Title: As the 'Gate Turns: Sacrifice
Author: Annerb
Warnings: Minor language, violence
Summary: It's time to meet Grandpa and the summit will have devastating consequences that no one saw coming.
Classifications: Series, S/J Angst, Drama, Action
Season: Mid-season 8, up through End Game (AU from there)
Archive: Yes
Disclaimer: The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.
Author's Note: This was fun to write, I always love thinking of Jacob's response to Jack and Sam! As for the rest, all I can say is "I'm sorry!" I said at the beginning that this was a soap opera! Montage and Triptnx: Thank you!
Feedback: Always appreciated!
Part 8: SacrificeHaley stood at the base of the Stargate, watching the whirling ring with fascination. This was to be only her third trip through the gate, but she was much calmer than she had been on the previous occasions. At least this time she had friends and family with her and there was no threat of impending doom. She turned to consider her father. Jack looked, if possible, more nervous than Haley felt. His face was drawn and he kept fiddling with the cover on his watch. This seemed odd behavior considering how many times he had been through the gate. Not to mention the fact that they were visiting an established safe house on an SGC controlled planet.
PX2-204, affectionately called the Delta-site, had been established with the help of the Tok'ra soon after the discovery of the Reynaul lab. Apparently, the Tok'ra had long sought evidence of the Reynaul civilization and were eager to reestablish ties with the SGC if it meant they could have access to the newly uncovered technology. Jack had been more than slightly annoyed by their former ally's sudden turnabout, but knew that Earth needed all the friends it could get. So for the last few months, an eclectic mix of Tok'ra, rebel Jaffa and SGC scientists and soldiers had been living on PX2-204, a naquadah-free, uninhabited planet that the Tok'ra had moved a Stargate to. It was the safest of all off-world sites as it was not anywhere on the Goa'uld radar.
This was, of course, the only reason Haley had actually been given permission to travel off-world. Which is what made Jack's obvious nervousness so strange. If it was safe enough for Haley, what could Jack possibly have to fear? Haley looked questioningly at her mother to see if she had any idea why he was acting in such a way. Sam merely smiled and shook her head. She seemed to be struggling not to laugh out loud. As if sensing her mirth, Jack glared at Sam. She just smiled back at him and went back to checking her gear.
Haley shook head and wandered over to where Daniel and Teal'c were getting their stuff together. Daniel smiled at Haley. "You excited to visit the Delta-site?"
"Yeah, I am. Though Jack doesn't seem as pleased."
Daniel looked over at Jack and smiled, his eyes dancing with suppressed amusement. "Don't mind him, Haley. He's just looking forward to explaining everything to Jacob. Like, exactly how you came to be."
Haley blushed as she realized what he meant. "Oh," she said in a small voice. She looked over at her father again, who was now impatiently shifting from one leg to the other, looking like he was seriously considering making a break for it. Sam reached out and touched his arm, saying something softly to him. Jack stopped fiddling immediately, but looked even more deathly pale as Sam walked away from him up the ramp, clearly not liking what she had said. Sam smiled at Haley as she went past, palpably amused.
Haley looked back over at Daniel and said, "This should be fun to watch."
Daniel adamantly agreed.
Jacob was there to greet them when they stepped through to the other side.
"It's good to see you, Sammie," he said as he pulled his daughter into a hug. He nodded at both Daniel and Teal'c. "Jack, what a surprise. If you finally managed to wrestle some time away from the SGC, this is a weird place to spend a vacation."
Jack didn't answer; he just gave Jacob a tight smile that looked more like a grimace.
Jacob eventually turned to Haley. "And who is this?"
Jack shuffled his feet and opened his mouth only to snap it back shut. He glanced at Sam, but she didn't look inclined to say anything either, seemingly frozen to the spot. Haley sighed audibly and stepped forward, sticking her hand out towards Jacob. Might as well bite the bullet and get it over with.
"Hello, Jacob. I'm your granddaughter, Haley Carter-O'Neill."
The older man had instinctually taken her hand when offered, but he now stood completely rigid at the information so unceremoniously offered. He was probably unaware that his grip on her hand had become almost painful.
