Chapter 8
Jack burst into the room, charging towards Thoth at lightning speed.
"Sir?" Carter began to question, lifting herself from the table.
"Time to take five," Jack said, snarling.
Without warning, he lifted the zat gun and fired once, striking Thoth squarely in the chest. He cried out in pain, hitting the floor, his body erupting into a fit of spasms.
"Colonel! I was finally getting through to Thoth!"
"I don't care, Carter. I want to get through to Daniel." He came beside the convulsing man, taking a moment to straighten the glasses that had been knocked crooked on his face. "Daniel?" he asked, stroking his cheek lightly. "Daniel, can you hear me?"
Daniel made a croaking sound from the back of his throat before he whimpered in pain.
"Daniel?"
Daniel coughed and opened his eyes, tremors still rattling his body. "Jack?"
Jack sighed in relief. That at least sounded like Daniel.
"Alright, Daniel, listen to me. You're going to have to hang on a bit longer and just keep fighting it, okay?"
Daniel blinked at him, bewildered. Suddenly Jack was afraid Daniel wasn't even going to remember they had this conversation.
"What are you doing here?" Daniel managed to say, still shaking.
"What?"
"Sir," Carter said, coming to kneel beside him, Teal'c by her side. "He might think he's still on P9R—"
"Yeah, yeah… Daniel, you—"
"Hi, Sam. Hi, Teal'c," Daniel said weakly.
"Daniel, will you listen?" Jack slapped Daniel on the cheek lightly to make him to stay focused.
"Fight what? I don't understand." Daniel attempted to sit up and look around, his face paling. "Hey, what's going on?"
There was no easy way to say this. "Daniel, you've—"
Daniel gasped, his eyes suddenly glowing a white iridescence.
"Damn," Jack swore, pushing himself away from Thoth.
"Fool," Thoth muttered angrily. "What the hell did you think you were doing?"
Jack rubbed his chin, a little surprised at Thoth's choice of words, but wasn't going to allow this Goa'uld to play any more mind games. "Talking to Daniel."
Coughing, Thoth glared at Jack. "I told you not to use the weapon on us. You could have damaged my host."
"He doesn't know?" Carter asked incredulously.
"That is correct," Thoth stated, rising to his feet. He ignored the guards stationed with their weapons ready.
"That is not possible," Teal'c informed them.
"I'm inclined to agree with Teal'c on this one," Jack muttered, eyeing the Goa'uld scrupulously.
"Oh, it's possible," Thoth said, returning to his seat.
"No, it's not," Carter stated definitely. "Upon blending, the host and symbiote—"
She stopped, causing Jack some concern and he glanced back at her. "Carter?"
"You-you haven't blended with him, have you?' she asked, astonished.
Thoth smiled, a smug smile, as he relaxed in the chair. "Finally, we are getting somewhere," he said with relief.
Jack looked back at his second-in-command again. "Carter?"
She remained silent, still holding that stunned expression on her face.
"Okay, Carter, Teal'c. Let's move this outside for a minute." He shooed them toward the door, only pausing to lift his index finger at Thoth. "We'll be right back."
When they were outside, Jack shot his gaze between Teal'c and Carter. "What was that all about?"
"He hasn't blended with Daniel, sir. That's why Daniel didn't know what we talking about." She paused to clarify. "Well, assuming that was Daniel we were talking to in the first place."
"Oh it was," Jack said, refusing to think otherwise. There was no way Daniel was a hopeless case. Not this time. "We got through to him. I know it."
"Could be wishful thinking, sir."
"Let's go back to the blending part, would ya?"
She nodded sheepishly. "Yes, sir. Well, it got me thinking. Remember when I blended with Jolinar?" She shook her head before anyone could answer. "Well, she was only in me for a short period of time and I was fighting her the whole time that she was in me. I guess you could technically say we blended, but the transfer was so small that I was only left with some random images and feelings. I never really embraced her. I didn't want to."
"You believe that DanielJackson is engaged in battle with Thoth?" Teal'c asked.
"Yes and no."
"Yes and no, Major?"
It just got better and better.
"Well, if we're working under the assumption that we were speaking with Daniel a few minutes ago—and we have to face the reality that maybe we weren't based on the fact this isn't your typical Goa'uld—then Daniel isn't even aware he has been taken by a symbiote. If he is fighting Thoth, then any struggle would be purely subconscious."
"Okay, that's still a good thing," Jack said, feeling like he was a little out of his league. "So, where does that leave us?"
"If Teal'c is right and Thoth can't lie, for whatever reason, then he's consciously preventing the blending. So we have two agents here that are pulling against each other."
"I do not see the advantage of a Goa'uld withholding the blending process," Teal'c commented, raising his eyebrow. "If a Goa'uld does not blend with his host, he will surely die."
"Wouldn't bother me none," Jack admitted with a shrug.
"The host will die with him, O'Neill."
"Well, then that's not so good."
"Sir, I would like to question Thoth about his blending methods. We might be able to figure out what's going on and get to Daniel."
Jack mulled over the situation in his mind, struggling to find the best outcome. They still hadn't heard squat from their Tok'ra "friends," and even the Asgard seemed to be lying low these days. With the Tollans pushing up daisies, he didn't really see very many options. If Carter could find a way, she would.
"Alright." Jack glanced up, catching Hammond and Fraiser walking their way. "You and Teal'c go in and see what our boy is hiding. I'll brief Hammond and Fraiser."
"Thank you, sir."
Jack nodded. Just get him back, Carter. Get him back.
Daniel moaned, blinking and fluttering his eyelids for what seemed like the tenth time today. When he cleared his vision, he found himself lying on a mat on the floor of the study room. Kemsa and Sadji were gazing down at him while Teacher sat patiently by his side.
