Paddon
Three members of SG-1 landed with a crash on the floor next to Paddon. Sam stood up confused and looked around. As soon as she saw Paddon she realised what was going on. She turned to her CO to explain her theory but Jack had seen her expression and already knew what she was going to say.
"Thats right Dorothy...it was all just a dream...", Jack smirked but he still had his serious "what the hell are we going to do now" look in his eyes.
Sam smiled briefly at Jacks "Wizard of Oz" quote but then her eyes caught sight of Daniel lying a couple of feet away. He was wearing some kind of blue suit and lying on his right side with his face turned away from them. She ran to his side closely followed by Jack and Teal'c. As she grapped his shoulders and turned him around his eyes flew open. He was confused for a second obviously in pain. Then he recognised her.
"Sam? Oww..." He mumbled and caught sight of Jack and Teal'c. "Hey guys...".
Jack smiled and helped him to his feet.
"Hey Dannyboy...". Jack sent him a knowing look with a hint of gratefulness and Daniel knew exactly what for. He smiled back. Teal'c was observing the actions of Paddon who remained blue. He had taken his ghostly form once again and was floathing above them.
"Silly humans...", he said.
Jack turned to him. "YOU!", he said with lightning in his eyes and jumped to try and pull Paddon down but he couldn't reach. "Son of a bitch...get down here so i can kick your ass...!".
"Paddon...his name is Paddon...", Daniel said softly still not fully recovered from Paddons beam.
"Ahh Paddon...listen Paddon...I have something to say to you about a particular situation you put me in...!"
"I don't think this is the time Jack..", Daniel warned.
"What? You do know what he did to me!". Jack had turned red in his face.
"Yes...but...this is not the time...", Daniel tried again."He doesn't care Jack...he doesn't believe his actions are wrong".
"I will make him care!"
Paddon observed and laughed.
"Humans...". He shook his head a little and his colours flamed a bit. "You are indeed an annoying race...".
"Then let us go...". Jack said.
Paddon didn't answer.
Now it was Sams turn to get some answers.
"Paddon...have all of this been imagination? I mean...from you attacked Daniel till now...did we ever leave at all?".
"You did leave...".
"What? When?", Sam asked.
"When we caught the human called Daniel Jackson we switched him in the energy field without your knowledge and you left with our replacement...".
"I knew it! I knew that wasn't our Daniel!", Jack butted in and gave Daniel a clap on the back. Daniel was caught off guard and almost fell over with his head first on the floor. It was only because Teal'c stuck out his arm in a split second and caught his sleeve that he didn't.
"Thanks Teal'c", Daniel said. Teal'c raised the eyebrow and had the expression of someone trapped in a kindergarden.
"But we came back?", Sam asked.
"Yes...our replacement created a two way link with the real Daniel Jackson...the link alarmed you".
"Like a radio?", Sam asked.
"Radio?", Paddon enguired.
"Ehh...a communication device that transmits and recieves soundwaves...".
"Then yes...only...this one recieves and transmits emotions as well...".
Sam turned to her friends.
"Sir...the fake Daniel must have picked up the thoughts and feelings from our Daniel...thats why we could hear him. Thats amacing...i mean...think of the distance...a couple of thousand light years and we still picked up a clear signal...!". Her eyes got bigger and bigger as she spoke and her voice more excited.
"Carter...". Jack said softly.
"Yes Sir?"
"Breathe...".
"Yes Sir...", she smiled.
"But why are we the only ones that could hear him?". Jack asked and remembered Janets lack of reaction.
"Must be because we have a closer bond with him than the others Sir...or maybe Daniel were only transmitting to us on a uncouncious level...i don't know Sir".
They looked at Daniel.
"Hey...don't look at me...i didn't even know i was transmitting anything...", Daniel said.
Teal'c stood in silence before talking.
"Daniel Jackson...i am sorry...i did not hear your message...". He said.
"Thats alright Teal'c...I...we...well...I have pushed you away lately...i think...".
"I as well have keept you at distance Daniel Jackson...".
"Yeah...well...guess we are both to blame...". Daniel said.
Jack sent them both a concerned look. He did not like any of his teammembers so disconnected with eachother. Of course he understood why Daniel would feel the need to push away Teal'c but it could not continue...this situation proved that. What if Teal'c had been the only one able to pick up the signal...then they would have been screwed right now and he would still have been playing around in that fantasy land. Teal'c as well had to get over his guilt towards Daniel if those two were ever to be true friends.
Sam turned to Paddon who just observed them with interest. He seemed very interested in the interactions the team had with eachother.
"Paddon...when did we come back?"
"Oh...about two days after you left. After trying the kelnoreem and failing at that you came back and i captured you."
"Sweet", Jack said sarcastically.
"How do you know all this?", Sam asked.
"I probed your minds...decided to turn it back to the kelnoreem stage and erase everything else...".
"For what reason?". Teal'c asked.
"To see what you would do of course Jaffa...".
"So...you are some sort of scientist?" Daniel asked.
