502 THRESHOLD

O'Neill was exhausted after the events of the past few days or was it weeks. It was more mental exhaustion than physical. And although he has tried he could not get more than 2 or 3 hours of sleep and woke as tired as when he went to bed. Bleary eyed and rubbing the ache in the back of his neck he walked down the hall to see how Teal'c was doing, feeling a twinge of guilt for having shot Teal'c.

Daniel was in the infirmary seated a few feet from the heavily sedated Jaffa, who was in sturdy restraints as well.

"How's he doing? Say anything?"

"Not much change, Jack. He did mutter something about my mother and a goat. You really want to know?"

"May come in handy someday."

"Increasing your vocabulary? An expression like that might get you killed."

"Do you think there's a chance in hell he might get out of this on his own, Daniel?"

Daniel, looking sad and hopeless, shook his head.

"The Jaffa, do you know what they're planning to do? I heard about some rite." Jack asked.

"Sounds like torture. As if he hasn't been through enough." Daniel replied.

Jack breathed out a sigh "I don't think he'd want to stay like this. I don't just mean chained up but in thrall to Apophis."

"Do you think this rite is kinda like their medical intervention? I suppose from their perspective that our surgery looks like torture too." Daniel said.

"If it works, how will we know?" Daniel went on "He tried to fool us already. How will we know if we can believe him? Take it on faith?"

"Jeez Daniel. I think, in essence, Teal'c believes in freedom and in himself and that will come out."

"I hope so."

"I'll sit with him for a while. Why don't you get some rest." Jack said.

Teal'c was either asleep or unconscious so Jack's mind wandered.

When, a few months ago or was it a year ago, there was the possibility that Jack himself could be a Za'tarc. There was a possibility that he had been brainwashed and he wasn't aware it had happened. Was it like that with Teal'c? Had he been tasked to infiltrate the SGC? That couldn't be possible they weren't on Apophis' radar yet. So it must be that Apophis brainwashed Teal'c on their last mission against the SGC and SG-1 in particular.

When it was thought he might be a Za'tarc, Jack didn't know to whom he was a danger or when his programming would be launched. The obvious choice was the president, his commander and chief to whom he swore an oath. Or was it Per'sus the Supreme High Councilor of the Tok'ra? Or someone else, Carter perhaps or Daniel or Teal'c? So he had to let them lead him away, had to let the Tok'ra experiment on him. He had to be the sacrifice.

If he accomplished his programming and the assassination and he was aware, he would be devastated. He understood the suicides.

Jack had no doubt Bra'tac loved Teal'c as a son and he was still willing to perform the rite on Teal'c. Or maybe willing to perform the rite because he loved him. This, too, Jack understood.

After a few hours Carter relieved the colonel. Teal'c stirred and pleaded with her to release him.

"Have you no faith? Why do you punish me for my beliefs?"

"Apophis is not a god. You know that, Teal'c." Sam said.

"I thought your people allowed freedom of faith?"

"We do…"

He cut her off. "So why then is mine not allowed?"

"He's not…"

Teal'c was agitated and aggressive. "Do you not know what faith is? I cannot help what I believe. What if you were punished for your beliefs?"

He then lapsed into unconsciousness. Sam was relieved because she had no response for his questions.

She was thankful when the colonel and Daniel returned a few hours later. Neither man could sleep.

"What do you think he meant by valore?" O'Neill asked.

"I don't know, you know how gaudy the Goa'uld dress, so maybe? What do you think he meant by calling me a woman?" Daniel wondered if it were a slight on his manhood or his military prowess.

"I wouldn't think too much about that. He's probably hallucinating." O'Neill went on "I'm more concerned if what we're doing is right?"

"Culturally?"

"If we did this to a human, one of our own, it would be torture. Damn, it is torture."

"We wouldn't…" Daniel couldn't finish.

"What, tie someone down and torture them?" Unfortunately Jack knew better.

"What choice do we have, Jack?" Daniel asked. "If we were tying someone down and trying to convince them their religion was wrong it would be unconscionable. This, this thing he says he believes in is a parasite."

"This rite...Bra'tac says Teal'c will have to go through his life, relive all his losses...to come to the conclusions he had when he saved us on Chulack."

"Bra'tac's not even sure Teal'c will live through it."

"He tough. He's a soldier." Jack said.

"Don't you think we sometimes ask too much of soldiers?"