Warnings: violence (civilization matters), language, sexual situations
Season/Spoilers: up to season 7 heroes, AU
Summary: SG1 gates to a world ruled by Japanese-like codes...
Archive: Heliopolis, SJD, SJNC17 … Anywhere else, just please ask before…
DISCLAIMERS: I started writing this story way before the first serious spoilers on plots for season 8 came out. Although it contains no actual spoilers in itself (or else, I am a psychic!), it deals with a divinity Joe Mallozzi said one episode of season 8 also would. This story by no means infringe upon their copyrights, it's all come from my imagination, and my imagination alone.
A/N:
- The mythology I based this story upon is the real mythology of Japan I adapted for the purpose of this story (it is really "Goa'uld compatible"!). However, please note that although the descriptions are rather close to reality, this work is purely fiction where actual Japanese mythology and culture are mixed with a lot of imaginary creations.
- The described structure of a Medieval Japanese village is probably not very accurate, my apologies I had to rely essentially on my imagination there.
The clothing is described in a way so that everybody could understand and "see". I intentionally mentioned only a few Japanese names for the different items, so that nobody would be lost: everybody knows a bit about martial arts and the outfits Judoka, Aikidoka, or Karateka wear.
Some of the words/dialogues I used are actual Japanese sentences that I simply modified a little bit, taking into account the distance and time.
- For further information about Samurais and Feudal Japan http/samourais.free.fr/ (in French, but lots of pictures and drawings you don't need to understand the language to see), or http/ (in English). Watching the old mini series 'Shogun' is also very instructive. The feudal civilization of Japan was extremely violent in military matters, yet particularly refined when it came to their society life. It remained almost the same, at least in spirit, until the Second World War.
Copyright © Anakin David 2003
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SG1 was gathered at the foot of the ramp in the control room, waiting for Daniel Jackson to put in an appearance. At last, the archaeologist came in through the big blast door, rubbing his glasses with a tissue.
Jack O'Neill nodded to General Hammond up in the control room, indicating he was ready. "All right people! Let's head out to P5Xwhatever and see what kind of trouble SG1 will get itself into this time!" he said emphatically.
"Hopefully O'Neill, we will not encounter trouble on that world." Teal'c replied stoically.
"Oh I don't know, we kind of attract trouble when we're out there... somewhere... beyond the sea..." Jack went on, punctuating his words with waves of his hand.
Teal'c frowned. "There appears to be no sea in the immediate vicinity of the Stargate, O'Neill."
"That's an expression, T'!" Jack replied scowling "It's from a song! Somewhere beyond the sea..." he continued in sing-song voice.
Sam Carter stifled her laugh as Teal'c raised one eyebrow cryptically.
"Colonel O'Neill, you can instruct Teal'c of the wonders of Earth music when you set up camp tonight!" General Hammond's voice came out of the microphone. "In the meantime, I suggest you go through the Stargate now because I'm not sure the American tax-payer would be happy to know his money goes into debating such matters!"
"T', Daniel, Carter, you heard the General, lead the way!" Jack said. Stepping onto the ramp, he turned and beckoned his team toward the shimmering blue of the Stargate.
Up in the control room, Hammond slightly shook his head at his 2IC's antics and watched his flag team disappear through the device.
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The planet they were exploring was quite monotonous, and the weather humid and chilly, just like what temperate countries would be like at the end of autumn. Dark conifers were gathered in a thick forest on the right of the barely drawn path they were following, and the grass was brownish and damp with what would qualify as dew.
O'Neill was walking alongside his major, Teal'c at the rear and Daniel in between, his finger absently stroking the outside rim of the trigger of his P90.
From time to time, Carter stopped briefly to analyze the numbers on the sensor she held in her left hand, occasionally making notations on a small notepad tucked into one of the pockets of her vest.
"So, Carter? What about that Naquada?" O'Neill asked after some time.
"I don't know yet, sir. The readings so far are interesting, but I'm afraid we might have to dig quite deep. I'll take a core sample of the soil when we set up camp. Although I don't have the means to send a probe very deep, it'll at least give us an idea," She replied, smiling briefly at him.
"'Found anything of archaeological interest, Daniel?" he asked next, turning his head towards the archaeologist.
"None whatsoever yet, Jack. But the UAV showed ruins or some sort of buildings quite far from the gate, maybe we should go investigate?"
