Disclaimer: They're all mine Muwhaha! Nah, I don't own them leave me alone.
The Bargain
The woman looked around twenty-five, long brown blonde hair and copper colored skin. She wore royal robes and greeted the MALP with excitement. She led SG-1 in procession with huge slabs of muscle she called royal guards, to the small temple on the hill. Though she kept her distance from them she was most gracious and amiable until they entered the main hall of the temple.
"Welcome home, father, we have much to talk about."
"I'm sorry, what did you say?" asked O'Neill, he cast a glance at Daniel who shrugged.
"We were not speaking to you!" The woman, spun her eyes glowed in anger. The entire team took several steps back, right back into a wall of guards.
"Oh for crying out loud." swore Jack feebly attempting to hit a guard, who didn't even flinch. "Carter I thought you were able to sense these things!"
"Take their weapons!" cried the Goa'uld her voice suddenly tinny. The guards took all their equipment and laid it in the corner.
"I can sir, but she never got close enough for me to sense anything until now."
"Silence, you will kneel before your queen and Goddess."
"Well, see that's a problem, we're Americans we don't have either." The guards aided them in kneeling, with blows to rear of their kneecaps. The last guard was about to hit Daniel when the Goa'uld stopped him.
"You will not harm our father; he need not kneel before his child."
Daniel blanched slightly.
"I don't know who you think I am, but I'm not your father." He regarded her with, distaste and loathing.
"You are Daniel Jackson of Tau'ri?"
"Yes."
"You were my mother's beloved, you are my father."
Daniel's stomach lurched, but he didn't move.
"Your mother was…."
"Hathor."
"That's not possible, they were all killed."
The Goa'uld put her hand on Daniel's face he pulled away, but the slab of meat behind him kept him in place.
"What my mother took from you, she used on base and yes those lava were destroyed. But she took enough for two spawning and I am of the second." Daniel swallowed loudly.
"Hey!" called Jack from the floor, the Goa'uld looked around almost surprised to find the other three kneeling there. "Look, I hate to interrupt this family reunion, but it seems clear to me that Daniel doesn't want anything to do with you."
"Silence Betrayer!" cried the Goa'uld her eyes glowing.
"You have your mother's eyes." Jack sneered. The Goa'uld crossed to him in two strides and backhanded him across the face. Jack fell backwards into his guard, blood spurting from his mouth.
"You will have yours, Betrayer!" hissed the Goa'uld. "Take them to their cell!" She cried. But then more softly she went to Daniel. "We will talk later, our father."
"I'm not your father." He spat as the guard dragged him away.
The guards dragged them into the lower levels of the palace, they were thrown into a small stone walled cell, it had no windows and the door was made of a thick metal. Daniel slid across the floor where he had fallen, and sat to lean on the wall. Jack, Sam and Teal'c shot worried glances at their friend, they gave him a minute and then by mutual decision Jack went and sat by Daniel.
"Don't Jack," said Daniel; not looking up from his hands.
"Daniel, you know this isn't your fault."
"I said don't. I can deal with this; I just need to be alone for a minute. Okay?" He looked up his eyes pleading for some concept of privacy. The entire base, if not the pentagon, knew what had happened between him and Hathor. He'd lived down the jokes and the comments and worse those looks of pity, he'd gotten through it and with Hathor's death it was over, or so he thought. His weakness had come back to haunt him and he didn't need to see those looks of pity again, especially not from Jack.
After a while, two guards came back, the largest slab of meat pointed at Daniel and grunted.
"Hey," said Jack, "I'm in command, take me." The guard rounded on O'Neill slapped him back against Teal'c and picked up Jackson by the collar without losing a step. Both guards left without a backward look, dragging Daniel behind them. Jack sunk down on the wall; a line of blood trickled down his chin.
Daniel was brought before the Goa'uld, she sat on her throne; long slender legs crossed in front of her. The guard dumped him at the steps to the altar and seeing no point in even trying to stand Daniel simply sat up adjusting his glasses.
"Look," Daniel paused; his brow knitted. "You know I didn't catch your name." Goa'uld peered down her nose at Daniel.
"My name is Clarine."
"Yeah, ok, erm Clarine. I don't know what you expect from us. Your mother," he spoke the word as if it left a bad taste in his mouth, "is dead and we're not going to give you anything more than we gave her."
Clarine uncrossed and re-crossed her legs.
"Would you like something to drink?"
Daniel raised his eyebrows surprised.
"No thank you," he said.
"It is impolite to refuse a request from a dignitary while you are a guest in her court. It's so much easier to learn about a culture if you submerse yourself in it." She said this with a glimmer of a smile, snapped her fingers and a slave approached with a goblet. "Drink."
"Really, I'm fine," said Daniel; waving off the slave.
"You will drink." as she said this; two guards reappeared at Daniel's sides dragging him to his feet. One held his arms down and the other forced his mouth open and poured the turquoise liquid down his throat, after Daniel had gagged down half and spilled the rest over himself Clarine gestured for the guards to stop. Daniel dropped to the floor in a wet coughing fit.
Clarine stood up from her throne and carefully walked down the altar steps. She grabbed Daniel's right hand and slid a ring on his index finger.
"This ring is a sign of your bond to me. I will release your friends if you agree to stay here with me for one month, I promise no harm will come to you if you obey the rules and at the end of that time I will release you."
