Chapter 10
They followed the jedi to a small apartment on the outskirts of town. The building was ancient and rickety, but its tenants were nowhere to be seen. The solitude seemed to be its selling point for a pair that had expressed a desire to remain discrete. Inside the apartment was worn and sparsely furnished but it was clean and well enough maintained. Chariss brought out a medikit and applied a compress to Cameron's face and another to a nasty cut on the side of his head. She produced some type of medical instrument and had her apprentice pass it steadily over his ribs.
"Well?" asked Jack expectantly, "Who are you? What are you doing here?"
"We are Jedi." Answered Chariss, as though that were enough, "I am afraid our mission is secret."
"I don't know jack about jedi." Deadpanned O'neil, "Enlighten me.
Raising her eyebrows Chariss said "Perhaps you should enlighten US as to YOUR identity?"
"Time to go." Declared O'neill standing and putting his hat on. "Nice chatting with you"
"Stop." Ordered Roda whipping out the cylinder at his waist. With a snap hiss it ignited a towering blade of blue fire sprang out. O'neill already had his Zat in hand and with both hands pointed it at Roda,
"Hold it right there son." He said gently but with warning in his voice, "This doesn't have to happen."
"Hold Roda." Advised Chariss but the young jedi did not heed her warning. Extending a hand, the Zat leaped in jack's hand, but because of his double handed grip it did not fly free, instead Jack grappled in surprise and then eyes narrowing squeezed and a bolt of blue flew towards the padawan. Roda blocked with his lightsaber but the energy arced around it and he crumpled back into his chair. Jack leveled his Zat at the still seated Chariss. "We're leaving ma'am, don't try it."
"Sir I must apologize." She replied, "My padawan is young and I beliee he read this situation very differently. I can tell you are not criminals." If my padawan were somewhat more open to the force as I am, he would have seen that. Sadly, he lets his feelings lead him sometimes. Please stay, "
Daniel, who hadn't had time to move now slowly stood. "Jack, we can trust her." He said, "I have a feeling."
"That's the most ridiculous thing I've heard all day!" exploded jack, "Have you lost your mind? Mitchel just got his ass kicked by a room full of strangers, which admittedly…" jack paused to consider, "Isn't that surprising, but the crazy bitch who started it all was VERY interested in the sith, whom you told me are currently plotting to overthrow this entire galaxy. Now these characters are here with crazy light swords and superpowers. We're alone out here Daniel, I know its not what your used to, but there's no airforce, no SGC. If we get in trouble no one is pulling us out. We can't afford to get caught up in this crap. We are going back to the jumper right now, and we will sit on the Pegasus until Cora figures out how to get us back to our galaxy. End of story, no arguments, if you want to stay and play hero with the locals that's your problem, Sam and Teal'c are coming with me and Mitchell is until he's back on his feet."
"Your friend may have a concussion." Pointed out Chariss, "Wouldn't it be better at least to bring him to a hospital?"
"No." answered jack, "I don't trust you lady and I don't know who my enemies are here, its time to go to ground."
Silence held the room for a long moment until finally Daniel said, "Fine. I have to stay Jack, I have to. These are real people and I can't let what is aw in that movie happen. We're talking about billions of lives at stake."
The two men regarded each other carefully. Jack was tempted to just stun everybody and drag Daniel back to the jumper hovering outside, but he knew he would never hear the end of it. With an exasperated sigh he waved his Zat at Daniel and pout it away."
"Fine, stay if you want. Take Mitchell to a hospital as soon as junior comes around." He gestured at Roda, "We'll wait at the spaceport, but Daniel," he said raising a finger in warning, "if there's even one sign of danger, your on your own. We aren't the team you are used to. I have to look out for my own people."
"I understand that Jack." Said Daniel, "I'll check in at regular intervals."
Jack turned stepped out onto the balcony. Almost immediately a hatch opened as if from nowhere and revealed Sam nervously holding her pistol, and further inside Teal'c seated at the controls, swiveled in his chair with a staff weapon pointed towards the entrance. Carefully jack stepped onto th extended ramp and with a glance at the ground two stories below quickly clambered into the jumper.
The hatch closed and Jack stumbled over to the cockpit banging a shin on the boxes of supplies and stacks of staff weapons littering the aft section. The jumper had been cluttered by the abundance of staff weapons and zat guns that they had brought with them from Earth to trade. Their food supply was rapidly diminishing as well, but many new arrivals added to the clutter. Metallic body parts were stacked in a neat but macabre pile in the corner as well as a large contraption that appeared at first glance to be an advanced trash can design. O'neill was somewhat excited to see a futuristic blaster of some type as well, though it was badly corroded and one end was crushed.
"Did a little shopping?" he quipped.
As he moved to sit he felt a touch on his arm and suddenly Sam as hugging him fiercely. he returned the hug and after a moment realized she wasn't letting go. He waved his arms awkwardly at Teal'c and shrugged. Teal'c turned in his seat with a faint air of disdain.
"Easy, Easy." Said Jack patting her back awkwardly, "It was just a little bar fight."
