The Mercy of Mot
Chapter 10
He was awakened by a voice. An urgent voice telling him in a none-too-happy tone to get up. Jack must be trying to wake him. But when had Jack learned to speak Phoenician?
"Jack?"
The voice urged him a little louder, followed by a poke in the ribs. He opened his eyes to see one of the Phoenician guards standing over him. Okay, so not Jack. Evidently, he wasn't moving fast enough, because the guard grabbed his arm and pulled him into a sitting position. He hissed as the movement pulled on his wound.
Another guard moved in front of him, grabbed his hands, and began tying them together. Alarmed, he looked around to see Sam and the archaeologists being given the same treatment. There was no sign of Jack and the others, or of Melqart, Philos, or Yara.
"The council is about to convene—we must go," the guard ordered.
Daniel stood up, a little light-headed, but definitely feeling better than he had for the last several days. He'd have to thank Janet for trekking cross-country to take care of him. He looked across at Sam; he'd have to thank her, too, for getting him through this. He thought about how many times one member of the team had looked after another—all the tight situations they had been in, all the battles. Again he wondered how he could have ever considered leaving them.
He was pulled forward with the others and marched down the hall again. They soon re-entered the arena where villagers were already filing in, taking seats on the stone risers. He searched for Jack and Teal'c, but couldn't spot them.
The six prisoners were led to the same spot they had occupied the day before and once again pushed to their knees. Eshmun and the other council members filed in and took their seats. After a few minutes, Eshmun rose and approached the prisoners. Daniel felt a flutter of panic as he waited to hear the council's decision. Surely they wouldn't choose death.
Eshmun lifted his hands, asking for the crowd to be silent.
"Citizens of Carthia, the council has debated the matter of the desecration of the sacred city and has reached a decision."
He turned and faced Daniel.
"You have claimed the Right of Archigia. Do you wish to recant your claim?"
"No." At least he knew Sam and the others would be set free.
"Very well. You alone will stand as the accused. The punishment for defiling the sacred city is death. However, these are unusual circumstances which have required closer scrutiny. It is the decision of the council that the sentence of death may be lifted if three citizens of Carthia will stand and speak in support of the accused."
Daniel felt relief wash over him at the pronouncement that the sentence of death had been lifted. But his worry returned upon hearing three people were going to have to speak on his behalf. Who among their citizens would support him—a total stranger who had committed a crime against them?
"I will speak for Daniel Jackson."
Daniel whipped his head to the side to see Yara standing in the crowd of onlookers. She looked at Daniel and smiled. He smiled back, grateful for everything she had done.
"Daniel and his friends did not know they were breaking our laws—they meant no harm."
Eshmun dipped his head to Yara in acknowledgement. His gaze traveled over the crowd, searching for anyone else who would speak on Daniel's behalf. The arena remained silent.
Daniel searched the crowd for Adon and his father. Surely they would speak for him? Maybe Melqart had changed his mind about the strangers. Daniel had thought he'd formed a trust with the man, but maybe he was wrong. If Melqart had changed his mind, he would probably keep Adon from speaking, too.
Daniel dropped his chin to his chest. He knew it was unlikely that two other people would speak for him—no one else had gotten to know him.
Sam whispered to him, "Daniel, what's going on?"
Daniel kept his head down and didn't answer, hoping someone else would speak. But the arena remained silent, sealing his fate. He lifted his head and looked at Eshmun who returned his gaze. Daniel thought he almost looked regretful.
"If there is no one else—"
Loud voices from the entrance interrupted Eshmun's words. Everyone turned to see Melqart, Adon, and two other men pushing their way into the arena. The four stopped behind Daniel's group, and now that they were closer, he could see they were out of breath and that a couple of them had cuts on their faces.
"May I be allowed to speak?" Melqart asked, silencing the murmurs of the crowd.
"Yes," Eshmun replied. "What has happened?"
"Adon and I were on our way to the arena when we were stopped by a group of men who told us to go home and stay away from the proceedings. We managed to get away from them and made our way here."
Daniel processed that information and looked back at Eshmun. He saw the council leader briefly turn and look disapprovingly at the other council members. Obviously, someone had tried to keep Adon and Melqart from speaking.
Eshmun turned back to Melqart. "The council has decided to lift the sentence of death if three citizens will speak on behalf of Daniel Jackson. Do any of you wish to speak for him?"
"I will speak for Daniel Jackson." It was Adon's voice that Daniel heard. "He saved my life from a nimur even though he had the opportunity to escape. His friends came to get him, but he insisted on following our laws by being brought to the city to face the council. He is an honorable man and should be forgiven his trespass."
Daniel turned to look at the young man who smiled in return.
"Two people have spoken in support of Daniel Jackson. Is there anyone else?"
"I will also speak for Daniel Jackson."
Daniel's gaze shifted to Melqart as the man's voice rang throughout the assembly.
"I did not treat him kindly in the beginning; I was angry that these strangers were in the sacred city. But even after the way I treated him, he still offered his friendship. He saved my son from the nimur, even though he could have escaped. He does not deserve death."
