Jack and Daniel arrived at their last stop: a holodeck.
Jack pessimistically expected it not to work as seen on TV, because he really wanted to experience a working holodeck and the world just loved to disappoint him.
Jack's heart was pounding when the doors in the holodeck's arch slid open and revealed its black and yellow grid interior. Jack examined the panel inside the arch and saw where he was supposed to slot in a program chip, or input his desired parameters. Lacking one and not knowing how to do the other, Jack simply called out to the computer.
"Computer," Jack said, "show us a beach in Hawaii."
There was a soft chirping tone and the black and yellow grid changed into a bright, sandy beach with a gently churning shoreline. The beach sat in a cove framed by two high rocky cliffs. The water near the shore was sea-green and crystal clear, but further out the ocean turned a deep blue. Seagulls glided high over the deep blue sea, as dolphins broke the surface and leaped and flipped into the air before splashing into the water.
Jack turned his face up and felt the warm sun on his face and smelled the ocean on a gentle breeze.
"This is… This is…" Daniel's voice was filled with awe as he twirled around in a circle and took in their tropical surroundings.
Jack knelt and scooped up a hand full of sand. It felt cool and grainy as he let it slip through his fingers.
"Computer, are safety protocols working?"
"Affirmative. Safety protocols are in full effect," the computer replied.
Jack looked up in surprise when he heard the computer respond using Majel Barrett-Roddenberry's voice.
"Computer, put us on the summit of Mount Everest."
The environment changed again while Jack was still crouched. One moment his boots were buried in sand, the next he was ankle deep in gleaming white snow. Everest's summit overlooked the vast mist shrouded mountain ranges that formed the Himalayas. In the distance the curvature of the Earth was visible and awe-inspiring. The sun on the Hawaiian beach had been a perfect soft, yellow, the sun that shined over the summit was a stark, blinding white and looked as close to the Earth as the moon in perigee.
In these surroundings the illusion of reality was shattered. The summit should have been freezing, and the air almost too thin to breathe. Instead, the temperature was hardly cooler than an early morning in Colorado in the Fall, and breathing in the crisp air was effortless.
Jack pick up some snow and held it in the his palm until it began to melt. He flung the snow back to the ground then rubbed his fingers against his now wet palm.
"This is amazing!" Daniel exclaimed. "A fully interactive artificial environment! Even the Goa'uld don't have this kind of technology!"
"But why do the Borg? They don't need it," Jack said.
"Huh?"
"I think your theory is right," Jack replied as he stood. "Come on, let's get back to Teal'c and Carter.
"Computer, end program."
Mount Everest disappeared and they were standing in the middle of the holodeck's empty grid interior once again.
The only evidence Jack stood on top of Everest moments ago was the wetness on his hand.
When the turbolift's doors opened onto the bridge Jack saw two Borg holding what looked like a very tense conversation with Carter and Teal'c. While Carter did all the talking, Teal'c stood next to her and looked royally pissed.
"What's going on?" Jack asked as he and Daniel walked onto the bridge.
"Sir, the Borg assimilated every Jaffa aboard Apophis and Klorel's ships."
"Yeah, we kinda figured they would," Jack said.
"Including Master Bra'tac," Teal'c rumbled.
"What?" Jack exclaimed.
"Whoa," said Daniel.
"We will return the Jaffa no longer loyal to Apophis and his son, including Bra'tac," one of the Borg said.
The Borg who promised to free Bra'tac was male. He had short dark brown hair, pale skin, and average features that were neither handsome or plain. The only part of his youthful face that showed any emotion were his sharp, dark brown eyes. Everything else about it was still as the grave. He was lean, but not in the androgynous way Seven and Nine of Nine were. He was also short; shorter than his Borg companion and every one else on the bridge, including the Borg in the alcoves.
The other Borg was a woman. A bit shorter than Carter, the Borg looked ten to fifteen years older than the any of the mask-less Borg Jack had seen so far. Her brown complexion made Jack think she was of middle-eastern descent, but she easily could have been Mediterranean or Eurasian. She had long dark hair plaited into a single ponytail that reached her lower back. Her dark eyes were just as piercing as her companion's. She was conventionally attractive, but the blank expression on her face was off-putting, and a little creepy.
Both were clad in the same armor the Borg in the alcoves wore.
"I wish to speak to Bra'tac. Now."
The female Borg held up her hands and said, "That can be arranged, but first, now that Colonel O'Neill and Dr. Jackson are here, there are issues we must discuss."
"Oh, yeah," Jack said once he and Daniel rejoined their teammates and stood before the pair of Borg. "What about?"
The shorter Borg looked at Jack and Jack thought he could almost see a smile form on the Borg's thin lips.
"Unsurprisingly, your team has reasoned through most of it."
