Times Change

Prologue

Saturday 18th October 2003.

They say time heals all wounds – mental and physical I'm assuming, but it isn't true, not completely anyway.  Especially not after something like this, of course whoever came up with that little philosophical line wouldn't have had any idea what the future was going to bring.  This isn't really my thing; writing in a diary is what teenage kids write all their secrets in.  Though Daniel would've called it a journal, he wrote everything about our missions in this thing, and for that reason I think it'd be better to name it a logbook.  This is going to be the last entry though, I really couldn't continue this as avidly as Daniel did but I think the last mission we all went on together as a team should go in here.

-- Jack O'Neill 

Monday 15th September 2003

"We sent a MALP through to PX4 877 one hour ago after receiving a distress call from one of the planets inhabitants, apparently they are under attack by the 'servants of their god'" General Hammond repeated what a terrified man from the planet had managed to tell him not that long ago.  "SG-4 met these people two weeks ago, they appear friendly and have advanced technology that if we can help them, they are willing to share" the Stargate activated and Hammond turned from the active wormhole to his flagship team that stood waiting to go "good luck."  From the report the middle-aged man had given him, the 'servants with the symbol of their god on their foreheads' had taken them by surprise, by his count there were ten Jaffa.  Many of the planets inhabitants had fled and the rest captured, only the messenger and four others remained.

*

Trees, trees, rocks, trees, flowers, trees, a lake fifteen feet away and most surprising of all, more trees; greeted SG-1 when they stepped through the Stargate and onto PX4 877.  Shielding his eyes against the harsh glare of the sun while he took out his sunglasses, Colonel O'Neill surveyed their immediate surroundings with a well-trained eye.  "Didn't the guy who contacted Hammond say he'd be waiting?" he was the first one to break the silence.

Teal'c stepped down off the platform upon which the gate was set, and came to a stop next to Jack.  "It is possible he was captured" he replied and opened his mouth to continue until he heard a noise coming from the bushes six feet to the left of them, he aimed his staff weapon into the bushes.  He doubted whoever was there were Jaffa, they would be shooting not hiding.  "Come out" he commanded in his deep voice.

Sure enough the watcher in the bushes was not a Jaffa but rather the messenger General Hammond had described to them after seeing him on the MALP camera.  He held out his hands in a defensive posture, and shrank back as the team advanced "you…you are the ones…that are sent to help us?" uncertainty crept into his voice as though he were afraid it was a trick of his 'god.'

"You don't have to be afraid of us" Daniel stepped forward, showing his own hands to show he had no weapon with which to harm the man.  "We're the ones sent to help you" he held out an arm and helped the planets inhabitant to stand.  The Archaeologist quickly got the introductions out of the way.

"And I am Garin" he looked intently at each of the team members, taking in every little thing about them "but there are so few of you…what can you do to help?" he seemed more comfortable around them but he was hesitant with his questions, with their weapons he found them to be quite intimidating.

As his question was answered he beckoned them to follow him, indicating a group of twelve or so trees situated to the West of the lake they had seen when they first arrived, Garin's planet was being attacked by a group of Jaffa and the guy obviously feared them.  That was plainly obvious by his terrified transmission that the General had heard; yet he hadn't so much as looked at Teal'c strangely.  Surely he would be asking why they were working with him, it was because of this that Jack was unsure about him.  But of course he wasn't going to show that, so he answered the question cheerily "oh we're tougher than we look."  He gained a nod in return and the rest of the short walk was in relative silence.

What couldn't be seen from the Stargate, or even from the lake, was a waterfall.  It wasn't huge but a couple of feet taller than someone who was 6ft, the water cascaded over a what at first appeared to a small cliff face, droplets splashed onto plants that had become overgrown and were now creeping over the edge and looking like vines.  The crystal clear water sparkled in the sunlight and ran all the way to the completely still lake.  Upon closer inspection it was revealed that a small gap was hidden behind the falls, from a few feet away it just looked like a mark on the wall until Garin stepped through, showing that it was an opening.  "This way!" he hissed.  Sharing still uncertain looks SG-1 followed him, having to step through the water to gain entry. 