Sam quickly rediscovered her mobility at this point, probably driven forward by the grimace on Haley's face. Sam stepped forward and put a hand on her father's shoulder. "Dad, let go of Haley," she said softly.
Realizing he was probably hurting her, Jacob instantly let go and then looked at Sam, still at a loss for words. Then he suddenly turned to Jack and bellowed, "My WHAT!"
Jack, Sam and Jacob left a clearly amused Daniel, a concerned Haley and an indifferent Teal'c behind and went into the nearest structure. One glare from Jacob was all it took to clear the room of the few scientists that had been working inside. He then turned and regarded both Sam and Jack with a quelling gaze.
"Care to tell me exactly what is going on here before I give in to the urge to shoot someone?"
"Look, Dad, this wasn't exactly the way I had hoped this would go. I'm sure Haley just thought she was being helpful. Just give me a chance to explain."
"Explain what exactly? How it is that I suddenly have a fully grown grandchild, that if I could take a guess, you aren't even old enough to have!"
Sam flinched at his tone, but gamely kept trying to explain. "It's a long story, Dad. I need you to sit down and hear me out."
Jacob looked like sitting down and being calm were the last things he wanted to do at the moment, but after sending another fierce glare in the direction of Jack, he eventually acquiesced.
Sam began to pace as she told the story. "You remember the mission you sent us on to check out the experiments that Baal had been running with human DNA?"
Jacob nodded.
"Well, when we got there, we found Haley. Enki had been experimenting on her using gene therapy, ostensibly to work out a way to create a human/Goa'uld hybrid that would have the genetic memory of the Tau'ri and Tok'ra." Jacob looked like he was going to interrupt, but Sam raised one hand to silence him. "It turns out that Baal had…taken Haley from me when she was just an embryo. I had no idea I was ever even pregnant. They used nanocytes to accelerate the aging process."
Jacob looked completely thunderstruck. "Did they succeed?" he managed to ask eventually.
"They never learned anything from her, but she does seem to have certain abilities. She can speak many languages and can sometimes access limited images, so far mostly from my memories. Or General O'Neill's," she added as an afterthought.
Sam turned to Jack as something occurred to her. "Daniel being dragged around by a big, hairy animal?" Sam inquired.
Jack looked startled at the off-topic question and then nodded. "First Abydos mission."
"Ah. That makes more sense."
Jacob put his hands up. "Whoa, wait a minute," he said in exasperation. "Back up. You said that you were captured by Baal while you were pregnant? When exactly was this?"
Sam shuffled her feet for a second and glanced surreptitiously at Jack. "Umm…right after you rescued me from that time-warped planet."
"I see," Jacob said in a deceptively quiet voice. He then abruptly stood and charged up to Jack, who automatically took a few steps back. "So…while you were stranded on a planet in the middle of nowhere, you thought it would be a good idea to take advantage of my little girl? You're her superior officer! Are you insane!"
Sam didn't let herself even have a moment to enjoy the panicked look on Jack's face. Instead, she rushed forward to step between the two men. "Dad! Please! I'm a grown woman. And if you really want to know, it was more like I took advantage of him-"
Jack and Jacob let out matching groans.
"Carter-" Jack ground out warningly, clearly thinking that this was not helping their case.
Jacob quickly covered his ears, "I so don't want to hear this!"
Sam would have laughed if the whole situation hadn't been so serious.
"Listen, Dad. I'm not here to explain my actions or anyone else's to you. We're here to introduce you to your granddaughter. And hopefully I don't have to remind you that none of this is her fault. So, if you want to be angry with me or with General O'Neill, then fine, so be it. But don't you dare take it out on her. She has been through enough as it is without a grumpy old man glaring at her."
"Grumpy old man?" Jacob repeated incredulously, even as he looked slightly sheepish at her scolding. Jacob looked to Jack to see his reaction, but Jack just shrugged his shoulders, not anymore willing than Jacob to tempt Sam's wrath.
"She's the boss," Jack said unapologetically.
"Whipped already, huh?" remarked Jacob.