"And the word of a Goa'uld should have any weight with me whatsoever because?"
"Because if you do not agree I will kill them. That you cannot doubt."
"Fine, I'll stay." Jackson coughed still out of breath.
"Touch the ring and say it."
"He's been gone a long time." Sam said looking worriedly at the door.
"Do not worry Major Carter. Daniel Jackson is strong he will withstand whatever torture this Goa'uld will use on him."
"But what if she tries that stuff that Hathor used on us?" asked Jack still sitting on the floor. Having been smacked twice by the Slab brothers, O'Neill's ears were ringing.
"I don't think so, sir, Hathor herself said that you were immune to that compound. What I can't figure out is why she'd go to all this trouble just to meet Daniel, whom for all intents and purposes is merely a sperm donor in the Goa'uld replication process."
"Carter, please don't I really don't need those visuals right now. Besides I'm more worried about how Daniel is taking to parenthood. It was a rough for him to deal with what Hathor did to him, what helped him most was all the baby-Goa'ulds he'd helped cook up were charcoal. If this Goa'uld's on the level and she survived, that means there may be more of Hathor's litter out there helped in a small part by Daniel and that might just kill him."
They were all silent for a long time after that, until they heard footsteps in the distance. The door creaked as it opened and Daniel lurched in aided by muscular arms; his clothes were ruffled and there was a huge stain down the front of his T-shirt.
"Daniel!" cried Sam grabbing him before he fell. His eyes were glazed and he didn't seem completely with it. "Daniel?" asked Sam trying to raise his head to look at her. "Daniel what did they give you?" Daniel blinked struggling to focus both his eyes and his brain. He frowned.
"Drank, something." He said with conservative effort. Teal'c took hold of Jackson by the armpits and laid him out on the floor. Daniel stared up at them for a moment a look of utter confusion on his face. "What are you doing here?" he asked staring up at Jack.
"We've been captured, Daniel don't you remember?" Sam said taking his hand.
"She said, she'd let you go." he said and passed out.
"Daniel, Daniel? Stay with me," said Jack, patting Daniel's face. "Tell me what's going on what did she give you?"
Daniel's eyes flickered open and he looked at them in surprise once again.
"Why am I on the floor?" he asked now very lucid.
"You collapsed when the guards brought you back" Said Jack pulling Daniel to a sitting position.
"Oh," he said a hand on his head.
"Headache?"
"Yeah,"
"Daniel, do you remember what happened? Did you tell her anything?"
"No, she forced me to drink something and then I passed out." Daniel rubbed both hands over his head.
"What is that?" asked Sam.
"What?"
"The ring; where did that come from?"
"I don't know," said Daniel "it's not mine." He tried to pull the ring off, but it wouldn't budge. "It won't come off."
"Let me see." said Jack dragging Daniel's finger until he called out.
"Ow, Jack you're going to pull my finger off!"
"Sorry that thing is stuck."
"I wonder where it came from."
"It is a Goa-uld device," said Teal'c.
"It is?"
"Yes, it is called a binding ring."
"What does it do?"
"It is a reminder to the wearer of a promise made between two parties. The ring makes any agreement binding and cannot be removed until the terms have been satisfied."
"I don't like the sound of that. Daniel what did you agree to?"
"I don't know I don't remember."
"That could be a problem."
"Before Daniel Jackson passed out he said; she said she'd let you go. Perhaps you made a deal for our release."
"That's all I can think that I would agree to, but if the agreement is binding why are you still here?" At that the door swung open, Clarine swept into the room.
"You are free to go about your business, but once you leave the palace grounds you can never return. Remember our agreement our father." She said stroking his cheek. Daniel pulled away. "We will see you later."
"What about our stuff?" Jack asked.
"All your belongings are waiting beyond the palace grounds so that you cannot be tempted to use them on us. Now go." With that she was gone sliding up the corridor with her guards in tow. The door was left open.
"That was weird." Sam said.
"Damn," said Daniel touching his face where she'd held him.
"What?"
"I think I agreed to stay with her if she let you guys go."
"Screw that, you're coming with us." Jack led the way out of the cell and up to the main hall of the palace. They got to the door, and all left except Daniel who simply stood frozen in the doorway. "Come on Daniel let's go."
"I can't."
"Don't give me that she's a Goa'uld you don't owe anything to her."
"No Jack, I mean I can't, I can't move."
"Oh great." Jack went over to Daniel and grabbed his arms; he pulled Daniel through the doorway. "See nothing to it." He said but Daniel had gone pale, there was a hand around his neck. Clarine had come up from behind; she leaned in to whisper in Daniel's ear.
"Remember our agreement." She hissed and threw him forward. Jack caught Daniel before he did a header into the grounds. He looked back to throw a final retort at the Goa'uld, but much to his surprise the door was slammed in his face.
"That's weird," said Daniel frowning.
"Come on!" cried Sam from the gate.
"Let's go." said Jack; Daniel nodded and they walked back to the gate.
"And she just let you go?" asked General Hammond in disbelief. Jack, Sam and Teal'c sat around the briefing room table.
"Yes, sir it was one of Daniel's more impressive negotiations." Jack smiled.
"Well, I'm eager to hear about it as soon as he's released from the infirmary."
"I'm here sir," said Daniel from the doorway. He was changed and showered, with a file in his hand and the red ring still on his finger.