"…on an alien world." Mumbled Carter from his shoulder,
"Which we are still on." Reminded jack, "We have to do this later Sam. Gently prying her off of him he made his way to the cockpit. Sitting down he placed his hands on the console and closed his eyes in concentration. After a moment he cracked one open and swiveled his head around to meet Teal'c's unblinking gaze.
"Did you want a hug too?" demanded Jack.
***
"The jedi are an order devoted to peace and order in the galaxy." Began Chariss. She and Daniel were seated cross legged in a bare room. "We study and commit our lives to the way of the Force."
"That seems at odds with your devotion to peace." Observed Daniel. "Force and peace do not often go hand in hand."
"I do not speak of force of arms I speak of an energy created by all living things, binding all that is." Clarified Chariss. "there are many aspects to the Force. It is living, it is unifying, it has its dark side its greater and lesser aspects. The force is both creator of and created by it may be guided or provide guidance. It is power, and it is weakness."
"You speak of its duality." Commented Daniel, "In my experience such duality implies a struggle to maintain balance."
"Very good!" approved Chariss, "Though you appear unaware of the force, you have at once grasped a fundamental truth that still escapes my young padawan."
"Can you teach me more of this force?" Asked Daniel
Chariss eyed him shrewdly and then sighed closing her eyes. Daniel was struck by a sense that he was being examined thoroughly, unseen hands seemed to ruffle through his hair, delve into his mind, into his very spirit. He felt an instinct to fight it, but chose instead to trust. He willed himself to relax, and to open up. After a moment Chariss opened her eyes regretfully.
"I sense that in your own way you have already been touched by the force, and touched it in return. I believe that those same experiences close you to embracing it once again."
"if you immediately know the candle light is fire, the meal was cooked long ago." Surmised Daniel disappointed,
"Indeed!" exclaimed Chariss "Rules, rules, rules." She lamented. "You are indeed teachable Daniel Jackson, your mind is opened to possibilities, yet a sense a degree of discipline that escapes many. You see possibilities because you choose to, because you yearn to. You are a philosopher and a panderer. Our order would benefit greatly from having you among us. You are also rebellious and free thinking, an advocate for those less fortunate. Our order is very strict, only one who can be taught at a young age can receive the most crucial of teachings without question. It is to obey. A jedi must place others above themselves, and the force above all else."
"Blind obedience subverts free will." Replied Daniel cautiously.
"Yet free will is flawed," Chariss explained, "We are humans of limited knowledge, influenced by fickle emotions. We are not equipped to handle the power of the force with our wisdom alone, gained through paltry experiences in our time here which is all too brief. Wisdom comes from the force and the force alone."
"You are not automatons." Persisted Daniel, "You turn to the Force for wisdom but you still have to interpret and apply that wisdom. To consider yourselves mere instruments of the force…" he floundered, "That's self denial! Its an illusion!"
"As I feared." Replied Chariss a slight edge to her voice. "Your great strength, your desire to question, to challenge, the very trait that makes you open to learning of the force, would drive you to misconstrue our teachings."
Daniel thought for a moment regretfully, about an order that seemed to genuinely seek wisdom, yet seemed founded on an intrinsic mistrust of the individual, and an unwillingness to promote free will among its followers. He sensed that he could continue arguing with Chariss for many hours but that he would be debating in form and not substance. She was closed now, any response he generated would not be a discussion it would be a debate.
"A very wise friend of mine once said, "The river tells no lies, yet standing at its shores the dishonest man still hears them"" replied Daniel. "And in our own ways we are all dishonest whether intentionally or not."
"It is an irony perhaps that in arguing the case for individual choice and personal experience over subservience to greater wisdom, you must fall upon the wisdom of others to defend your case." Replied Chariss with some acidity.
Daniel suppressed a sigh of genuine regret, and he could see now looking in Chariss' eyes that she sensed his genuine disappointment. There was an awkward moment where he half expected her to apologize, but she could not seem to bring herself to do it. He broke the moment by changing the subject.
"Well you have been very forthcoming, I suppose it is my turn. I must warn you in advance, what I am about to explain may seem," he floundered for a moment, "Convoluted."
"Well we will make of it what we may." Replied Chariss, motioning her padawan into the room. He had appeared somewhat older to Daniel at first guess but looking at him now blinking sleep from his eyes and observing the somewhat petulant set of his lip, he appeared to be still a teenager. "Ah but here is my young padawan who may owe you an apology. Would you care to sit Roda?" Suggested Chariss imperially. Daniel detected a note of chastisement, the boy had been about to sit anyway, and it seemed the intention wasn't as much to direct, as to reprimand the boy for his earlier behavior.
"I've been stunned once or twice myself." Revealed Daniel Jackson, trying to be friendly, "its pretty painful and very sore waking up."
"I may have underestimated your friend." Acknowledged the boy ruefully. "I suppose I earned my bruises,"
"With my padawan awake, your explanations may have to wait a bit." Declared Chariss, "We should bring your friend to the hospital."