lashes, but when it was over, you dropped to the ground in a dead faint."

"I did not," Jack stubbornly protested, "I simply...decided to take a break so you guys could have fun without me."

"Well," Delki said with a smirk, as he helped Jack to his feet, "whatever you did, it's time for the meal. If you don't want to go without food until tomorrow, you'd better come."

"How long was I...taking a break?"

"A couple hours. Dendron was so impressed with the way you actually handled your punishment, that he said you could rest for a while."

"What did I miss?"

Delki grinned. "Not too much. We ran some hurdles and did some gymnastics."

"Ah. So, lunch?"

Dendron's grin broadened and motioned to their left.

Groaning, Jack leaned on Delki's arm weakly as they headed toward the center area of the camp. After a few moment, he was able to walk on his own, aware that weakness could not be tolerated in this situation. He walked stiffly, his legs and back extremely soar, but he was determined to not fall behind. They approached the center area and Jack scanned his surroundings. A table was set up with a pile of bowls and one large cauldron. Jack and Delki joined the line of children as they each picked up a bowl and headed toward the cauldron.

As they approached, Jack felt, and heard, his stomach rumble. "So, what are we eating?" he asked, suddenly very aware of his hunger.

"Blood soup, as usual. It's all we ever eat."

"Blood...soup?" Jack said, but at that moment, they reached the cauldron. Jack held up his bowl. The older man as the bowl scooped a ladle in and came out with a chunk of meat that was floating in a dark red liquid. He poured the meat and the blood in the bowl and Jack was left staring at his meal.

Delki gripped his shoulder and steered Jack to where their Herd was sitting. Jack, who was still slightly unsteady from his bout with unconsciousness could only stare in horror at his meal. As he and Delki reached the other boys, he looked up and said, "Please don't tell me this is all we get?"

Reiki grinned and pointed toward his bowl, "That's all you get."

Jack sighed and said, "I told you not to tell me!" Glumly, he sat down and poked at his meat. He didn't feel as hungry anymore. The meat was obviously undercooked but the boys around him gobbled it quickly and then tipped the bowl back and drank the red liquid.

"So," Jack said, once more breaking the silence, "what is the meat floating in?"

Hitsa, the sickly looking child, stared at him with hollow eyes and then said, speaking to Jack for the first time, "It is blood, of course."

Jack sighed again. "This is all we get?" he questioned once more, plaintively.

Reiki nodded, losing patience.

Jack looked at the meat and then shrugged. He'd had worse. He slowly picked up his meat and brought it toward his mouth. Just as it was about to enter, something bumped against Jack's shoulder and he dropped the piece of meat in the dust. Staring at it woefully for a moment, he finally turned to see who had bumped him and looked up into Erpeto's smiling face.

"Aw, did the widdle dog drop his dinner?" Erpeto asked, his smirk screaming all sorts of mockery. "Now you've got to eat it out of the dirt like the dog you are."

Jack could have done several things at that point. Perhaps the one he chose to do was not the wisest course of action, but he couldn't help himself. Fully aware of all the eyes on him as the other children watched to see what he would do, he calmly leaned down, picked up the piece of meat, casually brushed some of the dirt off, turned to Erpeto, and with a wide smile, jumped and smashed the piece of meat into Erpeto's face.

For a moment, everything froze. The children and older men that were there, were all motionless with shock. Food was a precious commodity, one that no one could afford to waste, and Erpeto was a dangerous youth, one that even the teachers did not like to cross. Erpeto was also completely still, blood dripping into his eyes, nose, and mouth as he stared, dumbfounded at Jack. Then the tableau exploded.

With an almost inhuman roar of rage, Erpeto swung at Jack. Jack, who had been expecting it, ducked and the force of the swing sent Erpeto stumbling away. The boys were thrilled: jumping, moving, shouting. A couple of other fights began to break out, and suddenly the whole area was a seething mass of fists and blood. For once, the teachers were trying to break up the fights, but they were making no headway.

Jack ducked under another boy's punches, only to spot Erpeto running crazily in his direction. With a blood-covered face, he looked quite mad as he continued shrieking things that Jack didn't understand. Obviously Tauraus hadn't taught him Greek cursing yet. Jack held his ground, bouncing lightly on the soles of his feet as he waited for the boy.

Just as Erpeto was about to reach Jack, another couple boys crashed into Snake-boy's side and sent him flying away from Jack. Jack was left completely unharmed, but slightly surprised. He stared at the dogpile in front of him and then turned away with a small smirk on his face as he said, "Sweet."

"AttenTION!"

The voice rang through the camp. The training the boys had undergone cut through the chaos and they all snapped to attention where they were. Even Jack.

In his view stood a man he hadn't seen before, but who presence instantly dominated the entire area. He was tall, taller than a full-grown Jack, and his black hair was turning silver. His piercing black eyes scanned the area and came to rest on Glitsa, who was still restraining a larger boy on the ground.

"Glitsa," the man said, his voice at a depth to match Teal'c's, "what's going on here?"

Glitsa immediately dropped the boy and turned ashen. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

At the lack of response, the man turned to look at the rest of the teachers. They all shrank back, obviously avoiding the man's questioning look. Finally, he settled on a child. The boy looked to be about 14, with a split lip that was slowly dribbling blood down his chin.

"You!"the man roared. The boy jumped in fear, then recovered and hammered a fist against his chest. "Yes, sir!"

"What is happening here, boy?"