"Didn't Frasier give you some grease for that?" asked Jack gesturing to the ring and Daniel took his seat.
"Yeah, but it still won't come off." Daniel blushed hiding his hand under the table.
"It cannot be removed until the terms of the agreement are met," said Teal'c.
"Problem is I can't remember what I agreed to exactly."
"You said you'd agreed to stay with her, if she let us go right?" Sam asked. Daniel nodded.
"But she literally shoved me out the door, I don't think that was the bargain or a least not all of it."
"You don't remember any of your interrogation, Dr Jackson?" asked Hammond.
"No sir, I remember leaving the cell; the guards took me to Clarine's throne room."
"Excuse me?" Jack interrupted.
"What?"
"Clarine?"
"That's what she said her name was." Daniel shrugged.
"Sounds like a toilet cleaner."
"Go on Dr Jackson."
"Yes, err right, she offered me a drink, I said no, but I was forced to drink this bluish liquid, I got some spilled on my shirt Janet's testing it now. She put the ring on my finger and asked me if I'd stay with her if she let the rest of the team go, I of course agreed," Jack snorted at this, and Daniel turned on him, "What did you expect me to do Jack, let her kill you guys?"
"She threatened to kill the rest of the team if you didn't agree to her terms?" asked Hammond.
Daniel nodded.
"Yes, she said I had to stay with her a month, and then she'd let me go. At that point, whatever was in the wine must have begun to work, because the next thing I remember is waking up on the cell floor."
"Teal'c what can you tell us about this ring?"
"Very little, General Hammond, I know the rings come in pairs, they are a symbol of a bond between to two beings and can only be removed when that bond is either satisfied or one dies."
"Do you know if we can cut it off?"
"I do not believe you have the cutting tools necessary to remove the device without harming Daniel Jackson."
"Do you know how the rings work, Teal'c?" asked Sam.
"I do not."
"What about any consequences of not fulfilling the agreements terms?"
"Besides the permanent fashion don't," said Jack. Daniel rolled his eyes.
"I am unsure; however I do know that when using the rings, Goa'ulds always keep to the bargain."
Daniel swallowed.
Daniel slept soundly, the soft bed cushioned beneath him, a voice called to him in his sleep, but the words were muffled, he couldn't hear what was being said.
"I can't hear you!" he called out in his sleep.
Suddenly he wasn't in bed anymore he was stood in a grand hall, dressed in strange clothes.
"What am I doing here?" he asked without willing himself to ask, he felt like a passenger in his own body watching the proceedings through his own eyes.
"You are fulfilling our agreement." Clarine advanced from the shadows of the room.
"I never agreed to being drugged, what was in that wine?"
"A mild sedative, nothing harmful I assure you our father we would never harm you."
"Why have you gone to so much trouble to bring me here?"
"We have told you, you are our father."
"And I've told you, I want nothing to do with what you are and what you stand for; and as far as I'm concerned you're nothing more than a painful reminder of a very bad experience."
A slight smile crossed Clarine's face as she regarded Daniel.
"Don't hold back our father tell us how you really feel." Daniel blinked. Was that Goa'uld just sarcastic? No, that's not possible, was it? Clarine smiled, "You are beginning to understand, your code has been embedded in our code. I know all of who you were up to the point my mother procured your seed. Your genetic memory was added to my own, and will be added to next spawning of our family." Daniel paled and stepped back.
"You're a queen?"
"I am," she said stepping towards him "and we are going to add the last three years of your knowledge to my off spring." Daniel tried to back away but she caught him around the neck, dragging him in for a harsh kiss. "You will be our beloved."
Daniel sat up breathing hard, shivering even as sweat dripped from his chin. He swiped the drip from his mouth, scrubbing hard at the last remnants of the kiss. His hands shook as he threw the covers off himself and headed to the bathroom.
He ran the tap, staring at the mirror, hoping against hope that what he'd seen had been, just a horrible nightmare and not a memory. It had been more that two weeks since they'd 'escaped from Clarine' and he was having nightmares almost every night. He threw water all over his face letting it drip on to his bare chest. Daniel squeezed his eyes shut trying to banish the memory.
Padding back into the bedroom he snagged his glasses up off the bedside table. He peered down at the digital clock, 4:14 am. No chance of going back to sleep he pulled on T-shirt and jeans and headed out to the living room to make coffee, this was going to be a long day.
Daniel yawned his way past the checkpoints into the mountain; the official time was 06:45 hours which made him two hours and change early for the mission brief at 9. Daniel got the coffee maker going in his office and started on some translations he'd left the night before.
"Daniel." Daniel looked up from his work and saw Clarine, walking towards him he jumped up in surprise backing off from his desk knocking papers all over the floor. He looked down and they were gone. He was no longer in his office, backed against the wall of an ornate bedroom as the Goa'uld who called him father advanced on him.
"Daniel!" the voice sounded familiar, but that wasn't right. Jack wasn't here, she'd let them go and he'd stayed hadn't he? "Daniel wake-up!" Jack's voice startled Daniel awake. He sat up abruptly scrubbing his face with his hands, barely controlling a shudder. He'd fallen asleep at his desk.
"What?" he asked no one as he came back to himself. Jack peered at him concerned.
"Daniel, are you okay?"
"Yeah," said Daniel straightening his glasses and shaking the last sleep from his mind.
