Remember those days when I would post every other day and apologize profusely if updates were more than a week apart? I'm not sure if two-month updates are better or worse.
Last chapter began Part Two of the story. The war with the Ori began, the New Alliance was formed, and SG-1 is once again on the battlefront- and, because they're SG-1, they got captured. We met Adria the Orici, and got some hints towards the fate of Jonas Quinn.
Of course, Adria isn't going to just ignore the super-valuable prisoners she's got in her dungeon, right?
Chapter 9
Once she had been assured that Daniel was alright, Rhea slipped away again, phasing through the walls. Sam peppered Daniel with questions about how she did that, and with some amusement Daniel explained that, after being experimented on during her captivity, her body was extremely versatile and easy to make intangible. The device she wore on her wrist- something he'd created for her- separated her molecules enough for her to easily phase through things and turn invisible.
Another long stretch of hours passed- how many, no one was sure- and then one of the walls vanished, to reveal a pair of silver-armored guards. "Come with us," one of them ordered. "The Orici wishes to speak with you."
Sam helped Daniel to his feet. The four teammates followed the guards, who were joined by three more once they had exited the cell, down a corridor to the same large cavern they had seen the Orici in before.
Expecting to wait there for her, Daniel was startled when the guards brought them down the tunnel the Orici had come from. A few minutes' walk brought them to a door, flanked by four more guards.
Without speaking, the guards around the door pushed it open, and the quartet were shoved into the new chamber. It was smaller than the previous ones, this time the size of an average living room. There was only one piece of furniture: in the back of the room, where the Orici sat on an ornate throne.
Her piercing dark gaze made Daniel instantly slam down his mental shields and tighten his grip on his other aspect- even by simply looking at him, she gave him the uncomfortable feeling she was reading his mind, and dark instincts rose to the challenge.
There was a moment of frigid silence. The Orici flicked her hand and dismissed the guards. Daniel found the familiarity of the gesture vaguely disturbing; not all that long ago, he had used the same gesture frequently.
Once the five of them were alone, the Orici rose from her throne and approached. Her dark eyes instantly fixed on Daniel and narrowed. "You are him," she mused aloud, almost to herself. "Daniel Jackson, the former Ascended who bears the memories of that life."
Daniel hesitated. He knew that their enemies usually knew him and the rest of SG-1, but to hear his name on her lips made him nervous for some reason.
Jack cleared his throat. "So, you know who he is, I'm guessing you know the rest of us too. Mind skipping ahead to the villain monologue where you tell us who you are?"
Slowly, her brown eyes turned on Jack. "I am the Orici. My human mother gave me the name Adria."
"You're not an Ori, are you?" Daniel asked quietly. Her power is beyond anything I've seen in the Priors, but she says she had a human mother. Is she a human who was given power by the Ori, or is she something more?
"And you are not a human," Adria countered. "Your aura bears the glow of former Ascendancy."
"What does Ascension have to do with this?"
"Everything. Ascension is the ultimate path of enlightenment, as it is written in the Book of Origin. To have it, and forsake it… I do not understand."
"I didn't see eye-to-eye with the Others," Daniel responded simply.
She nodded slowly. "I see. Perhaps Origin is the path for you."
Daniel shook his head. "I don't condone wiping out innocent people who do nothing more than refuse to worship you. The Goa'uld tried the same thing, and we defeated them. You're no different."
Orange flames flickered in her eyes. "I think you'll find we are very different from the weak Goa'uld." She turned away and seated herself on her throne. "You will tell me where your allies' homeworlds are, and their weaknesses- especially that of Earth."
"Nah," Jack answered with his usual insolence. "I don't think our friends would appreciate us giving you the keys to their back doors."
A smooth dark eyebrow rose. "Perhaps you could use some motivation." She called out in another language. It was similar enough to Ancient that Daniel was able to ascertain the basics: Bring him in. Another door swung open, and two guards came in, bringing with them a pale and obviously exhausted Jonas Quinn.
"Jonas?" Sam gasped. Daniel tensed. Teal'c raised an eyebrow, and Jack's eyes widened.
"...Daniel?" Jonas whispered hoarsely, his indigo eyes going wide. "Sam?"
"According to my informants," Adria commented lazily. "This young man was once a member of your team. I think you should answer my questions, if you wish for him to remain unharmed."
"Don't tell her anything," Jonas ordered.
Daniel glared at Adria, wishing he could destroy her. But judging from the power he sensed from her and the fact his own powers were severely dampened, it seemed likely that right now, in a one-on-one fight, he would not prevail.