"He is conscious again, Teacher," Sadji said excitedly, pushing a cup into Daniel's face.
Beer?
"I don't want that," he snapped irritably.
Sadji frowned, looking as if he was not sure what to do with himself. Teacher took the cup from him, smiling kindly, and motioned to another room. "Go get him some plum wine."
Daniel licked his lips. He actually liked plum wine.
"Where am I?" Daniel asked again, gazing around suspiciously.
"You are here with friends," Kemsa said. "Do you not remember?"
"No, I remember," Daniel muttered, holding his head. God, it hurt. "But where am I?"
"In Khemenu, where you belong," Kemsa stated slowly. He sounded concerned. "Do you feel an illness?"
"No, no…just confused."
Daniel allowed his eyes to close shut.
Khemenu… Khemenu…an Ancient Egyptian city. The Greeks called it Hermopolis, because of the Greek god Hermes. Hermes was the messenger god, the mediator, master of magic, and the trickster. His Egyptian counterpart was Djehuty, or at least that was one of his many names. In Greek, he would be called Thoth.
Thoth…Thoth…Daniel continued to think, blocking out the insistent buzzing.
He felt himself being pulled up.
No, he thought. Let me think. Let me think for five minutes.
Daniel opened his eyes, accepting the cup full of wine. It tasted good on lips and he was tempted to take more, but if he wanted to think clearly, this wouldn't be the time to let go.
Then again, if he was nuts and this was all a hallucination or in his mind, nothing could happen, right?
Teacher brought the cup back to his lips, but Daniel refused.
"You are with friends," he soothed, stroking his forehead. "Just relax."
Amazed, Daniel felt his body begin to unwind, the buzzing becoming a soft melodic hum that threatened to lull him to sleep. Breathing out softly, Daniel felt himself starting to drift, his head lazily hitting Teacher's shoulder.
"When he is well, we will begin again. And then I shall choose who shall inherit the Book of Thoth."
"Book of Thoth?" Daniel perked up. He fought against the haziness in his head and struggled to sit. Teacher gently pushed him back down.
"The Book of Thoth," Sadji chattered excitedly. "What we have all studied to obtain."
A myth, Daniel reminded himself.
"It contains all the knowledge and powers of the gods themselves!"
That statement made something click in the back of Daniel's mind, and suddenly, he felt very uneasy. He swallowed hard and struggled to rise again, this time pushed down more forcefully by Teacher.
"Who are you?" Daniel demanded. "Why am I here? I don't belong here!"
"We are all here to learn together," Teacher remarked softly, stroking Daniel's head and running his fingers through his hair.
Once again, Daniel felt the tempting lull back to oblivion, to accept, trust, and just be. The feeling captivated him so much he knew he could easily be caught in it forever.
That is why he slapped away Teacher and rose to his feet.
"What's going on here?" he asked, watching each man carefully.
"We-we are studying to be scribes," Sadji stammered.
"No," Daniel declared. "No, we aren't. At least, I'm not. I'm already a scribe! A scholar. I mean I'm a scholar." They looked at him as if he had two heads. "I'm a linguist. An archaeologist. My area of study is Ancient Egypt," he said, trying to convince them. "I study culture and mythology."
Daniel closed his eyes, trying to figure out how to reword his plea. If he should even try. What if this was all just getting him nowhere? The truth was he didn't have a clue what was happening.
He shouldn't even be here. When Jack found out…
Daniel paled, suddenly feeling a different kind of nagging at the back of his brain.
Jack…Back on P9R-139. He was supposed to be on P9R-139. Or no, the SGC…
"Jack!" Daniel yelled, standing. He remembered Jack talking to him, telling him to hang on. Something had happened. Teal'c and Sam were there. Something must have happened. "Jack, can you hear me?"
Inhaling sharply, Daniel sprinted to the exit, bolting past Kemsa and Sadji. He must have underestimated them, and forgotten their youthfulness for a moment. When he took a fatal moment to pause and look back, the two younger men tackled him. Daniel hit the ground and grunted, fighting to detach himself from them.
"You are unwell!" Kemsa stated, struggling against Daniel. "Let us help you. Let us soothe your mind."
"No more!" Daniel yelled. He didn't need any more soothing. He needed clarity. He needed to get away from here.
Kemsa and Sadji had pulled and twisted his arms behind his back, making it impossible for him to push away. He squirmed on his stomach, trying to inch his way towards the light and to freedom.
But the weight of two men sitting on him proved to be too great.
Daniel swore to himself as he saw Teacher approaching. He didn't yell, or snarl, or even change the gentle expression on his face.
This, by the way, Daniel decided, was more frightening.
"We will take good care of you. All of us. And those you have not yet met," Teacher said calmly.
"No, thanks," Daniel said weakly, feeling the dizziness threatening to return. He squeezed his eyes shut, concentrating solely on staying awake, staying clear.
"Sleep now. Rest," Teacher said, his voice near a whisper.
"No…"
Daniel felt himself drifting again, his body loosening despite his mental protest. Within seconds, he found himself teetering near unconsciousness, all his strength and determination slipping away like a forgotten dream.
"I'd like you to tell me more about how you choose your hosts and how you blend with them," Sam asked Thoth.
This was only the third time she had attempted conversation with the Goa'uld, or Goa'uld-like being. The first time, he'd laughed at her. The second time he'd dismissed her with the wave of his hand. Now, he just ignored her completely, sitting across from her with his eyes closed.
The two of them had had a rapport going, finally, until Colonel O'Neill had burst into the room and broken it. Not that she was upset over the end result. If they had finally gotten through to Daniel, maybe he could keep the fight up on his end until they could find a way to help him here.
But it was making things difficult for her now.