"Did you even go home?"
"Yes!" said Daniel a little too quickly. "I came in early to finish some stuff, before the mission."
"Are you sure you're okay? You look a little spooked and you were talking in your sleep."
"Bad dream, that's all."
Jack regarded him ruefully.
"Must have been some dream."
Daniel sighed.
"Was there something you wanted Jack?" he asked clearly indicating the end of that topic of conversation.
Jack considered for a moment and decided to let it slide.
"Yeah, you've been a little spacey lately, not that I blame you, but I thought we could walk to the briefing together."
Daniel glanced at the clock on the wall it was 8:53.
"Okay," he shrugged and grabbed the appropriate folder for the meeting.
The briefing went smoothly and Hammond gave SG-1 a go for a standard recon on P3C643.
"The MALP readings are favorable," said Sam as Daniel and Jack joined them in the 'gate room.
"A temperate climate and no trees." Jack grinned as the 'gate engaged and they walked up the ramp together.
Daniel felt a little dizzy as he stepped out on the other side of the 'gate, there was a tone ringing in his ears, but that didn't matter much when he looked up to see Clarine advancing on him up the steps of the 'gate. Daniel yelped just as the 'gate disengaged and he fell backwards off the podium.
"Daniel!" cried Sam as she saw him fall.
"What the hell?" Jack swore. Running to where Daniel had fallen, he'd not fallen far or hard, a few feet in to the soft dirt that surrounded the gate. Jack leant down to give his friend a hand up but Daniel's eyes rolled back in his head. "Daniel?" called Jack tapping him on the face. Daniel's eyes flicked open and he gasped for air like a swimmer breaking the surface.
"Jack!" he cried grabbing his teammate by the jacket.
"Daniel, are you okay?" Jack looked worriedly at Daniel's panicked expression.
"Jack," he gasped again, "I broke through, I don't know I long I can hold on."
"Daniel what are you talking about?"
"Jack, I never left, I'm still here with her. Jack I agreed but I can't take it anymore, Jack please."
"Daniel what's going on? Are you okay?" Jack searched the eyes of his friend and found fear.
"I have to go; she's… she's here. Help me." Daniel's eyes rolled back into his head and he slumped in a dead faint.
"Daniel!" cried Jack trying to rouse the archeologist.
"Whoa?" Daniel frowned "how'd I get down here?"
"You fell, Daniel I think you might have hit your head." Jack helped him to his feet. "Carter this mission is scrubbed dial it up and let's find out what the hell is going on here."
"Jack I'm fine, I didn't hit my head, I didn't even fall that far," said Daniel as he got dressed in the infirmary.
"No," said Jack handing him his glasses, "but you lost consciousness and had some kind of an episode."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Exactly, add short term memory loss, and I know you haven't been sleeping."
"I have," he said defensively, "just not for very long." He smiled ruefully.
"Well," said Janet drawing back the curtain around the bed. "There's nothing wrong with you."
"See?" he told Jack.
"But I would like to run some more tests to find out why you passed out." Jack grinned and Daniel scowled.
General Hammond made his way to the briefing room, quickly in the small hours of the morning, it was at times like these he was almost happy that his wife had died and no longer had to deal with his irregular hours.
Doctor Frasier was already at the table when he came in, along with SG-1 minus Dr Jackson dotted around the room. Frasier got up when she saw the General and the rest took their places.
"Please be seated. Where is Dr Jackson?"
"I don't know General, I went to visit him and they said he'd been released." said Jack.
"I've got him in a VIP room under guard." said Janet quietly.
"You what; why?" cried Jack.
"Dr Frasier what's this all about?" questioned the General.
"I've completed my examination of Dr Jackson."
"I assume you found something, or we wouldn't be here."
"Yes sir, you ordered every possible test to understand Dr Jackson's behavior."
"Yes."
"Well, there's a new, faster DNA test out there; and although I knew that's not really the kind of test you meant, well I wanted to see if the new test has merit against the old one, so I sent a sample of Dr Jackson's DNA to be tested."
"And?"
"And that's not Dr Jackson."
"What?"
"I sent another sample for a regular test just to be sure and the results are identical." She slid folders to each person around the table, "The copies you have are marked; the ones circled in blue match Dr Jackson, but the ones circled in red do not."
"What are you saying Doctor?"
"Whoever that is has gotten half his DNA from Dr Jackson and half from another source."
"Are you saying this is Daniel's kid?"
"In a blind test all the analysts assumed the samples from Dr Jackson and his impersonator were related directly."
Jack shut the door behind him, and sighed.
"Whoever that is he knows a whole lot about Daniel. I even tried the sister thing and he remember the right answer and when I'd asked that question of him last." Jack rubbed his hands over his face. "He's good." Sam looked across the briefing room at the security monitor, at Daniel pacing the interrogation room.
"Sir, I think he thinks he is Daniel."
"Well, how does that work?"
"Our robot selves did not know they'd been changed." said Teal'c. "Perhaps this is an organic form of such technology."
Sam frowned.
"It's possible," she said, "But the problem is he's not a clone, a clone would be a genetic match to Daniel. I can't even begin to speculate as to how he knows everything about Daniel if he's not simply a straight copy."
