Chapter 4 - Betrayal
Daniel, Teal'c and Jen Hailey sat on a small knoll with the foreman Ari, about 500 metres from the Stargate on Haven Minor. They had a clear view of Sam and Jack waiting by their waggon near the DHD. Earlier that day they had been taken to the warehouse and had loaded a good many packages and items from the secure area into the waggon. To their surprise, they had then been instructed to escort it through the Stargate to this world. The sudden transition from a cold, grey day to bright sunlight through the wormhole made for a pleasant change, so their one hour of waiting so far had been pleasant.
Daniel had slowly become more and more irritated with their situation. He had convinced himself that the time to act instead of waiting for developments would soon be upon them. He used the opportunity to question Ari about most of the things on his mind.
"May I ask, Ari, how long you have worked for JS Trading?" he enquired.
Ari seemed to be in a relaxed mood and was much more forthcoming than on previous occasions. "For around four standard years now." he replied. "They are fair bosses."
"They, er, seem rather strict to me." Daniel observed, deciding to push matters as far as he could. "It wasn't our choice to be forced to work for them. That man who objected on our first day was soon seen off."
"Some traders would have had him flogged for insolence." said Ari. "The law on Gryphon allows employers to take labour from the ranks of those deemed to be destitute. JS Trading pays fair rates, and the food and lodgings are adequate. That's more than you can say for many. Some of our current labour force are there by choice."
"But we weren't destitute!" exclaimed Jen. "We were abducted and taken there!"
"Sometimes the law upholders interpret the rules according to their own interests." replied Ari. "You had the appearance of vagrants when you arrived at the company, and that's enough for employers. Gryphon law is, as I indicated, in their favour. Any complaints?" he added in a tone of voice that did not seem as though a positive answer was called for.
"Does JS Trading operate on many worlds?" asked Daniel.
"It does. There are fifteen worlds with JST warehouses and offices, but they visit many more. It is still a small concern as traders go, worth only a few billion librae. That's not enough to be called 'large' on any one world. But they take the types of trade that the larger companies and Commerce Guilds do not service. I enjoy it - they are good at their job and treat me well."
"Do you travel with them to all these worlds?"
"I do, when the work requires."
"Where's your home world, Ari?" asked Daniel, feeling that he was getting somewhere.
"Avor." said Ari with pride. "I was raised by the brethren and was taken for a husband there. My wife no longer wishes to travel and tends our children, as well as those of our patrons when they are not travelling with their parents."
Daniel smiled. He and Teal'c, as well as the now-retired General Hammond, were amongst the small circle of people who knew the real story of Jack's 'death' and Sam's subsequent 'nervous breakdown' eleven years before.
"They have two fine boys. They are good friends with my son and daughter: that is one more reason why I am happy working for them." continued Ari, smiling to himself.
"So what are we waiting here for?" asked Jen. "Or rather, who?"
"A minor Goa'uld and his Jaffa." said Ari. "I do not know which one: the higher ranks do not sully their hands with trade or commerce."
"They trade with the Goa'uld?" cried Daniel in surprise. "I didn't think anyone would want to!"
"Few do, as they are a fearful race." replied Ari. "But the Goa'uld cannot take the Universe by force alone and need to trade to sustain their empire. But for those who dare, the rewards are great and payments are prompt - unlike some supposedly friendly races! Sam and Jack have been dealing with them since they started the business."
"But why do they need to continue trading, if they are worth so many billion librae?" asked Daniel. "They're rich beyond the dreams of most people on any world!"
"Because JS Trading operates on many worlds. Most of their wealth sustains their operations on a diverse basis, and large funds are needed to trade and pay taxes." Ari explained, a wry smile appearing. "Taxes, they call them! On some planets we openly bribe officials and others just to stay in business! Sam and Jack are only moderately placed in the society of their home world."
"Where is their home world?" asked Jen.
"They will tell you if they wish you to know."
Their attention was diverted by the sight and sound of the Gate activating. They watched Sam and Jack stand clear as a party of Jaffa ran through, brandishing staff weapons but not pointing them at the traders. After a brief delay, a short man overdressed in the usual Goa'uld finery stepped through the Event Horizon and stood on the steps leading down from the portal. Sam and Jack moved to face him and their dialogue, unheard at this distance, began.
They saw the traders and the Goa'uld move to the rear of the waggon, and two Jaffa unloaded several boxes and wrapped items. The Goa'uld indicated one of the packages, and watched while Jack broke it open to reveal a small golden statue of what looked like a bird at this distance, glittering in the sunlight. The hairs on the back of Daniel's neck stood up as he recognised, or at least thought that he recognised the object.