The Orici gathered energy in her hands as more guards came forward to hold Daniel, Sam, Jack, and Teal'c back. Daniel sent out a flicker of his own energy, dulling Jonas' pain receptors as much as he could with the bracelets inhibiting him.
It wasn't enough. The energy Adria sent surging through Jonas was still very painful, albeit less so with Daniel's protection. He kept his shield up for as long as he could, fighting to protect the friend who had risked everything to help him all those years ago.
-*/*-
After an hour and a half, Adria, growing impatient, had her guards throw them all back in their cell, thankfully with Jonas accompanying them this time. As soon as the guards left, Sam knelt next to Jonas and began examining him, searching for wounds.
"I'm okay, Sam," Jonas told her with a faint smile. "They just mostly used energy weapons, on a lower setting."
"How'd you end up here, Jonas?" Jack asked.
Jonas winced as Sam's fingers probed a sensitive spot in his shoulder. "When the Ori attacked, they figured out I was a member of the Council pretty quickly. They knew I'd been on SG-1, so they didn't kill me. Most of my people were killed or imprisoned because I'd convinced them to fight against the Ori." He looked away. "It's my fault they're dead."
"No," Daniel said flatly. "It's Adria's and the Ori's fault all this happened. You wouldn't have been put in that position- your people wouldn't have died- if the Ori hadn't come."
The alien young man met Daniel's eyes. Daniel saw the hopelessness and guilt drain away. "Thanks, Daniel," Jonas said softly.
"In the meantime," Sam broke in. "We should figure out a plan to escape."
A familiar presence brushed Daniel's senses. "Shouldn't be too hard- Rhea's here."
"Who's Rhea?" Jonas wondered.
"We'll explain later, kid," Jack answered, clapping his shoulder lightly. "It's a long story."
Rhea materialized from the wall, and Jonas jumped. "Relax," Sam reassured. "She's a friend."
The young woman looked at each of them worriedly. "Are you alright?"
"We're okay," Jack said. "Although I think we've seen enough of this place. Not somewhere I'd like to spend a summer."
A smile flickered across her lips. "I could get your gear back and open the door, and scout ahead so you don't run into a trap."
"Then we'll make our way as quietly as possible out," Sam finished. "How soon can you have the door down?"
Rhea thought for a moment. Absently, she easily picked the lock on Daniel's cuffs with a long, thin strip of metal pulled from her boot. Daniel pulled his hands free. "Depends on how long it takes to get your gear. No more than five minutes. Be ready." She vanished back into the wall.
To pass the time, Daniel extended some of his energy to Jonas to give him enough strength to get to the gate.
Jonas gave him a startled look. "What was that?"
"That was part of the long story," Daniel told his friend. "I have some handy new tricks up my sleeve."
"The 'handy tricks' have been very useful since you obtained them, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c mused.
"Thank you, Teal'c."
"But you can't use the handy tricks to get us out," Jack grumbled.
Daniel shot him an irritated but amused look. "I can't teleport, Jack."
"Then how did you get to me and Sam when the Reetou attacked?"
"I was already in the hallway when the alarm went off. I was ten feet away from you."
"No you were not!"
"Yes I was!"
"Were not."
"Was too."
"Were not."
"Was too."
"Gentlemen!" Sam interrupted, an amused grin twitching the corners of her lips. "If you're done, we have an escape to begin."
Daniel wasn't sure if it was luck or Sam's timing, but at that moment the door vanished to reveal Rhea, their backpacks at her feet.
It took less than a minute to organize their gear, and then they headed for the exit. "I know enough about Ori tech to deactivate the security systems, but Daniel's abilities make him better at concealing it," Rhea told them in a whisper.
"Like with the cameras at the SGC?" Jack murmured.
"That was for Rhea's sake," Daniel defended.
"I am so lost," Jonas muttered.
"Sorry," Jack and Daniel responded at the same time, grinning at each other.
"Get ready," Rhea hissed. "I sabotaged their power source. Their security shields will be down in three… two… one-" Light flickered ahead of them in the passage, and they sprinted forward, following Rhea's lead toward the archway that would lead to freedom.
As soon as they were in fresh air again, Daniel heard alarms going off. "I'm guessing that means we should run."
He'd never run a 5k faster. Promise of death was a great incentive, although he didn't really want to do it again to try for a better time. By the time they got to the gate, all six of them were exhausted and breathing heavily.
Daniel's fingers flew, touching the symbols he'd always known best. The Stargate opened, and they dove through as energy blasts struck the event horizon around them.