Daniel paced the holding cell. What had happened? They were telling him he wasn't him, but he sure felt like he was, well himself. He was frustrated and tired from lack of sleep; the nightmares plagued him. Every time he closed his eyes he saw her advancing on him.
"I can't live like this," he told himself after a particularly bad episode.
"Can't live like what?" Jack was at the door.
"Jack what is going on, why can't you see that it's me, I am me?" he was gesticulating wildly frustration evident and acting in a very Daniel like way. Jack sighed.
"The tests are conclusive, you are not Daniel Jackson."
Daniel sank back on his bunk.
"Funny," he said, "I feel like him, I look like him, I have all of his thoughts, memories and emotions; in fact the only part of me that says I'm not him, is something so small no one can see." He stared at his hands, as if willing himself to see what made him different now. He put his hands down and looked back up at Jack as if considering something. "How long was I alone with Clarine?"
Jack frowned at the left field question, but decided that answering was no harm.
"About two hours, why?"
Daniel stood and turned his back on him.
"That's not enough time," he whispered to himself.
"You think she had something to do with it? Somehow she's changed you?"
"I don't know," Daniel turned to face Jack in anguish. "I've been having these dreams."
"Dreams?"
"Nightmares, really, about spending time," he swallowed, "with her." He closed his eyes and quickly thought better of it. "At first I thought I was just stressed, but the images they're so vivid, I began to think they were my memories of what happened. But that's not right."
"Why?"
"Because there's too much in them, too much time; the dreams are continuous over hours and days. They can't be my memories because I wasn't there long enough."
"And what about on the planet, when you fell?"
"I thought I saw her on the steps coming for me. Every time I close my eyes, Jack, she's there and now some times she's still there when I wake up."
"So you backed away from her and that's when you fell?" Daniel nodded, "But what about that stuff you said before you passed out about breaking through, and never leaving?"
Daniel's brow creased and thought.
"I don't remember that part, when I fell, I fell into a huge bed in a palace. I was back in my nightmare." Daniel scrubbed his brow with his hand; the ring from Clarine was still firmly stuck there. "Do you think it could have something to do with this?" he asked struggling with the ring again.
"Daniel why didn't you tell us about these nightmares sooner?"
"I was afraid."
"Of what?"
"Of what you'd think of me, I was afraid you'd think I was going nuts."
"Again." Jack mumbled.
Daniel frowned.
"What?"
"Never mind."
Jack closed the door to Daniel's cell and nodded to the guard stationed there, Sam came hurrying up the corridor to meet him.
"Sir, I have a theory, about Daniel."
"Go ahead Carter, I'm open to suggestions, because if that isn't Daniel he's up for the Oscar and we're in a whole heap of shit concerning security. Not to mention actually having to go out and figure where the real Daniel is and what's happened to him over the last two weeks." At that Jack shuddered and Sam bit her lip at the thought.
"Well," she said banishing those images from her mind. "Well, judging from what he's just told you and what he said to you on the planet. I think Daniel is still with Clarine, and this imposter is meant to keep us from going after him."
"But how can he know so much about Daniel?"
"Genetic memory."
"What?"
"Goa'uld's pass on their knowledge through genetic memory, part of what Hathor took from Daniel going into that make-up to aid in a symboite's ability to blend with the host."
"Ok, ew, but I know this already. What has this got to do with freaky dreams, bad rings, and a Daniel imposter?"
"I'm getting to that sir, now some people believe that more than just physical attributes are coded on to DNA, that some mental traits are there also."
"Carter I inherited my temper from my grandmother who was quick with the belt, just get to the part I don't already know."
"What if what's true for the Goa'uld is also true for humans. We just can't consciously access the knowledge like they do."
"So you're saying she used Daniel's DNA to make whatever that is in there?"
"Only partially sir, she only got half of what she needed from Daniel."
Jack winced.
"So this really is Daniel's kid only some bastardized Goa'uld version?"
"Yeah, there's just one problem with my theory,"
"What's that?"
"Time." Jack frowned. "This Daniel, functions fine in our world. We didn't notice any differences, with him until the incident on the planet, the sample of Daniel's memories he'd have shouldn't include the last three years, two if you consider Hathor could have taken more while we were held in the SGC mock up." Jack shuddered, unconsciously scratching his neck. "But if Clarine had taken a sample from Daniel while we were locked up there wouldn't be enough time to fully grow a human being in the time Daniel was with her; even with Goa'uld technology it would take several hours at least to get it to the right age."
Sam frowned. "Sir, he remembered Machello, that happened after our encounter with Hathor on base, so we can assume, he has at least that knowledge."
"What are you trying to say major?"
"Just let me test my theory."
"Okay, but he's pretty upset right now."
The Daniel's cell door opened quietly.
"Daniel?" the voice was soft, a woman, no it can't be her it's too early. Too early? Where had that come from? Face it Daniel you're losing it.
Daniel turned in his bunk to face Carter in the doorway.
"Daniel, are you awake?"
"Yeah Sam, come in." Daniel sat up and put his feet on the floor.
"I just wanted to ask you a few questions."
"You still don't believe that I'm me?"
"I'm sorry, I just want to be sure."
"Okay just fire away." Daniel yawned.
"How long have we been on a team together?"
"Since the beginning of SG-1."
Sam nodded.
"How long is that exactly?"
Daniel frowned.
"God, almost five years."
"How old were you when your parent's died?"
"Eight."