Sam passed a sheaf of papers to the Goa'uld and they stood talking for several minutes. Eventually the Goa'uld signalled to a Jaffa at the rear, who came forward and passed across a heavy leather satchel, which Jack placed by his feet. Several Jaffa then ran to the waggon and unloaded the rest of the contents, taking the packages away either individually or in pairs. When the waggon was empty, the symbols on the DHD were pressed and they lost no time in travelling back to whence they came.
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When the wormhole shut down, the watchers saw Jack bend down to pick up the satchel, only to have Sam goose him playfully as he did so. He shot upright, putting his arms round Sam's waist, picking her up and whirling her round, her arms round his neck. They seemed to be a picture of youthful happiness. She turned and signalled the waiting party to come down to the Stargate.
Daniel however remained quiet as they walked, his mouth held in a grimace as he seethed with fury over what he had seen take place in the last few minutes.
"Hello, space monkey!" cried Jack, stretching out his hand in greeting. "Ari," he continued, "time to drop the stage act for our good friends. Meet Daniel Jackson, Teal'c and former Lieutenant - now a Major, I guess! - Hailey of the Earth's SGC.
Simultaneously Sam walked over to Teal'c and embraced him, his face breaking into a ridiculous grin. "Teal'c" she cried. "How we've missed you! You look so well now."
"Likewise, Samantha." he replied.
"Hailey. Good to see you're still with the SGC." said Jack, and she nodded in response, shaking his proffered hand.
"Sam, Jack." said Daniel coldly, refusing the offer of Jack's outstretched hand, his face having lost none of the anger that had been building.
"Daniel?" asked Jack, looking at him uncertainly. "Look, we're sorry about the play-acting, but we needed you to remain unknown until we were sure that no-one in the workforce was spying on us."
"Jack," he replied in an icy tone, "what have you just sold to the Goa'uld?"
"Oh, just the usual art collector's stuff, you know - paintings, ornaments, and a couple of icons we came by. They go for that kind of thing."
"Where did that golden icon come from?" Daniel insisted. "The one that looked like a bird."
"How should I know, Danny? We handle lots like that during the course of a year. Bought it at a good price, traded it on!"
"And how do you think the owners of that icon feel about it? Especially if it was stolen from them in the first place!" Daniel turned to Sam, expecting a more reasonable response. "Sam, you must have checked its origins - surely you realise the spiritual values that people place on these religious artefacts?"
Her reply left him shocked. "Not our problem. It came with a genuine receipt and we took it in. As Jack said, we get offered a few like that."
Daniel was aghast. Sam had been his close friend all those years ago on SG- 1, and they had shared so many similar viewpoints, but now here she was, indistinguishable in attitude from her husband's somewhat expected cynical outlook. He looked round at the foreman.
"Ari, you were raised by the brethren on Avor. Did you recognise that icon the Goa'uld have just taken away?"
"Yes, I did." he replied. "It was almost certainly their Symbol of Lineage, a most revered icon."
"And it means nothing to any of you that the Goa'uld now have possession of it? That they will almost certainly use that fact to coerce the brethren into at the very least softening their religious opposition! How could you do such a thing?"
"We're traders, Daniel. We trade." replied Jack tersely. "What's so bad about paying people for goods instead of just robbing them from their worlds like we did on SG-1? Does calling them 'artefacts' make that all right?"
"So you've abandoned Earth for commercial rewards, have you?" Daniel almost shouted. "And Sam, I can't believe the change in you! You used to care about people! Now you and Jack are like peas in a pod. What changed?"
"Don't judge books by their covers, *Daniel*." said Sam, her own temper rising. "We only just survived a bad beating eleven years ago because a Goa'uld spy on Earth gave us away. Can you tell me who in the SGC leaked the existence of some of our mission documents and reports to the authorities on Huygens Four last year? The cops there tried to nail us and take our children too! Tell me who did that, eh?"
"But that doesn't excuse selling stolen goods to the enemy!" replied Daniel. "Nothing does!"
"Just calm down, Daniel." Jack interjected in a quieter voice. "Look, why don't you come back with us to see some more of what we do. It's not all like this. We've only been able to provide all the intelligence reports and technical gizmos for Earth by being accepted as traders everywhere. We can't be seen to be too selective in what we take on."
"Maybe one day." replied Daniel. "But right now, I want no more involvement in this. Let me go home. Come on, Teal'c, Jen. Let's go." He moved towards the DHD but stopped without looking round when he realised that his colleagues were not following. He stiffened his back, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.
"I'm sorry, Danny." said Jen. "But I think it's my duty to take them up on their offer right now."
"I too, DanielJackson." added Teal'c.
With a stone face, Daniel dialled the co-ordinates for Crucis 3A and stepped through the wormhole alone. The others watched him go in silence.