Sam rolled her eyes and left them to it, certain that there was no longer any danger of Jacob dismembering Jack. "I'm going to go get Haley. Remember what I said, Dad!"
As she left the lab, she could have sworn she heard Jacob mumble, "Yes, ma'am!"
Jacob glared once more at Jack for good measure as Sam left to get Haley.
'You can't really be surprised, Jacob,' said Selmak, her voice clearly amused.
'What exactly is that supposed to mean?'
Selmak laughed softly. 'I know you have been trying to pretend that you haven't noticed, but we both have known for a long time that there was something between them.'
'I don't know what you are talking about,' Jacob groused.
'Sure, you don't,' she said in a voice that let Jacob know that she thought it was ridiculous to try and lie to yourself. Repression doesn't really work when you are sharing your body with another being. Sometimes having a symbiote was a real pain in the-
'Do you really want to finish that thought, Jacob?' Selmak interrupted sweetly.
Jacob groaned out loud and earned himself a strange look from Jack. 'Look, could we just drop this for now?'
'Of course, Jacob. Though there is another matter of some importance to discuss.'
'Haley.'
'Yes. The Goa'uld have meddled in things they should have better left alone,' Selmak observed in a strained voice. 'If she truly has genetic memory, she is a danger to all of us.'
'If she were ever captured…' Jacob said, his mind already calculating the threat.
'I fear there are even greater threats than her simply being captured.'
Jacob was unsure what she meant, but he could feel her closing herself off from him. Selmak would tell him when she was ready.
Jacob turned to Jack and asked, "How many people are aware of Haley's 'abilities'?"
Jack looked a little thrown by his abrupt shift from angry father to military tactician, but recovered quickly. "We have kept it pretty quiet, just her doctor, Hammond, the President. But the NID did manage to get their hands on her for a while, so there may be a rogue element out there."
Jacob sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Nothing's ever easy with you two is it?"
Jack didn't bother to answer the rhetorical question.
"Just do me a favor, Jack, don't mention any of this to any of the other Tok'ra. The less people who know, the better, and anyway, the Tok'ra are a bit antsy when it comes to genetic experimentation."
"I take it that's a big no-no for the Tok'ra, too, then?"
Jacob nodded. "Forbidden and all that," he said wearily.
Jack muttered something under his breath about 'snakeheads.'
They were saved from Selmak taking offense by the appearance of Sam and Haley.
'She certainly looks a great deal like Samantha,' remarked Selmak.
'Yes,' agreed Jacob. 'And her grandmother, too,' he added somewhat wistfully.
Haley did not immediately approach Jacob, but rather walked straight up to Jack and looked him up and down. "Well, you still seem to be in one piece," she noted rather flippantly, probably trying to hide the concern that Jacob could still easily read in her posture.
"No thanks to you," Jack scowled.
Haley smiled rather wickedly. "I knew you could handle it. Plus, that was too much fun to pass up."
Jack ran his hands over his face. "You're going to be the death of me one of these days, kiddo," he complained, not without affection.
Haley laughed and patted his shoulder. "You should only be so lucky."
'She may well look like Samantha, but I fear she has quite a bit of O'Neill's personality,' observed Selmak.
'Great. Just what this universe needs, more chaos.' But even as he thought that, he noticed the way Haley easily penetrated Jack's grumpiness, effortlessly coaxing a smile out of him even as he tried to stay mad at her. Jacob stole a glance at his daughter, who was watching the pair with affection they continued to trade barbs. 'She is good for them,' noted Jacob.
'Yes,' agreed Selmak. 'I only hope that it can last.'
Jacob was just to ask what that cryptic statement meant when Haley finally turned her attention to her grandfather. "Jacob," she said carefully, her face neutral.
"Haley. Sorry about your hand, I was just a little surprised."
The slightest smile touched Haley's lips. "I can understand that. I've had my own fair share of surprises lately."
"So I've heard. You don't happen to have any more brothers and sisters hiding out, waiting to surprise me, do you? I'm not sure my heart could take it." Jacob was trying to lighten the mood, but he was surprised to see Haley's face pale and Jack move to take one step closer to her. "I was just kidding," he added quickly.