Instantly, Daniel knew something had gone wrong. They emerged, not in the SGC's gateroom, but on a large plain, with flowers and tall grass in every direction. The sky was filled with clouds, and thunder cracked all around them. Rain began to fall, and soon Daniel could barely see his own hands, let alone the Stargate.
"Stick together!" he yelled, reaching out and grabbing for his friends. Sam and Rhea's hands were the first he felt, and then he found Jonas, Jack, and Teal'c. Clinging together, they fought their way through the storm.
A dark shape caught Daniel's attention, and he strained his eyes to see what it was. It was the mouth of a cave, set into a small hill.
That'll at least provide some shelter. He pulled the others in that direction, and soon they were inside the cave.
"I haven't been this wet in ages," Rhea gasped, wringing out her hair and sending a curtain of water flowing to the floor. She grinned. "I love it!"
Nearby, Sam was checking her radio and other instruments. Teal'c helped Jonas sit down on the rock, and Jack poked his head out into the rain.
"Wow, that's coming down hard," Jack muttered. He shook his head, sending droplets of water flying everywhere. "We should hole up here for a while, wait 'til the storm calms down before heading back."
"What I don't get is why the Stargate redirected us to here," Sam said, half to herself, as she sat down next to Jonas.
"Could this not be the same incident as when you and O'Neill were transported to Antarctica because the Stargate was struck by energy weapons?" Teal'c suggested.
Sam pursed her lips. "That's probably the most likely explanation. Hopefully it'll be easier to get back this time."
There were sounds of agreement from Daniel, Jack, and Teal'c. The days Sam and Jack had spent trapped inside a glacier had been nerve-wracking for everyone.
"How about you guys look around the cave?" Daniel suggested. "Jonas should get some rest."
"I'm fine," Jonas insisted indignantly, already half asleep.
Daniel smiled. "Go ahead, guys."
Teal'c, Jack, Sam, and Rhea trooped off, leaving Daniel and Jonas alone.
"What really happened to you?" Jonas' sudden question took Daniel by surprise. "After the Battle of Dakara, I mean. Where did you go? How did you meet Rhea?"
Daniel stared off into the distance. "I barely beamed onto Anubis's ship in time before the bomb went off. I stole a Glider, but it malfunctioned and I ended up in a pretty bad spot. Rhea was one of the ones who helped me out of it. Jack, Sam, and Teal'c came and found me. I went back to Earth with them after that."
Jonas nodded sleepily. "I'm sorry, Daniel."
"It wasn't your fault."
The two friends sat in silence for a long moment before a faint noise caught Daniel's attention. He cocked his head, listening carefully.
He realized what the sound was- cracking rock- less than a second too late. The floor gave way beneath them, and Daniel and Jonas fell.
Luckily, it was only an eight foot drop, into a small chamber with only a single exit. Daniel sat up and checked to make sure he had no broken bones.
"Ow," Jonas muttered. "Where are we? Why is it so dark?"
Dark? Daniel looked around and realized Jonas was right- the chamber was pitch black. His eyes had automatically adjusted to the crushing darkness. "I don't know. We fell, and the passage must have sealed behind us." He stood, examining the room.
Jonas rose to his feet with a wince, wobbling unsteadily as he did so. "Uh- Daniel- where are you?"
"Here." Daniel placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Any ideas?" the younger man asked.
"There's only one exit," Daniel mused. "We could see where it leads."
"Go into the dark tunnel, alone, with no backup, leading to who knows where?" Jonas sighed. "Alright, let's go." Daniel was amused at the touch of snarkiness- apparently Jack's usual sarcasm had rubbed off on Jonas.
With Daniel leading the way and Jonas hesitantly following, the pair entered the new tunnel and followed it for a few minutes in silence.
In an instant, several things happened at once: Daniel sensed something coming and threw Jonas aside. Something seized both their arms with handlike appendages. Daniel felt his skin burning at its touch, and hurled a beam of energy at it, the golden glow forcing it back. With a wail, the creature retreated along the corridor and vanished.
Daniel swore and turned to Jonas. "You alright?"
"Define 'alright'," Jonas groaned, gritting his teeth. "That hurt."
"Yeah." Seeing that Jonas was growing more and more uneasy at the lack of light, Daniel created a small orb that hovered above them, shedding a dim golden glow on the corridor.
Daniel examined Jonas first, then himself. The creature's touch had given them both burns, in a strange, almost trident-like shape, in the same location on their right arms. "The burns don't look bad," he commented. "It should be okay. Are you able to walk?"
Jonas shrugged. "As long as that thing doesn't come back, I'll be fine."