"How long ago did you relieve that experience?"
Daniel paused.
"Around four years ago on the gamekeeper's planet, not a pleasant memory."
"I know I'm sorry. What color was my dress on the Mongol planet?"
"Blue, Sam what is going on?"
"I'll tell you when I figure it out. When was the last time you saw your grandfather?" Sam saw Daniel start to answer, but then stop as if suddenly remembering something.
"Oh, on the planet with the giant Aliens after I'd spent a few days out of phase."
"There you see?" Sam stabbed the monitor showing her interview with Daniel.
"See what Carter?" Sam looked back at the table full of people expecting someone to see what was so obvious to her.
"He had to think about it."
"So?"
"So he remembers perfectly the color of a dress I wore over four years ago, but he has to think about when he last saw his long estranged grandfather for the first time since the beginning of the Stargate Project?"
"Well, it was quite a dress." Sam was about to launch into Scientist to colonel mode, but she was interrupted. "I get it Major, he remembers stuff from his childhood up till three years ago but anything closer than that he has to think about. Right?"
"Right."
"What I don't get is the point."
"Daniel's alive sir; this impostor is accessing his memories in some way, it explains the nightmares he's been having, he's accessing Daniel's current memories too."
"What about what happened on the planet?"
"Daniel must have realized the connection; could even have had dreams of being here, living what the imposter has been living."
"Well that sucks."
"Indeed."
"Daniel must have figured out how to use the connection to his advantage, break through and take control of the other Daniel's body. Sir, he called for help."
"He said he never left, Daniel's with that bitch and has been there since we left three weeks ago!" Jack was livid now, "Sir, permission to go get him!
"We'll send a MALP and assess the situation around the gate and form a plan for the extraction of Dr Jackson."
"Yes sir!"
"Sir?"
"Yes, Major?"
"What do we do with the err copy? He thinks he is Daniel."
"We'll deal with him when we bring Daniel back." Jack said turning to leave.
"Sir, he's been dreaming about what Daniel's been going through, about being there in the Palace."
"Yes Major and he thinks they're nightmares, come on."
"Sir, he can give us some valuable intel on the lay of the land, security…" she let the sentence complete itself. Jack observed his 2IC with consternation, it annoyed him that she was thinking about things in a clearer more rational sense than he was, but he was also glad that one of them was.
"See what he can tell you."
"I don't know!" Daniel cried in dismay pacing the cell and waving his arms around, "As far as I'm concerned, I am Daniel Jackson and these things I see are nightmares nothing more."
"And I've told you, the real Daniel Jackson is still on that planet and we intend to bring him back! Now sit down and tell me what I want to know."
Daniel rubbed tired eyes beneath his glasses. He took a deep breath and sat down opposite Sam.
"I don't know anything Sam, all my dreams center around the bedroom and an intense fear whenever I see Clarine."
"Do you think that Daniel is being kept there?"
"Possibly, or it could be that I'm only seeing portions of his time that are spent in an extremely emotional state."
Sam winced there was a creak at the door and Jack appeared in the crack.
"Hammond says we have a go."
"When do we leave?"
"Get geared up and meet in the 'gate-room in fifteen."
"Yes, sir." Jack shut the door and Sam got up to leave.
"Sam?"
"Yes?"
"If you get him back the other me, what will happen to me?"
"I—I don't know."
"Oh, right."
"I have to go."
"Good luck," he said with an ironic smile.
Daniel strained at his bindings; it had been three days since Clarine had caught him talking to Jack. His relative freedom till that point had been severely reduced. Now he couldn't leave his room; he couldn't even touch the walls of his room. Daniel yanked at his bindings again, the thick chain was welded to the floor near an enormous four poster bed, and a manacle was clamped to his ankle.
"It could be worse." He told himself, but couldn't really figure out how.
Jack gave base camp two clicks with his radio to signal they'd reached the main gates. They'd made short work of the Jaffa by the Stargate and SG-3 was waiting for Jack's signal to follow with Dr Frasier, they really had no idea what condition their friend would be in after three weeks with this Goa'uld.
He motioned for Carter and Teal'c to take up defensive positions on each side as he pushed the gate open with his toe.
"Looks quiet," he whispered and they carefully went through the gate. He was right, the court yard was deserted, "Too quiet," he said with a comical eyebrow. They moved quickly across to the door without another word. Jack spied two guards in the main chamber and they were quickly taken care of by Teal'c and his zat. "Did the copy have any idea where this bedroom was?"
"It was an outer room with a view of the setting Sun," whispered Carter.
Jack looked out the window the sun was more than half way down the sky.
"That way," he pointed to a corridor off to the left.
Daniel was pretty sure he was underground but he didn't know how long he'd been there. Clarine had caught him getting through to Jack; he'd been in this cell ever since. The archeologist sighed and sank down to the floor.
"It could be worse." He said to himself, but couldn't imagine how.
The team searched each room along the corridor, most were servant's quarters or storage rooms. Sam pushed open a door at the end of the hallway and called to Jack and Teal'c to join her.
"It looks like some kind of a lab," said Sam wandering around past test tubes and glass jars.
"Just don't touch anything until we know what it does ok, Major?" Jack eyed the jars warily.
"This may be where she made the copy," Sam drew back a curtain near the wall. "Oh, my god," she gasped covering her mouth with her hand.
