A/N Sorry if you don't like the way this chapter is written. I like just writing conversations, leaving what the speakers are doing up to the reader's imagination. Promise for better writing in the next chapter. Maybe. :P
Chapter 3
"You ok?" Jack asked Daniel, who was lying on his back in the patch of light.
"I think I broke something" he replied thickly, sitting up to reveal a nose gushing blood. Again.
"Yeah, your pride. What idiot let's themselves get punched in the nose twice in one day?"
Daniel ignored him and removed his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Didn't break my glasses though. Gonna have a mighty bruise. He called Sam a wench. My wench. 'S not right."
Jack moved over to Daniel and waved a hand in front of him. "How many fingers am I holding up?"
"Go away Jack. I'm not concussed."
"Ok, just checking. So. An escape plan. That's what we need." Jack sat down next to Daniel, who was gently holding his shirt up to his nose, trying to stem the blood flow.
"Helps if you tip your head forward you know," said Jack, watching him.
"Yes, thank you Jack." Said Daniel, irritated.
"Ooo touchy."
"Locksley." Muttered Daniel under his breath.
"What?"
"He called me Locksley."
"Who?"
"The guard."
"No, I mean who's Locksley?"
"That's what I'm trying to remember. They seem to think I am him. So if I make it clear I'm not, would they let me go?"
"I think it's unlikely. And now they have Carter too. Do you think they know her as well?"
Daniel frowned, trying to remember the conversation they had overheard.
"It's possible. But obviously Sam isn't who they think she is."
Jack exhaled slowly. "Are they even more likely to lock us up if we say we are SG1 of the United States Air force, from a planet called Earth?"
Daniel sighed in frustration. "Probably Jack. The gate didn't appear to be used. They have English accents, and they are definitely pre-industrial revolution."
"Ahhh, the old catch 22. We're damned if we do and damned if we don't."
Daniel raised his eyebrows. "So it would seem." He gently released his nose, testing for bleeding. When it didn't, he started cleaning his glasses on his trousers.
"Who did that guy say he was arresting us by order of? And what did he call us men and women of? Something forest." Jack asked suddenly.
"The Sheriff. Sheriff of Nott'am I think he said. It was something wood, the forest. Burwood? Lerwood? Lerwood." Daniel put his glasses back on and blinked a few times. "Teal'cs not being very speedy with his rescue."
"He's hopefully with the General now, and then they can send in the marines and blow these guys to smithereens."
"That's not entirely necessary Jack. Freeing us would suffice."
The two lapsed into silence.
"It's like that film you know." Jack said a few minutes later.
"What film?"
"The one with Kevin Costner."
"Who?"
Jack looked at him. "Daniel, you should at least try to lead a normal American life outside of the SGC."
"Yes Jack." 'How many times had he heard Jack say that before?' He thought to himself. "So did that comment have any point to it?"
"No. Just saying. The names are similar. We haven't met the sheriff guy yet but I'm already seeing him as big and evil with a huge black afro thing going on."
"Uh huh." Daniel rolled his eyes to himself. He would much rather have been trapped in a cell with Sam. At least they would talk about something interesting.
Jack carried on, unaware that Daniel wasn't listening. "He played an outlaw. It was set in England I think. James Bond was King. Lots of sword fights. Which I'm not too hot at by the way. Also burning arrows. Which again, I'm probably not too hot at. Would rather have a P90 and a zat. They lived in trees. They did this amusing thing where they hid under traps made of leaves and then leapt out at carriages passing through the forest and stole money off them. I remember doing something like that on one of my training missions."
Daniel looked up at Jack, his bright blue eyes suddenly alert. "What did you say?"
Jack paused, taken back by Daniel's interruption. "I didn't actually steal from carriages; I meant we hid under leaves. To avoid capture. Standard training."
"They hid in a forest and stole money from carriages? In your film?"
Jack nodded, unsure where this was going. "Are you sure you feel alright Daniel?"
Daniel glared at him. "Are you talking about Robin Hood?"
"That's the one! Yep. It's like that."