"Well... that's what we're here for, right? Explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and new civilization, and boldly go where--"
"Feeling bored already, Colonel?" Sam interrupted shaking her head and smiling slightly.
"Oh, no. Actually I'm feeling in a particularly good mood for once."
Sam chuckled softly and then concentrated on the walk.
They hadn't gone ten meters when a troop of armed Samurai-like people rose like mushrooms from holes hidden on the banks flanking the path and surrounded them menacingly. Their dark, shinny armors clang softly, and although they seemed to be rather cumbersome, the men didn't seem to be bothered by it, sharp swords at the ready, and expertly mounting their horses.
Their attack was swift and efficient and SG1 had barely had time to point their weapons at them before Jack and the rest of his team were swiftly disarmed by several men on foot.
One of the attackers, probably the leader, barked a few things in a guttural language Jack didn't understand, and while a few riders guarded the area, a few others dismounted and surrounded the team in their turn. In short they were thoroughly searched for more weapons, rid of them, tied-up, and roughly brought to a wagon harnessed to a draught horse, hidden behind several trees.
The leader, who had remained on his horse, barked a few more orders. The Samurai-like men that had dismounted got back on their horses and some of them went down the bank to hide again as the caravan moved off to an unknown destination.
The attack had been so sudden that despite his sharp military mind, O'Neill hadn't had time to realize exactly what was happening to them. The slow pace of the wagon left time for them to analyze the situation.
Teal'c was the first to recover. He looked around the cart to try and locate their gear and weapons, but the range of vision the bars allowed was not sufficient for him to determine where they were. He looked at his companions, and addressed O'Neill in a low voice. "I cannot see where they put our weapons, O'Neill."
"I know where they are," the Colonel replied sharply, trying unsuccessfully to get rid of his bonds. "I saw a rider with a net bag on his saddle. You got any idea about who these guys are?"
"I do not, O'Neill. They do have a slight resemblance to Lord Yu's Jaffa, but they do not seem to bear any Goa'uld tattoo or markings on their foreheads. They must have been guarding the path for intruders. I do not believe they set up a trap especially for us as SG1, otherwise they would not have left men where they ambushed us."
"I don't believe they did either," O'Neill agreed. "But that means those guys are in a war or something like that... What did I say about trouble?" he groaned dejectedly.
A short silence ensued. Then Daniel sighed, attracting his teammates' attention. He looked at them, furrowing his brow. "From what I gather so far, they look a lot like Samurai from feudal Japan… " he said.
"And just how is that wonderful information going to help us?" Jack quipped.
"Well, it might give us some clues as to how to behave," Daniel replied. "Feudal Japan had a very complicated set of rules and the organization of the society was very complex. Which means that we might find a safe way to get out of this situation if we behave like them."
"So, what do you think we should do?" Sam asked, wincing a little as the cart rolled over a pothole on the road.
Daniel hesitated a second, then resumed. "Look, if it is indeed a feudal Japanese-like civilization, then I suggest we play very definite parts. That'll earn us some time at least. Jack, you would be a warlord traveling with Teal'c, a war monk - that would fit perfectly with your hairdo and your staff - for protection and spiritual purposes. Me, I can be a medicine man/scholar/interpreter of some sort, and..." he turned to Sam with an embarrassed look. "Ahem... Sam, Jack's wife or concubine. Actually it would be more respectable if she were your wife," he concluded sheepishly.
"What!" Sam and Jack both exclaimed at the same time.
"Have you gone nuts!" Jack raged.
But Daniel interrupted him at once. "Look, Jack, if I am right and we don't play their game, then it will be an immediate sentence of death by decapitation or crucifixion for all of us, without any chance to plead our case."
Jack fell silent, as did his other team mates, only to have his thoughts interrupted by Daniel.
"I am not exactly an expert in far-eastern civilizations, but I think that's how we should behave. Show them respect and be honorable. They have a great sense of honor. They might accept a few 'misbehaviors' from us, but not much. The Japanese Bushido code is roughly: courage, honor, sincerity, loyalty, respectability/politeness and excellence. Oh and drawing blood when not necessary is shameful."
"'Might as well write that down for us!" Jack mumbled.
"Well, all in all, that's our motto with SG1," Sam said.
"Yeah, but try to think with a Japanese mind..." Daniel sighed, earning a snort from Jack.