She folded her hands over Daniel's notebook and stared at Thoth. He still hadn't made a move, or even acknowledged her presence, since the last time she had spoken. Teal'c had warned her, several times in fact, to use caution when speaking with Thoth, since he was known to be manipulative. She suspected the same, and felt that she, the colonel, and Teal'c were already way too personally involved for this to continue on much longer. But she was grateful for Teal'c's continued support and protection, especially during her weakest moments.
"Thoth?" she called. "Thoth, did you hear me?"
"I am sorry that I have caused you pain," he mumbled abruptly, keeping his eyes closed.
Now that was unexpected.
"I'm sorry?" she asked.
"I never meant for you to hurt so deeply."
Sam turned and looked back at Teal'c. He remained vigilant, staying at her side, and arched his eyebrow curiously.
"I only did it for her. To have her back in my life again. I am sorry for your people."
"Thoth?" she called again.
"I am the one that figured out the Stargate, you know."
Sam hesitated, a little uncertain how to proceed. "Daniel?"
He shook his head.
"Thoth?"
"I am the one that opened the Stargate for my people. I am the one that brought them through and showed them the way."
"I figured that you had some deeper understanding of the Gate system based on the schematics we had talked about earlier," Sam stated, before exhaling nervously.
"Yes. It took time, but I learned how to use it. I watched them come and go, the Ancient Ones. My first host was not a bright one, but he was curious."
"Do you want to tell me about your first host?"
Somehow, Sam thought taking a gentle approach would allow her to obtain more information faster as compared to a more demanding one. Especially in the state Thoth happened to be in at the moment.
Take advantage of your enemy's weakness.
Thoth nodded, taking off Daniel's glasses and placing them on the table. He exhaled deeply, but never opened his eyes.
"His name was Greyka," Thoth began, his deep voice surprisingly soft and quiet. "Such a curious one. Always in the woodlands and stomping near the marshes." He paused and smiled. "He always wanted to experience new things and felt confined by the rules of his clan."
"Clan?" Sam asked.
Thoth nodded again, and released a long sigh. "They told him never to go near the waters alone, unprotected. They told him to always stay near. Dangers were in the waters."
Sam gasped, her eyes widening, as she deduced where the topic was heading. Jerking her head to glance at Teal'c, she was astonished to find he was surprised as well, watching with an interest well beyond simple curiosity.
"We had never left the waters before. We never had the need. We would fight and mate amongst ourselves and devour the ones that did not fit into our ways. Then, the cycle would start again."
"But then, one day, we could no longer remain in the waters. Food was scarce and the young ones were beginning to overcome us. We were dying. I saw my chance."
"So, you took your first host as an act of desperation?"
He smiled in a way that made her feel Daniel was with her. "That is putting it kindly."
"Were you the first of your kind to take a host?" Teal'c asked him, a frown on his dark face.
"One of the first. I was the first to come forth from my waters. Others did as well, in the ponds and lakes elsewhere on the planet."
"He was an Unas, right? Greyka?"
Thoth's eyes glimmered with sadness once again. He nodded, slouching in his seat. "Greyka was…held so much life."
"And you stole that life from him," Teal'c stated coldly.
"I did."
Sam exhaled, her mind buzzing with activity. Could it be true they had one of the first Goa'uld to ever take a host right here in their grasp? Imagine the possibilities and the implications. If Thoth continued to cooperate with them, they could learn the secrets behind their biology, how they take hosts and why each circumstance differs. They could even find a way to protect themselves from invasion. The information they could acquire from this symbiote could really help them in fighting against the Goa'uld and protecting Earth.
Sam jerked, hearing the sobs coming from across from her. She looked to Teal'c for input, but he could only stare, frowning intensely.
"Daniel?" she asked hesitantly.
He shook his head. "I took him from his mother. He cried. He cried for so long. I did not know what to do. I had never experienced something so…I pushed him down. I made him stop. I made him leave, even as he cried out for her."
Thoth buried his head in his hands and wept.
Without thinking, Sam reached out and grabbed his hand, squeezing it. He lowered his hands, and gazed at her, his blue eyes rimmed with tears. For a moment, she thought she saw Daniel there, pleading with her, but it was gone so quickly she was unsure if she had just been imagining things. Sadly, Sam withdrew her hand, refusing to look at Teal'c.
"I abused him, Sam."
She nodded, not bothering to correct Thoth on the usage of her name.
Thoth inhaled deeply, seeming to recover, his gaze darting to a glass of water. He pointed, as best he could through the restraints, before grabbing Daniel's glasses.
"I want to show you something," he said weakly.
Sam nodded to Teal'c to pour a glass of water, choosing to ignore his glare of disapproval. He poured the water despite his misgivings and handed it to Thoth. Thoth thanked him, and placed the cup on the table.
"Let's pretend this is something else," Thoth stated, jumping into lecture mode. "This could be alcohol. Soda. Coffee?" he said, lifting his voice, smiling. When no one laughed, he became serious and pointed to the glass. "Okay. The Goa'uld each have something that drives them, pushes them forward. They all have the same biological predisposition—too seek out a host. But the motivations for that goal are often different."
"Okay, so what does this have to do with a glass of water, er, coffee?" Sam asked. They already knew that the Goa'uld thrived to dominate.
"What started off as a new way to preserve life turned into something much more," Thoth instructed them. He reached for the glass and took a small sip. "A new experience. A delightful taste." He sipped again, this time holding on longer. "Better than the first time." He went to place the glass down, but did not, and stared at it intently. He then quickly brought it back to his lips, and sighed with satisfaction. "Just a little more won't hurt." He drank again. "But now I need more." He guzzled the rest of the water down, gazing forlornly at the cup. "One cup won't do, don't you see? I will need more and more to sustain me now."
"The Goa'uld dominate their hosts and their worlds," Teal'c said evenly. "This we understand."
