Disclaimer: See Prologue…
A/N: Okay, so there is a brief mention of an Atlantis ep. If you haven't seen it, it isn't really important to the storyline, but I would suggest seeing it, because it is absolutely hilarious
Hah! Two chapters done in one day…boy am I on a role. Okay, I guess this means that I could have left these two chapters as one, but for some reason it didn't seem right to do that…not to mention they would have been one really long chapter. Things are about to get really interesting in the next couple of chapters. We're going to have some unexpected characters making an appearance and some unexpected heroes. So stay tuned.
Spoilers: SGA 314 "Tao of Rodney"
Last time:
"The 'best' is followed by the mightiest. Good luck O'Neill."
Once again, Jack watched as a former knight of Arthur's court became a glowing white mass of energy and floated away.
Chapter 13: Amat Victoria Curam Part Two –
Although McKay was upset at the turn of events and Cam was a little disappointed not to be the one to pull the sword out of the stone again, no one was really surprised when Jack returned carrying the sword of Galahad.
Jon had been the first one to see Jack coming back from the temple, and was also the first to notice the stress lines around his eyes. Being the furthest from the jumper, and therefore the closest to Jack, he managed to stop him before the others came up.
"What happened?"
"Sarah, Charlie, Laira, Steve, and Kawalsky." Jack answered simply.
Jon winced, only he really knew the implications of those five names.
Λ
"The best is followed by the mightiest."
Jack's words hung in the air as the nine members of the team sat contemplating what could possibly be meant by that.
"Can't the Ancients be a little less obtuse?" Jon complained.
"Hold on." Vala exclaimed in excitement. Pulling out one of Daniel's books she started flipping through the pages. Looking up she saw the looks of surprise on her team's faces. "What? I was bored." A moment later she exclaimed again in victory. "Here it is! 'One day a sword in a stone was seen in a river by Arthur's knights, and it was said that only the world's best knight could pull out the sword. Galahad was led into Arthur's court where he sat in the Siege Perilous and then drew the sword out.' So Galahad would be the 'best' and you just finished with him." Once again Vala started flipping feverishly through the book. "And here…under Gawain: 'one of the mightiest warriors at court.'"
"I knew we kept you around for a reason." Jack teased Vala. Turning to Daniel he continued, "So which planet was Gawain's?"
This time it was Daniel's turn to be flipping through a book, not like that was anything new or strange.
"Planet three."
"Never would have seen that coming." McKay said scornfully.
"Me oportet propter praeceptum te nocere (I'm going to have to hurt you on principle)." Jack grumbled. When he saw all the surprised looks around him, Jack took a mental inventory of what he had just said. Damn. He thought. "Vah! Denuone Antiquus loquebar? Me ineptum. Interdum modo elabitur. (Oh! Was I speaking Ancient again? Silly me. Sometimes it just sort of slips out)" Suddenly the looks of surprise turned into concern. "Ego videor non validus ut subsist (I seem unable to stop). Daniel, commodo persolvo (Daniel, please explain)."
"Um…" Daniel sighed. Slowly Daniel filled everyone in on the events that led up to the current situation. Everything from the Ancient repository to the Ancient knowledge slowly taking over Jack's brain every time he used it. "The first two times that Jack stuck his head in an Ancient repository, his speech was the first to go after three days. It appears that Jack has used the knowledge enough to reach that stage. I can't be certain, but Jack will probably be speaking in Ancient from here on out…at least until we can remove the knowledge from his brain."
Λ
McKay had been remarkably quiet since Daniel had filled the group in on the exact details of what was happening to Jack. Jack wasn't sure if he should be annoyed or happy at the turn of events. On one hand, he was rather happy with the fact that the annoying scientist wasn't uttering more comments about how he couldn't believe that Jack was the one who was supposed to fulfill this quest. But on the other hand, Jack could almost hear the wheels turning in McKay's head. He just knew that McKay pitied the situation he was in, but that he also wanted to use Jack as a lab rat. Jack shuddered at the thought of being poked and prodded.