"Would O'Neill being a warlord and traveling without any army not appear strange, Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c asked.
"Not necessarily, I might have to think of a story if we get questions about it, but we could be on... say an educational trip? Or seeking allies or something like that."
"What about a treaty? Might I remind you that's what we're here for? Try to find new sources of Naquada?" Jack smirked.
"Why not, yeah..." Daniel agreed.
Jack sighed and then scowled. He definitely hated their present situation, but he recognized Daniel's expertise in foreign cultures. "Okay, Daniel. Then I suggest you talk."
"Well I'm not sure I can understand their dialect, but from the few things I heard it looks like some sort of Japanese-"
"Yeah, whatever." Jack interrupted him, rolling his eyes. "They could have taken these bonds off when they put us in that wagon!" he grumbled.
The rest of their trip was spent in silence, as each tried to think of a way to extricate them from yet another perilous situation. Jack's limbs were beginning to get stiff and he would have killed to be able to stretch his long legs and relieve his knees. He was beginning to wonder how far the soldiers would take them from the gate, when they finally reached a village.
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The first houses they saw were made of trodden earth and straw, and seemed to belong for the most part to people clothed in rags. Some of them were a little better dressed and carried agrarian tools. Their houses had small enclosures near by, containing pigs and other animals he didn't recognize. Then as they progressed through the village, they passed wooden houses of what probably were storekeepers, with attractive window dressings. Finally, they reached big houses with rich designs and patterns, probably the houses of the notables. All the buildings definitely had a Japanese style to them, thus confirming Daniel's initial thoughts.
They exited the village, and headed up to a hill on top of which stood a small fortress. They entered the yard and stopped. Jack observed the riders dismount. Two of them came to the wagon, forcing them out none too gently.
Remembering Daniel's advice, Jack bit back a quip as they were led to what looked like the main building of the fortress. They reached a dimly lit room, where they were forced to kneel down, eliciting a protesting groan from Jack. Two armored soldiers stood on each side of them, hands on their sword, ready to unsheathe, no doubt.
After a moment, a short but imposing man came before them. His hairdressing and general attire reminded Jack of those cheap Asian movies he had gone to at the drive-in when he was attending college and dating Suzy Sandburg, he mused. The man was dressed in a richly adorned sort of Kimono, two swords of different lengths driven into his large belt.
Jack's thoughts were soon drawn back to reality as the man sat on the throne-like chair in the middle of a small platform.
Their two guards immediately bowed and one of them started speaking in the same guttural language they had heard before.
More attuned now to the situation than he had been when they were captured, Jack looked at Daniel who was frowning in concentration. He switched to Sam who was also helplessly looking at their friend. When the guard finished talking, Daniel looked briefly at Sam, then Jack, and nodded reassuringly.
The man on the other side of the room stood up and came near them, circling them while observing them.
Jack hated that and started fidgeting, earning a warning look from Daniel.
Having finished his inspection, the man stopped right in front of them and asked them something Jack presumed was "who are you" or something like that.
Daniel cleared his throat and started speaking slowly in what sounded like Japanese. The man frowned and came closer, obviously trying to understand what Daniel was saying.
Daniel tried several formulations - so it sounded to Jack - until one of them seemed to cause the man to listen more intently. Daniel went on trying to explain who they were for long minutes, then suddenly, the man barked, interrupting Daniel's speech. The guards straightened and drew their short swords.
Jack closed his eyes, expecting the cold steel pierce his skin, when instead, he felt his bounds loosen and his wrists come free. All four of them were hauled up to a standing position and had to look down to their captor, as he was probably not more than five foot four inches tall.
The man looked at Daniel and started speaking again, his hand extended, apparently beckoning them to follow him.
The two guards followed closely though, escorting them through the corridors and to the upper levels where other guards relayed them.
They were roughly instructed to take their boots off. Now that was something that was getting more and more aggravating! Those people knew nothing about kindness! Jack thought, as they were led to yet another room.
The walls of this new area in the building seemed to be made of a very thin, almost transparent ivory material stretched on wooden frames that could slide open to new rooms, providing the place a hushed resonance.
"I've got to ask them how they did that!" Jack smirked softly.
Before he had time to add more, they were roughly forced to kneel down. Their host entered through a panel on the opposite side of the room and took his place also kneeling on his heels on a cushioned area in front of them. The guards then retreated behind the panels. The man cleared his throat and spoke to Daniel.