Haley gave Jack a shaky smile. "It's okay," she said softly before turning back to Jacob. "You'll have to be content with just me, Jacob."
Jacob took in Jack's protective stance and silently wondered what exactly he hadn't been filled in on yet. What had Sam said earlier? She has been through enough as it is… What exactly had that meant?
Jacob turned his attention back to his granddaughter who was looking up at him through a neutral mask. He smiled warmly at her and said, "Well, considering that you are the only grandchild I have that actually knows the truth about me and can actually visit me, that will be more than enough for me."
Jacob was rewarded with a slight smile.
"So, Haley, what do you think of our little set-up here?" Jacob drew Haley into a discussion of various topics about the planet and the Reynaul, eventually uncovering Haley's part in the discovery. Jacob could sense Jack and Sam relaxing a bit as they fell into a companionable conversation.
Ten minutes later they were interrupted by an airman that came to inform Jack and Sam that Colonel Diaz, the Delta-site commander, was ready to meet with them.
Sam turned to Haley. "General O'Neill and I are going to meet with some of the SGC personnel. We'll meet up later?"
"Sounds good," Haley said as they left her alone with Jacob.
Jacob snorted rather indelicately at their retreating backs. Haley looked at him in surprise.
Jacob smiled slightly and said, "They have a kid together and she still calls him 'General O'Neill.'"
A broad grin covered Haley's face. "Yeah, well, nothing's ever easy with those two."
Jacob resisted the urge to laugh as she unknowingly repeated his words from moments before. "And that doesn't bother you?" he asked, watching her closely.
Haley shrugged. "They'll figure it out when they're ready." She stared thoughtfully after her parent's retreating backs for a moment before turning to Jacob with a slightly mischievous smile. "Someone stands to make a lot of money off them someday."
"Money?" asked Jacob.
Haley shook her head with amusement. "Nice try, Gramps, but I already saw your name on Daniel's list for the betting pool."
"That was Selmak," Jacob defended.
"Sure," Haley said disbelievingly.
'Definitely too much like Jack,' Jacob thought with some amusement. Selmak didn't answer.
Haley was squired around the new facilities by Jacob. They spent quite a bit of time touring the labs where they were working on various projects relating to the Reynaul discovery. Wisely enough, they were not working with 'the gift' as it was called by the Reynaul. It was too much of a risk to work with the organisms that were deadly to naquadah-laced beings at a site populated by Tok'ra and Jaffa. But in the database they managed to download some portions of, they did find specs for energy generating machines that had made Sam's eyes light up as well as some medical devices that still had the SGC doctors scratching their heads in bewilderment.
Jacob led Haley up to a long table covered in equipment. She nodded as she was introduced to two Tok'ra currently working on various projects in the lab.
"This is what I have been working on," Jacob said as he gestured towards a table with a small silver device on it.
"What is it?" Haley asked, cocking her head to one side.
"Well, it seems that the Reynaul were trying to create a type of weapon to fight the Goa'uld. In principle, this device disrupts the bonds between organic materials on an atomic level."
"You mean it basically dematerializes objects?"
"Basically. To be honest, I haven't gotten it to work yet. The first few prototypes seemed to get stuck in some sort of feedback loop and practically exploded. Let off a huge energy discharge. I'm hoping Sam can help me figure something out."
Haley was just about to ask about the purpose of another strange-looking object when a pair of doors opened and a Tok'ra entered. The Tok'ra approached Jacob and said something quietly to him. Jacob nodded and promised to meet the man later in the afternoon.
Haley found herself inexplicably staring at the rather non-descript Tok'ra talking to Jacob. He was about the same height as Jacob, but with longer, blond hair. He was rather young and probably considered handsome to some. But it was not his looks that caught Haley's attention. Something in the back of her mind just tingled or something. She couldn't help but think that she should know this man.
The object of Haley's scrutiny looked up to find her staring and she thought she saw a flicker of recognition or something in his eyes.
"Haley, this is Kalresh. He's been helping us with some of the translations."
Haley plastered a polite smile on her face at the introduction and put out her hand. "Pleased to meet you."