"Colonel," Carter said, "while I was going through the database I found detailed instructions on how to operate all the systems on the station in every language I've ever heard of, and some I haven't. The computer interface even has ASL and braille options. The station also has Earth-like environments, like parks, forest areas, and lakes…
"Sir, this station was made for human habitation," Carter concluded.
"Yeah, me and Daniel came to the same conclusion," Jack said.
"How?" Carter asked.
"Well, despite never watching Star Wars—"
"Star Trek," Jack and the two Borg said.
"Right. Star Trek. I noticed areas of the station we visited emphasized comfort and, going by Jack's reactions, familiarity. Why would the Borg design their base, one they don't seem to live in, to—"
"What makes you think we don't live in the Unicomplex?" the female Borg interrupted.
"Well, the living quarters for one. There are zero signs of anyone ever lived in them."
"Maybe no one has claimed them yet."
"Maybe," Daniel conceded. "But don't you need those alcoves to sustain yourselves?" Daniel said, pointing at the Borg in the alcoves on the bridge. "Why didn't we find any in the living quarters?"
"And then there's the holodeck," Jack said.
"What about it?" The male Borg said.
"You don't need them. Anything a holodeck can do the simulations you guys create in your heads can do better," Jack replied.
Jack aimed a hard glare at the Borg in front of him. He was more convinced than ever they were being played by the Borg. He'd suspected it ever since they beamed them onboard the station and left them to roam "unsupervised".
"Is there something on your mind, Colonel?" asked the male Borg.
"What are your designations?" Jack asked.
"I am Three of Six," the female Borg said. "He is One of One."
"You've been watching us this whole time." Jack didn't phrase it as a question.
"Of course," One of One said. "We see everything."
Thought as much.
"Then you know we helped ourselves to some of your tech."
"If you like, we can transport the rest to the SGC when we send you back," Three of Six said.
Oh. So that's the deal.
At the time Jack thought the Borg's inattentiveness was their usual behavior of ignoring people until the Borg perceived them to be a threat. He thought him and Daniel stuffing their pockets with stolen goods would spark some kind of reaction, but the Borg had left their tech laying around like complementary mints.
Or something meant to whet our appetite?
"Including the fighters and power suits?" Jack asked.
One of One let out a very human sounding chuckle.
"No," One replied.
The Borg were definitely whetting their appetites, Jack concluded. Which made him realize the Borg wanted something from them. The fighters and power armor were future bargaining chips.
Except, what could a race of super advanced cyborgs aliens want from them? It had to be something so ethereal, the Borg couldn't replicate it, or take it by force.
"However, we can provide information on how to operate and maintain the other equipment should you accept them," said Three of Six.
"And what will your generous largess cost us?" Daniel asked.
The cynicism coloring Daniel's question made Jack think there was hope for him after all.
"Nothing," One of One said.
"Not buying it," Jack said.
"No reason you should, really," Three of Six replied. She paused before going on to say, "However, the phasers and tricorders are trivial to us."
"Giving them to you would be like you giving away a stick of gum," One added.
Even though Jack already guessed as much, the arrogant way One put it made Jack frown. Though the Borg's modulated tone of voice was emotionless, it was hard to tell if he was being braggy or just stating a fact. Probably a little of both, Jack thought.
"Maybe so, but we know very little about you. If you want to build some kind of relationship with us—with humanity—then you need to explain what your ultimate goals are," Daniel said.
"And release Master Bra'tac," Teal'c added.
Daniel nodded. "Right. And free Bra'tac."
"We don't want a relationship with you," proclaimed a disembodied voice.
"Xander, please let us handle—" Six began but was interrupted by the phantom speaker.
"No, we've been accommodating enough. We saved their bacon and their eggs today. They should be thanking us!"
On the surface the disembodied voice was bleached of emotion and personality, yet its owner managed to make their obnoxiousness come through loud and clear.
"Excuse me," Daniel said, his eyes searching the empty air over his head, "who is speaking?"
"My friends call me Xander, but you guys can call me Borg King."
"Borg King? That'll be the day," Jack said.
"See? I told you this guy is a jerk!" the disembodied voice said. "We should show him and his team the door, and let it hit 'em on the ass on their way out."
"Who is this jack-ass?" Jack asked One and Three.
"He's our leader," replied One.
"Yeah, I know what a "Borg King" is," Jack said, "but who was he before? He sounds like some brat kid to me. In fact, One of One, you look like a kid, too."
"We will explain after we've come to an agreement.," Three said,
Jack rolled his eyes. "Oh, here we go."
"Wow."
"Listen here, Borg brat—" Jack started as he glared upwards.
"Colonel O'Neill, please ignore Xander for now," Three of Six said, her evenly modulated voice betraying a hint of exasperation.
"Fine, what's the deal?"
"If you accept the equipment or not, all we ask of you are two things," One of One said.