The tension left Eshmun's face and he looked genuinely relieved. "Three citizens have spoken on behalf of the accused, therefore the sentence of death is lifted."
People in the crowd began turning to their neighbor, talking loudly at the pronouncement. Most seemed happy with the outcome, but a few appeared angry.
Daniel let out the breath he'd been holding. Sam whispered to him. "Daniel, what's happening?"
He realized he had never explained anything to her. "Three people spoke on my behalf and the sentence of death has been lifted."
"That's great." Sam's features relaxed, but she looked at him skeptically. "Are they going to let us go now?"
Before Daniel could answer, Eshmun raised his hands, asking once again for silence. "The accused will receive a lesser punishment in place of the sentence of death. He will be set on post in the plaza until sundown and any citizen who believes he should be punished may use the reed."
What? What was he talking about? He was still going to be punished? Daniel looked at Sam; she obviously could tell something bad had happened.
"What's going on, Daniel?"
"Release the other prisoners," Eshmun directed. He took hold of Daniel's arms and pulled him to his feet.
Sam and the others were also pulled to their feet, the guards untying their hands and leading them from the arena.
"Daniel! Daniel, what's happening?" she called as she was pulled away. He knew she was confused; he'd just told her that the death sentence had been lifted, and now he was still being held while she was free to go. He watched her search the crowd and he knew she was looking for Jack and Teal'c. He followed her line of sight, spotting them a few rows up, obviously upset at not knowing what was happening.
He didn't try to answer, instead turning his full attention to the man standing in front of him. What were they going to do to him? Fear gripped him as he struggled to understand the sentence that had been handed down.
"I am sorry, Daniel Jackson. The council was split three to two on the sentence. I wish I could have prevented this. If only I could get them to see . . ." He trailed off, shaking his head. "It would not matter; the others are afraid that if we do not follow the ancient laws, Mot will return and punish us. This was a compromise. It is the best I could do."
They were afraid Mot would return? Daniel was trying to process what that meant, but fear reasserted itself as the guards came and took him out of Eshmun's hold and began pulling him towards the exit.
"Wait! We can help you! Please, let me talk to—"
The shaft of a spear hitting his back cut off his words.
"Quiet!" the guard demanded.
He searched the crowd and spotted Jack talking into his radio, suddenly remembering the SG teams waiting outside the city. Oh, God! Don't let them attack these people! Eshmun had given him hope that they might be open to the truth—that Mot would not be returning—and would be happy about it. There was a good chance these people could be their allies. And if Jack sent the teams in to try and stop this, innocent people would be killed.
"Jack!" But Jack couldn't hear him as he crossed the threshold of the arena and was pushed down the steps towards one side of the plaza.
The sound of hammering brought his attention to one side of the plaza where a post a little over six feet tall was sticking up out of the ground. Several men were busy nailing another post horizontally to the top of the vertical post. A chill spread through his limbs at the chilling sight and he finally realized what his punishment would be.
~oOo~
Jack watched the proceedings from his seat in the crowd, frustrated that he couldn't understand what was being said. He first saw Yara stand and speak, then Melqart, Adon, and two other men pushed their way noisily into the arena, looking a little worse for wear, and spoke to the council. Daniel initially looked alarmed, then hung his head in a defeated posture. Both Carter and Daniel appeared to relax at whatever Eshmun announced. He felt his own body relax somewhat, hoping that this was a good sign.
But then Eshmun made another announcement and Jack clearly saw fear on Daniel's face as he turned towards Carter.
Now the prisoners were all being released, all but Daniel. Eshmun was talking directly to Daniel and Jack could see the guards heading their way. Crap.
He keyed his radio, confident the noise of the crowd would cover the sound.
"Warren, Coburn, what are your locations?"
"We followed the wall around to the left of the main gate. We found a secluded place and went over the wall. We're hiding behind a building—the area looks pretty deserted right now."
"That's because everyone's here. Coburn?"
"Took the opposite side, sir. There appear to be guards where the wall meets the harbor. We can handle them, though, sir."
"Stand by. We made need your help shortly."
"We're ready, sir," Coburn responded.
"Same here, sir," Warren agreed.
"O'Neill, Major Carter is trying to get our attention."
"Let's get down there and see what's goin' on."
The group made their way to the bottom of the arena, pushing their way through the crowd as it streamed out through the doorway and into the plaza.
As they reached the top of the steps, Sam and the four archaeologists managed to make their way over to them. But Jack's attention was on the activity at one side of the plaza. A tall post was standing upright and several men were holding another one.
"Sir!" Sam called as she pushed through the crowd to his side.
"You okay, Carter?"
"Yes, sir."
"Wanna tell me what's goin' on?" he pointed to the posts.
"I'm not sure, sir. Daniel said the death sentence had been lifted because three people had spoken in support of him. But then Eshmun said something else-I didn't find out what. That's when they let us go and kept Daniel."
"Crap!" he shouted as he saw that the men were nailing the second post crosswise on the first, and that Daniel was being led towards it. "Is that what I think it is?"
Sam took in the scene at the edge of the plaza and gasped. "Oh, my God!"
"Come on." Jack shoved his way through the throng, trying to get closer to Daniel.