"Are you well, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked from beside Jack as they moved away from the stargate and toward the third planet's temple.
Jack simply nodded, knowing that Teal'c wouldn't understand him if he spoke anyway.
Teal'c was worried about his friend. He too had his own thoughts as to what was going through McKay's head and was keeping a close eye on the scientist. Suddenly, Teal'c noticed a spark in Jack's eyes that indicated he had an idea.
"What is it O'Neill?"
Jack simply held up a finger to indicate that Teal'c was to watch and wait.
Everyone in the jumper (except of course Jon, who was driving) watched in fascination as Jack moved about the back of the ship, rummaging through the different equipment that the scientists had insisted be brought along.
By the time that Jon landed the jumper in front of the temple, Jack had assembled a small device that no one recognized.
"What is it Sir?" Sam inquired, her inner scientist thoroughly intrigued.
Jack rolled his eyes at her and headed to the front of the jumper. Pushing Jon out of the pilot seat, Jack lay down on the floor of the jumper and stuck his head under the console. A few minutes later he sat up with a look of utter satisfaction across his face.
"Well, that should do it."
Everyone stared in surprise as they understood what he said.
"But…" McKay sputtered.
Jack held up his hand to interrupt the scientist. "It's a universal translator. Everyone should be hearing their first language. For instance, Teal'c, are you hearing me as if I was talking in the native language of Chulak?"
"Indeed."
"And Vala? You hearing all this in your native tongue?"
"Yeah."
"Sweet!"
Λ
Jack couldn't help the smug smile that spread across his face as he moved away from the jumper toward the temple entrance. He just knew that McKay had to be wracking his brain as to how a 'dumb jock' like Jack had managed to make such a cool device like that universal translator. The great part is that McKay knew exactly how Jack had done it – he'd used the Ancient knowledge, but that didn't mean that he was any happier about it. Especially after everything that had happened after McKay had nearly had to ascend or face death.
Jack was slightly apprehensive as he entered the temple, thoughts of the last test still on his mind. What greeted him was the last thing he expected.
"Hello Jack."
Jack stared, the shock making it difficult for him to speak. "Um…"
Gawain smiled briefly, but all too soon it faded. "We should get started; we have a lot to cover…"
Λ
"You could have told me!" Jack demanded once he was back in the jumper.
Arthur shrugged and a small smile lit his face. "What would have been the fun of that?"
"I already knew that Mitchell, Carter, and Daniel looked like members of your court, but you could have warned me that I looked like Gawain."
Arthur's smile simply got bigger.
"You look like Gawain?" Daniel exclaimed in surprise.
"Yup, turns out history likes to repeat itself. Oh, and the Ancients have a nasty sense of humor." With that last comment, Jack looked at Arthur intently.
The smile was suddenly wiped off of Arthur's face. "I wondered who would be the first to tell you."
"It seems that poetic irony isn't lost on the Ancients. 'Let's let his mirror image tell him, that would be fun!'" Jack growled. Suddenly, and in an almost violent manner, Jack grabbed Arthur and dragged him out of the jumper and several feet away from the jumper. "Ah!" Jack said as Daniel attempted to follow them out of the jumper.
Daniel was surprised, thinking he'd have to translate for them, but shrugged and went back inside.
"Vita mutatur, non tollitur, Jack. (Life is changed, not taken away)." Arthur began.
"Id imperfectum manet dum confectum erit (it ain't over until it's over)."
"Nascentes morimur (From the moment we are born, we begin to die)." Arthur countered.
"Aaaah!" Jack yelled. "Absum! (I'm outta here!)."
"Jack, wait." Arthur began. "I know that this is hard, but you were warned that the sacrifices would be great. I imagine that Merlin didn't tell you implicitly what would be involved, but he did intimate it."