Jack came up behind her and almost lost his breakfast.
"Jesus." He said, Teal'c kept his expression in check but a flash of anger ignited in his eyes. The room behind the curtain contained more test tubes but these were life sized, each one held a horridly deformed human being, some had extra limbs some had none, a few were without heads, but it was the ones with heads that disturbed the team the most. Each one had piercing blue eyes, and though some were more obvious than others, the faces of these creatures were quite clearly the face of Daniel Jackson.
Sam swallowed and walked along the aisles of experiments, unable to take her eyes off each one as she passed. They seemed to have been arranged in some kind of progression, going from failed embryos and children to increasingly more normal looking adults. The last chamber was covered in a curtain and as Sam pulled it back she realized it contained a perfect copy of Daniel. The figure floated lifelessly unlike most of the others its eyes were closed as if asleep, tubes and wires covered its body and it scared Sam to see her friend like this. She had to keep reminding herself that it was simply a clone.
Jack followed Sam somewhat reluctantly down the aisles of monsters that wore his friend's face, he managed to contain himself until he saw the last jar; Sam stood staring at it with unshed tears filling her eyes.
"Is it alive?"
"It's doubtful sir this looks like a display of failed experiments."
Jack snapped, he couldn't take this anymore, he felt guilty for leaving Daniel yet again and he sure as hell wasn't going to leave something like this lying around for the Goa'uld to play with. He raised his side arm and shot an entire clip into the thick glass, the bullets cracked and spider-webbed the glass until it finally started to leak. The tube split down the middle and the body crumpled to the floor onto the broken glass.
Sam stared at it for a moment and then at her CO.
"We should go find Daniel," she said and turned to go. Jack nodded and they started to join Teal'c who was keeping watch at the door. Suddenly there was a loud crunch behind them; the clone had rolled over on the broken glass.
"How'd it do that?" asked Jack leaning forward over the body, and then its eyes suddenly flickered open. "Whoa!" Jack leaped back.
"What is it sir?"
"I think it looked at me."
The body on the floor suddenly started convulsing, and choking it dragged out the tube that was down its throat. It leaned forward coughing, Sam and Jack stood there in horror.
"Carter I thought you said this thing was dead."
"I just assumed it was sir, I don't see any value of keep one alive unless it's a success."
The man on the floor finally finished coughing, he sat very still not looking up at the two soldiers.
"Is it dead now?" asked Jack.
"No, I'm not." It whispered hoarsely.
"Whoa! It talks."
"Yes, Jack it talks it moves, it's freezing it's ass of sitting in a pile of glass to you mind?" He turned intense blue eyes on a pale Jack and an even paler Sam.
"Daniel?" She squeaked offering her hand. The man on the floor cleared space in the glass for his as yet uncut feet to settle, and then taking Sam's hand heaved himself up.
"Sam it's not him, he was in a test tube remember?" But looking at the man who seemed to be his friend he took pity and pulled the curtain down from around the broken specimen jar and handed it to him. "At least cover yourself up." He said not looking the man in the eye. Daniel took the cover gratefully and wrapped his trembling body in it. "Let's get out of here." Jack said taking the lead. Sam led Daniel, who was still weak and confused by both their behaviors. They walked in silence all three of them trying desperately not to look at the horror show lining the walls.
"You think I'm a clone," said Daniel suddenly as they reached Teal'c in the main lab.
"Whatever gave you that idea?" snapped Jack.
"Daniel," said Sam. "I know this must be hard to accept but you aren't you. The other copy thinks he's Daniel too."
"There's more than one?"
"Looks like there's at least two," Jack said sinking into a chair by a desk.
"But I don't feel like a copy," said Daniel cringing slightly as he repositioned the curtain.
"What's wrong?" asked Jack.
"I think I got some of the glass in my back," he said shifting uncomfortably.
"Let's see," said Jack getting up. Daniel turned and allowed the curtain to drop around his waist, his back was peppered with shards of glass and blood was everywhere. "Jesus! Why didn't you say something?"
"It only just started hurting, I think that water might have been an anesthetic and if I had said something would you have cared? I'm not the one you're looking for am I?"
"Carter, fix him up and give him this to wear." Jack handed her a pair of overalls, "We'll figure out what to do later."
"Yes, sir."
"Come on T, we got to finish checking these rooms."
Jack and Teal'c split up for the rest of the rooms and met back in the lab where Sam had finished patching up Daniel.
"Well I found him," said Jack walking into the lab, Daniel on his tail with a manacle still attached to his foot. "We'll get a blow torch on that when we get back." Daniel stared at Daniel pulling the zip up on his cover alls.
"This is the copy?" he asked Jack. But before he could answer Teal'c was at the door.
"I have recovered Daniel Jackson." He said the merest hint of pride in his voice.
"Oh, for crying out loud," said Jack as Daniel followed Teal'c in, looking pale and drawn as if he'd not seen the sun for a few days.
General Hammond had to do a double take when he saw SG-1's return that day. He was relieved to see all four team members through the gate, but when he looked again there weren't just four members of SG-1 there were also two others, that made three Daniel Jacksons?
"Is there no way to tell which one is our Dr. Jackson?" asked Hammond at the briefing two days later.
"No sir," said Janet. "The DNA results are perfect and their memories are spot on, I'm sorry sir, they are identical; there is no way to tell the real Dr. Jackson from the copies."