They hadn't gotten too wet, and they shook any excess drops off their clothes and then looked up to take in their newest surroundings.  It was, unsurprisingly dark and cold.  Garin it appeared; had decided to go walkabout and so O'Neill, Teal, Daniel and Carter were left standing and waiting for their ignorant host to come back.  Producing a torch, Carter flicked it on and the light illuminated the small space somewhat.  "There's another opening back here" she commented and took a few steps forward.

From within the darkness a familiar voice called out to them, and echoed in the empty cave.  "Come through" Garin sounded calmer, probably because this was a hiding place and he was positive that they wouldn't be found down there.  As they moved closer to the opening in the wall they heard new voices, chatting quietly to each other; the unmistakable sound of worry was apparent also.  "The survivors are here too" the light from the torch lit up his face, and they saw that he was smiling.  But his eyes betrayed him; Garin was scared.  "This way" he urged, and taking Sam by the sleeve pulled her through the gap before she could protest.  Daniel went through next, not taking his eyes off Garin or his friend, then came Teal'c and Jack as they hurried to keep up with the others, the Jaffa holding his staff weapon firmly, ready to use it should the need arise.

"I think he's hiding something," O'Neill whispered as quietly as possible, but still loud enough for Teal'c to hear him.

His stoic friend nodded.  "As do I" they were now in a narrow tunnel, it was still pitch black there but as they neared the end they saw a low glow, from where Sam and Daniel where, standing by Garin, they felt a little heat radiating from it.  Scattered around on the walls were small torches, burning and both lighting and warming up the next 'room'.  Seated around the edges were four more of PX4 877 inhabitants, they looked up at the newcomers out of wide and panicked eyes but they didn't make a move.

"We're here to h…" Daniel's introduction was cut short.  His was mouth open in mid sentence as he saw more of the caves occupants enter through another opening near the back of the area they were now stood in "you set us up."  His at first astonished expression had been replaced by realization; he was worried now but didn't show it.  They thrived on that.

Garin scurried away from the Jaffa and on to where his friends were now huddled together.  "I had…" a back handed slap from one Jaffa and a warning look from another effectively shut him up, and his mouth closed with a snap.

O'Neill and Teal'c had stopped walking the moment Daniel had stopped speaking; knowing instinctively that something had gone wrong.  They were in a bad position, the tunnel too narrow to move around and defend themselves; and they were forced to stand in single file.  The Jaffa that now surrounded Daniel and Carter gloated over them as they removed their weapons and made them stand against the back wall, their staff weapons leveled on them.  "So now you're just going to shoot us?" the Archaeologist asked in a bored tone.   They just hated it when their prisoners got cheeky; they were so easy to get riled up.

"It does seem pretty anticlimactic.  Get us all the way down here just to shoot us, and without a fair fight" Carter turned to the left to regard Daniel "not very honourable, is it?" turning back to the Jaffa she saw that had the desired effect. 

They stiffened, and their eyes grew colder.  "You will be taken to your god" he remarked stonily, his face was blank, emotionless, and he gloated again.

And then he fell to dirt-ridden floor, the smell of singed flesh hung in the air and smoke came from his back, blood covering the clothes on his back.  "Well he's fallen for one of us" Daniel commented and despite the situation the two prisoner's cast amused glances; the two other Jaffa reacted instantly and fired into the opening where Teal'c and Jack had, until then, stayed concealed.  Grabbing the staff weapon that the dead Jaffa had dropped, Carter swung it at another and the weapon connected with the back of his head a few seconds after the last Jaffa was Zatted twice.  Both dropped besides their dead comrade at the same time, and landed in a heap on the ground. 

"Don't you ever do that again! Do you hear me?" Jack shouted.  If Garin hadn't heard him the first time he would have heard the echo instead.  Shaking, he nodded a yes, not daring to ask for an apology.  "Now we're leaving" at Daniel's questioning look, the Colonel shook his head "they led us here, with the direct purpose of handing us over to the Goa'uld" he said heatedly "and right now I don't care what technology they have to offer, they can save themselves!"