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Daniel, Teal'c and Jen Hailey sat on a small knoll with the foreman Ari, about 500 metres from the Stargate on Haven Minor. They had a clear view of Sam and Jack waiting by their waggon near the DHD. Earlier that day they had been taken to the warehouse and had loaded a good many packages and items from the secure area into the waggon. To their surprise, they had then been instructed to escort it through the Stargate to this world. The sudden transition from a cold, grey day to bright sunlight through the wormhole made for a pleasant change, so their one hour of waiting so far had been pleasant.
Daniel had slowly become more and more irritated with their situation. He had convinced himself that the time to act instead of waiting for developments would soon be upon them. He used the opportunity to question Ari about most of the things on his mind.
"May I ask, Ari, how long you have worked for JS Trading?" he enquired.
Ari seemed to be in a relaxed mood and was much more forthcoming than on previous occasions. "For around four standard years now." he replied. "They are fair bosses."
"They, er, seem rather strict to me." Daniel observed, deciding to push matters as far as he could. "It wasn't our choice to be forced to work for them. That man who objected on our first day was soon seen off."
"Some traders would have had him flogged for insolence." said Ari. "The law on Gryphon allows employers to take labour from the ranks of those deemed to be destitute. JS Trading pays fair rates, and the food and lodgings are adequate. That's more than you can say for many. Some of our current labour force are there by choice."
"But we weren't destitute!" exclaimed Jen. "We were abducted and taken there!"
"Sometimes the law upholders interpret the rules according to their own interests." replied Ari. "You had the appearance of vagrants when you arrived at the company, and that's enough for employers. Gryphon law is, as I indicated, in their favour. Any complaints?" he added in a tone of voice that did not seem as though a positive answer was called for.
"Does JS Trading operate on many worlds?" asked Daniel.
"It does. There are fifteen worlds with JST warehouses and offices, but they visit many more. It is still a small concern as traders go, worth only a few billion librae. That's not enough to be called 'large' on any one world. But they take the types of trade that the larger companies and Commerce Guilds do not service. I enjoy it - they are good at their job and treat me well."
"Do you travel with them to all these worlds?"
"I do, when the work requires."
"Where's your home world, Ari?" asked Daniel, feeling that he was getting somewhere.
"Avor." said Ari with pride. "I was raised by the brethren and was taken for a husband there. My wife no longer wishes to travel and tends our children, as well as those of our patrons when they are not travelling with their parents."
Daniel smiled. He and Teal'c, as well as the now-retired General Hammond, were amongst the small circle of people who knew the real story of Jack's 'death' and Sam's subsequent 'nervous breakdown' eleven years before.
"They have two fine boys. They are good friends with my son and daughter: that is one more reason why I am happy working for them." continued Ari, smiling to himself.
"So what are we waiting here for?" asked Jen. "Or rather, who?"
"A minor Goa'uld and his Jaffa." said Ari. "I do not know which one: the higher ranks do not sully their hands with trade or commerce."
"They trade with the Goa'uld?" cried Daniel in surprise. "I didn't think anyone would want to!"
"Few do, as they are a fearful race." replied Ari. "But the Goa'uld cannot take the Universe by force alone and need to trade to sustain their empire. But for those who dare, the rewards are great and payments are prompt - unlike some supposedly friendly races! Sam and Jack have been dealing with them since they started the business."
"But why do they need to continue trading, if they are worth so many billion librae?" asked Daniel. "They're rich beyond the dreams of most people on any world!"
"Because JS Trading operates on many worlds. Most of their wealth sustains their operations on a diverse basis, and large funds are needed to trade and pay taxes." Ari explained, a wry smile appearing. "Taxes, they call them! On some planets we openly bribe officials and others just to stay in business! Sam and Jack are only moderately placed in the society of their home world."
"Where is their home world?" asked Jen.
"They will tell you if they wish you to know."
Their attention was diverted by the sight and sound of the Gate activating. They watched Sam and Jack stand clear as a party of Jaffa ran through, brandishing staff weapons but not pointing them at the traders. After a brief delay, a short man overdressed in the usual Goa'uld finery stepped through the Event Horizon and stood on the steps leading down from the portal. Sam and Jack moved to face him and their dialogue, unheard at this distance, began.
They saw the traders and the Goa'uld move to the rear of the waggon, and two Jaffa unloaded several boxes and wrapped items. The Goa'uld indicated one of the packages, and watched while Jack broke it open to reveal a small golden statue of what looked like a bird at this distance, glittering in the sunlight. The hairs on the back of Daniel's neck stood up as he recognised, or at least thought that he recognised the object.
