TITLE: To Earn Freedom
AUTHOR: Sharim
EMAIL: MissSharim@yahoo.com.au
CATEGORY: Action, Angst, Drama, Adventure.
PAIRING: Sam/Jack, Other
SPOILERS: Minor for: Children of the Gods, In the Line of Duty, The Nox, Tok'ra I & II, Cold Lazarus, Pretense, Serpent Song, Forever in a Day,
SEASON / SEQUEL: Post Fair Game,
RATING: PG
CONTENT WARNINGS: Violence.
SUMMARY: Sometimes, the price of freedom is siding with the enemy.
STATUS: Working on it!
ARCHIVE: Sam and Jack, Heliopolis, My site (when I stop slacking off).
DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. We have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the authors. Not to be archived without permission of the authors.
A/N: This one is for Kels and for being so darn restrained ;) Happy stomping hun. And to suds cos I luv her. Sorry it took so long. RL and all that jazz. And as per usual, I seem to have forgotten to employ a beta.
Ps if anyone has forgotten what's happened or wants to read it from scratch, then www.fanfiction.net under 'sharim' would be the place to find it, seeing as my website no longer exists ~withering glares at topcities~
Chapter Twenty-Three
Wiping delicately at her mouth, Lya rose slowly to her feet and stepped away from the holding the dishes of food and gazed at the dark Jaffa standing before her.
"Teal'c, this is highly inappropriate for you to come to me during Triad."
The Jaffa nodded his head in agreement, his eyes serious as he gazed at her. "I assure you I would never attempt to influence your decision in anyway. I wish to speak to you concerning another matter."
Lya eyed him warily. His thoughts were guarded, his mind well train in discipline. "You must not mention Skaara or Klorel. If you do, I will be forced to report the matter to the Tollan."
"Understood."
"What is it then?" Lya asked curiously, watching as he nodded in agreement.
"As you are aware, I was formerly in the service of the Goa'uld-"
Was he trying to bias her? "If this is designed to bias me against the Goa'uld-"
"I would never do such a thing, nor do I feel the need," he stated dryly, and Lya smiled slightly. No, Teal'c would never do such a thing. "I am here, in fact in direct violation of an order given by Colonel O'Neill."
"Go on."
Teal'c studied her carefully; his eyes honest and open as he gazed at her. "I have become convinced that the Goa'uld are planning to destroy the Tollan weapon installations simultaneously and thereby preventing them from ever returning fire. The Goa'uld will then attack this world, which will be defenceless."
Lya gazed calmly at him. "Why do you tell me this?"
Teal'c smiled for the first time. "I believe that you and I are the only ones capable of preventing this tragedy from occurring."
"You and I, Teal'c? You are a strong warrior, Teal'c, but I am of the Nox. If you have learned anything of us you will have learned that we defend ourselves through illusion and mastery of the mind."
"Precisely."
Lya swallowed, concern growing in her stomach. "What would you have me do, Teal'c?"
"Hide a weapon."
Lya shook her head. "I cannot. I cannot assist in warfare."
"You would not be assisting. You would merely be concealing a weapon from being destroyed."
Lya hesitated. She liked SG-1 and their strange manners. Their hearts were filled with good; they just required the teaching to achieve goodness through goodness instead of violence.
"If you do not, and the Goa'uld attack, you would be assisting them in the destruction of this planet."
Lya was torn. To hide the canon would prove the Tollan with a means of destroying the Goa'uld, but to refrain from hiding the canon would leave the Tollan open for destruction.
"The Tollan have no wish to harm any living creature, Lya. Triad proves this. Surely if the Goa'uld attack they have brought it upon themselves. You can not stop one from running into fire even though they know the fire will kill them."
Lya nodded. "Very well. Come, Teal'c."
~o0o~
"How's she doing, Jack?" Daniel asked softly, standing in the doorway.
"She's asleep."
Nodding, Daniel shifted his weight awkwardly.
"You coming in?"