Kalresh took her hand and smiled back. "The pleasure is all mine."
His handshake was weak and something in his voice made Haley's skin crawl, but she kept a smile on her face, sure that she was imagining it. She dropped his hand as soon as she could.
"Well, if you will both excuse me, I have a project that demands my attention," Kalresh said with a slight nod, before leaving the lab. Haley stared after him for a long moment, convinced that she was missing something.
"Haley?"
Jacob's hand on her arm brought her back out of her musings. She shook her head and smiled. "Sorry. I think I zoned out for a second there."
Jacob watched her closely for a moment before shrugging. "I'm sure it's time for a break. How about we find Sam and Jack and get some lunch?"
Haley smiled at Jacob. "Sure, sounds good." But as they wandered the compound in search of her parents, Haley couldn't quite shake a feeling of unease.
The first blast nearly toppled Haley out of her cot. She had been having a weird dream about talking marshmallows that were warning her to save the waffles from an evil dung beetle bent on galactic domination. She reminded herself to not eat any late-night Jack Special Snacks before bed anymore. She was about to drift off again, when her sleep-addled brain dimly registered another booming impact. The walls around her gently shook and fine cloud of dust floated down from the ceiling beams. 'What the hell?' she thought to herself before pulling on some clothes and dashing out the front door.
She stopped abruptly at the sight before her. Death gliders swarmed in the sky and a row of Jaffa were holding position between the 'gate and the compound. Various Tok'ra, rebel Jaffa and SGC personnel were holding off the Jaffa front line. But it didn't take a military tactician to see that the enemy troops vastly outnumbered them.
A staff blast impacting the building right next to Haley pushed her into action. Keeping low, she ran for the main lab, trying to remember if she saw a weapons locker there the day before.
She burst into the lab, seconds before another staff blast impacted on the ground she had occupied only moments before. Jack, Sam, Jacob, Daniel and Teal'c all stood around one table, presumably collecting data and creating a plan of defense.
"What the hell is going on?" Haley finally managed to voice.
They all turned to look at her. "It's Baal," Jack finally said distractedly. "We just picked up his mothership entering orbit 15 minutes ago."
"Baal?" Haley asked in a voice that was barely more than a rasp. She could literally feel the blood draining from her face and she had to grab the back of a nearby chair to steady herself. "How?"
"We don't know, Haley," Daniel said softly, coming over to comfort Haley as the others turned back to planning. "Don't worry, we'll figure a way to get back through the gate."
Haley reached out and grabbed his hand. "Don't lie to me, Daniel," she said softly.
Daniel opened his mouth to reassure her, but something in her face made him stop. Empty ameliorations were not going to cut it. So instead, he squeezed her hand and honestly said, "Yeah. It's bad. But we've had worse."
Haley nodded slowly, fighting back the panic that was rising in her chest at the mere mention of Baal.
"Haley, you will stay here," Jack ordered in a tone that suggested he was more than ready for Haley to disagree with him.
But to his surprise, and everyone else's, Haley just nodded absently. She was too busy contemplating the odds that Baal would show up on this planet while she was here. It was only the second time she had stepped off-world and there he was!
Sam's voice brought her out of her reverie. "We mean it Haley, just stay here under cover until we can get you back through the Stargate."
Haley stared at Sam for a long moment, not really hearing what she was saying. There was a high-pitched buzzing in her ears and her heart was beating almost painfully. Sam said something again and Haley just nodded and looked around the lab, retreating behind a solid looking counter at the rear of the building. She shared a last glance with her parents, silently praying that it wouldn't be the last time she saw them.
After arming themselves, everyone but Haley filed out of the building to take up defensive positions. She could hear the thumping sound of staff blasts and the answering rattle of P-90s. 'This just can't be a coincidence,' Haley thought. And then it hit her. Baal was here because of her. He wanted her back. But how?