"I wished to study you yes...your interactions with one another...humans fascinates me...". Paddon said.
"My god...you are an antrophologist! Like me...you study civilisations...". Daniel was jumping around while talking.
"Daniel...", Jack said.
"Jack?".
"Breathe...", Jack answered.
Daniel sent him a wierd look...than he smiled..
"I do not know that word but yes...i study people and their ways...". Paddon said.
"What about the experiment?", Daniel asked.
"You passed Daniel Jackson...", Paddon said and smiled.
Daniel and Jack looked at eachother...then at Sam to see if she understood but she looked just as confused. Teal'c as well had raised the eyebrow indicating lack of understanding.
"I am not sure i understand", Daniel said.
Paddon smiled. "You alarmed your friends Daniel Jackson...".
"That was the experiement?" Daniel said surprised.
"Yes Daniel Jackson...i wanted to see how strong your bond with your friends were...to see if you could activate the link and communicate with them. Your brains are more developed than we thought. Of course i couldn't tell you about the experiement directly and i didn't have too...you did it all by yourself", Paddon said.
"Way to go Dannyboy", Jack smirked.
"But...the warning...the threats?". Daniel asked.
"All a part of my research...it was another test...i did it to see if you would risk pain and maybe death for your friends...i must say you impressed me Daniel Jackson...my beam allthough very painful was no threat to your life at anytime...the chip was a ploy too...i had to make sure your fear for your life was as real as it could be...but we never had any intentions of killing you."
"Well...thank you...i think", Daniel said not really knowing what to say. He was a little shocked.
"Now what?", Sam asked.
"You said i could be free if i passed your test...please...keep that promise and let us go", Daniel said.
Paddon nodded. "You and your friends are free to go".
Then Paddon dissapeared and SG-1 was overwhelmed by blackness.
A lab
SG-1 awoke in some sort of lab. They were strapped down on some cold metal tables with strange devices attached to their heads.All were in uniform and not the clothes they had believed to be theirs. A door opened and Paddon walked inside. He touched a panel and the straps that had confined them dissapeard. Then they raised from the tables and looked at Paddon. Daniel examined his body but the scars and marks was nowhere to be found. It had all been in his mind. Thank god, he thought.
"You are free to go",Paddon said and pointed to a door that appeared.
"Not so fast", Jack said and grapped him. "We still have some talking to do!" He smashed Paddon up against the white wall.
"Jack!", Daniel tried but in vain.
"I am sorry human...for what i did to you...but...". Paddon said with absolutely no fear in his eyes. He was alloving Jack to touch him. Daniel didn't doubt that a second.
"Thats NOT good enough!" Jack yelled.
"You must understand that i did it in the name of science!".
"Ohh no...see...thats where you are wrong...i don't have to understand anything!".
"Sir...i know what he did to you...but...".
"Ehhh Sam", Daniel caughed as tried to stop her. "I wouldn't...right now...", he warned but to late.
"But what Carter?", Jack snorted in a agitated voice and she got the point.
"Nothing Sir...", she said and retreated to a place behind Daniel who signaled Teal'c.
"Thats what i thought". Jack said and was about to smash Paddon once more when he was stopped by Teal'c. Once again Jack found himself dangling down from Teal'c' back.
"TEAL'C!"
"Sorry Sir...but you are in a unstable emosionel state right now and your leadership is cleary affected...i have to take command of SG-1 untill we get home...protocol...you know Sir".
"I am NOT unstable!" Jack screamed but he had that "I know you are totally right but i'll never admit to that" look.
"Is that why you are about to start a fight with a superior race that we don't have a snowballs chance in hell of beating ?", Daniel asked.
"Hey...we were just talking mkay". Jack said without looking at them.
"Indeed you were not O'niell...you were clearly about to engage in battle with this alien...".
"See? Teal'c is with me...", Daniel said.
"Thanks Teal'c...". Jack said in a sarcastic voice. Now they decide to work together, Jack thought with a sigh.
Sam was just smiling.
"Im sorry about him Paddon", she said. "Now...if you would show us the exit we will leave at once."
"This way". He started walking through the door and they followed. Teal'c was still carrying Jack who was pouting.
As they stood in front of the stargate Daniel turned to Paddon.
"Listen Paddon...we could still be friends...your people and mine...you didn't mean any harm...if i know that...so will the rest of the Tau'ri."
"Maybe in time Daniel Jackson...now leave.". He said but he had a vage smile on his lips.
Sam dialed home. They gate whooshed and they turned to look.
"Can you at least tell me the name of your race?", Daniel asked as he turned around but Paddon was gone.
"I guess not", Daniel said a little dissapointed.
Teal'c put Jack back on the ground.
"Ya know T...we gotta have a talk about this carrying thing...".
"Indeed Oniell".
"Lets go home campers".
"Yes Sir".
"Ehh Jack...about the...", Daniel started.
"No Daniel...we are not going back to the temple...".
"But Jack...".
"Ah ah".
They walked through.
THE END