He nodded, stepping into the cool room and sitting down on a stool on the opposite side of the bed to Jack.
"How long have you two been. you know."
"Not even a week," Jack admitted.
Daniel raised his eyebrows. "It took you that long?"
Jack scowled at Daniel. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," Daniel lied.
Jack sighed, and Daniel watched as he ran his fingers over Sam's forehead. "She's having a hard time, Daniel."
"I know."
Jack glared at him again. "No, you don't know. You ran away, remember?"
"Do you know what it's like, Jack?" Daniel demanded bitterly. "Do you know what it's like seeing her in a wheelchair, knowing full well who and what she was before, and knowing it's your fault she's sitting in a wheelchair? Knowing it's your fault her whole career is ruined."
"Her career was finished anyway, Daniel. Her career finished the moment Nut raised her from the dead and joined the two of us together. My career finished on that day too, remember?"
They were silent again, Daniel's eyes resting on the far wall behind Jack's head.
"You know, I miss her," he said softly.
"You could have visited."
Daniel shook her head. "No. I didn't want her to visit. I didn't want her to see me and to think it was my fault. I didn't want to have to see the blame in her eyes."
"She doesn't blame you, Daniel. Carter couldn't blame anyone if she tried."
A bitter laugh escaped from Daniel. "I know. That doesn't mean I don't blame myself every time I look at her."
"At least you can still see her."
"Is she happy, Jack?"
Jack sighed. "I don't know, Daniel. I honestly don't know."
Reluctantly Daniel stood up, running a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, Jack."
"For what?"
"Everything."
Jack grinned sadly. "So am I."
"We should probably head back to Triad now, we'll be late otherwise."
Jack rose to his feet slowly, hesitation in his eyes. "Daniel?"
"Jack?"
"When. when she wakes up."
"Yes?"
Jack sighed again, rubbing at his face. "She's got this idea in her head that people don't want anything to do with her because she's in a wheelchair. Because she's not the same as what she used to be."
"That's stupid."
"It is. But when people like you and Narim don't have anything to do with her suddenly. it kind of supports that theory."
"What are you saying, Jack?"
"I'm saying. I'm saying that when she wakes up and she can use her legs again, it won't look great if you suddenly want to be her best friend again."
He wanted to be angry with Jack, he really did. But Jack was right, and that's why Daniel couldn't be angry with him.
Daniel nodded, glancing over one final time at Sam. "You're right. Jack, tell her what I told you, okay? Tell her that it's not because of her. It's me."
"Okay."
~o0o~
"After careful consideration, I believe that both Klorel and Skarra have the right to live. But, living as a host with no right of ones own, is not life. Therefore, only one can remain in the body. To that end, I award priority to the original owner of the body. Skarra."
Jack grinned openly, suddenly relieved. "Yes, now get that mother ship outta here!" he ordered Zippy.
"We will summon the Tok'ra to come to Tollana to assist in the removal of the Goa'uld Klorel. He will be removed from that host and if he survives, will be sent to a Goa'uld world of his choice," Travell nodded, turning to her computer screen where the Goa'uld still showed up clearly on the observatorial screen. "I have locked the detachment device. Skarra, you have priority control until the Goa'uld is removed. Prepare yourself. The Tok'ra will arrive as soon as possible. And congratulations."
"Thank you," Skaara grinned, glancing over at Jack.
"Lord Zipacna, you are dismissed."
Jack started walking over the Skaara, grinning broadly. Success. Now all that they needed was for Carter to wake up and then-
"Ritak. Reenok ha'tak-"
Teal'c flew across the room, knocking Zippy across to his feet and sending a small, silver communications device bouncing across the room. Instantly changing course, Jack let his fist bunch and sent it ramming into the Goa'uld, satisfaction rippling over him as Teal'c grabbed the winded body and put it into a sleeper hold.
"Nice. Come on, let's go!" Jack ordered, sprinting out of the room without waiting to see who was following.