"Kalresh," she growled. With growing certainty, she finally understood how Baal had found her. The familiar looking Tok'ra's identity solidified in her mind. That rat bastard was in league with the Goa'uld and Jolinar had known it. Damn it, if only she had been quicker to access those memories, if only…
This was her fault. Haley was no longer under any illusions as to why the Goa'uld had shown up. She knew that it really had nothing to do with the new technology they were working on here. Baal was here because of her. She would be an invaluable host, providing knowledge about the Tau'ri and Tok'ra. The only thing she was thankful for was that they had no idea who her father was. They had no idea that through him she had access to the Ancient knowledge. And they never would, she pledged. She knew she could never let herself fall into their hands. She rashly thought of shooting herself if it came down to it, but that wouldn't accomplish anything, they could just put her in the damn sarcophagus. She couldn't very well zat herself three times either; it's kind of hard to shoot yourself twice more when you are already unconscious.
Haley began to pace around the lab, desperately trying to come up with a way to save these people from dying on her behalf. She wasn't worth that. During her second pass around the room, her eyes fell on the weapon Sam and Jacob had been working on. They hadn't managed to make it work yet, but isn't there an Earth saying about necessity being the mother of all invention? As Haley hunkered down in front of the weapon, she could only hope that she would have enough time to jerry-rig the weapon as a plan began to formulate in her mind.
"Baal! Over here, you great, ugly git!"
The sound of Haley's voice brought Jack's head around so fast he thought he might have broken something. What the hell did she think she was doing? She was supposed to be under cover in the lab, not standing alone on top of a hill shouting insults at a Goa'uld.
Baal's head also whipped around at her voice, his eyes glowing and narrowing at her insults. Simultaneously, twenty Jaffa staff weapons aimed right at her chest. Jack swore under his breath, wondering at Haley's gall to insult the Goa'uld in such a manner. He almost swore again at the irony of that thought, of course she got it from him, when had he ever shown respect for snakeheads or held his tongue when he knew he should? He glanced over at Carter and saw the same carefully shuttered panic in her eyes that he felt.
To Haley's credit, she had not so much as flinched at the battalion of weapons pointed at her. She continued to stand tall, staring straight into the eyes of Baal.
"Something tells me you aren't going to shoot me. This party is for my benefit, isn't it?"
"Very astute, Amduat. You will still, however, have to be punished for insulting your God."
Haley snorted in a very unladylike manner.
Daniel turned to Teal'c. "What was that he called her?"
"Amduat, it means abomination, thing of the underworld."
Unwillingly, Jack was taken back to an earlier conversation with Haley. He had asked her where her name had come from.
"Haley, is that what they called you?"
Her eyes had darkened and hardened ever so slightly at the question. She shook her head, "No, it is a name I gave myself, just like I gave names to all the others. The Goa'uld, they had their own names for us."
She had refused to say more, but now he understood. They had called her an abomination; just like she claimed to be in his office when he told her he was her father. They had called her a dirty thing of the underworld and they had almost made her believe it. He wanted to kill them all for doing such a thing to his child.
Jack was brought quickly back to the surreal situation before him. They were surrounded by Jaffa and his daughter had decided to make this the moment that she took after his rash stupidity.
"This is how it's going to go down, Baal, so listen carefully." Haley's voice was strong and sure and he recognized the militaristic bravado in her stance. "You are going to allow every human, rebel Jaffa and Tok'ra to travel safely back through the gate to Earth. You will not harm a single person and you will not attempt to follow or send any of your Jaffa through the gate."
Baal laughed at Haley, "And why would I do such a thing?"
Haley slowly raised her left hand to her head. A small silver device was attached to her arm and Jack heard Sam's quick intake of breath as she recognized it. "Because if you don't, I will blow your precious experiment and all the information it contains to hell."
Baal still seemed unfazed. "Go ahead, Amduat. I will simply collect your body and bring you back to life, as is the power of a God." His pompous voice was really getting on Jack's nerves.
Haley simply raised one eyebrow (she must have been getting lessons from Teal'c) and calmly aimed her arm at a fallen Jaffa warrior a few paces away. She pressed an unseen trigger and the entire body, along with the rock it was leaning against, completely vaporized. All that remained of either was a small amount of dust that quickly blew away in the slight breeze. Haley placed the weapon against her own head again and gazed archly at Baal. "Can your sarcophagus fix that?"
