AN1: The last Argos chapter! Those of you who were watching the Superbowl instead of reading last Sunday may have missed the last chapter getting put up.
AN2: This story is nearing its end. I've decided that since I am 26 chapters into it, renaming it at this point would be counterproductive. HOWEVER, there will be a sequel. And I need a name for that. Any suggestions? There will be familial complications.
AN3: Lies, Damn Lies, and Statistics (for the prologue and the first 25 chapters):
38,342 words total; 38,267 words of story; 3145 words of Authors Notes total; 125.8 words of Authors Notes/chapter (not including the prologue); 1530.68 words/chapter (not inc. prologue); 384 reviews; 14.77 reviews/chapter; 1 review for every 100 words of story.
That means I'm gonna get 18 reviews for this chapter, right? Right?
With a crash, the statue fell. It'd taken longer than Jack had expected, mostly because the villagers were still half-convinced that Pelops was a god and that he would smite them for their disobedience. Jack was too frail to be much more than a technical advisor, but he'd kept them moving too quickly to think it through; he didn't want anyone having time for second thoughts. Hearing the crash of stone on stone, seeing it lying there, had brought the reality home with a vengeance, though, and the villagers clutched one another in fear.
Jack said nothing, letting them figure out for themselves that Pelops wasn't coming. Besides, his voice was kinda raw from all the arguing and cajoling he'd been doing that day.
After a few minutes, the Argosians started letting go of each other. "He-He did not strike us," Alekos said in awe.
"I told ya so!" Jack said triumphantly as the Argosians started to do what they did best—party.
Jack, tired after his exertions, sat down to watch.
"I just … feel confused," Sam said. They'd retired to Janet's office, and she'd spent the last twenty minutes pouring her heart out. Janet hadn't had to push hard at all to get her to open up. "Ever since I got pregnant, I feel like I'm on a roller coaster. And it's gotten worse since Jack was infected. I've spent the last couple of days worrying about him, if we'll get him back, what he'll be like if he gets better. I mean, he was raped by that woman. I know she didn't mean to, but that's what it comes down to! I just … hope he makes it through ok." She ran a hand through her hair. "But sometimes I get mad at Jack, too, for letting it happen. I know he couldn't have done anything to stop it, but …" She shook her head. "And I feel guilty about being mad, and that I'm not doing more to help. I know there's nothing more I could be doing, but that doesn't help, either."
Janet sighed. "Anger perfectly normal, Sam," she said. "So is guilt. Your feelings don't have to be logical. Feelings seldom are. Just as long as you don't take it out on him, I wouldn't let it worry you."
"I know," Sam said. "And I have no intention of taking it out on Jack. That doesn't make it any easier to deal with on my part."
"I'm sure Doctor MacKenzie would be willing to talk to you about this if you wanted. Or Doctor Hiroshi—she specializes in relationship issues."
"No, thanks," Sam said. "It's not that bad. I just need to talk it through with a friend."
"Any time." Janet smiled. "We could have a girl's night in, complete with nail polish, chick flicks, and ice cream, if you wanted."
Sam shook her head. "Maybe after Jack gets back. For now, I'm fine. A little tired, but I'm okay. This has helped, but I don't want to be too far away from the control room in case Jack calls."
"I understand," Janet sad. "But you need to take better care of yourself. If I hear you aren't sleeping or eating properly, I'll have Mister Teal'c come find you and drag you to the cafeteria and then tie you down in a bed in one of the VIP rooms. Understand?"
"Teal'c doesn't frighten me," Sam scoffed. "Besides, I think I can evade your spies." This gentle banter was the touch of normalcy she needed.
"Even Daniel?" Janet asked mildly.
"Well, maybe not Daniel," Sam said, deflating slightly. "He has an unfair advantage. As the civilian geek who's nice to everyone he's kind of turned into the base mascot. Everyone talks to him. Even the Marines." Inter-service rivalry on the base was at normal levels for a new base; the Marines and Airforce worked together, but a certain amount of friction was inevitable.
"He's just too cute and innocent looking," Janet agreed. "It's a major advantage. Fortunately, he doesn't realize it."
"No, he has no idea how innocent he is," Sam agreed.
Janet raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong, Sam?"
Sam shook her head. "I know there was no way Daniel could have predicted or prevented this whole thing, either. It's just that he's so naïve, even for a civilian. He assumes that everyone except maybe the Goa'uld are as good and honorable as he is. But the thing is, most people aren't. And I can't help thinking that if he'd been a little more wary, maybe he would have figured out something was wrong before Jack got led away by that … woman."
"Maybe so," Janet said carefully, cocking her head, "but you certainly can't call Colonel O'Neil or Mister Teal'c naïve, and they were both there too. If they didn't catch the fact that the cake was dangerous, how was Daniel supposed to?"