Carter. He had to get to Carter. He had to make sure that-
"Skaara, stay here!" He heard Daniel yelling before he burst into the sunlight. He stopped running, simply standing there as the Goa'uld mothership lowered into view. This was bad. This was very bad.
"How's that superior technology looking now? Security system serving you pretty good is it?" he demanded sarcastically as Narim jogged to a halt beside him and the ship locked onto the canons.
"The ion canons!" Daniel yelled, realising what was happening.
"Got a dead lock on all of them," Jack nodded as Daniel skidded to a halt next to them, also gazing up at the ship. He turned tiredly towards Narim. "You know, I hate when people waste my time like this."
"Where's Teal'c?" Daniel demanded.
Jack looked around. "Teal'c?" Maybe he'd gone to get Carter. But Carter wasn't awake yet. She shouldn't be walking yet.
With a blast of smoke the ion canons exploded into balls of fire, the heat searing Jack's face. This was just great.
"JACK!" Daniel yelled, pointing at the sky. "Incoming!"
Things were getting even better. "COVER!" Jack yelled, grabbing Narim's arm and dragging him backwards. Catching sight of Teal'c, Jack propelled Narim to where the Jaffa and the Nox were hiding.
"I must inform Travell!" Narim shouted, pulling away and taking off into a building.
"Well that's the least of our prob. Where have you been?" he demanded, glaring at Teal'c.
Teal'c looked almost smug. "I must inform you O'Neill that I have disregarded your orders concerning the Goa'uld."
Jack blinked. "Please explain?"
Teal'c glanced across at Lya, who started waving her arm.
Jack felt funny, he felt almost as if-
Lya fell to the ground, her eyes wide and startled, the scent of burnt flesh and clothing suddenly filling the air. "Teal'c." she whispered, grasping at her stomach and writing on the ground. "You must."
"Shit!" Jack dropped to his knees, attempting to turn her over to examine the staff blast.
"No!" the Nox whispered, a trickle of blood running from her mouth. "No. The canon. Teal'c."
"What the hell is going on?" Jack demanded.
"We must move, O'Neill. Lya hid an ion canon from the Goa'uld."
"Then how the hell are we supposed to find it?" Jack demanded, rising to his feet after gently closing the still Nox's eyelids.
"I know where it is. We must hurry."
"Daniel, get Carter and get her home. Now!"
Arguing with Teal'c was pointless; a fact well known to Jack. Silently he started running after Teal'c, blotting his ears out to the weapon fire and screams around him, and refusing to let his thoughts dwell on Carter.
"There!" Teal'c yelled triumphantly.
They were so close. Just a few more feet. so close.
The distinctive whine of the glider was all the warning they had.
"TEAL'C!" Jack screamed, realising.
The Jaffa ignored him.
The ion canon exploded in a magnificent bloom of heat and colour, throwing Jack backwards until his crashed into a tree, his vision sparkling with stars and black splotches. "Teal'c!" he cried hoarsely, staggering to his feet and ignoring the pain in his back. "TEAL'C!"
Jack pushed past the burning debris, the smoke and soot stinging his eyes until tears started rolling down his blackened cheeks. "TEAL'C!"
There was nothing left of him. He was gone.
Rubbing drunkenly at his face, Jack turned and staggered towards the gate.
Damn the Tollan. Damn their technology.
Damn their arrogance.
They were running, screaming, people on fire, bleeding, terror in their eyes, panicked sobs torn from their chests as they tried to outrun the brutal firestorm.
They couldn't escape.
In the distance he watched as the wormhole connected, strangely pure and ethereal through the smoke filled air.
He saw Narim, illuminated for a brief second, his hair glinting in the firelight as he stepped through the Stargate. Where was Carter?
Almost there. So close.
So close.
The stairs. Hundreds of them.
Screaming.
People jumping through the gate.
Explosions.
Heat.
Stairs.
And then there was the familiar gut wrenching ride and his whole body felt as though is was on fire as he connected with the solid ramp on the other side.
Teal'c.