They continued along the passage, this time much faster as Jonas could now see where they were going, courtesy of Daniel's light-sphere. Jonas examined the carvings in the walls. "These carvings… they look Ancient."
Daniel glanced over. "'When the Ori return to their home, then shall rise a new alliance. The Sangraal shall be the key to the defeat of the Ori.' Huh."
They approached a turn, and Daniel stopped, holding out a hand to halt Jonas. He flicked his hand, and his globe of light went out. "There's light coming from around that corner," he hissed.
Jonas raised an eyebrow. "I didn't even notice that."
"Stay here. I'll be right back." Daniel padded forward and peeked around the corner. In the middle of the passage hovered the glowing form of an Ascended being. He stepped out into the open and asked, "Who are you?"
The light slowly faded, and a beautiful dark-haired woman appeared. He recognized her instantly- she had been one of his strongest supporters during his time as an Ascended for ending the rule of non-interference.
"Ganos Lal." Daniel met her eyes. "Morgan Le Fay."
She nodded. "It is good to see you once again, Daniel Jackson."
"You, too. Morgan, why are you here?"
"I was waiting for you. I must tell you something: the answers are there, if you look closely enough."
She faded into light again and floated sideways, vanishing through the wall on the right. Now that the light she cast was gone, Daniel summoned his own light back and examined the wall she had gone through.
"What was that?" Jonas asked, coming up behind him.
"That was Morgan Le Fay…" Daniel trailed off. "And I think she just gave us a hint on how to defeat the Ori."
-*/*-
Jonas watched in fascination as Daniel read the Ancient letters aloud, translating it effortlessly. The majority of the writing seemed to discuss the Ori and how they had come to be estranged from the Ancients, which was not very helpful.
"Here," Daniel pointed. Jonas moved to his side. "It says, 'Arthur and his knights traveled to many places in their search for the Sangraal, including Castiana, Sahal, and Vagonbrei.'"
"What's that mean?" Jonas asked.
Daniel pursed his lips. "I'm not sure. But this has to be what Morgan was pointing us to."
Jonas heard a footstep in the passage ahead of them, and instinctively took a step back. But then the flashlights held by the newcomers and Daniel's light illuminated their faces, and Jonas relaxed. "Sam! Jack! Teal'c!"
Daniel's head snapped around. "Rhea!"
The other four members of their group exchanged looks. "What happened to you guys?" Sam asked. "When we got back, you were gone. How did you get down here?"
Jonas glanced at Daniel. "The floor collapsed." He waved a hand in the direction he and Daniel had come from. "We ran into an Ascended being-"
"Morgan Le Fay," Daniel interrupted, a small smile flickering across his lips. "I think she gave us a clue about a weapon that could defeat the Ori."
"What is it?" Rhea asked.
"It's called the Sangraal," Daniel explained. "It was created by Merlin. Supposedly King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table searched for it millennia ago."
"I thought that was a myth," Jack protested.
"Considering the fact we just met Morgan Le Fay, I'd say there's a good chance that Arthur, Merlin, and the others were alive at some point," Jonas pointed out. "Maybe they're still alive."
"I do not want to see what a three-thousand-year-old man looks like," Rhea muttered.
Teal'c cocked his head. "How would we be able to find this weapon?"
Jonas examined the carvings briefly. "It probably has something to do with Castiana, Sahal, and Vagonbrei. Daniel, what did that inscription say again?"
"Arthur and his knights traveled to many places in their search for the Sangraal, including Castiana, Sahal, and Vagonbrei," Daniel translated.
"So maybe it has something to do with those three," Sam suggested. "They all sound familiar. If I had to guess, they're all worlds in the SGC's database. We can check when we get back."
"Good idea," Jack agreed. "It's stopped raining. We want to head back?" Daniel cast a regretful look at the runes. "I know that look, Daniel. We're heading back."
Jonas grinned as Daniel sighed. "Alright. Let's go home."
It was only when writing this chapter that I realized how much I love writing Jack. He can't go anywhere without his insolence and always makes the best snarky comments, and I've discovered that snarky comes pretty easy to me sometimes.
I hope I kept Jonas in character- he was difficult to write, weirdly enough. For some reason I had a harder time with him than I did for Jack, Sam, Daniel, Teal'c or Rhea.
Anyway, now we have information on the Sangraal thanks to Morgan Le Fay. The next few chapters will be very closely following the season 10 episodes "Quest for the Sangraal" but after that I'll break back off and follow my own storyline.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. No promises about the next update. I've learned my lesson- if I write a date, I will definitely not make it. With that in mind, I'll do my best to post the next chapter soon.
Have a good weekend!