Baal was beginning to look slightly abashed and his warriors were shifting their feet and staring in awe at the spot where their comrade once lay. "You would not take your own life," Baal claimed with not a small amount of uncertainty in his voice.
Haley laughed, the sound ringing out through the now silent battlefield. "Baal, I've been living with the Tau'ri for over six months and you know who my mother is. I am Tau'ri! Do you really think that there is the slightest chance in hell that I wouldn't sacrifice myself to save my friends? My family? You should know that any of us would die a thousand times for such a trade."
Baal seemed to take this into consideration and Jack, despite himself, was proud of what she had said, claiming them as her people. He also knew that she spoke the truth; any one of them would make such a trade. Nevertheless, she was his daughter and there was no way he was going to let her make such a sacrifice. Once glance at Carter let him know that she was thinking the same thing.
"If I let them all go, you will willingly come with me."
Haley nodded once, her pact sealed. But Jack had had enough. "Wait just a damn minute-"
Haley cut him off, looking at him for the first time. "General O'Neill," the formality struck Jack like a weapon blast, "you will cooperate, one way or another." Her voice was harsh, but her eyes were pleading.
Jack didn't care, however. "No way, Haley. We don't leave people behind." Haley considered him for a long moment, before her eyes darted to Carter, who Jack could feel standing right beside him, silently offering her support.
Haley looked sadly at them both. "I'm sorry." Before either could ask her what she meant, Haley's right hand came out from behind her back, zat gun extended. There wasn't even time for surprise to cross their faces. They both crumpled to the ground, knocked out by the blast from their daughter's zat gun.
Haley paused to take a deep breath, trying not to see the looks of complete astonishment on Daniel and Teal'c's faces as they looked at their unconscious friends. Haley knew that there was no way Jack or Sam would let her do this, but there was no choice. She glanced up to see two Hat'ak class ships hovering above. They were hopelessly outnumbered and she knew this was the only way. She peaked at her watch, hoping no one would see the gesture, noting that she had 15 minutes to get everyone through the gate. Inside the building behind her, the computers had been vigilantly wiped, and the failsafe self-destruct carefully rigged.
"I want every person through the gate, even if I have to zat every single one of you," Haley clarified for all the SGC personnel now standing looking at her like she had lost her mind.
"Baal, clear the way to the gate." Haley strode through the ranks of the warriors to the DHD, her left hand never wavering from her head. She quickly dialed the gate. She turned to make sure that the Jaffa were pulling away from the gate and that they had created a clear path. She then turned and punched in a code on her GDO. A small group of Jaffa stood at attention on either side of Haley, undoubtedly to keep her from making a last minute dash through the gate.
The Tok'ra, predictably, began running through the gate as soon as the wormhole engaged. Sacrifice was something they understood, something they had accepted as part of their life, part of the struggle against the Goa'uld. Most of them nodded at her as they passed, acknowledging her sacrifice and their gratitude. She may fall in this battle, but all of them would still be in the fight, ready to make their own sacrifice when the time came. Haley understood this as well as them and she admired the sentiment in her own way. She kept her face carefully neutral as Kalresh disappeared into the waiting pool.
The SGC personnel took a bit longer to move towards the gate, seeming a little lost now that their two superior officers had been rendered unconscious. "Daniel, Teal'c. Carry them through will you? Or do you both need to be zatted as well?"
Teal'c picked up Jack and paused to consider Haley. She knew he would understand the lack of options and the necessity of her sacrifice. He nodded to her, one of those gestures full of meaning and emotion if you knew what you were looking for. Haley nodded back and gave herself once last glance at the unconscious form of her father. She nearly laughed and cried at the same time, thinking of how pissed off he was going to be when he woke up. She hoped he didn't take it out on Teal'c. Haley refused to allow herself to think of it anymore, she needed to stay focused. She was well aware that she sat in a viper's nest and that any wrong step could destroy them all. She watched Teal'c disappear into the wormhole.