~o0o~
AUTHOR: Sharim
EMAIL: MissSharim@yahoo.com.au
CATEGORY: Action, Angst, Drama, Adventure.
PAIRING: Sam/Jack, Other
SPOILERS: Minor for: Children of the Gods, In the Line of Duty, The Nox, Tok'ra I & II, Cold Lazarus, Pretense, Serpent Song, Forever in a Day,
SEASON / SEQUEL: Post Fair Game,
RATING: PG
CONTENT WARNINGS: Violence.
SUMMARY: Sometimes, the price of freedom is siding with the enemy.
STATUS: Working on it!
ARCHIVE: Sam and Jack, Heliopolis, My site (when I stop slacking off).
DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. We have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the authors. Not to be archived without permission of the authors.
A/N: This one is for Kels and for being so darn restrained ;) Happy stomping hun. And to suds cos I luv her. Sorry it took so long. RL and all that jazz. And as per usual, I seem to have forgotten to employ a beta.
Ps if anyone has forgotten what's happened or wants to read it from scratch, then www.fanfiction.net under 'sharim' would be the place to find it, seeing as my website no longer exists ~withering glares at topcities~
Chapter Twenty-Three
Wiping delicately at her mouth, Lya rose slowly to her feet and stepped away from the holding the dishes of food and gazed at the dark Jaffa standing before her.
"Teal'c, this is highly inappropriate for you to come to me during Triad."
The Jaffa nodded his head in agreement, his eyes serious as he gazed at her. "I assure you I would never attempt to influence your decision in anyway. I wish to speak to you concerning another matter."
Lya eyed him warily. His thoughts were guarded, his mind well train in discipline. "You must not mention Skaara or Klorel. If you do, I will be forced to report the matter to the Tollan."
"Understood."
"What is it then?" Lya asked curiously, watching as he nodded in agreement.
"As you are aware, I was formerly in the service of the Goa'uld-"
Was he trying to bias her? "If this is designed to bias me against the Goa'uld-"
"I would never do such a thing, nor do I feel the need," he stated dryly, and Lya smiled slightly. No, Teal'c would never do such a thing. "I am here, in fact in direct violation of an order given by Colonel O'Neill."
"Go on."
Teal'c studied her carefully; his eyes honest and open as he gazed at her. "I have become convinced that the Goa'uld are planning to destroy the Tollan weapon installations simultaneously and thereby preventing them from ever returning fire. The Goa'uld will then attack this world, which will be defenceless."
Lya gazed calmly at him. "Why do you tell me this?"
Teal'c smiled for the first time. "I believe that you and I are the only ones capable of preventing this tragedy from occurring."
"You and I, Teal'c? You are a strong warrior, Teal'c, but I am of the Nox. If you have learned anything of us you will have learned that we defend ourselves through illusion and mastery of the mind."
"Precisely."
Lya swallowed, concern growing in her stomach. "What would you have me do, Teal'c?"
"Hide a weapon."
Lya shook her head. "I cannot. I cannot assist in warfare."
"You would not be assisting. You would merely be concealing a weapon from being destroyed."
Lya hesitated. She liked SG-1 and their strange manners. Their hearts were filled with good; they just required the teaching to achieve goodness through goodness instead of violence.
"If you do not, and the Goa'uld attack, you would be assisting them in the destruction of this planet."
Lya was torn. To hide the canon would prove the Tollan with a means of destroying the Goa'uld, but to refrain from hiding the canon would leave the Tollan open for destruction.
"The Tollan have no wish to harm any living creature, Lya. Triad proves this. Surely if the Goa'uld attack they have brought it upon themselves. You can not stop one from running into fire even though they know the fire will kill them."
Lya nodded. "Very well. Come, Teal'c."
~o0o~
"How's she doing, Jack?" Daniel asked softly, standing in the doorway.
"She's asleep."
Nodding, Daniel shifted his weight awkwardly.
"You coming in?"