"It is an addiction, yes," Thoth said, wiping his mouth. "But for one it may be nicotine, for another it may be caffeine."
"Are you saying that the Goa'uld dominate for different reasons?" Sam asked, feeling shameful as the excitement and the prospect of a new discovery started to tantalize her mind.
"Close. All Goa'uld seek power. That is the main motivation. But—" He raised a finger and smiled, raising his eyebrows. "There are different forms of power just as there are kinds of drugs."
Sam glanced over at Teal'c. He stopped to gaze back at her. She knew they were both thinking the same thing. And Thoth—or Daniel—must have sensed it as well.
Thoth leaned forward, a gleam to his eyes. "Find the motivation for the Goa'uld, and you will find its weakness."
"Then what is your motivation?" Teal'c questioned.
Thoth chuckled, bowing his head shyly. "I am not a Goa'uld."
"What are you then?" Sam pried.
The smile left Thoth's lips and he stared at the table, his expression distant. He closed his eyes a moment, his lips moving wordlessly, before he continued.
"Daniel is fighting you, isn't he?" Sam said, feeling hope for the first time since this began.
"It is difficult," Thoth admitted. "He is stubborn. He is…very strong."
"Let him go, then. Just let him go."
"You must release DanielJackson at once."
Thoth shook his head. "I don't wish to do so."
"Dammit, it's not up to you!" Sam yelled angrily. "That's not your body! Do you want to do to him what you did to Greyka?"
Fury sparked in Thoth's eyes, but he had made no move against her. "This is different, though I fear I may have gone too far."
"It's not different! You wrongfully took him. Can't you grasp that concept?"
"Let me show you," Thoth said softly.
"I don't want to see anything. I want to talk to Daniel," Sam demanded.
"You cannot. But I can show you."
"This is a trick, Major Carter," Teal'c warned.
"No trick," Thoth said quietly. He held up his hands, balling them into fists. "A Goa'uld strives to dominate his host. " He pressed one fist on top of the other, pushing on his second until it hit the table. "Submission. That is all there is for the host. The weaker the host, the better. It's easier that way."
"This does not constitute new information," Teal'c said, clasping his hands behind his back.
"Aside from Goa'uld seeking out hosts to suit their vanity," he started with the roll of his eyes, "Goa'uld seek out conquered peoples or conquerable peoples. The weak mind and the weak will make complete domination easy. Strong hosts complicate the process."
"Is Daniel complicating things for you?" Sam pressed.
Thoth ignored her, bringing his hands up again. This time, he kept them open, and wriggled Daniel's fingers. "The Tok'ra use a different blending technique. They form more of a symbiotic relationship." He laced his fingers together and held fast. "However, the Tok'ra are not without their own motivations," he said with a sly smile. "While they do not abuse their host, they still seek out the weaker minds. Tok'ra like to be in control. They cannot deny their parentage."
"The Tok'ra aren't like the Goa'uld," Sam snapped defensively.
"No, they are not," Thoth agreed. "They blend in a way where both identities remain intact. They share some feelings and images, memories, but the exchange is hardly ever equal or balanced. The Tok'ra hold more power, and can choose what to share, and what not to share. You can't deny this truth. Even Daniel knows this."
Sam remained quiet.
"I applaud the Tok'ra that have the foresight and the courage to take a strong host. For only then do they feel the fullness of symbiosis." Thoth smiled again, arching his eyebrows.
Her father. He was referring to her father.
"Okay, and your point?"
"The Goa'uld have no need to share their feelings, or memories, with their host. They blend on contact, and squash down their competition by using their consciousness and memory as a weapon. Stronger hosts have some influence on their symbiote, but most lack this strength and are lost. If they are to outlive the symbiote or be rid of it, they often cannot emerge intact." He paused, shaking his head sadly. "The Tok'ra, not wishing to destroy their hosts, use a more conservative blending method. They share what they wish to share. Some may even share completely. I am not sure, really." He stopped again, scratching his arm. "The timing is important, as is the amount of information released into the host. Too much at once would surely overwhelm the host mind."
"Why are you telling us this?" Sam asked, before Teal'c could question Thoth.
"I am providing my information freely, as I have promised." He smiled quickly, before looking down at the table. "You see, it has to do with power. Even the method of blending is a clue to how a Goa'uld wields his power and what kind of power he seeks. What kind of host he chooses, says a lot about the symbiote itself. It is my belief that the Tok'ra are heading in the right direction, but are missing but one important fact."
"What would this fact be?" Teal'c queried, his tone slightly skeptical.
"Those who choose strong hosts cannot help but be affected by them. And that is a method of blending and learning that cannot be matched."
Wide-eyed, Sam looked to Teal'c to see if he understood the implications of Thoth's statement. Something told her that through his posture and his quiet gaze, he did.
"You're as good, or as bad, as your host?"
Thoth smiled in that gentle way of Daniel's and shook his head. "You are very close."
"You're as good as the sum of your hosts?"
His eyes sparkled. "A little closer," he whispered, building on her enthusiasm.
Sam studied him carefully, and leaned forward. "You're as good as your strongest host."
Thoth broke into a full grin.
Sam stood abruptly, grabbing Thoth's notebook and heading to the door. Teal'c quickly followed her, bowing to the guards that stood in the room before exiting. Nearly breaking into a run, Sam and Teal'c hastily made their way up the stairs into the observation deck.
Breathless, Sam grinned, coming to face General Hammond and Colonel O'Neill.
She halted, making a face as she caught a glimpse of Doctor Lee leaning over the communication controls to stare at Daniel. She glanced at General Hammond and Colonel O'Neill, motioning off-handedly.
"Doctor Lee?"
"He wanted to see how Doctor Jackson was doing," the general stated.
"Is there really a Goa'uld in him?" Lee asked.