Daniel resumed his explanation, then came to a stop, slightly bowing in front of their host. The man smiled and bowed in his turn, and Daniel turned to his friends.
"This is Lord Kyyato - if I understood correctly - apparently an important warlord here. Before we came here, when we were in that other room, he asked where we came from, since he had never seen anyone like us. I told him exactly what I suggested in the cart. Jack, you are a warlord with your wife, Sam, and Teal'c a war monk, traveling to seek out new allies, and I am the scholar that accompanies you for translating purposes, as well as writing down your journal."
"Good," said Jack. "Now what?"
"Well, he made his apologies about mistreating a warlord, and that's why we were brought here. He wants to know what we're doing here."
"And?" Jack said, raising his eyebrows and waving his hand evocatively.
"Well, I haven't told him about the Naquada yet..."
Jack rolled his eyes.
"Jack, I needed a moment to adjust my language, in case you hadn't notice!" Daniel said indignantly. "Besides, I'm not sure he knows what Naquada is, or what he could use it for!"
"All right, why don't you ask him and what he intends to do with us?" Jack said, scowling.
Daniel resumed his conversation with Lord Kyyato. After a moment, Kyyato barked a few orders to the guards who swiftly bowed and left the room. Kyyato then turned to Daniel and said a few more words. He then bowed his head and obviously waited for Daniel's reaction, watching the rest of the team expectantly.
Daniel turned to his teammates. "He says he would be honored if we could join him for dinner and discuss more precisely about that Naquada - apparently, he has never heard of it. He once again apologizes for us being mistreated, and insists on making us comfortable. He also said that all our gear would be returned to us in some quarters he is currently having prepared for us. We can get cleaned, change, and get comfortable."
"Too many apologies..." Jack quipped.
"Jack, I wouldn't start on that track if I were you. It does look like their culture is very similar to that of ancient Japan indeed, and we have to be very careful about how we behave. Apologizing profusely is not that strange when you think with a Japanese mind."
"Okay, whatever. I trust you Daniel, but don't say anything that I would consider a bad move." He raised an eyebrow trying to understand what he had just said, then turned to Carter. "That didn't come out right. Right?"
She smothered her chuckle. "No, sir."
He turned to Daniel, frowning. "Well, you know what I mean. Tell him we accept his apologies and that we'll join him for dinner all right, but don't go into details about anything else."
Daniel smiled almost imperceptibly and turned towards Lord Kyyato to tell him just that in whatever language it was that they both understood.
Kyyato then smiled, clapped his hands, and a team of girls, with dark hair pulled up artistically in an arrangement of buns, appeared. Walking in short steps, they bowed repeatedly to the team, and beckoned SG1 to follow them.
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They were led to another room where all their gear had been stocked. Dismissing the girls with a hand, O'Neill quickly went to check his pack and weapons, as did the others.
"Everything seems to be here, including all of my ammo... what about you, guys?" he asked.
"Same here, Sir," Sam replied.
"Ditto." Daniel supplied.
"It appears these people have not touched nor damaged my weapons either, O'Neill," Teal'c concluded.
The girls had stepped backwards when O'Neill had dismissed them, but were still in the room. One of them spoke in a soft voice.
Daniel replied and said a few other things, before being interrupted by Jack's interrogative look. "She asked if we want to take a bath and refreshments. I told her that refreshments would be fine."
"What about the bath?" Jack asked.
"I didn't think we'd need to take a bath now but-"
"Not me, but maybe Carter wants to..."
"I can speak for myself, sir. With all due respect," she replied icily.
"Hey, don't snap at me like that, Carter! I was just trying to be considerate! After all, I'm supposed to be your husband!"
"Well, sir. Don't. I'm not used to that cra--"
"Sam, Jack!" Daniel warned, raising both his hands and gaining both officers' attention. "I don't think this is the time or place to have an argument. We can have refreshments, a change of clothes, and we'll decide, okay?"
"A change of clothes, Daniel Jackson?"
"Yes, Teal'c. They insist we wear those kimono-like outfits for dinner."
"All right, I'm outta here!" Jack said, standing up.
"Jack!"
"What! I'm not wearing that and that's final! I do have a reputation to maintain as the commanding officer of this unit!"
"And you also have a head to keep on your shoulders, Jack!" Daniel countered.