"And what about the Goa'uld Clarine?"
"She was gone when we got there sir, she left a few guards and servants but otherwise the place was empty."
"Is it possible that none of these men are Dr. Jackson?"
"It's very possible sir, but I have no way to determine that."
"What about the rings?" Jack asked. "Three of 'em have got those funky rings on and the one we got out of the test tube doesn't."
"From closer examination of the rings worn by these Daniel Jacksons," said Teal'c, "I am forced to conclude I was mistaken in my earlier assertion that they are merely binding rings, they are a hybrid, of two ring devices; one is the binding technology of which I spoke but the other is used to inflict pain on the wearer."
"They're torture devices?"
"Indeed, and the Daniel Jackson liberated from the test tube would not have been given one since he was unconscious and unable to resist."
Three Daniels paced the holding cell, the test tube Jackson laid on his stomach on a bunk.
"I'm me!" they all said in unison.
"Well, clearly someone's lying." said Test tube on the bed with a smirk.
The Daniel with the manacle on his ankle clanked over to the door.
"Hey!" he called. "Are you going to leave this thing on my foot forever?" Dungeon Daniel sat cross legged on the bunk across from Test Tube.
"I don't feel like a copy," he said quietly.
"News-flash," said the Daniel on the bunk above him, "none of us do, I've been here for three weeks and change and I still think I'm me."
"Didn't they find some abnormality in your DNA and that's why they went back to the planet?" asked Test Tube.
"Yeah, but that could just be a side effect of whatever made you guys."
"I am not a copy." said Manacle as he slid down on the bunk below Test Tube.
"Neither am I." The rest said in unison.
"Whose idea was it to put them all in the same room?" asked Jack staring at the security monitor.
"Janet and I thought it might be a good idea to watch them interact and see if we can figure out which one's real by their behavior," said Sam, her eyes fixated on the monitor.
Jack glanced at his mesmerized 2IC and shrugged.
"Worth a shot."
"It's been three days and we still can't tell them apart without some identifying marker." Sam threw Janet a look. Jack rolled his eyes and General Hammond tried not to look disappointed.
"This has gone on too long, it's been a month since Dr. Jackson was first taken; now I'm sorry, but I'm inclined to move the copies to a more secure location until we can figure out if any of them is the real Dr. Jackson." Jack was just about to protest when the klaxon's sounded and the control room announced an unscheduled off world activation. The entire party rushed from the room.
"Is there a signal?"
"Receiving one now sir, it, it's SG-1."
"Open the iris!" Jack was down the stairs already followed closely by Sam and Teal'c. The shimmering event horizon opened up before them and spit out a very well worn archeologist. Daniel collapsed on the ramp shaking like mad. The rest of the team was there in seconds.
"Medic!" yelled Jack grabbing Daniel's hand to comfort him. "What's this?" There was a piece of paper clutched in Daniel's hand Jack pried it out and handed it to Carter.
"It's a note."
"What's it say?"
"It's written in Goa'uld," she passed the note to Teal'c.
"It reads: a deal is a deal."
Epilogue
Daniel sat up in his infirmary bed, and tried to read a novel Sam had brought him, while Jack insisted on feeding him blue Jell-O.
"Jack do you mind?"
"You have to eat, Daniel."
"Yes, but smearing blue Jell-O on my face isn't eating." He laughed grabbing a napkin from his tray and wiping his chin.
"I'm just trying to help," said Jack laying the bowl aside.
"I know and I appreciate it but there is such a thing as over compensation." Jack suddenly became interested in straightening the covers on Daniel's bed. "Jack." Daniel put his hand over Jack's to still them. "I don't blame you Jack; it's not your fault." Jack looked up into Daniel's pale face. His eyes were sunk in and black around the edges, the bony fingers that covered Jack's own were mottled with bruises and scrapes. Janet told them he would be fine, physically he was just fatigued and malnourished. But Jack knew better, he knew that behind the teasing and the smiles his friend was hurting, and sooner or later they'd have to deal with what happened. "There was no way of telling that the one you brought back was a clone until I broke through and I think it was the combined effort of the others that pulled it off. Look you destroyed her lab, but she's got another one I don't know the glyphs but she's out there spawning more Goa'uld with my 'code of life' that's something I have to deal with."
"That's not your fault Daniel you couldn't have stopped her you were her prisoner."
"I know that. But I have to wonder why it was so all fired important that I provide that code again I mean what didn't she get enough of my personality the first time?"
"She wanted you Daniel because she had a taste and wanted more of your knowledge. With your DNA all her little broods will know about the SGC and our allies as well as having a better look at the state of the galaxy. She played us but good and we'll meet her again one of these days and then I'll have satisfaction for both of us." Jack gave him a grim smile. "I'm sorry I left you behind."
"Not your fault Jack for the millionth time. But if it's credit you want, having rescued three of me, I'm certainly giving you points for effort!" He laughed but it was a hollow laugh. At that point Sam came in with a worried look on her face. "Sam what's up?" Daniel looked worriedly at his stricken friend. Sam shot a quick look at Jack before speaking. "Sam I'm fine just spit it out."
"Three of the copies just died."
"What?"
"How?"
"We think it was the rings, they all just kind of keeled over."
"What makes you so sure it was the rings?"
"Because the one without is the one that's still alive."
A sequel is in the works….