"Oh yeah," O'Neill mumbled, glaring at Sam.
She frowned, not sure why she'd suddenly become the object of his frustration.
"He saved me in Honduras, you know," Lee told Sam, as O'Neill started to nudge him to the door.
"I know, Doctor. We'll let you know when he's well," the general stated firmly, but kindly.
Doctor Lee nodded, wriggling his hands nervously as he left.
Sam watched him go, frowning again, as she felt that she should be remembering something important, something that had to do with Thoth. Something about Doctor Lee had triggered that feeling of uneasy again, pushing her to remember. It was so close…
After he left, she sighed, shaking her head, and returned her attention to her superiors.
"What the hell was that?" O'Neill asked, exasperated.
"What, sir?"
"Holding his hand?" O'Neill pointed to the room below them. "You do realize that is Thoth, not Daniel."
Her cheeks felt red. "Yes, sir. I am well aware of the—"
"No, I don't think you are. You've lost the ability to tell the difference." He shot a look at Teal'c, stalking over to him. "And you too. I saw the way you were looking at him. And you're the one that told us to be careful!"
Teal'c hung his head down in shame. "Of this, I am aware, O'Neill. However, if Thoth speaks the truth concerning the Goa'uld and their hosts, then perhaps he holds information that will also bring freedom to all Jaffa."
"We could have a way to beat the Goa'uld, sir."
"We don't know that. The truth is, we don't know squat. And he is using Daniel to get to all of us. So far, I'm the only one that seems to be able to see this happening."
"With all due respect, sir, you came in and shot him."
"Don't get into this with me, Carter. I am trying to get to Daniel. I wasn't playing around with Thoth. I wasn't buying into his little games. He's trying to get you on his side, Major. He's trying to get you to feel sympathy for him."
"I, too, at one time, believed this, O'Neill. But I no longer feel—
"Because he's gotten to you, too!" O'Neill cried.
"Sir, if what Thoth has told us about blending is true, and we know that in some cases the host can affect the symbiote, then Daniel might—
"He's lying, Carter. He's lying. He's telling you exactly what you want to hear!"
Hammond had been watching the exchange patiently for the last several minutes, but finally took the opportunity to speak.
"Listen to yourselves!" the general commanded, holding his arms tightly by his side. "How are we supposed to overcome this latest threat, or any threat for that matter, if you can't even keep yourselves together?"
Sam stepped aside, embarrassed, avoiding the uneasy gazes of Teal'c and her commanding officer. "Sorry, sir."
Hammond sighed. "Listen, I know you are all under a lot of stress right now. I don't like this situation any better than any of you. But we have to face the reality of the situation, people. We might not get Doctor Jackson back this time."
"Don't say that, sir," O'Neill said, his voice almost cracking as he shook his head. "I got through to him. I can do it again."
"You defied a direct order, Colonel."
"So? I always do. What difference does one more time make?"
General Hammond glared at him. Then he sighed again, relaxing his shoulders. "I know the pain is still fresh in all of our minds about what happened to Doctor Jackson last year. And I know you all are doing your best to help. But I don't think I need to tell you that you all have become too personally involved in this."
"Don't do this, General," O'Neill asked, shaking his head.
"I'm sorry, Colonel, but when you stop making rational decisions, that is when it has to end. You can continue your research into finding ways to help Doctor Jackson, but I'm afraid I can't let any of you back into that room with him."
Sam gripped the notebook closely, and nodded, biting her bottom lip. "Yes, sir."
"I must apologize," Teal'c finally stated, stepping forward. "If I had accompanied DanielJackson to the planet, I would have been able to prevent this from transpiring."
"You don't know that, Teal'c," the general stated softly.
O'Neill smiled weakly, patting Teal'c on the shoulder. "You do what you can, buddy. That's all we ask."
Teal'c bowed his head.
"So, what's going to happen now?" Colonel O'Neill asked.
Sam looked at him, feeling as though she had let him down. Sighing, she glanced through the window, gazing at Daniel. He was still seated at the table, now alone, staring off in the distance. After a few moments, she saw his shoulders shake and he broke down into another fit of sobs.
"It's not Daniel, Carter," O'Neill said softly.
"I know. I guess-I guess I just find it odd to see a Goa'uld cry," she whispered, gripping the notebook harder. Somehow, watching Thoth weep was far more disturbing than watching Apophis cry.
"I have a theory about that, actually."
The four of them turned to find Janet Fraiser standing in the doorway. She regarded them seriously before entering with her medical chart.
"What's going on, Doc?"
"Well, Colonel, I've been keeping track of both the Goa'uld and Daniel, checking their vitals, everything." She paused and glanced over to the window. "I don't think this Goa'uld, or whatever it is, is entirely stable."
"None of them are stable," O'Neill commented.
"Are you saying it's insane?" Sam asked, stunned.
"Aside from the normal sociopathic tendencies of the Goa'uld, possibly." She opened the file and pointed to a couple of charts. "What I am saying, is that this parasite's health is deteriorating. Just the EEG alone—"
"What about Daniel?" O'Neill asked.
"For now, he is stable. There have been a few minor fluctuations, some good, some bad, but he's pulled through fine. But I am worried what the symbiote's health will do to Daniel."
"If the Goa'uld refuses to blend with DanielJackson, he will die," Teal'c said, his voice dire.
"Why doesn't it just cure itself?" Hammond asked Janet.
"I don't know, sir. I am at a loss here. Its physiology is different from the Goa'uld. Similar enough for me to monitor, but different enough to keep me guessing. I really don't know what it is capable of doing."
Hammond sighed, eyeing them thoughtfully. "Well, then, I would say we still have our work cut out for us. Doctor Fraiser, I want you to continue monitoring the situation while keeping an eye on our people in the infirmary." Moving away from Janet, he glanced over to the rest of them. "SG-1, see what you can dig up from the recordings Doctor Jackson and the others brought back from P9R-139."