Sam looked down, collecting her thoughts for a second. She looked up at her friend, lips tight. "That's true. But Janet, they're both used to looking for the armed threats. Cultural ones, those are Daniel's area of expertise." She shook her head. "I know I'm being too hard on him, but part of me can't help it. At least, not while Jack's life still hangs in the balance."
Jack watched the party in front of him. Dancing, singing, eating … every so often a couple would drift off outside the temple. It didn't take a genius to know what they were going out for. Kynthia had been shooting glances at him the whole time, which he'd been trying to avoid as best as possible. Right now she was speaking with a villager he didn't know, playing with the flowers in her hair. He looked away as she turned towards him.
Damn, but his life was screwed up. Wrong planet, wrong woman, wrong age … he knew that if you took away that last one, a lot of guys would call this paradise. Not him. These innocents with their perfect world grated on his nerves. They didn't know what was out there, and couldn't care less. They'd pulled down Pelops' statue, but with no real purpose of their own behind it. If Pelops were to walk through the Stargate right this very minute, they'd bow before him again. The children were almost worse than the adults—every time he saw one of them, particularly Dan-el, he burned with hatred for the Goa'uld who had done this. He'd tried to explain, but they still didn't get it. None of them. And Kynthia was the worst.
"Why do you hide yourself away alone, Jack?"
And speak of the devil. "I'm not hiding," he said, shifting slightly away from her and trying to make it look casual. "I'm watching the party," he said, eyes following yet another couple as they disappeared, giggling, out the door.
Kynthia followed his gaze. "Would you care to take a walk?"
Jack held back a shudder at the thought of being alone with her. "No. Thank you."
"Alekos said you talked with him of exploring many worlds. Surely, you would like to explore this one?" Kynthia coaxed him as if he were a recalcitrant two year old.
"Still not interested." Jack bit off what he'd been about to say. It wouldn't be fair to dump what he was feeling on the girl; she was just a baby, for all she looked like a woman. Her crimes had been purely unintentional. He didn't have to like her (and he didn't!) but that didn't mean he had to be cruel.
"Then we could stay here in the village and talk … among other things," she said coyly.
"Absolutely not." Jack shuddered.
Kynthia sat down on the steps next to him. They sat in silence for a while; it wasn't exactly companionable, but it was the closest they'd ever come. "Surely you do not intend to live the rest of your days without making love?" she said at last.
"Oh, God, I hope not," Jack said absently, watching as yet another couple wandered off. There weren't very many adults left in the temple, though the children were still playing on the ruins of the statue. A slight sniffle brought his attention back to Kynthia at his side; she was trying not to cry.
"Then, it is me you do not like," she said quietly.
He had no answer to that. He couldn't tell her what she wanted to hear.
"I'm sorry," she said finally, and stood up slowly, busying herself with straightening her dress. Head bowed, she walked out of the temple, the first one he'd seen leave alone so far.
Jack felt some of the tension drain itself out of his body. He felt exhausted, like he'd just done an obstacle course in full gear—twice. He went back to watching the kids. There were so few adults left here that he figured someone had to keep an eye on them.
"Jack?" Dan-el was peering at the base of the statue. "There's something here you gotta see."
"What is it?" Jack asked, bracing himself to rise. It took a lot of effort to get upright, but he made it. Well, at least as 'upright' as he was capable of at the moment. He began shuffling over.
"Come here and see for yourself," Dan-el said with a smile.
"I'm coming, I'm coming," Jack said. "You young whippersnappers don't know how good you got it." The rest of the Argosians still present, adults and children, gathered round and watched. After what seemed like eternity Jack was at the statue, staring down at the thing that had caught Dan-el's eye. It was a device, complete with blinking lights. "Good job, Dan-el," he said, clapping the kid on the back. "Could you hand it to me?" It didn't look like it was attached to anything, and he didn't want to have to bend over to pick it up.
"Sure," Dan-el said. With the grace of the very young he bent down and picked up the device.
Jack took it from him and turned towards the DHD. "Thanks, kid. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a call to make."
"Can I watch?" Dan-el asked, eyes lighting up.
"Course you can," Jack said. If he'd had a free hand, he'd have given the kid a pat on the back, but as unsteady as he was he needed both on the device to avoid dropping it. "Actually, you want to carry this for me?" he asked, indicating the device.
"Could I?" Dan-el's grin stretched from ear to ear as he held his hands out.
"Sure, Dan-el," Jack replied. "Just be careful and don't drop it. We don't want to break it before the geeks get a chance to look at it."
"Okay." Holding the device as if it were a holy relic, Dan-el walked beside Jack up the stairs. He only fidgeted a little at Jack's slow pace. The others clustered around them as they made their way to the DHD.