Daniel lapsed into silence again, mulling the idea over. "Well, they're not dissimilar. Nott'am, Nottingham. Lerwood, Sherwood. The chances of us finding a world living out an English Folklore tale are quite slim though. Although…" Daniel paused, thinking.
"Although what?"
"The guard called me Locksley." Jack looked at him blankly.
"Robin Hood was called Robin of Locksley."
Jack laughed. "But that makes you–" He laughed again. "That makes you Robin Hood."
"Hey! It's not funny!" He replied indignantly. "There was a huge price on Robin's head you know. If other people think I am him we're not getting out of here in a hurry."
Jack looked at him. "Please tell me you aren't entertaining this as an actual idea? You said yourself, it's a slim possibility."
"It is." Daniel lapsed into silence again.
"We're gonna have to escape."
"I know that Daniel. As nice as the décor is, I don't really want to stay."
"No, I mean soon. Now the sheriff has caught us he is going to want to show the good people of Nott'am that he is in control."
"By…"
"A public hanging. Those were legal in the Middle Ages."
"Ahhh. T best hurry up then."
"You sure we can't get out of here by ourselves?"
"Not unless we dress up like girls and gain the Sheriff's favour, no."
Daniel gasped. "Sam! What if he thinks she is Maid Marian? He will want to marry her."
"Carter will never stand for that."
"Women don't have rights in this culture Jack, she won't have much choice."
Jack stood up and went over to the cell door. "Hello? Anyone there? OI!" He turned back to Daniel. "I think we're alone at this end of the dungeon. They must save it for the really bad people."
"Robin wasn't bad. He robbed from the rich to give to the poor." Daniel said absent-mindedly.
"A man after your own heart then. Hey, I hear something." Footsteps could be heard approaching. "Hello?" Jack shouted.
The ugly old man appeared in front of the door, keeping back out of arm's reach.
"Yes?" he sneered.
"I just wondered if I could talk to someone. Someone important," He added. "Maybe the Sheriff of Nott…"
"Nott'am" Daniel put in.
"Yes. Him. Could I talk to him?"
The old man smiled, showing a mouth full of rotting teeth. "You can do on the morrow."
"I was wondering if I could have a slot a bit sooner. You see-" Jack was cut off as Daniel stood up and joined him by the door.
"What's happening tomorrow morning?"
The old man sniggered. "We're havin' an execution. A public one. Lots o' people. Very excitin'."
"Dare I ask who's?" Jack queried, knowing the answer already.
"Yours. Both youse."
"Obviously." He banged his hands on the iron bars.
"And I can't see the sheriff sooner?"
"No. He be busy all day. Preparin'."
"Preparing for what, our hanging?" Said Jack, frustrated.
"No. He be gettin' married in two days."
"Oh. Good for him. I won't be around in two days though so I'd like to see him now."
Daniel butted in again. "Who's he marrying?"
The old man looked at him as if he were an idiot. "Why Maid Marian o' course. Talk o' the county it'll be. People say he goin' up up up. First he captures you Robin, then he marries that pretty lass. Course, they ain't happy mind. They seem to think your some sort a hero like. I don't, mind." He glared at Daniel accusingly. "You be stealin' from the Rich. 'Tis their God given right, 'tis." The old man turned and started hobbling down the corridor.
"Hey, wait!" The old man paused. "Who am I then, if he's Robin?" Jack jerked his finger at Daniel, who watched, amusedat Jack's jealousy.
"Do you not know your own name, lad? You be one o' his followers. Fool you are too." With that, the man disappeared into the darkness.
"Well!" Said Jack, turning back to the patch of light in the cell. "He called me lad! And fool! And said that I, Colonel Jack O'Neill, was one of your followers!"
"He also said Sam was Maid Marian," said Daniel quietly.
"I was getting to that."
Daniel sighed and kicked the cell bars.
Jack watched him, seeing the frustration etched in his face. "We can't get out Daniel. We may as well settle down and try and escape in the morning." He sat down against one of the walls, casting himself in shadow again.
"I hope Sam and Teal'c are ok." Daniel said as he sat down beside him. 'Especially Sam' he added to himself. Teal'c, as far as they knew, had thus far evaded capture. Sam however had the Sheriff to contend with.