"Yes, sir," O'Neill muttered reluctantly, motioning the rest of them to follow. "We'll—"
He froze mid-sentence as a scream erupted from the room below. Sam rushed to the window for a better view. Daniel was screaming something at the guards, who already had their tranquilizer guns drawn and ready to fire.
She sighed, her heart breaking. They had to do something soon.
"Jack!" Daniel cried, backing from the airmen. "Sam! Teal'c! Anyone!"
Sam snapped to attention, her mouth dropping as she turned to face her commanding officer. O'Neill appeared stunned, stationary, as he listened to the plea. He looked up at Sam, blinked once, and then sprinted to the door, nearly knocking Janet over in the process.
"Colonel!" Hammond called after him. He shook his head and then grabbed the microphone. "Stand down, airmen!"
Sam nodded to Teal'c, and rushed out of the room behind him, quickly following O'Neill down the stairs to the containment room. She heard Janet running after them, her heels clicking on the concrete floor.
They may only have minutes, seconds to get through to Daniel before Thoth took over again. They had to reach him in time.
Groaning, Daniel pushed himself up from the floor, lifting his head from the cushions and waiting for his vision to clear. Again.
He found Kemsa and Sadji playing a game of senet in the far left corner while Teacher appeared to be organizing his scrolls to the right. Daniel did not miss the fact they were all guarding the exit.
Rising to a sitting position, Daniel tucked his legs under himself and started to plan his way of escape, if there was one.
But first, he had to try to assess his situation.
He had been on P9R-139 with SG-11 and SG-17. They were investigating the ruins of a shrine—well if you could call it that since it was obviously not a real shrine—and had set up a survey of the area around the ruins. SG-17 was primarily a scientific field unit, so they held autonomy over the site, and SG-11 had become involved in the event any naquadah was found. Daniel had been assigned to join them based on his expertise on Egyptian mythology and Goa'uld writing systems.
He remembered working in the library that they had found. The not-shrine belonged to Thoth, the Egyptian god of truth, knowledge, wisdom, science, language…Well, the list just went on and on. Daniel recalled searching for the Book of Thoth, a mythical text that supposedly held all the teachings of the scribal god. He hadn't been successful in finding it, but he had at least obtained some understanding of the Goa'uld from what was left behind.
He was hiding…or something. The structure had been built for a reason, but Daniel hadn't been able to decipher all the notes left by the Goa'uld yet. Plus, he was needed in the storage room and the lab that they had found.
They'd explored the storage room first. Sam would have been in heaven. The place was filled with Goa'uld instruments of all kinds. Some were familiar, like the Goa'uld healing devices. Others were completely foreign to him.
The lab was explored last. After having the opportunity to explore one of Nirrti's labs, and having the pleasure of inhaling nishta or nishta-like substances from Seth and Hathor, Daniel thought poking around in a Goa'uld lab might not be the best idea, especially without any protective suiting of any kind.
Funny thing was he couldn't seem to really remember much after that. Only bits and pieces. Everything was hazy, almost dreamlike. He thought he could vaguely recall an evacuation. Anubis was coming? Could that be right? And then, a lecture. His presentation. Jack kept pissing him off. But he wasn't sure. His ability to stay focused…well, he couldn't seem to concentrate on anything for more than a few minutes.
The fogginess threatened him again.
That's when he'd found himself here. Though, he still wasn't sure where "here" was. Now that his memory seemed to have improved, he started pondering different theories.
He could have been exposed to some chemical in the lab that was causing him to dream or to hallucinate. If it was the latter, maybe that was why he could recall briefly hearing Jack talking to him. But Jack wasn't on P9R-139. If it was the former, anything was possible. It wouldn't be a stretch if he found himself dreaming about Egypt. This was his life's work. And it wouldn't be the first time, either.
But his mind also wandered to thoughts that were more sinister. What if they had been caught by the Goa'uld and were being tortured to the brink of insanity? What if he was being ribboned to death, and was experiencing some bizarre Goa'uld controlled illusion? Osiris had thought that method to be amusing. Or then, Sha're had sent him a message through the ribbon device. Was that happening again? Why did he feel so foggy headed?
It seemed as if he had very few moments of clarity, and when he did, it was like some unseen force kept snatching them away.
Maybe if he could think of something to ground himself…
"Ah! Are you planning to just sit there all day?"
Daniel frowned, watching as Sadji began to walk towards him. With a sigh, Daniel picked up his glasses, which had been lying by his side, and slid them into his face.
"I was meditating," Daniel said, knowing it wasn't really a lie.
"Well, no more," Sadji said with a grin. "Today is the day!"
"What's today?" Daniel asked, plucking at his leather sandals.
"The day Teacher will choose!"
"I don't really care," Daniel mumbled, moaning. He'd just ripped his sandal.
"Don't care?" Sadji shook his head. "You are ungrateful and ignorant. Only the most worthy are given the Book of Thoth."
"Yeah? Well, maybe I don't care," Daniel retorted crossly. Though, he knew he couldn't deny his own curiosity. "Besides, it's just a myth."
"It is far greater than a mere myth," Teacher stated, gracefully walking over to where Daniel sat. "It is the greatest honor that any scribe, or scholar, can achieve in all of Khemenu. Through all of this world, in fact."
"Khemenu is no more," Daniel informed them. "It's called el-Ashmunein now. The days of the followers of Thoth and his ways have been over for millennia."
"Knowledge can never die, as long as there is someone there to accept it," Teacher stated patiently.
"Okay, I get that. But no one has ever recovered the Book of Thoth. Archaeologists and historians believe it was lost in the great Alexandrian fires. So, no one was ever there to accept it. If there was any knowledge, it died that day."