The boy looked absolutely stricken with fear, but he began to stammer slowly, "Erpeto knocked that new kid's meat out of his hand and so the new kid, Jack, picked it up and rubbed it into Erpeto's face, and then Erpeto attacked Jack. Uh, after that, everyone else just kind of jumped in."

The man nodded, and the boy nearly collapsed in relief. The man turned his eyes back to the rest of the boys and roared, "Erpeto, Jack, forward!"

Jack didn't move from where he was, but before he could cause another scene, Reiki grabbed his rope and yanked him forward. Erpeto managed to pull himself out from under the two boys that had knocked him over and quickly ran to the front as well. As they reached the front of the group, Reiki released the rope and pushed Jack forward so he came to a stumbling halt in front of the intimidating man.

Jack glared at the man fearlessly, creating an amazing contrast to Erpeto, who stood trembling beside him, eyes downcast. Those who were watching were instantly impressed once more with the small child.

The man studied the two boys in front of him carefully, then he turned and spoke once more to the entire group. "In all my days, I have never seen the Agoge in such a state of disorder. I am ordering you all to not allow this to happen again." He seemed to stare into each boy's eyes as he looked around, and in unison, all the boys saluted and said, "Yes, father."

The man then turned his attention to the two boys in front of him. "You two come with me."

Jack who still had gotten nothing to eat, opened his mouth to object, but decided for the moment to comply. Obviously this was some big shot, and getting on his bad side might not be a good idea. Sighing Jack shook his head, and muttered, "Aw for crying out loud," and followed the man and Erpeto as they walked toward a nearby tent.

The clearing behind them remained completely silent. Jack felt the pressure of a hundred eyes on his back as he entered the tent.

After the flap closed behind him, the man motioned for both him and Erpeto to sit. Then, looking at Jack he asked, "Aren't you a little young to be at this stage of the Agoge?"

Jack shrugged, "Aren't you a little young to be the father of every boy out there?"

Erpeto looked at Jack in horror. Then, trembling, turned back to see the older man's reaction to Jack's statement. He seemed to be expecting the older man to explode with rage and murder them both, but to both of their surprise, he simply began laughing.

Holding out his hand to Jack the man said, "Obviously you're not from around here. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Spathatos. In Spartan culture, when boys enter the Agoge, they refer to all instructors as Father. I do have a son in the early stage of the Agoge, but no boys out here are mine."

Jack, couldn't help it. He grudgingly took the man's hand and shook it. The man had an air about him, something that Jack couldn't help but automatically respect. So far, the man had done nothing to earn his dislike. Like the first time that Jack met Teal'c, he instantly sensed that this man was a good man. However, Jack never trusted easily, so he decided to test the waters.

"So," Jack said, "are you some kind of big-shot?"

Erpeto once again looked on in horror as Jack dared to speak to this man with such a casual tone. Spathatos just grinned.

"I'm merely an old warrior who has fought and won many battles and who reports directly to Heracles. And, with an accident of lineage, people have to automatically defer to me. Pay no attention to it."

Jack looked at the man askance. Regardless of the gray in his hair, he didn't look that old. However, Jack thought ironically, technically he was no seven-year-old either.

"Now," Spathatos said, turning toward Erpeto, "what's this I hear about you knocking the food out of this boy's hand?"

Erpeto nearly wet himself. The king's brother was talking to him. He swallowed nervously and said, "It was an accident. It won't happen again."

Though Spathatos kept the twinkle in his eyes, the corners of his mouth turned downwards and he said very sternly, "It had better not."

Erpeto nodded frantically, and then Spathatos said, "You're dismissed."

Erpeto saluted and scrambled out as fast as he could go. However, as Jack began to go, Spathatos stopped him.

"Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't half of your dinner end up on that boy's face?"

Jack nodded and his stomach chose that moment to growl hungrily. Spathatos grinned again and opened a satchel on his waist. He pulled out a loaf of bread that wasn't fresh, but looked far better than the soup that the people had tried to give Jack early.

Jack looked at Spathatos suspiciously, but then, he took the bread and began to eat is as quickly as possible. Spathatos watched him and then said, "Now, being new here, there are things you need to understand if you are going to survive."

Jack watched him and listened as he continued to eat. Spathatos continued, "First of all, you obviously are learning Greek well, but there are some people you should be a bit respectful too. I can tell you hide your fear well, which will only serve you in the long run, but you must be respectful to all of the instructors if you want to survive. They are able to administer punishments at will, and will do so, especially if they don't like your attitude. Try to temper it down around them. Choose your words carefully. It is a hard playing ground, and only those in good condition can survive what is to come. Also, I'd advise you to learn to steal food as quickly as possible, especially if you are going to go shoving it in other people's faces. Remember these two things, and you'll do fine. They picked well when they chose you to join the Agoge."

Jack glared at that. "Unfortunately," he said, having finished the last mouthful of bread, "I don't intend to stay 'chosen.'"

Spathatos grinned. "Neither do many that come here against their will, but none have managed to leave yet. I'd get used to it if I were you. Now, get back out there and show them who's boss."

Jack's look spoke volumes. It held a grudging respect and a bit of gratitude, but underneath that, there was a firmness that showed he wasn't going to give up, no matter what anyone said. Turning, he walked out of the tent, and behind him he heard Spathatos laugh. A plan was already forming in his mind for his first escape attempt, and he was going to make sure that it was the last as well. He and his team would soon be off of this planet, and he would be sure that the address was going to be deleted and never dialed again.