"Which are?" Daniel said.
"The NID," Three replied.
"The National Intelligence Department?" Carter said.
"You need to be aware of the threat they pose. The NID and their allies in congress, namely Senator Kinsey, are working to undermine, and ultimately, end your Stargate program by any means necessary."
"What are you talking about?" Jack asked incredulously, but he was already half-way buying the Borg's story—the Kinsey part, anyway.
Something never sat right with Jack about how fervently the senator wanted the SGC shut down. Or how sure he was the United States could defend itself against the Goa'uld. At one point, the guy even claimed God would save them. At the time Jack thought Kinsey was an evangelical loon, but if what the Borg claimed was true, the Senator was playing a very dangerous game.
"They started their own clandestine Stargate operations using the Stargate found in Antarctica," One said.
Jack and Carter exchanged looks.
Jack returned his attention to the Borg. "Go on."
"From what we've discovered, the NID has been, at the very least, influenced by an organization called the Trust. And when it comes to Stargate use on Earth, they want to be the only game in town."
"That sounds a little too spy thriller to me," Jack said.
"But it's true," One said. "The Trust is run by ex-NID agents and political figures who believe the SGC are—"
"A bunch of pansies," Xander chimed in.
Three directed a withering look at the air before she said, "It's more accurate to say the rogue faction within the NID finds your progress slow and less than satisfactory when it comes to gaining advanced technology to defend Earth from alien aggressors."
"You have any proof what you're saying is true?" Jack asked.
"Most of what we learned about the NID came from within the NID itself, as well as several other factions it's allied with," said Three.
"How'd you manage that?"
When the Borg didn't answer right away Jack smiled.
"Wasn't legal, was it?"
When the Borg still didn't respond the final piece to the puzzle Jack needed fell into place.
"You hacked into the SGC, too, didn't you?"
More silence.
"I don't know about anybody else here, but I am just full to bursting with trust for you guys right now!" Jack said with exaggerated exuberance.
"Says the guy stealing our goods like a total klepto," Xander said snidely.
"You stole a whole person from us!" Jack said. "Remember Klorel? Hmm? He was our prisoner first, and we want him back!"
"We did you a favor, soldier boy! In fact—"
"Colonel O'Neill," Three cut in before Xander and Jack's arguing could escalate. "We understand nothing we've told you can be used in any official sense, but we hope our information will help you fight the NID's efforts to shut you down in the future."
"Why do you care what happens to the SGC?" Daniel asked.
"Because," Three said, "what your Stargate program represents closely aligns with Borg ideology."
"And that is?"
"To learn. To grow beyond what we are and once were."
Yeah, but grow into what? Jack thought.
"Which was… Human?" Daniel asked.
One and Three nodded in unison.
"How did you go from being human to Borg?" Jack asked.
The Borg looked at each other for a moment before they returned their attention to SG-1.
"Magic," One said.
"Come again?" Jack said.
"We came into being after our progenitor was magically transformed into a Borg."
Jack exchanged looks with his team before he looked back at One and Three with an arched eyebrow.
"Uh-huh."
"It is the truth," One insisted.
"How does this magic work?" Carter asked.
"To our limited understanding magic appears to be an exotic form of sub-spacial energy. It's powered by a source we call Particle 10. Humans who can access magical energy psionically, through natural ability or practiced skill, are able to manipulate it virtually at will. They can also call upon the aid of higher beings recognized as deities to wield magical power normally beyond their abilities. Such was the case of the warlock that cast the spell that turned our progenitor into the first Borg."
"You mean like Q?" Jack asked.
Three looked at Jack, and for a split second her eyes widened before her expression went flat again.
"That's… We… We don't think so. Not unless Q listens to prayers."
Jack grimaced at the thought. She had a point. The Q Jack was familiar with was more likely to grant the opposite of whatever someone prayed for—just for a laugh.
"I'm not sure I understand what you're saying," Carter said. "Are you implying magic created the technology the made you what you are?"
"Not directly. Magic appears to operate within the basic physical laws of nature. It cannot create something from nothing."
"It obeys the Law of Conservation."
"Correct. Our strongest theory is the spell didn't conjure a Borg into being, it bent reality to create an accurate facsimile. The facsimile was then able to produce technological copies of its nanoprobes capable of functioning without magic, and operate within the fundamental principles of this reality's physical laws."
Jack could see from the look on Carter's face her mind was churning as she processed what the Borg told them.
"If magic is just an exotic way to transform energy into complex matter," Carter said, "then theoretically it's possible… But…"
Not this again, Jack thought when he saw the two Borg focus all their attention on Carter. Their eyes practically sparkling. Three was even smiling.
"Yes," One said. "There's an underlying component to magic we're missing. Some catalyst, or spark, we're unable to quantify.