At that angry announcement Garin stood hurriedly and started babbling.  "But…but, it was not our fault!" he exclaimed.  "We were, were made to do this…if not we would all have been slaughtered" he eyes darted from one member to the other until they once again rested on Jack, he looked at him pleadingly.  "But you have just killed a servant of our god.  Never has someone done this…"

"Then you obviously don't know us very well" O'Neill responded sarcastically.  But where a few moments ago he had been ready to get out of there and head on back home, now he paused.

Daniel stepped in between them.  "Jack, he was trying to save his people…"

"Yes…yes.  They said if we handed you over to them, then our world would be freed" he seemed to realise now that the Colonel was pondering the situation.

"Colonel, he really thought he was doing the right thing" of course they realised that didn't make it okay.

Jack fixed a dubious glare on Garin.  "And how exactly do we know you're not going to stab us in the back the moment we turn around?"

Garin looked at him confused.  "I do not have a knife, all our weapons were taken" he looked at his friends and they nodded a confirmation.

That frustrated feeling was coming back.  Groaning O'Neill answered, "It's just a saying.  Oh for crying out loud!  How can we be sure you won't betray our trust again?" if Garin asked what he meant by that then they were out of there.

"Oh!  We would not do that.  Now we know that you are strong, and can help us defeat the servants of our god," he replied.  He was happy again, at least as much as he could be under the circumstances.  He began to walk to the tunnel again, and nodded his heads towards the opening "we will find food and bring it back" obviously these people were low on supplies.

This time Jack and Teal'c were the ones that walked immediately behind him.  From the back of the line Daniel began to talk "well for starters, if you want to go against him then you should stop calling him your god.  And then stop calling him a god altogether" the line stopped as Garin paused at the front.

"They are false gods" Teal'c added "and those that you call servants are warriors that serve them."

Garin stayed quiet, contemplating this and began walking again at a quicker pace.  It was fifteen minutes into their exploration for food that trouble arose again in the form of more Jaffa; they sprinted towards Jack, Teal'c and Garin.  "Teal'c, dial the gate" the Colonel yelled then shouted orders into the radio "Daniel, Carter; we're getting out of here" after he gained a reply from his 2IC he grabbed Garin by his collar and yanked him down.  He began to protest, saying that he must return to his people but Jack butted in "no.  We are leaving right now but I promise you…we will come back, but right now we are outnumbered" not waiting for an answer he half dragged Garin towards the gate.  From where they were the staff blasts didn't reach them but the Jaffa were advancing with every second and if they didn't get through the gate soon then they weren't going to.

The gate engaged as Jack and Garin arrived, the latter panting furiously and a pained expression on his face.  A staff blast hit the side of the DHD and the native flinched, there was still no sign of Daniel or Sam.  "Get back here now!" he yelled into his radio.  He was shouting but there was a worried undertone, and that was mirrored in Teal'c's usually stoic features; he received no answer.  The Jaffa were ten feet in front of them, the Gate two feet away, the enemy were coming at them from all sides and there was still no sight nor sound of Carter or Daniel; the choice that had to be made was painfully obvious.  "We can't just leave them here" Teal'c nodded, he knew that.  They never left anyone behind.

But this time they had an innocent that they were protecting; true it was a man who had led them into the lion's den.  "We will find them when we return" it wasn't a decision that was made lightly.  The lead Jaffa was telling them to halt even as they moved backwards; in step with one another.  Another blast hit the top of the Stargate; Teal'c pushed Garin through the event horizon.  He waited; O'Neill indicated for him to leave, both glanced once more around the planet.  Then they left too.

*

The iris closed behind them, the guards nearby relaxed.  General Hammond noticed immediately that two members of his flagship team had not come through the Stargate with the others.  His questioning gaze fell on Jack "Where are Major Carter and Doctor Jackson?"

It was Teal'c who answered.  "We are unsure, General Hammond" he replied.