Sam passed a sheaf of papers to the Goa'uld and they stood talking for several minutes. Eventually the Goa'uld signalled to a Jaffa at the rear, who came forward and passed across a heavy leather satchel, which Jack placed by his feet. Several Jaffa then ran to the waggon and unloaded the rest of the contents, taking the packages away either individually or in pairs. When the waggon was empty, the symbols on the DHD were pressed and they lost no time in travelling back to whence they came.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
When the wormhole shut down, the watchers saw Jack bend down to pick up the satchel, only to have Sam goose him playfully as he did so. He shot upright, putting his arms round Sam's waist, picking her up and whirling her round, her arms round his neck. They seemed to be a picture of youthful happiness. She turned and signalled the waiting party to come down to the Stargate.
Daniel however remained quiet as they walked, his mouth held in a grimace as he seethed with fury over what he had seen take place in the last few minutes.
"Hello, space monkey!" cried Jack, stretching out his hand in greeting. "Ari," he continued, "time to drop the stage act for our good friends. Meet Daniel Jackson, Teal'c and former Lieutenant - now a Major, I guess! - Hailey of the Earth's SGC.
Simultaneously Sam walked over to Teal'c and embraced him, his face breaking into a ridiculous grin. "Teal'c" she cried. "How we've missed you! You look so well now."
"Likewise, Samantha." he replied.
"Hailey. Good to see you're still with the SGC." said Jack, and she nodded in response, shaking his proffered hand.
"Sam, Jack." said Daniel coldly, refusing the offer of Jack's outstretched hand, his face having lost none of the anger that had been building.
"Daniel?" asked Jack, looking at him uncertainly. "Look, we're sorry about the play-acting, but we needed you to remain unknown until we were sure that no-one in the workforce was spying on us."
"Jack," he replied in an icy tone, "what have you just sold to the Goa'uld?"
"Oh, just the usual art collector's stuff, you know - paintings, ornaments, and a couple of icons we came by. They go for that kind of thing."
"Where did that golden icon come from?" Daniel insisted. "The one that looked like a bird."
"How should I know, Danny? We handle lots like that during the course of a year. Bought it at a good price, traded it on!"
"And how do you think the owners of that icon feel about it? Especially if it was stolen from them in the first place!" Daniel turned to Sam, expecting a more reasonable response. "Sam, you must have checked its origins - surely you realise the spiritual values that people place on these religious artefacts?"
Her reply left him shocked. "Not our problem. It came with a genuine receipt and we took it in. As Jack said, we get offered a few like that."
Daniel was aghast. Sam had been his close friend all those years ago on SG- 1, and they had shared so many similar viewpoints, but now here she was, indistinguishable in attitude from her husband's somewhat expected cynical outlook. He looked round at the foreman.
"Ari, you were raised by the brethren on Avor. Did you recognise that icon the Goa'uld have just taken away?"
"Yes, I did." he replied. "It was almost certainly their Symbol of Lineage, a most revered icon."
"And it means nothing to any of you that the Goa'uld now have possession of it? That they will almost certainly use that fact to coerce the brethren into at the very least softening their religious opposition! How could you do such a thing?"
"We're traders, Daniel. We trade." replied Jack tersely. "What's so bad about paying people for goods instead of just robbing them from their worlds like we did on SG-1? Does calling them 'artefacts' make that all right?"
"So you've abandoned Earth for commercial rewards, have you?" Daniel almost shouted. "And Sam, I can't believe the change in you! You used to care about people! Now you and Jack are like peas in a pod. What changed?"
"Don't judge books by their covers, *Daniel*." said Sam, her own temper rising. "We only just survived a bad beating eleven years ago because a Goa'uld spy on Earth gave us away. Can you tell me who in the SGC leaked the existence of some of our mission documents and reports to the authorities on Huygens Four last year? The cops there tried to nail us and take our children too! Tell me who did that, eh?"
"But that doesn't excuse selling stolen goods to the enemy!" replied Daniel. "Nothing does!"
"Just calm down, Daniel." Jack interjected in a quieter voice. "Look, why don't you come back with us to see some more of what we do. It's not all like this. We've only been able to provide all the intelligence reports and technical gizmos for Earth by being accepted as traders everywhere. We can't be seen to be too selective in what we take on."
"Maybe one day." replied Daniel. "But right now, I want no more involvement in this. Let me go home. Come on, Teal'c, Jen. Let's go." He moved towards the DHD but stopped without looking round when he realised that his colleagues were not following. He stiffened his back, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.
"I'm sorry, Danny." said Jen. "But I think it's my duty to take them up on their offer right now."
"I too, DanielJackson." added Teal'c.
With a stone face, Daniel dialled the co-ordinates for Crucis 3A and stepped through the wormhole alone. The others watched him go in silence.
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