Daniel seemed less sure as he glanced from Sam's unconscious body to Haley. A young captain from SG-8 that Haley didn't know very well picked up Sam and began to carry her through the gate. He paused by Haley and gave her a look. Are you sure? Haley nodded, head held high. She could see the admiration and respect in his eyes. It made her feel better than she would have liked to acknowledge, she finally felt that she had been able to offer something. The rest of SG-8 quickly followed, carrying a wounded Tok'ra and a wounded major. All that were now left was the uncertain Daniel and Haley's grandfather.
"Selmak." Jacob's head snapped up at his granddaughter's voice. He carefully walked over to her, keeping one eye on Baal and the Jaffa surrounding Haley. "You understand why this must be done."
"Yes," came the deep voice of Selmak. She would understand, as all the Tok'ra did. Haley hoped that she could convince Jacob.
"Kalresh cannot be trusted."
Selmak nodded back in understanding. The traitor would be dealt with.
Jacob struggled to the surface and was about to remind Haley of the danger she posed to all of them if she allowed herself to be taken, but as his eyes met hers, they had a moment of complete clarity and understanding. He realized with a jolt that she never intended to be captured. She had spoken truthfully; she would die for them, taking her secrets with her.
Haley smiled slightly as his realizations flittered across his face. "Try to make them understand. And tell them…tell them thank you for teaching me what family is."
Jacob could see now, the fear beneath her calm exterior, but he knew that her resolve would hold fast. He smiled softly at her and offered her the greatest compliment he could think of. "You are so much like them. I am sorry we didn't have more time together."
Haley gave him a brief smile before stepping way from him.
"Haley," Daniel finally spoke, his voice strangled, "don't do this." His eyes pleaded with her, and she found she couldn't look at him.
"I'm sorry," she softly said.
Jacob turned around and grabbed Daniel, the last person left. Daniel began to struggle, but Jacob had him in a strong hold. He backed into the gate, never taking his eyes off of his granddaughter. He saw, out of the corner of his eye, Baal stepping closer to his prize, victory in his eyes. The last thing Jacob and Daniel saw, however, as the event horizon began to take apart their molecules, was Haley's left hand pulling on the trigger, a manic smile of triumph on her face. She had saved them all.
"Dial the damn gate!" boomed Jack's voice. The startled tech looked comically frightened of the raging commanding officer down in the gate room below. Before he could follow through with the order, however, a weak but clear voice came from the top of the ramp.
"There is nothing to go back for, Jack."
Jack and Sam swung around to look back at the gate. Jacob stood at the base of the Stargate. Daniel was seated off to the side, leaning his back against the ramp, his head in his hands. His posture was one of utter defeat.
Jack and Sam were still shrugging off the effects of the zat blast and Jack was in a towering rage at what he deemed a betrayal by everyone on the planet. How could they have so easily abandoned Haley!
Sam, however, while suffering similar symptoms, knew her father well enough to read his posture, his expression. She looked up at him, dreading to ask, but needing to know. "Dad?"
Jacob's face clouded with sorrow, and he seemed to be having a hard time putting words together. His face dropped, and the voice that emerged from him was lower and symphonic. "There is nothing to go back for. She knew her value, she knew the threat she posed to all of us if she was captured. She did what any of us would do to protect the ones she loved."
Selmak's use of the past tense in the discussion of Haley was like a physical blow to Sam. She shook her head, "No…you can't know. She wouldn't…" But she knew, somewhere inside her, that Haley would.
"She did, Sam. I saw her pull the trigger. She was so proud. This time she got to manipulate Baal and use him for her own purposes. She made him a fool." Daniel's voice was hoarse and low, full of a tide of sorrow. He did not even glance up as he spoke, as if he found himself incapable of movement.
Sam and Jack stood frozen, many paces apart from each other. Sam was struggling to hold herself together, a soldier even in this moment. Teal'c gently touched her shoulder. "I am sorry, SamanthaCarter. Haley was a brave and inspiring woman."
Sam turned to Teal'c blindly. "She was just a child…" her voice broke and her face crumpled as grief overwhelmed her. Teal'c gathered her in his arms and held her tight. Jacob came down to similarly commiserate with his daughter. Sam lifted her head from Teal'c's shoulder to look for Jack. Their daughter…dead. But all she saw was empty space. Jack was gone.