Jack sighed as he thought about what Arthur and Gawain had both said. "Crudelius est quam mori simper timere mortem (it is more cruel to always fear death than to die)."
"Exactly. Think about it Jack, you're a warrior. One who has long retired from the field. I know what that is like Jack. When we retired soldiers look to the future and our ultimate demise, we long for the days when we were in the field. It is in our blood to wish to die gloriously."
Jack rubbed his temples, trying to work out the headache that he could feel forming. "Meum cerebrum nocet (my brain hurts)."
Arthur chuckled quietly, before turning serious again. "May I assume that since we are standing away from the others and away from the universal translator that you don't yet want the others to know what is going on?"
Jack's hands paused in their circular motions as he looked up at Arthur. "Credo nos in fluctu eodem esse (I think we're on the same wavelength)."
Λ
The rest of the team couldn't help but notice how silent and sullen Jack had grown since coming back from the third temple. Sure, he now had Percival's ring, Galahad's sword, and Gawain's dagger, but beyond that they couldn't pull out of him what had happened in the temple. Silently they flew to the fourth planet and set up camp. It had been a long couple of days and they were ready to settle down for the night.
Little did they know, but once again Jack wouldn't be getting much sleep, but not because he'd be off talking to another of Arthur's ascended companions. No, Jack faced a sleepless night because of the revelations given him by Gawain.
Λ
Flashback:
"Jack, the Ancients have seen how loyal you are to your friends and to your duty. They have also seen that you are honorable in all aspects of your life. These are just a few of the reasons that you were chosen to fulfill this task." Gawain began.
"But…" Jack said.
"There is one part of this quest that has been hidden from you up to this point."
"And that is?"
"First, the Ancients desire an answer to an important question."
"Which is?"
"This is not a question that can be answered with words, O'Neill. It must be answered with actions." With that, Gawain placed his hand on Jack's forehead, and Jack slumped to the ground, unconscious.
Jack was surprised to find himself in typical offworld attire and gear, standing just in front of a stargate on what appeared to be an alien planet.
"You coming Jack?" Daniel called from the head of a path.
"Daniel, does something seem off to you?" Jack inquired.
Daniel shrugged. "No. Now come on, the village isn't far."
Before long (in a much briefer amount of time than Jack anticipated) the original SG1 arrived in a small village. At first the people were friendly, answered the questions, fed them, and showed them around their village. But as SG1 prepared to leave, they suddenly became hostile.
Instinctively, Jack shot off a few round into the air to get the rather primitive people to back off. But as he watched in horror a small, elderly medicine man grabbed Daniel by the throat and began to choke him.
"Let him go." Jack growled as he raised his weapon and took aim at the small man. But just as he did so, weapons appeared all around them.
"This one must die. He has brought a curse upon our people and must be killed that our people may survive." The medicine man announced.
"Wait!" Jack called out as the villagers began to drag Daniel away. "Take me." Jack was surprised to find himself offering.
"Sir!" Sam exclaimed.
Jack simply threw her a look that warned her to shut her mouth. "Look, you need someone to die to save your people. Daniel is doing a work that will save not only your people but the universe. Allow me to take his place so that your people may be saved now, but so many more may be saved later."
The medicine man thought about Jack's words for a minute, before calling something out in a foreign tongue. In motions so quick they could not be counteracted, Daniel was released and Jack was dragged away in his place.
Suddenly Jack was awake on the floor of the temple. "What the hell?!?!" He exclaimed as he jumped to his feet.
Gawain's face was both sad and relieved all at once. "The Ancient's have received their answer O'Neill, you have passed their test." He motioned toward the dagger.
Jack reached to take it and turned back toward Gawain, fully expecting to see him already beginning to float away. But before he turned all glowy, Gawain left Jack with one final thought.
"Amat victoria curam (Victory favors those who take pains
Don't forget to review...over 200 of you read chapter 11 and there were no reviews...really makes me wonder if you guys are enjoying this or if I'm waisting my time.