Teacher nodded. "But that knowledge was and forever will be. Even if just hidden, stashed away, awaiting for someone to find it."
Daniel narrowed his eyes, studying the man carefully. What was he talking about? If he had the Book of Thoth, it was obviously found. If it was hidden, he couldn't have it.
"Excuse me," Daniel began, inching away from the back wall. "What is all this? Are you even real?"
Yeah, right, Daniel, ask the hallucinations if they are real. That will work.
Teacher chuckled, patting Daniel on the shoulder. "To be skeptical is wise, and brings forth change and knowledge. But to lack faith completely is to doom yourself to emptiness."
"Thank you. Thank you very much," Daniel said, nodding. "I will remember that. Great to know. I'm going to go now."
Daniel rose to his feet, swatting Teacher's hands away from him. Limping, trying to free the numbness from his fatigued legs, Daniel walked in circles around the left part of the room, coming to rest and lean against a large cloth covered table.
Kemsa threw another grouping of sticks before he moved the next piece on the gameboard. "Sadji, I can't wait all day for you to complete your turn."
Sadji's gaze lingered on Daniel a moment before he returned to the senet game. "To be chosen to receive the Book of Thoth is beyond honor," he said nonchalantly as he threw the sticks. "To receive all the knowledge of the gods themselves is something that every man wishes. The people of this land would trade places with you, or me, or Kemsa any day."
"Having the knowledge of the gods isn't necessarily a good thing, Sadji," Daniel warned, tapping the table with his fingers.
"Why would that be so?" Teacher asked curiously.
"Let's just say I once had the experience of knowing what it would be like to possess knowledge that was well beyond me. With that came an unconquerable evilness and thirst for power that not even someone like myself could overcome. Absolute power is not the answer." He sighed, thinking fondly of Shifu and wondering if he had ever encountered the boy during his time with Oma. "Nor is knowledge without wisdom."
"Yes," Teacher agreed, his eyes shining with approval. "Knowledge is meaningless without some deeper understanding. Not without commitment to truth. Wisdom is the answer."
"But wisdom cannot be handed to a person. Wisdom is learned."
"Yes!" Teacher clapped his hands, causing Daniel to jump. "Wisdom is acquired through experience and learning."
"So," Daniel said, concluding his thoughts, "for a person to be given the knowledge of the gods without any context, meaning, or understanding would be pointless and counter to the purpose of obtaining that knowledge."
"Exactly," Teacher said, pleased. "For this, I choose you."
"Um…excuse me?" Daniel questioned, adjusting his glasses. "Did you just hear anything I just said?"
"Yes, and that is why I choose you."
"Oh, this is a great honor," Kemsa said softly. "There shall be a great feast tonight for the passing of knowledge."
Even Sadji smiled. "This is a great day indeed."
"No," Daniel said. "I don't want it. I don't crave knowledge. I seek wisdom."
"Then wisdom you shall gain."
"Obviously, it doesn't work that way," Daniel said sarcastically, miffed that no one seemed to have paid attention to a word he had said. "Wisdom is not instantaneous."
"No, you are correct. But the knowledge gained through the Book of Thoth is slow and unburdened. Many years shall pass before you truly understand the knowledge," Teacher told him.
Daniel listened to him, and mulled over the thought. He couldn't believe he was even considering it.
Knowledge of the gods? What was he thinking? The whole thing sounded distinctly Goa'uld.
"You didn't find anything here with any strange unrecognizable symbols, did you?" Daniel asked, stepping away from the table.
None of the three answered him.
"Anything at all? Because nothing good can come from something written in that script."
"You are so quick to judge?"
"The Goa'uld have no sense of morality," Daniel told Teacher. "If you're messing around with anything that they might have, built, manufactured, I don't know…it won't be good."
"Would you agree then that these Goa'uld need a sense of morality, a conscience?" Teacher asked him.
"Yes." Wasn't it obvious? "Part of the reason the Goa'uld are so bad is that they don't seem to have any care or feeling for those around them. They even have no regard for their own kind." He shook his head, finding this whole conversation bizarre. "I don't even know why I am telling you this."
"Because it is something that needs to be known. Just as knowledge without understanding is useless, so is wisdom without conscience."
Exactly, he thought. The path of Oma Desala stressed the importance of morality, conscience, and the goodwill that transcends the body. Love of others and one's self. It was a lesson he would never forget.
"Exactly," Daniel said, this time aloud. "That is why something like this Book of Thoth should not be allowed into just anyone's hands."
"I agree," Thoth said softly.
Daniel really didn't care for the satisfied looks that he was receiving from the room's occupants.
"It doesn't matter," Daniel countered. "Even if I were to agree, the fact that this whole conversation is taking place in a time that doesn't exist anymore, with people I don't even know, doesn't exactly give me much confidence in the whole thing."
Teacher chuckled. "Back to the skeptic! Oh, you amuse me. We shall spend many glorious years together."
Daniel eyed him suspiciously, concerned with the direction this conversation was taking. He hadn't just signed on to an extended stay here, had he?
Teacher had cut the distance between them, coming to stand in front of Daniel. His eyes were filled with a depth Daniel had only seen once before, in Oma Desala. Sucking in a deep breath, Daniel thought he saw the events of a thousand lifetimes swirling in his dark eyes, and the memories of peoples long gone. Beyond the images, were feelings, wrapped tightly in a ball, filled with love, passion, power, greed, longing, abandonment, loneliness…
Yet, even further, back into the recesses of infinity, Daniel saw the pyramids, wrapped in the eternal spiral, which stretched up, skyward, spinning with energy and a warm white glow, empting into a giant pool.
The Stargate.