"How does fire burn? Oxygen. Heat. Fuel. When it comes to magic we've identified the oxygen and the fuel, but we have no idea where the heat comes from, or how it interacts with the other two."
"If what you're telling us is true, then it could alter how we observe and interact with our universe," Carter said.
"If. If it's true," Jack chimed in to bring the conversation back to Earth.
"When the time comes, Colonel O'Neill, we'll prove it to you," said Three.
"Why not prove it to us now?" Daniel asked before Jack could.
"Tell me, Colonel," One said, "if we showed you irrefutable proof witches, vampires, and demons are as real as the brick of C4 in one of Daniel Jackson's pockets, what would you do?"
While Daniel nervously uh'd and ah'd, Jack answered One's question.
"I'd wonder what you dosed me with to convince me any of that bull is real."
"Humor us. What would you do?"
"Well, first thing I'd do is go see a priest. The second thing I would do is find out how big a threat they are."
"Oh, most of them are a threat all right. And then?"
"Then, I'd tell anyone who'd listen to start carvin' up wooden stakes."
"You'd tell your superiors? Your government?"
"Of course."
"And that's why we can't show you the proof now," One said. "Because there are those in your government who already know the supernatural is real, and they very much don't want it to get out. There are no lines they wouldn't cross to keep it secret."
"Well, when will be the right time?" Daniel asked.
"When knowing it won't put you or the SGC in harms way."
"What's the other thing you want from us?" Jack asked.
"An alliance," said Three.
Jack carefully kept his expression neutral before he replied.
"Sounds great. Let's make it happen. I call your people? You call my people?"
"Naturally much negotiation needs to happen before we can form such an alliance," One said. "Both sides need to cultivate trust."
"I agree," Jack said. Then he tilted his head in Daniel's direction and said, "And just to clear the air, I want to apologize for Daniel stealing your stuff in the cargo bay. He gets very excited sometimes."
Jack suppressed a grin when he saw Daniel close his eyes and sigh.
"No worries, Colonel. We intended to gift you the equipment from the start," Three said.
But you should be a little miffed. Why aren't you?
"When the time comes, after our alliance is secure, we will give you free access to Unicomplex 1, and all that resides within it."
"Including the big kids' stuff?"
"Absolutely," One assured.
"And how do we stay in touch with you guys?"
"Hold out your hand," One said.
Jack raised his hand and a moment later a gold, oval shaped com badge appeared in his palm. The Stargate symbol for Earth was etched into it.
"Cute," Jack said.
"Then we can count on you to help defend Earth from the Goa'uld?" Daniel asked.
"Of course," Three said. "We may not be totally human anymore, but Earth is still our home."
About that, at least, Jack believed the Borg were being honest.
"You still haven't explained why most of you look so young," Jack said.
"Only about half the Collective are under the age of eighteen, Colonel O'Neill," One said. "As for why, the spell that transformed our progenitor was cast on Halloween."
"I don't get it," Jack said.
"You progenitor, he dressed as a Borg?"
"Correct, Dr. Jackson, and he assimilated many of young individuals in our city that night."
"What city is that?" Jack asked.
"Irrelevant," One said after aiming an icy look at Jack.
Jack smiled.
Interesting.
"I am familiar with the Halloween holiday. It is also celebrated by small children, is it not?" Teal'c asked.
Jack's smile disappeared. "Did you guys assimilate kids?" he asked stonily.
"The Collective was different then," One said. "You are familiar with how the Borg operated on Star Trek?"
Jack nodded.
"The spell turned our progenitor into that version of the Borg. The worst version."
Jack's thoughts reeled. If that version of the Borg existed here, on Earth, he contemplated the devastation they would have rained down. According to Daniel's visit to that alternate reality, Earth would mount some kind of defense against a Goa'uld invasion. Their defenses wouldn't last long, not even a week, but before being wiped out they'd at least be able to take some of the snake-heads down with them. But against the Borg, Earth stood no chance. Humanity would be extinct in less than a day.
"How close was it?" Jack asked.
"Close."
"What stopped you?"
"My friends," Xander said, and it was hard to miss the note of pride in his voice.
"After the spell was broken many assimilated individuals returned to complete normalcy," One went on to say.
"But not all of you?"
"Correct. We were freed from the ruthless drives and directives of the original Borg, but we had been assimilated for too long to ever go back to being human."
"The kids?"
"Only eight children remain Borg."
"And what are you all doing about that?" Jack asked.
Three stepped forward until she stood right in front of Jack. It was the first time either of the Borg moved since Jack and Daniel arrived on the bridge. Carter and Teal'c raised their weapons, but Jack motioned for them to lower them.
"There are many questions we will provide answers to if you ask, Colonel O'Neill, and many we will not. But any further inquiries about those children will never be answered."
Three leveled a grim, icy expression at Jack before she shook her head, and said:
"Do not ask about them again."