Chapter 9

woah POV change

As the cliff face closed, Teal'c was thrown into darkness. Moments later a phosphorescent glow began to illuminate the cave. The atmosphere was warm and muggy, almost totally opposite from what it had been outside. The walls were pliable and smooth. Whatever this cave was, it wasn't natural.

He followed the noises from deeper in the cave and stopped dead when he saw the burnt body of the Daniel like alien.

"Stop there" the voice was still gravely. "Stop or it might decide one master isn't enough." A haunted laugh followed.

Teal'c raised an eyebrow and the laugh ended. Apparently this thing knew his body language just as Daniel did.

"Story time," it said dryly, a tentacle moved from holding a leg still to pulling the head back so Teal'c could stare into the blue eyes. "Some number of millennia ago a race of beings who called themselves the Advents" he spat out the last word. "Left their war torn world in hopes of finding something they could use to defeat their opponent." He smirked slightly, "Who was themselves, they were the worst in-fighters ever and made humans look like cuddly rabbits."

"They came across the earth somewhere around two millennia ago and found our ancestors." He snorted, "or rather mutated the local wildlife into our ancestors. They were looking for an army some life form that had a body that was easily repaired and mutated with their tools. Something that wasn't strong in intellect and yet had the capacity to learn to use the tools of war that were available." He paused and waited for Teal'c to nod before continuing. "While they were doing their work, the war escalated. The rival factions on earth started fighting when they found each other and left the broken husks of the defeated ships behind as the went off to fight at home."

He made a weak gesture in the general direction of the opening. "They wiped themselves out and left their organic ships and cities behind."

"How does this involve Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c interrupted.

"It has everything to do with him, you see." He stopped for a while his eyes drilling into Teal'c's

"Daniel Jackson was a mistake, the result of two things that were never supposed to come in contact with each other. The Advents had armor, It was biological and only partially self aware, somewhat of a cross between a tree and a dog. Fiercely loyal yet not sentient enough to rebel or take orders from anyone but the host." He laughed hollowly again, "too bad that they couldn't take homo DNA out of the armor. That mistake cost them quite a few people and they never did figure out how to kill the creature." His voice dropped to a whisper, "too bad,"

Teal'c nodded, he was starting to understand the picture that this creature, now he was sure it wasn't Daniel Jackson, was panting. He also understood the indirect implication that he wouldn't be able to eliminate this threat and had to reason with it to either come back or close down the Stargate so no one could use its power.

There was a moment of silence before it spoke again it was almost wistful.

"I was human once. They called me Alex, I wasn't yet worthy to be called Sean." The eyes glazed in the way that happens when someone's focusing solely on memories. "I was climbing a mountain, fell into a hole, and now. . . now I'm an abomination that will never die." The last part was spit out. He focused on Teal'c again and Teal'c couldn't help but notice that his body had returned to near perfect health.

"What will you do with your time?" The thing seemed to have calmed down somewhat and Teal'c figured it was time to start negotiations. It started laughing.

"I should have guessed, but then I was distracted." The tentacles rested the body on the ground and vanished into the walls. "You were sent to eliminate me weren't you."

"Or find out if you will pose a threat." Teal'c clarified. It laughed again.

"I could be, but I'm happy to wallow in self pity and be thankful that Shau'ri was taken away before we found out what I really am." His voice went somber and not quite lucid eyes focused on Teal'c. "I should thank you for taking her from that sorrow before it could happen." Teal'c started having doubts about his earlier decision that it was not in fact Daniel Jackson.

More time passed with neither saying anything. Teal'c was becoming uncomfortable with the realization that he was in fact this man's prisoner.

A grin spread itself on the younger Daniel's visage. The boy started laughing hysterically.

"I know." he laughed as he rested against the wall and suddenly calmed.

"I know how to stop it." Teal'c barely heard the whisper.

"Know, know" he started chanting and giggling a little more before looking once again looking at Teal'c. "All the sorrow in the world comes from knowledge." Another giggle "oh it's fine when you only think you know everything, but when you learn," a pause, "what truly is, you'd prefer never to have known."

Daniel's behavior was worrying Teal'c. The other had obviously lost his grasp and was the only way Teal'c had of getting out of this cavern.

"Is it not better to know than live like a slave?" He asked trying to bring the conversation around to him getting out of here.

"As long as your needs are met, what care have you for how that happens?"

"You would still be a slave."

Daniel let out a small laugh to the response and said, "But you become a slave to fulfilling your needs where before they were met for you." His voice sobered. "But I tire of this conversation."

Daniel pushed past Teal'c and headed toward the cave entrance. Teal'c quietly followed, he figured he could overpower the youthful body but wasn't sure if it would be a good idea. This person obviously had access to technology he didn't know or understand and was fairly certain that it would react to any attack on Daniel's body.

When the reached the block entrance Daniel tilted his head and it opened. The ledge was clear, Jack must have climbed down to talk with Sam. Teal'c quickly stepped out of the doorway only to pause when he heard Daniel speak softly.

"I've always wanted to do this." The boy gave a slight laugh and ran for the edge. It all happened too fast for Teal'c to really respond. As Daniel crossed the barrier it slammed shut. Before Teal'c could make a grab and prevent a painful looking fall, Daniel had passed and leaped off of the edge.

Teal'c could only watch as the silhouette of the creature from before faded into view behind Daniel and enveloped him. Where a young Daniel had leaped off of the cliff, the armored creature landed with a loud thud. Teal'c quickly looked for Sam and Jack, who had been sitting closer to the foot of the mountain. They were immediately ready for a fight, M-90's aimed at the figure. It ignored them.

The figure started to walk away when it started fading, soon the figure stopped and Daniel continued walking leaving it behind to fade into nothing. Teal'c quickly climbed down and heard Jack calling after Daniel.

When he finished descending, Teal'c saw that Daniel had taken off at a run. Both O'Neill and Sam were not in fit enough condition to run after, but they were making their way as quickly as they could. Teal'c scrambled after Daniel.

It seemed like only moments had passed when he lost sight of the fleeing figure but he continued to run in the same direction hoping that he'd find a clue.

His clue came quickly when he saw the opening into the caver where the stargate lay. Teal'c could see the light from the gate as he neared the opening. He picked up the pace but only managed to get there in time to see it shut off.

Ok, Just the final ending, or epilogue, but I worn you, I've made two versions figuring that people would be mad at one of them, There's the not-so-happy ending, and the hopeful ending. I've put the Not-so-happy one first. If you want to skip it go ahead, it's really short anyway.