"Will you accept the Book of Thoth, and the knowledge that it contains?" Teacher said softly, placing his hands on Daniel's shoulders. "Will you accept the wisdom and the guidance of many years to come?"
Daniel was breathless. He didn't know what to say. He felt overwhelmed with sensations that no words could describe, but at the same time he felt the nagging tugging at the back of his mind, a pressure, reminding him of something else…
"Do you accept?" Teacher asked again.
"I-I accep—"
"You!"
Teacher pulled away, giving Daniel room to see two figures enter the room.
Two Horus Guards.
Daniel gasped, fumbling around for his sidearm when he remembered he didn't seem to have one. He didn't have anything but jewelry. Something told him hurling a necklace at a Jaffa wouldn't be the brightest thing for him to do.
"What is this?" Teacher asked, confused for the first time since Daniel had met him.
"You were due before him. You failed to show."
"I am not there for his every beck and call," Teacher said hotly. "I advise and offer my counsel. I am here, instructing the young, to continue the learning."
"He is angry," the other Horus guard stated. He snapped his fingers and yelled a phrase that Daniel didn't catch, signaling to something outside. "This shall be your first warning."
A third Horus guard entered the room, this one holding a woman in his arms. With a grunt, the man tossed her on the ground, leaving her a crumpled and twisted mess on the cool matted floor.
Daniel paled. She was the beautiful woman from the gardens.
"Oh," Kemsa said, his eyes wide as he hovered close to Sadji.
Teacher was speechless. But there was a cold furry in his eyes, and a pain that was so intense, Daniel thought he could feel it himself.
"Wha-why?" Teacher stammered.
"Ra shall no longer be subject to the law of ma'at," the first Jaffa announced.
"You killed her," Daniel blurted out dumbly, looking at her limp body. A gaping hole burned through her chest while her dark eyes remained frozen with the fear and betrayal that she must have felt before the staff blast.
"Do you realize what you have done?" Teacher asked, his voice full of pain and malice. "You have just opened the door for the unjust. You have killed the balance, the—"
"Ra rises above all," the second Horus guard stated. "Those who know their place, know it well. You should understand yours."
Having said that, the Horus guards turned and left the room.
Teacher dropped to his knees, his eyes welling with tears, while his body shook with the impending sobs. Slowly, mournfully, he took the lifeless body in his arms, and held her to his chest.
Daniel heard him begin to weep.
"Justice is gone this day," Sadji said sadly.
Teacher continued to cry, clutching onto the woman tightly. The longer he sat there, crying, the more sorrowful Daniel felt.
Taking his glasses off his face, Daniel wiped away a stay tear of his own. He thought he had caught a glimpse…
"Why is this happening?" Teacher said, mystified. "Why now?"
Daniel wished he could offer some answer to the grieving man, but there was nothing he could say. He still didn't understand what was happening himself.
Teacher's gaze came to meet his own. It was one of intense scrutiny. "How have you done this? How could you delve into my mind? What are you doing to me? Why bring up this memory?"
Daniel frowned. Delve into his mind? "What?"
"She reminds you of your wife," Kemsa said softly to Daniel.
Uneasy, Daniel spun around to look at Kemsa, quickly putting his glasses on. "How did you know that?"
"We know many things," Sadji admitted. He pointed to the dead woman. "She is the wife of Teacher. And therefore, our wife as well."
"What?" Daniel asked incredulously.
"You are a very smart man," Kemsa continued. "You know this."
The unease Daniel felt just went up a notch.
"And much more resilient than I had first assessed," Teacher stated gravely. "We must act quickly."
Teacher began to advance towards Daniel, a soft, almost sly, smile curving his lips. Not very interested in exploring this any further, Daniel backed away, knowing that he was being herded to the back of the room, but there was nowhere else for him to go. Kemsa and Sadji had taken the opportunity to block the exit completely.
And where would he go, anyway? Run out into the garden?
"Don't be afraid," Teacher said soothingly.
Daniel felt a bump, and realized he had backed himself up against the wall. He attempted to slide to the side, to step around Teacher, but he knew he couldn't. The man seemed to be one step ahead of him.
"You are the strongest I have ever encountered." Teacher pressed Daniel's shoulders against the wall. "We shall learn much together."
Unease had just been redefined as panic.
"You're Thoth," Daniel said abruptly.
Teacher smiled.
Why the hell was he dreaming of Thoth? Had he fallen asleep in the library?
"Are you ready now to embrace the knowledge?"
"Um…You know, on second thought, I think I'm-I'm going to pass on that." Daniel attempted to dodge to the left. Teacher met him quickly.
"There is no need to fear it. We will walk this road together."
No, Daniel thought. This was a really bad idea.
He attempted to move, but Thoth held him firmly in place.
"Relax, Daniel. You make this difficult for both of us. Just relax, and all will be much clearer."
Daniel shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut as he felt the unwanted complacency and ease overtaking his body. He struggled against it, feeling the pressure at the base of his brain increasing, flaring with a pain that brought a comforting numbness with it. Daniel whimpered softly, feeling himself slipping, having no choice but to gape at Thoth.
Thoth gazed at him fondly, leaning closer, taking a hand to wipe the sweat from Daniel's brow, before bringing it down to caress his cheek. Then, he smiled again, coming closer, opening his mouth as he brought it towards Daniel's lips.
Daniel tried to break free again, but found he couldn't move in Thoth's grip. He wasn't sure now what scared him more. The fact that he felt trapped, or the fact that part of him seemed to really want this.
His mouth opened without his consent and Thoth leaned into him.
For a moment, Daniel was so caught up in his struggle to fight off the haziness in his mind, that he nearly missed what was happening in front of him.
With a gasp, his eyes widened with terror as he heard the distinct squeal and shriek of a symbiote.
Oh my God, he thought. No, not this.
Daniel screamed.