He nodded, stepping into the cool room and sitting down on a stool on the opposite side of the bed to Jack.
"How long have you two been. you know."
"Not even a week," Jack admitted.
Daniel raised his eyebrows. "It took you that long?"
Jack scowled at Daniel. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," Daniel lied.
Jack sighed, and Daniel watched as he ran his fingers over Sam's forehead. "She's having a hard time, Daniel."
"I know."
Jack glared at him again. "No, you don't know. You ran away, remember?"
"Do you know what it's like, Jack?" Daniel demanded bitterly. "Do you know what it's like seeing her in a wheelchair, knowing full well who and what she was before, and knowing it's your fault she's sitting in a wheelchair? Knowing it's your fault her whole career is ruined."
"Her career was finished anyway, Daniel. Her career finished the moment Nut raised her from the dead and joined the two of us together. My career finished on that day too, remember?"
They were silent again, Daniel's eyes resting on the far wall behind Jack's head.
"You know, I miss her," he said softly.
"You could have visited."
Daniel shook her head. "No. I didn't want her to visit. I didn't want her to see me and to think it was my fault. I didn't want to have to see the blame in her eyes."
"She doesn't blame you, Daniel. Carter couldn't blame anyone if she tried."
A bitter laugh escaped from Daniel. "I know. That doesn't mean I don't blame myself every time I look at her."
"At least you can still see her."
"Is she happy, Jack?"
Jack sighed. "I don't know, Daniel. I honestly don't know."
Reluctantly Daniel stood up, running a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, Jack."
"For what?"
"Everything."
Jack grinned sadly. "So am I."
"We should probably head back to Triad now, we'll be late otherwise."
Jack rose to his feet slowly, hesitation in his eyes. "Daniel?"
"Jack?"
"When. when she wakes up."
"Yes?"
Jack sighed again, rubbing at his face. "She's got this idea in her head that people don't want anything to do with her because she's in a wheelchair. Because she's not the same as what she used to be."
"That's stupid."
"It is. But when people like you and Narim don't have anything to do with her suddenly. it kind of supports that theory."
"What are you saying, Jack?"
"I'm saying. I'm saying that when she wakes up and she can use her legs again, it won't look great if you suddenly want to be her best friend again."
He wanted to be angry with Jack, he really did. But Jack was right, and that's why Daniel couldn't be angry with him.
Daniel nodded, glancing over one final time at Sam. "You're right. Jack, tell her what I told you, okay? Tell her that it's not because of her. It's me."
"Okay."
~o0o~
"After careful consideration, I believe that both Klorel and Skarra have the right to live. But, living as a host with no right of ones own, is not life. Therefore, only one can remain in the body. To that end, I award priority to the original owner of the body. Skarra."
Jack grinned openly, suddenly relieved. "Yes, now get that mother ship outta here!" he ordered Zippy.
"We will summon the Tok'ra to come to Tollana to assist in the removal of the Goa'uld Klorel. He will be removed from that host and if he survives, will be sent to a Goa'uld world of his choice," Travell nodded, turning to her computer screen where the Goa'uld still showed up clearly on the observatorial screen. "I have locked the detachment device. Skarra, you have priority control until the Goa'uld is removed. Prepare yourself. The Tok'ra will arrive as soon as possible. And congratulations."
"Thank you," Skaara grinned, glancing over at Jack.
"Lord Zipacna, you are dismissed."
Jack started walking over the Skaara, grinning broadly. Success. Now all that they needed was for Carter to wake up and then-
"Ritak. Reenok ha'tak-"
Teal'c flew across the room, knocking Zippy across to his feet and sending a small, silver communications device bouncing across the room. Instantly changing course, Jack let his fist bunch and sent it ramming into the Goa'uld, satisfaction rippling over him as Teal'c grabbed the winded body and put it into a sleeper hold.
"Nice. Come on, let's go!" Jack ordered, sprinting out of the room without waiting to see who was following.