Jack fell silent.
"I told you they might be very strict about protocol, and everything tends to point in that direction. I'm not going to laugh, Sam's not going to laugh, and Teal'c will also have to wear one, so we're all even."
Jack bit his lip in frustration; this harmless mission had turned into a huge mess. They were not due to report in for another forty-eight hours and a lot could happen in so short a time span. His military logic dictated that he completed the mission, and the mission was to find a way to mine for the Naquada. The best course of action would be to abide by their host's code of living and try to negotiate a treaty so they could return home as soon as possible.
He looked at Daniel, in resignation. "All right, Daniel. Tell them we'll change clothes."
Daniel nodded and talked to the girl who seemed to be asking one last question.
"She suggests bringing towels for us to clean up a little. She understands we don't want to take a bath now, although she's insisted a lot - I might add - but she is adamant about being immaculate for supper," Daniel explained.
"Works for me," O'Neill shrugged.
Daniel talked to the girls one last time. The one who had spoken bowed and stepped backwards, beckoning them to follow her, while the other girls did the same, then went into separate directions.
"They're going to show us our quarters," Daniel supplied.
"All right, take your gear and move people," Jack ordered.
They followed the girls through the corridors until they reached a set of four rooms, each opening - through a wooden panel - into a common room with a steaming pool in the middle. The servants were there already, wetting towels and folding them before putting them on some sorts of wicker trays.
The chief of the girls - Jack had decided to nickname her that - showed them their sleeping quarters. Teal'c was first, then Daniel, and at the very end, were Sam and Jack.
Every time a member of SG1 was shown a room, a girl stepped in with him and the folded steaming towels and closed the panel behind her. When Sam and Jack found themselves enclosed in the same room with their servant, they smiled awkwardly at each other: now what? their looks asked silently.
The girl quickly came to bow before Sam and indicated that she should follow her. She went to a corner of the room where an outfit was cautiously folded next to the wet towels, and beckoned Sam to kneel next to her. She then moved swiftly in front of Sam and started unbuttoning her jacket. Feeling a flush raising on her cheeks in embarrassment, Sam steadied the girl's hand, not daring to glance at her commanding officer and unbuttoned the jacket herself.
Jack's stomach was doing flip-flops in his belly, and he felt his ears burning, as well as the blood rush to some parts of him that should definitely have been at rest. The scene he had just witnessed held some erotic sense to it that turned his brain to jelly, and he didn't need too much stimulation when it came to his second in command.
Before making a fool out of himself, he turned away from the scene unfolding underneath his eyes, and decided to study the intricate patterns of the panels before him...
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Daniel felt his jacket slide from his shoulders and started. He turned and came face to face with the young girl that had entered his room after him and smiled sheepishly.
The girl bowed her head and beckoned for him to sit on a small wooden bench next to steaming stones in a pan, at one side were the wet towels. Slowly, and almost cautiously, the girl took off the rest of his clothes except for his trousers. Then she started applying the steaming wet towels to his face, his back, his chest, rubbing a little and massaging at the same time.
Daniel felt relaxation sweep through his body at the tender ministrations of the girl. He closed his eyes and let the girl do her job.
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Teal'c had stripped down to his underwear and sat cross-legged while the girl cleaned his large body. Not one to deny relaxing when he was invited to, he had put himself in a deep state of Kel'No'Reem, and didn't even notice what the girl was doing. The soft fragrance that was emanating from the steaming wet towels, the soft light and the muffled sounds the panels provided were another source of relaxing, and he reached heights he seldom managed to reach now that his symbiote was gone.
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Sam was finished. She was dressed in a metallic blue kimono, her short hair bearing a few ribbons that made it look like it wasn't short. The combination of colors she was dressed in made her eyes appear like sapphires embedded in the fine jewel that was her face, and O'Neill had trouble detaching his eyes from her figure, a lump preventing him from breathing normally. He had seldom seen Sam Carter in formal attire, other than her dress blues, and he had to admit it was a wonderful sight in itself.
He was abruptly brought back to reality as he felt the girl's hands hook on the lapels of his open jacket and start tugging it down his shoulders. His reaction was violent, and if it hadn't been for Sam, he would have knocked the girl out, but Sam's eyes pleaded with him and he regained control of himself.
He shyly nodded to Sam, who understood and faced away from him as the girl, though a little troubled, started her work anew on him.