Carter. He had to get to Carter. He had to make sure that-
"Skaara, stay here!" He heard Daniel yelling before he burst into the sunlight. He stopped running, simply standing there as the Goa'uld mothership lowered into view. This was bad. This was very bad.
"How's that superior technology looking now? Security system serving you pretty good is it?" he demanded sarcastically as Narim jogged to a halt beside him and the ship locked onto the canons.
"The ion canons!" Daniel yelled, realising what was happening.
"Got a dead lock on all of them," Jack nodded as Daniel skidded to a halt next to them, also gazing up at the ship. He turned tiredly towards Narim. "You know, I hate when people waste my time like this."
"Where's Teal'c?" Daniel demanded.
Jack looked around. "Teal'c?" Maybe he'd gone to get Carter. But Carter wasn't awake yet. She shouldn't be walking yet.
With a blast of smoke the ion canons exploded into balls of fire, the heat searing Jack's face. This was just great.
"JACK!" Daniel yelled, pointing at the sky. "Incoming!"
Things were getting even better. "COVER!" Jack yelled, grabbing Narim's arm and dragging him backwards. Catching sight of Teal'c, Jack propelled Narim to where the Jaffa and the Nox were hiding.
"I must inform Travell!" Narim shouted, pulling away and taking off into a building.
"Well that's the least of our prob. Where have you been?" he demanded, glaring at Teal'c.
Teal'c looked almost smug. "I must inform you O'Neill that I have disregarded your orders concerning the Goa'uld."
Jack blinked. "Please explain?"
Teal'c glanced across at Lya, who started waving her arm.
Jack felt funny, he felt almost as if-
Lya fell to the ground, her eyes wide and startled, the scent of burnt flesh and clothing suddenly filling the air. "Teal'c." she whispered, grasping at her stomach and writing on the ground. "You must."
"Shit!" Jack dropped to his knees, attempting to turn her over to examine the staff blast.
"No!" the Nox whispered, a trickle of blood running from her mouth. "No. The canon. Teal'c."
"What the hell is going on?" Jack demanded.
"We must move, O'Neill. Lya hid an ion canon from the Goa'uld."
"Then how the hell are we supposed to find it?" Jack demanded, rising to his feet after gently closing the still Nox's eyelids.
"I know where it is. We must hurry."
"Daniel, get Carter and get her home. Now!"
Arguing with Teal'c was pointless; a fact well known to Jack. Silently he started running after Teal'c, blotting his ears out to the weapon fire and screams around him, and refusing to let his thoughts dwell on Carter.
"There!" Teal'c yelled triumphantly.
They were so close. Just a few more feet. so close.
The distinctive whine of the glider was all the warning they had.
"TEAL'C!" Jack screamed, realising.
The Jaffa ignored him.
The ion canon exploded in a magnificent bloom of heat and colour, throwing Jack backwards until his crashed into a tree, his vision sparkling with stars and black splotches. "Teal'c!" he cried hoarsely, staggering to his feet and ignoring the pain in his back. "TEAL'C!"
Jack pushed past the burning debris, the smoke and soot stinging his eyes until tears started rolling down his blackened cheeks. "TEAL'C!"
There was nothing left of him. He was gone.
Rubbing drunkenly at his face, Jack turned and staggered towards the gate.
Damn the Tollan. Damn their technology.
Damn their arrogance.
They were running, screaming, people on fire, bleeding, terror in their eyes, panicked sobs torn from their chests as they tried to outrun the brutal firestorm.
They couldn't escape.
In the distance he watched as the wormhole connected, strangely pure and ethereal through the smoke filled air.
He saw Narim, illuminated for a brief second, his hair glinting in the firelight as he stepped through the Stargate. Where was Carter?
Almost there. So close.
So close.
The stairs. Hundreds of them.
Screaming.
People jumping through the gate.
Explosions.
Heat.
Stairs.
And then there was the familiar gut wrenching ride and his whole body felt as though is was on fire as he connected with the solid ramp on the other side.
Teal'c.
~o0o~